Genshin Impact is a popular open-world RPG game that features a variety of characters with different elements, weapons, and personalities. Among them, two Cryo users have caught the attention of many players: Shenhe and Chongyun. Shenhe is a new character introduced in version 3.8, while Chongyun has been in the game since launch. Both of them wield polearms and have a connection to the adepti of Liyue. But are they related by blood? This article will explore the possible relationship between Shenhe and Chongyun based on their lore, appearance, and gameplay.
Contents
The Lore of Shenhe and Chongyun
Shenhe and Chongyun have very different backgrounds and stories, but they share some common traits. They both come from families of exorcists who have been dealing with evil spirits for generations. They both have unusual conditions that affect their abilities and personalities. And they both have a strong sense of duty and justice.
Shenhe is the daughter of an unnamed exorcist couple who were killed by a powerful evil spirit when she was young. She was then taken in by Cloud Retainer, one of the four adepti who guard Liyue, and became her disciple. Shenhe learned how to use her Cryo vision and polearm to fight against evil, but she also inherited Cloud Retainer’s aloofness and pride. She rarely interacts with other people, preferring to stay in the mountains with her master. She is also very curious about the mortal world and its customs, but she often misunderstands them due to her lack of experience.
Chongyun is the heir of the Tianheng Thaumaturges, a clan of exorcists who specialize in using yang energy to purge evil spirits. He was born with an excess of yang energy, which makes him a highly effective exorcist, but also causes him to be extremely sensitive to heat and emotions. He cannot eat spicy food, drink alcohol, or get angry without triggering his yang energy, which turns his surroundings into ice. He also has never seen a ghost himself, as they flee from his presence as soon as he approaches.
The Appearance of Shenhe and Chongyun
Shenhe and Chongyun have some similarities in their appearance, but they also have distinct features that set them apart. They both have pale skin, blue eyes, and white hair with blue highlights. They both wear blue and white outfits that reflect their Cryo element and their exorcist profession. They both carry polearms that have Cryo motifs and symbols.
However, Shenhe has a more elegant and refined look than Chongyun. She wears a long white dress with blue patterns and a fur collar. She has long hair that reaches her waist, with two braids on the sides. She also wears a blue ribbon on her head that resembles Cloud Retainer’s horns. Her polearm is called Calamity Queller, which has a blade shaped like a crescent moon and a handle decorated with feathers.
Chongyun has a more casual and youthful look than Shenhe. He wears a blue jacket with white fur cuffs and a white shirt underneath. He has short hair that spikes up at the front, with two strands hanging down on his forehead. He also wears a blue bandana around his neck that has his clan’s emblem on it. His polearm is called Cuihua (Chinese for green jade), which has a blade shaped like a snowflake and a handle wrapped with cloth.
The Gameplay of Shenhe and Chongyun
Shenhe and Chongyun have different roles and playstyles in combat, but they can also complement each other in certain situations. Shenhe is a support character who can buff her allies’ Cryo damage and debuff her enemies’ physical and Cryo resistance. She can also create ice platforms that can be used for traversal or positioning. Her elemental skill, Dawnstar Piercer, allows her to launch ice blades that deal Cryo damage and reduce the enemies’ physical resistance by 20% for 10 seconds. Her elemental burst, Ethereal Soul Amidst the Mortal Realm, summons an ice phoenix that deals Cryo damage over time in a large area and increases the Cryo damage of all party members within by 15% for 12 seconds.
Chongyun is a sub DPS character who can deal high burst damage with his elemental skill and burst. He can also infuse his own and his allies’ normal and charged attacks with Cryo within his elemental skill’s area of effect. His elemental skill, Spirit Blade: Chonghua’s Layered Frost, creates an ice field that lasts for 10 seconds, during which he and his allies within will have their normal attack speed increased by 8% and their normal attack DMG converted to Cryo DMG. His elemental burst, Spirit Blade: Cloud-Parting Star, unleashes three powerful slashes that deal massive Cryo DMG to enemies in front of him.
Shenhe and Chongyun can work well together in a mono Cryo team or a Freeze/Shatter team. Shenhe can boost Chongyun’s Cryo damage and lower the enemies’ Cryo resistance, while Chongyun can provide Cryo infusion and attack speed for Shenhe. They can also trigger Superconduct with an Electro character to further reduce the enemies’ physical resistance, or trigger Melt with a Pyro character to deal amplified damage. However, they may also have some conflicts in their skills, as Shenhe’s ice platforms may interfere with Chongyun’s ice field, and Chongyun’s Cryo infusion may overwrite Shenhe’s normal attack element.
Conclusion
Shenhe and Chongyun are two Cryo characters who have some similarities and differences in their lore, appearance, and gameplay. They are both exorcists who come from families of exorcists, but they have different masters and conditions. They both have pale skin, blue eyes, and white hair, but they have different outfits and hairstyles. They both use polearms and Cryo skills, but they have different roles and playstyles. They are not related by blood, but they may have some connection through their exorcist profession and their adepti affiliation. According to Genshin Impact Wiki, they have not met each other in the game yet, but they may have some interactions in the future.
