I hollered whereas I used to be watching the Genshin Affect replace stream. Other than giving gamers free stuff (arguably the least thrilling a part of being a Genshin enjoyer) throughout China’s greatest vacation, the builders teased one thing that I suspected all alongside: The hyper-secretive Alhaitham might be probably the most fascinating character of the present Sumeru storyline. To everybody who believed the lore that stated Alhaitham was just a few dude: Did you additionally consider that the immortal Zhongli was just a few dude? Come on, now.
First, a little bit of context. Inside the present storyline, Genshin gamers have often encountered Alhaitham, an unassuming scribe who presents himself as an strange, boring authorities worker. Right here’s how the replace stream amusingly blew the lid off of that concept: Certainly one of Genshin’s writers was introducing Alhaitham as a secretary who had helped gamers save an imperiled goddess from his personal authorities. HoYoverse’s CEO Da Wei requested: “That is the ‘feeble scholar’ Alhaitham?” playfully referencing the way in which the bureaucrat had described himself in entrance of the protagonist. The author began laughing on the spot.
A good portion of the Genshin fandom believed that Alhaitham was truly simply some guy attempting to live his life, therefore the origin of the feeble scholar joke. Psych. Though he rejected the very best authorities place within the nation, his personal friends will drive him to grow to be their chief within the close to future. So we’ll be seeing much more of this feeble scholar attempting to drag his nation collectively in the course of the subsequent main story patch.
Some followers are devastated on the risk that Alhaitham is likely to be essential. It’s okay. You’ll get by means of this in some way. Personally, I feel HoYoverse already gave us loads of hints. When he talked in regards to the plight of students who have been “disappeared” for growing psychological diseases, he was clearly hiding precisely how a lot he knew about their plight. I’m beginning to suspect that he’s protecting a low profile due to one thing that occurred in his previous.
My Alhaitham thirst apart, listed here are the opposite highlights from the stream:
A brand new desert space
The Desert of Hadramaveth will proceed the lore-heavy storyline of the mercenary Jeht and her mechanical companion. The lecturers of Sumeru believed that the traditional king of the Eremites (a marginalized racial group) was an terrible tyrant. This narrative has been used as justification to marginalize the Eremites. Earlier quests have steered that the reality is extra sophisticated, and gamers will be capable to discover out extra within the close to future. Since Genshin tends to lock areas behind sure quests, you must end “Golden Slumber” and the brand new “The Dirge of Bilqis” earlier than attempting to discover Hadramaveth.
The Lantern Ceremony pageant
Genshin has a Chinese language New Yr-inspired occasion yearly, and it’s coming within the subsequent patch, bringing with it new minigames that you would be able to play. Finishing them will award you premium foreign money and different helpful gadgets. Should you end sufficient minigames, you’ll additionally be capable to redeem one free 4-star character. Final 12 months, I wrote up a helpful information on which character to choose. The brand new healer Yaoyao is included in 2023’s lineup.
The wind god Venti might be visiting the China-inspired area for the pageant, which has despatched shippers right into a frenzy about their favorites assembly onscreen for the primary time. Congratulations, Xiaoven shippers. Your time has lastly come after nearly three years of ready.
New characters
MY BOY ALHAITHAM IS FINALLY HERE. I do know that there’s a excessive likelihood that you simply’ve seen the leaks. However HoYoverse nonetheless has a few weeks to tweak his package, so do not forget that he may not be as highly effective or weak as leaks could counsel. That’s not accounting for the potential of mistranslations (Raiden Shogun) or adjustments (Zhongli, Yae Miko). YouTubers are already panicking over leaks about an alleged Alhaitham nerf that might damage his injury potential.
However these are invisible injury multipliers. It’s a lot more durable for the builders to alter issues that they’ve already revealed within the livestream. To this point, it looks like Alhaitham is meant to be both a DPS or a sub-DPS character. His potential permits him to achieve Dendro software, and Dendro is a response component. So his package facilitates protecting him on-field whereas being supported by off-field characters similar to Raiden Shogun or Kokomi.
Yaoyao is a help character who needs to be simpler to acquire attributable to her decrease gacha rarity. She might be our first ever Dendro healer, which supplies her a distinct segment that no different character has at current. However earlier than you dump all of your primogems into her banner, I’d counsel you wait. You may get a free copy of her by enjoying the Lantern Ceremony occasion. So if you need her, I counsel grinding for her as a substitute of going all-in on the gacha.
Alhaitham and Yaoyao might be obtainable in the course of the first half of the patch. Xiao may even have his rerun throughout this era. You’ll be capable to pull for Hu Tao and Yelan in the course of the second half. So make sure you plan rigorously, otherwise you may end up spending greater than you supposed.
Ayaka and Lisa are getting new skins
Okay, don’t get too excited. Although I feel it’s fascinating that they’ve used a European design for Ayaka’s pores and skin, I don’t really feel prefer it’s an enchancment over her default outfit. Her unique garments balanced her light-colored design with deep blue hues. This spring-hued gown appears blinding as compared.
Lisa’s outfit relies on her academy days, and it’s… effective, I assume? Lisa is without doubt one of the most underwhelming characters within the recreation, and I gave up on elevating her ranges way back. This plain college uniform doesn’t compel me to make use of her any extra typically. I really feel like this one was a miss. Cease attempting to make Lisa occur, HoYoverse. She’s not going to occur and not using a vital buff.
Genshin Affect’s replace might be obtainable ranging from January 18.