Prune is a 4-star Anemo catalyst character expected to arrive in Genshin Impact version 6.6 (Luna VII) alongside Nicole and Lohen. Her leaked kit paints her as a buffer and off-field sub-DPS who scales heavily with ATK and synergizes with the Hexerei faction — particularly Varka. She wields a Hunting Oath Hammer and a Lure Witch Bell, and despite being a self-proclaimed witch hunter, she ironically carries the Hexerei tag herself.
Quick answer: Prune provides up to 35% teamwide bonus damage (requiring 4,500 ATK to cap), off-field Anemo/Swirl damage via her Elemental Burst, and at C6 grants 350 flat ATK to nearby buffed characters. Her Hexerei passive buffs her own ATK by up to 65%, not her teammates' — an important correction from an early mistranslation.
Elemental Skill — Hunting Oath Hammer and Swirl Upgrade
Prune's Elemental Skill has her summon the Hunting Oath Hammer and strike it against the Lure Witch Bell, dealing Anemo DMG. If this hit triggers a Swirl reaction, the basic Skill is replaced for six seconds by an upgraded version called Dongqiangqiang: Punishment of the Bane.
During this upgraded window, the Hunting Oath Hammer absorbs the element involved in the Swirl and converts its attacks to that element. Tapping the Skill again makes Prune leap forward and launch the hammer, dealing Elemental DMG matching the absorbed element. This mechanic is central to her kit — without triggering Swirl first, you lose access to the enhanced version entirely.
Elemental Burst — Hunting Mode Bell
Prune shakes her Lure Witch Bell, dealing initial AoE Anemo DMG to nearby enemies. The bell then enters "Hunting Mode," following the active character and periodically attacking enemies with AoE Anemo DMG. All damage from the bell in this state counts as Elemental Burst damage. The base duration is 12 seconds, extended to 16 seconds at C6. The burst has a 70 energy cost and an 18-second cooldown.
Passive Talents Breakdown
Severing Retribution — Off-Field Swirl Hammer
When the Lure Witch Bell is in Hunting Mode, and its damage triggers a Swirl reaction, a Hunting Oath Hammer automatically spawns overhead. This hammer transforms into the Swirled element and deals 150% of Prune's ATK as corresponding Elemental damage. The damage counts as Elemental Burst damage, meaning it benefits from burst-boosting artifacts and effects.
Resonant Bell — Teamwide Damage Bonus (Up to 35%)
Whenever Prune's transformed Hunting Oath Hammer hits opponents, all nearby teammates gain the "Ringing Inspiration" effect for five seconds. While active, Normal Attacks, Charged Attacks, Plunging Attacks, Elemental Skills, and Elemental Bursts deal bonus damage that scales off Prune's ATK exceeding 1,000. Each point of excess ATK adds 0.01% bonus damage, capping at 35%. To reach that cap, Prune needs a total of 4,500 ATK — a steep requirement for a 4-star character.
Notably, this buff applies to "nearby teammates" rather than just the active character, meaning it functions teamwide regardless of who is on-field or off-field.
Witch's Eve: Oath of the Hunt — Hexerei Self-Buff (Corrected)
When the party includes at least two Hexerei characters, and a Hexerei unit affected by Ringing Inspiration triggers an elemental reaction, Prune herself gains 45% ATK for five seconds. If the triggering reaction is specifically a Swirl, Prune gains an additional 20% ATK on top of that, totaling 65% ATK for herself.
Retrofit! Knock Knock! — Crafting Passive
Prune's exploration passive gives a 10% chance to produce an extra random talent level-up material from the same region and rank when crafting talent materials.
Prune's Constellations
| Constellation | Effect |
|---|---|
| C1 | Transformed Hunting Oath Hammer hits regenerate 2 Energy for Prune. Triggers once every 1.8 seconds. |
| C2 | After using Elemental Burst, while the bell is in Hunting Mode, Prune's ATK increases by 10%. Each hammer or bell hit adds another 5% ATK, stacking up to 40% total. |
| C3 | Elemental Burst level +3. |
| C4 | Transformed Hunting Oath Hammer bounces once more on hit, dealing additional DMG equal to 80% of Prune's ATK to nearby opponents. |
| C5 | Elemental Skill level +3. |
| C6 | Hunting Mode duration extended by 4 seconds (12s → 16s). When a character with Ringing Inspiration triggers any Elemental reaction, Prune and all other nearby characters with the buff gain 350 flat ATK for 5 seconds. |
C1 and C2 address Prune's two biggest pain points — energy generation and hitting her ATK threshold. C6 is where she becomes a genuinely powerful teamwide buffer, adding 350 flat ATK on top of her existing damage bonus. The jump from C0 to C6 is significant, which is a common pattern for 4-star support characters in Genshin Impact.
Building Prune — The 4,500 ATK Problem
Prune's ascension stat is ATK%, and her kit clearly wants you to stack as much ATK as possible. Reaching 4,500 ATK on a 4-star character is extremely demanding. Her self-buff from the Hexerei passive (up to 65% ATK) helps bridge the gap, and C2 adds another potential 40% ATK during Hunting Mode. Even so, you'll likely need ATK/ATK/ATK main stats on artifacts, plus external ATK sources like Nicole's buffs or Pyro Resonance.
Thrilling Tales of Dragon Slayers (TTDS) is technically an option since Prune is a catalyst user, but its low base ATK (401 at max refinement for a 3-star weapon) makes reaching the ATK cap nearly impossible while also meeting her energy requirements with a 70-cost burst. Higher base ATK weapons like Skyward Atlas or Oathsworn Eye are more practical choices. The tradeoff between TTDS's 48% ATK buff for the next character and losing 15–20% of Prune's own damage bonus is a real consideration that depends on team composition.
How Prune Compares to Venti and Sucrose for Varka Teams
The community conversation around Prune centers heavily on her role in Varka's Hexerei teams. At C0, the general consensus is that Venti remains stronger — he provides 50% damage bonus to the active character, and with Elegy of the End equipped, adds 20% ATK and 100 EM teamwide. Prune's 35% teamwide damage bonus is lower in raw value, though it does apply to all party members rather than just the on-field character.
Compared to Sucrose, Prune offers more direct value in teams that don't rely on Elemental Mastery. Sucrose's EM sharing is largely wasted on Varka, whose damage doesn't benefit much from it. Prune's damage bonus, off-field sub-DPS contribution, and Hexerei synergy give her a clear edge over Sucrose in these specific compositions even at C0.
At C6, the picture shifts. The additional 350 flat ATK teamwide, extended Hunting Mode duration, and stacked personal ATK buffs from C2 push Prune into competitive territory with Venti. Whether she surpasses him depends on weapon choices, team composition, and how much value Nicole's quill scaling gets from Prune's teamwide buffs — since Nicole's quills scale off her own ATK, Prune's buff effectively double-dips there.
Lore Note — The Witch Hunter Who Became a Witch
Prune's character concept carries a strong dose of Mondstadt irony. She's a dedicated witch hunter who ends up classified as a Hexerei character — the very faction tied to witches. This mirrors Diona's arc as a bartender who despises alcohol, continuing a pattern of Mondstadt's younger characters becoming the thing they hate most. The Hexerei buffs themselves aren't actually granted by being a witch; they're bestowed upon Mondstadt characters by the witches as part of an agreement with Venti and Varka.
Prune is shaping up to be a solid 4-star option for Hexerei teams, particularly as a budget alternative to Venti in Varka compositions. Her kit is demanding to optimize — the 4,500 ATK ceiling, 70-cost burst, and reliance on Swirl triggers all require careful building. But for players who invest in her constellations and pair her with Nicole, she fills a genuine gap in the Anemo support roster. Since she's still in beta testing for version 6.6, expect numbers and mechanics to potentially shift before her official release.