Wuthering Waves Calcharo best build
The best weapon, Echoes, and team for Calcharo
Looking for the best build for Calcharo in Wuthering Waves? Calcharo is a DPS machine in Wuthering Waves, boasting a powerful fighting style that lets him exchange stacks of two resources - Cruelty and Killing Intent - in exchange for inflicting massive combos that can decimate any opponent on the field. Currently one of the top Resonators in the game, Calcharo's worth mastering if you want to bring big damage to the forefront of your team and slay bosses fast.
In this guide, we'll explain the best build for Calcharo and also offer a breakdown of his skillset.
Wuthering Waves best Calcharo build
Calcharo is a 5-Star Spectro Resonator who uses a Broadblade. Once you've pulled him, outfit him with the following gear and team composition:
- Best weapon: Verdant Summit
- Our pick for Calcharo's best weapon is the 5-Star Broadblade Verdant Summit. It's technically Jiyan's trademark weapon, but it also works well for Calcharo by increasing the damage bonus of all his Resonance attributes by 12%.
- Best main Echo: Tempest Mephis
- Tempest Mephis is an Echo tailor-made for Calcharo, as it increases Electro and Heavy Attack damage. You'll also be able to transform briefly into Tempest Mephis when activating this Echo, leading to extended combos.
- Best Echo Sonata Effect: Void Thunder
- Go for a 5 Set Void Thunder Sonata Effect when equipping Calcharo. The set will amplify his Electro damage bonus and allow him to hit even harder after unleashing his Heavy Attack or Extermination Order.
- Best teammates: Jianxin, Verina
- As a heavy duty damage dealer, Calcharo will take the main DPS role in your team. He's best supported with a solid support DPS, and Jianxin fits the ticket (though Yinlin, when she becomes available in Wuthering Waves' next banner, will also be a great choice). Use Verina to heal both Calcharo and whichever Resonator you choose for your sub DPS.
Calcharo skills in Wuthering Waves
Calcharo active skills
Calcharo has the following active skills at his disposal:
| Skill Type | Name | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Attack | Gnawing Fangs | Calcharo inflicts up to 4 consecutive attacks, dealing Electro damage each time. The heavy attack and mid-air attack versions of this skill consume Stamina. |
| Resonance Skill | Extermination Order | Calcharo inflicts up to 3 attacks that deal Electro damage. If Calcharo is taken off-field or Extermination Order is not repeated, this skill goes on a cooldown. Extermination Order generates 1 stack of Cruelty. |
| Resonance Liberation | Phantom Etching | Calcharo attacks a target and deals Electro damage, entering his Deathblade Gear state. While in this state, Calcharo cannot generate stacks of Cruelty, and his basic attack turns into Hounds Roar, which inflicts up to 5 consecutive strikes, dealing Electro damage each time. Whenever Hounds Roar hits an enemy, Calcharo also gains 1 stack of Killing Intent. When Hours Roar ends, Calcharo's next Intro Skill turns into Necessary Means. |
| Intro Skill | Wanted Outlaw | Calcharo tags in to attack a nearby target, dealing Electro damage. |
| Outro Skill | Shadowy Raid | Calcharo tags out, summoning a Phantom to support the next Resonator. The Phantom attacks nearby targets and deals Electro damage equal to 196% + 392% of Calcharo's Attack stat. |
Calcharo passive skills
Calcharo has the following passive skills at his disposal:
| Skill Type | Name | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Forte Circuit | Hunting Mission | When Calcharo has 3 stacks of Cruelty, his Heavy Attack is replaced with Mercy, which causes him to consume all 3 stacks to deal Electro damage. This is considered Heavy Attack damage, and recovers both Resonance Energy and Concerto Energy. When Calcharo has 5 stacks of Killing Intent, his Heavy Attack is replaced with Death Messenger, which causes him to consume all 5 stacks to deal Electro Damage. This is considered Resonance Liberation damage, and recovers both Concerto Energy and Resonance Energy. |
| Inherent Skill | Bloodshed Awaken | Whenever Calcharo uses Mercy, his Resonance Liberation damage bonus is increased by 10% for 15 seconds. |
| Inherent Skill | Revenant Rush | Whenever Calcharo's Death Messenger hits an enemy, the damage taken by Calcharo is reduced by 15% for 5 seconds. |
Calcharo Resonance Chain skills
If you pull multiple copies of Calcharo, you can unlock new nodes on Calcharo's Resonance Chain, acquiring the following skills:
| Resonance Chain Node | Name | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Node One | Covert Negotiation | Whenever Calcharo hits a target with Extermination Order, he recovers 10 Resonance Energy. This can be triggered once every 20 seconds. |
| Node Two | Zero-Sum Game | After Calcharo uses Wanted Criminal or Necessary Means, his Resonance Skill damage bonus is increased by 30% for 15 seconds. |
| Node Three | Iron Fist Diplomacy | While in his Deathblade Gear state, Calcharo's Electro damage bonus is increased by 25%. |
| Node Four | Dark Alliance | After using Shadowy Raid, the Electro damage bonus of all teammates is increased by 20% for 30 seconds. |
| Node Five | Unconventional Compact | Wanted Criminal and Necessary Means both deal 50% more damage. |
| Node Six | The Ultimatum | When using Death Messenger, Calcharo summons 2 Phantoms. Each phantom attacks and deals Electro damage equal to 100% of Calcharo's attack. This is considered Resonance Liberation damage. |
How to use Calcharo in Wuthering Waves
When it comes to DPS in Version 1.0 of Wuthering Waves, Calcharo's arguably the most effective damage dealer. Playing him requires a careful dance where you'll constantly be using attacks to generate both Cruelty and Killing Intent, expending both resources whenever possible to deal pummeling combos that'll knock large chunks off boss health bars. Above all else, you'll want to learn the ins and outs of Calcharo's Resonance Liberation skill Phantom Etching, as he's quite reliant on it to maximise damage output.
Speaking of Phantoms, studying how to use the dark echoes that Calcharo leaves behind with some of his attacks is also pivotal. Pay attention in particular to his Outro Skill Shadowy Raid, which will come in handy when tagging Calcharo out of the arena. The Phantom left behind will go berserk as soon as your next Resonator enters the field, dealing stunning arrays of damage and giving you time to potentially use a support character like Verina to buff Calcharo's next attack bursts.
Calcharo shines when he's taking on single targets, as most of his skillset focuses on one foe. He falters when it comes to crowd control and AoE, which is why we suggest pairing him with a decent Sub DPS like Jianxin. Use Calcharo to massacre bosses, in other words - it's what this silver-haired devil is best at.
That's it for Calcharo's best build in Wuthering Waves. For more on all of the Resonators available in the game, check out our Resonator tier list and guide to all Resonators in Wuthering Waves. Also be sure to take a look at our complete guide to Echoes in Wuthering Waves, which lists all of the game's collectible monsters.