Learn how to put together the best possible Raiden Shogun build in Genshin Impact.
Want to learn how to create the best build for the Raiden Shogun, a.k.a. Baal, in Genshin Impact?Raiden Shogun is the title given to the vessel of the Electro Archon of Inazuma inGenshin Impact. Until the Cataclysm that deity was Baal, and although Beelzebul has since taken over, you’ll still hear the Raiden Shogun referred to as Baal pretty much interchangeably. Confused? The important thing to understand is that the Raiden Shogun is a powerful 5-star, limited-time character; and if you’re fortunate enough to get her in your party, you’re going to want to know which builds work best for her. Read on below for our suggestions for the Raiden Shogun’s best weapons, artifacts, and more.
How to build Raiden Shogun as DPS/sub DPS in Genshin Impact
With the power of the Electro Archon coursing through her veins, it’s no surprise that Raiden Shogun is an accomplished damage-dealer. Opinions vary as to whether she’s best equipped to handle a DPS or sub DPS role: a slight majority seem to favour sub DPS, but I find her more than strong enough to head up a party. In the end, it really comes down to who you choose to pair her with: she’s suitable for either position, but she’s not quite the strongest character going, so she might be better off taking a secondary role if you have a real heavy-hitter on your team.
Alternative:The Catch
The Raiden Shogun wields a polearm, and though very few corporeal weapons are going to be as impressive as the literal power of an Electro god coursing through your veins, it makes sense to kit her out with something good. The Raiden Shogun’s sheer force means that she’s a good choice of DPS character for your party, and though her elemental powers are obviously where it’s at, there’s no sense skimping when it comes to her melee weapon for normal attacks.
TheEngulfing Lightningpolearm was released alongside the playable Raiden Shogun in the V2.1 update, and if it doesn’t literally have her name carved on the handle it might as well. As the name suggests, this weapon incorporates the user’s elemental powers into its attacks. The Raiden Shogun’s Attack is increased by 28% of her Energy Recharge over the base 100%, up to a maximum bonus of 80% (and these figures refer to the weapon at its most basic upgrade level). Furthermore, after using Elemental Burst with the Engulfing Lightning equipped, the Raiden Shogun gains 30% Energy Recharge for 12 seconds.
However, kitting out a 5-star character with a 5-star weapon is often easier said than done, especially if you’re building said character as a sub DPS. So for a 4-star alternative, considerThe Catch. Its effects increase Elemental Burst Damage by 16% and Elemental Burst Crit Rate by 6%, allowing Raiden Shogun to make the most of her melee and elemental attacks when she has it equipped.
Alternative:2 pieces each from Noblesse Oblige and Thundering Fury
The Raiden Shogun’s Artifact set should be focussed around boosts to her Elemental Burst attacks. Fortunately, thanks to her innate power, there are a number of options available that will do this very well, and you can choose to mix-and-match or go all-in on one set as best suits you.
TheEmblem of Severed Fateis perhaps the strongest choice, granting +20% to Energy Recharge with two pieces equipped and, with four pieces, increasing Elemental Burst Damage by 25% of Energy Recharge (for up to 75% bonus damage). However, there’s also a lot to be said for the trustyNoblesse Obligeset, which with just two pieces equipped will grant the Raiden Shogun an enviable 20% bonus to her Elemental Burst damage. Consider combining this with two pieces from the Thundering Fury set for a further 15% boost to Electro DMG; or you could just as well equip four pieces from either set for some more bonuses to Elemental Burst andElemental Reactionseither way.
To support a DPS or sub DPS build for Raiden Shogun, aim for the following stats and sub-stats on her artifacts:
Secondary:Transcendence: Baleful Omen (Elemental Skill)
By far the Raiden Shogun’s strongest talent, and the one you should prioritise her build around, is her Elemental BurstSecret Art: Musou Shinsetsu. Thanks to her being imbued with the powers of a deity, unleashing this Talent improves not only her own performance in battle but that of the rest of her party members as well.
Here’s a full list of the Raiden Shogun’s Talents:
5-star alternative:Eula as DPS, bumping the Shogun down to Sub DPS and replacing Diona
When building a team around Raiden Shogun, it’s best to begin by selecting characters who can create a usefulresonancewith her Electro elemental powers. Having a Hydro and a Cryo teammate for her nets you on-demand access to Electro-Charged and Superconduct, repsectively, both of which are solid damage-dealers. On a 4-star team I’d recommendBarbaraandDiona, who have the added bonus of being useful in support roles (healing and shields/healing, respectively). However, if you have a 5-star Cryo DPS character likeEula, it’s worth re-shuffling the team around them: replace the 4-star Cryo character (Diona’s shields are useful but ultimately retaining Barbara as healer will keep the team well-defended enough) and bump Raiden Shogun down to sub DPS.
Round out the team with a 4-star Anemo support character. I like to useSucrosefor this purpose, but if you don’t have her then theAnemo Travelerwill work as well. The Anemo support character can be helpful for grouping enemies, and their Swirl resonance will work with any of the other character’s elemental attacks to spread elemental damage across a wider area.
To fully ascend the Raiden Shogun you will need the following materials:
As with many characters at her level of exclusivity, the Raiden Shogun’s ascension materials can be quite rare finds. Amakumo Fruits are exclusively found on Seirai Island in Inazuma; Storm Beads are only dropped by Thunder Manifestations at Lvl 30+; and the various handguards she requires can be picked up from defeated Nobushi and Kairagi enemies, especially those at high levels.
To fully level up one of Raiden Shogun’s talents, you’ll need:
The materials given level up one of Raiden Shogun’s talents only — if you want to crown multiple of her talents, you need to collect all this multiple times.Handguards are dropped by Nobushi and Kairagi enemies you encounter throughout the Shogun’s native Inazuma. You can pick up the books required for her talents at the Violet Court domain (Wednesday/Saturday/Sunday only), while Molten Moments are exclusively picked up as rewards from completing the Signora Challenge at Level 70+. Finally, Crowns of Insight come from limited-time events or by making offerings to the Frostbearing Tree and the Sacred Sakura.
The Raiden Shogun’s Constellations feed perfectly into a build focussed on her as an Electro DPS main with Elemental Burst as a priority. Unfortunately, as a 5-star character, it can be incredibly costly to work through all of her Constellations, not to mention time-consuming thanks to her event exclusivity. Fortunately, they are somewhat less essential if you’re building her as a sub-DPS.
Below is a full list of the Raiden Shogun’s Constellations and what they do:
That’s everything you need to know about putting together a powerfully strong build for the Raiden Shogun, Genshin Impact’s latest playable Archon. To see where she fits in to Genshin Impact’s full character line-up, have a look at ourGenshin Impact character tier list. And now that Genshin Impact’s playable character roster has exceeded 40 heroes, you might be wondering how you can possibly manage to collect them all. Luckily, help is at hand in the form of our guide onhow to get more characters in Genshin Impact.
