Genshin Impact Kuki Shinobu best build, Talent and Ascension materials, weapon, and team
Everything you need to know about Kuki Shinobu in Genshin Impact.
Kuki Shinobu is a 4-Star character introduced as part of the version 2.7 update to Genshin Impact.
The Arataki Gang deputy leader is included in Cyno and Ayato's Twilight Arbiter and Azure Excursion Banners during version 4.2, but she will eventually return at some point in the future when the Banner schedule cycles back to her.
Whether you have her, or want to prepare for if you do Wish for her successfully, it’s good to know the best Kuki Shinobu build in Genshin Impact, and what Talent, Ascension materials, and Constellations are needed to level up Kuki Shinobu to her full potential.
Be sure to check out our Genshin Impact codes page to get free Primogems that can be used towards unlocking Kuki and other characters.
On this page:
Kuki Shinobu materials and stats:
- Kuki Shinobu kit
- Kuki Shinobu Talent materials
- Kuki Shinobu Ascension materials
- Kuki Shinobu Constellations
Kuki Shinobu build:
Genshin Impact Kuki Shinobu Talents, skills, rarity, element, and weapon
Kuki Shinobu is a 4-Star Electro sword user best used in a support role who applies Electro and heals. She was the first Electro character in Genshin Impact to have a focus on healing.
Here's a summary of Kuki Shinobu’s kit in Genshin Impact:
- Element: Electro
- Rarity: 4-Star
- Weapon: Sword
- Normal Attack: Shinobu's Shadowsword
- Elemental Skill: Sanctifying Ring
- Elemental Burst: Gyoei Narukami Kariyama Rite
- Passive one: Heart's Repose (Sanctifying Ring's abilities will be boosted based on Shinobu's Elemental Mastery, healing amount will be increased by 75% of Elemental Mastery while damage dealt is increased by 25% of Elemental Mastery)
- Passive two: Breaking Free (When Kuki Shinobu's HP is below 50%, her Healing Bonus is increased by 15%)
- Expedition bonus: Protracted Prayers (gains 25% more rewards when dispatched on an Inazuma Expedition for 20 hours)
Kuki Shinobu Normal Attack: Shinobu's Shadowsword
Kuki Shinobu can perform up to four rapid strikes for her normal attack, with the third hit launching knives toward the surrounding enemies. Her charged attack is similar to many other sword users, allowing her to consume stamina to perform two rapid sword strikes.
Kuki Shinobu Elemental Skill: Sanctifying Ring
Creates a Grass Ring of Sanctification at the cost of 30% of her current HP, dealing Electro damage to nearby opponents every one and a half seconds, while restoring HP for the active party member on the field within the ring. Lasts for 12 seconds, and has a 15 second cooldown.
The HP consumption from using Sanctifying Ring can only bring Kuki Shinobu down to 20% of her maximum HP. The damage dealt from the AOE electro damage scales with Kuki's maximum health.
Kuki Shinobu Elemental Burst: Narukami Kariyama Rite
Kuki Shinobu stabs the ground, creating a field that deals continuous AOE Electro damage. Just like her Elemental Skill, the damage of Kuki's Elemental Burst scales with her HP. The damage and duration is increased if Kuki has less than 50% HP when the Burst is activated.
Genshin Impact Kuki Shinobu Talent materials
To get the most out of using Kuki Shinobu, you will have to level her abilities up by using Talent materials, which vary from character-to-character.
For Kuki Shinobu, you're going to need to farm a lot of Spectral and Elegance items (if you don't already have them) to fully upgrade her healing and sub DPS capabilities.
As Kuki Shinobu has three Talents, you will have to spend three times the Talent materials listed below to fully upgrade all of her abilities.
The table below explains the Kuki Shinobu Talent materials and amount of Mora you need to improve one of her abilities:
| Kuki Shinobu Talent level | Talent materials | Mora cost |
|---|---|---|
| Level 2 | x3 Teachings of Elegance, x6 Spectral Husk | 12,500 |
| Level 3 | x2 Guide to Elegance, x3 Spectral Heart | 17,500 |
| Level 4 | x4 Guide to Elegance, x4 Spectral Heart | 25,000 |
| Level 5 | x6 Guide to Elegance, x6 Spectral Heart | 30,000 |
| Level 6 | x9 Guide to Elegance, x9 Spectral Heart | 37,500 |
| Level 7 | x4 Philosophies of Elegance, x4 Spectral Nucleus, x1 Tears of the Calamitous God | 120,000 |
| Level 8 | x6 Philosophies of Elegance, x6 Spectral Nucleus, x1 Tears of the Calamitous God | 260,000 |
| Level 9 | x12 Philosophies of Elegance, x9 Spectral Nucleus, x2 Tears of the Calamitous God | 450,000 |
| Level 10 | x16 Philosophies of Elegance, x12 Spectral Nucleus, x2 Tears of the Calamitous God, x1 Crown of Insight | 700,000 |
Genshin Impact Kuki Shinobu Ascension materials
Just like Talents, you need to use Kuki Shinobu Ascension materials to upgrade her health, attack, defence, and critical hit effectiveness.
For Kuki Shinobu, you're going to need to farm a lot of Runic Fang and Naku Weed materials (if you don't already have them) to fully upgrade her Elemental Skill and Burst capabilities.
Unlike Talent materials, you only need to spend the below Ascension materials once to fully raise Kuki Shinobu to her highest character level. There is also Acquaint Fate rewarded for reaching certain Ascension levels. You can spend this Fate on standard and beginner Banners to Wish for characters and weapons.
The table below lists the Kuki Shinobu Ascension materials and Mora you need to upgrade Kuki Shinobu:
| Kuki Shinobu Ascension level | Ascension materials | Mora cost | Ascension reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 20 | x1 Vajrada Amethyst Sliver, x3 Naku Weed, x3 Spectral Husk | 20,000 | x1 Acquaint Fate |
| Level 40 | x3 Vajrada Amethyst Fragment, x2 Runic Fang, x10 Naku Weed, x15 Spectral Husk | 40,000 | None |
| Level 50 | x6 Vajrada Amethyst Fragment, x4 Runic Fang, x20 Naku Weed, x12 Spectral Heart | 60,000 | x1 Acquaint Fate |
| Level 60 | x3 Vajrada Amethyst Chunk, x8 Runic Fang, x30 Naku Weed, x18 Spectral Heart | 80,000 | None |
| Level 70 | x6 Vajrada Amethyst Chunk, x12 Runic Fang, x45 Naku Weed, x12 Spectral Nucleus | 100,000 | x1 Acquaint Fate |
| Level 80 | x6 Vajrada Amethyst Gemstone, x20 Runic Fang, x60 Naku Weed, x24 Spectral Nucleus | 120,000 | None |
Genshin Impact Kuki Shinobu Constellation
By getting duplicates of Kuki Shinobu from wishing on Banners, you will receive her Stella Fortuna. This material allows you to unlock Constellation levels, with each upgrade either improving an existing Talent or Passive ability.
Here are all of Kuki Shinobu's Constellations in Genshin Impact:
- To Cloister Compassion (C1): Gyoei Narukami Kariyama Rite's AOE is increased by 50%.
- To Forsake Fortune (C2): Grass Ring of Sanctification's duration is increased by three seconds.
- To Sequester Sorrow (C3): Increases the level of Sanctifying Ring by three, with 15 being the maximum upgrade level.
- To Sever Sealing (C4): When the Normal, Charged, or Plunging attacks of the character affected by Shinobu's Grass Ring of Sanctification hit opponents, a Thundergrass Mark will land on the opponent's position and deal AOE Electro damage based on 9.7% of Shinobu's Max HP. This effect can occur once every five seconds.
- To Cease Courtesies (C5): Increases the level of Gyoei Narukami Kariyama Rite by three.
- To Ward Weakness (C6): When Kuki Shinobu takes lethal damage, this instance of damage will not take her down. This effect will automatically trigger when her HP reaches 1 and will trigger once every 60 seconds. When her HP drops below 25%, she will gain 150 Elemental mastery for 15 seconds. This effect will trigger every 60 seconds.
Version 5.3 with Mavuika and Citlali is nearly here! In the mean time, during version 5.2 we have Zhongli and Neuvillette. So don't forget to redeem new codes for Primogems to help pull them, and check out our regularly updated tier list. You need luck from the Pity and 50/50 systems to Wish with Fate for characters on Banners, and you always need the right Adventure Rank for events. Elsewhere, we have tips and tricks for beginners.
How to play Kuki Shinobu in Genshin Impact
Kuki Shinobu is suited to a healer role who also provides Electro application, with her healing and Skill damage scaling off her maximum HP. So, you should focus on raising her max HP or Elemental Mastery as much as you can to get the most out of her healing and Electro abilities, respectively. Keep in mind that using Kuki Shinobu's Elemental Skill drains her health - but this is actually a good thing, as her Elemental Burst damage and passive healing capabilities are boosted when she is below 50% HP.
Best Kuki teams in Genshin Impact
With the introduction of Dendro, Kuki has become an invaluable Electro team member for Hyperbloom teams, alongside any team that needs Electro application with healing. However, we think she's particularly useful in Hyperbloom teams. The best Dendro characters to pair with Kuki are Nahida, the Dendro traveller, or Alhaitham, depending on whether you need a DPS or support character.
You'll need a Hydro applicator to create Blooms, and we recommend Yelan or Xingqiu for this, but Neuvillette, Ayato, or Childe can work as main DPS options instead.
The last slot in Kuki teams is very flexible, so you can use Zhongli for his shields if needed, Kazuha to create swirls, or another Electro, Hydro, or Dendro ally to boost your team's damage even more.
Best Kuki Shinobu Artifacts in Genshin Impact
The best Kuki Shinobu Artifacts in Genshin Impact for a sub DPS build help raise her Elemental Mastery to help boost the damage of reactions like Hyperbloom. For this reason, we recommend using either the 4-piece Gilded Dreams or 4-piece Flower Of Paradise Lost sets.
If you're using Kuki for her healing capabilities rather than her Electro application, then you'll want to use the 4-piece Tenacity of the Milileth instead.
Best Kuki Shinobu weapons in Genshin Impact
Kuki Shinobu's best weapon in Genshin Impact is the 5-Star Freedom-Sworn sword for its Elemental Mastery main stat, and the increase to your entire team's damage when an Elemental Reaction is created - something Kuki should be doing all the time.
Iron Sting and Xiphos' Moonlight are solid 4-Star alternatives for Kuki, as they also have Elemental Mastery main stats, along with useful bonuses to Elemental Damage and Energy Recharge, respectively.
Best Kuki Shinobu build in Genshin Impact
If you want to take advantage of her healing and Electro sub DPS capabilities, we have compiled what we think is currently the best Kuki Shinobu build in Genshin Impact:
- Best Weapon: 5-Star Freedom-Sworn.
- Best Artifacts: 4-piece Flower Of Paradise Lost.
- Best team members: Nahida, Xingqiu, Yelan.
Keep in mind that Kuki has the capacity to help out in almost any team in need of an Electro applicator with healing capabilities, not just the ideal team we mentioned above.
It can take a lot of time to farm for these Artifacts and materials to level-up Kuki Shinobu, but it can be worth the effort if you're in need of an Electro healer and applicator, especially for your Dendro reaction teams like Hyperbloom.
Good luck levelling up Kuki Shinobu in Genshin Impact!