The Keqing’s AutoKeq build aims to maximise physical damage from normal and charged autoattacks (white/physical) and forego any electro (purple) damage.

When the AutoKeq build performs well

Against a stationary, immobile target.
Periods of time where you can focus on bursting and not have to dodge attacks or mechanics.
The enemies are not spread out.
Dungeon mechanics do not consume stamina.

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Artifact Set Selection

Quick summary

Use 4 set Thundersoother for solo focused content.
Use 4 set Bloodstained Chivalry for general solo and Abyss content where there are multiple mobs that can be killed by charged attacks within 10 seconds.
Use 4 set Bloodstained Chivalry for general coop content that has mobs that can be killed by charged attacks within 10 seconds.
Use 2 set Bloodstained Chivalry and 2 set Gladiator’s for any scenario not covered above or if you want a jack of all trades set.

4 set Berserker’s

Set effects

+12% crit rate.
When HP <70%, +24% crit rate (36% total maximum).

Advantages

Gaining 36% crit from set effects can allow you to dedicate more of your gear primary and/or substats to critdmg%.

Disadvantages

The Berserker’s set does not drop as a 5* piece. This means that the maximum possible stats are always at least 25% less than any 5* equivalent.
Maintaining <70% playstyle can be tricky.

Considerations

Generally not recommended in the late game primarily because it doesn’t exist as a 5* set.
Both the 2 and 4 set pieces can be considered as a transitory set in the early endgame, when you have just reached AR-40 and do not have the prerequisite pieces to complete a recommended set.

4 set Bloodstained Chivalry

Set effects

Physical DMG +25%.
After defeating an opponent, increases Charged Attack DMG by 50%, and reduces its Stamina cost to 0 for 10s.

Advantages

Keqing’s optimal attack combo involves spamming charged attacks. The stamina reduction may be beneficial when there are multiple weaker enemies that die within 10 seconds, so you can spam empowered charged attacks for free.
AutoKeq benefits from the significant +25% physdmg.

Disadvantages

The 4 set effect is not useful against bosses or enemies that take more than 10 seconds to kill.
When trying to kill the first enemy, your charged attacks will not be empowered.
It requires careful enemy selection to optimise and extend the duration of the 4 set effect.

Considerations

Can be a viable set for Abyss and domains where small mobs continuously spawn in addition to big mobs.
When battling a mix of weaker/smaller mobs and stronger/larger mobs, you should be weaving some attacks onto the stronger mobs. You should only aim to kill smaller mobs when the 10 second timer on your 4 set effect is about to run out.
- If you kill all the small mobs first, you will be unable to maintain the effect when dealing with the stronger ones.
Making effective use of the 4 set effect can be moderately difficult and skill dependent.

4 set Gladiator’s Finale

Set effects

ATK +18%.
If the wielder of this artifact set uses a Sword, Claymore or Polearm, increases their Normal Attack DMG by 35%.

Advantages

Keqing is a Sword user and she applies normal attacks at an incredibly fast rate.
You get free pieces throughout normal game progression.

Disadvantages

AutoKeq emphasises repeated charged attacks. Only the initial normal attack in each cycle of charged attacks will benefit from the 35% damage. A significant portion of your attacks will not receive the 35% bonus.
Hard to farm as it is only obtainable from weekly bosses and map bosses (at low rate and high cost of resin).

Considerations

Refer to the ElectroQueen article on %atk being less valuable in the endgame.
Generally, this set is not optimal for AutoKeq because of the decreased value of %atk in the late game, as well as it’s damage bonus being restricted to normal attacks.

2 set Gladiator’s Finale + 2 set Bloodstained Chivalry

Set effects

ATK +18%.
Physical DMG +25%.

Advantages

%physdmg bonus scales well, and directly buffs autoattacks, which are the main form of damage for AutoKeq.

Disadvantages

Read the earlier sections on %atk scaling in the endgame.

Considerations

This is a reliable set that gives you everything you want in a physical build without extra conditions to fulfill.

4 set Martial Artist

Set effects

Increases Normal Attack and Charged Attack DMG by 15%.
After using Elemental Skill, increases Normal Attack and Charged Attack DMG by 25% for 8s.

Advantages

Keqing can theoretically maintain 100% uptime on the 4 set effect because Stellar Restoration cooldown is 7.5s (starting when it’s first cast).
AutoKeq is focused on normal and charged attacks and this set empowers both.

Disadvantages

This set doesn’t drop at 5*.
This set isn’t easily obtainable in the early-midgame, and it is a waste of resin to obtain in the endgame.

Considerations

If you were incredibly lucky in the early-midgame with random martial artist pieces, you can use this as a transitory set before switching into recommended endgame sets.
Do not try to use this set for true endgame as 5* pieces have 25% more primary star 4* equivalents.
This set is only listed because there’s a tiny chance that someone might have it from the early-midgame. If you don’t have already this set, ignore it completely.

4 set Thundersoother

Set effects

Electro RES increased by 40%.
Increases DMG against enemies affected by Electro by 35%.

Advantages

4TS effect gives +35% bonus damage to electro-debuffed enemies, and this includes physical damage.
Flexible: This set can flex in between ElectroQueen and AutoKeq by simply substituting the goblet for the appropriate dmg% bonus in the primary line. Remember that the 4 set effect increases all damage instead of just electro damage.
Relatively easy to obtain compared to Thundering Fury. At AR40, the drop rate of TS > TF. You are likely to obtain TS pieces with optimal stats before TF equivalent.
Whereas ElectroQueen suffers against Electroslimes and can only alleviate the issue by switching their goblet to %physdmg, AutoKeq is always dealing maximum damage to any innate electro enemy.

Disadvantages

You lose the 35% bonus against innate elemental enemies that cannot be debuffed by electro (Anemo Hypostasis, Cryo/Pyro slimes, etc.).
The 2 set effect doesn’t help you deal more damage, which is important in a DPS role.

Considerations

Maintaining electro-debuff uptime during a burst is not hard because electro applied from Keqing has a relatively high elemental status gauge, and thus electro will persist close to the duration of Superconduct.
- Status gauge: When you first apply an elemental debuff onto an enemy, imagine that there is an invisible elemental gauge that decays over time. When the gauge empties, the element disappears, and the enemy is no longer debuffed.
If you accidentally recast Stellar Restoration and convert your autoattacks into electro, you still gain the increased damage from the 4 set effect, although you will lose your %physdmg bonuses.
This set is easier to farm than 4TF.
Although AutoKeq focuses on autoattacks, you will still make use of Starward Sword and Stellar Restoration to i-frame and proc Superconduct. The 4 set effect applies to both of them.
In coop, it may be harder to ensure that the enemy is always electro-debuffed.

The best set for the AutoKeq build

Let me first state that testing is still ongoing, but we have enough theoretical and empirical data to make certain claims about each set in different scenarios.

Best solo sets vs bosses

In solo bosses without smaller mob spawns, ranked from most recommended to least:

4 set Thundersoother.
2 set Gladiator’s + 2 set Bloodstained Chivalry.
4 set Gladiator’s.
4 set Bloodstained Chivalry.

4 set Thundersoother

4TS is the superior option as long as the electro debuff can be reliably applied to a boss. In addition, 4TS boosts all outgoing damage including E (Stellar Restoration) and Q (Starward Sword), which is frequently used for proccing Superconduct and increasing the crit rate respectively.

2 set Gladiator’s + 2 set Bloodstained Chivalry

2G + 2BSC is a reliable set for AutoKeq because there are no conditions for the bonuses unlike 4TS, 4BSC, and 4G. You will always have the 18% atk and 25% bonus physical damage unless you accidentally recast E and convert to electro damage.

4 set Gladiator’s

4G is ranked as such because ⅔ of Keqing’s optimal attack combo is not affected by the 35% bonus.

4 set Bloodstained Chivalry

4BSC is not recommended in this scenario because you cannot trigger the 4BSC effect.

Best solo sets vs standard mobs

In solo content with mobs that you can kill within 10 seconds, ranked from most recommended to least:

4 set Bloodstained Chivalry.
2 set Gladiator’s + 2 set Bloodstained Chivalry.
4 set Thundersoother.
4 set Gladiator’s.

4 set Bloodstained Chivalry

4BSC effect is unrivalled if there are mobs available for you to continuously proc the charged attack bonus and stamina consumption negation. You always have the +25% physdmg bonus and can maintain a 35% charged damage bonus.

2 set Gladiator’s + 2 set Bloodstained Chivalry

2G + 2BSC is a reliable set for AutoKeq because there are no conditions for the bonuses unlike 4TS, 4BSC, and 4G. You will always have the 18% atk and 25% bonus physical damage unless you accidentally recast E and convert to electro damage

4 set Thundersoother

4TS ranks below 2G + 2BSC because it’s harder to keep electro debuff status applied on many enemies at once. In addition, you may find yourself running low on stamina from spamming charged attacks and then dashing to catch up to enemies that were knocked back.

However, Q and E are still affected by 4TS and can be used to deal decent AoE electro damage while reapplying electro to all mobs around you.

4 set Gladiator’s

4G ranks below 4TS because its bonus only applies to normal attacks and not charged ones.

Best coop sets vs bosses without mob spawns

In coop bosses without smaller mob spawns, ranked from most recommended to least:

2 set Gladiator’s + 2 set Bloodstained Chivalry.
4 set Gladiator’s.
4 set Bloodstained Chivalry.
4 set Thundersoother.

2 set Gladiator’s + 2 set Bloodstained Chivalry

2G + 2BSC is a reliable set for AutoKeq because there are no conditions for the bonuses unlike 4TS, 4BSC, and 4G. You will always have the 18% atk and 25% bonus physical damage unless you accidentally recast E and convert to electro damage.

4 set Gladiator’s

4G ranks below 2G + 2BSC because its bonus only applies to normal attacks and not charged attacks.

4 set Bloodstained Chivalry

4BSC is ranked below 4G because you can’t trigger the 4 set effect.

4 set Thundersoother

4TS is ranked last because you cannot reliably apply the electro debuff with three other players proccing reactions. The exception is if you have a 4-electro or electro/anemo team. 4BSC is ranked higher because, although you cannot trigger the 4 set effect, the 2 set effect gives a permanent 25% bonus physical damage.

Best coop sets vs bosses with mob spawns

In coop bosses with smaller mob spawns, ranked from most recommended to least:

4 set Bloodstained Chivalry.
2 set Gladiator’s + 2 set Bloodstained Chivalry.
4 set Gladiator’s.
4 set Thundersoother.

4 set Bloodstained Chivalry

4BSC effect is unrivalled if there are mobs available for you to continuously proc the charged attack bonus and stamina consumption negation. You always have the +25% physdmg bonus and can maintain a 35% charged damage bonus.

2 set Gladiator’s + 2 set Bloodstained Chivalry

2G + 2BSC is a reliable set for AutoKeq because there are no conditions for the bonuses unlike 4TS, 4BSC, and 4G. You will always have the 18% atk and 25% bonus physical damage unless you accidentally recast E and convert to electro damage.

4 set Gladiator’s

4G ranks below 2G + 2BSC because its bonus only applies to normal attacks and not charged attacks.

4 set Thundersoother

4TS is ranked last because you cannot reliably apply the electro debuff with three other players proccing reactions. The exception is if you have a 4-electro or electro/anemo team. 2G + 2BSC is ranked higher because you get an unconditional 25% bonus physical damage and 18% atk.

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Disclaimer: This guide is a work in progress and may be updated in the future.

Credit to Doug#8888 who provided the information for this article. He is a theorycrafter in the r/KeqingMains subreddit and Discord.gg/Keqing server. - Images: miHoYo