Genshin Impact Natlan Guide: Best Builds, Artifact Routes & Team Comps
Key Takeaways
- Mualani scales on HP and Hydro DMG; her best artifact set is Obsidian Codex (4-piece) with HP Sands, Hydro Goblet, and Crit circlet.
- Kinich is a Dendro driver who wants Deepwood Memories (4-piece) or Golden Troupe, focusing on Elemental Mastery and Crit Rate.
- Kachina is a Geo support that thrives on Archaic Petra (4-piece) with DEF Sands and Geo DMG Goblet – she’s free after the Archon Quest.
- Artifact farming is fastest in the new domain “Ruin of the Sunken Jade” (south of the Stadium of the Sacred Flame) – clear it 3 times daily for 5 Condensed Resin runs.
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Why Natlan Feels Different
Natlan isn’t just another region. The 5.0 update introduces phlogiston mechanics, new world bosses, and a domain that drops two artifact sets tailor-made for the new characters. If you’ve been running the same Emblem of Severed Fate builds for years, this is where you rethink priorities.
I’ve spent about 30 hours in Natlan since launch, and I can tell you: ignoring the new artifacts is a mistake. The Obsidian Codex set alone gives Mualani a 40% Hydro DMG bonus after using her skill – that’s like having a free Hydro Goblet.
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Best Natlan Character Builds
Mualani (Hydro DPS)
Mualani is a hyper-carry who wants to stay on field during her skill’s “Surfing” state. Her damage scales entirely off HP, so forget ATK.
Weapon: Ring of Yaxche (craftable) or Sacrificial Jade (battle pass). If you’re free-to-play, Prototype Amber works as a stat stick.
Artifact Set: Obsidian Codex (4-piece). The 2-piece gives 15% Hydro DMG, and the 4-piece grants 40% Hydro DMG for 8 seconds after using her skill. That’s a 55% total Hydro bonus from one set.
Stats:
- Sands: HP%
- Goblet: Hydro DMG
- Circlet: Crit Rate or Crit DMG (aim for 1:2 ratio)
- SubStats: HP% > Crit > Energy Recharge (she needs about 130% ER)
Talent Priority: Skill > Burst > Normal Attack (you almost never basic attack)
Kinich (Dendro Driver)
Kinich works best in quicken or hyperbloom teams. He’s not a hyper-carry – he enables reactions.
Weapon: The Stringless (3-star, R5) or Elegy for the End (5-star). Don’t waste primos on his signature unless you have spare.
Artifact Set: Deepwood Memories (4-piece) if no one else holds it. Otherwise, Golden Troupe (4-piece) for off-field damage.
Stats:
- Sands: Elemental Mastery
- Goblet: Dendro DMG
- Circlet: Crit Rate
- SubStats: EM > Crit > ATK%
Talent Priority: Skill > Burst > Normal Attack
Kachina (Geo Support) – Free Unit
Kachina is given to you after completing the first Archon Quest in Natlan. She’s not flashy, but she’s a reliable Geo battery.
Weapon: Favonius Lance (for energy) or Black Tassel (for HP shield).
Artifact Set: Archaic Petra (4-piece). The 2-piece gives 15% Geo DMG, and the 4-piece boosts party Geo DMG by 35% after picking up a crystallize shard.
Stats:
- Sands: DEF%
- Goblet: Geo DMG
- Circlet: DEF% or Crit Rate (if using Favonius)
- SubStats: DEF% > ER > Crit Rate
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Artifact Farming Route
The new domain “Ruin of the Sunken Jade” is your one-stop shop. It drops Obsidian Codex and Scroll of the Hero of Cinder City. The latter is decent for support characters like Bennett or Xiangling if you’re experimenting.
Fastest farming route:
1. Teleport to the Statue of the Seven in the Stadium of the Sacred Flame.
2. Glide southwest to the domain entrance (marked on your map as a glowing red icon).
3. Clear the domain 3 times per day (90 Resin) – you’ll get roughly 5-6 artifacts per run with Condensed Resin.
Pro tip: Don’t convert all your Fragile Resin at once. Save 5-10 for the weekly boss fights (Apep, Scaramouche) – the new region’s talent materials drop there.
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Exploration Tips for Natlan
Natlan is vertical – lots of cliffs, floating islands, and underground caves. Here’s what I learned the hard way:
- Use phlogiston plants (those glowing orange flowers) to refill your stamina while climbing. They respawn every 2 real hours.
- Craft the “Saurian Tracker” gadget from the reputation vendor in the Stadium. It highlights hidden chests within a 50-meter radius for 30 seconds.
- Don’t skip world quests. The “Beneath the Sacred Flame” chain gives you 3 free Fragile Resin and unlocks a teleport waypoint near the weekly boss.
- Oculi (Phlogiston Orbs) are easier to find if you set the interactive map filter to show only “Natlan Oculus” – there are 115 total.
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Best Team Comps for Natlan
Here’s a comparison table for the three most effective teams I’ve tested:
| Team | Core Characters | Role | Pros | Cons |
| ------ | ---------------- | ------ | ------ | ------ |
| Hydro Vaporize | Mualani, Xiangling, Kazuha, Bennett | Mualani drives vapes | Massive single-target damage, easy to build | Xiangling needs 200%+ ER, Kazuha is 5-star locked |
| Quicken Aggravate | Kinich, Fischl, Nahida, Zhongli | Kinich triggers quicken | Strong vs. bosses, flexible rotations | Requires Nahida (5-star), no healing |
| Geo Hypercarry | Kachina, Noelle, Gorou, Bennett | Noelle as main DPS, Kachina as battery | Tanky, easy to play, all 4-star | Low damage ceiling, relies on Noelle’s C6 |
My personal favorite: Mualani vape with Xiangling and Kazuha. You can clear the new weekly boss (Apep’s Descent) in under 90 seconds with proper rotations.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Should I pull for Mualani’s signature weapon?
A: Only if you have spare primos and want the drip. Ring of Yaxche (craftable) is 90% as effective. Save for 5.1’s rumored Archon banner instead.
Q: How do I unlock the Natlan weekly boss?
A: Complete the Archon Quest Chapter V: Act I and the world quest “The Scorching Sands.” The boss is located in the underground cavern beneath the Stadium of the Sacred Flame – look for a purple portal on your mini-map.
Q: Is Kachina worth building for endgame?
A: Yes, but only if you lack Zhongli or Albedo. She’s an excellent budget Geo support for Noelle or Itto teams. At C6, she provides a team-wide 15% Geo DMG bonus. Skip her if you have a built Zhongli.