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In case you need more reminders, the Genshin Impact Cryo Element is cool, especially the characters under this classification.
All of them are brimming with their internal conflicts and strife, leading to a calm demeanor and cold exterior. But inside is a blizzard that can never be understood.
Needless to say, the Genshin Impact Cryo Element is an intriguing classification– something that needs more explanation and a guide if you want to see past the tip of the iceberg.
What is the Cryo Element & Cryo Damage in Genshin Impact?
The Cryo Element is one among seven in Genshin Impact’s Elements. It’s practically cold or ice damage. It’s indicated by a sky-blue icon shaped like a snowflake.
The characters associated with the Cryo Element are typically harboring a severe internal conflict that stems from notable predicaments in their lives. This criteria for granting them the Cryo Vision or Cryo powers is most apparent in characters such as Ganyu, Shenhe, Diona, Qiqi, Eula, Kaeya, Rosaria, and most of them, really.
From issues about isolation and acceptance to dual personalities, Cryo Element characters always seem to be at odds with themselves and, by extension, with their surroundings. They all strive to change something with themselves or their surroundings, regardless of how unattainable that is.
Tsaritsa, the Cryo Archon of Snezhnaya (Genshin Impact’s fictional Siberian region), seems to prefer her Cryo Vision holders like this as she herself possesses the same kind of internalized conflict. Ironically, this personality quirk also seems to be the source of their ambition and power.
How Does Cryo Work In Genshin Impact?
Cryo is an interesting Genshin Impact Element because it’s one of the few that actually has an effect on its own.
Applying Cryo damage and the Cryo status effect on enemies will slow them down from their movements to their attacks. This makes the Cryo Element handy on its own.
Cryo Elemental Reactions
However, if you want to get more mileage out of it, you’ll want to combine it with other Elements for Elemental Reactions. These are the following Elemental Reactions associated with the Cryo Element.
- Frozen (when combined with Hydro) – Immobilizes the target(s) and can Shatter if hit by attacks or Geo DMG, dealing additional Physical DMG.
- Crystallize (when combined with Geo) – Generates a Cryo shield pickup.
- Melt (when combined with Pyro) – Deals 1.5x Cryo DMG if triggered by Cryo attacks. Deals 2x Pyro DMG if triggered by Pyro attacks.
- Superconduct (when combined with Electro) – Deals area Cryo DMG and applies a 40 percent Physical RES debuff, making enemies weaker against Physical attacks.
Superconduct is great for Physical DMG characters like Eula. As for Melt, you usually want it to be triggered by Pyro for the higher multiplier, but 1.5x is high enough. Frozen is generally the most desired Cryo Elemental Reaction since it’s easy to apply Hydro with characters like Yelan and Xingqiu for a perma-Freeze setup.
Cryo Elemental Resonance
When you pair two or more Cryo characters in a team, you get the Cryo Resonance, which adds a permanent passive bonus (as long as there are at least two Cryo characters) to the whole party. It has the following effects:
- Shattering Ice: Affected by Electro for 40% less time. Increases CRIT Rate against enemies that are Frozen or affected by Cryo by 15%.
This is a big boost to Cryo characters, which is why a lot of them can get by with a lower CRIT Rate from their weapons or artifacts.
Cryo Artifact Set
As usual, there’s one artifact set catering mostly to a single Element in Genshin Impact. For the Genshin Impact Cryo Element, that would be the Blizzard Strayer set.
You can acquire this artifact set in the Peak of Vindagnyr Domain in Dragonspine, Mondstadt. It has the following bonuses and effects:
- 2-Piece: Cryo DMG Bonus +15%.
- 4-Piece: When a character attacks an opponent affected by Cryo, their CRIT Rate is increased by 20%. If the opponent is Frozen, CRIT Rate is increased by an additional 20%.
A lot of dedicated Cryo DPS characters, such as Ganyu or Ayaka, will find this set ideal depending on their team or their weapons. The CRIT Rate boost is more than substantial here, and it allows the Cryo character to focus on CRIT DMG instead.
Cryo Characters in Genshin Impact
Finally, we arrive at the Genshin Impact Cryo Element character roster, which is one of the biggest in the game. There are currently 12 Cryo characters in Genshin Impact, and all of them are memorable in their own way and typically have a spot in the game’s current meta.
Here they are, both 5-stars and 4-stars.
Aloy (5-star, Bow)
Aloy, the import from Horizon, was surprisingly given for free despite being a 5-star character, making her and the Traveler the only free 5-star characters. Sadly, Aloy struggles to fit into the game’s meta, though nothing is stopping you from trying.
Ayaka (5-star, Sword)
Ayaka is one of the best Cryo applicators in the game, practically turning her into a perma-Freeze storm with the right Hydro character. And those who get too daunted with balancing out CRIT Rates will love Ayaka as she generates her own CRIT Rate.
Eula (5-star, Claymore)
Eula still holds her spot as one of the highest damage dealers in the game. It’s just that she gets easily outclassed by other DPS characters in everything else. Still, if you want the fanciest Claymore weapon animations, you can’t go wrong with Eula.
Ganyu (5-star, Bow)
Once, there was a time when Ganyu was the DPS queen. Now, she has been power crept, but that doesn’t mean she’s no longer viable. Ganyu is still near the top spot with her flexibility for Freeze and Melt teams.
Qiqi (5-star, Sword)
The little zombie girl sadly hasn’t been a popular healer or Cryo character option since the beginning of the game. However, if she’s your only healer, then you can’t be too picky.
Shenhe (5-star, Polearm)
Shenhe is, by far, the best buffer for Cryo characters and Cryo-focused teams. She’s also Ganyu’s sister-in-law, seeing as both of them were adopted and raised by Cloud Retainer. Something about their upbringing gave them quite a lot of issues.
Chongyun (4-star, Claymore)
Chongyu, the exorcist, is one of the few claymore Cryo characters, making himself quite rare. He’s also a dedicated damage dealer with an Elemental Burst that’s quick and hits hard. Good for budget players.
Diona (4-star, Bow)
A nice alternative for when you don’t have Zhongli or when he’s with another team would be Diona. She’s a more reliable healer than Qiqi, ironically, and she also provides a shield. Her existence just makes Qiqi obsolete as a healer.
Kaeya (4-star, Sword)
Since he’s a free character, don’t expect Kaeya to outperform the rarer ones. Still, Kaeya can be a reliable DPS with the right Freeze or Melt team. His Burst is also a consistent way to apply the Cryo status.
Layla (4-star, Sword)
Layla is one of the few dedicated Cryo support characters like Diona, and she also provides a shield while dealing Cryo damage from time to time. Not exactly the best Cryo support you can have, but her performance in teams is decent.
Mika (4-star, Polearm)
You’d expect Mika to be a sub-DPS or offensive support, but he’s actually a healer who can also provide a speed buff. Mika is thus quite a versatile support in Genshin Impact for a lot of teams that need to squeeze in more Normal Attacks in their rotations.
Rosaria (4-star, Polearm)
One of the reasons why other offensive Cryo supports are less popular is because Rosaria usually outdoes them in that role. She can boost CRIT Rate and damage, making her a lovely alternative to Shenhe, and she’s a warrior nun to boot who’s also somehow an atheist. Yep, that’s Cryo characters for you.
