The Best Itto Build in Genshin Impact

Arataki “The One and Oni” Itto is a 5-star Geo claymore character in Genshin Impact with a big heart and even bigger muscles. He’s the leader of the infamous Arataki Gang — more of a public nuisance than anything else — and the last of the Red Oni in Inazuma. Today, we’re going to talk about the best Itto build in the game and the best ways you can use him.

Let’s get started!

Foreword

Before we go over our recommended Itto build, let’s go over our expectations and assumptions. 

For purposes of character building guides, we’ll assume characters are at least Level 80 and fully ascended unless otherwise stated. That means all their talents will be unlocked and capable of being fully leveled, too. Constellation leveling is another matter altogether, though, and we’ll assume C0. 

Weapons can be tough to fully refine, so it’s assumed they’re at their base refinement. We may bring up increased stats from full refinement, but in general, most weapons we discuss probably will not be refined. 

The purpose of this guide is to give players some direction within the game so they can improve their characters and make the game a little bit easier. Remember that at the end of the day when you’re building a character in Genshin Impact, the most important thing is to have fun. Now let’s get into the best Itto build!

Best Itto Build: The Basics

There are two things to primarily keep in mind when using Arataki Itto — his DEF% and his Charged Attacks. If you can remember those two things, you’re already well on your way to a great Itto build. 

Rather than ATK, Itto’s Elemental Burst scales with his DEF%. His DEF greatly increases his ATK while using his Elemental Burst. Which is why you’ll want to focus on upping his DEF as much as possible with the right artifacts and weapons. 

As for his Charged Attacks, when you hit opponents with Itto’s normal attack and Elemental Skill, he gains Superlative Superstrength. Superlative Superstrength stacks up to five times and is consumed by using his Charged Attacks. When consuming stacks of Superlative Superstrength, Itto performs high DMG attacks without consuming stamina. 

That is great for his dodging ability, but less great for quick strikes with high damage. To really let Itto shine, you’ll have to do some setup to max out his stacks of Superlative Superstrength. 

Materials

There are a lot of materials you’ll need to get Itto into fighting shape. Unless you’ve been saving up for a while, you’ll probably need to put in some time grinding to collect everything. The most difficult materials to obtain will be the boss drop and gem ascension materials. In order to collect the boss drop items, you’ll likely have to fight the Golden Wolflord at least twenty times.

Outside of ascension materials, you’ll also need enough to level up Itto’s weapon and talents. 

Ascension

To fully ascend Arataki Itto, you will need:

• 420k Mora
• 46 Riftborn Regalia (4-star boss drop)
• 1 Prithiva Topaz Sliver (2-star ascension material)
• 9 Prithiva Topaz Fragment (3-star ascension material)
• 9 Prithiva Topaz Chunk (4-star ascension material)
• 6 Prithiva Topaz Gemstone (5-star ascension material)
• 168 Onikabuto (1-star item)
• 18 Slime Condensate (1-star enemy drop)
• 30 Slime Secretions (2-star enemy drop)
• 36 Slime Concentrate (3-star enemy drop)

If you’re having trouble getting enough Prithiva Topaz, try converting another gem ascension material. Using the alchemy table, players can convert gem ascension materials into other gems in a one-to-one conversion. All you’ll need is some Dust of Azoth, which can be purchased through the shop via Paimon’s Bargains. 

If you wish enough, you won’t need to spend real money, just some Masterless Stardust. Keep in mind that the higher rarity the material, the more Dust of Azoth you will need. (1 for Sliver conversions, 3 for Fragment conversions, 9 for Chunk conversions, and 27 for Gemstone conversions). 

Talents

Materials needed to fully level one talent:

• 1,652,500 Mora
• 6 Slime Condensate (1-star enemy drop)
• 22 Slime Secretions (2-star enemy drop)
• 31 Slime Concentrate (3-star enemy drop)
• 3 Teachings of Elegance (2-star talent material)
• 21 Guide to Elegance (3-star talent material)
• 38 Philosophes of Elegance (4-star talent material)
• 6 Ashen Heart (5-star weekly boss drop)
• 1 Crown of Insight (5-star talent material)

Ascension materials aren’t the only items you can convert. 

Talent materials dropped by weekly bosses can also be converted, though only into other talent materials dropped by the same boss. Using the 4-star weekly boss drop item Dream Solvent, Hoyoverse allows players to convert items like Ashen Heart into other talent items dropped by the same boss. 

For players who haven’t gotten enough Ashen Heart for Itto, they can convert gathered Hellfire Butterfly or Molten Moment into more Ashen Heart. Converting these talent materials can be a pain, but it’s also easier than waiting for another week trying to get the last few Ashen Heart needed for talent leveling.

Weapons

As a claymore user, there are a lot of options for Itto’s weapon. The best option is his 5-star weapon, but most players probably won’t want to spend their wishes on weapons, so we have a free-to-play friendly recommendation as well. 

In general, weapons for Itto should increase his DEF stat since his Elemental Burst scales with DEF. CRIT weapons aren’t a bad option either, but will lose the consistency DEF weapons give. Weapon effects that increase DEF during Elemental Bursts are also a very good choice for Itto.

Redhorn Stonethresher — 5-star weapon

The Redhorn Stonethresher is Itto’s own weapon of choice. It’s a 5-star claymore that increases CRIT DMG up to 88.2%. The CRIT DMG stat is the highest in the game as of Version 2.7. 

This increase alone makes the weapon worth getting, but if that wasn’t enough, its main effect is tailored perfectly to Itto. The effect “Gokadaiou Otogibanashi” increases DEF by a base 28%, then increases Normal and Charged Attack DMG by 40% of DEF. At Refinement Level 5, DEF is increased by 56% and Normal/Charged Attack DMG is increased by a whopping 80% of DEF.

The Redhorn Stonethresher’s base ATK stat is none too shabby at 542. While that’s a bit low compared to other 5-star claymores, its DEF boost more than makes up for it. It really is the perfect weapon for Itto, who needs the strong DEF to work well. 

Unfortunately, it is a limited-run weapon, meaning it isn’t available often. Most 5-star weapons are only available during the same banner run as the characters best suited for them, and the Redhorn Stonethresher is no exception.

Ascension

Once actually getting the Redhorn Stonethresher, you’ll also need to put in some work to ascend and level it up. To fully ascend the Redhorn Stonethresher, you will need:

• 225k Mora
• 5 Narukami’s Wisdom (2-star weapon material)
• 15 Narukami’s Joy (3-star weapon material)
• 14 Narukami’s Affection (4-star weapon material)
• 6 Narukami’s Valor (5-star weapon material)
• 23 Concealed Claw (2-star enemy drop)
• Concealed Unguis (3-star enemy drop)
• 41 Concealed Talon (4-star enemy drop)
• 15 Old Hanguarg (1-star enemy drop)
• 23 Kageuchi Handguard (2-star enemy drop)
• 27 Famed Handguard (3-star enemy drop)

Whiteblind — 4-Star weapon

For players who don’t want to spend an arm and a leg on Genesis Crystals, the next best claymore option for your Itto build is the Whiteblind. 

The Whiteblind is a forgeable claymore that increases DEF by up to 51.7%. Its effect, “Infusion Blade,” also increases both ATK and DEF by 6% on a hit. This effect can also stack up to four times every 0.5 seconds. At full refinement, the ATK and DEF increase is up to 12% for a max stack effect of 48%.

Not bad at all for a forgeable weapon. The base ATK for the Whiteblind is comparable even to the Redhorn Stonethresher at 510 ATK, which is good for Itto’s Normal Attacks.

While the Whiteblind isn’t as good as the Redhorn Stonethresher, it is still an excellent option for Itto and focuses on increasing DEF a lot. 

Forging

As a forgeable weapon, players will need to visit a blacksmith in order to get it. Heading to Wagner in Monstadt, Master Zhao in Liyue or Hajime in Inazuma will allow you to forge the weapon. Just make sure you have the right materials. To forge the Whiteblind, you will need:

• 500 Mora
• 1 Northlander Claymore Billet (4-star forging material)
• 50 Crystal Chunk (1-star item)
• 50 White Iron Chunk (1-star item)

Costs will be multiplied by five to fully refine. 

It may take a while to collect all the Northlander Claymore Billets, so have some patience. Billets drop at random after defeating weekly bosses and are sometimes given as rewards for special events. Players can also find one Claymore Billet at Xingxi’s shop in Liyue and one as a reward for upgrading the Sacred Sakura Tree to Level 14 in Inazuma. 

Ascension

Once you actually forge the Whiteblind, you can get to leveling it up and ascending it to unlock its full potential. To fully ascend the Whiteblind, you will need:

• 150k Mora
• 3 Luminous Sands from Guyun (2-star weapon material)
• 9 Lustrous Stone from Guyun (3-star weapon material) 
• 9 Relic from Guyun (4-star weapon material)
• 4 Divine Body from Guyun (5-star weapon material)
• 15 Hunter’s Sacrificial Knife (2-star enemy drop)
• 18 Agent’s Sacrificial Knife (3-star enemy drop)
• 27 Inspector’s Sacrificial Knife (4-star enemy drop)
• 10 Treasure Hoarder Insignia (1-star enemy drop)
• 15 Silver Raven Insignia (2-star enemy drop)
• 18 Golden Raven Insignia (3-star enemy drop)

3 Talents for the Best Itto Build

Fully leveling up talents requires a lot of materials, so it can be tough to get all three talents fully leveled. Most players choose to focus on one at a time when working on their Itto build. Below, we’ve ordered Itto’s talents so you can focus on the most important ones first.

1. Fight Club Legend — Normal Attack

Using his Normal Attack, Itto performs four heavy strikes against enemies. On the second and fourth hits, Itto will gain Superlative Superstrength stacks — one for the second hit and two for the fourth hit, with each hit refreshing the duration of all gathered stacks. 

Making Charged Attacks consumes Superlative Superstrength stacks rather than stamina, and Itto performs “Arataki Kesagiri” slashes. On the final stack consumed, Itto performs a more powerful Arataki Kesagiri slashing attack.

Itto’s Charged Attacks are where most of his highest damage will be dealt, which is why you want to prioritize his “Fight Club Legend” talent. While a single Arataki Kesagiri slash deals 91% DMG at Level 1, by Level 10, the DMG is all the way up to 180% and the final Arataki Kesagiri slash maxes out at an impressive 377%.

While it may take some setup to get all the Superlative Superstrength stacks, the final slash is so worth it and is a great way to deal with tough boss enemies. 

2. Royal Descent: Behold, Itto the Evil! — Elemental Burst

After Itto’s Fight Club Legend talent, the next talent to level up for the best Itto build is his Elemental Burst, “Royal Descent: Behold, Itto the Evil!”

When using his Elemental Burst, Itto unleashes his inner Oni and his weapon changes to his Oni King’s Kanabou. Regardless of which weapon he is equipped with, his weapon will always change in his Elemental Burst state. 

In this raging Oni state, Itto’s Normal, Charged, and Plunging Attacks deal Geo DMG and his Normal Attack SPD is increased. Itto’s ATK is increased based on his DEF stat and his Elemental and Physical RES are decreased by 20%. Superlative Superstrength stacks can still be gained and consumed while using Itto’s Elemental Burst, but they’re gained on his first and third hits, rather than the second and fourth.

Making Charged Arataki Kesagiri Attacks while using Itto’s Elemental Burst does huge amounts of damage and is typically the most effective way to clear out enemy mobs and bosses. It’s also where having a high DEF% starts to count, since Itto’s ATK bonus scales with his DEF while using his Elemental Burst up to *129% of his DEF.

*Keep in mind that Itto’s constellation will need to be leveled in order to see a boost above 103% of his DEF. 

3. Masatsu Zetsugi: Akaushi Burst! — Elemental Skill

Last but certainly not least is Itto’s Elemental Skill talent. Itto’s Elemental Skill summons the auxiliary member of the Arataki Gang — Ushi the akaushi bull.

When Ushi hits opponents, he deals Geo DMG and draws aggro from nearby enemies. Ushi’s HP scales with Itto’s max HP. Once summoned, Ushi leaves the field after six seconds or when his HP drops to 0, whichever comes first. Ushi also grants Itto Superlative Superstrength stacks when he hits enemies, when he takes damage, and when he leaves the field. 

Holding Itto’s Elemental Skill will allow you to aim where Ushi is summoned. 

While Ushi does deal a high amount of damage upon being summoned, it’s a one time hit that can only occur once every ten seconds. It can also be tricky to summon Ushi in the heat of battle. If you hold the Elemental Skill key even a moment too long, Itto’s attacks will be interrupted while he begins aiming where to summon Ushi. Half of the time when being summoned like this, you may end up missing all nearby enemies and missing out on the high damage anyway.

3 Artifacts for the Best Itto Build

Depending on how you want to play Itto, there are a few different artifact sets you can give him. If you want to really play to his Geo DMG, the 5-star Archaic Petra artifact set is a good option, but doesn’t do anything to increase his DEF stat. 

Since DEF is such a central part of any good Itto build, we’ll be putting more focus on artifact sets that will increase his DEF or at least complement high DEF builds. 

Regardless of which artifact set you equip, you’ll want to look for artifacts with certain stats to get your Itto build to be the best it can be. The Flower of Life and Plume of Death have locked primary stats, but there will be some options for the Sands of Eon, Goblet of Eonothem, and Circlet of Logos.

While you want to put some priority on building up Itto’s DEF stat, it’s also a good idea to increase some of his other stats, too. With a strong weapon and artifact set increasing his DEF, you can also put some boosts into his CRIT stats and Elemental DMG. 

Stats

Primary stats to be on the lookout for:

• Sands of Eon: DEF%
• Goblet of Eonothem: Geo DMG Bonus
• Circlet of Logos: CRIT DMG or CRIT Rate

The substats will be slightly less important than main stats but you’ll still want to try and find artifacts with DEF%, CRIT DMG, CRIT Rate, and Energy Recharge if you can. 

If you can’t find the perfect artifact right away, don’t sweat it too much. It could take months to find the perfect artifact, and even if you do find one with all the right stats there’s no telling how the substats will end up after being fully leveled. The important thing is to have fun with the character. 

1. Husk of Opulent Dreams — 5-Star artifact set

The best artifact set for Itto is the 5-star set Husk of Opulent Dreams. Its two-piece effect gives a good base DEF increase, and the four-piece effect increases it further, albeit temporarily. 

If you’re having a hard time finding good artifacts for this set even after grinding the domain, you can mix it with another artifact set. Depending on your playstyle and team comp, it may be a good idea to mix it with the Archaic Petra artifact set. 

• Two-piece effect: Increases DEF by 30%
• Four-piece effect: Character gains Curiosity after hitting opponents with Geo attacks. Effect triggers every 0.3 seconds. Character also gains Curiosity when off the field every three seconds. Curiosity stacks up to four times. Each stack grants 6% DEF boost and 6% Geo DMG Bonus. One stack of Curiosity is lost after six seconds without gaining a new stack. 

(Tl;dr the four-piece effect increases DEF and Geo DMG by up to 24%.)

2. Retracing Bolide — 5-Star artifact set

If you choose to add the Retracing Bolide artifact set to your Itto build, we really recommend having a character who creates shields on your team. This set revolves around strengthening shields and granting boosts to shielded characters so if you don’t have a character who can shield Itto on demand this artifact set is tricky to use properly.

That being said, if you do have a shield character on your team, the four-piece effect, which increases Charged Attacks works phenomenally with Itto’s talents. A huge part of his damage potential comes from his Charged Attacks, so increasing their DMG by 40% is a great boost to his power. 

• Two-piece effect: Increases Shield Strength by 35%
• Four-piece effect: While protected by a shield, Normal and Charged Attacks gain +40% DMG.

3. Defender’s Will — 4-Star artifact set

The 4-star artifact set Defender’s Will is a good option for players who are new to Genshin Impact or just haven’t had the time to start grinding for artifacts yet. The two-piece effect is identical to the Husk of Opulent Dream’s, which is a simple boost to Itto’s DEF. 

The four-piece effect of this set isn’t particularly helpful compared to other artifact sets, so we actually do recommend mixing sets here. Elemental RES is nice but in this case the effect just doesn’t mesh well with Itto. The best four-tar artifact set to mix with Defender’s Will is the Martial Artist set, which increases Normal and Charged Attack DMG by 15%. 

• Two-piece effect: Increases DEF by 30%
• Four-piece effect: For each element in your party, Elemental RES is increased to corresponding elements by 30%. 

Team Recommendations

Geo. Fill your party up with as much Geo as you can. Gorou is especially a great party member to support Itto, since his support increases the more Geo characters you have. 

The ideal party for your Itto build will have at least three Geo support characters. You can also add one other element in order to deal with enemies who are immune to Geo damage. With another element in the party, you’ll also be able to utilize crystallize effects and gain shields more easily.

Join the High Ground

Those are our recommendations for the best Itto build in Genshin Impact! How does our build stack up against yours? Are you doing something different that works better? Let us know in the comments below! If you’re looking for other Genshin Impact character builds, check out our Xiao build guide, and to stay in the know with all things Genshin Impact, make sure you subscribe and check back next week!

Happy gaming!

Related Reading: Genshin Guides