B BIO Physical

Crimson Impulse

Raiden Mei

TierC
RolesDPS
Release1.8

Crimson Impulse is Mei's B-rank BIO-type Physical katana user from v1.8: an easy melee DPS with fast penta-slashes, a whirlwind Combo ATK that launches enemies, and Amaterasu, a 50 SP forward slash of up to 1,150% ATK. She hits hard against enemies whose Elite Shield is broken, and her QTE triggers on shield breaks or airborne enemies. She has no Astral Ring and is obsolete in 9.0: a starter for early story content only.

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Crimson Impulse

Physical katana starter

Weapons

Void Blade BiS
A
BBS recommendation, craftable in the Foundry: a Time Slow area with +30% Crit Rate and SP regen, and up to +45% Physical DMG after spending SP (Amaterasu).
Foundry katana: its active creates a 6s Time Slow area in which Basic, Combo and Charged ATKs gain 30% Crit Rate and the wielder restores 2 SP/s; spending 10/40/70 SP at once gives 15/30/45% Physical DMG for 8s.
Nue of the Shadow
A
Alternative if you own it (not a BBS pick): Shadow Dash's katana gives the team Crit and +25% Crit DMG on Combo ATKs and Ultimates.
Shadow Dash's signature katana: a slash that gives the team +10% Crit Rate and +15% Crit DMG for 9s, plus +25% Crit DMG on Combo ATKs and Ultimates.
Lightning Soul
B
BBS budget placeholder from the Foundry.
Basic katana craftable in the Foundry: every hit deals 43 bonus Lightning DMG, and +15% Lightning DMG.

Stigmata

Michelangelo T Top
Planck M Middle
Michelangelo B Bottom
BBS recommendation: Michelangelo T/B stack Physical DMG and Crit DMG with her Basic ATKs and give up to +30% Total DMG after she enters the field, and Planck (M) boosts her Basic ATK Physical DMG at the cost of taking more Physical DMG.
Set effects
2pRenaissance set. Total DMG +15%, plus another 15% for 15s after entering the field (CD: 30s).
3pOn exit, heals 2% max HP per second for 10s and strikes every enemy for 300% ATK of Physical DMG, doubled against enemies under 10% HP (CD: 30s).
2pWeak hits (below 15 × the Valkyrie's level) no longer interrupt the wearer; on Bronya, ranged attacks get a 15% Total DMG Multiplier.
3pHitting an enemy heals 5% HP (CD: 5s); on Bronya, SP regen +30%.
Marco Polo T Top
Marco Polo M Middle
Marco Polo B Bottom
BBS alternative: bonus Physical DMG and healing once she passes 25 combo hits.
Set effects
2pAbove 25 combo hits, Combo and Charged ATKs deal 250% ATK of bonus Physical DMG on hit (CD: 5s).
3pAbove 25 combo hits, the wearer heals 200 HP every 5s.
Ryunosuke Akutagawa T Top
Ryunosuke Akutagawa M Middle
Ryunosuke Akutagawa B Bottom
BBS transitional set: a barrier with +40% Crit DMG and +20% melee Total DMG.
Set effects
2pA barrier worth 15% of max HP when entering battle; +40% Crit DMG while it holds.
3pMelee attacks +20% Total DMG.

Stat targets

  • A rank (20 fragments) first: leader skill upgrade and Bleed on Basic ATKs
  • Break Elite Shields, then burst the elite with the Crit bonus
  • Keep the combo counter above 20 for the Attack Speed and team Physical DMG bonuses

Talent priority

Special ATK
Ultimate
Basic ATK
Passive
Evasion
Leader

Where to get her: fragments from Expeditions, the Logistics Terminal, Witch's Corridor, Sakura Samsara, the Friendship Supply Crate and the Armada Warehouse (Fandom). Any of Mei's later battlesuits replaces her.

Teams

Recommended teams

All-B-rank QTE loop

White Comet
Valkyrie Chariot
Crimson Impulse

Crimson Impulse leads for team Physical DMG; White Comet's Comet Fall and Valkyrie Chariot's QTE launch enemies for her QTE, and the black hole groups them for Amaterasu. Early story content only.

Launcher trio

Crimson Impulse
Battle Storm
White Comet

Battle Storm's Ultimate and White Comet's Combo ATK knock enemies airborne, which triggers Crimson Impulse's QTE, and Battle Storm's leader skill cuts melee Physical DMG taken.

Guide

How to play

Core loop

  • Basic ATK Gotamashiki is a swift 5-hit sequence (the 5th hit is a 250% ATK AoE). Holding [ATK] during any Basic ATK launches her Combo ATK, Whirling Petals (7 x 60% ATK), which knocks nearby enemies airborne; from SS, tap [ATK] during it for a second whirlwind.
  • Above 20 combo hits she gains 15% Attack Speed, and her leader skill gives the team 10% Physical DMG (18% from A rank).
  • Against an enemy whose Elite Shield is broken, she gains 20% Crit Rate and 30% Crit DMG.
  • From A rank, Basic ATKs have a 20% chance to inflict 2 Bleed Trauma.

Ultimate: Amaterasu (50 SP)

  • A forward slash of up to 1,150% ATK of Physical DMG; each strike adds a little Fire DMG.
  • From SS, Spirit Blade gives her +15 max SP and makes Amaterasu cost 20 more SP, but she then enters Valkyrie mode for 5s, which enhances all her attacks.

Evasion, switch and QTE

  • Phantom Blade: two quick dashes in a row. Ultimate Evasion triggers a 3s Time Fracture (CD 15s, 11s from S rank, with +20% Attack Speed inside it). Tap [ATK] after evading for an Insta-Slash, which deals 150% ATK of bonus Physical DMG after a Time Fracture.
  • Switch entry: an Insta-Slash. QTE: Iaido Whirlwind triggers on shield break or airborne enemies (225% + 400% ATK).

Rotation: Basic ATK chains into Whirling Petals to launch enemies, Ultimate Evasion + Insta-Slash whenever it is ready, and Amaterasu on grouped enemies.

Strengths

  • Free and easy to farm: fragments from Expeditions, the Logistics Terminal and other sources.
  • Very easy to play, with simple QTE triggers.
  • Cheap 50 SP Ultimate and strong damage against shield-broken elites.
  • Leader skill: +10% team Physical DMG above 20 combo hits (18% from A rank).

Weaknesses

  • Obsolete: a B-rank with no Astral Ring and very low damage.
  • Small AoE outside her Combo ATK.
  • Her Valkyrie mode only arrives at SS.
  • Cannot be fielded with another Mei battlesuit.

Notable dupes · Rank

A
Big upgrade

Leader skill upgrade (+18% team Physical DMG above 20 combo hits, up from 10%) and Bleed on Basic ATKs.

S
Solid upgrade

Time Fracture CD -4s and +20% Attack Speed during her own Time Fracture.

SS
Solid upgrade

A second Whirling Petals, and Amaterasu now puts her in Valkyrie mode for 5s (+15 max SP, +20 SP cost).

SSS
Optional

Bonus Physical DMG on each Valkyrie-mode hit, and the last Basic ATK hit boosts Combo ATK DMG by 20% for 6s.

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Updated September 26, 2026 · Version 9.0
Sources & references
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