Complete Build Guide • Wuthering Waves Version 3.1 • February 2026
C-Tier • Havoc • Broadblade • Defensive Sub-DPS • 4★ Free Character • Director of Border Defense
Overview & Kit
Taoqi is a free 4-Star Havoc Broadblade Defensive Sub-DPS available from all Convene banners. The Director of Border Defense at Jinzhou’s Ministry of Development, her entire kit translates her protective lore role into mechanics — she is the only DEF-scaling damage dealer in Wuthering Waves, with her Liberation, Timed Counters, and shielding all calculated from her DEF stat rather than ATK. As of Version 3.1 in February 2026, she sits at C-Tier — genuinely outpaced by the meta’s faster Sub-DPS options, but still offering a unique niche as a budget-friendly defensive support with a strong Outro buff for the right team.
Her combat centres on the Rocksteady Shield and Resolving Caliber system. Her Resonance Skill generates three Rocksteady Shields — not full HP shields but damage-reduction instances that absorb one hit each, reducing incoming damage by 35% and granting Taoqi a Resolving Caliber stack per shield absorbed. These stacks (up to 3) are spent by using Basic Attack after a Heavy Attack parry or Intro Skill to launch Timed Counters — up to three consecutive Havoc hits that also produce new shields for the whole team. Her Resonance Liberation: Rockfall Roar deals large DEF-scaling AoE Havoc DMG and is her biggest personal damage source. Most critically, her Outro Skill grants the incoming Resonator +38% Resonance Skill DMG Deepen for 14 seconds — matching Sanhua’s Basic ATK Deepen in raw buff value, but targeting Skill DMG specifically.
Her core weakness is slow and passive Concerto Energy generation — she is one of the hardest characters in the roster to get a timely Outro swap out of at S0, often requiring enemies to hit her shields before she accumulates enough energy, making her rotation reactive rather than controlled. ATK stats provide almost no benefit to her, so standard Sub-DPS echo builds must be tailored around DEF% and Havoc DMG instead — an unusual stat requirement that makes shared Echo farming less efficient.
⚔️ Best Weapons & Echoes
The only Broadblade with a DEF substat — BiS by a wide margin. Boosts ATK and DEF on Intro Skill use, directly amplifying her Timed Counters and Liberation simultaneously.
Best alternative if Dauntless is unavailable. ATK substat is less optimal for Taoqi’s DEF scaling, but its passive Resonance Skill DMG boost complements her Timed Counter output.
Free craftable Broadblade with a Heavy ATK DMG bonus passive. Not ideal, but available at no cost and works fine in casual content and early-game team setups.
Best Echo Set: Moonlit Clouds (5-piece) — solves her Energy Regen problem and grants the next character +22.5% ATK on Echo Skill use, stacking directly on her Outro’s 38% Skill Deepen. Main Echo: Bell-Borne Geochelone (4-Cost) for team-wide DMG reduction and a 10% DMG boost that persists after swap — her best defensive anchor. Use Impermanence Heron (3-Cost) as an alternative if more Energy Regen is needed for consistent Liberation casts.
Stat Priority: 4-Cost: Crit Rate or Crit DMG → 3-Cost: Havoc DMG + DEF% (or Energy Regen if below 125%) → 1-Cost: DEF%. Substats: DEF% > Crit Rate / Crit DMG > Energy Regen > Havoc DMG Bonus. Never build ATK% — it provides virtually no benefit to Taoqi’s DEF-scaling kit.
👥 Best Teams & Skill Priority
Jinhsi’s damage is almost entirely Resonance Skill DMG — the exact type Taoqi’s Outro amplifies by 38%. Shorekeeper buffs the team with Crit Rate via Stellarealm and handles sustain. Taoqi’s shields add survivability for Jinhsi’s lengthy on-field combo windows.
Danjin‘s Resonance Skill is her primary damage source — she exploits Taoqi’s Outro directly. Taoqi’s shields also help keep Danjin alive during her self-HP-consuming playstyle. Verina provides healing and team ATK buffs to round out the composition.
Skill Priority: Forte Circuit (highest — scales Timed Counters and shield strength) → Resonance Liberation (her main DEF-scaling damage burst) → Resonance Skill → Basic Attack → Intro Skill. Never invest in ATK-related bonuses; always check that Echo main stats use DEF% or Havoc DMG, not ATK%.
🐼 The Verdict — The Iron Wall of Jinzhou
Taoqi is a C-Tier defensive niche pick whose slow Concerto Energy generation and passive playstyle make her a poor choice for fast endgame rotations in the February 2026 meta. However, her unique DEF-scaling damage, persistent team Rocksteady Shields, parry mechanic, and powerful +38% Resonance Skill DMG Deepen Outro give her a genuine use case alongside Jinhsi or Danjin — both of whom leverage that Outro directly. Equip Dauntless Evernight, run Moonlit Clouds (5-piece) with Bell-Borne Geochelone, stack DEF% and Crit, and never build ATK%. She is free from all banners — worth having as a budget defensive flex for teams that need a shielding Sub-DPS with a Skill DMG buff.
🔗 Related Character Guides
📋 View Complete Wuthering Waves Character Tier List
Other C-Tier Characters
Stand firm, raise the shields, and let Taoqi's iron defense guard your team through every battle in Wuthering Waves!
