The best Heizou build in Genshin Impact – Talents, abilities, ascension materials, and more

The character banner for Genshin Impact version 2.8 is the highly anticipated re-run of Kazuha, but a new character can be recruited alongside him. Heizou is a four-star Anemo character who fights with hand-to-hand martial arts combat. This guide will break down what you need to level up Shikanoin Heizou and use his best abilities.

Related – Genshin Impact 2.8 update, new character and weapon banners – Full patch notes

Shikanoin Heizou’s Talents and Abilities

Heizou is a four-star Anemo character introduced in Version 2.8. He uses a Catalyst, and despite this weapon being associated with magic-based users, Heizou is far from a standard mage. He fights up close and personal with powerful and unique punches and kicks in his regular combo string. His charge attack is a powerful flash kick capable of knockback on most enemies. This is a full list of every talent, and ability Heizou possesses.

Fudou Style Martial Arts – Normal Attacks

• Normal Attack
  • Performs up to 5 fisticuffs empowered by a mighty wind, dealing Anemo damage.
• Charged Attack
  • Consumes a set amount of Stamina to perform a heavy sweeping kick, dealing Anemo damage
• Plunging Attack
  • Calling upon the surging wind, Heizou plunges towards the ground from mid-air, damaging all opponents in his path. Deals area of effect Anemo based damage.

Heartstopper Strike – Elemental Skill

• Press Elemental Skill Button
  • Wields the swift winds to launch a Heartstopper Strike that deals Anemo damage.
• Hold Elemental Skill Button
  • Charges energy to unleash an even stronger blow. He will obtain the Declension effect while charging, which will increase the power of the Heartstopper Strike. When the skill button is released or the skill duration ends, he will strike forward, dealing Anemo damage.
• Declension Status Effect
  • Increases the power of the next Heartstopper Strike. Max four stacks. When you possess four Declension stacks, the Conviction effect will be produced, which will cause the next Heartstopper Strike to be even stronger and have a larger are of effect.

Windmuster Kick – Elemental Burst

• Leaps into the air and uses the Fudou Style Vacuum Slugger, and kicks his opponent. The Vacuum Slugger will explode upon hit and create an Arresting Windtunnel that pulls in nearby objects and opponents, dealing area of effect Anemo damage.
• When Fudou Style Vacuum Slugger hits enemies affected by Hydro, Pyro, Cryo, or Electro, it afflicts them with Windmuster Iris. Moments later, Windmuster Iris explodes and dissipates, dealing AoE DMG of the corresponding elemental type.
• Fudou Style Vacuum Slugger can afflict a maximum of four enemies with the Windmuster Iris. A single enemy cannot be afflicted by Irises of different elemental types at the same time.

First Ascension Passive Talent

• Paradoxical Practice
  • When Shikanoin Heizou activates a Swirl reaction while on the field, he will gain 1 Declension stack for Heartstopper Strike. This effect can be triggered every 0.1s.

Fourth Ascension Passive Talent

• Penetrative Reasoning
  • After Shikanoin Heizou‘s Heartstopper Strike hits an opponent, increases all party members’ (excluding Shikanoin Heizou) Elemental Mastery by 80 for 10s.

Utility Passive Talent

• Pre-Existing Guilt
  • Decreases sprinting Stamina consumption for your party members by 20%.
  • Not stackable with Passive Talents that provide the same effects.

These three abilities comprise his core kit of moves. He is a versatile character but requires technical skill and knowledge to take advantage of his potential. Paying attention to his Declension stacks is pivotal in clearing difficult content with him as the lead or secondary damage dealer.

Heizou Ascension Materials

As a four-star character, his Ascension Materials are fairly easy to come by compared to most five-star heroes. These are the list of materials needed for each level of Ascension.

• Ascension 1
  • 20,000 Mora
  • 1x Vayuda Turquoise Sliver
  • 3x Treasure Hoarder Insignia
  • 3x Onikabuto
• Ascension 2
  • 40,000 Mora
  • 1x Vayuda Turquoise Fragment
  • 15x Treasure Hoarder Insignia
  • 2x Runic Fang
  • 10x Onikabuto
• Ascension 3
  • 60,000 Mora
  • 6x Vayuda Turquoise Fragment
  • 12x Silver Raven Insignia
  • 4x Runic Fang
  • 20x Onikabuto
• Ascension 4
  • 80,000 Mora
  • 3x Vayuda Turquoise Chunk
  • 18x Silver Raven Insignia
  • 8x Runic Fang
  • 30x Onikabuto
• Ascension 5
  • 100,000 Mora
  • 6x Vayuda Turquoise Chunk
  • 12x Golden Raven Insignia
  • 12x Runic Fang
  • 45x Onikabuto
• Final Ascension
  • 120,000 Mora
  • 6x Vayuda Turquoise Gemstone
  • 24x Golden Raven Insignia
  • 20x Runic Fang
  • 60x Onikabuto

The bulk of these items outside the fragments, chunks, and gems can be found in Inazuma. The gems are found by hunting down Anemo bosses in the open world.

Best Heizou Team Composition, Weapon and Artifacts

Heizou is a flexible character, capable of being effective with numerous builds and playstyles. Characters with good elemental burst power and defensive capabilities can use Heizou on their team to keep a strong balance between attack and survivability. If you’re lucky to have him, Kazuha makes a fantastic character to partner with Heizou. Their Anemo swirl damage can stack and deal lots of damage even at the highest world level.

The Viridsescent Venerer Artifact set is a safe pick for Heizou, as it increases Anemo damage by 15% and boosts Swirl damage by a whopping 60%. Take advantage of his fast and hard-hitting martial arts and mind his Declension stacks to take full advantage of his complete set of tools.

Sacrificial Fragments is a relatively easy weapon to obtain, even for free-to-play users. If you are lucky, any five-star Catalyst will be an excellent fit for his range of skills. If you roll the gacha on the weapon banner for update 2.8, Kagura’s Verity is seemingly built for Heizou and his unique traits.