Stellar Glimmer is the umbrella name for a set of upgraded Cryo elemental reactions in Genshin Impact. It covers two reactions right now, Stellar-Conduct and Stellar Swirl, and any time your team triggers one of them the game counts it as a Stellar Glimmer reaction. That single label lets character kits refer to both reactions at once instead of listing them by name.
Quick answer: To trigger Stellar Glimmer, put a character with a Stellar Linchpin on your team (Sandrone, Odette, or the Cryo Traveler), then cause a Cryo + Electro reaction for Stellar-Conduct or a Cryo + Anemo reaction for Stellar Swirl. Without one of those enablers, the same attacks produce ordinary Superconduct or Cryo Swirl instead.
The two Stellar Glimmer reactions
Both reactions are enhanced versions of existing Cryo interactions. Stellar-Conduct is the upgraded form of Superconduct, and Stellar Swirl is the upgraded form of Cryo Swirl. As more Snezhnaya characters arrive with new upgraded Cryo reactions, they are expected to fall under the same Stellar Glimmer group.
| Reaction | Elements | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Stellar-Conduct | Cryo + Electro | Creates a Starlight Prism that generates a Polestar Field. Characters inside gain a Cryo and Electro DMG bonus, while enemies inside have their Physical RES reduced. Stellar-Conduct DMG is also amplified. |
| Stellar Swirl | Cryo + Anemo | Creates a Stellar Vortex that deals Cryo DMG. Triggering Stellar Swirl repeatedly before it erupts raises its level, increasing the damage of its final explosion. |
Only one Stellar reaction’s field can exist at a time. While a Polestar Field from one Stellar reaction is active, it cannot be converted into the other type, so hybrid Stellar teams that run both reactions together are not possible.
Characters that enable Stellar Glimmer
Stellar reactions only fire when the party includes a character who carries a Stellar Linchpin, a special type of Vision held by Snezhnaya characters. The Cryo Traveler can also enable them because of their Descender status. As of Version 7.0, three characters can transform Superconduct and Cryo Swirl into their Stellar forms simply by being on the team.
| Character | Rarity | Element | Weapon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sandrone | 5★ | Cryo | Claymore |
| Odette | 5★ | Cryo | Sword |
| Traveler (Cryo) | 5★ | Cryo | Sword |
Sandrone and the Cryo Traveler can both enable Stellar-Conduct, and the Cryo Traveler and Odette can enable Stellar Swirl. Odette is the most flexible of the group, since she can convert both Superconduct and Cryo Swirl reactions that her teammates trigger into their Stellar versions.
To use these reactions on the Traveler, resonate with the Statue of the Seven after arriving in Snezhnaya to gain Cryo power. Once you have it, causing the right element pairing with an enabler present will produce a Stellar reaction instead of the base one.
Radiance: Stellar Glimmer state
Radiance: Stellar Glimmer is a state characters enter when the team triggers a Stellar reaction. A character enters Radiance: Stellar-Conduct when the team triggers Stellar-Conduct, and Radiance: Stellar Swirl when the team triggers Stellar Swirl. Being in either one counts as being in the Radiance: Stellar Glimmer state.
This matters because some talents check for the state rather than a specific reaction. For example, Qiqi’s second constellation reads that during Radiance: Stellar Glimmer, her ATK is increased by 50%. That bonus applies whether she is in the Radiance: Stellar-Conduct state or the Radiance: Stellar Swirl state.
Characters that benefit from Stellar Glimmer
As long as a Stellar Linchpin holder is in the party, a range of existing Cryo, Electro, and Anemo characters gain from these reactions. They do not enable Stellar Glimmer themselves, but their damage and kits pick up the reaction buffs.
| Character | Rarity | Element |
|---|---|---|
| Cyno | 5★ | Electro |
| Mizuki | 5★ | Anemo |
| Qiqi | 5★ | Cryo |
| Wriothesley | 5★ | Cryo |
| Yae Miko | 5★ | Electro |
| Alyosha | 4★ | Electro |
| Beidou | 4★ | Electro |
| Diona | 4★ | Cryo |
Odette’s fourth Ascension Passive adds to this by scaling off her ATK. For every 100 ATK she has above 1,000, her Stellar Glimmer DMG rises by 1.5% of the original damage, up to a maximum of 30% additional damage. Because the buff targets Stellar Glimmer rather than a single reaction, it applies to both Stellar-Conduct and Stellar Swirl.
Artifacts for Stellar Glimmer teams
Two Artifact sets are built around these reactions. Heart of the Furnace focuses on the whole Stellar Glimmer group, while Scarlet Proof is tuned specifically for Stellar Swirl teams.
| Set | 2-piece | 4-piece |
|---|---|---|
| Heart of the Furnace | ATK +18% | For 12 seconds after triggering a Stellar Glimmer reaction or dealing Stellar Glimmer DMG, ATK +12% and the party’s Stellar Glimmer reaction DMG +50%. Works off-field; identical sets do not stack. |
| Scarlet Proof | ATK +18% | For 10 seconds after triggering a Stellar Swirl reaction, CRIT Rate +16% and Stellar Swirl reaction DMG +40%. |
You will know Stellar Glimmer is active when the base reaction is replaced by its Stellar form on trigger, with a Polestar Field appearing for Stellar-Conduct or a Stellar Vortex building for Stellar Swirl. If you only see standard Superconduct or Cryo Swirl, your team is missing a Stellar Linchpin enabler, which is the single most common reason the reactions do not fire.
