Loading content...
Last updated: May 26, 2026
Best guide and build for Hotori from Neverness To Everness (NTE). Hotori is an
rarity character from the 
Cosmos element who performs the
Buff role in combat. Their Arc Compatibility is Solid. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of Hotori's best build, including recommended builds and the strongest team compositions and rotations that maximize their potential.
The Boss of Eibon, who doesn't seem to be very sober.
Last review update
Patch 1
Last major build/calcs update
Patch 1
Last profile update*
May 26, 2026
*Profile update means smaller edits to the guide that don't require new calculations.
To learn more about Hotori check the sections below. Use the tabs to quickly switch to the kind of information you're looking for.
Profile
Misty Moon Style
Basic Attack: Misty Moon Style
Wields her weapon and performs up to 5 consecutive attacks, dealing Cosmos DMG.
Basic Attack: Non-Closed Timepiece
Displays a Non-Closed Timepiece when Hotori is switched in. Rotates its pointer slowly clockwise over time, accumulating energy. Caps the energy the Non-Closed Timepiece can accumulate at 120.
Basic Attack: Rippling Waves
Hold Basic Attack in combat to trigger. Gracefully dashes forward and attacks, dealing 4 instances of Cosmos DMG to an area.
Basic Attack: Crescent
Wields the weapon mid-air and plunges, dealing 1 instance of Cosmos DMG to an area upon impact.
Increases DMG based on fall height, up to 100%.
Critical Riposte: Half Moment
Triggers when using Misty Moon Style after a Critical Dodge. Raises the umbrella to counterattack opponents instantly, dealing 1 instance of Cosmos DMG and reducing Break.
"Finally, someone clueless comes along who actually wants to buy something from the shop, but if it wasn't for Daffodil refusing to budge, hmph — this month's sales wouldn't be a big fat zero.""That little brat, didn't you see what kind of price he was trying to haggle? He's treating our Eibon like we're some charity case! I was being nice not calling Daff over to rough him up!"
Present Replay
Requires no cooldown for Present Replay.
Allows Hotori to spend 60 Non-Closed Timepiece energy to cast Present Replay when energy is greater than 60. Deals 7 instances of Cosmos DMG to an area. Records Support Skills and Redirect Skills used by allies for the next 5s, appreciating up to 3 timings per use, with each character recorded at most once.
When Chiz is in the Surplus state, pressing casts Redirect Skill: Pink Paws Priority Principle. Stops recording after the pointer rewinds a certain amount, and continues rewinding a fixed amount if recording completes early. Clears records when entering or leaving battle. Overwrites existing records when using Present Replay again.
Observe and Witness
World's Tide
Has no cooldown or Ultimate Energy cost for World's Tide.
Allows Hotori to unleash World's Tide when Non-Closed Timepiece energy is fully charged, dealing 10 instances of Cosmos DMG to an area. Draws a katana from the umbrella handle and changes attack mode. Slows surrounding time to near standstill for a period, disabling character switching. Cleanses any received time control debuffs and grants immunity to time control debuffs during Time Stop.
Replays all attacks recorded by Present Replay 1 time and clears the records if any exist. Rewinds the Non-Closed Timepiece pointer continuously during Time Stop. Builds combo stacks with Hotori's Katana attacks, increasing damage per hit. Deals Finisher DMG when combo stacks reach 10. Ends time stop when the pointer rewinds completely or when Finisher DMG is dealt.
Then — proceed toward the predetermined future.
Shopkeeper's Authority
Time to teach these rude guests some manners. Throws the umbrella, dealing 1 instance of Cosmos DMG to an area.
For Hotori, this is merely a small display of her abilities, but difficult customers who threaten to complain will learn exactly what this humble little shop dares to impose such strict terms.
Ghost Orchid Crest
Blossom Enhancement: Prevents Vita Bud attacks from pausing during Time Stop.
At least when this proprietress, who can usually chatter on endlessly about every penny, finally quiets down and sits peacefully sipping wine while admiring the moon, you can still notice — she is an elegant and graceful person.
All Treasures Under Heaven
Increases World's Tide's Finisher DMG Ratio by 100%.
Cheers! Celebrate! Let's — let's celebrate again! My treasures — my precious treasures — they're all mine now! Deal — deal! Hehehe — hic — guard them well — for me — 2×2=4!
Flourish
Awakening 1
Distant Memories
Awakening 2
Momentary Gaze
Awakening 3
Scattered Relics
Awakening 4
All-Seeing
Awakening 5
Time Takes Away
Awakening 6
Eternity Shattered
3-Awakening Bonus
The Ultimate Treasure of Clear Understanding
6-Awakening Bonus
Grants the team 30% ATK while Hotori is on the team and alive.
Treasure Hunt
Level 1: Increases auction items by 1 extra per auction.
Level 2: Grants 1 additional attempt to refresh unpurchased auction items per auction.
Level 3: Increases auction items by 2 extra per auction.
Level 4: Sets the number of attempts to refresh unpurchased auction items to 2.
Level 5: Increases auction items by 3 extra per auction.
Type III Specialization
Type 1
Hotori images aren't available yet. They will be added soon!
Review
Her Ultimate has HUGE damage potential makes for a great damage window.
Time Stop pauses the fight timer also, great for Beyond the Rails for example.
Present Replay records your ally skills and fires them again for free inside Time Stop.
She cleanses time control debuffs and grants immunity during Time Stop.
The time stop also works in the Overworld.
You can’t switch out after using her Ultimate until Time Stop is over.
The recording window for skills can be somewhat tight.
Hotori is a Cosmos character with a very unique time-based mechanic. She relies on something called Non-Closed Timepiece, which is essentially her energy bar for casting her Time Skills. This is an automatic process that builds passively over time whether she is on or off the field, as attacking will not generate any energy. Energy also builds outside of combat.
With your skill Present Replay when you cast it you can record Support Skills or Redirect Skills used by your allies for the next five seconds and can get up to 3 character's moves (once per character). It's worth noting that Present Replay only needs 60 energy to cast while her Ultimate needs the full 120 and they uniquely don't have cooldowns. It's a setup for you to then replay these moves later for a burst and such. Aside from that her skill is also a normal AOE dmg attack.
Her Ultimate is where the replay itself happens and it occurs when your Non-Closed Timepiece energy bar is at max. When activating it, it slows down time and during this Time Stop state, she replays all recorded actions. She also changes her weapon from an umbrella to a katana which essentially boosts her damage. So as all the actions you recorded are replaying you are attacking to deal a whole bunch of burst damage by stacking your combos up to 10 which also ends your time stop. From completely 0 energy, it takes about 20 seconds to fully charge, and another 15 after using Present Replay before you can hit your Ultimate, so around 35 second cycle between bursts.
During the time stop, the fight timer will not move, making it useful for any time-based modes like Beyond the Rails. Not only that, but when her Ultimate replays another character’s skill, it can also repeat that skill’s effect. For example, replaying Hotori (MC)’s skill with her Ultimate will refill the cycle for MC again.
She will also cleanse any received time control debuffs and grant immunity to time control debuffs during Time Stop.
She works great in Blossom teams and should probably be in one, her Blossom Enhancement makes it so that the Vita Bud attacks won't be paused during Time Stop. However, it’s not her only option, and this can be a bit harder to set up than some alternative teams.
She's essentially a burst DPS, whose ultimate locks her on field to deal massive damage herself, but you'll want a strong on-field carry to handle damage outside of her burst windows.
Best Build
For NTE calculations we worked alongside Rivyn Elowen. Any other content such as comments on Arcs, Modules, etc are our own.
Hotori best Arcs (Weapons) are placed in order of what fits their playstyle the most. Check the comments to get additional context. Also, if you go to the Calculations tab, you will find information about the team setup used for the calculations.
Crit Rate > Cosmos DMG % > Crit DMG > ATK %
Crit DMG > Crit Rate > DMG % > ATK % > ATK
HP: 20,000+
ATK: 2200+
Crit Rate: 70%+
Crit DMG: 90%+
Universal DMG: 10%+
Cosmos DMG: 60%+
Increases Cosmos DMG Bonus by 10% for each Type III Module equipped.
Required pieces:Passive 1 > Ultimate > Passive 2 = Skill > Support = Basics
Teams & Synergy
Blossom Team
Charge Team
Awakenings & Calcs
In NTE, you can freely choose Awakening Effects, so you are not forced to unlock them in a specific order, and you can unselect them at any time.
Time Takes Away (A6) = Momentary Gaze (A3) > Flourish (A1) = All=Seeing (A5) > Distant Memories (A2) = Scattered Relics (A4)
Hotori is strong without her dupes, but if you do get some, Time Takes Away (A6) and Momentary Gaze (A3) are the ones you want first. Time Takes Away (A6) lets Hotori ignore a chunk of enemy DEF during Time Stop, and given that Time Stop is where all her big damage happens, this benefits her a lot. Momentary Gaze (A3) recovers the energy spent on Present Replay after each recording, our calc is assuming +1 Ultimate without replays.Flourish (A1) boosts her damage during Time Stop for each skill she recorded going into it with Present Replay. Since you'll ideally always be going in with a full three stack, this is consistently active and adds up to a strong gain during her most important window.
She's more of a burst DPS than a carry, so she won't always be on the field, and All-Seeing (A5)'s 15% team-wide damage buff applies even when she isn't. This makes it very helpful for whoever you're running alongside her, though keep in mind it only activates when there's a single enemy on the field, so it loses value in AoE content. A1 will work in any fight, so it’s easy to just leave it on if you don’t like switching around. However, if you know you’re going to be using her in a single-target fight, I’d pick A5 instead.
Distant Memories (A2) on the other hand is a flat damage boost during Time Stop but the team DMG gains are more modest, but it works in more situations than All-Seeing.
Scattered Relics (A4) grants extra energy to her Non-Closed Timepiece whenever enemies are defeated. It does nothing in single target, but in AoE content it helps her cycle Ultimates faster and re-enter Time Stop sooner. If you’re having trouble clearing AoE mobs, you can turn this on.
If you somehow get her full dupes (R6) which will be hard unless you’re a whale, she'll give you a free 30% ATK buff for all team members when she's simply on the team.
Hotori dupe calculations show the relative gain of each Awakening compared to the 'base' character without any active.
Boosts Hotori's damage during Time Stop for each skill she recorded going into it with Present Replay. Since you'll ideally always be going into her Ultimate with a full three stack recorded, this is consistently active and adds up to a solid gain during her most important window. You do need a clean full recording to get the most out of it though.
A flat damage boost during Time Stop. Simple and straightforward, though the actual team DMG gains are more modest compared to her other Awakenings. That said, it works in more situations than something like A5 which is limited to single target fights.
Recovers the energy spent on Present Replay after completing a recording. Since Present Replay costs 60 energy, getting that back means she can potentially squeeze out an extra Ultimate in a rotation, and this calculation is made with that extra Ultimate in mind, which is a big damage increase given how much she packs into her burst windows.
Grants extra energy to her Non-Closed Timepiece for every enemy defeated. Does absolutely nothing in single target content, but in AoE situations it can help her Ultimate cycle faster and get her back into Time Stop sooner. Entirely dependent on what content you're running, so you can turn this off and on at will depending on what you're doing.
A team-wide 15% damage buff against a single target that applies even when Hotori isn't on the field. Since she's a burst DPS and won't always be active, this is consistently useful for whoever you're running alongside her rather than just benefiting her own damage. The main drawback is that it's limited to single target, so it loses value in fights where you're dealing with multiple enemies.
Lets Hotori ignore a chunk of enemy DEF during Time Stop, which is exactly where you want it since that's where all her big damage happens. A straightforward and impactful awakening that directly amplifies her strongest window. One of the top choices for Awakenings, as it lets you deal a lot more DMG for something you'll be doing every single fight.
R3 is a generic skill level increase, and all calculations are Raw Gain with no other Awakens included.
Grants the entire team 30% ATK as long as Hotori is on the team and alive. There are no other conditions and it's a solid boost that's always active, but good luck getting this if you're not a whale.