Genshin Impact Elements
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Characters wielding the Pyro element unleash fiery attacks that can apply burn status and trigger powerful reactions like Vaporize, Melt, Overloaded, and Burgeon, resulting in increased damage. Pyro is commonly used in DPS-focused builds. -
Hydro based attacks and talents can apply wet status and trigger elemental reactions like Vaporize, Electro-Charged, Frozen, and Bloom, often enabling support or reaction-heavy team compositions. Hydro is a well-rounded element, often associated with healer or support characters. -
Electro characters use lightning-based attacks that can trigger Overloaded, Superconduct, Electro-Charged, Aggravate, and Hyperbloom elemental reactions. It is commonly used for sustained off-field damage, energy generation, and triggering Dendro and Hydro-based reactions. Great, well-rounded element. -
Cryo characters utilize ice-based abilities to apply freeze and slow effects, enabling reactions like Melt, Superconduct, Frozen, and Shatter for high burst or debuff potential. Cryo is frequently used in crit-focused DPS builds or physical damage support teams.
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Anemo users control wind to group enemies, apply crowd control, and trigger Swirl reactions that spread other elemental effects. Anemo excels in support and sub-DPS roles. -
Geo characters manipulate earth to create shields, structures, and persistent damage fields. The only elemental reaction you can trigger is Crystalize. This generates shards you can pick up, gaining a defensive shield for your on-field character. Although you can find some awesome Geo characters in Genshin, the Geo element is not that popular because of it's underwhelming Crystalize reaction. -
Dendro uses nature-based abilities that trigger complex reactions like Burning, Bloom (setup for Burgeon and Hyperbloom), and Quicken (setup for Spread and Aggravate). Dendro plays a key role in elemental synergy, with really useful elemental reactions. It pairs especially well with Electro and Hydro characters.
Elemental reactions
Elemental Reactions occur when two different elements interact with an enemy. An elemental reaction can deal extra damage, apply debuffs, or create useful bonuses depending on the combination.
| Elements | Reaction | Type | Effect |
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Vaporize | Amplifying | Amplifies damage (×2 if Hydro → Pyro, ×1.5 if Pyro → Hydro) |
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Melt | Amplifying | Amplifies damage (×2 if Hydro → Pyro, ×1.5 if Pyro → Hydro) |
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Overloaded | Transformative | Causes an AoE Pyro explosion, dealing increased Pyro damage. Knocks back small enemies, destroys Geo shields, and staggers larger enemies. |
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Frozen | Status | Freezes the target, immobilizing them. No direct damage. Creates a setup for Shatter. |
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Frozen
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Shatter | Transformative | Deals Physical damage when a Frozen enemy is hit with Geo, Claymore, Plunging Attacks, or explosion. |
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Electro-Charged | Transformative | Deals Electro damage over time. Bounces between wet enemies. Both Hydro and Electro auras persist, allowing a third element to trigger additional reactions. |
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Superconduct | Transformative | Deals AoE Cryo damage and reduces enemies’ Physical RES by 40% for 12 seconds. Useful for Physical DPS teams. |
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Swirl | Transformative | Spreads the non-Anemo element to nearby enemies, dealing AoE damage of the absorbed element. |
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Crystalize | Transformative | Spawns a pickable elemental shard that creates a shield of the absorbed element. Shield strength scales with Geo character’s Elemental Mastery. Protects better against the corresponding element. |
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Burning | Transformative | Deals AoE Pyro damage over time. Applies Pyro to affected enemies. |
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Bloom | Status | Creates a Dendro Core that explodes after 6 seconds, dealing AoE Dendro damage. Creates a setup for Burgeon and Hyperbloom. |
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Bloom
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Hyperbloom | Transformative | Applying Electro to a Dendro Core transforms it into a homing Sprawling Shot, dealing increased AoE Dendro damage in a smaller area. |
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Bloom
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Burgeon | Transformative | Applying Pyro to a Dendro Core detonates it immediately, dealing increased AoE Dendro damage. |
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Quicken | Status | Applies a Quicken aura to the target, which creates a setup for Aggravate or Spread reactions. |
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Quicken
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Aggravate | Transformative | Adds a flat DMG bonus to the Electro attack (1.15x Electro damage). Does not consume the Quicken aura. |
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Quicken
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Spread | Transformative | Adds a flat DMG bonus to the Dendro attack (1.25x Dendro damage). Does not consume the Quicken aura. |
Types of elemental reactions and their DMG scaling
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Amplifying reactions
Scale of: ATK, Crit, Elemental DMG%, minor EM
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Transformative reactions
Scale of: Level & EM (Transformative reactions ignore enemy DEF)
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Additive reactions
Scale of: Level, EM, Crit, Elemental DMG%, minor ATK
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Status reactions
Do not deal DMG
For in-depth damage scalings, visit the wiki's damage formulas and scaling tables .
Combat tips
- The damage output of an elemental reaction is based only on the character who triggers the it.
- Every elemental reaction type (Transformatice, Additive etc.) has a different damage scaling.
- Overload causes an explosion and keeps your enemies away. This may be a downside or a benefit, depending on what you need.
- Overload is also considered a blunt attack, meaning it can shatter.
- Don’t rely on defensive reactions too much, the endgame is a DPS check. Focus on damage.
- Vaporize and Melt has different damage multipliers based on the order of how you apply them (Pyro -> Hydro VS Hydro -> Pyro).