How to Play Tartaglia in Genshin Impact
Tartaglia is a name that is highly feared on the battlefield. He is the Number 11 of the Fatui’s Harbingers, also known as “Childe.” Despite being the youngest among the Harbingers and having a cheerful and confident appearance, Tartaglia is among the most dangerous. That said, Childe does not seem to fit well with others. As a fighter, first and foremost, he is quite at odds with this organization of deceit and treachery.
Introduced as one of the story’s antagonists and playing major roles in the game’s lore, this wolf in sheep’s clothing will appear countless times during your adventure as the Traveler in the vast world of Teyvat.
Contents
- Character Background
- How to Get Tartaglia
- Team Role and Play Style
- Talents
- Constellation: Monoceros Caeli
- How to Build Tartaglia
- Tartaglia’s Character Ascension
- Tartaglia’s Talent Level-Up Materials
Character Background
As the youngest Harbinger in the history of the Fatui, Childe is hardly bound by convention and plays by his own rules accordingly. Despite this, he is a proud man of his word. Even if the promise he makes is absurd, he will never break it, and he keeps these promises with finesse and surgical precision.
Many myths in Snezhnaya say that Tartaglia has been on the battlefield since he was 14. What’s more terrifying than him being a skilled slaughterer with mastery of many forms of martial arts is his passion for it. Perilous battles would only excite him, and terrifying foes would exhilarate him. And unlike other members of the Harbingers, who prefer to keep a low profile, Tartaglia will often go to watch public performances and occasionally even become part of the show himself.
At 14, Ajax, named by his father after some hero’s tale, fled home and eventually got lost in the snowy forest. He fell into a bottomless crack in the earth’s surface, down into a dark realm where he met a mysterious swordsman who taught him how to pass through the Abyss unhindered and nurtured the ability to stir up havoc within him.
By the time he returned home, Ajax was no longer the same. He became a nexus of strife, for fights and squabbles would follow no matter where he went. Ultimately he was handed over to the Fatui in hopes that the strict military training could hone him. The child beat up fully-armed troops, which caught the attention of Pulcinella, the 5th Harbinger.
Ajax was inducted into the Fatui under the pretext of meting out punishment but was eventually chosen as one of the Fatui Harbingers, donning the mantle of “Childe” Tartaglia. It was the same day he received his Delusion as a reward for slaying many terrible beasts and a memento of countless battles. The very same day, he stood before the cold, stern sacrosanct Cryo Archon. The moment his young heart got stirred with respect and admiration, which had him swear an oath of fealty to the one and only Tsaritsa of Snezhnaya.
How to Get Tartaglia
Childe or Tartaglia is a 5-star character released as a playable character during the Version 1.1 update of the game. He can only be obtained by making wishes on a time-limited Character Wish Banner, which will only feature a special 5-star character if that character is involved in the game’s current contents, like story quests and events. If Tartaglia is currently featured on the Character Wish Banner, you will have a chance to do a test run of the character and see if you like her play style.
The good news is, as of the writing of this guide, the game has been doing double Character Banner reruns where 5-star characters who are not part of the current game story content are also featured.
Please see our guide on the topic to learn more about acquiring characters in Genshin Impact by clicking this link.
Team Role and Play Style
Main DPS
Tartaglia’s kit strictly made his combos or main way of dealing damage to opponents by entering the Melee Stance of his Elemental Skill. It even specifies that if he leaves the field, he will return to the Ranged Stance, and the ability will enter its CoolDown. With these in mind, you can confirm that Tartaglia, aka Childe, is designed to be the team’s main damage dealer or DPS character.
To maximize Tartaglia’s combat talents and passive abilities, he needs to enter his Melee Stance and jump directly into battle with his normal attacks. The maximum time he can stay in this form is 30 seconds. Therefore, you must prepare everything because you should not switch to other characters in Melee Stance to maximize it.
With Tartaglia as the main DPS character, switching to other characters, especially the support ones, should only be done once his Elemental Skill has entered its CD or when he desperately needs healing or other support.
Talents
Combat Talents
Normal Attack: Cutting Torrent
This talent allows Childe to perform six shots with his bow if the button is pressed consecutively.
When the button for this talent is held down or if the aiming form is toggled, Childe can perform a more precise Aimed Shot with increased damage. While aiming, the power of Hydro will accumulate on the arrowhead, and a fully charged arrow will be imbued with torrent.
This shot will deal with Hydro Damage and apply the Riptide status to the targets it hits.
Riptide
Opponents inflicted with the Riptide status will suffer from AOE Hydro Damage effects when Tartaglia’s attacks hit them. The damage dealt this way is considered Normal Attack damage.
- Riptide Flash: A fully-charged Aimed Shot that hits an opponent affected by Riptide and deals consecutive bouts of AOE Damage. This can occur every 0.7 seconds. Riptide also has two other effects, which are the following:
- Riptide Burst: When an opponent affected by Riptide is defeated, a Hydro Burst will be created, inflicting the Riptide status on nearby opponents it hits.
This talent can also be used while Childe is at a certain height above ground. When used this way, he will fire off a shower of arrows mid-air before falling and striking the ground. This will deal AOE damage upon impact. However, this plunging attack cannot be performed while Childe is in the Foul Legacy: Raging Tide’s Melee Stance.
Elemental Skill: Foul Legacy: Raging Tide
This talent allows Tartaglia to enter a Melee Stance, where he unleashes a set of weaponry made of pure water, which deals Hydro Damage to surrounding opponents. If this ability is triggered or used again, Tartaglia will return to his Bow or Ranged Stance.
While in the Melee Stance, Tartaglia’s Normal and Charged Attacks are converted to Hydro Damage that any other elemental infusion cannot override. The said attacks will also have the following changes:
- Normal Attack allows Tartaglia to perform up to 6 consecutive Hydro strikes.
- Charged Attack – This now lets Tartaglia unleash a cross slash that deals with Hydro Damage while consuming a certain amount of Stamina.
- Riptide Slash – When an opponent affected by Riptide is hit with a melee attack, a Riptide Slash will be unleashed, which deals AOE Hydro Damage. The damage dealt this way is considered Elemental Skill Damage and can only occur every 1.5 seconds.
After 30 seconds, this skill will end, Tartaglia will return to his Ranged Stance, and this ability will enter its CoolDown. The longer Tartaglia stays in the Melee Stance, the longer the skill’s CoolDown will be. If the return to the Ranged Stance occurs automatically after 30 seconds, the CD will be even longer.
Elemental Burst: Havoc: Obliteration
With this talent, Childe can perform different attacks based on what Stance he is in.
- Ranged Stance: Flash of Havoc
Using the Elemental Burst while in this stance, Childe will swiftly fire a Hydro-imbued magic arrow, which deals AOE Hydro Damage and apply the Riptide status to the opponents that were hit.
- Melee Stance: Light of Obliteration
If in Melee Stance, when using his Elemental Burst, Childe will perform a stash with a large AOE. This will deal massive Hydro Damage to all surrounding opponents and trigger a Riptide Blast.
Riptide Blast – When the obliterating waters hit an opponent affected by Riptide, it clears their Riptide status and triggers a Hydro Explosion that deals AOE Hydro Damage. The damage dealt in this way is considered Elemental Burst Damage.
Passive Talents
Never Ending
Tartaglia’s first ascension passive talent, when unlocked, will increase the duration of Riptide by 8 seconds. This means that the effects of Riptide can be triggered more times. Thus, more damage will be dealt to the opponent.
Swords of Torrents
This next passive talent, unlocked during Tartaglia’s fourth ascension phase, will give more chances of triggering Riptide. With this ability unlocked, when Tartaglia deals a Critical Hit while in Foul Legacy: Raging Tide’s Melee Stance, his Normal and Charged Attacks will apply the Riptide status effects to opponents.
Utility Passive: Master of Weaponry
Childe’s utility passive is one that is useful in combat. With this unlocked, all the characters in the party will have their Normal Attack talents’ level increased by 1. This, of course, includes Childe himself. However, this effect is only active if Childe is in an active party.
Constellation: Monoceros Caeli
Constellation Level 1: Foul Legacy: Tide Withholder
The first level of Tartaglia’s constellation decreases the CD time of his Elemental Skill, Foul Legacy: Raging Tide, by 20%. Which will allow shorter periods of waiting before getting into his Melee Stance.
Constellation Level 2: Foul Legacy: Understream
Foul Legacy: Undestream, the second level of Monoceros Caeli, will allow Tartaglia to regenerate 4 Elemental Energy whenever opponents affected by Riptide are defeated. This lets him have his Elemental Burst ready in no time and allows him to use the ability more often.
Constellation Level 3: Abyssal Mayhem: Vortex of Turmoil
Unlocking the third level of Monoceros Caeli will increase the current level of Tartaglia’s Elemental Skill, Foul Legacy: Raging Tide, by 3. The maximum level of the said talent will also be upgraded from 10 to 15.
Constellation Level 4: Abyssal Mayhem: Hydrospout
Tartaglia’s fourth constellation level will grant more effects to his Melee Stance and the Riptide status, making you prioritize attacking in this Stance.
If he is in Foul Legacy: Raging Tide’s Melee Stance, his attacks will trigger Riptide Slash against opponents on the field that are affected by Riptide every 4 seconds. Otherwise, the effect triggered will be Riptide Flash.
The Riptide Slashes and Riptide Flashes triggered by this Constellation effect are not subject to the time intervals that would typically apply to these two Riptide effects, nor do they have any effect on those time intervals.
Constellation Level 5: Havoc: Formless Blade
Unlocking the fourth level of Monoceros Caeli will increase the current level of Tartaglia’s Elemental Burst, Havoc: Formless Blade, by 3. The maximum level of the said talent will also be upgraded from 10 to 15.
Constellation Level 6: Havoc: Annihilation
This sixth and final level of Tartaglia’s constellation further enhances his Elemental Skill. That is when his Elemental Burst, Havoc: Obliteration, is cast in Melee Stance, and the CD time of Foul Legacy: Raging Tide is reset. However, this effect only takes place once Tartaglia returns to his Ranged Stance.
To maximize this effect, wait until the duration of Foul Legacy: Raging Tide’s Melee Stance ends and then use the ability again. This effect allows Tartaglia to be in his Melee Stance most of the time, even in longer combats.
How to Build Tartaglia
Most players want to focus on increasing the damage of Tartaglia’s Elemental burst, which, as observed, does not always trigger a Critical Hit. But we should not forget that he shines with the effects and damage of Riptide, which is what his kit kept using and has multiple effects.
Since he is doing a lot of Elemental Attack combos, increasing his Hydro Damage can be prioritized. The next stats to consider for Tartaglia are his Critical Rate and Critical Damage. So, make sure to equip him with a weapon and artifacts that boost the mentioned stat and the ones that have effects that enhance his normal attacks.
Weapon: Bow
5-Star Bows
Polar Star
This time-limited 5-star bow has Critical Rate as its secondary stat and a passive that will increase the damage of Tartaglia’s elemental skill and elemental burst.
When using this bow, any attack from Tartaglia that hits an opponent will grant him a stack of Ashen Nightstar, which increases ATK. A maximum of 4 stacks can be gained, and each stack will last 10 seconds.
Although the ATK buff does not significantly affect Tartaglia’s elemental skill and elemental burst, the weapon’s secondary stat and instant passive effect are still very useful.
Skyward Harp
This is perhaps the most versatile 5-star bow in the game, and it is a permanent item, which means you can get it in both the standard and weapon event banners regardless if it is featured or not.
Skyward Harp has the highest base ATK among all available bows in the game with a secondary stat of Critical rate. The passive effect grants a boost in Critical damage and hits an opponent who has a chance to inflict a small AOE attack that deals Physical damage.
These stat bonuses are fairly balanced and will make it easy for you to build and get good damage output for any DPS bow character.
Hunter’s Path
This bow is another weapon that has Critical Rate as its secondary stat. The passive effect, At the End of the Beast-Paths, grants users at least a 12% bonus to their Elemental Damage.
With this bow equipped, the character will also obtain the Tireless Hunt effect after hitting an opponent with a Charged Attack. This effect increases Charged Attack Damage by at least 160% of Elemental Mastery. The Tireless Hunt effect will be removed after 12 Charged Attacks or 10 seconds upon getting triggered. However, only 1 instance of this effect can be gained every 12 seconds.
Although the passive effect of this weapon focuses on Charged Attacks, which is not Tartaglia’s play style, he can still benefit from the other Stat and buff bonuses this grants. This makes Hunter’s Path a half-good weapon for Tartaglia.
Aqua Simulacra
Aqua Simulacra’s secondary stat is Critical Damage, which allows you to focus on Critical Rate for artifacts. Its passive effect—The Cleansing Form—increases the weapon user’s HP, and if opponents are nearby, the character’s damage will also be increased. The damage increase bonus will also take effect even if the user of this bow is not on the field.
Although the HP increase of this weapon’s effect is not very useful for Tartaglia, he can still benefit from the damage increase it gives when near an opponent. Since he is a DPS character, he will be near enemies most of the time, which easily triggers the passive effect.
Thundering Pulse
Another 5-star bow that can only be obtained when featured in the weapon banner is the Thundering Pulse. This one will greatly boost Tartaglia’s Critical damage with its secondary stat.
The weapon’s passive effect grants an increase of 40% to Tartaglia’s ATK, and he will gain a stack of Thunder Seal, which increases the damage of his normal attacks. If Tartaglia deals damage to opponents using his normal attack and elemental skill, or if his energy is less than 100%, he will gain another stack of Thunder Seal.
Amos Bow
The Amos Bow is the other 5-star bow that is permanent to both banners, just like the Skyward Harp. This weapon is also a good bow for a damage dealer, but Tartaglia’s playstyle won’t fully utilize it.
Although this weapon increases the damage of the user’s normal and charged attacks, the second effect is better for a character that focuses on long-ranged attacks like Ganyu.
4-Star Bows
The Viridescent Hunt and Blackcliff Warbow
If you are focusing on Tartaglia’s overall damage output, especially because he is the main DPS character in the team, these two weapons are really good choices.
The Viridescent Hunt has a Critical Rate as its secondary stat. Its passive effect, called Verdant Wind, grants a 50% chance to generate a Cyclone whenever a normal and charged attack hits an opponent. The Cyclone will continuously attract surrounding opponents and will deal physical damage to these opponents.
With Blackcliff Warbow’s Critical Damage secondary stat, you can focus on building Tartaglia’s Critical Rate with his artifacts. This bow’s passive, called Press the Advantage, will increase his ATK after Tartaglia defeats an opponent. This effect is good in situations where multiple weaker opponents are present.
Royal Bow, Hamayumi, Mouun’s Moon, Prototype Crescent, and Rust
These four are bows with ATK as the secondary stat bonus, and all have passive effects that do not hinder any of Tartaglia’s attacks.
Among these bows, Rust would be the best fit for Tartaglia’s play style, which focused on doing Normal Attacks. Rapid Firing, Rust’s passive effect, increases the Normal Attack damage of the user by at least 40%, but at the same time, decreases the damage of their Charged Attacks by 10%. The damage reduction is okay because you won’t use Tartaglia’s Charged Attack that much anyway.
Artifacts
The main source of stats that greatly affects a character’s build is the artifacts. For Tartaglia, as an elemental damage dealer, the first stat bonus you should look for are the ones that boost his Hydro damage.
4-Piece Sets
Heart of Depth
The 2-piece set of this artifact gives Hydro DMG bonus, and with the 4-piece set, after the character uses an elemental skill, their normal and charged attack damage are increased temporarily.
Given that, the 4-piece set effect works well for Tartaglia’s kit and play style.
Shimenawa’s Reminiscence
Since Tartaglia’s play style involves a lot of Normal Attacks, the 4-piece set of this artifact can be a good choice.
Aside from the 18% increase to his ATK, when Tartaglia has 15 or more energy, he will lose 15 more energy after using an elemental skill. Still, the damage of his Normal, Charged, and Plunging attacks will be increased by 50% for 10 seconds.
Echoes of an Offering
The 2-piece set of this artifact, like the two above, gives an 18% ATK bonus. If a 4-piece set is equipped, when normal attacks of the character hit opponents, there is a 36% chance that it will trigger the Valley Rite buff. This buff will increase the normal attack damage by 70% of the character’s ATK.
With Tartaglia’s play style that involves doing normal attack combos, triggering the Valley Rite buff will not be a problem.
2-Piece Sets Combination
You can also combine 2-piece sets of Gladiator’s Finale, Shimenawa’s Reminiscence, Echoes of an Offering, and Vermillion Hereafter with the 2-piece Heart of Depth or with each other because each can provide an 18% increase in ATK, which is still decent for Tartaglia.
The 2-piece sets of the Noblesse Oblige or Heart of Depth can be combined with 2-piece sets of other artifacts mentioned above.
Artifact Parts’ Main Stat
Make sure to have a Goblet of Eonothem with Hydro Damage Bonus as its main stat for Tartaglia.
You can then choose to have either a Critical Rate or Critical Damage Bonus for the Circlet of Logos, with Critical Rate to be preferred by most players for him. For the Sand of Eon, you can choose either ATK or Energy Recharge.
Tartaglia’s Character Ascension
What is Character Ascension in Genshin Impact
Each character has a certain level cap depending on their current ascension phase, and a character can be ascended up to 6 phases to reach the maximum character level of 90. When a character is ascended to certain phases, passive talents and special ascension stats will also be unlocked.
Ascension Materials
Ascending a character will need several items to be used as ascension materials, and for Tartaglia, the materials and the amount needed for each ascension phase are listed below.
Mora: 420,000
Mora is Genshin Impact’s main currency unit. It is accepted in all the nations of Teyvat and is also used to upgrade weapons, artifacts, talents, and character levels.
Cleansing Heart: 46
A Cleansing Heart is a palm-size dew of eternal water that, despite already being diffused among the lake’s depths, its purity remains the same.
A few of these pure water can be obtained by defeating the Oceanid in its lake in Wuwang Hill north of Bishui Plain in Liyue.
Starconch: 168
A Starconch is an empty seashell brought ashore by the tides, and if you hold it close to your ear, you will hear the longing calls of the sea. This Liyue local specialty is noted to be commonly found on the beaches of Liyue, especially around Yaoguang Shoal and Guyun Stone Forest and along the shores of Dragonspine.
Fatui Insignias
These are insignias that Fatui members wear, and their varying shapes and color will help identify the rank of those members and distinguish them from one another.
You can obtain these insignias by defeating Fatui Skirmishers, Agents, and Electro Cicin Mages. It can also be purchased from Paimon’s Bargains shop in exchange for Masterless Stardusts. Insignia’s with higher rarity can also be crafted using the ones with lower rarity.
The amount needed for each is as follows: Recruit’s Insignia: 18; Sergeant’s Insignia: 30; Lieutenant’s Insignia: 36.
Varunada Lazurite
These mineral crystals can be obtained from boss enemies manipulating the Hydro element. Boss enemies include the Hydro Hypostasis, Oceanid, Tartaglia, aka Childe (Weekly Boss), and even Azhdaha. You can also get these from quest and commissions rewards, as well by crafting them using the ones with lower rarity levels.
The amounts needed for each are as follows: Varunada Lazurite Sliver: 1; Varunada Lazurite Fragments: 9; Varunada Lazurite Chunks: 9; Varunada Lazurite Gemstones: 6.
Ascension Phases
Ascension Phase 1
This first ascension will be done after the character reached level 20, and they cannot proceed to the next level without ascending to the next phase. The character level cap will be increased to 40 and Childe’s first passive talent, “Never Ending,” will be unlocked.
Materials:
- Mora – 20,000
- Varunada Lazurite Sliver – 1
- Starconch – 3
- Recruit’s Insignia – 3
- Unlocked Talent: “Come ‘n’ Get Me, Hag!” (1st Passive Talent)
Ascension Phase 2
Ascension Phase 2 can be reached at character level 40 and will increase the character level cap to 50. After this ascension, the talents of the character can now be upgraded or leveled up. Childe will also unlock a special ascension stat on this phase, which is the Hydro Damage Bonus of 7.2%.
Materials:
- Mora – 40,000
- Varunada Lazurite Fragments – 3
- Starconch – 10
- Recruit’s Insignia – 15
- Cleansing Heart – 2
- Unlocked Special Stat: 7.2% Hydro Damage Bonus
- Unlocked Feature: Allows leveling combat talents from 1 to 2
Ascension Phase 3
After reaching level 50, Childe can be ascended to ascension phase 3, which will then increase his character level cap to 60. The 3rd ascension phase will also double the Hydro Damage Bonus special stat from 7.2% to 14.4%. Additionally, Childe’s combat talents can then be increased up to level 4.
Materials:
- Mora – 60,000
- Varunada Lazurite Fragments – 6
- Starconch – 20
- Sergeant’s Insignia – 12
- Cleansing Heart – 4
- Unlocked Stat: Hydro Damage Bonus increased from 7.2% to 14.4%
- Unlocked Feature: Allows leveling combat talents from 2 to 4
Ascension Phase 4
At level 60, you can ascend Childe to ascension phase 4 and upgrade his character level cap to 70. After ascending, you will unlock his second Passive Talent called Sword of Torrents, and all his Combat Talents can then be leveled up to 6.
Materials:
- Mora – 80,000
- Varunada Lazurite Chunks – 3
- Starconch – 30
- Sergeant’s Insignia – 18
- Cleansing Heart – 8
- Unlocked Feature: Allows leveling combat talents from 4 to 6
- Unlocked Talent: Sword of Torrents (2nd Passive Talent)
Ascension Phase 5
The 5th ascension phase can be reached when Childe is at level 70, and ascending will increase his character level cap to 80. His special ascension stat, Hydro Damage Bonus, will be increased to 21.6% at this phase. Childe’s combat talents will also upgrade their level cap from 6 to 8.
Materials:
- Mora – 100,000
- Varunada Lazurite Chunks – 6
- Starconch – 45
- Lieutenant’s Insignia – 12
- Cleansing Heart – 12
- Unlocked Stat: Hydro Damage Bonus increased from 14.4% to 21.6%
- Unlocked Feature: Allows leveling combat talents from 6 to 8
Ascension Phase 6
Childe’s final ascension phase is at level 80, and it will increase his character level cap to 90. His special ascension stat, the Hydro Damage Bonus, will be increased to 28.8%, and his Combat Talents can now be upgraded to the maximum level of 10.
Materials:
- Mora – 120,000
- Varunada Lazurite Gemstones – 6
- Starconch – 60
- Lieutenant’s Insignia – 24
- Cleansing Heart – 20
- Unlocked Stat: Hydro Damage Bonus increased from 21.6% to 28.8%
- Unlocked Feature: Allows leveling combat talents from 8 to 10
Tartaglia’s Talent Level-Up Materials
What are the Talent Level-Up Materials for Childe
Aside from Mora and Fatui Insignias, you will also need a few Shards of Foul Legacy to increase the level of Childe’s combat talents.
Shard of a Foul Legacy
A Shard of a Foul Legacy is a splinter of a weapon of Childe when he unleashed the might of his Delusion. You can obtain a few of these after defeating Childe or Tartaglia in the Golden House Domain of Memories – The Golden Shadow in Liyue.
Talent Level Book: Freedom
The talent-level books of the “Freedom” series are the ones needed for Childe’s combat talents. You can obtain these by completing the challenge in the Forsaken Rift Domain of Master: Frosted Altar.
These books include the Teachings of Freedom, Guide to Freedom, and the Philosophies of Freedom. The last two can be crafted using the crafting bench in the town.
Crown of Insight
Leveling a combat talent up from level 9 to 10 will need a Crown of Insight, which is a special item that can only be obtained as a reward from the game’s events.
- Mora: 1,652,500
- Recruit’s Insignia: 6
- Sergeant’s Insignia: 22
- Lieutenant’s Insignia: 31
- Teachings of Freedom: 3
- Guide to Freedom: 21
- Philosophies of Freedom: 38
- Shard of a Foul Legacy: 6
- Crown of Insight: 1
