Core goal: 36-star Floor 12. The Abyss gives +75% Cryo Normal Attack DMG on one half, and Pyro/Nightsoul bonuses on the other. Matching your teams to these buffs is the single biggest lever - more impactful than artifact optimization.

Step 1 - Assess Your Roster First

1
List your 8 best-built characters

Write them down. Aim to split them: 4 for a Cryo/Freeze team, 4 for a Pyro/Natlan team. Do not force a universal team across both halves.

2
Identify your Cryo DPS

Priority: Skirk (new, top meta) > Ayaka > Wriothesley > Ganyu. If you have Skirk, she goes on the Cryo-buff half. Otherwise Ayaka or Wriothesley work well with Escoffier.

3
Identify your Pyro DPS

Priority: Mavuika > Arlecchino. Mavuika with Citlali + Xilonen + Bennett is the consensus top team. Arlecchino with Citlali or Chevreuse is the strong alternative.

4
Assign exclusive supports

Furina cannot be in both teams. Default: Furina goes with Cryo/Freeze. Bennett goes with Pyro. Xilonen or Citlali flex to the Pyro side.

Key Decision Points

Which half gets Cryo?

Check the current floor modifier. The half with +Cryo Normal Attack or +Cryo DMG bonus goes to your Freeze team. Test in 11-2 first if unsure.

No Xilonen or Citlali?

Use Chevreuse for Pyro/Overload. Add Bennett + Ororon + Mavuika or Arlecchino. Overload is effective even without Natlan characters at C0.

Low Cryo investment?

Rosaria C6 or Kaeya provide fast Cryo application as alternatives. Pair with Xingqiu + Kazuha for a budget Freeze that still handles the buffed half.

Dying too often?

Swap one DPS slot for Layla or Zhongli on either team. A Crystallize shield survives most floor 12 patterns, just costs some DPS.

Top 3 Community Team Comps

Comp 1 - Cryo Half
Skirk Freeze
Skirk Furina Shenhe Escoffier

Highest ceiling on the Cryo-buff half. Skirk gets full Freeze multipliers; Escoffier enables Cryo shred and heals; Shenhe boosts all Cryo DMG. Replace Shenhe with Yelan if needed.

Comp 2 - Pyro Half
Mavuika Natlan
Mavuika Citlali Xilonen Bennett

Community consensus top pick for the Pyro/Nightsoul half. Citlali shields and applies Cryo for reactions; Xilonen provides all-element shred and heals; Bennett ATK buffs the whole team.

Comp 3 - Flexible Alt
Arlecchino Pyro
Arlecchino Yelan Citlali Bennett

Strong Pyro alternative if you do not have Mavuika. Arlecchino's Melt/Vaporize with Citlali shielding and Bennett buffing clears floor 12 consistently.

Step 2 - Rotation Order

1
Cryo team rotation (Skirk Freeze)

Furina E/Q off-field first, Escoffier E/Q for shred, Shenhe E/Q for Cryo buff, then Skirk on-field Normal Attack strings. Refresh buffs between waves. Focus on maintaining perma-Freeze to slow enemies.

2
Pyro team rotation (Mavuika)

Bennett Q first for ATK buff, Xilonen/Citlali setup for shred and shields, then Mavuika on-field Nightsoul DPS window. Swap for multi-wave. Do not let Bennett's buff expire before Mavuika burst.

3
Energy management on zero-energy-cost side

If the floor modifier gives zero-energy bonus, use that side's bursts freely. On the other half, track ER carefully - do not dump Bursts early and sit without uptime for the back half of the chamber.

4
Clear order

Practice 12-1 and 12-2 first to lock rotations. Push 12-3 once timing is clean. Aim for under 90 seconds per chamber half. Reset attempts if one half costs over 100 seconds.

5.7 Abyss Character Tier List

Based on Yshelper usage data and community floor 12 clears. Tiers reflect Abyss-specific performance, not general content.

Tier Character Role Why
SS Skirk Main DPS (Cryo) Highest Cryo DPS in current meta; dominates the Cryo-buff half with Freeze.
SS Mavuika Main DPS (Pyro) Top Natlan Pyro carry; Nightsoul synergy and buff uptime unmatched on Pyro half.
SS Furina Support (Hydro) Near-universal damage amplifier; core in almost all Skirk and top Cryo teams.
S Escoffier Support (Cryo) Enables top Freeze teams for Skirk/Ayaka; strong Cryo application and buffs.
S Citlali Support/Shielder (Cryo) Key Natlan synergy for Mavuika/Arlecchino; shielding and element shred.
S Xilonen Support (Geo) Natlan healer/shredder; boosts Mavuika and general Pyro teams significantly.
S Shenhe Sub-DPS/Support (Cryo) Cryo DMG buffer for Skirk/Ayaka Freeze; high usage spike in 5.7.
S Arlecchino Main DPS (Pyro) Strong Mono-Pyro/Overvape option with Bennett and Citlali/Xilonen.
S Yelan Sub-DPS (Hydro) Flexible Hydro applicator and off-field damage in Freeze or Pyro teams.
A Ayaka Main DPS (Cryo) Strong Skirk-alternative Freeze carry with Shenhe/Escoffier pairing.
A Wriothesley Main DPS (Cryo) Viable Freeze carry; usage rises with Cryo buffs on the buffed half.
A Xingqiu Sub-DPS (Hydro) Reliable Hydro application and resistance shred in various teams.
A Ororon Sub-DPS/Support Natlan Pyro synergy for Mavuika/Chevreuse Overvape setups.
A Chevreuse Support Overvape enabler for Pyro teams; good alternative when Xilonen is unavailable.
A Kazuha Support (Anemo) Grouping and resistance shred; usage lower than usual but still flexible.
A Neuvillette Main DPS (Hydro) Viable with Furina/Escoffier but less favored by current buff modifiers.
B Chasca Main DPS Situational with Cryo supports; needs specific element slots filled.
B Ganyu Sub-DPS/Main DPS (Cryo) Off-field Cryo in some Freeze comps; usage varies by chamber setup.
B Emilie Sub-DPS Pyro reaction support in niche setups.
B Dahlia Support/Shielder (Hydro) New 4-star option for Skirk teams; accessible but lower output than 5-stars.
B Zhongli Shielder/Support Reliable but often outclassed by Natlan options at this patch.
C Nahida / Xiangling / others Various Dendro less favored; generalists struggle with specific buff/shield requirements.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

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Ignoring element buffs. Running Dendro/Hyperbloom when the floor gives Cryo bonuses wastes the modifier entirely. Match team elements to buff icons before starting.

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Forcing Kazuha into Natlan comps. Xilonen or Chevreuse provide better shred, healing, and Natlan synergy in 5.7. Kazuha is strong generally but not the best pick here.

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Over-investing in one team. A perfect Cryo team is useless if your Pyro team cannot clear the other half within time. Budget investment across both.

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Poor energy management. Dumping all Bursts at round start and having zero uptime mid-chamber is the most common 36-star miss. Track ER during practice runs.

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Skipping Escoffier on the Cryo side. She is the key enabler for Skirk and Ayaka teams this patch. If you have her built, always include her on the Freeze team.

Video Guide

Zajef77: 5.7 Abyss overview with team examples and side-specific tips