Genshin Impact’s Version 2.3 Special Program Livestream just dropped a few major surprises into the fanbase. Dark horse Eula appeared out of nowhere as a limited 5 star character to share the lime light with Albedo. From the game-changing duel character banners to the inconsequential arrival of Paimon in the Serenitea Pot, the 2.3 preview debuted a wealth of content sure to keepGenshin Impactplayers occupied until the next development.
The English voice actors for Gorou (Cory Yee), Aether (Zach Aguilar), and Albedo (Khoi Dhao) provided insight and commentary, kicking off the livestream with a trailer highlighting the event at the crux of Version 2.3: Shadows Amidst Snowstorms. A theft, a face-off, and an avalanche – the Albedo-centric event promises intriguing Dragonspine lore complemented bythe fierce mysteries of Inazumain Itto’s upcoming quest. Here’s a breakdown of everything to look forward to in Version 2.3, available on November 24.
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Double Event Character Banners: Albedo & Eula
Genshin Impacthas done something unprecedented yet probably inevitable, given its ever-expanding cast. Itto is arriving as wish-able 5 star character number twenty on a schedule that only allows for two different limited characters every six weeks. This is a game with a ten year plan feeling crowded on the dawn of year two, after all, so players waiting over a year for a chance at their favorite isn’t sustainable.Developer miHoYo seems reluctantto add 5 stars to the Standard Banner pool, and this move indicates a possible solution, though whether it’s a temporary or long-term method of handling re-runs wasn’t addressed in the livestream.
Phase 1 will feature bothGeo sword-user Albedoand Cryo claymore-wielder Eula: each on separate yet simultaneous Event Banners for equal duration. Pity carries over from Albedo’s banner to Eula’s banner, still distinct from Weapons and Standard Banner. Eula was definitely a surprise: she evaded leakers until the final hour. Eula further establishes the precedent of re-running characters according to their story relevance after Tartaglia’s unexpected third re-run for Labyrinth Warriors.
Arataki Itto & Gorou Event Character Banner
Version 2.3 is a notable celebration of Geo after a long period of neglect.Oni gang leader Arataki Ittoand the fuzziest war general Gorou are now officially confirmed to share a banner in the latter half of this update. The livestream expounded upon their lifestyles, personalities, and details of their kits.
Itto’s striking red horns signify his oni ancestry, a “special being” in the same category as Inazuma’s tengu. He’s a lively, brash individual who plays cards with kids to steal their snacks and has a “strong will to win, no matter what he’s doing.” The first act of Itto’s Story Quest releases with his banner, and clips of Itto showing off his moves place him in a realm similar to the Mystic Onmyou Chamber of Labyrinth Warriors.
Itto’s gameplay focuses on accumulating stacksof “superlative strength” through the 2nd and 4th strikes on his four-part Normal Attack sequence and via the little bull “Ushi” summoned during his Elemental Skill. Ushi is considered a Geo construct and taunts opponents, granting one stack of superlative strength when taking damage and leaving the field. Superlative strength then enhances his powerful Charged Attacks. Itto enters his “oni state” during Elemental Burst, converting his auto attacks to Geo damage and increasing his ATK proportionate to his defense, but losing some Elemental and Physical Resistance.
Gorou embodies the loyal protectorimagery and is known as a good listener and reliable companion. Players who don’t care for mono-comps may be disheartened by Gorou’s niche kit – he’s a thoroughly Geo-geared support. His Passive Talent increases party DEF and his Elemental Skill buffs active characters based on the number of Geo party members, requiring three total for the desirable Geo DMG bonus. Gorou’s Elemental Burst has the same caveat: it deals AoE Geo DMG and buffs according to the number of Geo party members. Unlike the Skill, his Burst moves with the active character, continuing to pulse Geo DMG.
Gorou is a 4 star characterand won’t have a Story Quest, but Gorou fans should be glad to know he’ll be receiving his own Hangout series along with Beidou.
New Boss: Golden Wolflord
“Golden Wolflord” is the spooky new open world boss unleashed in Version 2.3. The Wolflord is described as anAbyssal beast and Rifthound Kingwith the power to “dissolve space itself and forge a rift through which it may enter.” Gameplay depicts the enormous skeletal phantom-dog tearing through a black cloud of smoky matter and shooting beams of light.
Mechanic-wise, the Golden Wolflord operates in a similar vein to its Rifthound minions, applying the health-sapping Corrosion status – now in stacks of escalating lethalness. Rifthounds will come to their ruler’s aid when its HP drops, acting as shields. The latter phase of battle decreases the Wolflord’s Geo Resistance while increasing its ATK. PreviousGenshinleaks have already confirmed the Golden Wolflord drops theascension materials needed for Arataki Itto.
New Weapon & Artifacts
Genshinfans were finally given an official glimpse of what is presumably Arataki Itto’s signature weapon: Redhorn Stonethresher. The 5 star claymore is the assumed Weapon Banner accompaniment to Itto’s debut in Phase 2. Alongside this are new artifact sets: Husk of Opulent Dreams for the DEF-scaling Geo characters and Ocean-Hued Clam, hand-crafted for Kokomi. These artifact sets will sharea domain on Seirai Island.
Shadows Amidst Snowstorms Event
The main event ofGenshin ImpactVersion 2.3 returns players tothe perilous peaks of Dragonspine. The premise revolves around “winter training” hosted by the Adventurer’s Guild, a tradition which pairs seasoned members with new recruits in this snowy hellscape to hone their skills. Eula, Amber, Bennet, and Albedo are the familiar faces of Mondstadt glimpsed braving the elements in the trailer. Dragonspine has always been a central part of Albedo’s iconography, and it seems he’ll take the lead driving this event’s plot. The preview briefly hinted at some kind of conflict between the central heroes and Albedo – an ominous echo of his Story Quest, where Albedo expressed concern with losing alchemical control.
The Guild’s mission will manifest in gameplay as Agility Training, Tracking Training, and Combat Training. Agility is a coin-scooping race with Sonic energy while Tracking appears to be hunting and melting ice for sport. The Combat Training is more involved, experimenting with the Sheer Cold and heat-diffusing Scarlet Quartz mechanics unique to Dragonspine. Most importantly: completing these challenges means cleaning out the Event Shop filled with Primogems and the Cinnabar Spindle,a new 4 star sword intended for Albedo.
Genshin Impactalso has an adorable wintery treat in store: building a snowman. Players can obtain snowman components during Shadows Amidst Snowstorms and craft their own custom Frosty, exchanging parts with friends. The snowman continues to live on even after the event ends as adecorative fixture in the Serenitea Pot.
Bantan Sango Case Files: The Warrior Dog Event
The Warrior Dog event continues the canine theme of Version 2.3, this time on a reconnaissance mission to retrieve missing animals in Inazuma. A magical, sword-wielding dog guards the site perimeters with illusions. Travelers who successfully sneak past this pup receive rewards such as Primogems, EXP Materials, Mora, and a game-changing new gadget: Omni Ubiquity Net. Players can snag “blueprints” of animals met in the wild andreplicate their forms in the Serenitea Potwith the Ubiquity Net – the new, humane way to Pokemon.
Miscellaneous Events And Primogem Codes
Genshin Impactis bringing back three familiar mini-game events:
Last but never least, these Special Program Primogem codes are valid until November 12, 11:00 PM (UTC-5).
Genshin Impactis available on mobile devices, PC, PS4, and PS5.
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