Thunder Breathing¶
Thunder Breathing alternates between fast forms that build marks and finishers that spend them. Its dashes close distance quickly, while its later forms gather enemies, chain lightning between targets, or hold a group for a finishing combo.
You can learn it from Zenitsu Agatsuma or a Thunder Slayer. See Hashira and Slayers for the NPCs and Using Techniques for controls.
Forms¶
These are defaults before Dexterity, marks, and damage mitigation. Damage is in HP; multi-hit damage is per hit unless specified. Server settings can change these values, and the in-game technique sheet shows the server's configuration. Detailed tuning is listed in Technique Balance.
First Form: Thunderclap and FlashLv 1
Builds marks. Hold the assigned skill key for 1.5 seconds to charge the ring at your crosshair. Once it is full, release within the two-second firing window to dash up to 15 blocks. Releasing early or holding beyond the window cancels the charge.
The dash damages and marks enemies along its path. Press again during the two-second chain window to dash without another charge. Each link costs more stamina: 12, 18, 27, and so on. Walls and unsafe fluids shorten the arrival point.
Second Form: Rice SpiritLv 3
Consumes marks. Five rapid slashes cover a 90-degree frontal cone with a 3.8-block radius. All five can hit the same enemy. The first connecting slash reads and consumes that target's marks, and the bonus carries through its remaining hits. Consuming five marks inflicts Paralysis and resets Rice Spirit's cooldown once per cast.
Third Form: Thunder SwarmLv 10
Builds marks. Afterimages sweep outward and pull the enemies they cross toward you. You leap and slam down on the gathered group, dealing damage in a five-block radius. The landing hit applies the mark.
Fourth Form: Distant ThunderLv 16
Builds marks. Travel along eight alternating lightning segments, following the ground as you move. Enemies close to the route take contact damage and are pushed along the travel direction; each enemy is marked on first contact. Walls, blocked terrain, or a rise or drop beyond the route's limits end the run early.
Fifth Form: Heat LightningLv 24
Consumes marks. After a 0.45-second wind-up, strike every enemy in the 2.5-block half-circle ahead of you. Targets below five marks are launched upward and away.
Consuming five marks instead applies five seconds of Paralysis, lifting the target up to nine blocks beneath a continuous blue electric tether. Solid ceilings limit the lift. Ten additional damage pulses strike while the target hangs in the air. This form overrides the passive's normal three-second Paralysis reward.
Sixth Form: Rumble and FlashLv 37
Builds marks. Aim at a point up to 28 blocks away. A bolt strikes the nearest enemy within three blocks of that point, then jumps to nearby enemies that already carry Thunder Marks. Each jump can reach 20 blocks and deals 1.5 times the initial strike's damage. Connecting strikes add marks; this form never consumes them.
Seventh Form: Honoikazuchi no KamiLv 45
Consumes marks. A bolt falls ahead and carries you forward, holding enemies crossed by the charge. A thunder dragon follows the lane and strikes as it reaches them. The hold starts at 1.5 seconds and gains 0.3 seconds per mark; marks also increase the dragon's damage. Consuming five marks applies Paralysis. The charge reaches up to 35 blocks when the route is clear.
Eighth Form: Thunder SixfoldLv 50
Consumes marks at the closing blow. Charge up to eight blocks, capturing enemies along the path and holding them Paralyzed through the combo. Five afterimage strikes cross the group before you land the closing blow yourself. The technique needs clear space for its aerial sequence.
Each captured target's marks are recorded at capture. They increase the afterimage and closing damage, without adding extra strikes. The initial charge does not receive a mark bonus. Afterimages use 87.5% of the passive's damage bonus: +17.5% per mark by default, while the closing blow receives the full +20% per mark.
| Phase | Default base damage |
|---|---|
| Initial charge | 6 + 0.2 per DEX |
| Each of five afterimage strikes | 3.5 + 0.3 per DEX |
| Closing blow | 10 + 0.2 per DEX |
Passive: Thunder Marks¶
Thunderclap and Flash, Thunder Swarm, Distant Thunder, and Rumble and Flash add Thunder Marks when their marking hits connect. Marks stack above the enemy, glow at the maximum, and refresh together whenever a new mark is added.
Rice Spirit, Heat Lightning, Honoikazuchi no Kami, and Thunder Sixfold consume marks. Each target has its own stack, so a finisher can have different results against enemies caught in the same attack.
| Property | Default |
|---|---|
| Maximum marks per target | 5 |
| Stack duration | 10 seconds |
| Consumer damage bonus per mark | +20% |
| Consumer damage at five marks | ×2 |
| Paralysis from consuming five marks | 3 seconds |
| Immunity after Paralysis ends | 2 seconds |
| Bonus to base stamina regeneration | +20% |
Paralysis blocks movement, techniques, and interaction, but leaves the camera free. A Paralyzed target cannot receive new Thunder Marks. Once Paralysis ends, its brief immunity prevents immediate reapplication. Heat Lightning and Sixfold have additional interactions described below.
The stamina bonus applies only to base regeneration; Concentration is added afterward. See Stamina for regeneration and HUD settings.
Lightning Color¶
Learning Thunder Breathing rolls gold or blue lightning, with an equal chance of either. Your variant is saved with your character. This changes the appearance of variant-aware effects, not technique damage. Heat Lightning's electric tether and Honoikazuchi's dragon use blue effects. Operators can change a player's variant with a command.