Before diving into this article, I recommend reading our main Sayu build, where all the basics, including weapons and artifacts, are thoroughly described.

Read Sayu Build

In this guide, we will discuss an important topic - the Abyss - and talk about how Sayu can perform on the floors and what role she can fulfill. Let's get started!

Sayu Build in the Spiral Abyss

The following problem arises in the Abyss - Sayu's Elemental Skill takes up a significant amount of time with its 10-second duration and deals below-average damage (unless the build focuses on Elemental Mastery with continuous Swirl reactions). However, her Elemental Skill is effective against shields.

As a result, Sayu performs best in the Abyss as a support and healer. Choose the Viridescent Venerer set, a weapon with Energy Recharge/Elemental Mastery/ATK% (read about weapons here), and you'll get:

• A healing output of around 4-5k every 2 seconds;
• Frequent Swirl reactions with specific elements every 2 seconds, which is great for elemental damage dealers like Keqing and Ayaka;
• Decent damage from Swirl reactions in a build focused on Elemental Mastery;
• Fast movement through the floor thanks to her Elemental Skill. However, it should be noted that switching to another character while Sayu is active carries the risk of taking damage;
• Excellent shield destruction throughout her Elemental Skill duration.

Sayu's Problems in the Abyss

1. Energy 

Sayu is a pocket character whose main goal is to cast her Elemental Burst frequently, which costs 80 energy. She needs a battery (which is highly unrecommended) or a high Energy Recharge stat. Even at C4, without proper Energy Recharge control, it won't help much.

Solution:

The best solution to address this issue is the new craftable claymore, Katsuragikiri Nagamasa, thanks to its passive ability and Energy Recharge as a substat. Another great option is the Favonius Greatsword, which synergizes well with Sayu (in this case, prioritize crit rate in artifacts over crit damage). With these weapons, there's no need to worry about Energy Recharge, and you can choose artifacts with crit rate in addition to Elemental Mastery and ATK% (under Favonius, prioritize crit rate>crit damage; under Katsuragikiri, prioritize crit damage>crit rate).

2. Swirl Pushes Away Small Enemies

This problem is especially relevant on floors with numerous treasure hoarders. In such cases, it is better to choose a different healer and assign Sayu to the second team or use a strategy of attacking one side of the room while Diona deals with the other side.

Amount of healing from Sayu and her overall versatility compared to other popular characters in her weight class in the Abyss:

• Bennett - provides more healing (frequent ticks) and boosts the ATK of all characters within his Elemental Burst. Does not require C6.
• Diona - provides similar healing (HP-focused build) and offers a sturdy shield. Boosts Elemental Mastery of allies at C6.
• Noelle - heals allies, has a shield, and good AoE damage. Without C6, she is not as versatile as Sayu.
• Sayu - heals allies, simultaneously triggers Elemental reactions, and activates the Viridescent Venerer set. Regardless of constellation level, she effectively destroys shields.

Comparison to other similar Anemo characters in the Abyss:

• Sucrose - does not heal. Provides good crowd control and greatly boosts Elemental Mastery for the entire team. 
• Jean - essentially the main competitor. Her Elemental Skill launches small enemies into the air, dealing significant damage upon landing, and her Elemental Burst continuously heals. They can be interchangeable.
• Kazuha - excels in damage but cannot heal. Also has much better crowd control abilities. 
• Venti - the king of crowd control but cannot heal. His Elemental Skill is less useful (except for rare situations with your DPS characters performing plunging attacks).

That's it! Remember that you can familiarize yourself with the main Sayu build here.