Everything You Need To Know About Childe’s Riptide

Childe’s attack mechanic is quite unique compared to other characters because of his attacks have a unique “Riptide” effect. Will we soon see another new character that has a similar effect too? Well, for now, we can ignore that question and focus on understanding what Riptide actually is.

Riptide Flash

You can apply Riptide to the enemies from the charged aimed shot. And according to the game, this is called “Riptide Flash”. These Riptide names will basically apply the same Riptide, it’s just that there are different names to “identify” how you apply them.

You can only apply 1 riptide status to 1 enemy per charged aimed shot.

If the enemy already has riptide status and you attack them again using a charged aimed shot, then they will trigger a AoE Hydro attack. However, note that this will not spread the riptide status to the other enemies.

Riptide Burst

If you cast the Bow’s Elemental Burst (ranged burst), then you basically deliver riptide status to all the enemies within the range. This will be very useful to apply riptide to everyone in a short duration of time. Because Childe’s DPS potential shines in his AoE hydro damage from riptide too.

One thing that you need to pay attention to when you cast this ranged burst and the enemies already have riptide, it will never trigger the AoE hydro damage. Because this Ranged Burst will only do 2 things: Applying riptide to the enemies and dealing burst damage to them.

To clarify, if the enemies have riptide and they is killed, they will also trigger the AoE hydro attack no matter what kind of attack killed them. If the enemies have riptide and you kill them using another character besides Childe, it will also trigger the AoE hydro attack.

Riptide Slash

Riptide slash is basically the riptide that you will apply to the enemies when you use melee attack (E skill).

This is the most useful combat mechanic because you can apply riptide to multiple enemies at once too (if critical). You just need to have a consistent critical rate.

So, you can basically apply riptide to multiple enemies, while also triggering the AoE hydro attack when using this melee attack.

Using crowd control characters like Sucrose or Venti to pull enemies closer and triggering chain reactions from Childe’s riptide will be very handy, useful, and satisfying.

Riptide Blast

While all the attacks from charged aimed shot, ranged burst, and (crit) melee attack will apply riptide to the enemies, riptide blast will do the opposite. Riptide blast is basically your melee burst. If the enemies have riptide status and you trigger melee bursts, then Childe will do 2 things.

First, he will deal burst damage to the enemies, and then he will remove the riptide status from the enemies and deal another damage afterward. The damage from “popping” / removing the riptide is not worth it though, because it’s relatively low.

In summary, riptide is basically the status that will trigger AoE hydro attack on the enemies. There are 3 ways to trigger this AoE hydro attack:

• From Charged Aimed Shot
• From melee Attacks
• When enemies die

So in a nutshell: I give you riptide; you got riptide, they got riptide, everybody got riptide! It’s better to go unga bunga with a melee attack and let the chain reaction from riptide’s AoE hydro attack to kill all the enemies.