In this article, we will only compare 4* and 5* artifacts, as the drop in quality for 3*, 2*, and 1* pieces is much more significant, allowing us to confidently exclude them from the comparison.

All artifacts will be compared at levels 16 and 20. Let's get started!

Guide to 4* and 5* Artifacts

Stats of Main Artifact Attributes

Below you can find a detailed comparison of the attributes of 5-star and 4-star artifacts.

As seen in the table above, the decrease in main attribute stats for 4* artifacts at the maximum upgrade level (+16) compared to 5* artifacts at the maximum upgrade level (+20) is 25% per artifact. This means that when collecting 5 pieces of 4* artifacts from any set, there is a loss of 125% in attributes.

At level 16, there will be a 10% difference between a single 4* artifact and a single 5* artifact, resulting in a 50% loss in attributes when using 5 pieces of 4* artifacts.

However, it is worth noting that the experience required for upgrading will also be 20% lower for 4* artifacts at level 16 and 55% lower for 4* artifacts at +16 compared to 5* artifacts at +20.

Stats of Additional Artifact Attributes

Before moving on to the table, let's recall some details:

• An artifact cannot have duplicate additional stats.

• An additional stat cannot be the same as the main stat. (For example, an artifact with an HP main stat cannot have an additional HP stat, but it can have HP%.)

• The maximum number of different additional stats for all 3-5* artifacts is 4.

• Additional stats will not improve until 4 different variations are unlocked.

• Additional stats have their rarity based on their values.

Possible Values of Additional Stats

As seen from the table, the decrease in additional attribute stats for 4* artifacts compared to 5* artifacts is 20% per additional stat.

For example, let's take the case where all additional stats go into the highest variation of critical damage.

• For 4* artifacts, we have two extreme variations:

Worst case: Critical damage 6.2 - one of the 2 initial additional stats. Another 2 upgrades are lost to unlock other possible additional stats. We obtain an artifact at +8 with critical damage 6.2. Then, 2 more attributes go into critical damage (+12.4). 

In the end, we have a 4* artifact at +16 with 18.6 critical damage.

Best case: Critical damage 6.2 - one of the 3 initial additional stats. Another 1 upgrade is lost to unlock other possible additional stats. We obtain an artifact at +4 with critical damage 6.2. Then, 3 more attributes go into critical damage (+18.6). 

In the end, we have a 4* artifact at +16 with 24.8 critical damage.

The difference between the worst and best variations is 25%.

• For 5* artifacts, we have two extreme variations:

Worst case: Critical damage 7.8 - one of the 3 initial additional stats. Another 1 upgrade is lost to unlock other possible additional stats. We obtain an artifact at +4 with critical damage 7.8. Then, 4 more attributes go into critical damage (+31.2). 

In the end, we have a 5* artifact at +20 with 39 critical damage.

Best case: Critical damage 7.8 - one of the 4 initial additional stats. All 5 attributes go into critical damage (+39). 

In the end, we have a 5* artifact at +20 with 46.8 critical damage.

The difference between the best and worst variations is 17%.

On average, for all additional attribute stats, a 5* artifact receives a total benefit of 50% for a specific attribute and 20% for each additional attribute.

Which Artifacts Yield the Best Stats - Explanation with an Example

Let's take Sucrose, for whom we are looking for elemental mastery but not in the main stat.

We have an ideal Instructor set in which each artifact has 3 initial additional stats, all of them being the same: 17 EM, 4.7 ER, 4.7 ATK%. Additionally, when upgrading, we only gain 17 elemental mastery for each artifact. 

At +4, we obtain a secondary stat of 3.1 CR. Then, we get 3 additional upgrades of 17 EM. In the end, our artifact has 68 EM, 4.7 ER, 4.7 ATK%, and 3.1 CR. 

For 5 artifacts, we obtain 340 EM, 23.5 ER, 23.5 ATK%, and 15.5% CR.

Now let's consider a regular Ensemble set in which each artifact has 3 initial additional stats, all of them being the same: 21 EM, 5.8 ER, 5.8 ATK%. Additionally, when upgrading, we only gain 21 elemental mastery for each artifact. 

At +4, we obtain a secondary stat of 3.9 CR. Then, we get 4 additional upgrades of 21 EM. In the end, our artifact has 84 EM, 5.8 ER, 5.8 ATK%, and 3.9 CR. 

For 5 artifacts, we obtain 420 EM, 29 ER, 29 ATK%, and 19.5% CR. 

• 5* artifacts have an advantage of:

80 EM, 5.5 ER, 5.5 ATK%, and 4% CR
19%, 19%, 19%, 20%.

Conclusion

At the maximum level:

A loss of more than 20% in each stat is significant. Together, we experience a substantial decrease in damage and combat effectiveness, which is not compensated even by the set bonuses.

Considering that any 4* artifact build loses at least one additional stat, we are losing a minimum of 5 additional stats per set. With 5 additional stats in the case of the same Ensemble set, that's around 100 additional elemental mastery. 

Furthermore, there is a +125% efficiency advantage (equivalent to 1.25 full artifacts!) in favor of using 5* artifacts compared to 4* artifacts with 5 pieces. 

Even in the case of a mix of 2 5* and 2 4* artifacts, such as 2 Instructor and 2 Ensemble pieces, we see a noticeable decrease – for example, we gain 160 EM from the set bonuses, but we lose at least 2 additional stats, 20% efficiency of additional stats, and 50% efficiency of main stats.

You are free to choose any build, but promoting 4* sets should not be done, as they are inherently inferior in terms of combat potential, despite being more resource-efficient.