Look, I’ve been covering Genshin meta shifts for years now, and this comparison feels different. We’re not just looking at power creep here—we’re seeing two completely different philosophies clash.
What Makes These Characters Tick
The Fundamentals (And Why They Matter More Than You Think)
Raiden Shogun’s been our go-to Electro powerhouse since 2.1, and honestly? Her kit still feels modern. She builds Resolve stacks—0.2 per energy point from teammate bursts at max talent—capping at 60 stacks. Those stacks turn her 90-cost burst into an absolute nuke. Simple concept, devastating execution.
Flins throws all that out the window.
His whole identity revolves around this Moonsign Benediction passive that converts regular Electro-Charged reactions into something called Lunar-Charged reactions. These scale with both ATK and Elemental Mastery simultaneously—which sounds amazing until you realize optimizing dual-scaling characters is a nightmare. (Trust me, I’m still recovering from early Kazuha theorycrafting.)
The Numbers Game
Flins (Level 90): 12,491 HP, 352 ATK (highest base attack in the game, actually), 809 DEF. Ascends with 38.4% CRIT DMG.
Raiden (Level 90): 12,907 HP, 337 ATK, 789 DEF. Ascends with 32% Energy Recharge.
Here’s where it gets interesting—Flins’ Whispering Flame converts 8% of his ATK into Elemental Mastery, capped at 160 EM. His other passive bumps Lunar-Charged base damage by 0.7% per 100 ATK, maxing at 14%. Suddenly, those ATK% substats you’ve been treating as consolation prizes? They’re premium stats on Flins.
Damage Output: The Real Talk
When the Numbers Hit Different
Raiden’s Secret Art: Musou Shinsetsu remains one of the most satisfying bursts in the game when properly stacked. Seven seconds of pure devastation, and since her attacks count as Elemental Burst damage, she plays beautifully with Yelan and Xingqiu. (Still can’t trigger Beidou’s burst though—that interaction’s been dead since 2.1.)
Flins operates on a different rhythm entirely. His optimal rotation—Elemental Skill into Northland Spearstorm into Thunderous Symphony—feels more like a combo fighter than traditional Genshin gameplay. That 6-second Manifest Flame stance gives him unoverridable Electro infusion, which is nice, but C1’s the real game-changer. It drops his Northland Spearstorm cooldown from 6 seconds to 4, enabling way more frequent special bursts.
The Energy Economics Problem
This is where things get messy for Flins.
Raiden’s A4 passive provides 0.6% energy restoration per 1% ER above 100%. She needs 200-220% ER in solo Electro setups, but that drops to 130-190% with an Electro buddy. Manageable, especially since she’s feeding energy to everyone else.
Flins? He’s hungry. 80-cost burst, 20-second cooldown, and at C0 you’re looking at 160-180% ER requirements. C1 helps—8 energy per Lunar-Charged reaction every 5.5 seconds—dropping requirements to 120-140%. But that’s a constellation tax most players won’t want to pay.
Building These Monsters
Artifact Hell (And How to Escape It)
Raiden’s got it easy. 4-piece Emblem of Severed Fate is her bread and butter—20% ER from the 2-piece, up to 75% Elemental Burst DMG bonus from the 4-piece. The math’s straightforward, the domain’s useful for half your roster, and you probably already have decent pieces lying around.
Hyperbloom Raiden? That’s 4-piece Flower of Paradise Lost or Gilded Dreams territory.
Flins demands the new hotness: 4-piece Night of the Sky’s Unveiling. The 2-piece gives 80 EM, but the 4-piece is where it gets spicy—Gleaming Moon: Intent buffs that last 4 seconds when party members trigger Lunar Reactions. We’re talking 15% CRIT Rate in Nascent Gleam, 30% in Ascendant Gleam.
Stat Priority Reality Check
Raiden: ER% Sands, Electro DMG Goblet, CRIT Circlet. Substats follow CRIT > ER > ATK% > EM. Clean, simple, effective.
Flins: ATK% Sands, Electro DMG Goblet, CRIT Circlet. But those substats? CRIT > ATK% > EM > ER. You’re essentially building two different scaling systems simultaneously.
Weapons: From F2P Heroes to Whale Territory
The Signature Showdown
Engulfing Lightning turned Raiden into an absolute unit back in the day. 608 base ATK, 55.1% ER, and it converts ER into ATK at a 28% rate (maxing at 80% bonus). Plus that sweet 30% ER boost for 12 seconds post-burst.
Bloodsoaked Ruins is Flins’ answer—674 base ATK (that’s massive), 22.1% CRIT Rate. It pumps Lunar-Charged DMG by 36% for 3.5 seconds after burst, throws in 28% CRIT DMG, and restores 12 energy when you trigger Lunar-Charged reactions. There’s a 14-second cooldown on that energy restoration, but still.
F2P Reality Check
Here’s where Raiden absolutely dominates. The Catch at R5 gives her 45.9% ER, 32% Elemental Burst DMG, and 12% Burst CRIT Rate. It’s obtainable through fishing—no gacha required. Game-changing weapon, zero primogems.
Flins gets Prospector’s Shovel—craftable 4-star with 41.3% ATK. R5 provides 96% Electro-Charged DMG and 24% Lunar-Charged DMG, with another 24% Lunar-Charged bonus under Ascendant Gleam. It’s functional, but the gap between this and his signature feels way wider than Raiden’s equivalent comparison.
For those considering major investments, services like Genshin Top Up Online offer competitive rates for acquiring premium weapons—though honestly, I’d prioritize constellations for both these characters.
Constellation Deep Dive: Where Your Primos Really Matter
The Game-Changers
Raiden C2 Steelbreaker remains one of the most impactful constellations ever released. 60% DEF ignore on burst attacks translates to roughly 43% personal damage increase. It’s so good that most theorycrafters recommend C2 over her signature weapon.
Flins’ constellation journey:
C1: 4-second special skill CD, 8 energy per Lunar-Charged reaction (28.7% damage boost)
C2: Extra damage instance plus 25% Electro RES shred (58.2% total increase)
C6: 35% multiplicative damage bonus to Lunar-Charged reactions (174.7% total increase)
The interesting thing? Flins C1 provides crucial quality-of-life improvements that feel almost mandatory. It’s his equivalent of Raiden C2, but it comes earlier in the constellation chain.
Team Building: Where Philosophy Meets Practice
Raiden’s Universal Appeal
She just… fits everywhere. Seriously.
Rational: Raiden, Xiangling, Xingqiu, Bennett (still top-tier after all these years)
Hypercarry: Raiden, Sara, Kazuha, Bennett
Hyperbloom: Raiden, Nahida, Xingqiu, flex slot
Eula Support: Superconduct and energy battery rolled into one
Flins’ Ecosystem Requirements
Here’s where things get expensive. Core team: Flins, Ineffa, Hydro applicator (Yelan or Xingqiu), flex slot. That dependency on Ineffa is real—early reports suggest he’s quite weak without dedicated supports.
It’s not just about one character anymore. You’re investing in an entire system.
The Investment Reality Check
Timeline and Costs
Flins drops in Version 6.0 Phase 2 (October 1-22, 2025) on The Lone Light Knocks at Night banner, running alongside a Yelan rerun.
Let’s talk numbers:
Raiden C0 + The Catch: ~28,800 primogems
Raiden C2 + Engulfing Lightning: ~86,400 primogems
Flins C1 + Bloodsoaked Ruins: ~86,400 primogems
Flins optimization with Ineffa: 100,000+ primogems
For major investments like these, platforms offering Genshin Impact Top Up services can help budget-conscious players optimize their spending through competitive pricing.
Meta Implications: The Big Picture
Raiden’s maintained consistent Spiral Abyss usage rates because versatility never goes out of style. Energy generation, flexible team slots, proven damage output—she’s the definition of future-proof.
Flins represents something different. He’s experimental, specialized, potentially revolutionary. But he’s also risky. New reaction mechanics are fascinating until the content doesn’t favor extended field time, or until the next region introduces mechanics that counter his kit.
For players utilizing Buy Genesis Crystals services, the choice comes down to this: proven value versus cutting-edge gameplay.
The Verdict (Sort Of)
Here’s my take after years of covering these releases: if you’re asking whether to pull, you probably already know your answer.
Raiden’s the safe choice. She’ll slot into your teams immediately, perform well with budget options, and still be relevant two years from now.
Flins? He’s for the players who get excited about new mechanics, who don’t mind the investment cost, who want to be on the cutting edge of theorycrafting.
Both are excellent characters. They’re just excellent for completely different players.
Quick Answers to Your Burning Questions
Is Flins better than Raiden for overall account value?
Nope. Raiden’s versatility, F2P options, and proven longevity make her the better overall investment. Flins offers higher damage ceilings but demands significant investment across multiple limited characters.
Can they work together?
Theoretically, with Flins on-field and Raiden providing off-field support. But both want field time, and Flins really shines with Ineffa instead.
Which is more F2P-friendly?
Raiden, no contest. The Catch is free, C0 performance is excellent, and Rational team costs are minimal. Flins basically requires his signature weapon or C1, plus limited 5-star supports.
Energy requirements comparison?
Raiden needs 200-220% ER solo but feeds the team. Flins needs 160-180% at C0, dropping to 120-140% at C1 through Lunar-Charged energy restoration.
Artifact farming efficiency?
Raiden wins. Emblem domain benefits multiple characters, stat priorities are straightforward. Flins needs the new Version 6.0 set with complex dual-scaling optimization.
Should I skip Flins if I have built Raiden?
If Raiden covers your Electro needs, Flins becomes a luxury pull unless you specifically want those Lunar-Charged mechanics. Consider your roster gaps, available supports (especially Ineffa access), and whether you prefer new gameplay or strengthening existing teams.