---
title: "Genshin Impact: Complete Guide"
game: "Genshin Impact"
game_url: "https://qna.gg/games/genshin-impact"
author: "Qloud"
author_url: "https://qna.gg/players/Qloud"
topics: ["Builds", "Weapons"]
summary: "A practical guide to Genshin Impact in Version 7.1: how progression and Resin work, elemental reactions and team building, artifacts, the gacha, endgame modes, what is new in Snezhnaya, and how to spend as a…"
url: "https://qna.gg/g/genshin-impact-complete-guide-d7725378"
published: "2026-09-27T16:04:20.851Z"
updated: "2026-09-27T16:04:20.851Z"
source: "QnA.GG"
---

# Genshin Impact: Complete Guide

A practical guide to Genshin Impact in Version 7.1: how progression and Resin work, elemental reactions and team building, artifacts, the gacha, endgame modes, what is new in Snezhnaya, and how to spend as a free-to-play player.

*Researched September 2026 — current as of Version 7.1 "A Rekviem for the Underworld" (released September 23, 2026; Phase 1 banners run to October 13). Live games change; check the linked sources if something differs.*

## Quick Start

1. **Follow the Archon Quests first.** They unlock regions, teleporters, co-op, daily Commissions and big Primogem payouts. The 7.1 Archon Quest alone grants 620 Primogems and gates the 6th-anniversary free 5-star.
2. **Spend Original Resin every day.** It caps out, and capped Resin is wasted progression. Early on, put it into character EXP/Mora Ley Lines and talent books; later, artifacts.
3. **Build a small core, not a big roster.** One well-built team of four beats eight half-built characters. Level weapons and talents on the characters you actually use.
4. **Do daily Commissions** (plus claim the reward from Katheryne/Adventurers' Guild). They are the most reliable daily Primogem and AR EXP source.
5. **Level Adventure Rank carefully.** Higher World Level means better drops but harder enemies. Do not rush ascension quests if your team cannot keep up.
6. **Understand pity before pulling.** Character banner hard pity is 90 wishes, and losing a 50/50 guarantees the featured character next time.
7. **Use Stygian Onslaught, Spiral Abyss and Imaginarium Theater** as your recurring Primogem sources once your account can handle them.
8. **Claim the anniversary rewards in 7.1** — a free selectable event-exclusive 5-star (after the new Archon Quest), a standard 5-star, 1,600 Primogems and 10 Intertwined Fates were announced.
9. **Explore for chests, Oculi and Statues of the Seven.** Oculi raise stamina and unlock Reputation rewards; this is where a lot of early Primogems come from.

## What Is Current (Version 7.1)

| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Version | 7.1 "A Rekviem for the Underworld," live since September 23, 2026 |
| Region | Snezhnaya (added in 7.0 on August 12, 2026) |
| Phase 1 banners (Sep 23 to Oct 13) | **Vesna** (5-star Anemo Sword) and **Vodyanitsa** (5-star Hydro Catalyst) |
| Phase 1 4-star rate-ups | Faruzan, Chongyun, Diona |
| Phase 1 weapon banner 5-stars | Beyond the Chrysalis, Hymn of the Maelstrom |
| Phase 2 banners (Oct 13 to Nov 3) | Reruns of **Skirk** and **Escoffier** |
| Story | Archon Quest continues the Snezhnaya arc: the Tsaritsa, Ronova (the Ruler of Death) and Rhinedottir (the Ruler of Life) |
| New weekly boss | Ronova, available after the story |
| Events | Moonchase Festival returns to Liyue (three minigames, free new 4-star sword), a Snezhnaya snowball event, a Natlan tournament prediction event, Miliastra Wonderland autumn refresh |

### The new characters

- **Vesna** — 5-star Anemo Sword, the first dedicated **Stellar-Swirl hypercarry**. Her Skill enters an "Armed for Action" state that builds Sword Essence, spent on escalating Windborne Sword attacks; her Burst summons Spirit Blades for frontloaded AoE Anemo damage. Out of combat, holding Sprint or Jump enters a flying "Coursing" state (like Wanderer). Core team per Game8: Vesna + Odette + Cryo Traveler + Faruzan (C6) or Vodyanitsa.
- **Vodyanitsa** — 5-star Hydro Catalyst support: HP-scaling healing and Cryo/Hydro RES shred from her Skill; team ATK buffs come mainly from her signature weapon and constellations. Build HP. Holding her Skill out of combat turns her into a Water Imp that can swim across water briefly.

## Snezhnaya (7.0+) Primer

Snezhnaya is the seventh nation: a frozen land linked by a rail network, with the capital **Snezhnograd** and the Fatui headquarters. Things that are new or different:

- **Cold.** A low-temperature mechanic similar to Dragonspine drains your party in exposed zones. Stay near heat sources and plan routes.
- **Eye of Graeae.** Gadget that helps you resist the cold, stores Kresnik Energy and lets you harvest **Prime Ice** to build contraptions (launching platforms, grappling points, heat sources and more).
- **Shooter sections.** Third-person shooting sequences in corrupted areas, using customizable elemental firearms.
- **Rail travel.** Trains connect stations; the train itself acts as a mobile hub with an armory and crafting bench.
- **Stellar-Swirl.** With a "Stellar Glimmer" character in the party (Odette, Cryo Traveler, Vesna, and some older units via a Radiance passive), Cryo Swirls become Stellar-Swirls that create an expanding Stellar Vortex which explodes for Cryo damage.

The region is story-gated: follow the Chapter VII Archon Quests to open the full map instead of wandering into areas you cannot survive yet.

## Core Systems

### Resin and daily routine

| Activity | Original Resin |
|---|---|
| Ley Line Outflow (EXP books or Mora) | 20 |
| Domains (talent, weapon, artifact) | 20 |
| Normal world bosses | 40 |
| Weekly bosses | 30 for the first three per week, then 60 |

Resin regenerates one point every 8 minutes and caps at 200, so log in at least once a day. **Condensed Resin** lets you claim double rewards in one run; **Fragile Resin** refills 60 and is best saved for events or emergencies. **Transient Resin** (60, from the Realm Depot weekly) expires 7 days after purchase, so use it that week. Daily loop: spend Resin, do four Commissions, claim the Commission bonus, check the Realm Currency and any event dailies.

### Characters, weapons and talents

- **Ascension** needs boss drops, local specialties and common enemy drops. Check requirements before you hit a level cap so you are not stuck.
- **Talents** (Normal Attack, Skill, Burst) use talent books from domains that rotate by day of the week; Sunday has all of them.
- **Weapons** matter more than most new players think. A leveled 4-star weapon that fits the character usually beats a mismatched 5-star.
- **Constellations** come from duplicate copies. C0 is fine for almost every character; for 4-stars, specific constellations (e.g. C6 on many supports) are big upgrades.

### Artifacts

Artifacts are the long-term grind: a 5-piece set of Flower (flat HP), Plume (flat ATK), Sands, Goblet and Circlet.

| Slot | Common main stats |
|---|---|
| Sands | ATK%, Energy Recharge, Elemental Mastery, HP%/DEF% for scalers |
| Goblet | Elemental DMG Bonus for damage dealers, or HP%/EM for supports |
| Circlet | CRIT Rate or CRIT DMG for damage, Healing Bonus for healers |

- **Rule of thumb for damage dealers:** CRIT Rate to CRIT DMG ratio near 1:2, then enough Energy Recharge to have your Burst up every rotation.
- Start farming artifacts seriously around World Level 6+, when 5-star drops are common.
- Use the Artifact Strongbox (Mystic Offering) and Artifact Transmuter to target sets and main stats with fodder you do not need.

### Elements and reactions

| Reaction | Elements | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Vaporize | Hydro + Pyro | Big multiplier on the trigger hit |
| Melt | Pyro + Cryo | Big multiplier on the trigger hit |
| Freeze | Hydro + Cryo | Crowd control, enables Shatter |
| Swirl | Anemo + Pyro/Hydro/Electro/Cryo | Spreads elements, resistance shred with Viridescent Venerer |
| Stellar-Swirl (7.0+) | Anemo + Cryo with a Stellar Glimmer character in the party | New Snezhnaya reaction; exploding Cryo vortexes |
| Bloom / Hyperbloom / Burgeon | Dendro + Hydro (+ Electro/Pyro) | Reaction damage that scales on EM |
| Aggravate / Spread | Electro/Dendro on Quicken | Boosts hit damage |
| Electro-Charged, Overloaded, Superconduct | Electro combos | Utility, chip damage, Physical RES shred |

Nod-Krai (the 6.x region) added the Lunar reactions and Moonsign system, so check each new character's kit for which reaction family it supports.

### Team building

Every team wants roughly:
- **One main DPS** (on field most of the time),
- **One or two sub-DPS or enablers** (off-field elemental application),
- **One support** (healer/shielder or buffer).

Reliable free or common picks: **Bennett** (healing plus ATK buff), **Xingqiu** and **Xiangling** (off-field Hydro/Pyro), **Kazuha** or **Sucrose** (Swirl and resistance shred), **Fischl** (off-field Electro), **Zhongli** or **Layla** (shields). Faruzan, Chongyun and Diona are on the current 4-star rate-up and fit Anemo/Cryo teams like Vesna's.

## Wishes (Gacha) Explained

| Banner | Hard pity | 50/50 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Character Event Wish | 90 | Yes; lose it and the next 5-star is guaranteed featured | Capturing Radiance can make you win a 50/50 you would otherwise lose |
| Weapon Event Wish | 80 | 75/25 split with two featured weapons | Use Epitomized Path to chart the weapon you want |
| Standard Wish | 90 | No | Only spend Acquaint Fates here |
| Chronicled Wish | Varies | Chart a specific item | Appears some versions only |

- 160 Primogems = 1 Intertwined Fate or Acquaint Fate.
- Pity carries over between character banners of the same type and version phases.
- Soft pity makes 5-stars much more likely in the 70s range, so plan budgets around about 75-90 wishes per 5-star.
- **Starglitter** from duplicates buys Fates and 4-stars in Paimon's Bargains each month.

## Endgame and Recurring Rewards

| Mode | Resets | What it rewards |
|---|---|---|
| Spiral Abyss | Every month on the 16th | Primogems; Floors 9-12 need two full teams |
| Imaginarium Theater | Every month on the 1st | Primogems; rotating allowed elements and trial characters; Easy/Normal/Hard/Visionary plus Lunar mode (10 acts plus Arcana Challenges) |
| Stygian Onslaught | A new cycle each version (starts about a week after the patch; next from Sep 30) | Up to 450 Primogems (150 each for difficulties 1-3); three-boss rush across six difficulties, with no-repeat-character rules from Menacing up and a 180s limit on Dire |
| Events | Each version | Primogems, free 4-star weapons, materials |
| Weekly bosses | Every Monday | Talent level-up materials (including the new Ronova) |

**Tip:** Imaginarium Theater rewards roster width (you need many built characters across its elements), while Spiral Abyss and Stygian Onslaught reward a few strong teams.

## Progression Order (New to Mid Players)

1. AR 1-16: story until co-op; build Traveler, Amber/Kaeya/Lisa plus whatever 4-stars you pull.
2. AR 16-30: Commissions, first domains, pick your main DPS and put all EXP into them first.
3. AR 30-45: Ascension to World Level 4/5; farm talent books on your main team.
4. AR 45+: artifact farming, Spiral Abyss Floor 9-12 practice, Imaginarium Theater.
5. Regions: Mondstadt, Liyue, Inazuma, Sumeru, Fontaine, Natlan, Nod-Krai, Snezhnaya. The Archon Quests gate Snezhnaya content, so catch up on story before you rush there.

## F2P Spending Priorities

1. **Welkin Moon** if you spend at all — best value.
2. Primogems: character banners over weapon banners. Weapons only when you want to push one specific character.
3. Masterless Stardust (from 3-star pulls): the monthly Intertwined Fates first.
4. Masterless Starglitter (from 4-star and 5-star pulls/duplicates): Fates first, then 4-star constellations you need.
5. Genesis Crystals: do not refresh Resin with them; save for wishes.

## Common Mistakes to Avoid

- **Letting Resin cap.** It is the single biggest progression leak.
- **Leveling too many characters at once.** Materials are finite; focus.
- **Pulling on every banner.** Pick characters that fill a team role or that you love; skip the rest.
- **Wishing on the weapon banner without a plan.** The 75/25 split and two featured weapons make it expensive.
- **Artifact farming at low World Level.** The 5-star drop rate is poor until later.
- **Ignoring Energy Recharge.** A Burst that is never ready is worthless damage.
- **Skipping the 7.1 Archon Quest.** It gates the anniversary 5-star selector and 620 Primogems.

## Advanced Tips

- **Rotations over stats.** Learn each team's rotation (buffers and off-field units first, then DPS). This often adds more damage than better artifacts.
- **Swirl first, then trigger.** Swirling an element spreads it and applies Viridescent Venerer shred before your big hits.
- **Snapshot and duration.** Some summons snapshot buffs when cast; others update live. Check character pages before building buffs around them.
- **Save for kit-defining 5-stars in the new region.** Stellar Swirl and Lunar reactions are expanding; characters that enable a reaction family age better than generic DPS units.
- **Pre-farm ascension materials** (local specialties, boss drops like the new ones for Vesna) during the banner so your pull is usable the same day.
- **Use the Serenitea Pot's trust rank and Parametric Transformer** every week for free materials.

## FAQ

**Who should I pull in 7.1: Vesna or Vodyanitsa?**
Vesna if you want a new main DPS for Stellar-Swirl teams (she works best with Odette, who is the key Stellar Glimmer support); Vodyanitsa if you need a Hydro healer/buffer with resistance shred. If you are unsure, wait for Phase 2 (Skirk/Escoffier reruns) and compare against your roster.

**What free 5-star can I get for the 6th anniversary?**
Finishing the new Archon Quest lets you choose one event-exclusive 5-star from a select lineup, plus one standard 5-star. Check the in-game event page for the exact choices.

**How do I unlock Snezhnaya?**
Progress the Chapter VII Archon Quests. The region is story-gated.

**When does Spiral Abyss reset?**
On the 16th of every month. Imaginarium Theater resets on the 1st.

**Is Genshin free-to-play friendly?**
Yes. All story content is clearable with free and 4-star characters; gacha only speeds things up and adds variety.

**Does pity carry to the next banner?**
Yes, within the same banner type (character to character, weapon to weapon), including your 50/50 guarantee.

## Sources

- [HoYoverse: Genshin Impact Version 7.1 launches September 23](https://www.hoyoverse.com/en-us/news/166386)
- [RPG Site: Genshin Impact Version 7.1 details and anniversary rewards](https://www.rpgsite.net/news/21363-genshin-impact-version-7-1-update-release-date-new-free-anniversary-rewards)
- [Game8: Current and Next Banner Schedule](https://game8.co/games/Genshin-Impact/archives/305012)
- [The Click: Genshin Impact 7.1 — everything new](https://www.theclick.gg/genshin-impact-7-1/)
- [Game8: Version 7.0 release date and characters](https://game8.co/games/Genshin-Impact/archives/596528)
- [Teyvat Vault: Snezhnaya guide](https://teyvatvault.com/snezhnaya-guide/)
- [Genshin Impact Wiki: Version 7.1](https://genshin-impact.fandom.com/wiki/Version/7.1)
- [Game8: Vesna builds and teams](https://game8.co/games/Genshin-Impact/archives/606901)
- [Game8: Vodyanitsa preview](https://game8.co/games/Genshin-Impact/archives/606400)
- [Game8: Stellar-Swirl reaction](https://game8.co/games/Genshin-Impact/archives/605498)
- [Game8: Stygian Onslaught](https://game8.co/games/Genshin-Impact/archives/527266)
- [Game8: Imaginarium Theater](https://game8.co/games/Genshin-Impact/archives/401979)
- [Game8: Original Resin](https://game8.co/games/Genshin-Impact/archives/297554)