Genshin Impact big update 1.3 includes Lantern Rite event, new character Xiao

Genshin impact is one of the most gargantuan and, after a while, the most cranky games out there right now, but its players remain hungry for content. On February 3, they’ll be briefly satiated with a big new event: the Lantern Rite Festival, which will bring with it a new playable character, stories and challenges, and a tower defense-style mode.

During a stream today, developer Mihoyo announced that the Lantern Rite Festival will be the centerpiece of Genshin impactUpdate 1.3 and describes what it will contain. Taking place in Liyue Harbor, the event will decorate the venue with – what else – lanterns. Because Mihoyo knows what keeps players coming back (hint: these are hot anime characters), your first order of business will be to complete a story quest centered on a new playable character: Xiao, the Conqueror of Demons. .

Xiao is a weapon-wielding anemo (read: wind) elemental, and one of his abilities allows him to initiate a plunging attack from any height without taking fall damage. The attack’s damage is determined by its height when it starts, so I’m excited by the inevitable flood of YouTube videos in which players have shot tough bosses passing them off the top of the world. Xiao also has an elemental burst ability called “Bane of All Evil,” which sees him don a cool mask and increase his damage and area of ​​exploitation, but at the cost of his health.

During the Lantern Rite event, players of adventure level 23 and above will be able to take on Xiao’s quest, no story key is required. Once the event is over, however, you’ll need to be 32 or older, and if you don’t have a Story Key, you’ll need to earn one by completing eight Commissions, which are basically daily quests. When in doubt, Mihoyo wants players to come back and resume the game (and purchase of Primogems) sooner rather than later.

Leading this point home, the Lantern Rite Festival will also include a Ley Line overflow event, during which special challenges (which require Genshinis often criticized as “resin” currency) will grant double rewards. This event will run for a limited time alongside the Lantern Rite Festival. Currently, none have a fixed end date, although players are speculating that it will likely be mid-February. At this point, the Lantern Rite Festival won’t go away forever, but it won’t happen again until next year.

Once Xiao’s quest is complete, the Rite of Lantern Festival will begin in earnest. It will be made up of several parts, including a special events store called Xiao Market, which the voice actors hosting the stream say has no connection with the character Xiao. The store will unlock new products in stages, as you respond to requests and stories to fill a “Festive Fever” counter.

You’ll be able to earn Event Currency by completing various activities, including a new mode called Theater Mechanicus, which appears to be a hybrid of Genshin impact preparation for combat and tower defense. In it, you arrange Mechanici – little robots that look like chess pieces – to defend a territory, and then fight waves of monsters alongside them.

There’s also a new photography-based activity that feels like a fun (albeit slightly coercive) change of pace. Each day of the event there will be a new photo subject. You will have 10 chances per day to use a new item called “Kurious Kamera” (lmao) to take a photo of the corresponding item, which in turn will earn you a random photo as a reward. No, it’s not a typo. Yes, you get a photo for a photo. Each photo has a color. If you collect a full set of five colors, you can exchange it for a makeshift treasure, which contains Primogems and materials. Now, since the photo rewards are random, there is a chance that you will get multiple matching colors. The system is therefore designed to encourage you to make and trade with friends in-game.

In addition to these major features, the update will also include quality of life improvements such as a “living things” archive category that lets you see detailed information about everything you have encountered in the game world, as well. as additions to your character’s screen. Ascending characters – meaning upgrading characters after they reach max level – will also become easier, with new unlockable items that will allow players to turn an elemental material into a other and transform materials.

Finally, there will be new menacing rock dragon monsters called Geovishaps to hunt, first by sending characters of your choice (including one from a friend) on Expeditions, then going to their location and finishing. the work yourself. The ensuing boss fights will apparently be quite difficult. Hopefully there will be some really high cliffs above.

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