Guide
How the kit works
Start with Vijnana-Phala Mine. It deals AoE Dendro damage and creates a field that taunts opponents. It also reduces Wreath Arrow charging time by 2.4s until the skill duration ends or you fire three Wreath Arrows.
With Khanda Barrier-Buster (NA), hold an Aimed Shot to Charge Level 2 and fire a Wreath Arrow. On hit, it creates four Clusterbloom Arrows that track nearby opponents and deal Dendro damage. Charge Level 1 deals Dendro damage too, but does not create those tracking arrows.
After a Wreath Arrow is fired, Keen Sight gives Tighnari 50 Elemental Mastery for 4s. Use Fashioner's Tanglevine Shaft while that bonus is active when available: it fires six tracking shafts, followed by another wave of tracking shafts after they hit. Scholarly Blade adds 0.06% Charged Attack and Burst DMG per point of Elemental Mastery, up to 60%.
Encyclopedic Knowledge also shows nearby resources unique to Sumeru on the mini-map.
Build and why
Deepwood Memories is the first set to consider. Its two-piece bonus gives 15% Dendro DMG Bonus, and four pieces reduce a target's Dendro RES by 30% for 8s after a Skill or Burst hits. Another teammate can carry the set and trigger the effect off-field.
Wanderer's Troupe is a strong alternative if the team already has Deepwood Memories. It gives 80 Elemental Mastery and, because Tighnari uses a Bow, 35% Charged Attack DMG from four pieces. Gilded Dreams also gives 80 Elemental Mastery; its four-piece bonus gives ATK for teammates of the same element and Elemental Mastery for teammates of different elements after a reaction.
Use Elemental Mastery or ATK Percentage on the sands, Dendro DMG Bonus on the goblet, and CRIT Rate or CRIT DMG on the circlet. For substats, look for CRIT Rate and CRIT DMG first, followed by Elemental Mastery, ATK Percentage and Energy Recharge.
Hunter's Path is the first weapon choice: its Charged Attack effect scales with Elemental Mastery. Aqua Simulacra gives a damage bonus when opponents are nearby. Polar Star increases Skill and Burst damage and gains ATK stacks from different attack types. For a lower-rarity option, Slingshot boosts a Charged Attack that hits within 0.3s, but reduces its damage if it takes longer.
Leveling priority
A good suggested talent order is Khanda Barrier-Buster (NA) first, Fashioner's Tanglevine Shaft second, then Vijnana-Phala Mine. The charged shots are central to his field time, while the Burst adds another source of Dendro damage. Level the skill afterward; its charging-time reduction is already part of its effect.
For maximum ascension, gather 420,000 Mora, 168 Nilotpala Lotus, 46 Majestic Hooked Beak, 1 Nagadus Emerald Sliver, 9 Nagadus Emerald Fragment, 9 Nagadus Emerald Chunk and 6 Nagadus Emerald Gemstone. You also need 18 Fungal Spores, 30 Luminescent Pollen and 36 Crystalline Cyst Dust.
To max all talents, the total is 4,957,500 Mora, 3 Crown of Insight, 9 Teachings of Admonition, 63 Guide to Admonition, 114 Philosophies of Admonition, 18 Fungal Spores, 66 Luminescent Pollen, 93 Crystalline Cyst Dust and 18 The Meaning of Aeons.
Constellations worth it
Origins Known From the Stem is the standout upgrade in the available guide ranking. It gives Tighnari 20% Dendro DMG Bonus while opponents are inside his skill's field. The bonus lasts up to 6s after the field ends or no longer contains opponents.
Karma Adjudged From the Leaden Fruit is also worth considering: it cuts Wreath Arrow charging time by 0.9s and adds one Clusterbloom Arrow on hit, dealing damage equal to 150% of ATK. Beginnings Determined at the Roots gives Charged Attacks 15% CRIT Rate.
Withering Glimpsed in the Leaves gives nearby party members 60 Elemental Mastery for 8s when Tighnari uses his Burst. Certain reactions triggered by that Burst add another 60 and refresh the duration. If you are choosing what to prioritize, the Burst and Skill level increases at C3 and C5 are reasonable to leave for later.
Teams
Pair Tighnari with Electro for a team playing around Quicken and Spread. Fischl is an off-field Electro option, while Kuki Shinobu can provide off-field help and healing. Yae Miko is another Electro teammate named for him.
Nahida can fill a second Dendro slot and is an option to carry Deepwood Memories, leaving Tighnari free to use Wanderer's Troupe or Gilded Dreams. For protection while aiming, Zhongli provides a shield; Diona offers a shield and healing.
A simple starting lineup is Tighnari, Fischl, Nahida and Zhongli. Tighnari brings his own Dendro damage, tracking shots and a field that draws opponents' fire. Set up your teammates before switching to him for his quick shots.
Common mistakes
Do not release every Aimed Shot at Charge Level 1. Hold until the Wreath Arrow is ready or you miss the four tracking Clusterbloom Arrows. Use the skill before the shots to take advantage of its shorter charge time.
Do not assume the skill's charge reduction lasts for every shot. It ends after three Wreath Arrows or when the skill duration ends. Also watch the field for C2: its Dendro bonus depends on opponents being inside, with only a limited duration afterward.
Do not ignore Elemental Mastery when building around critical stats. The passive directly rewards it, and Hunter's Path uses it too. On the other hand, check who carries Deepwood Memories before choosing Tighnari's set; the team can use its RES reduction without putting the set on him.
