Genshin Impact Luna I Update Guide: New Characters, Level 100 System & Anniversary Rewards

The latest Genshin Impact Update Livestream has just wrapped up with many new and exciting changes coming to the game.

First off, and to clarify, this patch cycle will not follow the conventional numbering system like its previous iteration, such as Genshin 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, or even Genshin 6.0 as we'd expected. Instead, this patch cycle will be called Genshin Luna, followed by the Greek number representing the order of the patch. This is why this version is called Luna I.

Besides the new name and theme surrounding the moon, the livestream also showcases the new regions, characters, and Quality of Life (QoL) changes that will greatly benefit both old and new travelers alike. Let's go over everything that was shown on the livestream and see how it will affect the players.

Nod-Krai Region Overview and Quest

First things first, the new update will be travelers' first introduction to the much-anticipated region of Nod-Krai. We will be meeting many new characters from different factions in this harsh land that will be fighting for power and control over its mysterious moon power. Nod-Krai has been promised to be the sub-region of Snezhnaya and will serve as the introduction to the end-game of the traveler's journey in Teyvat, looking for his sister. The devs have also promised that Nod-Krai will be the place that answers many of our burning questions in regards to the history of Teyvat and the mysterious moon sisters.

In terms of gameplay aspects, we will be visiting 3 different islands filled with different mechanics and enemies to fight. Along with this, there will be new NPCs and characters we will meet and interact with in the Archon Quest of the update.

Something new that the game is trying out is that the personal quests of playable characters will be integrated into the Archon quest itself, saving many players' time while keeping the same amount of rewards that they can earn.

New Characters and Banners

Nod-Krai will be opening with a bang with 3 brand new character releases: 5-star Lauma, Flins, and 4-star Aino. These characters will further expand on the brand new mechanic that was introduced back in Version 5.8 by Iniffa: Lunar reaction.

Lauma will allow Lunar-Bloom to be used in her team, allowing the regular bloom reaction to Crit, similar to Nahida C2. Flins, on the other hand, will further make use of the Lunar-Charged reaction to deal massive reaction damage to his enemies, making him a great pick up for those who pulled for the robot maid.

Another mechanic that players can look forward to is Moonsign. Whenever you build a team with a Nod-Krai Moonsign character in it, this character will unlock a part of its kit related to Moonsign, allowing a specific buff to itself or the team.

Having 2 of these characters will fully unlock the buff and will open up many new playstyles in the future as more Moonsign characters come out. If you are worried that you won't have access to this unless you pull for all the new characters, you won't have to worry because Aino will be given out to everyone for free, and she will work great in teams.

Along with the new releases, the Chronicle Banner will also be making a return. This time, it will include all the fan-favorite characters and their Signature weapons from Sumeru for you to pick up. The Banner Cycle will be as follows:

Level 100 Upgrade System: The Complicated Part

Here is the biggest addition coming to the game in recent years: you will finally be able to level up your favorite character to level 100. And the best part is, you will be able to take them up directly without using mora or wits.

The downside to this mechanic is that it will only be accessible for players who can obtain the new item, Masterless Stella Fortuna. The only way to acquire this item is to first have a character at max constellation of C6. Once you decide to pull on a banner and obtain another copy of this character, you will instead get this Fortuna. It will take 1 Fortuna for level 95 and another 2 for level 100. While this mechanic is exciting for those who want to further invest in their favorite characters, it cannot be denied that it will not be accessible to everyone, as it takes either a lot of time and luck, or money to have a character at Constellation 6 and go further beyond. This is where the "complicated" aspect comes in - it's a great feature locked behind significant investment.

Anniversary Rewards and More: The Good Stuff

Version Luna I will also mark the 5th anniversary of Genshin Impact's release, and with it comes many rewards for both old and new players alike. Here is the list of all the noteworthy free rewards that every player can claim during this update:

• 1 Free 5-Star Character among: Mizuki, Jean, Diluc, Mona, Qiqi, Dehya, Tighnari, and Keqing
• 10 Intertwined Fates (feature banner pulls) and 1600 primogems
• 1 Dust of Enlightenment and 1 Sanctifying Elixir
• A new Pet Companion and a new exclusive teapot furniture
• 80k mora, 8 hero's wits, and 2 fragile resins

Besides these free rewards, there will also be a new way for you to earn up to 4 free constellations within a year for your favorite characters. Starting Version Luna I, this event will allow you to choose from the list of characters that you own and were released since the start of the game up to before version 4.0.

You can do your daily tasks to work toward earning 1 of their constellations absolutely free. Keep in mind that you will only be allowed to do it once for each character each year, and you must first own the character.

The duration for each event will be roughly 12 weeks, but it will only take 8 weeks of daily playing for you to finish it. Currently, the list of characters is limited, but expect there to be more of them being added in the coming years.

New Events and Additions to the Game

Besides the free rewards, there will also be many new and returning events for players to enjoy. The main one that will center around Nod-Krai promises to give you a brand new free 4-star weapon that will be a great choice for many catalyst users. You can also now go out into the new region to look for and fight Local Legends and report them to Katheryne to earn exclusive primogems and the brand new decorative border to show off to your friends. Another addition to the game is the new, harder difficulty of the end game content: more Imaginarium Theater, which will be a fun challenge for many players. You can earn more rewards from this new difficulty and cards to trade with your friends.

New QoL Changes

In addition to everything mentioned above, players can expect many QoL changes that will be coming as well. Here is the list of all the changes coming:

• You can preview the fourth minor affix on 5-star Artifacts with three initial minor affixes.
• You can now consume Sanctifying Unction or Sanctifying Essence directly for Extraction Progress. You'll also gain more progress when extracting high-level Artifacts.
• The crafting recipe for Condensed Resin has been adjusted to 60 Original Resin. Condensed Resin now grants 3 times the reward on use.
• A 2-times reward option has been added to the previous 20 Original Resin claim option. Travelers can freely choose between using 20 or 40 Original Resin and claim the rewards 1 time or 2 times accordingly.
• The option for claiming 3 times the reward with Primogems has also been added.
• Unlimited access twice per version for Talent Material Domains / Weapon Ascension Material Domains.
• All unlocked Talent Material Domains / Weapon Ascension Material Domains will have unlimited access in the first week of Character/Weapon Wishes.
• Travelers can purchase the Gadget blueprints below with Mora from the blacksmiths in Liyue and Mondstadt.
• The "Traveling Bounties" package has been added to Gnostic Hymn (Battlepass).
• You can claim the package when you reach Gnostic Hymn Level 1 and Level 8, which contains 15 harvestable items of your choice.
• The purchase limit of some 2-star materials at Stardust Exchange has been increased, adjusted from 70 per month to 120.
• After the version update, collecting Oculi and unlocking Shrine of Depths will also reward Adventure EXP.
• New players can level up much faster and won't run into as many progression walls early on.
• The Artifact Strongbox sets "Scroll of the Hero of Cinder City" and "Obsidian Codex" can now be exchanged in Mystic Offering.
• Artifact Inventory Limit is increased to 2,400.
• Serenitea Pot Replica limit is increased to 20.
• The inventory limit for furnishings is increased to 2,600.