Shenhe the 5-star Cryo Polearm character that was added in Genshin Impact 2.4, is the disciple of the mythical being Cloud Retainer. As a support character, she truly shines when you built a team that plays around with the Cryo utility she provides. Here’s one of the best Shenhe builds that you can try for your Genshin Impact team.

YouTuber Hydrosam has made a pretty detailed Genshin Impact video regarding Shenhe’s build. But if you prefer a text guide or don’t have time to watch the 11-minutes long video, you can read the key takeaways below.

In the Genshin Impact video above, one of the most important things that Hydrosam points out is Shenhe is not a damage dealer. Instead, Shenhe’s role in a team is to keep putting out Icy Quills, either in the middle of combat or out of enemy’s range, to boost other characters’ Cryo attacks.

Shenhe: Best Team Members

  • Kokomi: One of the best options for a freeze team composition with good healing.
  • Mona: Second best option if you can pull off the team rotation.
  • Aika/Ganyu: Both bursts last long enough to buff Shenhe’s elemental skill.
  • Eula: Good with either physical or Cryo build. Also, pair her with Razor.
  • Rosaria: Same with Eula.
  • Diona.
  • Any Cryo 4-star.

 

Genshin Impact: Best Equipment for Shenhe Build

  • Calamity Queller: It has energy recharge for consistent bursting. Can’t go wrong with this one.
  • Base Attack: 49
  • Bonus Effect: ATK +
  • Skill Effect: Gain a 12% Elemental DMG Bonus. Obtain Consummation for 20s after using an Elemental Skill, causing ATK to increase by 3.2% per second. This ATK increase has a maximum of 6 stacks. When the character equipped with this weapon is not on the field, Consummation’s ATK increase is doubled.
  • Favonius Lance: If you build Shenhe for high critical rates and building elemental particles (and lucky with the gacha), then this is another best option for you.
  • Base Attack: 44
  • Bonus Effect: Energy Recharge + 6.7%
  • Skill Effect: CRIT Hits have a 60% chance to generate a small amount of Elemental Particles, which will regenerate 6 Energy for the character. Can only occur once every 12s.
  • Skyward Spine: Comes with a high base attack and again, has an energy recharge bonus.
  • Base Attack: 48
  • Bonus Effect: Energy Recharge + 8.0%
  • Skill Effect: Increases CRIT Rate by 8% and increases Normal ATK SPD by 12%. Additionally, Normal and Charged Attacks hits on enemies have a 50% chance to trigger a vacuum blade that deals 40% of ATK as DMG in a small AoE. This effect can occur no more than once every 2s.
  • Lithic Spear: Use this if you’re already comfortable with the energy recharge from your Artifact sets.
  • Base Attack: 44
  • Bonus Effect: ATK + 6.0%
  • Skill Effect: For every character in the party who hails from Liyue, the character who equips this weapon gains 7% ATK increase and a 3% CRIT Rate increase. This effect stacks up to 4 times.
  • Vortex Vanquisher: If you have bad luck with the gacha and can’t get the other ones, then this is the best energy recharge Polearm for your buck.
  • Base Attack: 46
  • Bonus Effect: ATK + 10.8%
  • Skill Effect: Increases Shield Strength by 20%. Scoring hits on opponents increases ATK by 4% for 8s. Max 5 stacks. Can only occur once every 0.3s. While protected by a shield, this ATK increase effect is increased by 100%.
  • Prototype Starglitter: Now if you are a free-to-play player through and through, you don’t have many options. This one is practically the best one you can get.
  • Base Attack: 44
  • Bonus Effect: Energy Recharge + 7.5%
  • Skill Effect: After using an Elemental Skill, increases Normal and Charged Attack DMG by 8% for 12s. Max 2 stacks.
  • Shimenawa’s Reminiscence:
  • 2-pieces: ATK +18%
  • Gladiator’s Finale:
  • 2-pieces: ATK +18%
  • Emblem of Severed Fate:
  • 2-pieces: Energy Recharge +20%
  • 4-pieces: Increases Elemental Burst DMG by 25% of Energy Recharge. A maximum of 75% bonus DMG can be obtained in this way.
  • Blizzard Strayer:
  • 2-pieces: Cryo DMG Bonus +15%
  • 4-pieces: When a character attacks an opponent affected by Cryo, their CRIT Rate is increased by 20%. If the opponent is Frozen, CRIT Rate is increased by an additional 20%.

Use 2-pieces of Shimenawa’s Reminiscence and Gladiator’s Finale to boost her attack for the Icy Quills with attack percentage bonuses and energy recharge sub-stats. Meanwhile, if you’re making a DPS build then use Blizzard Strayer to increase your critical hits. Hydrosam himself prefers a hybrid build using 2-pieces of Shimenawa’s Reminiscence and Emblem of Severed Fate with Cryo Damage bonus stats. Use 4-pieces Emblem of Severed Fate if you want to focus on burst damage.

  • Base Attack: 49

  • Bonus Effect: ATK +

  • Skill Effect: Gain a 12% Elemental DMG Bonus. Obtain Consummation for 20s after using an Elemental Skill, causing ATK to increase by 3.2% per second. This ATK increase has a maximum of 6 stacks. When the character equipped with this weapon is not on the field, Consummation’s ATK increase is doubled.

  • Base Attack: 44

  • Bonus Effect: Energy Recharge + 6.7%

  • Skill Effect: CRIT Hits have a 60% chance to generate a small amount of Elemental Particles, which will regenerate 6 Energy for the character. Can only occur once every 12s.

  • Base Attack: 48

  • Bonus Effect: Energy Recharge + 8.0%

  • Skill Effect: Increases CRIT Rate by 8% and increases Normal ATK SPD by 12%. Additionally, Normal and Charged Attacks hits on enemies have a 50% chance to trigger a vacuum blade that deals 40% of ATK as DMG in a small AoE. This effect can occur no more than once every 2s.

  • Base Attack: 44

  • Bonus Effect: ATK + 6.0%

  • Skill Effect: For every character in the party who hails from Liyue, the character who equips this weapon gains 7% ATK increase and a 3% CRIT Rate increase. This effect stacks up to 4 times.

  • Base Attack: 46

  • Bonus Effect: ATK + 10.8%

  • Skill Effect: Increases Shield Strength by 20%. Scoring hits on opponents increases ATK by 4% for 8s. Max 5 stacks. Can only occur once every 0.3s. While protected by a shield, this ATK increase effect is increased by 100%.

  • Base Attack: 44

  • Bonus Effect: Energy Recharge + 7.5%

  • Skill Effect: After using an Elemental Skill, increases Normal and Charged Attack DMG by 8% for 12s. Max 2 stacks.

  • 2-pieces: ATK +18%

  • 2-pieces: Energy Recharge +20%

  • 4-pieces: Increases Elemental Burst DMG by 25% of Energy Recharge. A maximum of 75% bonus DMG can be obtained in this way.

  • 2-pieces: Cryo DMG Bonus +15%

  • 4-pieces: When a character attacks an opponent affected by Cryo, their CRIT Rate is increased by 20%. If the opponent is Frozen, CRIT Rate is increased by an additional 20%.

Hydrosam mentioned that Constellations for Shenhe are not really important at all. But if do want to, go for C1 Clarity of Heart to add the elemental skill usage and C2 Centered Spirit. C3 Seclusion and C6 Mystical Abandon to buff up your Icy Quills stacks are pretty good picks as well but only if you can afford it.

Genshin Impact is available on PC, Android, iOS, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5 platforms.