Kinich is a 5-star Dendro Claymore user introduced in Genshin Impact Version 5.0. As a Saurian Hunter from the Scions of the Canopy, he carries the ancient name Malipo, and is known for his calculating demeanor.
He often moves with his companion Almighty Dragonlord K’uhul Ajaw, whose presence greatly contrasts with Kinich’s quiet and reserved nature.
In this guide, we’ll cover all the best Kinich builds, ensuring that his calculated strikes and Dendro abilities make him and Ajaw a formidable team on the battlefield.
Best Kinich build: ascension and talent materials
As you level up Kinich, his crit damage increases with each ascension. This boost is essential for maximizing the damage potential of both his elemental skill and burst.
To ascend Kinich, you’ll need to gather Saurian Claw Succulents, native to the Natlan region, and hunt Saurians for their fang drops. His boss material, the Overripe Flamegranate, can be obtained by defeating the Gluttonous Yumkasaur Mountain King in Yecuemecan Valley.
Click on our guide below for the complete list of Kinich’s ascension materials:
To optimize Kinich’s damage output, players should prioritize upgrading his Elemental Skill, Canopy Hunter: Riding High, as it deals the majority of his damage with a whopping 1,000% multiplier.
Next, focus on leveling his Elemental Burst, Hail to the Almighty Dragonlord, which summons K’uhul Ajaw in his dragon form to unleash AOE Dendro damage.
Here is the list of Kinich’s Talent materials.
| LEVEL | TALENT MATERIALS | MORA |
| 2 | 3 x Teachings of Kindling 6 x Juvenile Fang | 12,500 |
| 3 | 2 x Guide to Kindling 3 x Seasoned Fang | 17,500 |
| 4 | 4 x Guide to Kindling 4 x Seasoned Fang | 25,000 |
| 5 | 6 x Guide to Kindling 6 x Seasoned Fang | 30,000 |
| 6 | 9 x Guide to Kindling 9 x Seasoned Fang | 37,000 |
| 7 | 4 x Philosophies of Kindling 4 x Tyrant’s Fang 1 x Denial and Judgement | 120,000 |
| 8 | 6 x Philosophies of Kindling 6 x Tyrant’s Fang 1 x Denial and Judgement | 260,000 |
| 9 | 12 x Philosophies of Kindling 9 x Tyrant’s Fang 2 x Denial and Judgement | 450,000 |
| 10 | 16 x Philosophies of Kindling 12 x Tyrant’s Fang 2 x Denial and Judgement 1 x Crown of Insight | 700,000 |
Best Kinich build: Best weapons
Selecting a weapon for Kinich is pretty straightforward as he scales with ATK%, but finding a weapon with the ideal passive ability that boosts his Elemental Skill and Elemental Burst damage can be more challenging.
Here is a list of Claymore that will give Kinich an edge in battle.
| BEST WEAPONS | STATS | WEAPON EFFECT |
| Fang of the Mountain King | Base ATK: 741 CRIT Rate: 11.0% | Turquoise Hunt: Gain 1 stack of Canopy’s Favor after hitting an opponent with an Elemental Skill. This can be triggered once every 0.5s. After a nearby party member triggers a Burning or Burgeon reaction, the equipping character will gain 3 stacks. This effect can be triggered once every 2s and can be triggered even when the triggering party member is off field. Canopy’s Favor: Elemental Skill and Burst DMG is increased by 10% for 6s. Max 6 stacks. Each stack is counted independently. |
| Earth Shaker | Base ATK: 565 ATK: 27.6% | Oath of Qhapaq Nan: After a party member triggers a Pyro-related reaction, the equipping character’s Elemental Skill DMG is increased by 16% for 8s. This effect can be triggered even when the triggering party member is not on the field. |
| Serpent Spine | Base ATK: 510 CRIT Rate: 27.6% | Wavesplitter: Every 4s a character is on the field, they will deal 6% more DMG and take 3% more DMG. This effect has a maximum of 5 stacks and will not be reset if the character leaves the field, but will be reduced by 1 stack when the character takes DMG. |
| Beacon of the Reed Sea | Base ATK: 608 CRIT Rate: 33.1% | Desert Watch: After the character’s Elemental Skill hits an opponent, their ATK will be increased by 20% for 8s. After the character takes DMG, their ATK will be increased by 20% for 8s. The 2 aforementioned effects can be triggered even when the character is not on the field. Additionally, when not protected by a shield, the character’s Max HP will be increased by 32%. |
| The Unforged | Base ATK: 608 ATK: 49.6% | Golden Majesty: Increases Shield Strength by 20%. Scoring hits on opponents increases ATK by 4% for 8s. Max 5 stacks. Can only occur once every 0.3s. While protected by a shield, this ATK increase effect is increased by 100%. |
| Mailed Flower | Base ATK: 565 Elemental Mastery: 110 | Whispers of Wind and Flower: Within 8s after the character’s Elemental Skill hits an opponent or the character triggers an Elemental Reaction, their ATK and Elemental Mastery will be increased by 12% and 48 respectively. |
His signature weapon Fang of the Mountain King is currently the best in slot for Kinich. Its passive provides stacks of Canopy’s Favor after hitting an opponent with an Elemental Skill. Each stack boosts Elemental Skill and Burst DMG by 10% for six seconds, and the effect can stack up to six times.
Although his signature weapon lacks Crit Rate, pairing it with the 4-piece obsidian codex could solve your Crit Rate issues.
Beacon of the Reed Sea is the great alternative for his signature weapon since it offers high ATK% and Crit Rate. Its passive also grants ATK% boosts, triggered when Kinich hits opponents with his Elemental Skill. Keep in mind you have to take a lot of damage to make the most of this weapon and you can’t have a shielder in your party.
Earth Shaker stands as the best free-to-play option for Kinich. This weapon significantly boosts his Elemental Skill DMG after triggering Pyro-related reactions like Burning or Burgeon.
For a Battle Pass weapon, Serpent Spine offers a high crit rate and bonus damage but makes Kinich more vulnerable to incoming attacks. Its stacking mechanic boosts his damage output but loses stacks when Kinich takes damage, making it a situational choice that requires careful positioning.
For players who prefer to focus on boosting Kinich’s ATK%, The Unforged is a strong choice. However, since this weapon relies heavily on shields, you’ll need to have Zhongli or a dedicated shielder on the team.
For those fortunate enough to have obtained it during the Windblume Festival, Mailed Flower is an excellent free-to-play option, providing a solid boost to both ATK and Elemental Mastery.
Best Kinich build: Best artifacts
Kinich is one of the select few characters who can harness the power of Nightsoul’s Blessing. As a formidable Dendro character, he excels in dealing high damage, especially when equipped with the right artifact set to enhance his Elemental Skill and maximize Dendro reactions.
We’ve compiled a list of artifact sets that work well with Nightsoul’s Blessing and enhance Kinich’s ATK% scaling for optimal damage output.
| KINICH ARTIFACTS | ARTIFACT DESCRIPTION |
| Obsidian Codex | 2-Pieces: While the equipping character is in Nightsoul’s Blessing and is on the field, their DMG dealt is increased by 15%. 4-Pieces: After the equipping character consumes 1 Nightsoul point while on the field, CRIT Rate increases by 40% for 6s. This effect can trigger once every second. |
| Unfinished Reverie | 2-Pieces: ATK +18%. 4-Pieces: After leaving combat for 3s, DMG dealt increased by 50%. In combat, if no Burning opponents are nearby for more than 6s, this DMG Bonus will decrease by 10% per second until it reaches 0%. When a Burning opponent exists, it will increase by 10% instead until it reaches 50%. This effect still triggers if the equipping character is off-field. |
| Gilded Dreams | 2-Pieces: Increases Elemental Mastery by 80. 4-Pieces: 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. |
| Golden Troupe | 2-Pieces: Increases Elemental Skill DMG by 20%. 4-Pieces: Increases Elemental Skill DMG by 25%. Additionally, when not on the field, Elemental Skill DMG will be further increased by 25%. This effect will be cleared 2s after taking the field. |
The 4-piece Obsidian Codex is Kinich’s best artifact set for maximizing his offensive capabilities. With its significant boost to DMG dealt while in Nightsoul’s Blessing and the crit rate increase from the 4-piece effect ensures Kinich can land powerful critical hits, especially when constantly consuming Nightsoul points.
The 4-piece Unfinished Reverie is the second-best option for Kinich. This set provides a substantial ATK boost and can significantly increase damage after leaving combat. While it requires managing Burning opponents for optimal performance, it rewards Kinich with massive damage spikes.
If your focus is on boosting Dendro reactions, the 4-piece Gilded Dreams set is the go-to. By increasing Elemental Mastery and providing bonuses based on party composition, this set enhances Kinich’s ability to trigger and maximize Dendro-based reactions such as Burning and Burgeon.
For players who want to focus on boosting Kinich’s Elemental Skill DMG, the 4-piece Golden Troupe is an excellent temporary build. This set dramatically increases Elemental Skill damage, making it ideal for builds where Kinich relies on his skills to deal massive bursts of damage.
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