Name: Shenhe
Vision: Cryo
Birthday: 10 March
Constellation: Crista Doloris
Titles: Divine Damsel of Devastation, Ethereal Soul Amidst the Mortal Realm, Lonesome Transcendence
Shenhe in Genshin Impact is the best pick for a Cryo team. She’s a great support character for Cryo (and, to a lesser extent, Physical) DPS characters. Her skills revolve around buffing and supporting them, as you’ll see if you read on.
Her Elemental Skill, Spring Spirit Summoning, has a different effect when the button is tapped or held. When tapped, the spirit cloaks Shenhe as she dashes toward an enemy, dealing Cryo DMG. Shenhe summons it in front of her to deal Cryo DMG if held. Both methods will apply the ‘Icy Quill’ effect to the active character.
With the Icy Quill, any Cryo-infused attack (Normal, Charged, Plunging, Elemental Skill, or Burst) will have its damage boosted in proportion to Shenhe’s current ATK stat. Depending on whether the skill was tapped or held, the buff takes effect for 5 or 7 attacks. Each stack is also counted independently for each party member. That means for the duration of the buff (10s/15s press/hold, respectively), even if one character has used up their Icy Quills, the others still have them.
Notice that it says, ‘Shenhe’s current ATK.’ When the attack hits, each Icy Quill application is calculated based on Shenhe’s ATK. It also means buffs like the 4-set Noblesse or Bennett’s Q can double-boost damage. First, by increasing the ATK of the active character and then through Shenhe’s Icy Quills. The latter of which is already boosted by the other buffs.
Her Burst, Divine Maiden’s Deliverance, summons the Talisman Spirit that creates a field. Enemies within the field would periodically get hit with Cryo DMG and lower their Cryo and Physical RES. The area of effect lasts for 12 seconds. Combine this with the Icy Quills, and a Cryo-only team would have their DPS boosted.
Shenhe Build Genshin Impact
Burst Support
This is where Shenhe shines best. Give her four Noblesse Oblige artifacts and buff your party with the Icy Quills and the artifact effect. Since her E scales off her current ATK, her Burst can boost the buff of her Quills. Her kit revolves around supporting other characters, and this takes advantage of that to the fullest.
Main Stat: ATK%/Energy Recharge, ATK%/Cryo DMG Bonus, Crit Rate/DMG or ATK%
Substats: Crit DMG/Rate, ATK, Energy Recharge
Sub-DPS
A build that focuses on dealing damage through Bursts and the buffs from the Icy Quills. Focuses more on ATK. Use the Blizzard Strayer set or 2-set Gladiator’s Finale and Shimenawa’s Reminiscence. Note that the former will increase the damage of Shenhe’s Q and E, while the latter provides an overall damage increase and buff effectiveness. It’s up to you to figure out what works best.
Use the same stat priorities as the above build.
Budget
The Exile and 2-set Brave Heart and Resolution of Sojourner are the best fit for Shenhe among the 4-star artifacts. You should still use the same stat priorities unless using The Exile, which decreases the need for Energy Recharge. Your choice of weapon also influences the stats you need to build.
Weapons
Her signature weapon is the Calamity Queller, but some other weapons are okay to use. Here’s a list of those:
- Engulfing Lightning
- Skyward Spine
- Vortex Vanquisher
- Favonius Lance
- The Catch
- Wavebreaker’s Fin
Your best weapon depends on what you need (ATK% or ER) and what you have on hand. Getting The Catch might take some work, but it’s your best bet if you’re unlucky in your pulls.
Genshin Impact Shenhe Materials
To Ascend Shenhe to the max level, you’ll need:
- 1 Shivada Jade Sliver
- 9 Shivada Jade Fragments
- 9 Shivada Jade Chunks
- 6 Shivada Jade Gemstones
- 168 Qingxin
- 46 Dragonheir’s False Fin
- 18 Whopperflower Nectar
- 30 Shimmering Nectar
- 36 Energy Nectar
- 420k Mora
You can farm the elemental stones from the following bosses:
- Cryo Hypostasis
- Cryo Regisvine
- Primo Geovishap
- Maguu Kenki
- Perpetual Mechanical Array
- Bathysmal Vishap Herd
- Andrius, Wolf of the North
- La Signora
- Childe
If farming for the stones only, the Cryo Hypostasis and Regisvine are the best choices. The other bosses could give other elemental gems, including the Bathysmal Vishap Herd. That’s the boss that will provide the Dragonheir’s False Fin. Qingxin can be found in Liyue, especially in high places. Qiqi or Yanfei can help find them. Whopperflowers are always around in Teyvat, sometimes disguised as flowers. Known disguises are:
- Sweet Flowers
- Mint
- Small Lamp Grass
In a quest, they’re also seen to disguise themselves as Glaze Lillies, and bizarrely one took a human form (in an event). You can see through their disguises in a few ways:
- A different icon in the prompt to pick them up
- Disguises don’t sparkle
- In the case of Small Lamp Grass, disguises don’t glow (especially obvious at night)
- Elemental Sight can also reveal them
As for skills, here are all the materials you need to max out one ability (all three in parentheses):
- 6 (18) Whopperflower Nectar
- 22 (66) Shimmering Nectar
- 31 (93) Energy Nectar
- 3 (9) Teachings of Prosperity
- 21 (63) Guides to Prosperity
- 38 (114) Philosophies of Prosperity
- 6 (18) Hellfire Butterfly
- 1 (3) Crown of Insight
- 1,652,500 (4,957,500) Mora
Genshin Impact Shenhe Lore (Backstory)
A popular Liyue opera performer, Yun Jin, made a performance based on her story. In the opera, there was once a small town. A loving couple lived there until the wife died of sickness. The husband searched and searched for a way to bring her back. He summoned an evil spirit, but it had asked for one of the children to be sacrificed in exchange for his wife.
The other villagers were unwilling to offer their children, but one stepped up. However, instead of passively being a victim, the child stood up to the evil spirit and defeated it. The fight attracted a passing adepti, and they took the kid as a disciple.
The child grew up into a young woman and returned to the village. She found nothing but a house long abandoned, and though she had no attachment to it, she still felt a bit lonely.
Yun Jin would’ve ended the story there. However, after meeting Shenhe and the Traveler during the contest to rebuild the Jade Chamber, she added a sort of epilogue to her opera. The Divine Damsel of Devastation had found a friend that could facilitate her return to the mortal world.
Shenhe liked this story based on her own, but the truth was more tragic. The couple was actually her parents, and she was unwillingly sacrificed to the spirit. It took her days of fighting to defeat the summoned evil. If Cloud Retainer had not been passing by, she would’ve died afterward.
Cloud Retainer and the other adepti took care of her. Shenhe became the disciple of the adepti, learning their arts. The battle also inflicted her with the ‘Curse of Calamity.’ It was said that she would hurt those close to her, and she does have many violent urges. The adepti used red ropes to seal those urges, but they were so strong that some of her emotions were locked alongside them.
As it is, Shenhe is entirely removed from ordinary common sense. Many of her behaviors would seem strange to an average citizen of Liyue. Threats would almost always be the first thing out of her mouth in a confrontation. She would order many dishes but only sample them once or twice. Her indifference caused by the lack of emotion turns people away from getting to know her as a friend. All these behaviors make people think she’s an adepti, something Shenhe grew tired of correcting.
Her most precious item was a jade comb Cloud Retainer had given her. It had become a keepsake of her connection with the adepti.
After being rescued from her intense battle, the child did nothing but climb the mountain and look at the clouds. She would sleep when tired, drink thirsty, and chew on some Qingxin when hungry. So Cloud Retainer made a comb of white jade.
The adeptus gave it to her, telling her that if she wanted to sever ties with the mortal world, she would have to use it to brush her hair thrice. In doing so, she’ll accept a rite of discipleship with the adeptus. Shenhe did so with no hesitation. The first pass turned part of her black locks white. The next one increased the white portions. With the third pass, all of her hair had become a frosty white.
Only later, when she had grown, did she understand the meaning of the three strokes.
- To uproot anxiety
- To forsake joy and sorrow
- To walk the path without regret
She keeps the comb to remember these three things as well.
