Honestly, when HoYoverse first dropped the Natlan expansion, everyone was obsessing over Mualani’s shark surfing or Kinich’s grappling hook. It makes sense. Exploration is flashy. But if you’ve been grinding the Sanctum of Rainbow Spirits domain lately, you know the real conversation is actually about the Hero of Cinder City Genshin Impact players have been trying to optimize for weeks. This artifact set, officially known as Scroll of the Hero of Cinder City, is weirdly complicated but arguably the most impactful support set we’ve seen since Deepwood Memories or Viridescent Venerer. It isn’t just a stat stick. It’s a complete mechanical shift in how we think about elemental damage bonuses.
Most players see a 4-piece set bonus with a wall of text and just ignore it. Don't do that here.
What is the Scroll of the Hero of Cinder City?
Basically, this is the premier support set for the Natlan era. If you're running a character who can trigger the Nightsoul Burst mechanic or uses Nightsoul Transmission, this set is your new best friend. The 2-piece bonus is simple enough: you get 6 Energy back when a nearby party member triggers a Nightsoul Burst. That’s fine. It’s helpful for energy-hungry rotations. But the 4-piece bonus? That’s where the magic—and the headache—happens.
When the wearer triggers a reaction related to their element, everyone in the party gets a 12% Elemental Damage Bonus for those specific elements for 15 seconds. If the wearer is in the Nightsoul Blessing state when this happens, that bonus jumps by another 28%. You’re looking at a 40% Elemental Damage Bonus. That is massive. It’s basically a Kazuha buff tucked inside an artifact set.
Why Kachina is the Current Queen of This Set
Right now, Kachina is the poster child for the Hero of Cinder City Genshin meta. Why? Because she’s free and she procs the set effortlessly. When she drops her Turbo Twirly (her Skill) and it hits enemies, she generates Nightsoul points. Since she’s a Geo unit, she’s constantly triggering Crystallize.
If Kachina is wearing this set and triggers a Crystallize reaction while her skill is active, she gives your main DPS a 40% damage boost to whatever element was used to create that shield. If you’re running a Navia team or even a Neuvillette team where Kachina is a flex slot, the sheer value she provides for zero investment is kind of ridiculous. You don't even need her at C6. You just need the 4-piece set and enough defensiveness to keep her alive for the two seconds she’s on field.
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The Math Behind the 40% Buff
Let's look at the numbers. Most players rely on a Goblet for their 46.6% Elemental Damage Bonus. Adding another 40% from a support character is almost like giving your main carry a second Goblet.
- Standard Buff: 12% (Easy to get, but underwhelming).
- Nightsoul Buff: +28% (This is the goal).
- Total: 40% DMG Bonus.
The catch is the duration. 15 seconds is generous. In a standard rotation, that covers almost the entire window for a DPS like Mualani or even old-school carries like Xiangling or Hu Tao. The complexity arises because the wearer must be the one triggering the reaction. If your setup is messy and your DPS clears the elemental aura before your support can hit, you lose the big buff. It requires a bit of tactical thinking.
Is it Better Than Viridescent Venerer?
This is the big question. Everyone loves VV because 40% Resistance Shred is god-tier. However, VV has a major flaw: you have to be on-field to trigger the shred. The Hero of Cinder City Genshin set is slightly more flexible in how it interacts with Natlan-specific mechanics.
Also, think about Geo or Dendro teams. You can’t "Swirl" Geo. You can’t "Swirl" Dendro. Before this set, Geo supports were basically relegated to Tenacity of the Millelith or just being "there." Now, a Geo character like Kachina or Xilonen (who is a massive upgrade for this set) can provide an elemental buff that rivals what Kazuha offers to Pyro, Hydro, or Electro teams. It’s a meta-leveling tool. It makes elements that were previously "selfish" much better at playing with others.
Xilonen Changed Everything
If Kachina made the set viable, Xilonen made it mandatory. Xilonen is a 5-star Geo support who thrives in the Nightsoul Blessing state. Because her kit is designed to stay in that state while shredding resistances naturally, putting the Scroll of the Hero of Cinder City on her turns her into a Swiss Army knife of destruction.
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She provides the Res Shred from her own kit and then stacks the 40% DMG bonus from the artifacts. It’s an absurd amount of compression. You’re getting the benefits of a Zhongli shield and a Kazuha buff in one character slot. If you are lucky enough to have her, you shouldn't be running any other set. Period.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
People mess this up. I see it in co-op all the time.
First, don't put this on a non-Natlan character unless you're okay with only getting the 12% buff. Characters from Monstadt, Liyue, Inazuma, Sumeru, or Fontaine cannot enter the Nightsoul Blessing state on their own. They will never see that extra 28%. It’s a waste of potential.
Second, watch your elements. If you’re running a Pyro carry but your support triggers a Crystallize with a stray Hydro aura, you’re buffing Hydro damage. It sounds obvious, but in the heat of a Spiral Abyss floor 12 run with special effects exploding everywhere, it's easy to mistime your skills.
How to Farm This Efficiently
The Sanctum of Rainbow Spirits is located in the Toyac Springs area of Natlan. You’re also farming the Obsidian Codex set there, which is the best-in-slot for most Natlan DPS characters. This makes the domain one of the most resin-efficient spots in the game right now.
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When looking for pieces for your Hero of Cinder City Genshin build, prioritize these stats:
- Energy Recharge: You want that burst back, even if the set helps a little.
- Def% or HP%: Depending on if it's for Kachina (Def) or a future HP-scaling support.
- Healing Bonus: If you're using a support who can heal, though most current users don't.
Honestly, the sub-stats don't matter nearly as much as the 4-piece set bonus. You can run "trash" artifacts with the right main stats and still get 100% of the utility out of the 40% damage buff. It’s a very low-investment, high-reward path for players who aren't whales.
The Future of the Cinder City Meta
We are only at the beginning of the Natlan cycle. As more characters are released, the value of this set will only go up. Any support character that utilizes the Nightsoul mechanic will automatically be evaluated based on how well they can proct this 40% buff.
It has effectively raised the floor for what a "good" support looks like. If a new character can't out-buff a C0 Kachina wearing this set, they might be dead on arrival for competitive players. That’s a huge shift in power balance.
Actionable Optimization Steps
To get the most out of your team right now, follow these specific steps:
- Equip Kachina: If you haven't built her, give her a 4-piece Scroll of the Hero of Cinder City set. Level her to 70 or 80 just for the survivability.
- Check Your Rotation: Ensure your support hits the enemy after an element has been applied by your sub-DPS or main DPS to ensure the 40% bonus applies to the correct element.
- Look for the Visual Cue: When the buff procs, you’ll see a subtle elemental glow on your character. Learn to recognize it so you know when it’s time to swap to your main carry and unleash their burst.
- Don't Over-farm: Once you have a 4-piece set with the correct main stats (like a DEF% sands for Kachina), move on. The set bonus does the heavy lifting, not the crit ratios.