Genshin Impact | 5.2 Special Program

[Mr EliteL]

Yeah I happened to miss the second Natlan preview at the time, I was rushing as I was going out and just got most of the details for the patch. Have seen it now, the new characters look alright. Luckily haven't spoiled myself if there was any leaks of the Natlan characters other than knowing some of the names, though I thought Iansan would have shown up by now as she's the first featured Natlan character from way back, unless that short girl really is her but with a new design.

Ah, so the Hydro girl has been leaked as powerful kit wise I assume, even above Neuvilette's. Yeah hope the gameplay is a bit more interesting than float in spot/hover about a bit and Hydro Pump everything. I don't care too much about speed of clearing stuff, although I've been slacking or having difficulty on 36* Floor 12 lately or sometimes don't even bother doing it, haven't attempted with my Clorinde yet, though hope to before the 15th is upon us. Need to update my recording of my character levels and such, did so a little while ago though have increased some stuff since then, and decide who to finish up their talents.

[Dragon Lord]

Yeah, I hope they don't nerf her too much from current leaks to release. If I can't get Neuvi power from cute waifu, then I would be happy as hell. Might even go all-out and C6 her.

Sounds like she scales off of HP and her kit/weapon lets her increase her HP (apparently at C6 she can increase her own HP by 100%).

[Mr EliteL]

Natlan: Ignition Teaser - A Name Forged In Flames



In order of appearance: Mualani, Kachina, Kinich, Citlali, Xilonen, Iansan, Chasca, Mavuika, Capitano, Ororon


Liking the music a lot. Not bad designs, I'm not sold on Kinich though especially with that out-of-place pixelated being with him. If Mavuika is meant to be the Pyro Archon I'm a little disappointed in that her outfit wasn't tribal themed or something, but can accept it. Also this seems to be a tournament arc where battles take place but who knows what kind with the wildlife about in Natlan, or will the humans/human-like duke it out? Morons are getting hyped over Capitano's appearance and him being here worries me he'll become playable, just give us another Harbinger who won't be, let them be a proper menace to take out properly. There's a clear image of Ororon going about, and it's questionable who he is in allegiance with as he appears near Capitano. Unsure who I will try to pull out of them, and there's likely some more as before we didn't get to see all characters in the Fontaine teaser. I want my obligatory dude out of them and I'll pick Ororon over Kinich so far. Oh and an absence of Varka too who should be in the region somewhere so who knows when he'll finally actually appear. 

Wondering if Chasca will be a Reverse-Melt specialist or just a general Cryo DPS. I'll wait and see for them all, don't want to make any final decisions on who I'd like to join my roster just yet.

[Dragon Lord]

Whole lot of meh in the designs here. Mualani is the only character worth pulling for so far. Pyro Archon looking like she'll be the first Archon skip for me. No interest at all.

Looks like I'm clear to go all-in on trying to C6 Mualani.

[Moonface]

Genshin Impact | 5.0 Special Program Air Date 
Hoyoverse has announced that the Special Program for Genshin Impact's 5.0 version will air on August 16 at 9pm PT / 12am ET / 5am GMT (August 17).

---

Are they usually this late in the day? I always thought they aired at a time where more people in the listed time zones would be awake but maybe I'm mistaken?

Anyway, what hopes do folks have for this? I'm guessing 4.9 being skipped means this is a big update?

[Mr EliteL]

Ah it's the opposite, it's too early. I was wondering if it was going to be 5am Saturday but it's 5am Friday, it's usually at 1pm Friday my time for the Special Program to air.

Yeah I don't think any version has reached a .9 before but we knew the next patch was going to be 5.0 anyway as it's due for the next region to be released so that'll mean a large new area to explore with new types of puzzles and challenges, sometimes similar to earlier ones but just relating more to the new region. There's always Seelies to guide and some elemental totems to light up plus other stuff. The main thing about Natlan will probably be the wildlife there having more of presence in the overworld or at least the ones we might be interacting with to traverse the area but will only be locked to that region, like how underwater swimming is in Fontaine and not anywhere else.

[Moonface]

Ah it's the opposite, it's too early.

Late...


On a side note since I can't comment heavily on 5.0, I saw someone doing in-game photography using this game recently and credit where credit is due, this game can have some amazingly beautiful scenes. I love how some of the shots highlight the visual style of the game where it reminds me of looking at a painting or something.

[Mr EliteL]

Yeah the scenery can look amazing sometimes....when I bother to notice anyway. No shots of Enkanomiya in that thread though, disappointing but that underwater shot ooh yes, I do love Fontaine's underwater scenery. Crazy what mobile games can accomplish but obviously looks far better on PS5 and PC the latter for best version of the mobile build.

The July's Imaginarium Theater is finishing today, I have to still do my NA for that and redo both my main and EU accounts to try and beat Act 7 and 8 as I keep having to use supports in the other acts so have none good enough for the final two. ><

[Dragon Lord]

It's crazy when you think that the PC version is still just a build of the mobile version, and not its own unique build of the game like the PS5 version is. Genshin is one of the few games I can think of that actually looks way better on a console than on PC. Hopefully with the rumored graphical update in 5.0, the PC version will be brought up to standards.

[Moonface]

Is the PS5 version the only one that isn't the mobile version, or did the PS4 version also have its own? I'm surprised the PC version doesn't at least provide an option between using the current graphics (to cater to lower end builds) and the new ones, but maybe Sony paid for the PS5 version to have its own visuals as a way to entice people into playing the game on there over other platforms?

Also, is this the furthest out they've announced a special program? Or is this the standard for the big updates while the .1 - .9 versions are given less time due to being smaller?

[Dragon Lord]

Yes, the PS5 version of Genshin is the only one that was built from the ground up for the PS5 specifically, which is why it's actually the best looking version of the game. The PS4 version is also just a port of the mobile version of the game like the PC version is.

They advertised pretty heavily on that as well, since some areas of the game have unique things on the PS5 version that the other versions of the game lack. Though like I said, there's going to be a graphical update in 5.0, so maybe that will bring the PC version up to par.

For those curious, and because I can't remember if I posted this here before, this is what Hoyo announced back in May:

Dear Traveler,

In the future Version 5.0 of Genshin Impact, the developers will be upgrading the overall visuals and functions of the game.

This upgrade will also mean higher performance requirements. While striving to keep the minimum device requirements for Version 5.0 the same, we will use stricter performance optimization strategies to ensure stable functioning of the game after the version update.


Devices for which adjustments will be made are as follows:


iOS

Models with an A12 processor (or lower)


Android

Models with a Snapdragon 865, Dimensity 1200 (8050), Kirin 9000SL, or Samsung Exynos 1080 processor (or lower)


PlayStation®

PlayStation®4 Series (all)


Visual performance will be reduced (compared to the current version) after the Version 5.0 update on the above devices.

E.g.: When playing the game on the devices mentioned above, the resolution of some image details and smaller objects will decrease, the effect range of some special effects will decrease, etc.

[Mr EliteL]

Ah I forgot about the graphical update that's coming. Will be seeing what the game will look like at max then on my laptop when 5.0 drops. Won't for my phone though, fine playing it how I have it set on there.

I can't remember when the 2.0/3.0/4.0 special program were announced ahead of time and if it were sooner, might be for 5.0's announcement. *checks 4.0*
This wasn't the announcements for it but 4.0's special program dropped on the 4th August so already a year and a day ago now (damn what?). The 4.0 releases on August 16th '23, so 12 days after. Version 3.0 was on August 24 '22 though, so it seems to vary within August.

[Mr EliteL]

5.0 Special Program

Redemption Codes: 

1. 2SMTYV59TLFD
2. 7SMTGV59BLXH
3. 8T4TGDLRA5E5

Note: It's over 2 hours, although parts can be skipped/skimmed through. Main portion is 1 hour 20 mins about the Natlan update.



What's New: 

• NEW REGION: Natlan
  
• Mualani (5* Hydro Catalyst user), Kinich (5* Dendro Claymore user), Kachina (4* Geo)
  
• Environment Test Run to try out the new characters' traversal methods
  
• 5* Weapons: Surf's Up (Catalyst) & Fang of the Mountain King (Claymore)
  
• Five forgeable Natlan exclusive weapons available at the local smithy
  
• 2 Artifact Sets: Obsidian Codes & Scroll of the Hero of Cinder City, both in Domain of Blessing
  
  
• Chapter 5 Archon Quest
  
• Mualani & Kinich Story Quests
  
• World Boss: Gluttonous Yumkasaur Mountain King & Goldflame Qucusaur Tyrant
  
• New Enemies & wildlife - friendly Saurians to traverse and do activities with
  
• Tribal Reputation + Tribal Chronicles - 6 separate reputation levels and world quest chapters to complete, Tribal Chronicles will feature level-up materials for a particular character featured in them
  
• World Level increased up to 9 for more drops
  
• TCG update: Xianyun, Freminet & other new cards
  
• Also: Take part in the web event "Off We Go to the Nation of Pyro" for a chance to obtain up to 3 of the forgeable weapons (30M cheers gets all 3 sent to players) from Aug 22nd - Sep 24th
  

4th Anniversary Benefits + More

• Brilliant Dawn Login Event for x10 Intertwined Fates
  
• In-Game Mail: Primogems x1600, Sanctifying Elixir, Fragile Resin x2, Firstborn Firesprite, Kaboom Box
  
• During 5.0, 5.1 & 5.3 Archon Quests, complete each during their respective version to claim 500 primogems
  
• Stellar Reunion - returning players can complete tasks and earn x10 Intertwined Fates
  
• Choose 1x Free Standard 5* Character, will feature once every anniversary for now on, plus more characters will be added to the "Wanderlust Invocation" Event Wish later on
  

Version Specifics: 

• Phase 1 Banner: Mualani & Kazuha + Kachina 4* rate up
  
• Phase 2 Banner: Kinich & Raiden Shogun
  
• Events: Traces of Artistry (obtain an event-only 4* Catalyst)
  
• Of Thorn and Crowns
  
• Dodoco's Boom-Bastic Escapades
  
• Mementos of Teyvat
  
• Leyline Overflow
  
• Imaginarium Theater 5.0 main elements will be Pyro, Hydro & Dendro
  

System Updates: 

• Quick Start option for Archon Quests as long as Liyue's Archon Quest Act III is complete and your are Adventure Rank 28
  
• Found In The Wild option to locate regional specialties on the map....finally works?! Now has "Go to Collect" as the activation
  
• Drop Rates increase for certain enemies such as Kairagi and Specters plus others
  
• Artifact Salvage, turn lower level Artifacts into Sanctifying Essence & Unction
  
• Artifact Transmuter, use Sanctifying Elixir to exchange for new Artifacts where you can assign it's main stat and 2 substats, Elixir can be made by  extracting unused upgraded Artifacts, an Elixir can also be claimed through unlocking Gnostic Hymn
  
• BP Rewards; you can now select between four different types of material (e.g. Mora, Adventurer's Experience, Mystic Enhancement Ore, Sanctifying Unction) and Talent rewards will be selectable for any region
  
• Stamina will increase up to 240 via any Statue of Seven instead of only Mondstadt and Liyue
  
• Natlan's Statue and Shrine of Depths will provide more rewards like Primogem x80 instead of the older x40 (only Natlan's)
  
• New Wish animation: "Capturing Radiance" can be encountered to guarantee the promotional character will be pulled
  
• Weapon Epitomised Path will decrease to 1 point instead of 2 points
  
• Imaginarium Theater new Visionary Mode with 22-26 characters for 2 more stages + more rewards
  

---

A lot to cover there. Hope the Artifact stuff turn out OK, I do just use most of mine to level up potential artifacts anyway but I'll start saving useless upgraded ones a bit so I can actually try and use the Transmuter. Mainly Goblets because they are a damn pain to get, and I'm finding ATK sands really hard to get for some reason, I swear I get more EM and ER sands than ATK lately. Maybe my Navia can finally have her ATK piece, my Clorinde needs a better goblet and to actually be on the set she's best on, though what I have now is good for the stats. That is if the RNG rolls in my favour too, geez.

A free 5*, perhaps the claim won't have a time limit duration of just 5.0 or something and maybe they can be saved for the year just to see who will be added to the Standard Banner. I'll likely choose Dehya though for each of my accounts as I do find her useful, one for the constellation and the other two to just have her at all. My NA likes losing to Jean and Mona which is fine at the moment as they're sitting on C2 and C3, I got Qiqi once and that's it. I won't choose right away though.

Natlan itself, I'm not as hyped as I thought I'd be but some better rewards is cool, and happy I can Quick Start the Natlan Archon Quest for those extra 500/1,500 primos, still trailing behind on my two F2P servers that are in Sumeru Archon Quest, I just can't be bothered because of the amount of dialogue to sit through. Just hurry up and add a skip dialogue option, geez!

[Dragon Lord]

A lot of these things are just far too late to really have any exciting impact on Genshin. Star Rail has had the mechanic where destroying Relics gives you an exp item instead of money for the last year and a half and there's no good reason why it took Hoyo this long to change it in Genshin.

Standard 5* Selector is a complete joke at this point in the game's life. None of them are worth anything outside of a heavily invested C6 Keqing or C4-C6 Jean. It should be a selector that lets you pick ANY pre-V5 character.

I can't wait for the ability to create my own main stat and pick two of my sub-stats only for the other two sub-stats to still roll DEF% or Flat DEF/ATK/HP. Wooh boy.

If it wasn't for Mualani I don't think I'd actually even care about 5.0 releasing and would probably just put it off for a few months. Although I have heard that they've nerfed her pretty hard in Beta because Chinese Neuvi players were crying about another character being as strong as him, and if that's true then I might just drop Genshin. WuWa is already clapping Genshin's cheeks, so it won't take much for me to drop Genshin at this point and go full investment into WuWa.

[Mr EliteL]

Yeah many of these QoL and a free 5* has been too long to see the light of day. Anniversary should've at least had a free 5* since the 1st year, then perhaps this change could've been any 5* that has been out pre-5.0.

Neuvilette is old news anyway, it's time for new characters, Hydro oriented to take the spotlight. Poor Venti's an Archon and he's quite irrelevant by now but is still good, it's not like Neuv won't be used if another is able to do as well as him. I also have both Hu and Arle but with Emilie I can play Hu Tao exclusively on Vape and Arle on Burning or if I want to use Noelle I still have Yelan/Xingqui for Hu so my Noelle can have Furina. So if Mualani turns out as good as Neuv they get to have two teams and not piss around crying. I left myself open for maybe getting Neuvilette but I decided I just didn't when his rerun came about, and if that is the reason Mualani gets nerfed well I'm happy I decided he won't grace any of accounts.

I am getting more used to WuWa and have been enjoying it more recently. I was actually about to C6 Yelan but after a high pity loss to Qiqi then a high pity guarantee for C2 I gave up, so I doubt I will ever C6 a character. My C3 Clorinde has a chance but that's through no spending and I hated that wait for her to even release.