Cartia’s Build Guide: Weapon Choices, Echo Sets & Farming Tips ~ HaploGamingChef

Honing Cartia’s Kit with the Right Gear in Genshin Impact 2.4

If you're planning to main Cartia in Genshin Impact 2.4, then you've probably heard the buzz around her signature weapon, Defier’s Thorn. It’s got a slick design, strong stats, and a kit that seems laser-focused on Cartia’s unique playstyle. But is it a must-pull for everyone? Or are there better, more flexible alternatives out there?

This guide breaks down Cartia’s weapon options, including Defier’s Thorn, alternative picks, and how to build around her if you're skipping her exclusive sword. We'll also talk about Echo farming, recommended loadouts, and how to squeeze the most value out of her HP-scaling damage model.

Let’s dive into everything you need to know to get Cartia to hit hard from Day 1.

Defier’s Thorn: Stats and Scaling

Cartia’s signature sword, Defier’s Thorn, stands out immediately thanks to its unusual stat distribution. While most high-end weapons boost ATK or CRIT stats, Defier’s Thorn is all about HP scaling.

Base Attack: 412
Main Stat: 72.2% HP Bonus

That’s one of the highest HP sub-stats ever introduced in the game for a sword. In contrast, its base attack is low, similar to niche weapons like Shorekeeper’s Signature or Brandt’s signature blade.

This makes it clear: Cartia’s damage scales heavily from HP, not ATK. The sword is tailored perfectly for her, but that also makes it largely unusable on other characters.

Weapon Effect: Free Knight’s Tarantella

Defier’s Thorn comes with a passive that further reinforces Cartia’s scaling:

+12% Max HP
Ignores 8% enemy DEF after using a skill or basic attack (lasts 15s)
20% increased damage taken by enemies with Arrow Erosion stacks

Since Cartia can apply Arrow Erosion on her own, you’ll get near 100% uptime on the damage amplification. However, keep in mind this weapon offers no CRIT stats, which will need to be covered through other gear.

Echo Loadout: Why 4-4-1-1 Works for Cartia

Since Defier’s Thorn doesn't offer CRIT stats, you’ll need to balance that in your Echo setup. A strong option is running a 4-4-1-1 Echo configuration, which includes:

Two 4-cost Echos with CRIT Rate and CRIT DMG
One 3-cost Echo
Two 1-cost Echos

This might sound unconventional, but here’s why it works:

4-cost Echos give your crucial CRIT stats
1-cost Echos offer flat HP, which is valuable since Cartia scales with HP
Cartia's damage bonus is baked into her kit, reducing the need for bonus % damage stats from Echoes

You’ll likely be using the Windward Pilgrimage set, which offers:

+40% Arrow damage (self-activated)
+10% CRIT Rate

With the proper setup, you’ll easily hit 30–35% CRIT Rate just from main stats and set bonuses alone, making up for the missing CRIT on her weapon.

Best Alternative Weapons for Cartia

If you're not pulling for Defier’s Thorn, there are still several strong weapon choices that fit Cartia’s kit—some better than others depending on your build priorities.

Emerald of Genesis

CRIT Rate + Energy Recharge (ER)
Even though it offers ATK% (which Cartia doesn’t use much), the ER boost means you can skip ER sub-stats on Echoes.
Works great if you want a more balanced, high-uptime DPS build.
Best general-purpose option if you already have it.

Redstring’s End

Offers +30% Basic Attack Damage.
Pairs well with Cartia’s basic-attack-heavy kit.
Lacks CRIT or ER, but gives consistent damage boosts across her main combos.

Unflickering Valor

Surprising underdog choice.
Low base ATK but offers ER, 8% CRIT Rate, and +48% Basic Attack Damage at max stacks.
Overloaded with ER, but very effective for raw damage output.

Avoid: Blazing Brilliance

It boosts Resonance Skill damage, which Cartia barely uses.
Not synergistic with her conversion-heavy kit, even if you like the design.

Other Low-Cost Options

Looming Gloss: Offers basic attack damage but lacks CRIT.
Guardian Sword (3-star): Gives HP but performs worse than any of the above.

If you’ve got Emerald of Genesis, start with it and see how Cartia performs. You may find it’s enough to clear endgame content without spending Primogems on a weapon banner.

Farming Tips: Echo Sets & Weapon Materials

Best Echo Set Source

In Version 2.4, the Windward Pilgrimage set—Cartia’s best-in-slot—drops from:

Reiney Fleur de Lis (Weekly Boss)
A new world boss debuting in the patch

If you're planning to grind Echoes efficiently:

Focus early farming on just the Pilgrimage set and avoid unlocking excess Echoes in your Data Bank.
This increases the drop rate from Tacid Fields, since they only give Echoes you’ve discovered.
This trick boosts your chances of getting ideal 4-cost Echoes with CRIT stats faster.

What is the 4-4-1-1 Echo Build Again?

Two 4-cost Echoes: Aim for CRIT Rate and CRIT DMG
One 3-cost Echo
Two 1-cost Echoes: These give flat HP boosts, helping Cartia’s damage scale even further

By avoiding certain Echo unlocks and focusing your early grind, you'll streamline your build and avoid wasting resources on suboptimal drops.

Defier’s Thorn Weapon Materials

To level Defier’s Thorn, you’ll need the standard sword ascension materials plus:

Howler Cores
Same material family used by most sword-type weapons since launch

Good news: Most of these mats are easy to pre-farm and should be widely available if you’ve played through recent content.

Conclusion: Should You Pull Cartia’s Weapon?

If you plan to main Cartia long-term and want to maximize her damage, Defier’s Thorn is her clear best-in-slot. It’s built for her HP-scaling kit and offers excellent synergy with her playstyle, especially when paired with the 4-4-1-1 Echo configuration and Windward Pilgrimage set.

However, the lack of CRIT stats and its extreme specialization mean it’s not worth pulling if you aren’t planning to fully invest in Cartia. Emerald of Genesis and Redstring’s End are both solid options for more flexible, free-to-play-friendly builds.

Unless you’re dead set on getting every ounce of damage out of Cartia, test her first with a strong 4-star or rerun weapon. Then decide if you need the exclusive power boost.

FAQ – Cartia’s Weapon Guide

Q: Is Defier’s Thorn worth pulling?
Only if you’re heavily investing in Cartia. It’s her best weapon but has no value on other units.

Q: What’s the best Echo set for Cartia?
Windward Pilgrimage (4-4-1-1 build) gives her the best stats, especially paired with HP-scaling gear.

Q: What stats should I focus on with Cartia?
CRIT Rate, CRIT DMG, and HP. She doesn’t need ATK% or Resonance Skill DMG.

Q: What if I don’t have Defier’s Thorn?
Try Emerald of Genesis or Redstring’s End. They provide CRIT and damage boosts that fit her kit well.

Q: Is Cartia hard to build?
Not really. Echo drop manipulation in Version 2.4 helps a lot, especially with focused farming.

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