What are the best strategies to complete the Shadow of the Ancients event in Genshin Impact?

The Shadow of the Ancients event in Genshin Impact is a limited-time event that challenges players to investigate mysterious ancient ruins and defeat powerful enemies. To complete this event efficiently and maximize your rewards, it is important to understand the mechanics, prepare the right team, and follow a clear strategy. Here is a detailed guide to help you succeed.

The event revolves around investigating ancient ruins and defeating a powerful boss known as the Ruin Grader. The event is divided into multiple stages, each requiring you to complete specific tasks such as activating mechanisms, solving puzzles, and defeating waves of enemies. The final stage involves a challenging boss fight against the Ruin Grader, which has unique mechanics and high durability. Understanding the mechanics of the event is crucial. The Ruin Grader has a weak point on its eye, which you can target to stagger it and deal significant damage. Additionally, the boss has a shield that must be broken before you can deal substantial damage to its health bar. The shield can be broken by using elemental reactions, particularly those involving Cryo, Pyro, or Electro elements.

To begin the event, you will need to locate the event area on the map and interact with the event NPC to start the quest. Once the quest is active, you will be guided through a series of tasks that involve exploring the ruins, activating mechanisms, and defeating enemies. It is important to pay attention to the quest markers and follow the instructions provided by the NPC. During the exploration phase, you may encounter puzzles that require you to activate specific mechanisms in the correct order. These puzzles are usually straightforward, but if you get stuck, you can refer to the quest markers or look for visual clues in the environment.

When it comes to the boss fight, preparation is key. The Ruin Grader is a formidable opponent with high health and powerful attacks. To defeat it, you will need a well-balanced team that can deal consistent damage and break its shield quickly. A recommended team composition includes a main DPS character, a sub-DPS character, a support character, and a healer. For example, you could use Diluc or Hu Tao as your main DPS, Fischl or Beidou as your sub-DPS, Bennett as your support, and Barbara or Qiqi as your healer. This team composition provides a good balance of damage output, elemental reactions, and survivability.

In terms of artifacts and weapons, it is important to equip your characters with gear that enhances their strengths and complements their roles in the team. For your main DPS character, focus on artifacts that increase attack power, critical rate, and critical damage. The Crimson Witch of Flames set is a good choice for Pyro DPS characters like Diluc or Hu Tao. For your sub-DPS character, consider using artifacts that boost elemental mastery and energy recharge, such as the Thundering Fury set for Electro characters like Fischl or Beidou. Your support character should have artifacts that increase energy recharge and healing effectiveness, such as the Noblesse Oblige set for Bennett. Finally, your healer should be equipped with artifacts that enhance healing and HP, such as the Maiden Beloved set for Barbara or Qiqi.

During the boss fight, it is important to focus on breaking the Ruin Grader's shield as quickly as possible. Use characters with Cryo, Pyro, or Electro abilities to trigger elemental reactions and deplete the shield. Once the shield is broken, the Ruin Grader will be staggered, allowing you to deal significant damage to its health bar. Be sure to dodge its attacks and use your healer to keep your team's health topped up. If you have characters with crowd control abilities, such as Venti or Sucrose, you can use them to group up enemies and deal AoE damage.

One common mistake to avoid is neglecting to break the Ruin Grader's shield before focusing on its health bar. The shield is a significant barrier that must be dealt with first, and failing to do so will result in a prolonged and difficult fight. Another mistake is not paying attention to the boss's attack patterns. The Ruin Grader has several powerful attacks that can deal massive damage if not dodged or mitigated. Be sure to keep an eye on its movements and use your characters' abilities to avoid taking unnecessary damage.

Advanced techniques for optimizing your performance in the event include using food buffs and potions to enhance your characters' stats. For example, you can use Adeptus' Temptation to increase your team's attack power or Electro Potions to boost Electro damage. Additionally, you can use characters with crowd control abilities to group up enemies and deal AoE damage, making it easier to clear waves of enemies quickly.

In summary, the Shadow of the Ancients event in Genshin Impact is a challenging but rewarding experience that requires careful preparation and strategic gameplay. By understanding the mechanics, preparing the right team, and following a clear strategy, you can complete the event efficiently and maximize your rewards. Remember to focus on breaking the Ruin Grader's shield, dodge its attacks, and use your characters' abilities to their fullest potential. With the right approach, you can overcome the challenges of the event and claim your rewards.