Valeriy is a 4-star Electro Sword character who made his debut in Genshin Impact Version 7.2 alongside Mitya. He fills a unique support role — an ATK-scaling shielder who also buffs Electro and Stellar-Conduct damage for the whole team. If you are running a Mitya team, Valeriy is the support made specifically for it.
This guide covers the complete Valeriy best build for Genshin Impact, including his top weapons, best artifact sets, main stats, substats, talent priority, and all six constellations. For the team compositions he fits into, see the Mitya best teams guide. If you are still building Mitya alongside him, see the Mitya ascension and talent materials guide.
Key Takeaways
- Valeriy is a 4-star Electro Sword support — shielder + Stellar-Conduct damage buffer
- His shield and buffs scale off ATK — build ATK first, not CRIT
- Target stats: 2,500+ ATK and 150%+ Energy Recharge
- Best weapon: Summit Shaper (5-star) or Finale of the Deep (4-star craftable)
- Best artifact set: 4-piece Heart of the Furnace for Stellar-Conduct teams; 4-piece Noblesse Oblige as a flex option
- Main stats: ATK% Sands (or ER% if needed), ATK% Goblet, ATK% Circlet
- Talent order: Elemental Skill > Normal Attack > Elemental Burst
- Best constellation: C2 for EM buff to team; C6 for maximum Stellar-Conduct damage support
Who is Valeriy in Genshin Impact?
Valeriy is a Commander from Snezhnaya’s Special Assignments Battalion. He is strict, disciplined, and very much the opposite of his laid-back colleague Mitya. In combat, he uses a Sword and an Electro Vision to shield and buff the team through a mechanic called Impact Momentum.
His Elemental Skill deploys a shield that scales off ATK. His special Charged Attack (Direct-Fire Mortar: Point-Blank Bombardment) consumes accumulated Impact Momentum to deal damage and apply Offensive Directive stacks — which then buff the active character’s Electro and Stellar-Conduct damage. His Burst fires Thunderburst Shells onto the field, which also help the active character build Impact Momentum back up between uses.
The design is deliberate: Valeriy charges up Momentum, fires, and his Burst feeds Momentum back for the next rotation. He is one of the few 4-star characters in Version 7.2 whose kit is built directly around another character’s reaction — Stellar-Conduct.
Character summary:
- Rarity: 4-star
- Element: Electro
- Weapon: Sword
- Role: Electro shielder and Stellar-Conduct damage support
- Ascension stat: ATK%
- EN Voice Actor: Jordan Reynolds
- JP Voice Actor: Makoto Furukawa
Valeriy Best Weapons
Valeriy wants weapons that maximize ATK. Since his shield and damage buffs both scale from ATK, raw attack is more valuable here than CRIT or Elemental Mastery. If his Energy Recharge is falling short, pivot to an ER weapon or run an ER% Sands.
Summit Shaper — Best Premium Option
Summit Shaper has 608 base ATK and a 49.6% ATK sub-stat, making it the highest raw ATK sword Valeriy can equip. Its passive further boosts ATK after landing hits while shielded — which Valeriy always is during his window. The only downside is zero Energy Recharge, so you need to cover his ER needs through artifacts or teammates.
Finale of the Deep — Best 4-Star ATK Weapon
Finale of the Deep is a craftable 4-star sword with 565 base ATK and a 27.6% ATK sub-stat. It is the strongest accessible ATK option and the go-to for players without Summit Shaper. No passive gimmicks, just solid ATK stats that go directly into his shield and Offensive Directive buffs. The best all-around choice for most players.
Favonius Sword — Best Utility / ER Option
Favonius Sword has 454 base ATK and 61.3% Energy Recharge. The lower ATK weakens his shield and buffs compared to ATK weapons, but the ER and passive particle generation benefit the whole team. If you are running C0 Valeriy and struggling with Burst uptime, this keeps his rotation smooth at the cost of some offensive power. Build some CRIT Rate (around 50%+) when using this sword to reliably trigger the passive.
Other Weapon Options
- Fleuve Cendre Ferryman (4-star): Free fishing weapon with 510 base ATK and 45.9% ER. A middle ground between Finale of the Deep and Favonius — more ATK than Favonius, more ER than Finale. No particle generation, but solid for F2P players.
- Sapwood Blade (4-star craftable): 565 base ATK and 30.6% ER. Good for balancing ATK and energy needs. Its Dendro reaction passive is not relevant, but the base stats are strong.
- Sacrificial Sword (4-star): 61.3% ER and a chance to reset Skill cooldown. The low base ATK hurts his shield and buffs, but the ER and Skill reset are useful in energy-tight rotations.
- Calamity of Eshu (4-star): 565 base ATK and 27.6% ATK sub-stat. Solid ATK stats comparable to Finale of the Deep, with a passive tied to Normal and Charged Attack damage that adds minor personal damage. Decent alternative if you have it.
Valeriy Best Artifacts
Valeriy has two main artifact options depending on what the rest of the team is running. The important rule: the 4-piece Heart of the Furnace buff does not stack between multiple characters wearing it, so only one team member should use it.
4-Piece Heart of the Furnace — Best for Stellar-Conduct Teams
This is Valeriy’s best set when his team triggers Stellar-Conduct reactions.
- 2-piece: ATK +18%
- 4-piece: When the wearer triggers a Stellar Glimmer reaction or deals Stellar Glimmer damage, their ATK increases by 12% for 12 seconds. All nearby party members’ Stellar Glimmer reaction damage also increases by 50%. This effect works even when the wearer is off-field.
The 2-piece ATK boost feeds directly into his shield and Offensive Directive buffs. The 4-piece is the real reason to run this — a 50% Stellar Glimmer DMG buff for the whole team is a massive support boost. Use this when Odette is not already carrying it in the same team. For more details on this set, see the Heart of the Furnace artifact guide.
4-Piece Noblesse Oblige — Flex Option for General Teams
Noblesse Oblige is Valeriy’s best alternative when Heart of the Furnace is already taken by a teammate like Odette, or when the team does not consistently trigger Stellar Glimmer reactions.
- 2-piece: Elemental Burst DMG +20%
- 4-piece: Using an Elemental Burst gives all party members ATK +20% for 12 seconds. Cannot stack with another 4-piece Noblesse bonus.
The 4-piece ATK team buff applies whenever Valeriy uses his Burst — which he does every rotation anyway to generate Thunderburst Shells and refill Impact Momentum. Free ATK for the whole team with zero extra effort is a clean and consistent support contribution.
2-Piece ATK + 2-Piece ATK Mix
Running two separate 2-piece ATK sets (such as 2-piece Gladiator’s Finale and 2-piece Shimenawa’s Reminiscence, or any two sets with 18% ATK as the 2-piece bonus) is a valid placeholder. The combined 36% ATK boost is straightforward and does not depend on specific team setups or reaction conditions. Use this while farming for one of the full 4-piece sets above.
Valeriy Artifact Main Stats and Substats
Main Stats
- Sands: ATK% (default). Switch to ER% if you cannot maintain his Burst every rotation.
- Goblet: ATK%
- Circlet: ATK%
All three main stats should be ATK% unless ER is a problem. His shield scales with ATK and his Offensive Directive buffs scale with ATK — there is no reason to build anything else as a primary stat.
Substat Priority
- 1st — ATK%: More ATK means a stronger shield and bigger Offensive Directive buffs. Chase this in every piece.
- 2nd — Energy Recharge: Target around 150% ER at C0. His Burst costs 60 Energy and needs to come up every rotation to generate Thunderburst Shells and trigger his support passives. At C1, the energy recovery from his special Charged Attack reduces how much ER you need.
- 3rd — CRIT Rate (Favonius Sword only): Only relevant if you are using Favonius Sword and want to trigger its particle passive. Otherwise skip.
- 4th — Flat ATK: Lower priority but still feeds into his scaling. Take it when CRIT or ER is not available.
- CRIT DMG: Lowest priority for a support build. His personal damage is secondary to shielding and buffing.
Recommended Stat Targets
- Total ATK: 2,500 or above
- Energy Recharge: 150% or above at C0; can be lower at C1 due to his Charged Attack energy recovery
Valeriy Talent Priority
Valeriy’s talent order is different from most DPS characters. His shield and buff values come from different talents, so level them in the right order.
- Elemental Skill first: His Skill creates the Supercharged Shield and gains Impact Momentum. Higher Skill levels directly improve shield absorption, which is his primary support function. Level this highest.
- Normal Attack second: The Talent level determines the damage and damage bonus scaling on his special Charged Attack (Direct-Fire Mortar). Higher Normal Attack levels mean more damage and larger Offensive Directive buffs for teammates. Level 8–10 is worth reaching.
- Elemental Burst last: The Burst fires Thunderburst Shells that help rebuild Impact Momentum, but Talent levels mainly improve his personal Burst damage. The support value does not scale meaningfully with Talent level, so this is the last priority and can sit at Level 6–8 without meaningful loss.
Do not Crown the Burst. If you want to Crown one Talent, Crown the Elemental Skill for maximum shield absorption and protection for Mitya or any other on-field carry.
How to Play Valeriy
Valeriy is a quick-swap support. His entire kit is designed to be used in seconds and then swapped off. The core loop is straightforward once you understand Impact Momentum.
Basic rotation:
- Use his Elemental Skill to generate 40 Impact Momentum and deploy the Supercharged Shield
- Once at 40+ Impact Momentum, his Charged Attack becomes Direct-Fire Mortar: Point-Blank Bombardment — use it to consume all Momentum, deal damage, and apply Offensive Directive stacks to the team
- Use his Elemental Burst when available to fire Thunderburst Shells — while these are active, every Electro hit from the active character rebuilds Impact Momentum (up to 80 per Burst)
- Swap to your main carry, who now benefits from the Offensive Directive buff and the shield
The key tip: set up Valeriy before your main DPS steps in. The Offensive Directive buff is on the active character — if Mitya is already on the field when you pop the special Charged Attack, the stacks go to Mitya. Time the swap correctly so the buff is live during Mitya’s or Cyno’s damage window.
At C1, Valeriy’s first Skill after entering combat grants 150% of the usual Impact Momentum, which speeds up the opening rotation considerably. Use Skill → Burst → Charged Attack in that order on the first rotation to get Momentum up fast.
Valeriy Constellations
C1 — The Cadence of Suppressive Fire
After using Direct-Fire Mortar, Valeriy restores 6 Elemental Energy. For every 10 Impact Momentum consumed beyond the first 40, he restores another 1.5 Energy, up to 15 total. His first Skill after entering combat also grants 150% of the usual Impact Momentum. This constellation reduces ER pressure and makes the opening rotation faster. A solid quality-of-life upgrade.
C2 — Ranks That Charge as One
Using his Elemental Skill grants nearby party members 100 Elemental Mastery for 18 seconds. While protected by the Supercharged Shield, excess Impact Momentum is converted into extra shield absorption (up to 20 extra points, each adding 8% of Valeriy’s ATK). The 100 EM team buff is excellent for Mitya, whose reaction damage and team support passive both scale with EM. This is the strongest early constellation stop for a support-focused Valeriy build.
C3 — Vigilance at Close Quarters
Normal Attack Talent level +3. Improves his special Charged Attack multipliers and personal damage. Useful but minor for a support build — his main value comes from shielding and buffs, not personal hits.
C4 — Fortitude Unshaken by Attrition
Increases Impact Momentum cap by 30 and charging efficiency by 30%. The Burst passive cap also increases from 80 to 104. More Momentum means a bigger pool for his special Charged Attack, which translates to more Offensive Directive scaling per use. Good for increasing his buff output.
C5 — Resolve to Divide and Destroy
Elemental Skill Talent level +3. Directly improves shield absorption, which benefits Mitya during his Gradient Detonation windows. A defensive upgrade rather than an offensive one.
C6 — The Strength to Breach Enemy Lines
Direct-Fire Mortar and Thunderburst Shells deal 100% more damage. Enemies hit take Electro damage with +10% CRIT Rate for 7 seconds. When that Electro damage counts as Stellar-Conduct, it also gains +40% CRIT DMG. This is Valeriy’s biggest offensive support upgrade — the CRIT bonuses apply to the teammates hitting the buffed enemies, making it extremely powerful in Mitya teams where every hit counts as Stellar-Conduct.
Best Constellations to Stop At
- C0: Fully functional. Shield, Offensive Directive, Burst all work at base level.
- C2: Best early investment — the 100 EM team buff is a meaningful power increase for Stellar-Conduct teams.
- C6: Best total investment — the CRIT buffs on Electro and Stellar-Conduct hits are a large team damage upgrade, especially for Mitya.
Valeriy Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
- Simple to build — ATK% across the board, no CRIT farming needed
- Compresses two roles (shielder + damage buffer) into one team slot
- C2 adds 100 EM team buff, which is massive for Mitya’s EM-based damage
- Quick-swap kit — low field time needed, so the carry gets more time on the field
- Works in both on-field Mitya and other Electro carry setups (Cyno, etc.)
Weaknesses
- Does not enable Stellar-Conduct on his own — needs Mitya, Cryo Traveler, or Odette in the team for the reaction to trigger
- As a 4-star, pulling specific constellations is not guaranteed even when featured
- The Offensive Directive buff only applies to the active character, so timing matters
- No healing — if the shield breaks, the team is exposed until the next Skill use
FAQ: Valeriy Best Build Genshin Impact
What is the best weapon for Valeriy?
Summit Shaper is Valeriy’s best weapon for maximum ATK. For 4-star options, Finale of the Deep is the top pick — it is craftable and provides strong base ATK with an ATK sub-stat. If you need Energy Recharge, use Favonius Sword or Fleuve Cendre Ferryman instead.
What artifacts should Valeriy use?
4-piece Heart of the Furnace is best for Stellar-Conduct teams — it buffs Stellar Glimmer reaction damage by 50% for the whole party. Use 4-piece Noblesse Oblige when Heart of the Furnace is already on another team member, as its Burst gives a 20% ATK team buff instead.
What main stats does Valeriy need?
ATK% on Sands, Goblet, and Circlet. Switch the Sands to ER% if you cannot maintain his Burst consistently every rotation.
How much ATK does Valeriy need?
Aim for 2,500+ total ATK. This is not a hard cap but a good baseline for his shield and Offensive Directive buffs to feel meaningful. His ATK ascension stat helps, so you do not need to chase every piece for ATK%.
Should I pull Valeriy for Mitya?
Yes, if you are building Mitya. Valeriy is the dedicated partner for on-field Mitya — he provides a shield to protect Mitya during his Gradient Detonation Charged Attacks and applies Offensive Directive stacks that buff Stellar-Conduct damage. No other 4-star in the current roster does both roles in one slot as efficiently for Mitya. For the full picture of how they work together, see the Mitya best teams guide.
Can Valeriy work without Mitya?
Yes. Valeriy also pairs well with Cyno as an Electro carry in Stellar-Conduct compositions, since Cyno benefits from the shield protection during his long on-field windows. For more details on Cyno in these setups, see the Cyno Stellar Conduct build guide. The Offensive Directive stacks boost Electro DMG generally, not just Stellar-Conduct, so any Electro DPS benefits to some degree.
Conclusion
Valeriy is one of the more straightforward 4-star supports to build — stack ATK, hit the ER threshold, and his kit handles the rest. The 4-piece Heart of the Furnace gives his team a 50% Stellar Glimmer DMG boost that rivals full 5-star support contributions, and his C2 adds 100 EM for Mitya or any other EM-scaling carry. At C0 he is already useful; at C2 and C6 he becomes genuinely impactful.
Download Genshin Impact on the official website, or on Android, iOS, PlayStation, Epic Games, or Xbox. For more Snezhnaya character guides, see the Odette best build guide, Alyosha best build guide, and the best Stellar Conduct teams.
