Genshin Impact Kuki Shinobu build and materials guide

Show everyone who’s boss with this Shinobu guide
Genshin Impact Kuki Shinobu build and materials guide
Genshin Impact Kuki Shinobu build and materials guide /

The best Genshin Impact Kuki Shinobu build packs lots of Elemental Mastery and HP, which enables the sword-wielding Electro character to function as a powerful Support – especially in a Hyperbloom composition. Shinobu was one of the big winners of the introduction of the Dendro element and continues to be a staple in many strong teams to this day.

Her Elemental Skill, Sanctifying Ring, sacrifices some of Shinobu’s HP to create a ring pulsating with Electro energy. It deals Electro damage in the area around it every 1.5 seconds, healing the currently active character based on Shinobu’s maximum HP.

The Elemental Burst, Gyoei Narukami Kariyama Rite, creates a field that deals Electro damage based on Shinobu’s maximum HP. If her current HP is less than 50% of her maximum, the field lasts longer.

Shinobu sorts an additional Healing Bonus of 15% as well when she’s on lower than half of her maximum HP. On top of that, her Elemental Mastery actually boosts the healing and damage done by Sanctifying Ring by 75% and 25% respectively.

Best Kuki Shinobu weapons – Genshin Impact

Genshin Impact Kuki Shinobu.
HoYoverse

Though giving Shinobu more HP is always a good idea, Elemental Mastery is the more valuable stat if you’re looking to maximize her damage output while still providing a solid amount of heals for the team. This makes Freedom-Sworn a fantastic weapon for her, as it not only provides the Elemental Mastery we’re looking for, but brings a passive supporting effect to the table as well, benefiting the entire team.

Here are the best weapons for Kuki Shinobu in Genshin Impact:

  • Freedom-Sworn (5-star sword)
  • Xiphos’ Moonlight (4-star sword)
  • Iron Sting (4-star sword)
  • Key of Khaj-Nisut (5-star sword)

Best Kuki Shinobu artifacts – Genshin Impact

Genshin Impact Kuki Shinobu.
HoYoverse

For maximizing Shinobu’s reaction damage output you have two possible artifact set options: Gilded Dreams provides an increase of 80 Elemental Mastery plus additional buffs to the stat, which depend on the team composition. Since Shinobu is likely the only Electro character in a Hyperbloom team, this should be pretty consistent.

The other option is Flower of Paradise Lost, which also provides 80 Elemental Mastery at two worn pieces. A full set increases the damage from Bloom, Burgeon, and Hyperbloom reactions.

You should get the following stat distribution on Kuki Shinobu’s artifact set, no matter which one you pick:

  • Flower: HP (main stat), Elemental Mastery, HP %, Energy Recharge, Attack % (secondary stats)
  • Plume: Attack (main stat), Elemental Mastery, HP %, Energy Recharge, HP (secondary stats)
  • Sands: Elemental Mastery (main stat), HP %, Energy Recharge, HP, Attack % (secondary stats)
  • Goblet: Elemental Mastery (main stat), HP %, Energy Recharge, HP, Attack % (secondary stats)
  • Circlet: Elemental Mastery (main stat), HP %, Energy Recharge, HP, Attack % (secondary stats)

Best Kuki Shinobu teams – Genshin Impact

Kuki Shinobu is an amazing hybrid between Sub DPS and Support. Her healing is pretty solid and she adds a considerable amount of damage to a team.

Let’s start with the Hyperbloom composition we mentioned a bunch of times above. Kamisato Ayato, Yelan, and Nahida combine their Hydro and Dendro skills to create lots of Dendro Cores through the Bloom reaction. Shinobu can use her Elemental Skill, which works from off-field, to trigger devastating Hyperbloom reactions with those Dendro Cores. This composition has the added advantage of having the Hydro Resonance from two Hydro characters being present, which increases everyone’s maximum HP, helping out Shinobu.

A tall, blue-haired man holding a sword.
Kamisato Ayato / HoYoverse

  • Role: Main DPS
Ayato's consistent Hydro application through Normal Attacks makes him a fantastic Main DPS for Hyperbloom teams.


Artwork of a blue-haired young woman.
Yelan / HoYoverse

  • Role: Sub DPS
Yelan is excellent at applying Hydro from off-field, bridging any gaps that might result from the Main DPS character's Hydro application.


Artwork of a young white-haired girl.
Nahida / HoYoverse

  • Role: Support
Nahida can apply Dendro to multiple enemies at once, connecting them all together to inflict higher reaction damage.


Artwork of a young girl with blonde-glue hair.
Sangonomiya Kokomi / HoYoverse

  • Role: Main DPS
Kokomi's attacks and skills all apply Hydro, making her another great option for a Hyperbloom composition.


Childe

  • Role: Main DPS
Childe, just like Ayato, has plenty of Hydro application options through his Normal Attacks.


Artwork of a green-haired girl with a bow.
Collei / HoYoverse

  • Role: Sub DPS
Collei is great at applying Dendro from off-field, helping to create those Dendro Cores.


Genshin Impact Eula artwork.
Eula / HoYoverse

  • Role: Main DPS
Eula requires the assistance of at least one Electro character to trigger Superconduct reactions.


A woman with dark violet hair pulls a sword out of her chest.
Raiden Shogun / HoYoverse

  • Role: Main DPS
Raiden alone can't provide a 100% coverage with Electro application, so having Shinobu along is a great help.


Genshin Impact Candace.
Candace / HoYoverse

  • Role: Main DPS
Candace can be quite effective as a damage dealer in Hyperbloom teams, if you don't have a 5-star option on your roster.


Kokomi, Childe, and Candace are possible alternatives as Main DPS characters here, while you can slot in Xingqiu for Yelan and Collei or Dendro Traveler for Nahida.

  • Eula (Main DPS), Shenhe (Sub DPS), Rosaria (Sub DPS), Shinobu (Support)

Shinobu is a perfect candidate for the Electro slot in a physical damage team around Eula. You usually want at least one Electro character to accompany her because of the Superconduct reaction, which reduces the physical resistance of enemies. That Shinobu can heal on top of triggering this reaction is a nice bonus.

  • Raiden Shogun (Main DPS), Yelan (Sub DPS), Kazuha (Sub DPS), Shinobu (Support)

Putting Shinobu in a team revolving around the Electro-charged reaction, which is caused by Electro and Hydro interacting, is a great idea as well. In combination with Raiden Shogun she supplies a consistent amount of Electro application, which means there is always something Yelan’s Hydro effects can interact with.

Kuki Shinobu ascension materials – Genshin Impact

Genshin Impact Kuki Shinobu.
HoYoverse

You’ll want to quickly raise Kuki Shinobu’s level when you finally get her, which means that you’ll need to farm her ascension materials. You’ll also require some material to upgrade her talents.

Here’s what you need to get Kuki Shinobu to level 90:

  • Vajrada Amethyst Sliver x1
  • Vajrada Amethyst Fragment x9
  • Vajrada Amethyst Chunk x9
  • Vajrada Amethyst Gemstone x6
  • Spectral Husk x18
  • Spectral Heart x30
  • Spectral Nucleus x36
  • Naku Weed x168
  • Runic Fang x46
  • Mora x2,092,530

Vajrada Amethysts are available from any Electro-affiliated boss on the world map, such as the Electro Regisvine or the Electro Hypostasis. You should prepare to run around Inazuma a lot as well, as you’ll need to defeat lots of Spectres to gain their Husks, Hearts, Nuclei. Make sure to get Naku Weed from Inazuma as well when you see it. The Runic Fang is a boss material from the great machine serpent in The Chasm in Liyue. The best way to earn more Mora is to farm golden Ley Line Blossoms.

Here’s what you need to upgrade all of Kuki Shinobu’s talents to their maximum level:

  • Spectral Husk x18
  • Spectral Heart x66
  • Spectral Nucleus x93
  • Teachings of Elegance x9
  • Guide to Elegance x63
  • Philosophies of Elegance x114
  • Tears of the Calamitous God x18
  • Crown of Insight x3
  • Mora x4,957,500

Upgrading Kuki Shinobu’s talents requires additional Mora and more dead Spectres. You’ll need to visit the Violet Court Domain in Inazuma (it’s on the small island between Narukami and Tatarasuna) on Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday to farm Scrolls of Elegance. Tears of the Calamitous God are gained from the Raiden Shogun boss fight below the Grand Narukami Shrine.

Crowns of Insight are a rare item gained from time-limited events or regional reward mechanics like the Tree of Dreams in Sumeru or the Grand Narukami Shrine in Inazuma.

Every Genshin Impact character's age, weapon, bio and more


Published
Marco Wutz
MARCO WUTZ

Marco Wutz is a writer from Parkstetten, Germany. He has a degree in Ancient History and a particular love for real-time and turn-based strategy games like StarCraft, Age of Empires, Total War, Age of Wonders, Crusader Kings, and Civilization as well as a soft spot for Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail. He began covering StarCraft 2 as a writer in 2011 for the largest German community around the game and hosted a live tournament on a stage at gamescom 2014 before he went on to work for Bonjwa, one of the country's biggest Twitch channels. He branched out to write in English in 2015 by joining tl.net, the global center of the StarCraft scene run by Team Liquid, which was nominated as the Best Coverage Website of the Year at the Esports Industry Awards in 2017. He worked as a translator on The Crusader Stands Watch, a biography in memory of Dennis "INTERNETHULK" Hawelka, and provided live coverage of many StarCraft 2 events on the social channels of tl.net as well as DreamHack, the world's largest gaming festival. From there, he transitioned into writing about the games industry in general after his graduation, joining GLHF, a content agency specializing in video games coverage for media partners across the globe, in 2021. He has also written for NGL.ONE, kicker, ComputerBild, USA Today's ForTheWin, The Sun, Men's Journal, and Parade. Email: marco.wutz@glhf.gg