Shenhe is a five-star Cryo polearm user who is expected to release in Version 2.4 alongside the four-star Geo polearm user, Yun Jin. As Cloud Retainer's favorite disciple, she has a natural talent for the Adepti arts—despite being from a branch family of exorcists. Hot-tempered yet elegant, Shenhe's personality is a contradiction that players can unfold in the near future.
Gameplay
Shenhe's kit leans toward either Support or Main DPS capabilities—but favoring the former. Being a Cryo Vision holder, she can find a comfortable spot in popular Permafreeze teams. Her Elemental Skill is one of the highlights of her kit—it offers different effects and passives, triggered by tapping or holding.
By tapping, Shenhe can deal a burst of AoE Cryo Damage while buffing Elemental Skill and Burst Damage. And by holding, Shenhe can deal AoE Cryo Damage while buffing Normal, Charged, and Plunge Attacks.
Both will release a number of Icy Quills (five stacks for press, seven stacks for hold), which will increase the Damage of Cryo hits done by the party. However, stacks will be consumed based on the number of opponents hit, which is essentially a new limited hits mechanic currently unique to Shenhe.
Meanwhile, her Elemental Burst deals an AoE Cryo Damage while reducing opponents' Physical and Cryo Resistance by up to 15% at Talent Level 10.
Related: Who is Shenhe in Genshin Impact?
Weapon
While most of Shenhe's utility will come from her Elemental Skill, her Elemental Burst can also be useful in further boosting your party's Damage. As it costs 80 Energy, opting for a weapon with an Energy Recharge substat could be beneficial. Alternatively, as her Elemental Skill's effectiveness scales off her total Attack, packing in as much Attack as possible is also a viable option.
The Calamity Queller is a new five-star weapon that has been leaked to come out in Version 2.4. Its high base Attack and Attack substat can benefit Shenhe's Elemental Skill. And the weapon's passive, which favors off-field characters, can be an asset to boosting Shenhe's on-field Damage when she's built as a Support.
If you opt for the Energy Recharge Route, the Engulfing Lightning and Skyward Spine are wonderful high Attack options with an Energy Recharge substat. For four-star alternatives, some choices include The Catch, Favonius Lance, and Lithic Spear—choose what fits in with your team's rotation.
Artifacts
To get the most out of Shenhe's Attack-hungry Elemental Skill, opt for Artifacts that can boost this stat. Her best-in-slot pick would be a combination of two-piece Gladiator's Finale and two-piece Shimenawa's Reminiscence. Each gives +18 percent Attack for a total gain of 36 percent.
Alternatively, a more DPS-inclined Shenhe could use a four-piece Blizzard Slayer Set, which gives:
- Two-piece: Cryo Damage Bonus +15 percent
- Four-piece: When a character attacks an opponent affected by Cryo, their Crit Rate is increased by 20 percent. If the opponent is Frozen, Crit Rate is increased by an additional 20 percent.
As for Artifact stats, opt for getting as much Attack percent as possible, while sneaking in Energy Recharge Sands if you opt for an Attack substat weapon. For her Goblet, it's highly recommended to opt for Attack percent to get the bonus Damage from her Elemental Skill. But if you run her as a Main DPS, a Cryo Damage Goblet is also viable.
Best Team For Shenhe
Shenhe is great to slot into Permafreeze team comps as a Support Cryo unit. This could look like a combination of Mona or Kokomi, Ayaka or Ganyu, Venti, Kazuha, or Sucrose, and Shenhe in the fourth slot.
Of course, there are alternative ways to go about this build, such as switching to a more Physical-inclined team with Kaeya or Rosaria as the Main DPS or using Chongyun instead of more popular Cryo picks. The main Hydro can also be swapped for Childe, while using Raiden Shogun instead of an Anemo character for Superconduct reactions is also viable.
Check out our Genshin Impact 2.4 | Leaks, New Characters, Release Date! to stay up-to-date with the latest happenings in the game.
Published: Nov 29, 2021 10:17 am