Tartaglia, who is commonly referred to as Childe, is the eleventh member of the Fatui Harbingers who is currently the main antagonist group in the story of Genshin Impact. Childe was first introduced in the free-to-play RPG during the Version 1.1 patch. He appeared in the story helping the Traveler escape from the Millelith guards of Liyue after the supposed Geo Archon of the land was murdered. Throughout the player's journey in the game, Childe would grow to be a popular villain among many fans.
Constantly eager for battles, Tartaglia soon became a rival character to the protagonist in Genshin Impact. One of Genshin's many highlights is the unique characters within the stories and having a strong rival to oppose the hero or heroine can contribute greatly to the overall narrative. In a fantasy world of magic, monsters, and gods, Childe is still incredibly powerful according to the game's lore.
Tartaglia is one of the strongest characters within the story of Genshin Impact. As part of the Eleven Harbingers of the Fatui organization, his name is feared by many around the world of Teyvat. This is because the Fatui Harbingers are considered the most powerful members of the Snezhnaya nation, a land known for its military power. According to his in-game character profile, rumors suggest that Childe has fought on many battlefields since he was fourteen years old. As a youth, Tartaglia mastered multiple forms of martial arts and weapons, which he used to defeat his enemies.
Genshin Impact: Tartaglia's Vision & Delusion
Tartaglia was considered a prodigy in combat by many people and became the youngest Fatui Harbinger in Genshin Impact. He was later sent to the city of Liyue on a mission to obtain the Geo Archon's Gnosis, a powerful item belonging to the gods. His mission eventually led him to confront the Traveler - where they battled as enemies. In terms of powers, Childe possesses a Hydro Vision. A Vision is an elemental artifact supposedly bestowed upon individuals from gods. There are currently seven different elemental Visions: Pyro (fire), Hydro (water), Cryo (ice), Dendro (nature), Geo (earth), Anemo (wind), and Electro (lightning).
Those possessing a Vision are granted powers according to the type of element. For example, Anemo users can manipulate the wind while Cryo characters in the story can create ice. Tartaglia is a Hydro Vision user in Genshin Impact; therefore, he can control and manipulate water at will. Childe is skilled with many types of weapons but decides to use a bow in combat because he's less adept with it (displaying a more arrogant side to his character). When serious, he utilizes his Hydro abilities to create swords and spears that make him lethal in nearly all situations on the battlefield.
Along with possessing a Vision, Childe also controls another powerful object known as a Delusion. Delusions are similar to Visions where a user is granted certain elemental powers. Unlike a Vision, the Delusions are not bestowed by the gods but manufactured by the Fatui organization using the remains of deceased deities or creatures in the world of Teyvat. It's been said that Delusions are more powerful than Visions. For Childe, he specifically wields the Electro Delusion possessing powers similar to Electro Vision characters in Genshin Impact. A major drawback for using a Delusion for long periods of time is that the object absorbs the user's life force, potentially becoming fatal to the wielder.
Childe received his Delusion as a reward from the Cryo Archon, also known as the Tsaritsa, or ruler of the Snezhnaya nation. It's considered a badge of honor for him as it symbolizes his survival in many battles and his ability in slaying countless beasts that roamed the lands. During his battle with the Traveler at Liyue's Golden House, Tartaglia used both his Hydro Vision and Electro Delusion to overwhelm the protagonist. Despite eventually losing the fight, Childe displayed powers that exceed many characters in the story of Genshin Impact.
Genshin Impact: Tartaglia's Foul Legacy - The Devouring Deep Explained
An ability that made Tartaglia truly terrifying on the battlefield is his transformation known as Foul Legacy - The Devouring Deep. Childe is currently the only known character to possess the Foul Legacy Transformation. Other Fatui Harbingers in Genshin Impact like La Signora had similar transformations but her ability is confirmed to be different. It's been stated that Tartaglia trained in the Abyss, which is known as the Land of Endless Darkness where the Abyss Order resides. The Abyss remains mostly a mystery in the story, but the creatures from the dark land are later revealed to be former humans from a destroyed nation called Khaenri'ah.
Having been trained by the Abyss Order for several months, Tartaglia acquired his Foul Legacy - The Devouring Deep Transformation, which allowed him to use both his Hydro and Electro powers at the same time. Wielding the power increases his speed, physical, and elemental strength. During Childe's Story Quest in Genshin Impact, in an attempt to protect his little brother Teucer, he managed to destroy several Ruin Guards in less than ten seconds. Ruin Guards are ancient mechanical weapons that are considered extremely dangerous in the world of Teyvat. For Childe to destroy them in mere moments with his Foul Legacy powers demonstrates his destructive capabilities.
Despite possessing immense powers, Tartaglia's Foul Legacy Transformation has a severe drawback. The transformation is only temporary because the ability physically drains him at a severe rate. This was seen after he lost to the Traveler and again when he saved his brother from the Ruin Guards. If used for extended periods of time or repeated usage of the transformation will result in Targatlia's potential death in Genshin Impact. Childe continues to play an important role in the game's story, appearing again in the Version 2.2 update and on his own Banner rerun.
He's been shown to constantly grow stronger in a similar way the Traveler does after each chapter of the story. As a battle-hardened warrior, Tartaglia seeks to challenge the protagonist again to enjoy the thrill of combat and to prove his strength. The story of Genshin Impact is far from over, but it'll be interesting for fans of the narrative to see just how far Childe's rivalry with the Traveler will go.