Snezhnaya finally opened its train doors in Genshin Impact Version 7.0, “Everwinter Without Mercy,” and the frozen nation rewrites how you should think about team building. The two reactions that define combat here are Stellar Swirl, which fires when Anemo meets a Cryo-afflicted enemy, and Stellar-Conduct, which triggers when Electro and Cryo collide. Everything about a strong Snezhnaya roster comes back to feeding those two reactions.
Quick answer: Pair a Cryo unit like Odette or Sandrone with at least one Anemo character (Varka or Sucrose) for Stellar Swirl, or one Electro character (Alyosha or Varesa) for Stellar-Conduct. Those combinations carry your team damage across the region, and Pyro units like Mavuika, Arlecchino, and Bennett round out the rest.
How Stellar reactions shape your Snezhnaya team
The Stellar Glimmer system started quietly in earlier patches and became the centerpiece of Snezhnaya. Two named reactions matter most. Stellar Swirl combines Anemo with Cryo and spawns a vortex that deals both elements’ damage, growing stronger with repeated activations. Stellar-Conduct pairs Electro with Cryo. Both reactions create fields that boost elemental damage for the whole party, not just the character who set them off, which is why enablers who stay off-field are so valuable.
The Traveler also gains a Cryo alignment after touching Snezhnaya’s Statues of the Seven, so your protagonist can slot into these reaction teams too. With that mechanic in mind, the best picks fall into clear roles: Anemo appliers, Electro appliers, Cryo cores, and Pyro damage or buffing.
Anemo units for Stellar Swirl
Because Stellar Swirl needs Anemo hitting a Cryo-afflicted target, any reliable Anemo applier earns a place. Varka, the Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius, is a strong fit. His Anemo claymore playstyle keeps enemies afflicted no matter which other element you run, and the exact reaction you get depends on the rest of your team. Fellow Hexerei characters share that same new purpose in the region.
Sucrose is the four-star answer that fits almost any elemental team. Her off-field Anemo keeps swirling in the background, and her ability to group enemies together makes it easy to apply a second element for the reaction. That crowd control is exactly what Stellar Swirl teams want.
Electro units for Stellar-Conduct
Alyosha is the standout here, and he is free. This four-star Electro polearm hunter fights alongside his dog Tugarin, providing party healing and Stellar-Conduct buffs while sitting off-field so your main DPS can shine. You unlock him by progressing through the new Archon Quest, so every player can build him without spending on the banner.
Alyosha’s kit revolves around Hunting Marks. Landing a mark on an already-marked enemy triggers a party-wide ATK buff, and Tugarin’s bites double as off-field damage and healing. Because his release window comes with an increased drop rate and his suggested teammates share the same banner cycle, building a full Stellar-Conduct comp around him is realistic early on.
Varesa is the harder-hitting Electro option. As a plunge attacker with strong personal damage, she works as a main DPS and keeps Stellar-Conduct active when paired with Snezhnaya units. She also slots neatly beside Natlan characters, adding Overload into the mix on top of Stellar-Conduct.
Cryo cores: Odette and Sandrone
Odette is the region’s headline five-star, a Cryo sword user and Prima Ballerina of the Korolevskiy Troupe who moonlights as a Fatui operative. Her whole design is built around Stellar reactions. Her Elemental Skill deploys a dance double that applies continuous off-field Cryo and grants the party a Stellar Glimmer reaction damage bonus, and recasting it pulls her into a duet that detonates as Stellar-Conduct or Stellar Swirl damage. She converts Superconduct and Cryo Swirl into their Stellar equivalents while amplifying that reaction damage for everyone.
Odette scales primarily off ATK rather than the usual Cryo-crit route, and she plays either as an off-field sub-DPS enabler or an on-field reaction carry. If you pulled her, she is the anchor almost every Stellar team wants.
Sandrone is the other Cryo pillar, a former Fatui Harbinger and one of the most versatile Cryo claymore units in the game. She thrives as a DPS when Stellar-Conduct is running, and her best partners give her a heavy Cryo buff. Odette and Yae Miko are her strongest current teammates for that reason.
Pyro damage and buffing
Snezhnaya doesn’t retire your Pyro carries. Mavuika, the Pyro Archon of Natlan, remains one of the better fire units to bring along, especially paired with another Natlan character for her strongest DPS output. There is a practical bonus too: riding her bike, including straight up the icy cliffs, makes navigating the frozen terrain much faster.
Arlecchino returns to the spotlight as a Fatui Harbinger fighting in the Fatui’s home nation, and she features on the 7.0 launch banner. She is a high-risk, high-reward carry since she can only heal herself, but mastering that self-sustain gives you one of the strongest Pyro DPS units around. Her role in the Archon story makes her a natural fit for the trip.
Bennett is the glue. His attack buffs and healing make him one of the best support units for any Attack-scaling team, which covers most of the Pyro carries above. If your damage dealers scale with ATK, he belongs in the party.
Diluc for the story
Not every pick is about the meta. Diluc has spent his life hunting the Fatui after a fake vision they gave his father led to his death, and Snezhnaya is where the Traveler finally confronts the Tsaritsa over the organization’s work. Bringing him along lets one of the game’s original five-star characters see his long mission through, even if his days at the top of the Pyro meta have passed.
Quick reference: recommended Snezhnaya picks
| Character | Element | Weapon | Main reason to bring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Varka | Anemo | Claymore | Reliable Stellar Swirl application |
| Sucrose | Anemo | Catalyst | Off-field Anemo and enemy grouping |
| Alyosha | Electro | Polearm | Free Stellar-Conduct buffs and healing |
| Varesa | Electro | Catalyst | Stellar-Conduct DPS and plunge damage |
| Odette | Cryo | Sword | Off-field Cryo and Stellar reaction amplification |
| Sandrone | Cryo | Claymore | Versatile Cryo DPS for Stellar-Conduct |
| Mavuika | Pyro | Claymore | Pyro DPS plus fast bike navigation |
| Arlecchino | Pyro | Polearm | High-reward Pyro carry, story relevance |
| Bennett | Pyro | Sword | ATK buffs and healing for any team |
| Diluc | Pyro | Claymore | Story payoff against the Fatui |
If you’re short on new Snezhnaya units, the safest starting build is one Cryo unit, one Anemo or Electro enabler, a Pyro carry, and Bennett to hold it together. Odette and Sandrone give the region its clearest damage ceiling, but the free Alyosha means even day-one accounts can lean into Stellar-Conduct without spending a single wish.
