While Genshin Impact's version 3.7 update has not been the favorite for many players, for those who enjoy the Genius Invokation TCG, it is one of the major updates. This is because, alongside many new events and a new character named Kirara, this version update actually significantly focuses on expanding the TCG, as the next story arc with the release of Fontaine is just around the corner. As such, players have received a vast amount of new cards - the most to be received in an update since the launch of the TCG mini-game, allowing players to try out new strategies and build new teams to showcase their creativity and prowess in the Genius Invokation TCG.
One of the 10 playable character cards added to the roster is Hu Tao, whose card works quite similarly to her actual gameplay in Genshin Impact. After using her Elemental Skill, Hu Tao is able to deal a significant amount of Pyro DMG with her basic attack, which makes her an optimal character with a minimal Pyro Die requirement as well. Additionally, with her Elemental Burst, she is able to heal herself, making her a self-sustaining character. Her DPS and survivability only get better with the addition of suitable other character cards alongside her, making her a formidable opponent to fight against.
Hu Tao Card & Skills
Similar to the other character cards, Hu Tao's card can be acquired by using a Match Invitation Letter at the Cat's Tail and winning a Friendly Fracas duel against Hu Tao. Additionally, players can acquire her talent card by completing the additional missions in this duel. As with other cards that came with this version update, Hu Tao's card can be obtained without any Duelist level requirement, making it quite easy to start the TCG at any moment with formidable options to choose from.
Normal Attack: Secret Spear of Wangsheng
Primary Dice | 1 Pyro |
|---|---|
Secondary Dice | 2 Unaligned |
Effect | Deals 2 Physical DMG. |
Elemental Skill: Guide to Afterlife
Primary Dice | 2 Pyro |
|---|---|
Effect | This character gains Paramita Papilio. |
Special Effect | Paramita Papilio The character to which this is attached has their Physical DMG dealt converted to Pyro DMG, and they will deal +1 Pyro DMG. When the character to which this is attached uses a Charged Attack: Apply Blood Blossom to target character. Duration (Rounds): 2 Blood BlossomEnd Phase: Deal 1 Pyro DMG to the character to which this is attached. Usage(s):1 |
Elemental Burst: Spirit Soother
Primary Dice | 3 Pyro |
|---|---|
Energy Cost | 3 Energy |
Effect | Deals 4 Pyro DMG, heals herself for 2 HP. If this character's HP is no more than 6, +1 DMG dealt and healing. |
Hu Tao's Talent Card: Sanguine Rouge
Hu Tao's talent card is an excellent card to equip on Hu Tao, as it will allow her to deal additional Pyro damage with her Basic ATK when she is under 6 HP. As such, while in the earliest rounds this may not seem prominent before she takes damage, this can come in handy as without any elemental reaction or equipment cards, she will be dealing 4 Pyro DMG per hit, which allows for a big chunk of enemy HP to be taken away. When combined with additional cards, on the other hand, this means she may simply one-shot the opposing enemy. Considering that this card's effect is quite easy to activate and particularly connected to her Elemental Skill over her Elemental Burst, it is highly recommended that players keep copies of this card in their support deck.
Best Hu Tao Decks
As a primary DPS character, Hu Tao benefits from utilizing off-field support characters that can provide additional elemental application, as well as defensive capabilities. In most instances, after the field is set with the other characters' off-field abilities, Hu Tao can be swapped in for devastating DMG that allows for a quick match, as many opponents may simply get one-shot if players had a good start with their cards at hand, as well as combo rotations. Additionally, it should be noted that while typically Hu Tao in Genshin Impact gameplay benefits from the Vaporize reaction specifically, in the Genius Invokation TCG, she has more versatility where many different elements can be utilized for significant damage. Consequently, many of the support characters are also interchangeable based on the players' preferences.
Hu Tao + Xingqiu + Mona
Hu Tao and Xingqiu are like bread and butter in the actual gameplay, as Xingqiu's coordinated attack helps Hu Tao consistently enable Vaporize reactions. The concept of this deck is consequently similar, utilizing both Xingqiu and Mona to apply Hydro to enemies for Hu Tao to benefit from. Additionally, Hu Tao can benefit from the defensive capabilities provided by Xingqiu and Mona, such as their shields, as well as the Elemental Resonance: Soothing Water if they are in a pinch and require quick healing. This can come in handy as the team doesn't feature a healer character.
An ideal start with this team composition would be to use Mona's Elemental Skill for her summon and activate Xingqiu's Elemental Burst as soon as possible before swapping into Hu Tao. By doing so, players will not only be able to consistently Vaporize with each hit, but they will also deliver another Vaporize blow at the end of the turn thanks to Mona's summon and Hu Tao's Blood Blossom effect, which can simply finish off the remaining few HP of the opponent in most occasions. Players can also consider swapping Mona with Zhongli or Venti if they wish to do so.
Hu Tao + Yae Miko + Raiden Shogun
Overload teams in Genius Invokation TCG can be quite frustrating for the enemy, as they not only deal significant damage but also force the enemy to swap their active character, making it an excellent option with Hu Tao. To make this deck work effectively, Hu Tao can be paired with Yae Miko and Raiden Shogun, both of whom can summon with their Elemental Skills, which helps Hu Tao with Electro application. Additionally, since Yae Miko and Raiden Shogun are both Inazuma Electro characters, they can benefit from both the Thunder and Eternity cards for dice management, as well as Electro Resonance cards to help the active character gain more energy.
An ideal starting rotation for this team would be to ensure starting with Raiden Shogun, using her Elemental Skill, and activating her Burst as soon as possible. Afterwards, players can swap to either Yae Miko or Hu Tao, based on their preference. Using Yae Miko's Elemental Burst after having at least one totem can be beneficial for dealing high damage quickly, although Hu Tao enabling Overload can come in handy to disrupt the enemy's rotation as well.
Hu Tao + Ganyu + Sangonomiya Kokomi
For players who are looking for a more versatile team composition that doesn't only rely on one Elemental Reaction, pairing Hu Tao, Ganyu, and Kokomi might come in handy. With access to both Melt and Vaporize, both of which are strong DPS options, players can also enable Freeze with this team, allowing for a slower-paced but defensive gameplay. Even if Hu Tao gets knocked down, despite the healing and defensive potential of this deck, Ganyu can still work well as the DPS to ensure victory in the battle, thanks to her enhanced normal attack that can deal piercing damage.
As with the previous deck examples, it is recommended that players begin the rotation by utilizing Summons. Therefore, players can simply use Ganyu's Elemental Skill, followed by Kokomi's Elemental Skill before swapping to Hu Tao. Since both Ganyu's and Kokomi's Elemental Skills have 2 usages, players can remain on Hu Tao for an extended amount of time before needing to swap, unless they are in a pinch and require healing.
Recommended Action Cards
Hu Tao, primarily being a DPS, can benefit from plenty of action cards that help her dice management. These cards allow her to use fewer dice, such as by utilizing the Ellin card, which enables her to use fewer dice and attack more times in the same turn. Additionally, players can make good use of resonance cards whenever applicable, as these can effectively help Hu Tao potentially have one more combat action. The Skyward Spine is another highly valuable card to utilize, as it allows Hu Tao to deal more damage each turn.
Additionally, as with many other decks, utilizing cards that allow players to swap between characters without spending a turn or requiring additional dice can be helpful, even though Hu Tao doesn't require frequent swapping. Since the swapping frequency is not significant, players should consider quick action cards such as "Leave It To Me!" or "Changing Shifts" instead of "Katheryne" and "Dawn Winery". Cards like "Timmie", "Varanara", and "The Bestest Travel Companion" can also be useful for additional dice management. Lastly, it's important to note that cards with defensive properties, such as shielding or healing, may be required in most team compositions, especially those that do not already have a healer. However, since Hu Tao benefits from being at low HP, players may want to prioritize shielding cards over healing cards if they are short on space.
Genshin Impact is now available on Mobile, PC, PS4, and PS5. A Switch version is in development.