With a roster boasting over 90 playable characters, Genshin Impact faces an uphill battle in keeping its Event Banner schedule balanced and equitable. Even if the game sticks to releasing one new 5-Star character per update, the math still doesn’t favor fans. There are 43 limited 5-Stars vying for their well-earned yearly rerun, yet only 27 slots available per year. The result? A scheduling dilemma that’s impossible to resolve without leaving some fan favorites on the bench.

The introduction of the Chronicled Banner in Genshin Impact was the developers' way of tackling the rerun problem, but many fans view it as little more than a band-aid solution. Case in point: Shenhe endured a grueling wait of over 600 days before her rerun was finally locked in for Version 5.3. Unless the devs are prepared to take the plunge into Triple Banners, it seems players will have to brace themselves for increasingly extended gaps between character reruns.

Wriothesley Banner Rerun in Genshin Impact 5.4

One standout casualty of Genshin Impact's flawed banner rotation is Wriothesley, the Cryo Catalyst who made his debut in Version 4.1 but has been missing from the Event Banners ever since. As a modern Cryo hypercarry, Wriothesley shines in Burnmelt teams capable of dishing out impressive damage. Yet, despite his potential, players haven’t had the chance to pull for him since November 8, 2023. According to insider Flying Flame, that dry spell will finally end in Version 5.4, where Wriothesley is set to make his long-awaited return to the Event Banners.

It’s worth mentioning that Flying Flame’s track record regarding Natlan-related leaks has been hit or miss. While they correctly predicted the arrival of a new Chronicled Banner in Version 5.3, themed around the Lantern Rite, several of their other claims have proven unreliable. With that in mind, Genshin Impact players should approach this rumor with a healthy dose of skepticism. That said, the latest Spiral Abyss buff seems tailor-made for Wriothesley’s playstyle, lending a bit of credibility to the speculation surrounding his potential rerun.

Genshin Impact 5.4 is shaping up to be a big one, with the anticipated debut of Mizuki, who might become Inazuma’s first Standard Banner character. If the rumors hold true, Mizuki and Wriothesley could take one half of the Event Banners, while the other half is expected to feature either Furina or Venti. This speculation aligns with the trend of Archon characters receiving their reruns in sequence, and Furina and Venti are the last remaining Archons yet to do so. Mark your calendars—Version 5.4 is slated to drop on February 12, 2025.

>>> Read also: Genshin Impact Leak Reveals New Zones, Characters & Possible Upcoming War

HoYoverse has officially introduced Lan Yan, a new Anemo character from Liyue, debuting in Genshin Impact Version 5.3. While fans speculated about Mavuika and Citlali, Lan Yan’s announcement has thrilled players looking forward to a fresh 4-star unit. Her release comes amid growing excitement for the Pyro Archon, but the developer has confirmed the 5.3 roster, keeping the focus on Genshin Impact Lan Yan.

Lan Yan’s graceful moves, shielding abilities, and versatile playstyle make her a promising addition to Genshin Impact 5.3. While her late-game constellations have sparked some fan debate, her potential as a game-changer can’t be ignored. Let’s explore her rumored abilities, ascension materials, and what makes her stand out!

Genshin Impact Lan Yan’s Skill Kit 

Talent Materials to Max Lan Yan in Genshin Impact

To fully upgrade Genshin Impact Lan Yan’s talents, you will need the following:

Total Needed for All Talents (3x Upgrade):

 Ascension Materials for Lan Yan in Genshin Impact

Total for Full Ascension:

Total Needed for All Talents (3x Upgrade):

 Lan Yan’s Constellations in Genshin Impact

Conclusion

Genshin Impact Lan Yan looks set to be a reliable support-oriented Anemo character, providing useful utility through shielding and crowd control with style. However, some fans are concerned about her shield duration being too short and her C6 being too crucial. Will HoYoverse make changes before her release?

Last but not least, Lan Yan is expected to make a splash during the Lantern Rite Festival, possibly alongside other popular reruns. Will her abilities make her the next must-have four-star Anemo unit, or will she need future buffs to reach her full potential? Keep your Primogems ready and find out for yourself in Genshin Impact 5.3!

>>> Read more: Genshin Impact 5.3 Event May Offer Ideal Conditions for Artifact Farming

Although HoYoverse has not officially confirmed the new roster for Version 5.3, recent beta leaks indicate the update will introduce three new characters. In addition to these arrivals, Genshin Impact 5.3 is expected to feature a range of events, including the much-anticipated annual Lantern Rite Festival.

Amid the growing anticipation for the long-awaited Pyro Archon, Mavuika, many players may have overlooked some significant leaks about an upcoming event in Genshin Impact Version 5.3. According to a trusted leaker, HomgDGCat, this event will offer players the chance to receive double the usual number of artifacts when using Original Resin. In addition to artifacts, the event will apply the same drop rate increase to other valuable ascension materials, such as Character Talent Materials and Weapon Ascension Materials. However, the event’s bonus will not be applicable when using Condensed Resin, meaning players can only take advantage of the double rewards a limited number of times each day.

Genshin Impact 5.3: What to Expect?

Fans have lauded HoYoverse in the comments for introducing this event alongside an already content-rich update. In Genshin Impact, the primary method of acquiring artifacts is by farming artifact domains. Each character can equip up to five artifacts, each providing bonuses based on their set effects. Equipping two or four artifacts from the same set grants additional stats or unique effects, enhancing a character's overall performance.

A lot of players share the sentiment that acquiring the perfect artifact in Genshin Impact feels nearly impossible due to the RNG element involved in sub-stats. While the Flower and Feather artifact types only drop with one fixed main stat, the remaining three slots can roll with a variety of effects. To make matters more challenging, the presence of up to four potential sub-stats significantly reduces the odds of obtaining an artifact that perfectly suits a specific character.

With each new five-star character in Genshin Impact, a corresponding artifact set is often introduced to align with their playstyle. In Update 5.3, players can anticipate the release of two new artifact sets, specifically designed for the upcoming five-star characters, Mavuika and Citlali. Mavuika will likely debut in the first phase of the update, while Citlali’s banner is expected to go live in the second phase.

>>> Genshin Impact: The Beloved Beetle Brawl Event To Allegedly Return

The Almighty Arataki Extraordinary and Exhilarating Extreme Beetle Brawl wasn’t originally planned to be an annual event, but its popularity led the developers to rethink that. The event first appeared in Genshin Impact 3.4, then returned with a new storyline in Version 4.3. While Itto may not be the top character in the game’s meta, he’s very popular with fans. Because of this, many feel that bringing back the Arataki Beetle Brawl for a third time makes perfect sense.

Arataki Itto's Beetle Brawl Event To Be Back in Version 5.3

The details come from Flying Flame, who got them from the latest Genshin Impact beta update. The Beetle Brawl event will return for the third time in Version 5.3 and is expected to pick up from Itto's story in January 2024. Both Arataki Itto and Kuki Shinobu are likely to appear, with Xianyun possibly making an appearance as well. In addition to the Beetle Brawl, Version 5.3 will also include the Lantern Rite event, though it's still unclear if any new Liyue characters will be introduced during the celebration.

The two confirmed characters for Version 5.3 in Genshin Impact are Citlali and Mavuika, leaving two spots open on the Event Banners for 5-Star characters. Since the Lantern Rite usually features Liyue characters, and Xianyun is already set to appear as a Special Guest in the Imaginarium Theater for Version 5.3, she will likely be one of the 5-Star banner characters. While it makes sense that Arataki Itto could be the final 5-star character for the patch, it's still risky to assume that for sure.

Despite the Beetle Brawl returning in Version 4.3, Arataki Itto didn't appear on the Event Banners until Version 4.5, two months later. More likely candidates for the remaining banner spots in Version 5.3 could be Ganyu or even Ayato, especially considering the latest details about the Imaginarium Theater. Genshin Impact players will learn more when beta testing for Version 5.3 begins after Version 5.2 launches on November 20, 2024.

>>> Read more: Genshin Impact 5.4 Leak: A Glimpse of the Next Character

While Genshin Impact is focusing on Natlan characters for the near future, that doesn’t mean we won’t see characters from other regions. The Fontaine update, for example, brought Xianyun, Gaming, Chiori, and Sethos into the playable roster, even though none of them are from Fontaine. So, there’s still room for surprises!

With Mavuika and Citlali set to launch in Version 5.3, Natlan will have at least one character for each element by January 2025. While Inazuma has been getting a new character every year since its release, there’s also the upcoming Lantern Rite to think about. Leaks suggest that Madame Ping could become playable during the Natlan era, and there are rumors that the Lantern Rite event will introduce a new 4-star character from Liyue as well. Exciting times ahead!

The latest scoop comes from Tieba, with support from hxg_diluc, a trusted source in the Genshin Impact community. While it doesn’t confirm the rarity or element of the new character, the leak suggests that the upcoming addition will be from Inazuma and is set to drop in Version 5.4. Previous rumors hinted at a Pyro or Electro Catalyst debut after the Lantern Rite in 2025, but it’s unlikely these two rumors are connected. As always, keep in mind that leaks should be taken with caution, as Genshin Impact has been known to shift its character release plans unexpectedly.

New Inazuma Character in Genshin Impact 5.4

An Inazuma character dropping in Version 5.4 makes sense, especially since both Kirara and Chiori in Genshin Impact were released only after their region's Archon Quests wrapped up. However, one could argue that adding another Inazuma character might delay a much-needed new face for Mondstadt, which has only received one new character since Eula in Version 1.5. While Genshin Impact fans are still hopeful for Varka's debut with a future Mondstadt map expansion, it’s likely that Liyue and Inazuma will take the spotlight for the time being.

Interestingly, Inazuma remains the only region in Genshin Impact that's locked behind story progress. While players can technically access Inazuma early through certain characters or glitches, there’s no official way to enter it. This has led to the community seeing Inazuma characters as at a major disadvantage, since players can't farm their Ascension materials without unlocking the region first. Still, as shown with Chiori and Kirara, the developers don't hesitate to release new characters from Inazuma if the concept is solid. Players will get more details after Version 5.3 drops on January 1, 2025.

>>> Read more: When is Pyro Traveler Coming to Genshin Impact?

Genshin Impact is about to enter version 5.2, which will bring a map expansion to Natlan, introducing two new tribes to explore. Players will also get to discover Ochkanatlan, uncovering more secrets about Natlan's rich lore.

However, version 5.2 will only feature an interlude act of the Archon quest, meaning the major developments for Natlan’s Archon quest will come in version 5.3. Mavuika has already been leaked as a playable character in 5.3, and now another leak suggests that the Pyro Traveler will also be made available in the same update.

Genshin Impact Pyro Traveler Release Date

A recent leak shared by Flying Flame on Reddit, though questionable, suggests that after completing the Archon quests in version 5.3, players will directly unlock the C6 Pyro Traveler. Typically, in every region before Natlan, players could gain the region's element by interacting with the Statue of the Seven. However, in Natlan, players were unable to obtain the Pyro element, which suggested that something was blocking this from happening.

If the leak turns out to be true and players will receive a C6 Pyro Traveler upon completing the Genshin Impact 5.3 Archon quest, it would also mean that the bottleneck on the Pyro element in Natlan will finally be lifted. Additionally, a previous leak had suggested that the Pyro Traveler would be as useful in Genshin Impact as the Harmony Trailblazer from Honkai Star Rail. This is exciting news, as it means we’ll finally have a version of the Traveler that is truly effective in combat.

Genshin Impact has many popular characters, but the Archons are in a league of their own. Each Archon represents their nation and is the main character for their region. This is particularly true for Furina, who has given up her divine power to Neuvillette.

Unlike the playable Harbingers in Genshin Impact, Archons usually focus on Support abilities. Zhongli is known for his Elemental Shield, and Raiden helps many teams with Energy Recharge. Players are particularly excited about Mavuika for two main reasons: Bennett and Xiangling, two popular Pyro 4-Star characters who have been key to the game’s meta since the start.

Players expect Mavuika to fill a role that only Bennett and Xiangling have managed to cover. According to FouL, this expectation is likely correct. Mavuika's abilities are similar to a mix of Raiden and Yelan. Her Elemental Skill either gives a buff to the active character for follow-up Pyro attacks or infuses her own attacks with Pyro when held. Her Elemental Burst creates a Pyro attack that happens every two seconds.

A Potential Meta Shift in Genshin Impact

Mavuika has a key advantage over other Pyro off-field characters: she can use Natlan's Artifact Sets in Genshin Impact. Although Xiangling and Bennett will still be preferred in some cases, Mavuika could be a great upgrade for characters like Clorinde, assuming her abilities make it to the beta. On the field, Mavuika’s Pyro infusion could make her a strong hypercarry at C0 if paired with Xianyun. Additionally, in the open world, Mavuika can use a Phlogiston motorcycle to ride up mountains, across water, or on flat ground.

Mavuika's abilities don’t overlap with Bennett’s, as her Pyro infusion affects only herself. So, players might need to wait for another Pyro 5-Star to rival Bennett from Mare Jivari. Xbalanque could be a possible contender, though his status as a playable character is still uncertain. Mavuika is expected to join Genshin Impact in the first half of Version 5.3, which is set to release on January 1, 2025.

>>> Read also: Get Ready for Genshin Impact Kinich: The Complete Kit Revealed