The ongoing Sumeru Arc in Genshin Impact is drawing to a close, leaving players eagerly anticipating the upcoming 3.8 and 4.0 version updates. In the 3.7 update brings forth a variety of additions to the game including the introduction of a brand-new character named Kirara, as well as engaging hangout quests and events to deepen the game's lore further. However, it is the large expansion of the Genius Invokation TCG that has truly captured the attention of dedicated players. While some fans may be slightly disappointed with certain aspects of this update in Genshin Impact due to lack of other content, TCG enthusiasts have been treated to a treasure trove of new cards. This influx of new cards has the potential to reshape the metagame, giving rise to new strategies and creative combos.
One of the playable character cards added with this update is Shenhe, who is primarily an off-field support character that particularly benefits physical and cryo-focused decks, making her playstyle not so different from her actual playstyle. Her Elemental Skill creates an icy quill, which increases the damage of each Cryo damage for a certain number of usages. Her Elemental Burst, on the other hand, creates a summon that only deals Cryo damage at the end of the turn, making it excellent for additional Cryo application, while extending Cryo and Physical damage as well. As such, when these abilities are combined, players can expect significant damage from their Cryo characters in particular.
Shenhe Card & Skills
Shenhe's card is quite easy to obtain, as with many other available character cards. Players simply need to invite her to a Friendly Fracas duel at the Cat's Tail using a Match invitation letter. Furthermore, to obtain her Talent card, players just need to complete the additional objectives. This makes Shenhe a readily accessible card, even for new players, who are interested in pairing her with their other favorite characters from the available roster.
Normal Attack: Dawnstar Piercer
Primary Dice | 1 Cryo |
|---|---|
Secondary Dice | 2 Unaligned |
Effect | Deals 2 Physical DMG. |
Elemental Skill: Spring Spirit Summoning
Primary Dice | 3 Cryo |
|---|---|
Effect | Deals 2 Cryo DMG, creates 1 Icy Quill. |
Special Effect | Icy Quill Your character deals 1 increased Cryo DMG (Includes the DMG triggered by Cryo-infused Swirl reactions). Usage(s): 3 |
Elemental Burst: Divine Maiden's Deliverance
Primary Dice | 3 Cryo |
|---|---|
Energy Cost | 2 Energy |
Effect | Deals 1 Cryo DMG, summons 1 Talisman Spirit. |
Special Effect | Talisman Spirit End Phase: Deal 1 Cryo DMG. Usage(s): 2When this Summon is on the field: Opposing character(s) take +1 Cryo DMG and Physical DMG. |
Shenhe's Talent Card: Mystical Abandon
Shenhe's talent card may seem quite situational, but it can be useful in many situations. This is because the card reduces the depletion of Icy Quill's usages, allowing players to use it for a longer duration with characters who rely on Normal attacks. As a result, players won't need to swap back as frequently to reapply Shenhe's Icy Quill effect, potentially saving dice and turns that can be used for additional damage output. Overall, it provides a significant benefit for the entire party.
Best Shenhe Decks
Being a support character for physical and cryo teams, Shenhe can provide useful utility in various team compositions where the primary DPS focuses on either of these elements. Interestingly, Shenhe's utility is not restricted to just Cryo characters. Her Icy Quill ability explicitly states that it also enhances the damage of Cryo-infused swirls, making her viable in teams that emphasize swirl reactions. With that in mind, certain character combinations, such as the examples below, can yield exceptional performance if players employ effective strategies and character synergies:
Shenhe + Xiao + Venti
Considering the significant effectiveness of Icy Quill in swirl compositions, Shenhe pairs exceptionally well with Xiao and Venti to ensure consistent Cryo application that can then be swirled by both Xiao and Venti. Moreover, since both Xiao and Venti facilitate efficient dice management for character swapping, Shenhe can easily reapply Icy Quill or apply Cryo when needed. This deck serves as an excellent combo disrupter, as the swirl reactions force opponents to switch characters while dealing substantial damage.
Additionally, although not directly inherent to the deck's capabilities, it can partially function as a Freeze deck when facing opponents utilizing Hydro characters like Xingqiu or Kokomi, who inadvertently freeze themselves by applying Hydro. Ensuring frequent quick character swapping is crucial in this deck to maximize Xiao's plunging damage output. While achieving this may prove challenging in every scenario, Shenhe's talent card, which allows Normal Attacks to retain a usage once per turn, coupled with select action cards, can yield remarkable results.
Shenhe + Eula + Raiden Shogun
When considering characters specializing in Physical damage, Eula undoubtedly comes to mind as one of the top contenders. Her prowess in dealing Physical damage makes her an ideal choice to be paired with Shenhe, who not only provides access to Cryo resonance cards but also enhances Eula's damage output with both her Physical and Cryo attacks. Additionally, Raiden Shogun brings significant value to this team composition through her supportive abilities, despite the fact that the Superconduct elemental reaction functions differently in the Genius Invokation TCG compared to the actual gameplay, where it enhances Physical damage.
Apart from utilizing Raiden Shogun for her Electro application and damage potential, her greatest contribution to this team lies in generating additional energy for both characters. To maximize effectiveness, it is recommended that players activate Raiden Shogun's Elemental Skill and Burst as soon as possible, followed by swapping to Shenhe to utilize her Elemental Skill and Elemental Burst. This rotation allows for swift damage escalation for Eula while also granting access to Shenhe's formidable Elemental Burst, capable of swiftly dispatching opponent characters.
Shenhe + Mona + Ayaka
Another incredibly powerful team composition featuring Shenhe involves pairing her with Ayaka and Mona to create a formidable Freeze-oriented strategy. This combination not only allows for consistent freezing of enemies, effectively disrupting their combos and providing a defensive advantage, but also boasts remarkable offensive capabilities due to the synergistic nature of Ayaka and Shenhe's abilities. Similar to the Eula pairing, teaming up Shenhe with Ayaka also benefits from Cryo resonance, but what truly makes Shenhe invaluable to Ayaka is the fact that Ayaka can infuse her Normal Attacks with Cryo upon swapping in, thanks to her passive ability.
This enables Ayaka to fully capitalize on Shenhe's kit and talent card, even when dice management becomes challenging. As a result, Ayaka can consistently deal Cryo damage, even with unaligned dice, while benefiting from the enhanced state provided by both Icy Quill and Talisman Spirit's effects. For an optimal rotation, it is recommended that players begin with Mona's Elemental Skill for her summon and swiftly swap to Shenhe to utilize her Elemental Skill and Elemental Burst before transitioning into Ayaka for maximum damage output.
Recommended Action Cards
While the recommended action cards vary depending on the specific team composition (for example, using the "Plunging Strike" card for the Xiao pairing), there are certain cards that prove exceptionally useful for all of the aforementioned deck combinations. One crucial card to utilize is the Elemental Resonance cards, which provide valuable synergy benefits. Additionally, cards that aid in dice management, such as "Timmie," "Varanara," and "The Bestest Travel Companion," prove to be essential, along with others that facilitate quick character swapping, like "Katheryne," "Leave It To Me!," "Changing Shifts," and "Dawn Winery." Cards that provide energy regeneration for characters can also prove highly advantageous, allowing Shenhe and other supports to quickly access their Bursts and swap to the main DPS character earlier, thereby maximizing damage output.
Furthermore, players should be mindful of utilizing healing cards, particularly food cards, as none of the aforementioned decks possess inherent healing capabilities and are susceptible to early defeat, particularly when facing decks that can either maintain their HP with shields or stall the opponent.
Genshin Impact is now available on Mobile, PC, PS4, and PS5. A Switch version is in development.