Varka is a 5-star Anemo Claymore character who functions as a Hexerei on-field main DPS, dealing sustained mixed Anemo and secondary Element damage through enhanced Normal Attacks and special Elemental Skill variants. His kit revolves around entering Sturm und Drang via Elemental Skill, then cycling between empowered Normal Attacks and powerful Special Elemental Skills or Special Charged Attacks.
Unlike traditional Anemo carries who focus primarily on Swirl amplification, Varka deals direct damage of two elements simultaneously, with his output scaling heavily from ATK and team composition. His Normal Attacks meaningfully contribute to total damage and actively reduce the cooldown of his Special Skill during Hexerei-enhanced rotations.
Varka performs best in double Anemo + double matching Element teams, where he can maximise his Ascension Talent bonuses and unlock the highest damage multiplier from his passive scaling.
How Varka Helps:
- Dual-Element Direct DPS: Varka deals both Anemo and a corresponding elemental type (Pyro/Hydro/Electro/Cryo) during Sturm und Drang, allowing him to output high raw damage without relying purely on reaction scaling.
- Swirl-Driven Damage Scaling: After teammates trigger Swirl, Varka gains stacking damage bonuses to all core attacks, increasing his sustained DPS during his field time.
- Flexible Targeting Tools: His Special Elemental Skill (Four Winds’ Ascension) excels in AoE scenarios, while his Special Charged Attack (Azure Devour) provides strong single-target pressure. Players can choose based on enemy count.
- Hexerei Synergy Scaling: When paired with another Hexerei character, his rotation becomes smoother and more damage-efficient due to cooldown reduction and enhanced Special Skill output.
Ability Notations
- N - Normal Attack
- C - Charged Attack
- E - Elemental Skill
- Q - Elemental Burst
E.g. 2(E4N) - Elemental Skill (E) followed by four Normal Attacks (4N), repeat entire process twice (2).
Double Anemo + Double Pyro
Anemo + Pyro
Double Anemo + Double Pyro teams maximise Varka’s Ascension Talent scaling by activating both the dual-Anemo requirement and the double matching Element condition. During Sturm und Drang, Varka deals enhanced Anemo and Pyro damage, while frequent Swirl triggers further increase his total output.
This composition has the highest ceiling in the current version, as Pyro benefits strongly from ATK scaling and external buffs. Reaching around 2,500 ATK allows Varka to fully capitalise on his passive damage bonuses. Swirl uptime from an Anemo teammate ensures consistent stacking of his damage-increasing effects.
Below is an example of a Double Anemo + Double Pyro team with Varka as the Main DPS, Durin as the Sub DPS, and Venti and Bennett as the Support.
Alternate Double Anemo + Double Pyro teams could have a composition of:
- Varka - Durin - Sucrose - Bennett
- Varka - Mavuika - Venti - Bennett
Below is an example of a 4-Star version of a Double Anemo + Double Pyro team with Varka as the Main DPS, Xiangling as the Sub DPS, and Sucrose and Bennett as the Support.
Double Anemo + Double Hydro
Anemo + Hydro
Double Anemo + Double Hydro teams emphasise sustained elemental uptime and consistent Swirl triggers. Varka converts part of his damage into Hydro during Sturm und Drang, while Hydro teammates provide stable off-field application and supplemental damage.
Compared to Pyro variants, this setup offers slightly lower peak damage but stronger consistency in longer encounters and boss fights. Hydro application ensures reliable Swirl stacking, keeping Varka’s damage bonuses active throughout his rotation.
Below is an example of a Double Anemo + Double Hydro team with Varka as the Main DPS, Furina as the Sub DPS, and Venti and Sigewinne as the Support.
Alternate Double Anemo + Double Hydro teams could have a composition of:
- Varka - Yelan - Venti - Kokomi
- Varka - Mona - Sucrose - Barbara
- Varka - Xingqiu - Sucrose - Barbara
Double Anemo + Double Electro
Anemo + Electro
Double Anemo + Double Electro teams focus on rapid elemental application and frequent Swirl reactions. Electro’s persistent off-field presence allows Varka to consistently maintain his stacking damage buffs while dealing mixed Anemo and Electro damage.
This setup performs particularly well in multi-target scenarios due to high elemental uptime and smooth rotation flow. While its peak damage may be slightly lower than Pyro variants, its stability and Swirl frequency make it a strong practical option.
Below is an example of a Double Anemo + Double Electro team with Varka as the Main DPS, Fischl as the Sub DPS, and Venti and Iansan as the Support.
Alternate Double Anemo + Double Electro teams could have a composition of:
- Varka - Fischl - Sucrose - Iansan
Double Anemo + Double Cryo
Anemo + Cryo
Double Anemo + Double Cryo teams offer a more comfort-oriented approach. Cryo resonance helps ease CRIT requirements, and steady Cryo application enables reliable Swirl triggers for Varka’s damage stacking.
While this composition does not reach the raw ceiling of Pyro teams, it provides consistent performance and smoother stat balancing. Defensive Cryo options can also improve survivability without significantly reducing overall damage.
Below is an example of a Double Anemo + Double Cryo team with Varka as the Main DPS, Escoffier as the Sub DPS, and Venti and Diona as the Support.
Alternate Double Anemo + Double Cryo teams could have a composition of:
- Varka - Escoffier - Venti - Shenhe
- Varka - Citlali - Venti - Rosaria
- Varka - Mika - Sucrose - Diona
Damage Showcase
Here is a showcase on how to use the first Double Anemo + Double Pyro team composition presented in this guide, containing Varka, Durin, Venti, and Bennett.
We begin by preparing with the support characters. We begin by preparing with the support characters. Durin's Elemental Skill (E) twice, then his Elemental Burst (Q), Bennett's Elemental Skill (E) then Elemental Burst (Q), and Venti's Elemental Skill (E) then Elemental Burst (Q).
We can that swap in Varka. Using his Elemental Skill (E) activates Sturm und Drang, enabling his enhanced attack state. Then complete a full Normal Attack sequence of four Normal Attacks (4N). Repeating this process (E4N) allows for him to use his Special Elemental Skill, Four Winds' Ascension. Varka's rotation is complete by using his Special Elemental Skill (E) followed by his Elemental Burst (Q).
Pros
- High Sustained DPS Ceiling: Varka delivers strong, consistent on-field damage during Sturm und Drang, especially in Double Anemo + Double matching Element teams.
- Dual-Element Damage Output: He deals both Anemo and a secondary Element simultaneously, allowing him to benefit from Swirl while also scaling direct elemental damage.
- Strong AoE Performance: His Special Elemental Skill (Four Winds’ Ascension) performs extremely well in grouped scenarios, particularly when paired with crowd control.
- Flexible Finisher Options: Can choose between Special Skill (AoE) or Special Charged Attack (single-target), giving him adaptability depending on enemy count.
- Scales Well With Investment: Higher ATK thresholds, optimised team compositions, and Hexerei synergy significantly increase his damage ceiling.
- Synergises Naturally With Anemo Supports: Fits seamlessly into double Anemo structures, benefiting from grouping, energy flow, and Swirl uptime.
Cons
- Team Building Is Restrictive: To maximise his Ascension Talent scaling, Varka strongly prefers Double Anemo + Double matching Element. Deviating from this reduces his passive multipliers.
- ATK Threshold Reliant: His performance noticeably improves around specific ATK breakpoints (~2500 ATK), making him more stat-demanding than some carries.
- Requires Swirl Uptime: Without consistent elemental application and Swirl triggers, his stacking damage bonuses fall off.
- Rotation-Sensitive: Poor setup timing (e.g., missing Bennett's or Venti's Elemental Bursts) can significantly reduce his damage output.
- Not Reaction-Driven: Unlike Melt/Vaporise carries, his damage does not spike from reaction multipliers, meaning his ceiling depends more on raw scaling and buffs.
Which is your favourite Varka team composition?
