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Genshin Impact 5.0: Should you pull for Kinich or Raiden Shogun?
Entertainment3 months ago

Genshin Impact 5.0: Should you pull for Kinich or Raiden Shogun?

The second half banner of Genshin Impact version 5.0 boasts formidable additions to your character roster. 

With Genshin Impact version 5.0 entering its second half, we’re pretty sure a lot of you Travelers out there are wondering who you should pull for with the new banner. It will feature the new 5-star Dendro character Kinich, a new Claymore-wielding DPS, alongside the fan-favourite Electro Archon Raiden Shogun, one of the most coveted sub/DPS units in-game. 

With Dendro and Electro currently dominating Genshin Impact’s metagame thanks to their reactive capabilities, deciding between the two can be difficult. But don’t worry, we’ve got you! 

Want a high-powered, fast-hitting DPS? Pull for Kinich

Kinich is a well-known and celebrated Saurian Hunter hailing from the Scions of the Canopy tribe. A veteran of the Night Warden Wars, Kinich has proven himself to be a very formidable fighter alongside his snarky (and annoying) Saurian “companion” Ajaw. 

Kinich boasts one of, if not the quickest, attack animations in Genshin Impact so far thanks to his skill and Nightsoul’s Blessing. You wouldn’t even think he’s a claymore unit with just how fast his attacks can get. 

Unleashing Kinich’s skill “Canopy Hunter: Riding High” will allow him to latch onto an enemy to loop around it in a wide area while dealing quick bursts of Dendro DMG called Loop Shots. Loop Shots are considered Skill DMG. 

With this in mind, Kinich may become one of the top Dendro units to look toward for team compositions that focus on Burning or Spread DMG. With Burning, Kinich will make use of the distance he can create between himself and the enemy he has latched onto, continuously feeding Dendro to keep the fire going, as well as avoid getting damaged by it. And with Spread, Kinich can increase the already large amount of Dendro DMG he can inflict on his target.  

But aside from his combat prowess, exploration will be a breeze thanks to Kinich’s grappling hook abilities, a feature you can’t ignore when it comes to exploring Natlan’s high cliffs and mountainous terrain. 

Want a game-breaking, all-around unit? Pull for Raiden Shogun 

It’s no secret that the Raiden Shogun is one of the most powerful units in-game. Being the Electro Archon, the Raiden Shogun boasts devastating Electro DMG thanks to her Mussou no Hitotachi slash.

But aside from unleashing a powerful burst that can bring all other units to shame, the Raiden Shogun is actually quite a flexible character who can fulfill a variety of roles. She can work as a quickswap Sub-DPS who can handle the field while your main DPS is recovering energy or work as an off-field Electro applicator and battery for teams that need it. 

Although the Raiden Shogun works best in teams that thrive off of her ability to quickly recharge your party's bursts, she can also do well in teams that work around Electro-based reactions like Superconduct, Spread, Aggravate, Electro-Charged, and even Overload. 

Want a consistent Electro application for your Dendro DPS like Kinich? Raiden Shogun can fit the bill. Want to amp up your Physical DMG numbers with Eula? Pair her with Raiden Shogun. Want to blast away enemies with the power of Pyro and Electro? Get Raiden Shogun to work with Chevreuse and you’re pretty much good to go! 

Raiden Shogun opens up the possibilities for a myriad of team compositions, you’re truly missing out if you still don’t have her in your account.


Genshin Impact 5.0 is here! Featuring the new region of Natlan, the update includes three new characters in Mualani, Kinich, and Kachina, as well as tons of other content. The newest version also comes with more generous rewards for players, including tons of Primogems for completing Archon Quests and a free standard 5-star character for every anniversary of the game moving forward.

Genshin Impact version 5.0 will also play host to the game's fourth anniversary on September 28. This year's slate of anniversary rewards for players also includes one free standard 5-star character of their choice. If you're wondering which free standard 5-star to get, here's our recommendation.

Author
Arianne "YanKu" BlancoFull time gamer, writer, and cat parent.