It is rare for a weapon in Genshin Impact to become more famous for its scarcity than its actual power. But here we are. The Beacon of the Reed Sea is a bit of a legend at this point, mostly because HoYoverse decided to lock it in the "blue ocean" of the Chronicled Wish system or keep it tucked away for a year at a time. If you missed it during the 3.5 update, you probably spent months staring at a Serpent Spine and wondering if life could be better.
It can.
This paddle-shaped slab of stone isn't just a stat stick. It is arguably the most versatile Claymore ever released, even if its signature owner, Dehya, has a kit that makes most theorycrafters want to lay down in a dark room. Honestly, the weapon is better than the character it was designed for. That’s the reality of the Sumeru weapon series. While the Deshret-themed gear usually scales off Elemental Mastery, the Beacon is a different beast entirely. It’s built for raw, unapologetic brawling.
The Math Behind the Beacon of the Reed Sea
Numbers are boring until they start making your crit hits look like telephone numbers. The Beacon sits at a Base ATK of 608 at Level 90. That's standard for a 5-star weapon. What isn't standard is the 33.1% Crit Rate secondary stat. In a game where your artifact luck is probably abysmal—don't worry, mine is too—having a third of your Crit Rate handled by your weapon is a massive relief. It opens up the possibility of running a Crit DMG circlet without feeling like you're gambling every time you press a button.
The passive, "Desert Watch," is where things get interesting. When an Elemental Skill hits an opponent, your ATK is increased by 20% for 8 seconds. When you take damage, your ATK is increased by another 20% for 8 seconds. These two buffs can trigger even if the character is not on the field.
That's a 40% ATK buff just for playing the game.
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But wait. There's more. If you aren't protected by a shield, your Max HP increases by 32%. This is a direct nod to Dehya’s HP-scaling mechanics, but it also provides a comfortable safety net for any "facetank" playstyle. It’s the anti-Zhongli weapon. It wants you to get hit. It rewards you for being in the thick of it.
Why the HP Buff Matters (Even If You Aren't Dehya)
Most players ignore the HP boost. They shouldn't. In the current meta, especially with the introduction of Fontaine and Natlan characters who thrive on health fluctuations, extra bulk isn't just about survival. It’s about effective health pools. If you're running a character like Beidou or even a hybrid Diluc, that extra HP keeps you from getting one-shot during a heavy animation.
Who Actually Uses This Thing?
If you have the Beacon of the Reed Sea, you’ve likely realized it’s a universal donor. It’s the O-negative blood type of Claymores.
Dehya is the obvious choice. It’s her signature. It fixes her split-scaling issues by providing both the ATK she needs for her punches and the HP she needs for her mitigation. Without this weapon, Dehya feels like she’s fighting with one hand tied behind her back. With it, she at least feels like a competent sub-DPS.
Then there’s Eula. People forget Eula exists sometimes, but she loves this weapon. Since she already gets a massive physical damage bonus from her kit and ascension, the ATK and Crit Rate from the Beacon are incredibly efficient. It’s often ranked as her second-best option, right behind the Song of Broken Pines, and in some builds, it actually outperforms it because Crit is just that valuable.
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Diluc is another prime candidate. The "unluckiest" 5-star in the game becomes a consistent vaporize machine with the Beacon. Because Diluc’s skill has three charges, maintaining the 20% ATK buff is effortless. You don't even have to think about it. You just press E, and the buff stays up forever.
- Gaming: The best 4-star-turned-5-star carry. He plunges, he takes a bit of chip damage, he triggers the passive, and everything dies.
- Navia: While "Verdict" is her best-in-slot, the Beacon is a terrifyingly close second. The high Crit Rate makes her umbrella-shots consistently devastating.
- Razor: If you're still a physical Razor main in 2026, I salute you. This weapon is your best friend.
The Shield Problem
Here is the catch. You can't use a shielder.
If you are a "Zhongli-brain" player who needs a 20,000-damage absorption shield to function, the Beacon of the Reed Sea loses half its value. You lose the 32% HP bonus. You might even struggle to proc the second half of the ATK buff if you aren't taking "true" damage. This weapon demands a healer-centric team composition. You want Bennett, Jean, or Baizhu. You want to feel the hits so you can hit back harder.
It’s a different way to play Genshin. It’s more aggressive. It’s more kinetic. It’s honestly more fun than standing behind a pillar and ignoring enemy mechanics.
Comparing the Competition
Is it better than the Wolf’s Gravestone? Usually, yes. The Wolf’s Gravestone has a higher ceiling if you can trigger the execution passive (hitting enemies under 30% HP), but that passive has a long cooldown and is useless against single high-HP bosses for most of the fight. The Beacon is consistent. Consistency wins in the Spiral Abyss.
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What about the Redhorn Stonethresher? Redhorn is a niche beast. If you aren't Itto or Noelle, the Redhorn is just a massive Crit DMG stat stick with a passive you can't use. The Beacon is more flexible. It fits on more teams. It doesn't care if you're a defense-scaler or an attack-scaler.
How to Get It (The Frustrating Part)
As of now, the Beacon of the Reed Sea is a "homeless" weapon. Because Dehya was moved to the Standard Banner, her weapon does not have a regular home on the Epitomized Path. This was a massive point of contention in the community. For a long time, it simply didn't exist in the gacha pool.
Now, it typically appears in the Chronicled Wish banner when the "Sumeru" rotation comes around. This means you need to save 180 Wishes to be absolutely sure you get it. Do not pull on a Chronicled Wish banner unless you have the full 180. The "Fate Points" do not carry over to the next banner. If you spend 100 wishes and don't get it, those wishes are effectively wasted toward your guarantee.
Technical Limitations and Synergy
Let's talk about the ICD (Internal Cooldown) of the passive. The buffs last 8 seconds. Most Elemental Skills in the game have a cooldown shorter than that, or they deal periodic damage. This means the uptime on the Beacon of the Reed Sea is nearly 100% for active carries.
However, if you are using it on an off-field support, you need to ensure their skill actually "hits" while they are off-field to refresh the duration. Dehya’s field does this. Beidou’s lightning bounces do not count as "skill hits" (they are burst damage). This is a nuance many people miss. Read the talent descriptions carefully. If the damage is classified as Elemental Burst DMG, it won't trigger the first half of the Beacon's passive.
Actionable Steps for Your Build
If you are lucky enough to own this weapon or are planning to pull for it, stop farming for ATK% substats. Between the weapon's base stats and the 40% ATK buff from the passive, you are going to hit diminishing returns very quickly.
- Focus on Crit DMG: Since the weapon provides 33.1% Crit Rate, you should aim for a 1:2 ratio. With average artifact luck, you should be sitting at roughly 75% Crit Rate and 180% Crit DMG.
- Ditch the Shielder: Swap Zhongli or Layla for a healer like Kuki Shinobu or Mika. You need to take damage to maximize the weapon.
- Refinement Check: Do not feel pressured to get Refinements. The jump from R1 to R5 is significant (ATK goes from 40% to 80%), but the cost-to-benefit ratio for a F2P or low-spender is terrible. R1 is more than enough to clear floor 12 of the Abyss.
- Team Comp: Pair the Beacon user with a character who provides interrupt resistance (like Xingqiu) rather than a hard shield. This allows you to take the "hit" needed for the buff without being knocked across the arena.
The Beacon of the Reed Sea remains a top-tier relic of the 3.x era. It’s a testament to good design—powerful, versatile, but requiring a specific playstyle to fully unlock. If it shows up on a banner and you use any Claymore character at all, it is arguably the best investment you can make for your account. It's a "forever" weapon. Even as the power creep of 2026 continues, a massive Crit Rate stick with a 40% ATK self-buff will never be irrelevant.