What does Raiden‘s C2 do?
As a Raiden enthusiast and theorycrafter, one question I see popped up a lot is – what does Raiden‘s second constellation (C2) do and why is it considered so overpowered? Well, let me break it down for you in detail!
The 60% Defense Shred – What it Means for Damage
Quite simply, Raiden‘s C2 "Steelbreaker" enables her to ignore 60% of enemies‘ defense during her 7 second Elemental Burst mode.
Ignoring 60% defense is nearly unheard of in Genshin and has immense implications for damage output. To put this into perspective:
- Most main DPS characters only reduce enemy defense by 20-30% at most
- Against later enemies like the Primo Geovishap, 60% defense ignore allows Raiden C2 to double her damage versus C0
- Against heavy enemies, C2 Raiden actually outdamages Ganyu C0 – a testament to how strong her C2 is
To understand why this defense shred is so potent, we need to dive into some math.
Crunching the Numbers
Based on the Genshin damage formula, ignoring 60% defense equates to roughly a 43% multiplicative damage increase by itself for Raiden.
Combining this with her existing damage bonuses, theorycrafters universally agree that C2 results in Raiden‘s burst damage getting nearly doubled.
Some calcs comparing C0 Raiden with Engulfing Lightning to C2 Raiden with The Catch:
| Raiden Variant | Burst Damage (Resolved) |
|---|---|
| C0 w/ Engulfing | ~270k |
| C2 w/ The Catch | ~430k |
As you can see, the 60% defense penetration more than makes up for having a 5-star weapon versus a free-to-play option!
How She Compares to Other DPS
While C0 Raiden is plenty strong enough for all content, her C2 propels her into undisputed top DPS territory.
Let‘s compare her to some other top tier main carries:
Hu Tao C1 + Homa: One of the highest single-target DPS in the game, but still loses handily to Raiden C2 in AoE situations
Ayaka C0 + Mistsplitter: Very high burst damage but energy issues limit her overall DPS
Ganyu C0 + Amos: More consistent AoE damage but lacks Raiden‘s insane burst potential
So while these other DPS have higher talent levels, signature gear, and constellations, a C2 Raiden with an R5 Catch still outdamages them!
What Do Theorycrafters & Content Creators Say?
Here is sevyPlays‘ take:
"Raiden C2 is simply unmatched as a powerspike for raw damage. It almost feels illegal for one character to get that strong!"
The consensus across KeqingMains, Jinx, Zyox and other theorycrafting groups is that Raiden‘s C2 represents one of largest damage spikes in the game‘s history.
It‘s so game-breaking that Raiden Hypercarry teams actually prefer C2 with a 4-star weapon over C0 with her signature Engulfing Lightning!
Best Teams & Rotations at C2
As an Archon-level carry, Raiden opens up several devastating team options at C2:
Raiden Hypercarry: Raiden/Sara or Lisa/Kazuha or Sucrose/Bennett – Focuses all buffs into her burst mode with no downtime
Raiden National: Raiden/Xingqiu/Xiangling/Bennett or Kazuha – Overvape comp with massive AoE and single-target DPS
Her best combo at C2 remains 3x Normal Attacks into a Charge Attack for optimal damage stacks. Make sure to weave this between uses of your teammates‘ skills and bursts depending on the rotation.
Some ideal attack strings:
- Bennett Q > Kazuha Q > Sara Q > Raiden Q NA CAx3 NA CA repeat
- Xingqiu Q E > Bennett Q > Xiangling Q > Raiden Q NA CAx3 NA CA repeat
This maximizes buff uptime on Raiden‘s Psychic state to fully leverage that 60% defense penetration!
The Difference Between C0 and C2 Raiden
To summarize, here‘s an at-a-glance view:
| C0 Raiden | C2 Raiden | |
|---|---|---|
| Damage Level | Great | Broken |
| Role | Sub DPS | Hypercarry |
| Defense Shred | None | 60% |
While C0 Raiden is a very solid pull as a sub DPS and battery, her C2 represents the Archon‘s true maximum potential as a core carry.
Closing Thoughts
Raiden‘s second constellation Steelbreaker enables her to amplify her Musou no Hitotachi to unprecedented levels. By shredding through 60% of enemy defenses, she ascends to tier of her own that even highly invested carries cannot reach.
So in summary:
- It massively boosts Raiden‘s damage against virtually all enemies
- It cements her as the undisputed best burst DPS in Genshin Impact
- It allows Raiden to directly compete for top meta teams
While C2 is not at all necessary for Raiden to be amazing, it demonstrates how truly broken she can be at max potential. Let me know what you think – is Steelbreaker the single strongest constellation in the game right now?
