S Wind Attack

Severian

Public Security Commissioner

TierS
RolesMain DPS
Release3.3

Severian is a Wind Attack Agent, New Eridu Public Security's Commissioner and head of the Metropolitan Order Division. He fights almost entirely with enhanced Basic Attacks: his combo automatically dodges incoming hits and turns them into counterattacks, building Flow that he spends on Azure Wind's Shadowhunt, a long invulnerable string of slashes. With any Stun or Support teammate, his CRIT Rate also turns into ATK, which makes him a simple and very safe on-field DPS.

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Severian

Wind DPS (CRIT / Basic Attack)

W-Engines

Incarcerating Grip BiS
S · CRIT Rate
Best in slot: a 24% CRIT Rate main stat plus another 20% CRIT Rate, and every Basic Attack hit (Swift Edge, Raging Whirlwind, Shadowhunt) keeps up +10% ATK and 15% Wind RES ignore. All that CRIT Rate also feeds his Additional Ability and frees your Disc substats for CRIT DMG.
CRIT Rate +20%; when a Basic Attack hits an enemy, the equipper's ATK +10% and their DMG ignores 15% of the target's Wind RES for 16s.
Sol Exuvia
S · ATK%
Pyrois' W-Engine: ATK% main stat and an unconditional +20% CRIT Rate. Its RES ignore only works for Pyrois, but its raw stats make it one of the best options without his signature.
CRIT Rate +20%; for Pyrois, Ultimates and entering combat grant Eclipse: DMG ignores 16% of Ether RES for 45s.
Cordis Germina
S · CRIT Rate
CRIT Rate main stat and +15% CRIT Rate; his Basic and EX Special Attacks keep its stacks up, so his Basic Attacks and Ultimate ignore 20% DEF. Its Electric DMG bonus is wasted on him.
CRIT Rate +15%; Basic and EX Special Attacks stack Electric DMG +12.5% for 40s (up to 2); at 2 stacks, Basic Attack and Ultimate DMG ignore 20% of DEF.
The Brimstone
S · ATK%
Standard S-Rank: his constant Basic Attacks, Dash Attacks and Dodge Counters keep its 8 ATK stacks up (+28% ATK). No CRIT Rate, so you'll need more of it from your Discs.
Basic Attacks, Dash Attacks and Dodge Counters stack ATK +3.5% for 8s, up to 8 times.
Marcato Desire
A · CRIT Rate
A-Rank option, close to Starlight Engine: CRIT Rate main stat, and his EX Special and Chain Attacks raise his ATK, twice as much on enemies suffering an Attribute Anomaly.
EX Special Attack and Chain Attack hits raise ATK by 6% for 8s, or 12% if the target suffers an Attribute Anomaly.
Starlight Engine
A · ATK%
A-Rank option, close to Marcato Desire: ATK% main stat, and his frequent Dodge Counters raise his ATK by 12%.
Dodge Counters and Quick Assists raise ATK by 12% for 12s.
Cannon Rotor
A · CRIT Rate
Accessible A-Rank alternative: CRIT Rate main stat, a little ATK and an extra hit on critical hits.
ATK +7.5%; critical hits deal extra DMG equal to 200% of ATK (once every 8s).

Drive Discs

Dawn's Bloom ×4
Woodpecker Electro ×2
Recommended. Basic Attacks are his main source of damage, and his EX Special Attack and Ultimate trigger Dawn's Bloom's extra +20% Basic Attack DMG for 25s. Woodpecker Electro's CRIT Rate helps reach the 100% his Additional Ability scales up to.
Set effects
2pIncreases Basic Attack DMG by 15%.
4pIncreases Basic Attack DMG by 20%. When equipped by an Attack character, using an EX Special Attack or Ultimate will further increase Basic Attack DMG by 20% for 25s. Repeated triggers reset the duration.
2pCRIT Rate +8%
Dawn's Bloom ×4
Puffer Electro ×2
Once your CRIT Rate is high enough (usually with his signature W-Engine), swap the 2-piece for Puffer Electro's PEN Ratio.
Set effects
2pIncreases Basic Attack DMG by 15%.
4pIncreases Basic Attack DMG by 20%. When equipped by an Attack character, using an EX Special Attack or Ultimate will further increase Basic Attack DMG by 20% for 25s. Repeated triggers reset the duration.
2pPEN Ratio +8%
Dawn's Bloom ×4
Wuthering Salon ×2
Alternative: +10% Wind DMG instead, close to the Puffer Electro version.
Set effects
2pIncreases Basic Attack DMG by 15%.
4pIncreases Basic Attack DMG by 20%. When equipped by an Attack character, using an EX Special Attack or Ultimate will further increase Basic Attack DMG by 20% for 25s. Repeated triggers reset the duration.
2pWind DMG +10%.

Main stats

Disc 4
CRIT Rate
Disc 5
Wind DMG Bonus / PEN Ratio / ATK%
Disc 6
ATK%

Substat priority

1CRIT Rate 2CRIT DMG 3ATK% 4ATK

Stat targets

  • CRIT Rate 75–80%+, and up to 100% if you can: his Additional Ability scales up to 100% CRIT Rate (+850 ATK)
  • CRIT DMG 130–150% (his Core Passive adds another 60%)
  • ATK 2,800–3,000

Talent priority

Core Skill
Basic Attack
Special Attack
Chain Attack
Dodge
Assist

Sol Exuvia, Cordis Germina and The Brimstone are close: use the one you own. Heartstring Nocturne (CRIT Rate and +50% CRIT DMG) also works as a stat stick. With his signature W-Engine his CRIT Rate climbs fast, so favour CRIT DMG substats once you're near 100%.

Teams

Recommended teams

Premium: Norma & Astra Yao

Severian
Norma
Astra Yao

His best team, and HoYoverse's first official recommendation. Norma builds Daze from off-field, gives him free Chain Attacks and, with an Attack teammate, boosts squad DMG and the Stun DMG Multiplier; Astra Yao adds ATK and CRIT DMG through Quick Assists. Both enable his Additional Ability, and he keeps the field to himself. Bangboo: Ultra Jake. Dialyn or Qingyi also work as Stunners.

Wind: Roxy & Sunna

Severian
Roxy
Sunna

The other official recommendation. Roxy is a Wind Agent, which unlocks the extra +30% DMG of his Core Passive; her EX tornado builds Daze and Windswept (give her short field windows), and her squad CRIT DMG buff covers Wind DMG whenever Windswept enemies get Contaminated. Sunna adds ATK buffs and healing.

Accessible: Anby & Nicole

Severian
Anby
Nicole

The F2P team: Anby is an A-Rank Stunner and Nicole's DEF Shred works with anyone, and both enable his Additional Ability. Anby takes a bit more field time than the premium Stunners.

Guide

How to play

Flow and Azure Wind's Shadowhunt

  • Severian's damage revolves around Flow (150 max). At 100 Flow, hold Basic Attack to unleash Azure Wind's Shadowhunt: a backward dodge, then a long string of dashing slashes during which he is invulnerable, dealing massive Wind DMG. It's his main damage skill besides his Ultimate, and it counts as a Basic Attack.
  • Flow comes from the 4th hit of Swift Edge (20), Raging Whirlwind (15, +20 on hit), Perfect Dodges with Windshift (15, once every 0.5s), the final hit of Shadowhunt (20) or dodging an attack during its backstep (15), his Chain Attack Coldblade Reap (35) and his Ultimate Annihilating Windstorm (100: a Shadowhunt right away).

Dodging is attacking

  • His Basic Attack Swift Edge dodges attacks: if an enemy attack lands just as he starts one of the first three hits, he automatically launches Raging Whirlwind, a powerful forward dash; on the 4th hit, that hit takes Raging Whirlwind's multipliers and gives 15 more Flow.
  • Shadowflash (2 max): 2 stacks when he enters the battlefield, 1 per EX Special Attack Swiftwind Rupture, and 1 more if you hold the EX until it has spent its maximum Energy. When he isn't invulnerable, a non-Control enemy attack he fails to dodge or parry consumes 1 Shadowflash: he dodges it automatically and launches Raging Whirlwind. Gaining Shadowflash at 2 stacks gives Windborne instead and turns your next Swift Edge into Raging Whirlwind.
  • All of these count as Perfect Dodges, and each Perfect Dodge gives Windborne. While he's off-field with Windborne, press Assist to bring him back with the Entry Skill Clear Out, which counts as a Quick Assist.
  • Nearly all his skills are invulnerable, and his Dash Attack, Dodge Counter and taunting Dodge Spontaneity don't reset his Basic Attack combo.

Core Passive and Additional Ability

  • Core Passive: +60% CRIT DMG and +25% DMG, plus another +30% DMG if there's another Wind Agent in the squad (Roxy, Velina…).
  • Additional Ability Optimal Setup (a Support or Stun Agent, or a member of his faction, in the squad): +8.5 ATK per 1% CRIT Rate, up to 100% CRIT Rate (+850 ATK). With the usual Stun + Support squad it's always active, which is why he pushes his CRIT Rate so high.

Rotation

  1. Keep attacking into enemy attacks: Swift Edge and Shadowflash dodge for you and turn them into Raging Whirlwind.
  2. Use Swiftwind Rupture whenever Energy allows (hold it for the second Shadowflash); it also triggers the 4-piece Dawn's Bloom bonus.
  3. At 100 Flow, hold Basic Attack for Azure Wind's Shadowhunt. Holding Basic Attack during Raging Whirlwind chains straight into it.
  4. Save Chain Attacks and his Ultimate for Stun windows: the Ultimate refills 100 Flow for an immediate Shadowhunt.
  5. When he's off-field, the Windborne from his Perfect Dodges lets him come back instantly with Clear Out.

HoYoverse's official recommended squads are Severian + Norma + Astra Yao and Severian + Roxy + Sunna.

He's a field-hungry DPS: pair him with teammates who work off-field, and keep him on-field during Stun windows.

Strengths

  • Very safe and forgiving: his Basic Attack and Shadowflash dodge enemy attacks for him, and most of his key skills are invulnerable.
  • Simple loop: attack, dodge, build Flow, spend it on Azure Wind's Shadowhunt.
  • His Additional Ability is active with any Stun or Support teammate and turns CRIT Rate into up to +850 ATK.
  • Fits standard Stun + Support squads, with extra DMG when another Wind Agent joins.
  • His signature W-Engine gives 44% CRIT Rate on its own, which makes his gear much easier to build.

Weaknesses

  • Takes a lot of field time: his teammates need to work from off-field.
  • Shadowflash doesn't dodge Control Skill attacks and only holds 2 stacks, so you still have to dodge yourself.
  • Wants a very high CRIT Rate (up to 100%) to max out his Additional Ability.
  • Getting the most out of Stun windows (Chain Attacks, Ultimate, Shadowhunt) takes some practice.

Notable dupes · Mindscape Cinema

M1
Big upgrade

His Chain Attack gives 50 Flow instead of 35; once every 60s, switching in with Clear Out launches a Chain Attack instead; each Shadowhunt grants Windborne, and his attacks ignore 15% Wind RES. The best stopping point after M0.

M2
Big upgrade

+150 Flow when he enters the battlefield (a Shadowhunt right away), and Perfect Dodges or Shadowhunt raise his PEN Ratio by 20% for 25s.

M4
Optional

+10% ATK for 30s when he enters combat or switches in, and +10% Decibel generation for 15s after Raging Whirlwind or Shadowhunt.

M6
Solid upgrade

Max Flow 180 and 180 Flow on entering the battlefield; the final hit of Shadowhunt gets a fixed +350% DMG Multiplier and grants 5 Flow per second for 5s.

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Updated November 11, 2026 · Version 3.3
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