Welcome! This Guide will cover every aspect of Shenhe build in Genshin Impact. Talent, Weapons, Artifacts, Constellations, Team Comps, etc.
Shenhe Overview – Genshin Impact Guide
Shenhe is an Cryo-element support character who can enhance the Cryo damage dealt by all nearby characters in the team.
Shenhe can summon the “Talisman Spirit” to assist in battle and apply the “Icy Quill” effect to all nearby characters in the team through her elemental skill, which increases their Cryo damage. She can also reduce the enemy’s Cryo resistance and physical resistance through her elemental burst.
Shenhe Level-Up Materials Chart – Genshin Impact
Talent Analysis Shenhe – Genshin Impact Guide
Talent Priority – Genshin Impact Shenhe Guide
Elemental Skill > Elemental Burst > Normal Attack/Charged Attack
Based on the talent mechanism, Shenhe is more of a support character, whose main mechanism is to increase the Cryo damage of all characters in the team after using her elemental skill. When upgrading skills, it is recommended to prioritize upgrading the elemental skill, followed by the elemental burst, and the normal attack/charged attack can be left un-upgraded. (Recommended skill level is 1/8/8 or higher)
Normal Attack
- Normal Attack consists of 5 stages and deals 6 hits, with the fourth stage dealing 2 hits and the other stages dealing 1 hit each.
- Starting from the third stage of normal attack, Shenhe’s attack has a long post-attack animation. As Shenhe mainly uses her elemental skill and elemental burst and then switches to the background, this skill can be left un-upgraded.
Elemental Skill (E)
- Pressing the skill button will produce 3 Cryo particles that hit enemies, and holding the button will produce 4 Cryo particles that hit enemies.
- Pressing the skill button will apply a Cryo Aura to the enemy (1 Gauge Unit, 9.5 seconds), and holding the skill button will apply a strong Cryo Aura to the enemy (2 Gauge Units, 12 seconds).
- After unlocking the first Constellation, the elemental skill can apply elemental gauge unit for multi-times without cooldown.
- This skill is calculated based on Shenhe’s current total attack power in real-time and does not have a snapshot mechanism.
The mechanism of Shenhe’s “Icy Quill”
“Icy Quill ” Basic Mechanisms (Basic Content)
Increases the Cryo DMG dealt by party members.
This skill is the core skill of Shenhe. After using an Elemental Skill, all party members gain a certain number of stacks of the “Icy Quill” effect, which increases the Cryo DMG dealt by them. This DMG bonus applies to the “base multiplier range” (see details in the “DMG Amplification Formula” below).
The number of “Icy Quill” accumulate consumed when hitting multiple enemies with one attack.
As shown in the two pictures above, when Shenhe uses an Elemental Skill, if her Cryo DMG skill hits 2 enemies at the same time while the “Icy Quill” effect is still active, it will consume 2 stacks of “Icy Quill” at once.
The stacks of “Icy Quill” consumed by each character do not affect each other (this also applies in the background).
The two images above show the damage dealt by Rosaria’s Elemental Skill after Kaeya’s Elemental Burst is cast. The damage from Icy Quill applies to every character in the party, and each character has an independent number of times they can consume Icy Quills.
The stacks of “Icy Quill” do not stack.
After unlocking the first constellation, if there are still unused stacks of “Icy Quill” after using an Elemental Skill, using it again will reset the number of stacks, and they will not accumulate.
Amplification Mechanism of Shenhe (Key Content)
Additional Information:
- The Basic Attribute is determined by the different attribute modules in the character skill description, which defaults to ATK, and the others are DEF, HP, and Elemental Mastery, etc.
- Catalyze reaction affects the “base multiplier range,” which adds to the product of “basic attribute x multiplier.”
- The basic coefficient of Damage Bonus and Critical Damage is 1, and the coefficient sum is “1 + other damage bonus/critical damage percentages.”
- Only attacks that trigger Amplification Reactions (vaporize/melt) will have additional amplification coefficients, which default to 1.
- Defense coefficient is related to the level of the character and enemies, and Resistance coefficient is related to the enemy’s resistance.
Shenhe’s Elemental Skill affects the “base multiplier range,” and its effect is similar to that of Yun Jin’s Elemental Burst amplification mechanism (see “Damage Calculation of Icy Quill” below for details).
The damage calculation method of Shenhe’s Elemental Skill can be found in the “Damage Calculation of Icy Quill” content below.
Damage Calculation of Shenhe’s “Icy Quill” Mechanism (Expanded Content)
After Shenhe uses her elemental skill, the damage calculation of the Cryo element character in the team (taking Kaeya as an example)
Using the Cryo element skill Frostgnaw (other Cryo element damage is similar) is:
(Kaeya’s current total attack power × Frostgnaw skill multiplier + Shenhe’s current total attack power × Cryowing damage increase) × character Damage Bonus coefficient × character Critical Damage coefficient × Amplification coefficient × enemy defense coefficient × enemy resistance coefficient
Additional notes:
- Assuming that the attack produced a critical hit.
- The character damage bonus, critical damage, amplification coefficient are related to Kaeya (i.e., the character who caused the Cryo element damage). Enemy defense coefficient is related to the character and the enemy. The enemy’s resistance coefficient is related to the enemy itself.
- If the attack triggers a melt reaction, the amplification coefficient will be further calculated based on Kaeya’s elemental mastery. If it does not trigger, the amplification coefficient is default to 1.
Simply put, this value of “Shenhe’s attack × Icy Quill multiplier” will be multiplied increase to other characters’ damage.
Elemental Burst (Q)
The attack and subsequent field attacks of the Elemental Burst can apply 1 Gauge Unit (Cyro aura 9.5s), and the field attack follows the rule of “When hitting the same enemy, the character applies 1 Gauge Unit every 2.5 seconds with 2 hits.”
Resistance reduction will reach its maximum value (15%) at level 10, but in terms of overall cost-effectiveness, it is recommended to upgrade to level 6-8, and higher levels should be considered based on your own resources.
Passive Talent
Passive Talent 1: After using the Elemental Burst, characters on the field gain a Cryo damage bonus, which belongs to the “damage bonus range.”
Passive Talent 2: Different ways of using the elemental skill can increase the damage dealt by characters in the team, belonging to the “damage bonus range,” and are calculated together with elemental/physical damage bonuses.
Passive Talent 3: This talent is consistent with the Passive Talent 3 of Yelan.
Weapons – Genshin Impact Shenhe Guide
Weapon selection explanation
- As indicated by the talent analysis section, Shenhe’s core mechanism lies in elemental skill, so when selecting weapons to pair with Cryo damage output characters, the first thing to consider is attack. Therefore, weapons with substats of percentage attack power, such as Calamity Queller, Vortex Vanquisher, Wavebreaker’s Fin, Missive Windspear, and the Royal Spear, can be good choices for Shenhe.
- After using her elemental burst, Shenhe can lower the enemy’s Cryo/physical resistance, further increasing the damage of characters in the party. Therefore, in addition to weapons with substats of attack power, weapons with substats of Energy recharge can also be considered to promote the loop of elemental bursts, such as the Engulfing Lightning, Skyward Spine, Favonius Lance, the Catch, and the Prototype Starglitter.
- For low-Constellation Shenhe, it is recommended to prioritize weapons that enhance support abilities (i.e., choose weapons with attack or energy recharge substats). For Shenhe with four or more Constellation, consider stacking double crit to increase Shenhe’s skill burst damage.
- Passive effects of weapons like Primordial Jade Winged-Spear and the Vortex Vanquisher cannot be triggered in the background.
- When using the Favonius Lance, Shenhe needs to stack crit rate to trigger its weapon effect and increase the number of elemental orbs produced by the team.
Artifact Introduction – Genshin Impact Shenhe Guide
Recommended Artifact – Genshin Impact Shenhe Guide
Substats Priority – Genshin Impact Shenhe Guide
Energy recharge ≥ percentage attack > crit rate (Favonius Lance) > others
Artifact selection and attribute explanation – Genshin Impact Shenhe Guide
- The main purpose of selecting artifact sets for Shenhe is to increase her own attack power and boost her teammates’ damage, such as using the Noblesse Oblige 4-piece set or a combination of 2+2 piece attack sets. One character in the team equipped with 4 pieces of Noblesse Oblige artifacts is enough.
- If you want to balance the casting of elemental bursts, it is recommended to prioritize the energy recharge clock or stacking substats of Energy recharge, recommended at 200% or above (at zero constellation).
- Non-output gameplay does not require deliberately stacking double crit, and for output gameplay, it is recommended to maintain a ratio of 1:2 between crit rate and crit damage.
Shenhe’s Constellation Effects Guide in Genshin Impact
Shenhe’s Constellation – Genshin Impact Guide
Explanation of Constellation Effects – Genshin Impact Shenhe Guide
- Unlocking the first constellation optimizes Shenhe’s Elemental Burst cycle and allows for the resetting of the Icy Quill counter upon casting the Elemental Skill again.
- Unlocking the second constellation increases the duration of the Elemental Burst and raises the Cryo damage critical hit damage of all characters on the field. This critical hit damage increase is not displayed on the character panel and cannot be snapshot , such as those of Faruzan, Kujo Sara, and Gorou at C6.
- The fourth constellation increases the Elemental Skill damage based on the number of Icy Quill stacks consumed by the team. Although it boosts Shenhe’s own damage output, its overall cost-effectiveness is relatively low, and it is not recommended to specifically aim for this constellation.
- Unlocking the sixth constellation eliminates the Icy Quill counter consumption of normal and charged attacks by team members during the Elemental Burst’s duration. This means that normal and charged attacks of all characters will benefit from the Icy Quill damage increase during this time. (Chongyun and C6 Shenhe can turn all characters into Cryo carrier.)
Overall, C0 Shenhe is primarily used as a support character to boost Cryo damage by using her Elemental Skill and Burst. The C1 constellation adds extra Elemental Skill casts, reducing the cooldown wait time and optimizing the Elemental Burst cycle. The cost-effectiveness of the constellations from C2 to C5 is relatively low, so it is not recommended to specifically aim for them. To maximize Shenhe’s support potential, it is best to unlock the sixth constellation and pair her with Chongyun to turn many characters into Cryo carrier.
Shenhe’s Best Team Comps – Genshin Impact Guide
Frozen Team Comps
Kamisato Ayaka + Shenhe + Kaedehara Kazuha + Sangonomiya Kokomi
Shenhe and Ayaka form a double Cryo resonance that increases critical hit rate When facing enemies under the influence of cryo and in a frozen state. Kaedehara Kazuha with the Viridescent Venerer set reduces the enemy’s elemental resistance and provides additional elemental damage bonuses through his passive talents. Sangonomiya Kokomi’s Elemental Skill provides stable Hydro aura, allowing enemies to remain frozen for longer periods.
Recommended output technique
Shenhe (EQ) -> Kaedehara Kazuha (EQ) -> Sangonomiya Kokomi (E) -> Ayaka Sprint (Hold) then A then EQ then attack
Relevant Character Guide
Kamisato Ayaka Build
- When paired with a 4-piece Blizzard Strayer set, prioritize stacking critical damage and percentage attack, with critical rate recommended to be between 25-35%.
- When using weapons like the Primordial Jade Cutter or The Black Sword with critical rate, consider pairing them with “2+2” or “Emblem of Severed Fate 4 – piece set”.
Sangonomiya Kokomi Build
- When not on the field, prioritize upgrading elemental skill, and when on the field, upgrade normal attack/charged attack.
- In a team with Hyperbloom, there’s no need to stack elemental mastery, but it can be stacked based on the team composition in a team with Hyperbloom Nilou.
Kaedehara Kazuha Build
- When energy recharge is below 150%, prioritize using energy recharge weapons.
- Prioritize stacking elemental mastery, followed by energy recharge. The Favonius Sword requires critical rate.
- When not using an anemo damage playstyle, it’s possible to not upgrade the character’s skill.
Pure Cyro direct DMG Team Comps
Cryo DMG output + Shenhe+ Kaedehara Kazuha + others
This team composition enhances the output ability of cryo damage characters such as Shenhe and Kaedehara Kazuha, creating a “pure cryo team”. For the fourth character, consider choosing a hydro element character with the ability to cause Hydro Aura, such as Mona or Sangonomiya Kokomi, or an suppot character such as Bennett or Zhongli that can further increase the damage of cryo damage characters.
This playstyle can be flexibly chosen based on the details of the enemy, whether to use a hydro element character to create a Frozen playstyle or to use a pure cryo team for output.
Melt Burst Team Comps
Cryo element output + Shenhe+ Xiangling/Kazuha + Bennett
▶Cryo Damage Output Characters: Rosaria, Ganyu, Chongyun, Kaeya, etc.
Utilize Shenhe’s Icy Quill mechanism to have as many damage as possible. This team composition has more melt reaction DMG compared to the cryo damage direct damage output team, which can further enhance the damage of Shenhe’s Icy Quill.
Some cryo damage characters have a relatively simple output skill, such as Rosaria and Kaeya, which rely on elemental bursts for cryo damage output. When facing certain enemies, it’s important to pay attention to the cycle of elemental bursts.
Recommended output technique
Bennett’s Q + E, Xiangling’s Q + E, Shenhe’s E + Q, Cryo damage character output.
Relevant Character Guide
Bennett Build
It is recommended to prioritize high base attack and energy recharge weapons.
For support roles choose noblesse oblige artifact set, and for reaction teams, choose instructor artifact set.
You can consider equipping Cyro bonus, Energy Recharge and CRIT bonus artifacts.If with high-crit damage and attack weapons
Xiangling Build
it is recommended to have an energy recharge rate of at least 240%.
Prioritize energy recharge sub-stats, followed by critical damage, attack, and elemental mastery sub-stats.
Ganyu Build
For a frozen team, prioritize critical damage and attack weapons. For artifacts, choose the “Blizzard Strayer” set, and aim for a critical rate of 20-30%.
For a melt team, prioritize both critical damage and elemental mastery, as well as a percentage of attack bonus. For artifacts, choose the “Wanderer’s Troupe” set and aim for a critical rate of 60-80%.
As for other gameplay strategies
Some travelers have discovered that Shenhe’s elemental burst can reduce enemy physical resistance, which has led to the idea of pairing her with physical damage dealers like Eula. However, this strategy requires careful consideration as Eula’s energy cost is quite high and Shenhe’s energy recharge rate is relatively slow. Therefore, while this pairing is possible, it is not recommended as a top priority.