As the worldwide Genshin Impact community counts down to Version 5.7, anticipations soar around the arrival of two fresh playable characters: Skirk and Dahlia. HoYoverse is yet to officially release either of these characters in a drip marketing manner, but some very reliable leaks have revealed players' expectations and in a sense, it will create another edition in team-building strategies.
Skirk: From lore to meta defining DPS
Long teased in Genshin lore as Childe's mysterious mentor from the Abyss, Skirk is stepping out of the shadows at last. Leaks say she will be a 5-star Cryo sword user, but what offers her originality is her unusual mechanics.
Her kit, supposedly, ushers in a "Sevenfold Flash" mode, where her Normal, Charged, and Plunging Attacks are inflected by Cryo, and this cannot be overwritten. This mode expands her attack range to some measure and offers interruption resistance but demands a very particular resource called Serpent's Cunning in lieu of Energy to trigger her Elemental Burst.
This unique Burst will bomb her enemies with Cryo AOE slashes, which scale in strength with the extra Serpent's Cunning sacrificed, and what threatens to get even more amusing is her interaction with certain Area-effects on the map known as Phantom Rifts, generated by reactions such as Freeze or Superconductor. Skirk can suck these up to further augment the potency of her attacks, really tying her playstyle into Freeze comps, making her a prime contender to work with Cryo buffers.
Dahlia: Hydro support with a hidden role?Entering the roster as a 4-star Hydro sword-user, Dahlia seems to require at least some kit polishing, according to early beta impressions. Leaked reports hint at his synergy designed for Skirk to provide a quick swap Hydro application for consistent triggering of Freeze. While the numbers do not presently impress, the tactical niche in new comps might develop, especially should HoYoverse opt to rebalance his scaling pre-launch.
Genshin continues to be a controversial opponent of male characters with the coming of Dahlia. There has been only one male 5-star character since Version 5.1, and the community has been expressing growing frustration regarding the gender-imbalance statement from the character lineup. If this is really an underwhelming character, then the reception for him might indeed put some fresh fuel on the debate.
Leaked BannersBanners of Version 5.7 shall feature Skirk alongside the rerun banner of Shenhe, Emilie in the words of the respected leaker HomDGCat. Even though the banner phases are not confirmed to date, it is speculated that Phase 1 shall feature Skirk and Shenhe, the two sharing the Cryo element and maybe some synergy. This will make for an attractive Freeze team package for players who want to build around Skirk right away.
Phase 2 may feature Emilie and Mavuika, even if they are somewhat niche in the current meta. It goes without saying, though, that rerun banners represent one of the few opportunities crucial for new players to make up for missing the release of these must-have units and that each phase could very well provide an important piece towards team optimization.
What lies ahead in Version 5.8?
Where Version 5.7 is mostly centered on character additions and team-building changes, Version 5.8 is expected to focus on exploration. The long-awaited regions of Mare Jivari are rumored to make an appearance, thus serving as Natlan's final expansion before the official launch of the region. Considering its tentative release on July 30, 2025, this update may lay down key narrative context and set up more dramatic shifts in power within the game.
Furthermore, some occasional leaks are indicating the introduction of a Hydro support that synergizes well with Skirk in 5.8 possibly displacing characters like Yelan in some rotations. If this QA female 5-star turns out to be the strong contender developers have hinted at, it is going to add on more fuel into the ongoing debates around character design direction of the game.
While the Genshin Impact 5.7 leaks seem detailed and credible, one has to keep in mind that nothing is actually confirmed until the official release by HoYoverse. Kits can be amended, banners may be rejigged, and characters could be bumped forward to later updates. Yet, while past precedence and the consistency of current leaks almost lean to performing the long-awaited debut of Skirk, the character may very well rewrite the dynamics of the Cryo team forever.
Patch 5.7 seems to go beyond just being another update, it could well be the beginning of a whole new meta era.
Skirk: From lore to meta defining DPS
Long teased in Genshin lore as Childe's mysterious mentor from the Abyss, Skirk is stepping out of the shadows at last. Leaks say she will be a 5-star Cryo sword user, but what offers her originality is her unusual mechanics.
Her kit, supposedly, ushers in a "Sevenfold Flash" mode, where her Normal, Charged, and Plunging Attacks are inflected by Cryo, and this cannot be overwritten. This mode expands her attack range to some measure and offers interruption resistance but demands a very particular resource called Serpent's Cunning in lieu of Energy to trigger her Elemental Burst.
This unique Burst will bomb her enemies with Cryo AOE slashes, which scale in strength with the extra Serpent's Cunning sacrificed, and what threatens to get even more amusing is her interaction with certain Area-effects on the map known as Phantom Rifts, generated by reactions such as Freeze or Superconductor. Skirk can suck these up to further augment the potency of her attacks, really tying her playstyle into Freeze comps, making her a prime contender to work with Cryo buffers.
Dahlia: Hydro support with a hidden role?Entering the roster as a 4-star Hydro sword-user, Dahlia seems to require at least some kit polishing, according to early beta impressions. Leaked reports hint at his synergy designed for Skirk to provide a quick swap Hydro application for consistent triggering of Freeze. While the numbers do not presently impress, the tactical niche in new comps might develop, especially should HoYoverse opt to rebalance his scaling pre-launch.
Genshin continues to be a controversial opponent of male characters with the coming of Dahlia. There has been only one male 5-star character since Version 5.1, and the community has been expressing growing frustration regarding the gender-imbalance statement from the character lineup. If this is really an underwhelming character, then the reception for him might indeed put some fresh fuel on the debate.
Leaked BannersBanners of Version 5.7 shall feature Skirk alongside the rerun banner of Shenhe, Emilie in the words of the respected leaker HomDGCat. Even though the banner phases are not confirmed to date, it is speculated that Phase 1 shall feature Skirk and Shenhe, the two sharing the Cryo element and maybe some synergy. This will make for an attractive Freeze team package for players who want to build around Skirk right away.
Phase 2 may feature Emilie and Mavuika, even if they are somewhat niche in the current meta. It goes without saying, though, that rerun banners represent one of the few opportunities crucial for new players to make up for missing the release of these must-have units and that each phase could very well provide an important piece towards team optimization.
What lies ahead in Version 5.8?
Where Version 5.7 is mostly centered on character additions and team-building changes, Version 5.8 is expected to focus on exploration. The long-awaited regions of Mare Jivari are rumored to make an appearance, thus serving as Natlan's final expansion before the official launch of the region. Considering its tentative release on July 30, 2025, this update may lay down key narrative context and set up more dramatic shifts in power within the game.
Furthermore, some occasional leaks are indicating the introduction of a Hydro support that synergizes well with Skirk in 5.8 possibly displacing characters like Yelan in some rotations. If this QA female 5-star turns out to be the strong contender developers have hinted at, it is going to add on more fuel into the ongoing debates around character design direction of the game.
While the Genshin Impact 5.7 leaks seem detailed and credible, one has to keep in mind that nothing is actually confirmed until the official release by HoYoverse. Kits can be amended, banners may be rejigged, and characters could be bumped forward to later updates. Yet, while past precedence and the consistency of current leaks almost lean to performing the long-awaited debut of Skirk, the character may very well rewrite the dynamics of the Cryo team forever.
Patch 5.7 seems to go beyond just being another update, it could well be the beginning of a whole new meta era.
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