How Snapshot works in Genshin
In Genshin the term “snapshot” or “snapshotting” are used to describe when an elemental skill/burst/passive effect is fixed to the stats of the character at the time the skill was cast. If the entity is “snapshotted” without any buffs then additional buffs occurring after the entity was created will not affect it. In other words, if a character activates a skill while being buffed, the activated skill will benefit from the buff regardless if said character is still still under the influence of the buff. This is because when something “snapshots”, it follows the character stats the moment it was deployed and stays that way.
A good example is Xianling’s Burst, Pyronado. If you were to activate Pyronado under Bennet’s Burst that provides a buff, the Pyronado would benefit from the buff even after Bennet’s buff has ended or if you go outside of his buff AOE. That’s because Xiangling’s Pyronado has “snapshotted” and retains the buff it received during its cast time. However its important to note that this works vice versa. Meaning that if Pyronado is cast BEFORE Bennet’s Burst, it won’t benefit from the buff even after you cast it after. Just as before, the Pyronado has “snapshotted” onto Xiangling’s pre-buff stats so any buffs applied after won’t matter.
Most abilities in the game can snapshot unless if listed as Dynamic Abilities. Dynamic Abilities continuously update based on the character’s stats in real time.
Buffs that Snapshot
These are buffs that can be snapshotted into the character’s attack. They can arise from character talents and constellations, artifact sets, weapon passives, or other external sources.
| Character | Talent/Constellation | Type of Buff |
| Bennett | Fantastic Voyage (Q) | ATK Bonus |
| Diona | Cat’s Tail Closing Time (C6 + Q) | Elemental Mastery (+200) |
| Kaedehara Kazuha | Poetics of Fuubutsu (A4) | Elemental Damage Bonus |
| Kujou Sara | Tengu Stormcall (E) | ATK Bonus |
| Raiden Shogun | Transcendence: Baleful Omen (E) | Burst DMG Bonus |
| Rosaria | Regina Probationum (A1) | CRIT Rate Bonus for Rosaria |
| Rosaria | Shadow Samaritan (A4) | Party CRIT Rate Bonus |
| Sucrose | Mollis Favonius (A4 + E/Q) | Elemental Mastery |
| Yoimiya | Summer Night’s Dawn (A4 + Q) | ATK Bonus (10-20%) |
Dynamic Abilities
Not every talent can snapshot. Certain “dynamic” abilities such as Xingqiu’s rainswords will not snapshot, meaning that if one uses Xingqiu’s Guhua Sword: Raincutter and leaves Bennett’s Fantastic Voyage field, the rainswords will no longer be buffed.
Dynamic summons/buffs:
- Eula’s Glacial Illumination
- Hu Tao’s Blood Blossom
- Kujou Sara’s Constellation 6 Sin of Pride (the CRIT DMG bonus does not snapshot)
- Mona’s Stellaris Phantasm
- Raiden Shogun’s Transcendence: Baleful Omen (the coordinated attacks do not snapshot)
- Tartaglia’s Riptide
- Xingqiu’s Guhua Sword: Raincutter
- Yoimiya’s Ryuukin Saxifrage: The Aurous Blaze appears to be a dynamic status and can receive certain buffs during its duration like Yoimiya’s Constellation 1 and Constellation 2. For example, Yoimiya’s Constellation 2 appears to give Aurous Blaze the Pyro DMG Bonus, which does wear off after 6 seconds (it is not snapshotted for the whole duration of the Aurous Blaze).
- Shenhe Elemental Skill: Spring Spirit Summoning