Complete Build Guide • Wuthering Waves Version 3.1 • February 2026
C-Tier • Electro • Gauntlet • Off-Field Sub-DPS • 4★ Free Character • Jinzhou Boxing Gym Owner
Utility
Overview & Kit
Yuanwu is a free 4-Star Electro Gauntlet Off-Field Sub-DPS obtained for free in the early Tower of Adversity stages. The owner of Jinzhou’s respected boxing gym and master of Leihuang martial arts, he brings a genuinely unique utility toolkit to battle: a deployable Thunder Wedge that deals off-field coordinated Electro attacks, one of the fastest stagger/Vibration Strength depletion kits in the roster, and DEF-scaling damage that makes him surprisingly durable for a Sub-DPS. As of Version 3.1 in February 2026, he sits at C-Tier — a niche utility pick who still earns his place in specific team compositions, but is largely outpaced by more versatile Electro Sub-DPS options like Yinlin in endgame content.
His kit revolves entirely around his Resonance Skill: Thunder Wedge — a stationary deployable that creates a Thunder Field around it, triggering off-field Coordinated Electro Attacks whenever any on-field character hits an enemy within range. The wedge persists for 12 seconds and continues charging his Readiness Forte gauge even while Yuanwu is off-field (6 points per second + 5 per Coordinated Attack hit). When the gauge hits 100, he can detonate the wedge with a long-press Skill — entering his Lightning Infused state that grants interruption immunity, faster attack speed, and significantly accelerated Vibration Strength (stagger) depletion on enemies. His Resonance Liberation additionally grants the whole team a DEF +32% shield (at S6) for 10 seconds, and the on-field character gets a shield worth 200% of Yuanwu’s DEF on cast — two of the better defensive options available on a free character.
His main weakness is the Thunder Wedge’s small AoE range at S0 — enemies must remain in a tight zone for Coordinated Attacks to fire, which is a real challenge against mobile bosses. His Inherent Skill 2 expands the range significantly and should be unlocked as a build priority. He also suffers from slow Concerto Energy generation, making consistent Outro swaps unreliable without deliberate Basic Attack investment. His Outro Skill deals Vibration Strength depletion to all nearby enemies — excellent for staggering elites, but not a damage buff, meaning he provides no offensive amplification to his team on swap unlike most competitive Sub-DPS options.
⚔️ Best Weapons, Echoes & Teams
Energy Regen substat solves his Liberation uptime problem. Basic ATK and Skill DMG bonus passive directly buffs his Thunder Wedge Coordinated Attacks.
Best 4-star alternative. DEF substat directly boosts his DEF-scaling damage, while the Liberation DMG bonus passive amplifies Blazing Might’s burst.
Free craftable gauntlet. DEF-boosting passive provides a minor damage increase. Usable through all story content and early endgame at no cost.
Best Echo Set: Empyrean Anthem (5-piece) — boosts Energy Regen and amplifies Coordinated Attack DMG from the 5-piece, directly scaling his Thunder Wedge output. Main Echo: Nightmare: Tempest Mephis (3-Cost) for Electro and Resonance Skill DMG bonuses. Alternatively, Void Thunder (5-piece) with the same main echo works for a more damage-focused build if Energy Regen is already covered by weapon substats.
Stat Priority: 4-Cost: Crit Rate or Crit DMG → 3-Cost: Electro DMG + Energy Regen (if below 125%) → 1-Cost: DEF%. Substats: DEF% > Crit Rate / Crit DMG > Energy Regen > Electro DMG Bonus. Never build ATK% — his damage scales off DEF.
Best Teams:
Xiangli Yao exploits Yuanwu’s off-field Electro Coordinated Attacks and benefits from the team DEF shield. Shorekeeper adds Crit Rate and healing. The strongest endgame pairing for Yuanwu in V3.1.
Classic early-game Electro team. Calcharo benefits from Yuanwu’s off-field Electro DMG and Vibration Strength depletion. Baizhi covers healing and energy support. Fully obtainable without limited banners.
⚡ The Verdict — Jinzhou's Iron Fist
Yuanwu is a C-Tier niche free unit whose C placement in the February 2026 meta is primarily a reflection of his small Thunder Wedge AoE at S0, lack of offensive Outro buffing, and slow Concerto Energy generation — all of which limit him in high-speed endgame rotations. However, he remains a legitimately useful early-game character for new players with his free acquisition, fast stagger utility, solid DEF-scaling tankiness, and team shields from Liberation. His best competitive use case is alongside Xiangli Yao, where his off-field Coordinated Attacks synergise well and his Liberation shield adds meaningful survivability.
Final Recommendation: Use Abyss Surges and run Empyrean Anthem (5-piece) with Nightmare: Tempest Mephis. Stack DEF% and Crit — never ATK%. Unlock Inherent Skill 2 early to expand Thunder Wedge range. Skill priority: Resonance Skill → Forte Circuit → Liberation. He is free from all banners — build him as a budget early-game option and replace with Yinlin or another Electro Sub-DPS when available.
🔗 Related Character Guides
📋 View Complete Wuthering Waves Character Tier List
Other C-Tier Characters
Plant the Thunder Wedge, stagger your enemies, and let Yuanwu's iron discipline electrify your team in Wuthering Waves!
