Guide
How the kit works
Start by hitting an opponent with O Tears, I Shall Repay. It deals AoE Hydro DMG based on Max HP and creates three Sourcewater Droplets near the target. At intervals, the Skill also deals Pneuma-aligned Hydro DMG.
Use O Tides, I Have Returned when available. Its waves deal AoE Hydro DMG based on Max HP, followed by two smaller-area waterfalls that create six Droplets in front of Neuvillette.
Hold the attack from As Water Seeks Equilibrium (NA) near the Droplets. You can move and change direction while charging. Each Droplet absorbed speeds up formation of the Seal of Arbitration and heals Neuvillette. Release after the Seal forms to fire the empowered attack; releasing early gives you an ordinary Charged Attack instead.
The empowered attack lasts 3s, costs no Stamina and deals continuous Hydro DMG in front of him. While using it above 50% HP, he continuously loses HP. His passive grants Hydro DMG Bonus based on current HP above 30% of Max HP, up to 30% bonus at 80% HP.
Build and why
Use four pieces of Marechaussee Hunter. The two-piece bonus raises Normal and Charged Attack DMG by 15%. The four-piece bonus gives 12% CRIT Rate for 5s when HP rises or falls, stacking up to three times. Neuvillette can make use of it through healing and his empowered attack's HP loss.
Four pieces of Heart of Depth are another option: they give Hydro DMG Bonus and, after a Skill, 30% Normal and Charged Attack DMG for 15s. Retracing Bolide is also worth considering with a shield, since its four-piece bonus raises those attack types by 40% while protected. For a mixed set, two pieces each of Heart of Depth and Tenacity of the Millelith give Hydro DMG Bonus and HP.
Choose HP Percentage on the sands, Hydro DMG Bonus or HP Percentage on the goblet, and CRIT DMG, CRIT Rate or HP Percentage on the circlet. For substats, look for CRIT DMG, CRIT Rate and HP Percentage, followed by Energy Recharge and HP. Max HP supports the Skill and Burst, while Energy Recharge helps you use the Burst. Account for the set's up to 36% CRIT Rate before aiming for 100%.
Tome of the Eternal Flow is the first weapon choice: it increases HP, strengthens Charged Attacks when HP changes and restores Energy at three stacks. Sacrificial Jade is next; its Max HP bonus requires more than 5s off-field and ends after 10s on-field. Surf's Up is another option for its Max HP increase, although its stack bonus favors Normal Attacks rather than the empowered Charged Attack. Prototype Amber is worth considering for Burst Energy and party healing.
Leveling priority
A sensible leveling order is As Water Seeks Equilibrium (NA) first, because it contains the empowered Charged Attack. Then consider O Tides, I Have Returned for its damage and six Droplets, followed by O Tears, I Shall Repay. Both still contribute damage and fuel the main attack.
For maximum ascension, gather 420,000 Mora, 168 Lumitoile, 46 Fontemer Unihorn, 1 Varunada Lazurite Sliver, 9 Varunada Lazurite Fragment, 9 Varunada Lazurite Chunk and 6 Varunada Lazurite Gemstone. You also need 18 Transoceanic Pearl, 30 Transoceanic Chunk and 36 Xenochromatic Crystal.
To maximize all three talents, the listed materials are 4,957,500 Mora, 3 Crown of Insight, 9 Teachings of Equity, 63 Guide to Equity, 114 Philosophies of Equity, 18 Transoceanic Pearl, 66 Transoceanic Chunk, 93 Xenochromatic Crystal and 18 Everamber.
Constellations worth it
Venerable Institution is the standout upgrade. It gives one Past Draconic Glories stack when Neuvillette takes the field and raises interruption resistance during charging and the empowered attack. You still need to unlock the passive first.
Ancient Postulation is worth considering for three levels to As Water Seeks Equilibrium (NA), which contains the main attack. Juridical Exhortation adds 14% CRIT DMG to that empowered attack per passive stack, up to 42%.
Wrathful Recompense lets the attack absorb nearby Droplets during use, extending it by 1s per Droplet. On hits, it also fires two extra currents every 2s, each dealing Hydro DMG equal to 10% of Max HP. Consider it if you want that longer attack; it is not necessary to play the kit.
Crown of Commiseration creates a Droplet when Neuvillette is healed on-field, at most once every 4s. Axiomatic Judgment adds three Burst levels. Both can be skipped if your priority is the empowered attack rather than those benefits.
Teams
The passive counts different reaction types, not repeated triggers of the same one. Each stack lasts 30s, up to three, and makes the empowered attack deal 110%, 125% or 160% of its original damage at one, two or three stacks respectively. Eligible reactions include Electro-Charged, Hydro Swirl and Hydro Crystallize.
Neuvillette gives the team sustained Hydro damage on-field. A shield helps him keep charging and attacking without interruption, while a healer can help maintain HP for his Hydro DMG Bonus.
Common mistakes
Do not release the charged attack before the Seal forms if you want the empowered stream. Position near the Droplets from your Skill or Burst, absorb them while charging, then aim through the opponents.
Do not assume that repeating one reaction will give all three passive stacks. Arrange different eligible reactions and watch their 30s duration. At C1, the field-entry stack helps, but the passive must still be unlocked.
Do not ignore HP while firing. The attack drains it above 50%, and lower current HP means less of the passive Hydro DMG Bonus. Use Droplets to heal and bring a healer when needed.
Do not build CRIT Rate without counting Marechaussee Hunter's stacks. Also avoid relying on Retracing Bolide's four-piece damage bonus after your shield is gone.
