Best Build for Heizou in Genshin Impact

Heizou is a 4-star Anemo

catalyst character in Genshin Impact. This guide covers the best builds, weapons and artifacts for Heizou.

Pros & Cons
Skills
Passives
Constellations
Ascension

Pros & Cons

On-field Driver who provides a lot of team flexibility
- Works in teams made of any kind of Elemental Off-Field DPS characters
Is Anemo
- Has access to 4pc Viridiscent Venerer and Swirl
Fast and fluid animations, there's no need to cancel or interrupt them
Not reliant on constellations
Wide weapon choice (F2P friendly)

Requires to farm Viridescent Venerer
Requires a lot of investment into his teammates
Compared to other Anemo characters, his crowd control is really minimal
Swirl damage is not worth the investment
- If what you're looking for is a Swirl driver, consider building Sucrose instead

Skills

Fudou Style Martial Arts

Normal Attack

Normal Attack
Performs up to 5 fisticuffs empowered by a mighty wind, dealing Anemo DMG.

Charged Attack
Consumes a set amount of Stamina to perform a sweeping kick, dealing Anemo DMG.

Plunging Attack
Calling upon the surging wind, Heizou plunges towards the ground from mid-air, damaging all opponents in his path. Deals AoE Anemo DMG upon impact with the ground.

Heartstopper Strike

Elemental Skill

Press
Wields the swift winds to launch a Heartstopper Strike that deals Anemo DMG.

Hold
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 DMG.

Declension
Increases the power of the next Heartstopper Strike. Max 4 stacks. When you possess 4 Declension stacks, the Conviction effect will be produced, which will cause the next Heartstopper Strike to be even stronger and have a larger AoE.

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 AoE Anemo DMG.

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.

Passives

Pre-Existing Guilt

Utility Passive

Decreases sprinting Stamina consumption for your own party members by 20%.
Not stackable with Passive Talents that provide the exact same effects.

Paradoxical Practice

Ascension 1

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.

Penetrative Reasoning

Ascension 4

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

Constellations

Named Juvenile Casebook

Level 1

For 5s after Shikanoin Heizou takes the field, his Normal Attack SPD is increased by 15%. He also gains 1 Declension stack for Heartstopper Strike. This effect can be triggered once every 10s.

Investigative Collection

Level 2

The pull effect of the Arresting Windtunnel created by Windmuster Kick is enhanced, and its duration is increased to 1s.

Esoteric Puzzle Book

Level 3

Increases the Level of Heartstopper Strike by 3.
Maximum upgrade level is 15.

Tome of Lies

Level 4

The first Windmuster Iris explosion in each Windmuster Kick will regenerate 9 Elemental Energy for Shikanoin Heizou. Every subsequent explosion in that Windmuster Kick will each regenerate an additional 1.5 Energy for Heizou.
One Windmuster Kick can regenerate a total of 13.5 Energy for Heizou in this manner.

Secret Archive

Level 5

Increases the Level of Windmuster Kick by 3.
Maximum upgrade level is 15.

Curious Casefiles

Level 6

Each Declension stack will increase the CRIT Rate of the Heartstopper Strike unleashed by 4%. When Heizou possesses Conviction, this Heartstopper Strike's CRIT DMG is increased by 32%.

Ascension

Rank	Level	Cost	Materials
1	20	20,000	1 Vayuda Turquoise Sliver		3 Onikabuto	3 Treasure Hoarder Insignia
2	40	40,000	3 Vayuda Turquoise Fragment	2 Runic Fang	10 Onikabuto	15 Treasure Hoarder Insignia
3	50	60,000	6 Vayuda Turquoise Fragment	4 Runic Fang	20 Onikabuto	12 Silver Raven Insignia
4	60	80,000	3 Vayuda Turquoise Chunk	8 Runic Fang	30 Onikabuto	18 Silver Raven Insignia
5	70	100,000	6 Vayuda Turquoise Chunk	12 Runic Fang	45 Onikabuto	12 Golden Raven Insignia
6	80	120,000	6 Vayuda Turquoise Gemstone	20 Runic Fang	60 Onikabuto	24 Golden Raven Insignia

Show total costs

420,000

Mora

46

Runic Fang

1

Vayuda Turquoise Sliver

9

Vayuda Turquoise Fragment

9

Vayuda Turquoise Chunk

6

Vayuda Turquoise Gemstone

168

Onikabuto

18

Treasure Hoarder Insignia

30

Silver Raven Insignia

36

Golden Raven Insignia

Teams

For a detailed breakdown of the best Heizou teams go to the Heizou team guide page.

Builds

Anemo Driver Build

First of all, let's clarify what Heizou's role is: he has to stay on the field to both deal damage and support his teammates, who will deal damage even if they aren't the active character (e.g. Oz, Xiangling's burst).
Heizou has two main builds: EM focused and ADC. ADC (ATK/Anemo/Crit) is fairly better because of internal cooldown, that limits Swirl's potential, hence decreasing EM build utility in most scenarios.

Talent Priority

Skill > Normal Attack > Burst
Heizou's damage mostly comes from his fully charged skill, which is easily obtainable with 2 charged attacks and 2 swirl reactions. His Burst isn't really needed, but its damage is not negligible.

Stat Priority

Main stats: ATK% / Anemo DMG% / Crit
Substats: Crit > ATK% = EM > ER%
Heizou has a low Burst cost, so ER is not needed at all on him. Focus on ATK and Crits, but do not despise occasional EM rolls as they aren't that bad on him.

Weapons

Best Weapons

These weapons are the best for Heizou. They all provide Crit stats and great passive effects.

The Widsith

CRIT DMG

Debut

When a character takes the field, they will gain a random theme song for 10s. This can only occur once every 30s.

Recitative: ATK is increased by 60~120%. Aria: Increases all Elemental DMG by 48~96%.

Interlude: Elemental Mastery is increased by 240~480.

Kagura's Verity

CRIT DMG

Kagura Dance of the Sacred Sakura

Gains the Kagura Dance effect when using an Elemental Skill, causing the Elemental Skill DMG of the character wielding this weapon to increase by 12~24% for 16s. Max 3 stacks. This character will gain 12~24% All Elemental DMG Bonus when they possess 3 stacks.

Lost Prayer to the Sacred Winds

CRIT Rate

Boundless Blessing

Increases Movement SPD by 10%. When in battle, gain an 8~16% Elemental DMG Bonus every 4s. Max 4 stacks. Lasts until the character falls or leaves combat.

Tulaytullah's Remembrance

CRIT DMG

Bygone Azure Teardrop

Normal Attack SPD is increased by 10%. After the wielder unleashes an Elemental Skill, Normal Attack DMG will increase by 4.8% every second for 14s. After this character hits an opponent with a Normal Attack during this duration, Normal Attack DMG will be increased by 9.6%. This increase can be triggered once every 0.3s. The maximum Normal Attack DMG increase per single duration of the overall effect is 48%. The effect will be removed when the wielder leaves the field, and using the Elemental Skill again will reset all DMG buffs.

Weapon Variations

Excellent Uptime and Damage

These weapons are slightly weaker due to their lower Base ATKs and inferior passives, but greatly improve Heizou's damage and stats even if not top-tier.

Skyward Atlas

ATK

Wandering Clouds

Increases Elemental DMG Bonus by 12~24%. Normal Attack hits have a 50% chance to earn the favor of the clouds. which actively seek out nearby opponents to attack for 15s, dealing 160~320% ATK DMG. Can only occur once every 30s.

Solar Pearl

CRIT Rate

Solar Shine

Normal Attack hits increase Elemental Skill and Elemental Burst DMG by 20~40% for 6s. Likewise, Elemental Skill or Elemental Burst hits increase Normal Attack DMG by 20~40% for 6s.

Sacrificial Fragments

Elemental Mastery

Composed

After dealing damage to an opponent with an Elemental Skill, the skill has a 40~80% chance to end its own CD. Can only occur once every 30~16s.

A Thousand Floating Dreams

Elemental Mastery

A Thousand Nights' Dawnsong

Party members other than the equipping character will provide the equipping character with buffs based on whether their Elemental Type is the same as the latter or not. If their Elemental Types are the same, increase Elemental Mastery by 32~64. If not, increase the equipping character's DMG Bonus from their Elemental Type by 10~26%. Each of the aforementioned effects can have up to 3 stacks. Additionally, all nearby party members other than the equipping character will have their Elemental Mastery increased by 40~48. Multiple such effects from multiple such weapons can stack.

Wandering Evenstar

Elemental Mastery

Wildling Nightstar

The following effect will trigger every 10s: The equipping character will gain 24~48% of their Elemental Mastery as bonus ATK for 12s, with nearby party members gaining 30% of this buff for the same duration. Multiple instances of this weapon can allow this buff to stack. This effect will still trigger even if the character is not on the field.

F2P/Early game

A very accessible weapon capable of great damage even at the start of the game. Elemental Mastery main stat makes it a good, accessible and F2P friendly pick for Heizou.

Mappa Mare

Elemental Mastery

Infusion Scroll

Triggering an Elemental reaction grants a 8~16% Elemental DMG Bonus for 10s. Max 2 stacks.

Artifacts

Best Set

4PC Viridescent Venerer (VV) is the best option since Heizou has access to Swirl, allowing him to massively increase his self damage, but the team's one as well. It is the to-go option and indeed his best artifact set.

Viridescent Venerer

2 Anemo DMG Bonus +15%.

4 Increases Swirl DMG by 60%. Decreases opponent's Elemental RES to the element infused in the Swirl by 40% for 10s.

Artifact Variations

Any combination

If you're still struggling to get a full 4PC Viridiscent, you can temporarily use these 2PC sets. It is however recommended to switch to 4PC VV eventually.

Viridescent Venerer

2 Anemo DMG Bonus +15%.

Gladiator's Finale

2 ATK +18%.

Shimenawa's Reminiscence

2 ATK +18%.

Echoes of an Offering

2 ATK +18%.

Vermillion Hereafter

2 ATK +18%.

OR

Alternative 4pc option, not as good as VV or 2pc combinations but still solid

Gilded Dreams

2 Elemental Mastery +80.

4 Within 8s of triggering an Elemental Reaction, the character equipping this will obtain buffs based on the Elemental Type of the other party members, ATK is increased by 14% for each party member whose Elemental Type is the same as the equipping character, and Elemental Mastery is increased by 50 for every party member with a different Elemental Type. Each of the aforementioned buffs will count up to 3 characters. This effect can be triggered once every 8s. The character who equips this can still trigger its effects when not on the field.

Early Game (Pre-AR 45)

This set will increase your party's EM, making any elemental reaction more powerful. It's one of the easiest sets to get in early game, so definitely an accessible option for Heizou.