Genshin Impact: How Shenhe Compares To Other Cryo Users

Version 2.4 of Genshin Impact launches the Banner of the newest 5-star Cryo Polearm-user, Shenhe, along with the return of 5-Star Anemo Polearm-user Xiao on a concurrent Banner. Shenhe was announced alongside 4-Star Geo Polearm-user, Yun Jin, whose drop rate is increased during these times. Despite her appearance, Shenhe is a human who was taken in by the Adeptus Cloud Retainer following a tragic event in her childhood.

Due to Shenhe’s upbringing with Cloud Retainer, many citizens – including the Traveler and Paimon – first believe that she is an Adeptus from the way that she carries herself. The red ropes bound to Shenhe are meant to help suppress her violent tendencies. Despite this, Shenhe desires to rejoin human society.

Players are able to meet Shenhe in “The Crane Returns on the Wind” which is Act I of the Interlude Chapter of the Archon Quests. To begin this quest, players must first complete Chapter I: Act III – A New Star Approaches. This Interlude Chapter begins with the reconstruction of the Jade Chamber – belonging to Genshin Impact’s Ningguang – that was previously sacrificed in order to defeat the ancient sea god Osial.

Genshin Impact: Shenhe’s Cryo Skills & Abilities Explained

Shenhe’s Elemental Skill – Spring Spirit Summoning – grants all party members the Icy Quill effect. On press, Shenhe dashes forward with a Talisman Spirit and inflicts Cryo DMG to opponents in her path. On hold, the Talisman Spirit inflicts AoE Cryo DMG. Her Elemental Burst – Divine Maiden’s Deliverance – unleashes the power of the Talisman Spirit, creating a field that decreases Cryo and Physical RES of the opponents within it while dealing periodic Cryo DMG.

When unlocked, Shenhe’s first Passive skill, Deific Embrace, gives active characters within the field of Divine Maiden’s Deliverance a 15% Cryo DMG Bonus, making this one of Genshin Impact’s most useful Passives. Shenhe’s second Passive, Spirit Communion Seal, gives increased buffs to all nearby party members. After pressing Spring Spirit Summoning, all party members will have their Elemental Skill and Elemental Burst DMG increased by 15% for 10 seconds. After holding Spring Spirit Summoning, all party members will have their Normal, Charged, and Plunging Attack DMG increased by 15% for 15 seconds.

Genshin Impact: How Shenhe Compares As A Cryo DPS

When it comes to Genshin Impact’s powerful Cryo DPS characters, Ayaka, Eula, and Ganyu are among the most popular. DPS characters are able to deal massive DMG to enemies, allowing their team to conquer challenges with ease. Some of these characters may need high investment in order to perform at their max potential, while others may do well with low investment. Unfortunately, Shenhe cannot compete as a Cryo DPS character in Genshin Impact since she lacks the high scaling needed in order to output enough DMG for her team.

Players always have the option to build characters the way they want to. Shenhe can be given Artifacts typically given to DPS characters; in this case, it would be a 4-Piece Blizzard Strayer set, which gives a Cryo DMG Bonus and CRIT Rate increase. Shenhe may be able to act as a decent Cryo DPS if players lack other characters, though she is easily surpassed by characters such as Ganyu and Ayaka whose Elemental Skills and Bursts have much higher scaling.

Genshin Impact: How Shenhe Compares As A Cryo Support

Cryo Supports in Genshin Impact, such as Diona and Qiqi, are characters best utilized in a team with another Cryo character. This is to obtain Cryo Resonance, which increases CRIT Rate against enemies affected by Cryo. This also makes it easier for players to utilize Elemental Reactions such as Melt and Superconduct or keep enemies Frozen. Shenhe as a Cryo Support character should follow the same rule.

Since her Elemental Skill and Elemental Burst provide full-party buffs, Shenhe is best utilized in supporting the characters on her team. Similar to Diona – whose Elemental Burst at C6 allows a massive increase in Elemental Mastery, which increases Elemental DMG – Shenhe does well in providing these ATK buffs for her entire party to succeed. It is important to note that Shenhe’s skills are most impactful with other Cryo characters who can utilize the additional Cryo DMG Bonus, such as Genshin Impact’s Ayaka. With her support, Shenhe is able to make strong characters even more powerful.

Genshin Impact: Shenhe’s Best Role in a Team

Though Shenhe may not the strongest DMG-dealer, she is incredibly viable to those who favor Cryo team compositions as she can easily buff her entire team. Shenhe does well as a Cryo Support character in a team that contains both Cryo and Hydro. For example, Shenhe would work well with another Cryo-user such as Ayaka for DMG, an Anemo user such as Sucrose for Swirl, and a Hydro-user such as Xingqiu to keep enemies Frozen.

In addition to buffing characters on her team, Shenhe can act as a battery if she is given a weapon such as the Favonius Lance, which generates Elemental Particles depending on CRIT hits. In a Cryo Resonance team, CRIT hits can be obtained frequently as CRIT Rate is greatly increased. This makes Shenhe a powerful Support character as she is able to provide the Cryo DPS with massive buffs while allowing enough Particle generation for the entire team to keep their Elemental Skills charged and ready.

Shenhe as a character is similar to Genshin Impact’s 4-Star Geo Bow-user Gorou in that they are both best optimized in specific situations. Gorou is best used in a team with other Geo characters, as his buffs become stronger depending on the amount of Geo characters in a single team. Shenhe – while her third Passive gives characters of all Elements a buff – is best used with a Cryo DPS character since other non-Cryo characters will be unable to utilize the additional 15% Cryo DMG Bonus that she is capable of giving. For those looking to increase the DMG output of their Cryo DPS, Genshin Impact’s Shenhe is fully capable of being an exceptional Cryo Support.

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