Genshin Impact Spiral Abyss Guide (Version 4.3)

When we’re talking about endgame content in Genshin Impact, most players will certainly answer you with these two words: Spiral Abyss. And so, to help you understand the content better, we will take a deep dive into the intricacies within the Abyss, ranging from which characters to bring on certain Floors, what type of enemies you will face, as well as how to defeat them, all in this Genshin Impact Spiral Abyss guide. Let’s begin.

As per the yearly tradition, in which the more ‘permanent’ content within Spiral Abyss, Floor 9 and 10 receives an overhaul to its enemy compositions, this year’s Fontaine update also marks the new beginning of the Abyss. The Nation of Hydro excels in mechanical engineering and has abundant sea life, including but not limited to Sea Crabs and Specialist Mek. This is why starting in Version 4.0, those enemies are now replacing Sumeru’s resident enemies to face players daring enough to challenge the Spiral Abyss.

Alongside regular enemies like the Meks and other Fontainian enemies, some dangerous Bosses await players on the deepest part of the Abyss. Unlike in Floor 9 and 10, the latter part of the content always gets updated once every 1.5 months to reflect on the current Version, and in Version 4.3, you will face old yet challenging Bosses introduced back in Inazuma, Sumeru, and Fontaine’s Version 4.2, the Hydro Tulpa, Jadeplum Terrorshroom, Thundering Manifestation, and Perpetual Mechanical Array, all of which can end your team’s perfect runs easily if you lose focus during the battles.

Floor 9

Every Spiral Abyss floor in Genshin Impact has its unique Ley Lines buff that can help you create the optimal team for that floor. For this Abyssal rotation, the following effect will occur on Floor 9:

After a character triggers a Vaporize reaction, the Vaporize reaction DMG for that character is increased by 50% for 5s.

The floor buff for Floor 9 increases the damage of the Vaporize reaction dealt by characters to enemies. Vaporize damage is a combination of Pyro and Hydro. Some teams benefit from this buff in a certain half of the floor, while others are useless, based on the enemies we will see later.

As previously mentioned, the Spiral Abyss in Genshin Impact has a more permanent enemy lineup for Floor 9 and 10, and we already covered how to clear these Floors in our previous guide. For Floor 9, you can read the guide from this point. 

Floor 10

Every Spiral Abyss floor in Genshin Impact has its unique Ley Lines buff that can help you create the optimal team for that floor. For this Abyssal rotation, the following effect will occur on Floor 10:

Character deals 50% increased DMG to opponents affected by Hydro.

The Floor Buff for Floor 10 increases all damage to Hydro-affected enemies. This means having a Hydro character or a team around Hydro characters will benefit.

As previously mentioned, the Spiral Abyss in Genshin Impact has a more permanent enemy lineup for Floor 9 and 10, and we already covered how to clear these Floors in our previous guide. For Floor 10, you can read the guide from this point. 

Floor 11

Every Spiral Abyss floor in Genshin Impact has its unique Ley Lines buff that can help you create the optimal team for that floor. For this Abyssal rotation, the following effect will occur on Floor 11:

All party members receive a 75% Geo DMG Bonus.

Floor 11’s buff makes Geo characters deal extra damage, encouraging you to build teams around them. Think Mono Geo team with Itto, Noelle, or use the latest Geo character available in Genshin Impact, Navia.

Enemy Data

Chamber 1, First Half

The first half of Chamber 1 on Floor 11 consists of four waves of large Slimes with various element combinations, except for Geo and Anemo Slimes. The objective of this Chamber is to defend the Tower from being damaged beyond a certain threshold. These Slimes are positioned close to each other, so most characters that have Area of Effect (AoE) on their attacks will be able to hit them all at once. Navia, Itto, and Noelle are the incentivized characters in this patch that have AoE to do that.

Similar to previous Spiral Abyss iterations, most enemies will attack the Defense Tower. Only a couple of Slimes in certain waves will attack the player. These slimes deal a lot of damage with their attacks on the Tower. If you don’t have enough damage to defeat all of them at once, it is better to stagger them using Crowd Control (CC) units such as Sucrose, Kazuha, or Venti.

Enemies in Floor 11 Chamber 1.

Chamber 1, Second Half

The second half of Chamber 1 presents a strategic shift. The enemy composition differs from previous Spiral Abyss iterations, featuring three waves of Specters and Hydro Mimics. Importantly, not all enemies in each wave engage directly, requiring focused action rather than broad AoE strategies. Utilizing Pyro characters like Hutao, Xiangling, or Lyney for Vaporize reactions can expedite enemy elimination for most waves.

The final wave where all Hydro Mimics attack the tower features a Boar Mimic. While seemingly imposing, this Mimic possesses relatively low burst damage, posing less immediate threat than other enemies. Therefore, a systematic approach with targeted Pyro DPS remains effective throughout the chamber.

Chamber 2, First Half

This Chamber presents a two-wave challenge, in which you must battle it out against Fontaine’s sea creatures and Ruin Graders. Against the first wave, utilizing Swirl reactions can significantly help break their shield faster. However, don’t fret if your team boasts superior damage output; shields crumble just as readily under raw power.

The Ruin Graders are fairly easy to deal with – they remain stationed near the first wave’s fallen foes, allowing you to focus your firepower precisely, dealing damage in quick succession.

Enemies in Floor 11 Chamber 2.

Chamber 2, Second Half

The second half consists of two waves. The first wave features Hydro Hilichurl Rogues. If not interrupted, they execute a powerful attack that can be countered with any elemental reaction, but Dendro is the most effective element. Successfully interrupting them will stun them, regardless of the element used. Their attacks inflict high damage, especially if you’re infused with Pyro (e.g. while standing within Bennett’s Burst), so exercise caution and consider utilizing a shielder for added protection, like Zhongli.

The second wave pits you against the Ruin Drakes. These enemies are similar to Ruin Graders but with enhanced damage output. They possess a move that grants them increased resistance to the element that has dealt the most damage to them during the battle. However, by attacking their weak point, located in their eye, during this move, you can negate their resistance boost and stun them, allowing you to defeat the Ruin Drakes pretty fast.

Chamber 3, First Half

The first half of Chamber 3 throws you into a single wave of adversaries: two Fontaine Meks. You can choose to prioritize either one, but focusing on the Annihilation Mek first might be wiser. Its lower HP and stationary nature make it a quicker target than the Construction Mek, which roams around the battlefield.

Defeating the Construction Mek becomes easier with characters who don’t need to set up within a specific area, like Bennett or Dendro Traveler. Additionally, its spinning attack can stagger you unless you have interruption resistance, provided by characters like Shielders, Dehya, or Xingqiu.

Enemies in Floor 11 Chamber 3.

Chamber 3, Second Half

The second half of Chamber 3 features a single Boss encounter: Jadeplume Terrorshroom. This opponent is relatively straightforward to fight but possesses high resistance to Dendro damage. It has a gauge that fills up when attacked with Electro damage and depletes when struck by Pyro damage. Its attack patterns subtly shift depending on whether Electro or Pyro damage is applied excessively.

One specific move that triggers after filling its gauge with Electro damage involves the Terrorshroom running around the arena twice. If it executes this move, refrain from pursuing it, as it will leave a trail of Dendro that inflicts damage. Instead, prepare for the move to conclude, at which point the Boss will enter a stunned state for a brief period.

Recommended Team Compositions

After we’re talking about the enemy waves that we’re about to face in Genshin Impact‘s Spiral Abyss Floor 11, the next part of this guide will explain some possible teams that you can bring to gain complete and flawless victory. These teams range from the Navia Double Pyro Team, Hyperbloom Team, and National Team.

Keep in mind that the teams that are recommended for each half are not necessarily required to be used in tandem (for example, Navia Double Pyro for the first half, and then you must use the Hyperbloom Team for the second half), this list is only a general guidance to provide you more team options in tackling the current Spiral Abyss’ Floor 11.

First Half

Navia Double Pyro Team

This Navia team packs a double punch with two Pyro and two Geo characters. It leverages Bennett’s buff, Geo Resonance’s shields, and Pyro Resonance’s attack boost to skyrocket Navia’s damage. Floor 11 plays into this strategy beautifully. The Floor Buff amplifies Navia’s power, while enemies with shields or elemental infusions trigger Crystallize reactions for additional buffs. Moreover, the enemy clusters make it easy for Navia’s skill to hit multiple targets, maximizing her impact.

Hyperbloom Team

Hyperbloom teams, revolving around Dendro, Electro, and Hydro characters, shine with their high damage output, making them a fantastic option for the first half of the chamber. However, without a Crowd Control (CC) unit, Chamber 1 can be tricky, as the Hyperbloom reaction primarily targets single enemies. Despite this, due to its potent damage, the team excels at clearing high-HP mobs like the Chamber 3’s Mek.

Aggravate/Spread Team

When it comes to Aggravate and Spread teams, the core lies in a Dendro DPS paired with an Electro DPS. The team’s classification hinges on the damage dealer: Aggravate for Electro-focused, Spread for Dendro-focused. To make the most of Floor 11 buff, Electro heavyweights like Keqing and Raiden Shogun are ideal. However, Sub-DPS options like Fischl or Yae Miko alongside Dendro main DPS like Tighnari or Alhaitham can still pack a punch.

Compared to Hyperbloom Team, Aggravate/Spread Teams benefit from needing only two elements, making it easier to incorporate Crowd Control (CC) units for smoother enemy management. Despite the streamlined element combo, their damage potential remains high, allowing you to breeze past the current Spiral Abyss’ Floor 11.

Second Half

On-field Vaporize Team

One of the best teams to field on Floor 11’s second half is the On-field Vaporize Team. This team revolves around powerful on-field Pyro DPS characters like Hu Tao, Yoimiya, Diluc, and Klee. To set the flames of the Vaporize reaction, they need an off-field Hydro enabler like Xingqiu or Yelan. These Hydro specialists apply consistent Hydro, ensuring every Pyro attack triggers a devastating Vaporize explosion.

While Chamber 1 throws Hydro Mimics curveball that renders your Hydro characters’ damage null, it’s not something worth worrying about, as this team’s raw firepower shreds through enemies regardless, making it formidable against high-HP foes like the Chamber 3 Mek.

National Team

The National Team builds its fiery foundation on Xiangling (Pyro DPS), Xingqiu (Hydro enabler), and Bennett (support). The final slot welcomes a flexible friend, often an Anemo Crowd Control (CC) character like Sucrose or Kazuha, or a Cryo teammate like Rosaria or Chongyun for additional Melt reactions.

However, the National Team’s power scales with constellation levels. C4 Xiangling and C2 Xingqiu are considered the minimum for optimal performance. While their base damage remains impressive, these constellations unlock additional synergy and damage potential.

While the National Team reigns supreme in AoE situations, the Hydro Hilichurl Rogue in Chamber 3 presents a unique challenge. Bennett’s Pyro infusion can cause the Rogue’s attacks to deal Vaporize reactions against your team, potentially ending your run if you’re not careful.

Freeze Team

The Freeze Team, composed of a Cryo on-field DPS, a Hydro off-field enabler, and an Anemo Crowd Control (CC) unit, offers a convenient playstyle as enemies become frozen and unable to attack. Though the Jadeplume Terrorshroom resists Freezing reactions, most Floor 11 enemies are susceptible against Freeze Team, making this team a strong contender for the second half.

Floor 12

Finally, we reach the final step in this Genshin Impact Spiral Abyss guide. The penultimate challenge for all players, Floor 12 is the epitome of difficulty that requires skills, focus, and determination to successfully gain the full 9 Stars. Every Spiral Abyss floor in Genshin Impact has its own unique Ley Lines buff that can help you create the optimal team for that floor. For this Abyssal rotation, the following effect will occur on Floor 12:

For this floor only, the ley line flow will be normal.

There is no floor buff for Floor 12, so there will be no advantage in using certain teams for this floor. However, the enemy lineup is designed to favor certain team compositions in each half. For this patch, Floor 12’s inhabitants are very tanky and deal high damage that can end your run in an instant, with Chamber 2 being the hardest Chamber of Spiral Abyss Version 4.3.

Enemy Data

Chamber 1, First Half

The first half of Chamber 1 consists of one wave, and the enemy is the Perpetual Mechanical Array. This enemy has movesets that make it hard to hit, such as flying above the map before descending and becoming a knife before moving back and dashing forward to attack the player.

Even though the Perpetual Mechanical Array is harder to hit during these movesets, it will be stationary near the player after doing them. It is recommended to set up your rotations during the moveset and attack it when it is stationary. After a certain HP threshold, it will shield itself and spawn four Ruin Enemies. One enemy will have a circle around it indicating that it is the only enemy that can be damaged by the player.

Defeating the Ruin Enemies will break the shield around the Perpetual Mechanical Array and stun it for a few seconds before shielding itself again and returning to its normal state. Keep in mind that once the designated Ruin Enemy is defeated, the Ruin Enemies will not despawn and instead stay as an object that can block player movement. Be careful of being trapped around the Ruin Enemies before they become objects to avoid getting stuck and not being able to attack the Perpetual Mechanical Array while it is stunned.

Enemies in Floor 12 Chamber 1.

Chamber 1, Second Half

The second half of Chamber 1 consists of one wave, and the enemy is the Thunder Manifestation. This enemy has movesets that make it move around the map, making it difficult to hit. It is recommended to use characters that don’t set up around a circle, such as Bennett, or characters that have a high attack range, such as Yoimiya and Neuvillette. After starting the battle, it will fly above, rendering melee characters unable to hit it.

After marking your character, it will attack using a moveset that spawns two walls that will move closer to each other, dealing high damage to you if the walls manage to collide. Next, it will teleport to the edge of the map before spawning a beam pillar that will chase and damage the player. If the player gets too close to the Thunder Manifestation while it is on the edge of the map, it will teleport back to the center.

The key to defeating this enemy is to use teams that have short setup rotations, such as the Hyperbloom Team, or teams that have range attackers, such as Neuvillette and Yoimiya. Learning its pattern is important to help you understand when to start the rotation setup. Although difficult, it is possible to make it stay at the center of the map at all times by dodging its first moveset, as the Thunder Manifestation will stay at the center of the battlefield if its attack that can mark your character does not land.

Chamber 2, First Half

The first half of Chamber 2 consists of three waves, and the enemies are Fontaine Construction Mek, a Ruin Guard, and Ruin Graders. This half is hard due to its multiple waves and enemies with high HP, especially the first wave against the Construction Mek. You will need to field teams that can deal high damage to the enemies as fast as possible for Floor 12’s Chamber 2’s First Half.

Enemies in Floor 12 Chamber 2.

Chamber 2, Second Half

The second half of Chamber 2 also consists of three waves, and the enemies have high resistance or immunity to Geo damage. The first wave is against 3 Geo Slimes and 2 Geo Specters. If you don’t have characters that can break their shield easily, you will have a hard time against the Geo Slimes.

The second wave is against 2 Geovishaps that deal a lot of damage and can easily stagger your character with their attacks without proper protections.

The third wave is against 2 Geo Lawachurls that also deal a lot of damage and stagger your character unless you break their Geo infusion. Bringing a shielder or an interruption resistance character is recommended so that you have a comfortable time against these enemies. Another thing to consider is that most non-Geo meta-characters right now have a hard time breaking the shield, and the characters that can currently help you break the shields faster are Zhongli and Beidou.

Chamber 3, First Half

The first half of Chamber 3 consists of one wave against the Hydro Tulpa, a World Boss from Fontaine Version 4.2 that not only has the highest HP in the Spiral Abyss right now but also has highly damaging attacks. Having a Shielder will be a great asset when fighting against the Hydro Tulpa.

The Hydro Tulpa will spawn smaller Tulpas at intervals that need to be destroyed before the Hydro Tulpa absorbs them and gains a damage buff. It is Hydro-infused, so characters that deal Pyro damage will have an easier time due to their attacks dealing Vaporize reaction constantly. Teams that deal sustained damage, such as Hyperbloom Teams, can defeat it but in a longer time due to its high HP.

Another thing to consider is that most meta teams have at least one Hydro character in their party. Against this enemy, the Hydro character will be useless and won’t contribute any damage at all. Essentially, you have only three characters in a team if you have a Hydro character, so solely for this reason, you should NOT bring a Hydro character to Floor 12’s First Halves.

Enemies in Floor 12 Chamber 3.

Chamber 3, Second Half

The second half of Chamber 3 consists of two waves, and the enemies are Electro Lawachurls and Eremite Elites. The first wave is against two Electro Lawachurls that will deal a lot of damage and stagger you if you don’t break their Electro infusion. After starting, they will use a moveset that makes them dash forward until the edge of the map is aligned with them and the player. If the player doesn’t move from their original position, they will be far away from each other, and this wastes your precious time within the Spiral Abyss. Before they dash, you can move forward to the top edge of the map so they dash closer instead.

The second wave is against Pyro and Dendro Eremite Elites. This combo can cause a Burning reaction in your characters. They will immediately spawn their pets after spawning. Defeating these pets will damage and stun the Eremite Elites. If you don’t have a character that deals AoE damage such as Xiangling and Neuvillette, it is imperative to quickly group the Eremite Elites before swiftly defeating them.

Recommended Team Compositions

After we’re talking about the enemy waves that we’re about to face in Genshin Impact‘s Spiral Abyss Floor 12, the next part of this guide will explain some possible teams that you can bring to gain complete and flawless victory. These teams range from the Mono-Pyro Team, Navia Double Pyro Team, and Neuvillette Hypercarry Team.

Keep in mind that the teams that are recommended for each half are not necessarily required to be used in tandem (for example, Navia Double Pyro Team for the first half, and then you must use the Neuvillette Hypercarry Team for the second half), this list is only a general guidance to provide you more team options in tackling the current Spiral Abyss’ Floor 12.

First Half

Mono-Pyro Team

Lyney is the perfect character for a Mono-Pyro Team. This is a simple-to-play team with a lot of damage. High damage from Lyney and Xiangling helps clear the enemies even if there are multiple enemies at once. The First Half of Floor 12 has more single enemies on a wave than multiple enemies at once which also helps Lyney teams clear them faster.

This team has its highest value against the Hydro Tulpa in Chamber 3. Thanks to the constant Vaporize reaction, this team is very strong against that particular enemy. It is more comfortable to bring a Shielder since most enemies can stagger Lyney during his Charge Attack.

Navia Double Pyro Team

This Navia team packs a double punch with two Pyro and two Geo characters. It leverages Bennett’s buff, Geo Resonance’s shields, and Pyro Resonance’s attack boost to skyrocket Navia’s damage.

For this Spiral Abyss’ First Half that mostly has single enemies with high HP in a wave, Navia can have a shorter clearance time against those enemies. Meanwhile, against the Hydro Tulpa, Navia can easily make a Crystallize reaction without having to depend on Pyro application from Xiangling and Bennett.

Aggravate/Spread Team

When it comes to Aggravate and Spread teams, the core lies in a Dendro DPS paired with an Electro DPS. The team’s classification hinges on the damage dealer: Aggravate for Electro-focused, Spread for Dendro-focused, with Electro heavyweights like Keqing and Raiden Shogun are ideal. However, Sub-DPS options like Fischl or Yae Miko alongside Dendro main DPS like Tighnari or Alhaitham can still pack a punch. 

This team is easier to use than a Hyperbloom Team because no character on this team will be useless against the Hydro Tulpa in Chamber 3.

Second Half

Nilou Bloom Team

Nilou Bloom Team is only restricted to using Hydro and Dendro. This team will have a hard time against the Thundering Manifestation in Chamber 1, but it will still deal high damage if you can learn the enemy’s pattern. Other than Chamber 1, the enemies are grouped close to each other. Not only that, damage from Bloom reaction will break the Geo Slime’s shield easily.

Neuvillette Hypercarry Team

Neuvillette Hypercarry Team usually consists of Neuvillette and buffers such as Furina or Kazuha. This team focuses on increasing Neuvillette’s personal damage. Thanks to Neuvillette’s ranged Charge Attack, it is very easy to hit the Thunder Manifestation while also still damaging multiple enemies in the rest of the Chambers. Having a Shielder such as Baizhu or Zhongli will help in avoiding attacks that stagger the character.

Quickbloom Team

The Quickbloom Team has a core of Dendro, Electro, and Hydro characters. This team is a variation of the Hyperbloom team that applies Quicken and Hyperbloom damage while attacking. Usually, a Quickbloom Team consists of two Dendro characters to apply Dendro more frequently.

This team’s high damage can still clear the Second Half. It is preferable to use Xingqiu instead of Yelan for his interruption resistance. Another thing to note is that this team will have a hard time breaking the Geo Slimes’ shield, so having a character that can break it faster, such as Alhaitham’s plunge attack or Beidou, will help.