Overloaded triggers when Pyro meets Electro. It has the second-highest multiplier of any transformative reaction (2.75), yet it is still called "big numbers, slow clears". This guide covers the scaling, the EM conversion, the 90 poise damage, the knockback problem, and why the 5.2 rebalance made Overload teams actually viable.
Both directions deal identical damage, so build the rotation around whichever side is easier to apply. The reaction consumes both auras, which is why Overload teams need high-frequency application rather than two big hits.
Overloaded DMG = 2.75 x Level Multiplier x (1 + EM bonus) x target Pyro RES multiplier. The Level Multiplier follows the triggering character's level, so a level 90 trigger versus a level 70 trigger can more than double the output.
| Trigger level | Base DMG (character) | Base DMG (enemy) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 47 | 47 |
| 20 | 222 | 222 |
| 40 | 570 | 570 |
| 60 | 1,355 | 1,349 |
| 70 | 2,106 | 1,980 |
| 80 | 2,963 | 2,603 |
| 90 | 3,979 | 3,308 |
| 100 | 4,606 | 4,606 |
Note the third column: the same explosion hits for 3,308 when an enemy triggers it, versus 3,979 for the player. That gap is level suppression — and it also applies to you if your trigger is underleveled. It is the single most common reason a player sees "only a few thousand" per Overload.
Overload also ignores DEF, cannot crit, and ignores ATK and Pyro DMG Bonus. Only the target's Pyro RES modifies it. Crit stats do nothing for the reaction itself; they only serve the character's direct damage.
Transformative reactions use 16 x EM / (EM + 2000):
| EM | DMG bonus | Overload per hit |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | +0% | 3,979 |
| 100 | +76.2% | 7,011 |
| 200 | +145.5% | 9,767 |
| 400 | +266.7% | 14,589 |
| 600 | +369.2% | 18,671 |
| 800 | +457.1% | 22,168 |
| 1000 | +533.3% | 25,199 |
The first 200 EM buys +145%, then returns flatten fast. For a pure reaction team, roughly 400 EM is usually the sweet spot; leftover substats are better spent on the trigger's own direct damage.
Do not forget RES: most enemies sit at 10% Pyro RES, so a level 90 zero-EM Overload realistically lands around 3,581. Against higher-RES targets it drops further, which is exactly why RES shred is so valuable here.
Overload is not just damage — it is a Blunt hit with 90 poise damage and strong knockback. For comparison:
| Reaction | Poise damage |
|---|---|
| Electro-Charged (per tick) | 130 |
| Swirl (primary target) | 130 |
| Overloaded | 90 |
| Hyperbloom / Burgeon (vs enemies) | 50 |
| Superconduct / Burning / Shatter / Unfreeze | 30 |
| Swirl (AoE) | 30 |
| Bloom (vs enemies) | 25 |
The knockback cost is concrete: enemies get pushed out of your AoE, grouping is wasted, melee carries have to chase, and skills whiff. So "big numbers, slow clears" is not a myth — knockback converts damage into repositioning time.
Four ways to mitigate it:
90 poise damage is mid-to-high among reactions, and high trigger frequency equals sustained suppression. Against Abyss Mage chants and Fatui charge-ups, Overload reliably cancels the animation — often worth more than the damage itself.
Because it is a Blunt Attack, Overload handles Geo shields and most physical shields well; being Pyro damage, it also has an edge against Cryo shields. Against shielded elites, Overload teams often advance faster than raw damage teams.
As a Blunt hit it can Shatter frozen targets, and it detonates explosive barrels in the world — both genuinely useful while exploring and clearing camps.
| Reaction | Old multiplier | Since 5.2 |
|---|---|---|
| Overloaded | 2.0 | 2.75 |
| Electro-Charged | 1.2 | 2.0 |
| Superconduct | 0.5 | 1.5 |
| Shatter | 1.5 | 3.0 |
| Swirl | 0.6 | 0.6 |
Overload gained 37.5%, and Chevreuse simultaneously provided "40% Pyro and Electro RES shred for all-Pyro/Electro teams". Together those two changes turned "not enough damage, plus it scatters enemies" into a working AoE archetype. Any guide older than 5.2 telling you Overload is useless is simply outdated.
One rule decides everything: Overload damage uses the EM of the character who triggered it. Let your highest-EM unit trigger instead of letting the carry do it incidentally. Get this backwards and you lose roughly half your output.
| Overloaded | Vaporize | Hyperbloom | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 90 base | 3,979 | Carry hit x1.5 or x2 | 4,341 |
| Uses crit / ATK | Neither | Both | Neither |
| Main cost | EM + Chevreuse | Crit + EM + high multipliers | EM + an Electro trigger |
| Extra effect | Knockback, interrupt, shield break | None | None |
| Best for | Groups, shielded elites, cancels | Single-target bosses | Low investment, high floor |
They are not substitutes. Overload wins on control and shields, Vaporize wins on scaling with the character sheet, Hyperbloom wins on investment cost. Pick based on whether you lack damage or lack smoothness.
Because the explosion does not re-apply Pyro, the target is left with no usable aura. High-frequency appliers (Xiangling, Beidou, Fischl) therefore fit Overload far better than slow, high-multiplier units.
With limits: the same attacker can only deal Overload DMG to the same target once every 0.5 seconds, and multiple Overloads on one target within 0.1 seconds resolve only once regardless of source. Stacking trigger frequency has diminishing returns.
No. Elemental DMG Bonus only affects the character's own skills. Transformative reactions scale with level, EM and RES shred only — so upgrade the trigger, stack EM, or shred Pyro RES.
Yes. It is classified as a Blunt Attack, so it Shatters frozen targets and damages Geo shields efficiently.
Yes, but noticeably worse: you lose the 40% RES shred and nobody compensates for the scatter. Bring a reliable shielder or strong grouping first.
Overload trades control for damage: a solid 2.75 multiplier on one side, 90 poise damage and knockback on the other. It is worth running when your enemies can be interrupted and your team can survive the scatter. If both answers are yes, it is the most cost-efficient AoE option in the game.
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