The best Genshin Impact Sangonomiya Kokomi build

Want to learn how to create the best build for Sangonomiya Kokomi in Genshin Impact? Kokomi has been present in Genshin Impact since August’s V2.0 update as an NPC, but a playable version of the character is now available as part of the Drifting Luminescence event (running from September 21st to October 12th).

Sangonomiya Kokomi is the leader of the Sangonomiya Resistance, a group opposed to the decrees of the Raiden Shogun in her capacity as Archon of Inazuma. Given that Kokomi is pretty much a mermaid, she’s unsurprisingly a Hydro Catalyst wielder. Like her nemesis, Kokomi is a limited-time character, so read on below for information about how to get her while you can and what builds work best for her once you have her in your party.

Best Sangonomiya Kokomi build: Weapons

Kokomi’s canonical weapon is Everlasting Moonglow, and while some Genshin Impact characters can benefit from a better loadout than the one they’re shown with, in this case the official art really is pointing you in the right direction. Kokomi is strongest when playing either healer or support DPS roles within your party, and this Catalyst gives her the best of both worlds. With the Everlasting Moonglow equipped her Healing bonus is increased by a minimum of 10%, her Normal Attack power is increased, and performing Normal Attacks also restores a bit of her energy.

However, in the event that you don’t have an Everlasting Moonglow in hand yet, the Prototype Amber is a good second choice while you wait to pull one. With this Catalyst equipped, Kokomi’s Elemental Burst restores both her own energy and the HP of all her party members for its duration.

Best Sangonomiya Kokomi build: Artifacts

Since Kokomi is so well-placed to act in the dual capacity of party healer and support damage-dealer, mixing and matching her Artifacts to support this build is the way to go. Equipping any two items from the Maiden Beloved set increases her capacity to heal other characters by 15%, and pairing this with two pieces from the Heart of Depth set adds a 15% Hydro DMG bonus to her attacks.

Of course, you don’t have to split Kokomi’s focus like this. If you want her to act just as healer or support DPS, go all in on the relevant Artifact set. The four-piece bonus for Maiden Beloved adds a further 20% healing bonus that increases HP across the party for 10 seconds after Kokomi casts an Elemental Talent. The Heart of Depths four-piece bonus is less spectacular, but the 30% DMG increase it grants on Normal and Charged attacks in the 15 seconds following Kokomi’s use of her Elemental Skill is nothing to turn your nose up at if you’re building her up as a fighter.

Best Sangonomiya Kokomi build: Ascension Materials

To fully ascend Sangonomiya Kokomi you will need the following materials: 168 Sango Pearls, 46 Dew of Repudiation, 40 Spectral Nuclei, 30 Spectral Hearts, 18 Spectral Husks, 9 Varunada Lazarite Chunks and 9 Varunada Lazarite Fragments, 6 Varunada Lazurite Gemstones, and 1 Varunada Lazarite Sliver.

The only particularly obscure item on this list is Sango Pearl, a resource which can only be collected from the coastal areas of Kokomi’s native Watatsumi Island. Farming these can be a bit of a chore thanks to the relative scarcity of spawn locations and the 48-hour real-time respawn, but fortunately it has no other uses than Kokomi’s ascensions so far, so at least you won’t be forced to prioritise what to use your precious collection for.

Best Sangonomiya Kokomi build: Talents

Whether you’re playing Kokomi as a healer, a supporting fighter, or a bit of both, her Elemental Burst Nereid’s Ascension is easily her most powerful Talent, and should be the focal point of her build. Second in the priority order should be her Elemental Skill Kurage’s Oath, particularly if you’re focusing on her healing qualities.

What follows is a full list of Sangonomiya Kokomi’s Talents:

• Normal Attack: The Shape of Water
• Normal Attack – Kokomi performs up to 3 consecutive attacks that take the form of swimming fish, dealing Hydro DMG.
• Charged Attack – Kokomi consumes a certain amount of her Stamina to deal AoE Hydro DMG after a short casting time.
• Plunging Attack – Gathering the might of Hydro, Kokomi plunges towards the ground from mid-air, damaging all opponents in her path. Deals AoE Hydro DMG upon impact with the ground.
• Elemental Skill: Kurage’s Oath – Kokomi summons a “Bake-Kurage” created from water that can heal her allies. Bake-Kurage deals Hydro DMG to surrounding opponents and heals nearby active characters at fixed intervals. This healing is based on Kokomi’s Max HP. Using this skill will apply the Wet status to Kokomi.
• Elemental Burst: Nereid’s Ascension – Kokomi summons the might of Watatsumi to deal Hydro DMG to surrounding enemies, before robing herself in a Ceremonial Garment made from the flowing waters of Sangonomiya. The Ceremonial Garment increases Kokomi’s Normal Attack, Charged Attack, and Bake-Kurage DMG based on her Max HP. When her Normal and Charged Attacks hit opponents, Kokomi will restore HP for all nearby party members, with the amount restored once again based on her Max HP. It also increases Kokomi’s resistance to interruption and allows her to move on the water’s surface. These effects will be cleared once Sangonomiya Kokomi leaves the field.
• 1st Ascension Passive: Tamanooya’s Casket – If Kokomi’s own Bake-Kurage are on the field when she uses Nereid’s Ascension, the Bake-Kurage’s duration will be refreshed.
• 4th Ascension Passive: Song of Pearls – While donning the Ceremonial Garment created by Nereid’s Ascension, Kokomi’s Normal and Charged Attack DMG bonus will receive a further increase based on 15% of her Healing bonus.
• Combat Passive: Flawless Strategy – Kokomi obtains a 25% Healing bonus, but her Crit Rate decreases by 100%.
• Utility Passive: Princess of Watatsumi – Decreases swimming Stamina consumption for your own party members by 20%. (Not stackable with other Passive Talents that provide the exact same effect.)

Best Sangonomiya Kokomi build: Constellations

Regardless of the build you’re going for, whether it’s healer or support DPS, if you’ve got Kokomi in your party it’s worth working through her Constellations, since they provide valuable boosts and bonuses to her Elemental Skill and Burst Talents.

Below is a full list of Kokomi’s Constellations:

• At Water’s Edge (Lvl 1): While donning the Ceremonial Garment created by Nereid’s Ascension, the final Normal Attack in Kokomi’s combo will unleash a swimming fish to deal 30% of her Max HP as Hydro DMG. (This DMG is not considered Normal Attack DMG.)
• The Clouds Like Waves Rippling (Lvl 2): Kokomi gains Healing bonuses (4.5% of her Max HP on Bake-Kurage, 0.6% of her Max HP on Nereid’s Ascension Normal and Charged Attacks) when healing characters with 50% HP or less.
• The Moon, A Ship O’er the Seas (Lvl 3): Increases the level of Nereid’s Ascension by 3 (maximum upgrade level is 15).
• The Moon Overlooks the Waters (Lvl 4): While donning the Ceremonial Garment created by Nereid’s Ascension, Kokomi’s Normal Attack speed is increased by 10%, and Normal Attacks that hit opponents will restore 0.8 Energy for her. This effect can occur five times per second.
• All Streams Flow to the Sea (Lvl 5): Increases the level of Kurage’s Oath by 3 (maximum upgrade level is 15).
• Sango Isshin (Lvl 6): While donning the Ceremonial Garment created by Nereid’s Ascension, Sangonomiya Kokomi gains a 40% Hydro DMG bonus for 4 seconds after her Normal and Charged Attacks heal a character with 80% or more HP.

How to get Sangonomiya Kokomi in Genshin Impact

Sangonomiya Kokomi is currently only available as an event-exclusive character, as part of the Drifting Luminescence event running from September 21st to October 12th. Wishing on the event banner during this period has a high chance of pulling Kokomi from the gacha.

At this point it’s unclear whether she will recur in other events, and it seems unlikely that she will become available on the standard Wanderlust Invocation banner. To make sure that you get Kokomi in your party, therefore, you need to check out the Drifting Luminescence event while there’s still time.

That’s everything you need to know about putting together the best build for Sangonomiya Kokomi! Genshin Impact has seen a bunch of heroes joining the roster recently, so be sure to check out our guides on Kujou Sara and Aloy (yes, that Aloy, and what’s more she’s available for free!) to see who else is new this September. Or see our Genshin Impact character tier list to see where your characters stand in relation to the game’s best party members.