[Guide] 🚫 Don't throw away that SCROLL Artifact 🤯

*Special credit to my genshin best friend for helping me with this.

As Genshin Impact’s meta evolves with the release of Version 5.8 and the Nod-Krai region, artifact farming remains a cornerstone of building powerful teams. Among the standout sets introduced in Natlan, the Scroll of the Hero of Cinder City has emerged as a must-have for support characters, thanks to its universal utility and game-changing teamwide buffs. However, its versatility can make filtering for the right pieces overwhelming. In this guide, we’ll break down how to filter Scroll artifacts effectively, highlight key substats to prioritize, and spotlight three budget-friendly 4-star support units—Chevreuse, Iansan, and Dahlia—who shine with this set in 2025.

Why 'Scroll of the Hero of Cinder City' Is a Game-Changer

Introduced in Version 5.5, the Scroll of the Hero of Cinder City is a 4-piece artifact set tailored for Natlan characters but versatile enough to benefit almost any support unit. Its effects are deceptively simple yet incredibly powerful:

- 2-Piece Bonus: When a nearby party member triggers a Nightsoul Burst, the equipping character regenerates 6 Elemental Energy.

- 4-Piece Bonus: After the equipping character triggers a reaction related to their Elemental Type, all nearby party members gain a 12% Elemental DMG Bonus for the Elemental Types involved in the elemental reaction for 15s. If the equipping character is in the Nightsoul's Blessing state when triggering this effect, all nearby party members gain an additional 28% Elemental DMG Bonus for the Elemental Types involved in the elemental reaction for 20s. The equipping character can trigger this effect while off-field, and the DMG bonus from Artifact Sets with the same name do not stack.

This set’s 12% teamwide Elemental DMG Bonus per stack makes it a top-tier choice for buffers, rivaling staples like Noblesse Oblige. Unlike Noblesse, which requires the user to cast their Burst, Scroll activates through any Elemental Reaction, making it more flexible for characters who excel at triggering reactions off-field or in quick-swap rotations. Its universal applicability means it’s a safe investment for both current and future support units, especially those from Natlan.(1)

However, with great power comes great responsibility—filtering Scroll artifacts can be tricky due to its broad utility. Too many players toss away “imperfect” pieces without realizing their potential. Let’s dive into how to filter Scroll artifacts and why even “useless” stats can be keepers if they hit the right substat thresholds.

How to Filter Scroll of the Hero of Cinder City Artifacts

The Scroll set’s flexibility means you need to prioritize stats based on the character’s role while keeping an eye on substats that amplify their utility. Here’s a step-by-step guide to filtering Scroll artifacts:

Step 1: Understand Your Character’s Needs

Scroll is primarily a support set, so your main stat choices depend on the character’s role:

• HP High Requirements (e.g., Chevreuse, Dahlia): Prioritize HP% on Sands, Goblet, or Circlet to maximize healing output. For example, Chevreuse needs 40,000 HP to fully activate her ATK buff passive, making HP% main stats critical.
• Buffers/Sub-DPS (e.g., Iansan): Focus on ATK% or Energy Recharge (ER%) Sands to enhance buffs and ensure Burst uptime. Iansan, for instance, relies on ATK% to amplify her teamwide ATK-sharing buff.

Step 2: Substat Priorities

The Scroll set’s 4-piece bonus doesn’t scale with any specific stat, so substats are where you can optimize for your character’s kit. Aim for a total substat value of 25% across relevant stats. Here’s what to look for:

Even “useless” stats like Flat HP, Flat ATK, or Flat DEF can be acceptable if the artifact rolls high in other key substats. For example, a Scroll piece with 15% HP% and 10% ER% (total 25%) is a keeper for Chevreuse, even if it has Flat DEF as a third substat.

KEEP:

Step 3: Don’t Be Too Picky

A common mistake is discarding artifacts with fewer than 4 “perfect” substats. At AR45+, 5-star artifacts with 2–3 good substats are worth keeping, as their base stat values are 25% higher than 4-star artifacts. A Scroll piece with HP% main stat and 10% ER% + 15% EM is already at 25% substat value—don’t toss it just because it has Flat ATK! Level it to +12 to check its rolls; if it gains a new substat or boosts existing ones, it could be a gem.(1,2)

Step 4: Tips

• Leveling: Level artifacts to +12 to evaluate their potential, as most substat rolls occur by this point. Avoid going to +20 unless the artifact has at least 75% in relevant substats. (source)
• Just because you already geared all of your Natlan characters, doesn't mean there won't be other characters from future regions that won't still need this set. For example: even if you already geared up your Kachina and Xilonen with 4x Scrolls each, if you get still DEF% Scrolls with killer Crit% and ER% substats, keep those. You don't have to raise them yet if you think it's too much of an early investment, but you'll never know when mihoyo makes DEF% units trending again.

Step 5: Artifact Score Checker

Use tools like GameWith’s Artifact Rating Tool to quantify your Scroll pieces’ value. A piece with 25%+ in combined HP%, EM, ER%, or ATK% substats scores highly for support builds.(source)

2025 Cheap Support Units

The Scroll set’s versatility makes it ideal for 4-star supports, who are accessible to free-to-play players and often rival 5-star units in utility. Below, we highlight three budget-friendly characters—Chevreuse, Iansan, and Dahlia—who maximize Scroll’s potential, along with their optimal builds.

❏ Chevreuse (4-Star Pyro Polearm)

• Role: Healer/Buffer for Overloaded teams.
• Why Scroll?: Chevreuse triggers Overloaded reactions to activate her A4 Passive, which provides a 40% ATK buff and Pyro/Electro RES Shred when she reaches 40,000 HP. Scroll’s 4-piece bonus amplifies Overloaded damage and grants a 12–36% Elemental DMG Bonus, boosting teammates like Raiden Shogun or Clorinde.
• Build:
• Main Stats: HP% Sands, HP% Goblet, HP% Circlet (aim for 40,000 HP).
• Substats: HP% (>25%), ER% (100–130%), EM (for Overloaded damage).
• Weapon: Favonius Lance (ER + team energy) or Rightful Reward (HP + energy).
• Team Example: Chevreuse, Raiden Shogun, Xiangling, Iansan. Scroll’s DMG Bonus and energy regeneration enhance Raiden’s Hypercarry damage while Chevreuse heals and buffs.
• Why Cheap?: Available on standard banners and featured in Version 5.5 (March 26–April 15, 2025). Her C6 adds a 20% Pyro/Electro DMG Bonus, making her a 5-star-tier support. (source)

❏ Iansan (4-Star Electro Polearm)

• Role: ATK Buffer/Support for mobile DPS units.
• Why Scroll?: Iansan’s Elemental Burst shares her ATK with the team, amplified by Scroll’s 12–36% Elemental DMG Bonus. Her mobility-based buff (stronger for characters who move, like Varesa or Gaming) pairs perfectly with Scroll’s reaction-based energy regeneration.
• Build:
• Main Stats: ATK% or ER% Sands, ATK% Goblet, ATK% or CRIT Rate Circlet (if using Favonius Lance).
• Substats: ATK% (>25%), ER% (140–180%), EM (for Aggravate/Overloaded).
• Weapon: Favonius Lance (ER + team energy) or Prototype Starglitter (craftable, ATK + ER).
• Team Example: Iansan, Mavuika, Bennett, Fischl. Scroll boosts Mavuika’s Pyro DMG while Iansan’s ATK buff and Scroll’s energy keep rotations smooth.
• Why Cheap?: Released in Version 5.5 (March 26, 2025), Iansan is F2P-friendly, requiring only her Burst to be effective. Her C2 and C6 enhance her buffs significantly.

❏ Dahlia (4-Star Hydro Sword)

• Role: Shielder with crowd control.
• Why Scroll?: Dahlia’s kit (speculated from leaks) provides Hydro shields and consistent Hydro application, ideal for enabling Vaporize or Freeze reactions. Scroll of the Hero of Cinder City (4-piece) increases team Elemental DMG after triggering reactions, making it valuable even without Anemo Swirl. Paired with Cryo or Pyro allies, Dahlia contributes to controlled elemental setups while offering defensive utility.
• Build:
• Main Stats: HP% Sands, HP% Goblet, HP% or Crit Rate Circlet
• Substats: HP% (>25%), ER% (120–150%), DEF% (for shield strength), EM (for reaction bonus)
• Weapon: Favonius Sword or Sacrificial Sword (for ER + utility), Festering Desire (for Skill uptime), or Toukabou Shigure (for EM)
• Team Example: Dahlia, Lyney, Xiangling, Rosaria. Dahlia sustains Hydro uptime to enable Vaporize or Freeze, while Scroll enhances the resulting reaction damage across the team.

Don’t Sleep on “Useless” Stats

One of the biggest mistakes players make is discarding Scroll artifacts with “suboptimal” substats like DEF% or Flat HP. If a piece has at least 25% total value in relevant substats (e.g., 15% HP% + 10% ER%), it’s worth keeping, especially for supports like Chevreuse or Dahlia, who don’t rely on CRIT-heavy builds. For example:

• A Scroll Sands with HP% main stat, 10% ER%, 10% EM, and 5% DEF% is excellent for Chevreuse, hitting the 25% substat threshold.
• An Iansan Goblet with ATK% main stat, 15% ATK%, and 10% Flat DEF is still viable if it rolls into ATK% or ER% at +12.

The key is flexibility. Scroll’s universal DMG Bonus means even “off-meta” substats can work if they support the character’s core role (healing, buffing, or reaction triggering).(source)

Conclusion: Scroll Is Your 2025 Investment

The Scroll of the Hero of Cinder City set is a no-brainer for support players in 2025. Its 12–36% teamwide Elemental DMG Bonus and energy regeneration make it a top pick for budget supports like Chevreuse, Iansan, and Dahlia, who are accessible and meta-defining. When filtering, prioritize HP% for healers, ATK%/ER% for buffers, and EM for reaction triggers, but don’t discard pieces with “useless” stats if they hit 25% in relevant substats. With smart farming and a bit of luck, your Scroll artifacts will carry your teams through Nod-Krai’s challenges and beyond. So, next time you pull a Scroll piece with DEF%—don’t trash it. It might just be the key to your next Spiral Abyss clear.