The Master of Mondstadt and the Return of the Chronicles.
Genshin Impact 6.4 launched a new character banner, a rerun of one of the game’s strongest damage dealers, and a Mondstadt regional banner. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at each character and decide which one to play in the current update and under what circumstances.
Hero banners
First half (February 25 – March 17)
Varka – Anemo Two-Handed Sword
Varka deals damage with two elements—Anemo—and another—Pyro, Electro, Hydro, or Cryo—depending on the team composition. He works best with Pyro: assemble a 2+2 team, meaning two Anemo characters and two characters of the same element. He only starts dealing significant damage if you have a Witchcraft character in your team.
Varka has several challenges. He delivers significantly less damage than other current damage dealers unless you invest heavily in him. His composition is rigid: the best lineup includes Venti, Durin, and Bennett. If Venti is unavailable, Kazuha, Sucrose, or Faruzan will do, but they are about 10% weaker. Bennett is unbeatable in the team. Durin is better than other Pyro supports; if he’s unavailable, you can put Mavuika, Xiangling, or Toma on C6.
Without a signature weapon, Varka deals damage roughly on par with Harlequin. To make it noticeably stronger, a signature weapon is needed, preferably C1-C2. According to insiders, the future witch Nicole will be a fire shielder, which would be a perfect fit for Varka’s best squads. If you like the Magister and want him on your account, you might want to consider this rumor when planning your builds.
Four-star banner characters: Bennett, Xiangling, and Sucrose—some of the best four-star banners in the game. If you’re new to the game and haven’t seen them yet, this is a great reason to check out the banner.
Fleance – Electro Spearman
Fleance is the game’s primary damage dealer and is one of the game’s top five strongest units, alongside Mavuika, Skirk, Nefer, and Zi Bai. He relies on the Lunar Charge reaction (an upgraded version of Charged: Electro + Hydro) and effectively counters the mechanics of Nod’s Edge bosses.
Like many damage dealers in the current meta, Fleance is limited in his team composition: his mechanics rely heavily on Lunar Charge, which rules out Pyro, Cryo, and Dendro. To fully utilize his abilities, Fleance highly requires Ineffa, and ideally Columbine as well: without them, he loses damage and utility. A second Nod-side hero is also essential to activate the Supreme Radiance bonus.
Fleance’s ideal team consists of Ineffa, Columbine, and Sucrose. If Columbine is unavailable, use Fischl instead. If Ineffa is unavailable, use Fischl and Columbine. Sucrose can be replaced, if necessary, with Shilonen (for survivability), Zhongli, or another character tailored to the specific content. The free team includes Aino, who is given out for free.
Four-star banner characters: the same Bennett, Xiangling, Sucrose.
First half weapons banner
Varka’s signature two-handed sword provides critical damage and an additional bonus in teams with Witchcraft characters—it works like a crit stick, but the passive isn’t always fully utilized. Fleance’s signature spear is geared toward Lunar Charge: without Fleance or Ineffa, it’s useless.
It’s worth spinning the weapon banner if you own one of the banner characters. Otherwise, skip it.
Second half (March 17 – April 7)
Skirk – Cryo Swordswoman
Skirk is a primary stand-up damage dealer who gains special stacks by activating Freeze. She plays exclusively in Cryo and Hydro lineups, and outside of these teams, she loses significant damage output. However, in the right team with Escoffier and Furina, she becomes one of the top heroes in the game.
Playing her is simple: ultimate → skill → rotation, or just skill and rotation if you haven’t built up your ultimate. Plus, the Snezhnaya-Cryo region is coming up, where their team is likely to get even stronger.
Escoffier – Cryo the Spearwoman
The best support for Skirk and any Cryo-Hydro team. Reduces resistance to one of these elements, attacks from the pocket, and heals all allies with her ultimate, then restores the active hero’s health.
C1 provides +60% critical damage to the entire team—a very significant boost, worth considering. C2 is a lesser priority. If you have Nevillette or another character who needs Cryo from the pocket, Escoffier will also work, but Escoffier’s true value is revealed in Cryo-Hydro teams.
Second half weapons banner
Skirk’s signature and Escoffier’s signature in one banner is a good combo if you plan to use both. One of the best weapon banners of the patch for those who invested in this pair.
Prayers of the Chronicles: Mondstadt
A regional banner featuring Mondstadt characters. The main drawback is that progress doesn’t carry over to the next regional: if you don’t complete the legendary, your progress will be lost.
Albedo is a support damage dealer. With the introduction of the Witchcraft mechanic, he’s become stronger and more convenient, especially at C2. But he’s still a long way off from reaching the second constellation. Therefore, it’s best to pick him with a clear intention of investing and an understanding of where you’ll be placing him: he only shines in Witchcraft, and today’s top DPS players want to play with specific new characters, which doesn’t include Albedo. There’s a free constellation event running during the patch—a good reason to get him if you don’t already have him.
Klee is the core of the team and performs well alongside Durin. Like Albedo, he’s noticeably stronger and more comfortable to play with Witchcraft, but in his best compositions, he still falls short of the modern meta.
Eola is a main damage dealer that deals physical damage. In the current game, this is the most unpopular and weakest concept, not worth the kill or investing in consumables.
Mona, Diluc, and Djinn are standard characters. They can be obtained through a 50/50 loss or selected during the game’s anniversary. There’s no need to spin them. The only reason to pay attention to the Mondstadt weapon banner is the “Elegy of Ruin” bow: one of the best support weapons in the game, it restores energy and buffs the team.
Which hero to choose?
Varka is a good choice if you like the character and are willing to invest. Without a signature weapon and at least C1, he’s noticeably weaker than other current damage dealers. If you already have a team with Venti, Durin, and Bennett, he’ll play well. If not, you’ll need at least a signature weapon. Those considering the long-term prospects should consider the rumor about Nicole: if it’s confirmed, Varka will improve significantly.
Fleance is a good choice if you already have Ineffa or Columbine. It’s especially useful if you don’t have any characters with Lunar Reactions—it will fill that gap and will be relevant for a long time. We recommend getting C1 or Signature, as they significantly impact the outcome. It’s also suitable for beginners: Aino is free and already provides a foundation for the team.
Skirk + Escoffier – take them together, preferably with Furina in the team. If you only have one of them, Escoffier is the priority. New players should hold off on this until they have enough resources for both. For experienced players, this is one of the best investments of the patch.
Albedo and Klee from Chronicles – only if you’re willing to invest and have a clear idea of where you’ll place the character. The other Mondstadt characters aren’t worth playing around with.
