Greetings! Today's guide focuses on strategies for the monsters in Version 5.8's Stygian Onslaught Difficulty 5, along with team composition recommendations and mechanics. You should all be familiar with Stygian Onslaught by now – it's essentially a high-difficulty version of the three-path Abyss. The difficulty lies in starting with zero Elemental Energy, placing higher demands on DPS, rotations, and execution techniques. So This let’s see how the runs go for Stygian Onslaught!
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▍Genshin 5.8 Tenebrous Papilla
At Difficulty 5, HP is 6.42 million.
*Three characteristics
1. In its normal state, it permanently possesses a hit count shield (unless broken). The shield durability is increased to 150 hits (compared to 72 in the regular Abyss). Hit count calculation is the same as the Abyss (normal Elements remove 1 hit, Nightsoul DMG removes 3 hits). Unlike the Abyss (where it stands still), this monster can still attack while the shield is active. The monsters it can manifest this version are Maguu Kenki, Electro Hypostasis, and Primo Geovishap (likely Hydro).
2. After breaking the hit count shield, it will become paralyzed and lose HP. The amount of HP lost depends on how much Nightsoul DMG was dealt during the shield phase. If the final hit breaking the shield is an Amplifying reaction (Vaporize, Melt) DMG, it will also amplify the damage taken during paralysis. Paralysis lasts 20 seconds. After recovering, it will replenish a 150-hit shield.
3. If the hit count shield is not broken within 60 seconds, it will instantly kill the active characters.
How to Beat It?
· Try to use Nightsoul characters; if unavailable, use characters with high attack frequency.
· Must break the shield. Not breaking it means dealing no damage and risks losing team members.
· Try to form teams centered around Amplifying reactions.
Recommended Teams
S-Tier: Mavuika + Xilonen + Citlali + Bennett / Ineffa.
A-Tier: Chasca + Furina + Citlali + Bennett (requires Chasca C2 or Furina C2, otherwise damage is insufficient), Mavuika + Chasca + Citlali + Bennett, Kinich + Diona + Xiangling + Bennett.
B-Tier: The Knave + Diona + Xilonen + Bennett.
Yes, Citlali is once again an essential character this cycle. Citlali's high-frequency Cryo application combined with Natlan characters breaks the hit count shield very quickly, and she synergizes well with the Pyro Archon and Chasca, offering significant team-building advantages.
The Natlan battleship also performs well against the hit count shield, mainly because Amplifying reactions feed back into the shield-breaking damage. Therefore, for the first rotation: Mavuika E -> Bennett E to catch particles -> Xilonen E AA -> Citlali E -> then Mavuika directly uses her Burst to break the shield. Note: The breaking technique should be AZS, which is slightly faster than continuous spinning. Refresh Mavuika's E immediately when available and start the cycle. Subsequent phases are just repeating the cycle. This is also the easiest team for most players to assemble.
Chasca teams strictly require Chasca C2 or Furina C2; otherwise, the damage is insufficient and you simply won't be able to clear. Citlali can be replaced with Shenhe, which offers higher damage. If Xilonen is needed for another team, Mavuika can be paired with Chasca instead, with Chasca responsible for breaking the shield and building some War Intent for Mavuika. Kinich's Burning team is also viable.
The Knave's Burning team can also work, but requires high investment.
▍Genshin 5.8 Battle-Hardened Tent Tortoise
At Difficulty 5, HP is 6.35 million.
Three characteristics
1. When attacked, it accumulates a progress bar. When full, it deploys an Electro DMG Reflection shield. Attacking it while this shield is active causes DMG to the character. This damage can be mitigated as long as there is one team-wide healer in the party, like Kokomi, Escoffier, or Charlotte. Support characters with secondary healing are insufficient for survival (e.g., Chevreuse, Iansan - these are primarily on-field single-target healers).
2. The progress bar length is 30. Taking damage increases it by 3. It decreases by 4 per second. Therefore, controlling attack frequency allows you to bypass the Tortoise's mechanic. This recommends characters with lower attack frequency like Mualani or The Knave (sheathed stance).
3. The Electro Tortoise can be Frozen. Breaking its shield causes paralysis for 10 seconds.
How to Beat It?
· Two playstyles: Either use high-frequency attacks to make it deploy its shield, then use strong sustain to tank the reflected damage while breaking the shield and outputting damage; Or use low-frequency attacks to control the progress bar and slowly whittle it down – but this is very execution-heavy, as one slip-up can fill the bar.
· Use an Ice team with a healer to tank the shield breaking. Since the Electro Tortoise can be Frozen, breaking the shield effectively extends the paralysis time.
Recommended Teams
S-Tier: Skirk + Escoffier + Furina + Any Cryo.
A-Tier: Mualani + Mavuika + Kaedehara Kazuha + Xilonen, The Knave + Xilonen + Zhongli / Citlali + Bennett (Sheathed Stance).
B-Tier: Kamisato Ayaka + Shenhe + Kaedehara Kazuha + Kokomi, C6 Yelan + Hydro/Cryo characters.
Skirk is optimal, with fast shield breaking and an in-team healer. If worried about dying, bring Charlotte as the 4th slot for double healing. Skirk's high damage output makes killing the Tortoise trivial – the best team for this Electro Tortoise cycle, players who've tried it all say it's great. Furina can be replaced with Yelan or Xingqiu.
Mualani's Vaporize team and The Knave's pure Pyro team both require controlling the Tortoise's progress bar to prevent it from deploying its shield. You need to slow down the offensive rhythm. If you can deal half its HP within a minute, it's clearable.
Kamisato Ayaka/Shenhe/Kazuha/Kokomi (Mono Cryo) can work but requires high investment. Being Burst-reliant is a significant disadvantage in Stygian Onslaught.
C6 Yelan plus any 3 Hydro/Cryo characters is also viable. The Hydro/Cryo characters are ideally Escoffier and Furina.
▍Genshin 5.8 Battle-Hardened Pipilpan Idol
At Difficulty 5, HP is 6.25 million.
Three characteristics
1. After starting, it summons 3 hats that continuously swap positions. Hitting the real hat (identified by a distinctive mustache) with Electro-Charged or Lunar-Charged DMG will stop the hats from swapping positions. You must find the real hat to deal damage. If it doesn't take Electro-Charged or Lunar-Charged DMG, the hats will keep swapping, making it impossible to target with certain skills (like Chasca's E).
2. The hat has 40% of the body's HP (2.5 million). Apart from Hydro and Electro RES, its resistance to other elements is massively increased (135%). The hat takes +300% DMG from Electro-Charged and Lunar-Charged. Breaking the hat paralyzes the main body and drastically reduces its resistances (all RES down to -90%). The hat has an energy gauge; taking Electro-Charged or Lunar-Charged DMG fills it. When full, the hat takes massive damage (approx. one-quarter of its HP).
3. During paralysis, it loses HP. The more Hydro, Electro, Electro-Charged, or Lunar-Charged DMG taken during the hat phase, the more HP it loses during paralysis. If the shield isn't broken for an extended period, the cactus enrages, dealing massive damage (essentially a one-shot).
How to Beat It?
· Must bring Hydro and Electro for Electro-Charged. Cannot play without it. Lunar-Charged is not strictly mandatory.
· Bring Ineffa if you have her. This is a tailor-made monster for her; bringing Ineffa makes it significantly easier.
Recommended Teams
S-Tier: Ineffa + Hydro Character + Ororon / Fischl / Beidou + Sucrose / Kaedehara Kazuha / Xilonen.
Ineffa + Furina + Xilonen + Varesa (Top Investment).
A-Tier: Neuvillette + Furina + Kaedehara Kazuha + Electro Character.
B-Tier: Raiden Shogun + Xingqiu + Kaedehara Kazuha + Yelan.
Ineffa isn't strictly mandatory, but Electro-Charged is essential. Having Ineffa makes it much easier. High-investment Neuvillette or Raiden Shogun teams can bypass the Electro-Charged mechanics directly.
If you can break this monster's shield, it spends most of its time either idle or paralyzed, dealing basically no damage. Therefore, B-tier teams without dedicated healers, relying solely on Xingqiu + DMG Reduction, can survive and clear.
▍Conclusion
That's all for this guide! What strategies did you all use to clear?
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