Quick Take: The Key of Khaj-Nisut cranks Nilou's HP past 70k, unlocking those massive 400% Bountiful Core damage amps and tossing a 140 EM buff across your team. Xiphos' Moonlight dishes out 165 EM plus a solid 12% ER at R5, perfect for squads burning through energy. Iron Sting? It's the F2P champ you craft yourself, stacking 165 EM and 12% damage bonuses at R5. Go Key for fancy two-Hydro setups; Xiphos shines in three-Hydro energy hogs; Iron handles budget Dendro-focused crews. Aim for 60k+ HP, 150%+ ER, and 200+ EM to hit 1.7-2.5x core damage multipliers.
Getting a Grip on What Nilou Really Needs in Bloom Teams
Nilou thrives in Hydro-Dendro combos that trigger her Court of Dancing Petals, turning regular Dendro Cores into Bountiful ones with quick two-second bursts. Her damage scales hard off HP – we're talking up to 400% boosts once you push past 30k HP. At base level 90, she's got 15,185 HP with a 28.8% bonus, 230 ATK, and 729 DEF. Her Dreamy Dance of Aeons passive kicks in with +9% core damage per 1k HP over that 30k threshold. Hit 70k HP, and you're looking at a full 400% multiplier on level 10 talents. Cores pull from the trigger's EM (and they don't crit, by the way). So, chase HP and EM on weapons first. I've tested this in domains a ton – just swap swords and watch how explosions hit groups of enemies. It makes all the difference.
Nilou's Kit: How HP and EM Stack Up in Practice
She straight-up needs 60k+ HP to cap out at 74,444 with the best-in-slot gear, where high-HP builds eclipse flat EM every time. EM feeds directly into the core damage formula – think 800+ on Nahida for peak output. Gear up to 200+ EM, layer on Nahida's buffs, and you're at 400+ total, multiplying core damage by 1.8-2.5x. Sands? Go HP% if you're under 60k, or ER if below 150%. Substats prioritize HP% over ER over EM. Skip CRIT stats unless you've got C6 (which opens it up), but even then, funnel everything back to HP/EM for that extra 10% uplift.
Why Bountiful Cores Dictate Your Weapon Pick
These cores cap at five active ones, popping off in two seconds with EM-scaled Dendro Core damage. The Key throws in a team-wide EM buff during its 12-second Tranquility Aura. Nilou's Skill spits out more cores than a Dendro applicator can handle sometimes. In three-Hydro teams, keep her ownership low – under 20% – by ending Normals with Sword Dance. For Nilou + Nahida rotations, Key's passive gives +0.12% of your Max HP as EM per hit, stacking up to three times for about 140 EM at 70k HP, lasting 20 seconds across the party. Step one: Enter Pirouette with three Skill hits to activate Chalice's Bounty (+100 EM on Dendro hits for 10s). Two: Whip out Whirling Steps in two-Hydro for max application. Three: Let a 1000 EM Nahida trigger it for full attribute damage. Simple, right? But get it wrong, and you're wasting those cores.
On-Field vs. Off-Field Nilou: What It Means for Your Sword
Off-field Nilou? Key's your buddy in flows like Nahida Burst into Nilou Skill into Kokomi Burst, keeping those 12-second auras rolling. On-field, though, Sacrificial Sword at R5 (80% reset chance for 24-second uptime) beats Iron hands down, letting you chain 15 Normals in Sword Dance. Off-field setups hit 90% Burst uptime at 150% ER; on-field demands 200% solo. Slap 4pc Vourukasha's Glow on off-field for +80% Skill/Burst damage after core hits. On-field? ER sands and C4 (+15 Energy on the third hit) ensure Burst every cycle. (As an editor who's farmed endless artifacts, off-field feels smoother for most players – less fiddling with energy.)
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Key of Khaj-Nisut: Diving Deep into Nilou's Signature Blade
Dropped on October 14, 2022 (with reruns April 12, 2023; July 17, 2024; and September 10, 2025), this is the best-in-slot for HP/EM in high-end Bloom teams. At level 90: 542 base ATK, 66.2% HP substat. Passive bumps wielder HP by +20%, and Skill hits build three Grand Hymn stacks (one every 0.3 seconds, up to 20 seconds), each converting 0.12% of Max HP to EM (+0.2% to the party for 20s). At 70k HP, that's roughly 140 EM team buff, pushing base core damage to 2.5x in AoE against Abyss Floor 12. Pull it on the weapon banner (80 pity, 50/50 for five-star). Pair with 2pc Tenacity of the Millelith (+20% HP) and 2pc Vourukasha's Glow (+20% HP) to hit the 74k cap. Nail three Skill hits in Pirouette to overlap stacks with Tranquility Aura. Ever wonder why it feels so premium? It's that seamless HP-to-EM conversion.
Breaking Down the Stats and Passive
The passive shines during core formation, with +20% HP getting you to 60k+ for the full 400% boost. At R1, three stacks net ~100 EM at 30k HP, scaling to 140 at 70k; R5 ups it to 0.15% per stack. In Nilou + Nahida + Kokomi + Collei rotations, it outpaces Xiphos by 15-20%. Refine only if you've snagged C2 (+25% RES shred for effective damage amp). I always test these in the Spire of Solitary Enlightenment – Vourukasha's synergy pops there.
The Perks of HP Scaling and Those Team Buffs
That HP% substat lets you cap at 74k, cranking cores to 400% and adding resonance (+25% HP in two-Hydro for +80 EM total). The buff hits triggers like Lauma for crit cores, bumping DPS by 30% in premium setups. Take Nilou + Nahida + Kokomi + Lauma: Nahida Burst/Skill > Nilou Skill (three hits) > Kokomi > Lauma Burst, and you're at 2.5x cores. Target HP% on goblet and circlet. Slap Deepwood Memories on your Dendro unit (-30% enemy RES). Steer clear if your team's ER-starved without Favonius supports. (Editor note: Resonance alone can feel like cheating – that extra HP turns good teams great.)
Top Teams That Love Key of Khaj-Nisut
In premium two-Hydro: Nilou (Key) + Nahida + Kokomi + Lauma, it leverages crit cores and the EM buff. For triple Hydro: Nilou + Nahida/Alhaitham + Yelan/Xingqiu + Kokomi/Barbara, Key's EM juices Nahida to 800+ for triggers. C2's +25% effective damage seals it. One: Nahida Skill/Burst for cores. Two: Nilou Whirling Steps for the aura. Three: Hydro healer Burst to trigger; loop every 12 seconds.
Refinement Breakdown: R1 vs. R5 in Action
R1 works fine for C0 Nilou (+20% HP, ~100 EM); R5 adds 0.03% EM per stack for a 5% core uplift. That 30% DPS gap in Abyss? C2 closes it. Pull if you win 50/50; drop to Iron if not, and save for the Version 6.0 Phase 1 rerun (September 10-30, 2025). Short version: R1 gets you far; R5 is the cherry.
Xiphos' Moonlight: Your Go-To Premium Four-Star Option
Featured October 14 to November 1, 2022 (next up June 18-July 8, 2025), this sword balances EM and ER for energy-thirsty Bloom runs. Level 90: 510 base ATK, 165 EM substat. Passive every 10 seconds grants 0.036% ER per EM point for 12 seconds (R1, off-field stacking), with the party snagging a 30% buff (R5: 0.072%, ~12% ER at 165 EM). In F2P like Nilou + Dendro Traveler + Collei + Barbara, it feeds 30% ER party-wide for 100% Burst uptime. Aim for R5 on Epitome (75% four-star odds). Use in three-Hydro for resonance. Trigger the passive off-field in those 10-second windows. It's not flashy, but man, does it keep rotations humming.
Digging into the EM Substat and Passive
165 EM alone boosts core damage 1.8x base, especially with ER backup; stack with 2pc Gilded Dreams (+80 EM) for 400+ effective. The passive? ~6% ER to you and 1.8% to the party per pop, up to 12%/3.6% when stacked. Pair it with high-Burst costs like Nahida or Alhaitham; skip if Favonius is on supports already.
How It Handles Energy in Demanding Teams
Spot-on for Nilou + Alhaitham + Yelan + Yaoyao, holding rotations without forcing 170% personal ER; at 165 EM, stacked it's 60% ER. In Nilou + Nahida + Furina + Baizhu: Nahida > Nilou Skill > Furina Burst > Baizhu. Hit the 130% ER breakpoint. Trigger off-field every 10 seconds. C4 makes sub-130% ER workable with +15 Energy.
When Xiphos Edges Out the Big Guns
It tops Key in ER-poor three-Hydro by 10% uptime; nudges Iron in premium Nahida stacks. Cores take a 5-10% hit vs. Key, but energy adds +8% overall DPS. Pull if team ER dips under 150%; pit it against Iron in Abyss for 90% Burst checks.
How to Get It and Banner Timing
Tied to Nilou banners in gacha; craft Iron as backup. Version 5.7 is your shot at R5 for max 12% ER. Hoard 75 pulls for the four-star; grab it over Iron if energy's your bottleneck. (Pro tip from the editing desk: Banners like this are why I track release dates religiously.)
Iron Sting: The Ultimate F2P Pick for Nilou
Craftable since Version 3.0, it focuses on 165 EM and +6% all-elemental DMG per stack from Elemental DMG (R1, max two stacks, six seconds, every one second; R5: 12% per, 24% max). In Nilou + Dendro Traveler + Collei + Barbara, it stacks on Yelan's Hydro for a 1.24x core multiplier, hitting 1.7x base damage. Craft the blueprint from Sumeru fishing or events (150k Mora, standard ores). Refine to R5 through events for +12% stacks. Deploy in double Dendro for reaction amps. No primos needed – just grind.
Why Craftables Rule and How EM Plays Out
165 EM plus Gilded Dreams (+80 EM) and Nahida gets you 400+ effective, supercharging Kaveh's infused normals in Nilou + Kaveh + Nahida + Yelan. R5's +12% DMG adds 8% DPS over Xiphos's ER tilt. Materials are repeatable farms. Pair with 4pc Vourukasha's (+80% off-field DMG on core self-damage). Or try Sapwood Blade for +120 EM on Dendro reactions (20s cooldown) as an alt.
Stacking Up Against Gacha Swords
It's neck-and-neck with Xiphos (5-10% less core damage, but way easier to get); crushes in steady stacks for F2P solo Bloom. Key's 20-30% ahead, but pull-dependent. In Abyss waves, it holds damage steady at 150% ER without ER subs. Upgrade from Sapwood if stacks fire reliably; check ownership with high-EM Dendro.
Refining It: Easy Access and Future Value
R1 to R5 doubles the DMG (12% to 24% max), earning 10-15% team DPS in Bloom via event farms. R5 Iron beats R1 Xiphos by 8% in budgets. Refine through Sumeru events. Invest before Key pulls. It shines in overworld exploration too.
Where It Falls Short in Big-Spending Teams
No HP or ER like Key, so it lags in premium without external energy (Kokomi resonance cuts ER needs by 20-30%). In Nilou + Nahida + Kokomi + Lauma, switch to Key for 30% more cores. Add ER sands if under 150%. Pair with a healer for self-damage. Dodge three-Hydro sans Favonius.
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Sword Showdown: Crunching the Damage Numbers
Key hits 2.5x base Bountiful Core DMG (400% HP +140 EM); Xiphos 1.8x through EM/ER; Iron 1.7x with 24% stacks. This assumes level 10 Skill, no C2, against Abyss Floor 12. Formula's Base DMG x (1 + EM factor) x HP multiplier; Key buffs the trigger's EM, Iron multiplies after explosion. Key leads AoE by 15-20% sustained. Plug into an EM calculator for team buffs. Simulate rotations in Genshin Optimizer. Focus on Dendro triggers with 800+ EM. Data from community tests backs this – it's not just theory.
The Bloom Formula and How Weapons Feed It
70k HP on Key = 400% +140 EM; Xiphos 165 EM +12% ER uptime. Cap at five cores; Nahida trigger for attribution. C2 boosts everything 25-30%.
DPS Across Team Types
Premium two-Hydro: Key at 2.5x. F2P double Dendro: Iron 1.7x. Three-Hydro: Xiphos 1.8x. Nilou + Nahida + Kokomi + Collei? Key +30% over Xiphos. Adjust for C2 RES shred. Test in multi-enemy domains. Factor 12-second cycles.
Energy and Rotation Timing
Key targets 150% ER; Xiphos 130% with its buff; Iron 150-170%. Xiphos stacks to 60% ER in high-cost teams. Nahida > Nilou Skill (three hits). Dendro on-field trigger. Hydro Burst; repeat at 12s.
Real-World Tests from Spiral Abyss
Key dominates AoE Floor 12 (2.5x vs. waves); Iron clears F2P at 1.7x with 90% success. Against mobs, Key + C2 = 30% amp. Build 200+ EM total. Sword Dance in three-Hydro. Uptime over 90%? You're golden.
Weapon Picks Tailored to Your Team Setup
Key for premium Nilou + Nahida + Kokomi + Lauma (max HP/EM). Xiphos for ER-heavy Nilou + Alhaitham + Yelan + Yaoyao. Iron for F2P Nilou + Dendro Traveler + Collei + Barbara. Two-Hydro resonance +80 EM; three-Hydro +25% HP. Double Hydro like Nilou + Nahida + Furina + Baizhu? Xiphos for Furina Burst. Setup Dendro auras. Nilou Skill for cores. EM Dendro trigger.
Nilou + Nahida + Kokomi + Dendro Flex: Top Sword Here
Key's ideal for 60k HP cores; Iron as budget for Collei swaps. Rotation nets 400% with Lauma crits. Nahida Burst. Nilou three hits. Kokomi Skill/Burst > Flex trigger. Solid.
Triple Hydro Bloom: Fine-Tuning Weapons
Xiphos for ER in Nilou + Nahida + Yelan + Kokomi; Key if HP's doable. +30% ER stacks for 100% uptime. Minimize Nilou ownership via Sword Dance. 4pc Instructor (+120 party EM). Healer required.
Driving with On-Field Nilou
Sacrificial > Key > Iron for resets and infusion (Nilou + Collei + Dendro Traveler + Barbara). R5's 24s uptime. Burst optional. Skill +15 Normals. Reset to Whirling > swap.
Budget Twists and Sword Swaps
Iron's your base; Xiphos on banner, Key for whales. Nilou + Kaveh + Nahida + Yelan loves Iron for Kaveh bursts. Craft Iron today. ER sands to 150%. Test core ruptures with healer.
Artifacts That Sync with Your Weapon Choice
Key vibes with 2pc Tenacity + 2pc Vourukasha's for 60k+ HP; Iron rocks 4pc Gilded Dreams (+80 EM, +14% DMG for different elements); Xiphos flexes ER/EM. Vourukasha's +80% on core self-damage. Iron + Gilded = 400+ EM for 1.7x cores. Mains: HP%/HP%/HP%. Subs: HP% > ER > EM. Farm the Spire domain.
Gilded Dreams or Tenacity? It Depends on Your Sword
Gilded for Iron/Xiphos EM builds (mixed Hydro/Dendro +14% DMG); Tenacity for Key's HP (+20%). Key with a mix hits 74k cap. 4pc Vourukasha's as off-field alt. Deepwood on Dendro. No CRIT sets.
Key Stat Breakpoints by Weapon
HP 60k+ across the board; ER 170% for Key, 130% Xiphos, 150% Iron; EM 200+ from buffs. Resonance shaves 20-30% ER. Sands HP% under 60k. Test Burst per rotation. C4 drops to 130%.
Tweaking Substats for Each Sword
All start with HP%; Key wants ER next, Xiphos EM, Iron flat HP/EM. Ditch CRIT for +10% cores. Redirect those rolls. EM on trigger. Healer absorbs damage.
Pull Strategy: Where to Spend on Weapon Banners
Key first (30% DPS over Xiphos, 160 pulls guarantee); craft Iron fallback, R5 Xiphos for ER woes. Key's 0.6% rate, 80 pity; Iron's free. Lost 50/50? Iron's F2P solid. Prioritize Key rerun September 10, 2025. Save over character banners. C0 + R1 does the job.
Primogem Math for Key of Khaj-Nisut
160 pulls (~25k Primogems) for 30% gain; premium worth it. R1 Key > R5 Iron by 20%. Aim 50/50. Skip F2P. Vs. Nahida pulls.
F2P, Low-Spender, Whale Paths
F2P: Craft Iron. Low-spender: R5 Xiphos. Whale: Key + C2. Iron now, Key later. Craft blueprint. Event refine. Banner Xiphos.
Trade-Offs vs. Other Investments
Key beats Freedom-Sworn by 20% in pure Bloom; skip for Hu Tao non-Bloom. Epitome cheaper for Xiphos. Assess needs. Fallback four-stars. Version 6.0 Nod-Krai synergy.
Skipping Banners for Four-Stars
Pass if ER's covered or F2P; Iron/Xiphos clear 90%. Budgets don't need Key. Test Iron in Abyss. Pull only for ER holes. Craft Sapwood alts.
Pitfalls to Dodge and Pro Tips
Don't overdo CRIT (cores don't crit); skimp ER on Iron (hit 150%); buy the signature hype (four-stars work). Shift to HP/EM for +10% cores; healer essential. Low ownership? Sword Dance + high-EM Dendro. ER sands on Iron. Test uptime. Kokomi over Barbara.
Busting the Myth: 'Nilou Must Have Her Sig'
Four-stars like Iron hit 1.7x F2P; Key's 20-30% premium only. C6 unlocks CRIT, but HP/EM base rules. Start Iron. Upgrade on banner. Resonance pairs.
Refines vs. Character Pulls: Don't Overdo It
R5 Iron/Xiphos +10-15% DPS; chase C2 Nilou (+25% amp) first. 24% Iron stacks vs. pulls. Event refine. Save for C2. Domain ROI tests.
Overlooking Team Energy When Picking Weapons
Xiphos fixes <130% ER; Key demands 170%. Resonance -20%. Base 150%. Favonius Dendro. C4 +15 Energy.
Prepping for New Dendro Meta Shifts
Key's BiS for Lauma crit cores in 6.0; Iron F2P base. Lunar-Bloom EM synergy. Monitor patches. Adapt ER for costs. Pure Bloom sticks.
Other Swords Worth a Look
Sacrificial Sword (R5 reset for on-field); Favonius (61.3% ER particles); skip ATK like Freedom-Sworn (HP dilution). Sacrificial's 24s > Iron; Favonius for ER droughts. Sacrificial +10% F2P driver infusion. Use resets. Favonius under 130% ER. Skip CRIT sans C6.
Festering Desire and EM Sword Alts
Festering (EM + Skill DMG) swaps Iron, but fewer stacks; Sapwood's +120 EM conditional. Iron's steady 24% > Sapwood. Craft if no Iron. EM sands. Reaction tests.
Sacrificial for Energy Builds
R5 80% reset for dual stances (Sword Dance/Whirling 24s). On-field Nilou + Collei: 15 Normals > reset. Pull for drivers. 200% ER solo. Iron off-field alt.
ATK Swords: Why They Flop on Nilou
Primordial Jade (CRIT) skips HP scaling; cores EM/HP-driven. 20% under Key in Bloom. Avoid sans C6. HP sands focus. Non-Bloom hybrids only.
FAQ
Is Key of Khaj-Nisut worth pulling for Nilou?
Yes, for premium teams at 70k HP and 400% core boosts, offering 20-30% more DMG than 4-stars via +20% HP and 140 EM team buff at R1. Pull on Version 6.0 rerun (September 10, 2025) if 50/50 viable; F2P skip for Iron's 1.7x baseline.
What is the best F2P weapon for Nilou?
Iron Sting, craftable in Sumeru for 165 EM and R5 24% DMG stacks, yielding 1.7x core DMG in budget teams like Nilou + Collei + Dendro Traveler + Barbara. Ascension costs 150k Mora; refine via events for 10-15% uplift over R1.
Does Nilou need Elemental Mastery or HP?
Prioritize HP to 60k+ for 400% passive scaling, with EM 200+ secondary via weapons/buffs for core formula (trigger's EM scales DMG). Key boosts both; Iron/Xiphos provide 165 EM base, reaching 400+ effective with Nahida.
Which weapon gives Nilou the highest Bloom damage?
Key of Khaj-Nisut at 70k HP delivers 2.5x base via 400% boost +140 EM, outperforming Xiphos (1.8x) and Iron (1.7x) by 15-20% in AoE rotations; C2 amps all by 25-30%.
Can Xiphos' Moonlight replace Key of Khaj-Nisut on Nilou?
Yes, in ER-hungry 3-Hydro teams (+Furina), providing 12% ER at R5 for 100% uptime where Key needs 170% ER; 5-10% less core DMG but +8% overall DPS.
Should I refine Iron Sting for Nilou?
Yes, to R5 for 24% max DMG stacks (double R1), adding 10-15% team DPS in F2P Bloom; accessible via repeatable Sumeru events, outperforming unrefined Xiphos in consistent reactions.
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