Understanding Nemesis Core Mechanics
Harbinger of Death punishes standard DPS rotations through interconnected systems that reward strategic adaptation.
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Phase Structure and Elemental Vulnerabilities
Elemental Weaknesses: Physical, Wind, Fire
Resistance Scaling:
- S7: 20% resistance to Ice/Lightning/Imaginary/Quantum
- S1: No elemental resistances
- All difficulties: 50% Control Effect resistance
Damage profile: 100% Fire attacks. Prioritize Fire-resistant sustain or shields.
Gene Duplication and Juvenile Sting Mechanics
Gene Duplication activates when boss uses Rend, Putrefy, or Engorge:
- Increased boss SPD
- Summons Juvenile Sting adds
- Applies Rapid Evolution buff
Juvenile Stings enable boss's dangerous mechanics. Universal Blight and Howl of the Life Eater scale Fire damage with active add count.
Critical Counter: Defeating all Juvenile Stings simultaneously dispels Gene Duplication, Combustion, and Corrosion—creating major damage windows.
Nemesis State Damage Patterns
- 300% ATK Fire DMG (full party AoE)
- 240% ATK Fire DMG (single target)
- 180% ATK Fire DMG (adjacent targets)
Juvenile Stings prioritize Nemesis target. Designate main DPS as target, concentrate defenses there.
Corrosion and Combustion Interactions
Whirling Carapace converts reduced HP to Corrosion stacks, then recovers HP equal to Corrosion amount—extending encounters if you can't burst through healing.
Combustion fields activate via Symbiosis, Swarm, or Gnaw. Fields persist until all Juvenile Stings die, then boss takes increased damage. Clear adds to maximize damage phases.
Why Crit Teams Struggle
Crit Dependency Problem
Top DPS (Seele, Jingliu, Imbibitor Lunae) derive 60-80% damage from crit multipliers. Crit immunity removes this instantly.
Rapid Evolution compounds issues. As boss accumulates Mortal Instinct stacks through Universal Blight, it gains Primordial Tide and Swarm of Death—massive Fire AoE. Crit teams lack sustained damage to prevent stack accumulation during immunity.
Damage Comparison: Crit vs Non-Crit
Fully invested Seele (70% Crit Rate, 150% Crit DMG): ~35,000 damage per skill normally, drops to ~12,000 during immunity—66% reduction.
Break Effect Firefly team: 18,000-22,000 damage per Break proc, zero variance during immunity. Consistency enables predictable kill timings.
Common Team Building Mistakes
- Over-investing in single-target hypercarry (Nemesis requires AoE for adds)
- Expecting burst windows (extended encounter duration)
- Neglecting Break Effect as primary stat
Off-Meta Solution #1: Break Effect Teams
Break mechanics operate independently of crits, providing consistent damage throughout all phases.
Core Character Selection
Optimal: Firefly + The Dahlia + Fugue + Lingsha
- Firefly: Primary DPS with Break scaling
- The Dahlia: Damage amplification + action advancement
- Fugue: Team-wide Break efficiency
- Lingsha: Sustain + Break support
S3 Alternative: Firefly + The Dahlia + Harmony Trailblazer + Lingsha
Break Effect Stat Targets
- Main DPS (Firefly): 200-250% Break Effect minimum
- Supports: 150-180% Break Effect
- Speed: 135-145 supports, 120-130 main DPS
Light Cones: Signature for Firefly, or Memories of the Past (28% Break Effect at S5)
Relics: Thief of Shooting Meteor (4pc) for DPS (32% Break Effect + Break damage). Watchmaker for supports.
Turn-by-Turn Rotation
Opening (Turns 1-3):
- Harmony Trailblazer/Fugue applies team Break buffs
- The Dahlia skills Firefly for amplification
- Firefly enhanced skill on highest Toughness target
- Lingsha applies shields/healing field
Juvenile Sting Wave (Turns 4-6):
- AoE Break applications to reduce all Toughness bars
- Firefly ultimate for multi-target Break
- Supports maintain buffs + Break instances
- Lingsha heals Nemesis target
Boss Vulnerability (Post-Add Clear):
- Concentrate Break on boss
- Chain ultimates during Combustion dispel
- Reapply buffs before next Gene Duplication
Why Break Bypasses Crit Immunity
Break damage formula: Base Break × (1 + Break Effect%) × Enemy Toughness Multiplier × Elemental Weakness Bonus
No crit variables. Fire Breaks inflict DoT during boss turns, increasing total damage 15-20% vs pure direct damage.
Off-Meta Solution #2: DoT Teams
DoT teams leverage persistent debuffs dealing damage during enemy turns.
Optimal DoT Setup
Kafka + Black Swan + Ruan Mei + Sustain
- Kafka: Triggers all DoTs immediately via talent/skill
- Black Swan: Arcana stacks scaling with debuff count
- Ruan Mei: Universal damage amp + Weakness Break efficiency
- Sustain: Aventurine (shields) or Huohuo (energy regen)
DoT Interaction with Crit Immunity
DoT effects (Shock, Bleed, Burn, Wind Shear, Arcana) calculate independently of crit stats. Kafka's talent converts persistent debuffs to instant damage: 18,000-25,000 per turn regardless of immunity.
Black Swan's Arcana deals damage based on ATK and total debuff count. Against Nemesis + Juvenile Stings, Arcana spreads across all enemies for exponential scaling.
Maximizing Arcana and Shock
Stack Building:
- Black Swan skill (3 stacks) + ultimate (6 stacks)
- Kafka applies Shock via skill/ultimate
- Ruan Mei extends debuff duration
- Kafka triggers all DoTs for immediate damage
Target: 7-9 Arcana on boss, 3-5 Shock across targets before triggering.
Energy Management
- Kafka: 120 energy (30 per skill)
- Black Swan: 120 energy (3 per Arcana proc)
- Ruan Mei: 130 energy
Time ultimates for impact: Black Swan ultimate before Juvenile Sting waves for max Arcana. Follow with Kafka ultimate to trigger all DoTs, clearing adds.
Off-Meta Solution #3: Follow-Up Attacks
Dr. Ratio + Topaz Synergy
Dr. Ratio's talent triggers follow-ups when enemies have 3+ debuffs, dealing damage based on ATK/DEF rather than crit. Topaz applies consistent debuffs via skill and Numby.
Team: Dr. Ratio + Topaz + Debuff Support (Pela/Silver Wolf) + Sustain
Each follow-up: 12,000-15,000 damage, 2-3 triggers per turn.
Follow-Up Independence from Crit
Build Dr. Ratio for ATK%/DEF% instead of Crit Rate/DMG. Maintains 70-80% damage during immunity while gaining defensive benefits. Consistency beats burst in extended fights.
Debuff Application
Sources:
- Topaz: Proof of Debt (permanent)
- Pela: DEF reduction (2 turns)
- Silver Wolf: Elemental weakness (2 turns)
- Dr. Ratio: Self-applied via technique
Alternate Pela/Silver Wolf skills to maintain 3+ debuff threshold.
Rapid Evolution Counter
Identifying Triggers
Gene Duplication activates via Rend, Putrefy, Engorge. Monitor boss action bar—at 75% action value, prepare AoE for incoming Juvenile Stings.
Speed Tuning
- Primary buffer: 145-150 SPD
- Secondary support: 135-140 SPD
- Main DPS: 120-130 SPD (acts with full buffs)
- Sustain: 110-120 SPD
Increases effective damage 25-30% vs random turn order.
When to Ignore Stacks
At 4+ Mortal Instinct stacks, boss gains Primordial Tide. If boss reaches 80% action with 4 stacks, prioritize shields/healing over damage. Surviving Primordial Tide > preventing it.
Juvenile Sting Management
AoE vs Single-Target Priority
Use AoE when:
- 3+ Juvenile Stings active
- Team has AoE Break (Firefly, Himeko)
- Combustion field active
Use Single-Target when:
- 1-2 Juvenile Stings
- Team lacks AoE
- Specific add has Primal Hunger (20 SPD increase)
Kill Order
- Juvenile Stings with Primal Hunger
- Adds adjacent to Nemesis target
- Remaining by proximity to low-health allies
Crowd Control
Despite 50% resistance:
- Freeze reduces add actions 30-40%
- Slow decreases SPD
- Imprisonment prevents actions 1 turn
Apply CC to secondary threats after eliminating priorities.
Emergency Protocol
When 4+ adds and team <50% HP:
- Sustain ultimate for immediate healing/shields
- All basic attacks for energy
- DPS holds ultimate until shields apply
- Supports apply defensive buffs
Sacrifices 1-2 turns to prevent wipe.
Blessing and Curio Optimization
Top Break Effect Blessings
Tier 1:
- Propagation: Proliferating Plague (40% Break damage + Toughness reduction)
- Propagation: Insect Plague (30% Break Effect + reduced Toughness recovery)
- Elation: Dramatic Irony (action advancement after Breaks)
Tier 2:
- Propagation: Swarm Overflow (bonus attacks after Breaks)
- Elation: Burst of Laughter (25% damage to Broken enemies)
Best DoT Blessings
Tier 1:
- Nihility: Corrosion (50% DoT damage + extended duration)
- Nihility: Plague (additional DoT stacks)
- Propagation: Parasitism (20% DoT damage → healing)
Tier 2:
- Nihility: Entropy (reduced enemy effect resistance)
- Elation: Comedic Timing (energy when DoTs trigger)
Curio Priority
Universal:
- Shattered Star Bait (15% attack frequency)
- Insect Web (20% enemy SPD reduction)
- Cognition Modifier (40% team Break Effect)
Break-Specific:
- Toughness Reducer (30% enemy Toughness reduction)
- Fire Damage Amplifier (25% Fire damage)
DoT-Specific:
- Debuff Extender (+1 turn duration)
- Shock Intensifier (35% Shock damage)
Avoid crit-enhancing curios on non-crit teams.
Path Resonance
Propagation: Optimal for Break/summoner teams. Toughness reduction, Break amp, add-clearing. Choose for Firefly/Himeko.
Elation: Best for action-manipulation and DoT. Energy generation, action advancement. Select for Kafka/Black Swan.
Preservation: Defensive path. Shields, damage reduction. For undergeared teams or learning.
For Nemesis: Propagation highest value. Elation secondary for DoT.
Investment Requirements
Minimum Levels and Traces
Main DPS:
- Level 80 (Ascension 6)
- Damage talents level 8+
- Ultimate level 10
Supports:
- Level 70-75 (Ascension 5-6)
- Buff talents level 8
- Ultimate level 6-8
Sustain:
- Level 75-80 (Ascension 5-6)
- Healing/shield talents level 8+
4-Star Light Cone Alternatives
Break DPS:
- Memories of the Past (28% Break Effect at S5, Herta's Store)
- Planetary Rendezvous (24% DMG bonus)
DoT DPS:
- Good Night and Sleep Well (24% debuff damage at S5)
- Eyes of the Prey (DoT amp + effect hit rate)
Supports:
- Meshing Cogs (energy regen)
- Dance! Dance! Dance! (action advancement)
75-85% effectiveness vs 5-star signatures. Gap narrows in non-crit teams.
Relic Stats
Break DPS Main Stats:
- Body: ATK%/Break Effect%
- Feet: SPD
- Sphere: Fire DMG%/ATK%
- Rope: Break Effect%/Energy Regen%
Break Substats: Break Effect% > SPD > ATK% > Effect Hit Rate%
DoT DPS Main Stats:
- Body: ATK%/Effect Hit Rate%
- Feet: SPD/ATK%
- Sphere: Element DMG%/ATK%
- Rope: ATK%/Energy Regen%
DoT Substats: ATK% > Effect Hit Rate% > SPD > Break Effect%
Benchmarks:
- Break DPS: 200%+ Break Effect, 130+ SPD, 2500+ ATK
- DoT DPS: 3000+ ATK, 67%+ Effect Hit Rate, 120+ SPD
- Supports: 145+ SPD, 2000+ ATK
Resource Acceleration
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Advanced Tips
Energy Management
Conservation Strategy:
- Use ultimates during Combustion dispel (boss takes increased damage)
- Hold ultimates during Gene Duplication if adds die to skills
- Stagger support ultimates for continuous buffs vs stacking
Characters with energy talents (Huohuo, Tingyun) enable sustained ultimate access. Without dedicated energy supports, equip Energy Regen% Ropes on 2-3 characters.
When to Reset Runs
Reset Indicators:
- Domain 2 with zero Propagation/Nihility blessings for Break/DoT teams
- 3+ crit-focused blessings providing no value
- No sustain curios by Domain 3
Reset after Domain 1 completion—enough blessings to assess viability, minimal time investment.
Unwinnable Scenarios
Exit Immediately:
- Break team with zero Break blessings facing 4+ elites in Domain 4
- DoT team with insufficient effect hit rate failing debuff application
- Any team lacking sustain blessings/curios with sustain <level 70
Post-Clear Rewards
- S1: 60 Stellar Jade
- S3: 100 Stellar Jade
- S7: 140 Stellar Jade
First clears grant bonus Tracks of Destiny + ascension materials. S3 optimal reward-to-effort ratio—S7 only 40% more rewards for significantly higher investment.
Weekly completions contribute to Battle Pass: additional Stellar Jade, materials, Light Cones.
FAQ
How does Nemesis crit immunity work?
Specific phases and Rapid Evolution stacks reduce crit effectiveness to zero. During Gene Duplication and high Mortal Instinct stacks, boss gains temporary immunity nullifying all crit damage until Juvenile Stings die. Crit teams lose 60-70% damage.
Best off-meta team for Nemesis?
Firefly + The Dahlia + Fugue + Lingsha (limited characters). Break composition maintains full damage all phases, clears adds via AoE Break, sufficient sustain. F2P: Kafka + Black Swan + Ruan Mei + Gallagher via DoT mechanics ignoring immunity.
How to counter Rapid Evolution stacks?
Eliminate all Juvenile Stings within 2-3 turns of spawn, preventing accumulation. Teams lacking burst AoE prioritize Propagation blessings for add-clearing and maintain defensive buffs to survive Primordial Tide at high stacks.
Can 4-stars clear Nemesis Nightmare?
Yes, S3 difficulty consistently. Gallagher (sustain), Pela (debuff), Asta (ATK buff) provide core functions. Limitation: 4-star DPS (Guinaifen, Xueyi) deal 30-40% less damage, extending clears to 20-25 turns. S7 requires 5-star DPS for damage checks.
Which blessings work best without crit?
Propagation for Break: Proliferating Plague (40% Break damage), Insect Plague (30% Break Effect), Swarm Overflow. Nihility for DoT: Corrosion (50% DoT damage), Plague (additional stacks), Entropy (reduced resistance). Avoid Elation crit blessings.
Does Break Effect ignore crit immunity?
Yes. Break formula: Base Break × (1 + Break Effect%) × Enemy Toughness × Elemental Weakness. No crit variables. Immune to all crit-reducing mechanics. Weakness Breaks apply regardless of crit status.
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