Fugue

Traveler of No Return

“Though life is a speck of dust, it dances still in grace.”

Character Description:

Fugue is a 5-Star Fire Nihility Support who specializes in the proliferation and empowerment of Weakness Break. Rather like her 4-Star counterpart, Fugue can buff a single ally. Unlike her other self, however, Fugue is able to contribute some level of personal damage as well as a vast array of debuffs. Ultimately, this restored version of Tingyun is a far more proactive unit who is more than willing to take out her trauma on her enemies. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Character Materials:

Trace Material: Heliobus Series (18/69/139)(Alchemy Commission Crimson Calyx)
Enemy Drops: Immortal Tree Series (56/71/73)(Mara-Struck enemies)
Stagnant Shadow Drops: Searing Steel Balde (65)(Great Mine)
Weekly Boss Drop: Regret of Infinite Ochema (12)(Phantylia)

Character Abilities:

Basic Attack: Radiant Spark/Fiery Caress

Fugue’s Basic Attack has two versions. The first is a generic Basic Attack similar to most of the playable cast that deals damage to 1 target. The second is an Enhanced version that activates after she uses her Skill. This Enhanced Basic Attack deals Blast damage (full damage to 1 target and half damage to enemies on either side of that target). You’ll be using this as your primary method of dealing damage. Both versions provide 20 Energy.

Skill: Virtue Beckons Bliss

Fugue buffs a single ally with Foxian Prayer and enters the Torrid Scorch state, which lasts for 3 turns. This Skill provides 30 Energy. Torrid Scorch counts down at the start of Fugue’s turn.

The ally buffed with Foxian Prayer has their Break Effect increased by 30% and can reduce the Toughness of enemies even if the enemy doesn’t have the corresponding Weakness Type (although at 50% efficiency). This effect cannot stack with other Toughness Reduction effects that ignore Weakness Type.

While in the Torrid Scorch state, Fugue’s Basic Attack is Enhanced and every time the ally buffed with Foxian Prayer attacks, Fugue has a 100% base chance to reduce the attacked enemy’s DEF by 18% for 2 turns. Note, base chance means you can increase the chance with Effect Hit Rate.

Ultimate: Solar Splendor Shines Upon All

Deal damage to all enemies that ignores Weakness Type. If you Break an enemy’s Toughness, trigger the Fire Weakness Break effect, Burn. This Ultimate costs 130 Energy.

Talent: Fortune Follows Where Virtue Spreads

Alright, this is the important one. When Fugue is on the field, enemies are affected with Cloudflame Luster, equal to 40% of their Max Toughness. This is, effectively, Exo-Toughness. After you reduce an enemy unit’s initial Toughness (trigger a Weakness Break), you can reduce the Cloudflame Luster Toughness to trigger Weakness Break again.

Basically, you can double Weakness Break enemies. Furthermore, when allies attack a Weakness Broken enemy, convert the Toughness Reduction of that attack into Super Break DMG. So, just to summarize, Fugue provides BOTH Exo-Toughness and Super Break DMG.

Technique: Percipient Shine

Fugue Dazes enemies in an area for 10 seconds. Dazed enemies will not actively try to attack. After entering battle with Dazed enemies, Fugue’s action advances 40% and she has a 100% base chance to inflict her Skill’s DEF reduction on each enemy target.

Traces:

Stats:

1. +14.0 SPD
2. +24.0 Break
3. +10.0 HP

Abilities:

1. Verdantia Renaissance
   After ally targets Break Weakness, additionally delay the action of the enemy target by 15%.
2. Sylvan Enigma
   Increase Fugue’s Break Effect by 30%. After using Skill for the first time, recover 1 SP.
3. Phecda Primordia
   When an enemy target’s Weakness is Broken, increase all other teammates’ Break Effect by 6%. If Fugue’s Break Effect is 220% or higher, the Brea Effect increase is boosted by an additional 12% (combined value of 18%). This effect lasts 2 turns and can stack twice (so, max total of 36%).

When an enemy target’s Weakness is Broken, increase all other teammates’ Break Effect by 6%. If Fugue’s Break Effect is 220% or higher, the Brea Effect increase is boosted by an additional 12% (combined value of 18%). This effect lasts 2 turns and can stack twice (so, max total of 36%).

Eidolons:

1: Earthbound I was, Cloudward I Be

Ally with Foxian Prayer buff increase their Weakness Break Efficiency by 50%.

2: Beatitude Dawns for the Worthy

When an enemy target’s Weakness is Broken, Fugue Regens 3 Energy. After Fugue uses her Ultimate, advance the actions of all allies by 24%.

3: Verity Weaves Thoughts to Blade

Increase the levels of Skill by 2 and Basic Attack by 1.

4: Bereft of Form, Which Name to Bear

Ally targets with the Foxian Prayer buff increase their Break DMG dealt by 20%.

5: Colored Cloud Rains Fortune

Increase the levels of Ultimate and Talent by 2.

6: Clairvoyance of Boom and Doom

Increase Fugue’s Weakness Break Efficiency by 50% and, while she is in the Torrid Scorch state, Foxian Prayer affects all allies (cause that’s not bust all the Hell. . . )

Gameplay Overview:

Before the fight starts, use Fugue’s Technique to Daze the enemy. It’s not an Attack or a Zone so there should be no worry about overlap. When the fight starts, use her Skill on your main DPS. Use Basic Attacks Fugue’s turn comes up, Ultimate when it’s available, and reapply her Skill’s buff when it times out.

Very simple in terms of mechanics, though this simplicity belies the devastating effects of her debuffs. Fortunately, the only thing you really have to worry about is keeping her in the Torrid Scorch state and, since she only spends SP every 3 turns after the first, that shouldn’t really be an issue.

Relics:

Cavern Relics:

Best: Iron Cavalry Against the Scourge

Provides Bonus Break Effect and DEF bypass for Break DMG and Super Break DMG at 150% and 250% Break Effect respectively, which will increase Fugue’s personal damage.

Decent: Thief of the Shooting Meteor

Honestly, there aren’t very many relics that work for Fugue. This one can provide a more supportive element than Iron Cavalry, since it can help Fugue Regenerate her energy faster but that bonus Energy Regen is dependent on her being the one to Break an enemy, so it requires more planning than Iron Cavalry.

Planar Ornaments:

Best: Kingdom of Banditry

Provides extra Break Effect based on SPD. Very helpful if you need more to reach the necessary thresholds for either her Trace or Iron Cavalry.

Good: Forge of Kalpagni Lantern

This relic can work very well on her but it requires the enemies to HAVE Fire Weakness. Since Fugue’s Ultimate ignores Weakness Type, to gain the effects of this relic she either needs to be fighting someone who already has Fire Weakness or be on a team that can implant it (see Firefly and Silverwolf). Not a bad option but more restrictive than Banditry.

Viable Penacony, Land of Dreams

To utilize this relic, you have to always have Fugue in a team with a Fire DPS character. And maybe that’s what you want. Mono-Fire is not a bad option overall. But it is a massive limitation to her team options, which is why it’s only “viable”.

Stats:

1. Break: Fugue’s best stat. Try to get at least 250% if you are planning on using Iron Cavalry. If not, then you only need 220% for her 3^rd Trace ability. The relic that provides Break Effect is the chain.
2. SPD: The faster she is, the more she can attack and potentially Break enemies. This isn’t vitally important, but a decent amount is helpful. At the very least get her some SPD Boots.
3. HP: Her ATK is not vital to her damage since she’s designed around doing Break and Super Break DMG so just go for a defensive stat. Since she has HP as one of her Trace stats, might as well go for that one.
4. Effect Hit Rate: You don’t need to prioritize it but having it isn’t a bad thing and will increase the chances of her Skill’s DEF Reduction hitting so get some. IF, big if, you want to give her Effect Hit Rate as a main stat, the relic piece is the chest.

Light Cones:

5-Star:           

Best: Long Road Leads Home

This is her personal Light Cone and, as always seems to be the case, it is the best one for her. Provides a good amount of Break Effect and a base chance to increase the Break DMG taken by enemies. Remember, base chance means that it can be buffed by Effect Hit Rate. Overall, everything you could want on Fugue (except Energy Regen but that would just be gilding the lily.)

Good: Solitary Healing

This is the only other Light Cone that provides bonus Break Effect. Since you have to hit 220% for her Trace, that makes it the next best option. The DoT aspect of this Light Cone’s passive is less optimal for Fugue but it’s still possible for her to utilize it, just not necessarily consistently.

Decent: Those Many Springs

Honestly, none of the other Light Cones are really good for Fugue. You could say that this is the best of the worst. The benefits are that it provides enough Effect Hit Rate that you won’t have to worry about applying her Skill’s debuff and Unarmored debuff is decent on its own.

The downside is that you may not be able to consistently convert the Unarmored effect into Cornered. Still, if you don’t have any 5-Star Light Cones with Break Effect, this is a good substitute.

4-Star:

Best: Before the Tutorial Mission Starts

This one provides a good amount of Effect Hit Rate and Regens Energy when you attack DEF Reduced enemies. Pretty good, all things considered.

Good: Fermata

Despite this Light Cone providing Break Effect, its secondary passive is not well suited for Fugue, unless you intend to specifically pair her with Wind or Lightning characters. If you need Break Effect to reach a threshold, then this can work. If you don’t, the above Light Cone will provide better results.

Decent: Resolution Shines As Pearls of Sweat

This just provides a DEF Decrease, which is different than DEF Reduction and Ignore DEF so it can stack with Fugue’s Skill and Iron Cavalry. Apart from that, it has no other merits.

Teams:

Firefly

This is probably the team that Fugue will most often be a part of. Extra Super Break DMG, more Break Effect, DEF Reduction, all things that Firefly needs to make the world burn. The base team is Firefly, Fugue, and Ruan Mei, with either Fu Xuan or Lingsha as the last member.

Boothill

Fugue’s Foxian Prayer can provide Boothill with more options regarding who he targets with his Skill. Fugue can also help Boothill Break enemies faster, which will allow him to gain stacks of Pocket Trickshot quickly. The team is similar to the one above, except you switch out Boothill for Firefly.

Rappa

Just off the bat, same team as the other two options, just with Rappa as the main DPS. Same general reasons too. More Break and Super Break DMG.

Himeko

This isn’t so much a team as it is a note that, since Himeko’s damage is primarily based around Follow-up Attacks that proc from Weakness Breaks, Fugue would be an excellent support for her since she provides twice the amount of Weakness Breaks thanks to her Exo-Toughness debuff.

Final Thoughts:

The easy, and somewhat flippant, analysis would be to say that Fugue is a sidegrade to Harmony Trailblazer. They fill the same basic niche in a team which is to provide both Bonus Break Effect and Super Break DMG to allies.

However, Fugue, appropriately, does considerably more. She also provides DEF Reduction and Exo-Toughness, both of which can increase the damage of her teammate considerably, and her personal weapon gives bonus Break DMG taken to Weakness Broken enemies.

Taking that into account, Fugue is very much an upgrade to Harmony TB, which was probably not a coincidence since Remembrance TB is coming out and if you plan to use them, you’ll need a replacement for Harmony TB.

With that in mind, Fugue would be an excellent choice to pull for. You may end up not being able to get Herta but, considering Break teams are meta right now, that might not be so bad.