Hydro remains one of Teyvat's most formidable elements in 2025, largely due to its unparalleled versatility in triggering elemental reactions. Bloom blossoms, Frozen immobilizes, Electro-charged zaps through defenses, and Vaporize detonates with explosive force – all synergies elevating Hydro's meta dominance. Mualani, the Hydro Catalyst wielder, embodies this legacy perfectly. Her burst-oriented combat style leverages Hydro's reactive potential, particularly when channeled into devastating Vaporize hits that vaporize enemy health bars. When built correctly, she transforms into a pressurized geyser of destruction.

Core Mechanics and Stat Priorities

Mualani functions as a high-pressure burst specialist, stacking monumental damage within brief windows before unleashing it through her Elemental Burst and Shark Bite attacks. Her scaling revolves around maximum HP – every tsunami strike draws power from her vitality reserves. This mandates an HP% Timepiece as non-negotiable foundation. Beyond raw health, Hydro DMG% Goblets and Crit DMG Circlets become essential amplifiers since her Hydro-infused strikes critically hit like a great white's jaws clamping down. Building her for Vaporize reactions multiplies this devastation exponentially.

Artifact Sets: Crushing Tides of Damage

The undisputed artifact champion for Mualani is the 4-piece Obsidian Codex set. It synchronizes flawlessly with her rhythm: during Nightsoul Blessing (activated via Elemental Skill), it boosts damage while delivering an absurd 40% Crit Rate buff. This single-handedly solves crit consistency, letting artifacts focus purely on Crit DMG. For those lacking Obsidian Codex, the 4-piece Heart of Depth offers salvation since Mualani's Shark Bite registers as Normal Attack damage.

When full sets evade collectors, hybrid 2-piece combinations create potent bridges:

• ⚔️ 2pc Obsidian Codex / Heart of Depth / Nymph's Dream (15% Hydro DMG Bonus)

• ❤️ 2pc Vourukasha's Glow / Tenacity of the Millelith (20% HP Bonus)

Mixing Hydro DMG and HP bonuses (e.g., 2pc Tenacity + 2pc Heart of Depth) provides flexible stopgaps while farming.

Weapon Arsenal: From Signature to Budget Surfboards

Without question, Surf's Up stands as Mualani's ultimate Catalyst. This signature weapon floods her build with Crit DMG while buffing HP% and Normal Attack damage – a perfect tsunami of synergy. For 5-star alternatives, Tome of the Eternal Flow functions as a stellar stat-stick despite passive misalignment.

4-star options require strategic navigation:

• 💥 Crit Focus: The Widsith's massive Crit DMG shines, though passive randomness introduces volatility

• ❤️ HP Focus: Ring of Yaxche or Ash-Graven Drinking Horn (41% HP substat) scale beautifully with her max HP

• 🔄 Utility Picks: Prototype Amber regenerates energy and offers minor party healing; Mappa Mare boosts reaction damage

Sacrificial Jade's Crit Rate becomes redundant if using Obsidian Codex, risking stat overcapping.

Optimization Nuances and Playstyle Flow

Building Mualani resembles tuning a high-performance engine: balance HP for base damage, Hydro% for elemental force, and Crit DMG for multipliers. With Obsidian Codex and Surf's Up, she effortlessly hits 70%+ Crit Rate before substats, freeing artifact rolls for Crit DMG crowns. Without her signature gear, prioritize HP% weapons and Hydro/HP artifact hybrids. Energy Recharge sits around 130% for comfortable burst uptime when paired with Hydro teammates. Triggering Vaporize demands Pyro allies like Xiangling or Hu Tao – their flames ignite Mualani's aquatic onslaught into multiplicative devastation.

In 2025's swirling meta, Mualani stands as proof of Hydro's enduring supremacy. Her burst-centric fury, when channeled through meticulous artifact selection and weapon tuning, unleashes tidal waves of destruction that ripple back to Hydro's core identity: elemental versatility transformed into overwhelming force.