Alhaitham and Hu Tao are both top-tier DPS characters. Version 3.4 of Genshin Impact released Alhaitham and Hu Tao is one of the many high-profile reruns in this patch. Naturally, a lot of players are now confused about who to pull for since all character banners are meta in this patch. We’re here to solve that dilemma and tell you which character is better for which account and playstyle.
Alhaitham vs Hu Tao in Genshin Impact 3.4
We’re specifically comparing these two characters as they have more in common than you think. Both of them are hypercarries with a high DPS ceiling. By this we mean that the more you invest into them the more DPS they can output- and this is generally more than a majority of the Genshin characters. Both of them also require skilled play and technical knowledge.
For Alhaitham, you’ll need good timing, attack pattern and sequence knowledge and good rotations to maximise his output. For Hu Tao, you’ll need to know how to animation cancel and good timing. Both of them need supports to aid them. Hu Tao can make do with only one as either Xingqiu or Yelan can aid her in Vapes. Alhaitham on the other hand is best used with at least 2 supports- one with Deepwood Memories to lower Dendro RES and another to trigger Quicken for his Spreads.
Both Pyro and Dendro are also two of the most powerful elements in the game right now. Pyro is known for its damage and reactions like Vaporise and Melt. Dendro is currently the reigning element in the elemental reaction meta as even with low or F2P investment, it can dish out insane damage numbers through all its reactions.
Hu Tao however is best used in single-target scenarios and though Alhaitham has an AoE coverage- at least more than Hu Tao, he will still struggle against multiple enemies who are spread out over a large area unless you have Nahida who can connect multiple opponents with her E or an Anemo grouper unit like Kazuha, Venti or even Sucrose. While both of them are comparable as main DPS units, if we’re talking just numbers, Hu Tao can dish out just a tad more with her Vapes.
Verdict
We say you should pull on whoever suits your play style and account. If you have Nahida and other units built for the Dendro meta and want a DPS to complement that then your best pick is Alhaitham. If you’re more of a traditional Genshin player who’s used to Vaping and Melting and have characters built for that purpose then Hu Tao is your pick.
You also have to consider the skill level required to play these characters. If you have a Childe and have a good sense of timing, attack pattern and rotation then Alhaitham would be easier for you to master. On the other hand, if you’re comfortable and consistent with animation-cancelling then Hu Tao is a great choice.
At the end of the day, both of them are great picks even if they’re not played optimally. If you’re a casual player and want to pull on anyone due to their personality and character then by all means you should go for it. Genshin Impact is an easy game overall and only the final two floors of the Spiral Abyss pose any real challenge. Whoever you pull, even if not played optimally, will still decimate 99% of the content in the game.
