Everything you need to know about Nilou in Genshin Impact

Nilou and the Traveler have one thing in common: They want to know more about Kusanali. The “Star of Zubayr Theater” might remind older players of Yun Jin, who’s also a renowned dancer but from a different city. However, Nilou is expected to play a larger part in the story surrounding the Dendro Archon. Genshin Impact fans are excited because of how pretty she is but also because she’s expected to be a huge boon to Bloom (Dendro plus Hydro reaction) comps.

Here’s what we know so far about Nilou, including her skills, abilities, and her role in Genshin Impact so far.

When is Nilou coming to Genshin Impact?

According to leakers, Nilou will debut as a featured 5-star in Genshin Impact 3.1. The estimated release date for 3.1 is on September 28. If Nilou is in the first half of the update, then her release date will be the same. She and Cyno will be the new 5-stars in the next update.

What are Nilou’s Elemental Skill and Burst?

Nilou will be a Hydro sword user like Xingqiu. Many leakers have posted animation and skill showcases for the Grand Bazaar’s star dancer with her trusty blade.

Ubatcha, a reputable Genshin leaker, wrote about her Bloom affinity in a recent tweet. “Nilou LOVES bloom. She's so far bloom that she has her own headcanon on what bloom is. For Nilou, Bloom is love, Bloom is life,” the tweet read. “Other reactions? No. Bloom Only.”

Ubatcha claims that her skills scale based on HP like Kokomi and Yelan. Many characters whose skills scale based on HP are shielders and healers. However, Nilou seems better suited as a Sub DPS or Hydro applicator role for Bloom comps.

Nilou’s Elemental Skill, Burst, and passives have many moving parts, including a Pirouette state that converts normal attacks to Hydro DMG (Sword Dance) and hurls AoE Hydro DMG at enemies (Whirling Steps) based on what “step” Nilou is in at the time.

Here’s the most recent data on Nilou’s abilities from Project Amber, a Genshin Impact fansite that compiles information from leakers and official sources (once the characters are released).

Dance of the Seven Realms (Elemental Skill)

Enters the Pirouette state, dealing Hydro DMG to nearby opponents based on Nilou’s Max HP.

While she is in the Pirouette state, Nilou’s Normal Attacks and Elemental Attacks will cause her to enter the Sword Dance and Whirling Steps stances respectively, causing DMG she deals to be converted to Hydro DMG that cannot be overridden and that is considered Elemental Skill DMG.

In these stances, Nilou’s third dance step will end Pirouette, and has the following effects:

• Sword Dance: Unleashes a watery moon that deals Hydro DMG to opponents it touches and grants Nilou the Lunar Prayer effect. This effect converts Nilou’s Normal Attacks into Sword Dance techniques, and her final hit will unleash a watery moon.
• Whirling Steps: Nilou unleashes a hurtling Water Wheel that deals AoE Hydro DMG and creates a Tranquility aura that follows your active character around and applies Wet to opponents within its AoE.

Nilou is unable to perform Charged Attacks when under the effect of Pirouette or Lunar Prayer. These effects will be removed once she leaves the field or exits these states.

Dance of the Lotus: Distant Dreams, Listening Spring (Elemental Burst)

Begins the dance of faraway dreams and springs that hear, causing a Lotus of Distant Waters to bloom, dealing AoE Hydro DMG based on Nilou’s Max HP and applying the Lingering Aeon effect to all opponents hit. After an interval, opponents affected by Lingering Aeon will take Hydro DMG.

What are Nilou’s passive abilities?

Nilou’s passives require her to be part of a Bloom comp. After all, Court of Dancing Petals isn’t relevant unless you have enough Dendro and Hydro characters to fill your party. By extension, Dreamy Dance of Aeons isn’t relevant without Court of Dancing Petals because you need the latter’s Bountiful Cores and Golden Chalice’s Bounty for it.

Project Amber has compiled the following descriptions of Nilou’s passives.

Court of Dancing Petals

When all characters in the party are either Dendro or Hydro, and there is at least one Dendro and Hydro character, the flowery steps of Nilou’s Dance of the Seven Realms (Elemental Skill) will grant all nearby characters the Golden Chalice’s Bounty for 30 seconds.

Characters under the effect of Golden Chalice’s Bounty will have their Elemental Mastery increased by 60 for 10 seconds whenever they are hit by Dendro attacks. Also, triggering the Bloom reaction will create Bountiful Cores instead of Dendro Cores. Such Cores will burst very quickly after being created, and they have larger AoEs.

Bountiful Cores cannot trigger Hyperbloom or Burgeon, and they share an upper numerical limit with Dendro Cores. Bountiful Core DMG is considered DMG dealt by Dendro Cores produced by Bloom.

Dreamy Dance of Aeons

Every 1,000 points of Max HP above 30,000 will cause the DMG dealt by Bountiful Cores created by characters affected by Golden Chalice’s Bounty to increase by 8 percent. The maximum increase in Bountiful Core DMG that can be achieved this way is 300 percent.

White Jade Lotus

When Perfect Cooking is achieved on Food with Adventure-related effects, there is a 12% chance to obtain double the product.

What are Nilou’s constellations?

HoYoverse hasn’t confirmed Nilou’s constellations yet. However, this is the most current data from Project Amber and Honey Hunter.

• Level 1: Dance of the Waning Moon - Dance of the Seven Realms will be enhanced as follows: Watery moon DMG is increased by 65 percent. The Tranquility Aura’s duration is extended by 6 seconds.
• Level 2: The Starry Skies Their Flowers Rain - After characters affected by the Golden Chalice’s Bounty deal Hydro DMG to opponents, that opponent’s Hydro RES will be decreased by 35 percent for 10 seconds. After a triggered Bloom reaction deals DMG to opponents, their Dendro RES will be decreased by 35 percent for 10 seconds. You need to have unlocked the “Court of Dancing Petals” Talent.
• Level 3: Beguiling Shadowstep - Increases the Level of Dance of the Lotus: Distant Dreams, Listening Spring by 3. Maximum upgrade level is 15.
• Level 4: Fricative Pulse - After the third dance step of Dance of the Seven Realms‘ Pirouette hits opponents, Nilou will gain 15 Elemental Energy, and DMG from her Dance of the Lotus: Distant Dreams, Listening Spring will be increased by 50 percent for 8 seconds.
• Level 5: Twirling Light - Increases the Level of Dance of the Seven Realms by 3. Maximum upgrade level is 15.
• Level 6: Frostbreaker’s Melody - For every 1,000 points of Max HP, Nilou’s CRIT Rate and CRIT DMG will increase by 0.6 percent and 1.2 percent respectively. The maximum increase in CRIT Rate and CRIT DMG is 30 percent and 60 percent respectively.

What is Nilou’s backstory in Genshin Impact?

Nilou is known as the “Star of Zubayr Theater” because of how beautiful she is while she’s dancing — like something out of a fairytale. However, she’s much friendlier off-stage than she is while she’s dancing. Her character story describes her as such:

Once Nilou steps off the stage, she is like any girl her age: sweet, warm, and smiling. If you meet Nilou off-stage, don't be intimidated. Say hello to her, and she'll be very happy about it.

Dunyarzad, a benefactor of the Sabzeruz Festival, introduces the Traveler to Nilou when they visit the Grand Bazaar outside Sumeru City. Like Dunyarzad, Nilou is a devotee of Lesser Lord Kusanali. She’s also the one in charge of performing the ritual dance for the Dendro Archon’s birthday.

Genshin Impact is available for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, iOS, and Android.