The developer behind the top-grossing mobile game Genshin Impact, Hoyoverse has revealed more information about their upcoming 3.0 version update, “The Morn a Thousand Rose Brings” in a special program during the weekend.
In a lengthy live stream comprised of interviews with developers and showing off teaser trailers, Hoyoverse has set the release date of its major update to the world of Teyvat on 24 August.
Expected in the update is the addition of the entirely new region of Sumeru, home of the Archon Kusanali, who watches over her land of dense rainforests and arid deserts as the god of the seventh element, Dendro.
▍Genshin Impact Version 3.0 Trailer
▍New Region of Sumeru
Version 3.0s largest highlight, Sumeru is the fourth nation Travelers will be taking their journey next after the electro region of Inazuma. Divided into two main biomes, the first of which sees players venturing through the thickets of foliage to the settlements of Sumeru City and Port Ormos.
As the nation governed by the god of knowledge, cities are dotted by institutions of learning known as the Akademiya, where key story points are set to occur, being shown off in the trailers that dropped together with the live stream. Locales are filled with a variety of design inspirations from medieval Middle Eastern and South East Asian cultures blended together to create the realm of the Dendro Archon of Teyvat.
▍New Playable Element: Dendro
As the seventh and final element in Genshin Impact, the Dendro element is being added with version 3.0, taking its proper place among the other already available elements in the world of Teyvat. Although present in the current version of the game, Dendro’s presence in Genshin Impact has been very much limited, being limited to a single elemental reaction and only being used by small-fry enemies in the overworld.
Genshin Impact’s 3.0 Sumeru update will see the Dendro element in its full splendor, with two extra reactions being added in Bloom (Dendro + Hydro) and Catalyze (Dendro + Electro), expanding the depth of combat even further together with the preexisting Burning reaction (Dendro + Pyro). Here’s a little run down on how the two new reactions work:
- Bloom (Dendro + Hydro)
Small buds called Dendro Cores are generated on the spot when the two elements react. Only a certain number of cores can exist at a time, where if new ones are created upon reaching its limit (or simply once a certain duration has passed), will explode causing AOE damage.
Here’s where it gets a little more complicated, as the generated Dendro Cores can be further combined into branching reactions. Apply Pyro to the core nets you the Burgeon reaction that causes an enhanced AOE damage explosion, while hitting the Dendro Cores with Electro transforms them into homing projectiles.
- Catalyze (Dendro + Electro)
Targets struck by both Dendro and Electro are struck with a debuff dubbed Quicken which stays on them for a while. Quickened enemies hit by an Electro attack cause a reaction called Aggravate which increases the Electro damage dealt by this attack. Vice versa doing the same with a Dendro attack on a Quickened foe causes another reaction named Spread that increases the Dendro damage output. Noted that Quicken on its own doesn’t do anything until being struck with Dendro or Electro afterward!
As you may have noticed, Dendro reactions are another beast in comparison to the other elements, in that their dedicated reactions require three elements being applied together in comparison to the usual two. Another point is to be made in the fact that Dendro has no reactions to Anemo, Geo, or Cryo.
▍New Characters for Genshin Impact 3.0
- ★5 Tighnari
- ★4 Collei
- ★4 Dori
▍New Gacha Banners in Genshin Impact 3.0
With the new addition of the Dendro element, Genshin Impact’s 3.0 update will see the addition of two new characters, Collei as a 4-star bow user and Tighnari, a 5-star bow user. In fact, both Dendro users are to be rollable on the launch of the update, as they will be featured on the first gacha banner dropping after the update!
Phase 1 of the banner will feature a rate up for the aforementioned Tighnari as well as Zhong Li receiving a rerun after his last appearance in the gacha pool in version 2.4 back in January. This banner will also feature Collei as its 4-star pickup so if you’re planning on increasing your Dendro repertoire before entering Sumeru, it’s a good time to hold off on the gem spending for the time being.
It should also be mentioned that as the only existing Dendro 5-star in 3.0, Tighnari will also be added to the gacha pool of the standard banners post update.
Phase 2 will have the reruns of both Ganyu and Sangonomiya Kokomi. Ganyu received a rerun alongside Zhong Li, while Kokomi got hers a little later in March in version 2.4. Both characters are still prominent in the meta, with some theory crafting potential to be had with a character like Kokomi with her top-tier hydro application, and how that might work in tandem with the new Bloom reaction.
Along with the character banners of course is the weapon gacha, though we currently only know of the two new weapons that will probably be featured in the said banner when the update comes.
▍New Events
Genshin Impact 3.0 will come with a series of events just like the other versions where travelers will be introduced to the Dendro reaction, head off to treasure hunts, and a chance to get a brand new Seelie pet!
■ Graven Innocence
In the flagship event of Genshin Impact’s 3.0 update, Travellers will be tasked by a toymaker in Port Ormos to take pictures of different places, subjects, and situations. Take on new monsters including the new boss creature Jadeplume Terrorshroom, as you snap shots all around Sumeru. As well as giving players an excuse to tour around the region, the rewards for this one include free recruitment of Collei to your team! Don’t miss this one.
■ Fayz Trials
The main combat event of Genshin Impact’s new version, fight through hordes of enemies using a special time stop potion employing a party of trial characters to earn rewards of Primogems and upgrade materials. Rent out characters like Klee, Kokomi, Xingqiu and Collei in this test to pinpoint the weak points of your enemies.
■ Tablet Analytics
Utilize random buffs and clear a series of increasingly difficult challenges against adversaries. Activate mechanics and collect the buffs to rack up your scores as you defeat as many enemies as you can in a limited time for a chance to receive Primogems, moras, and ascension materials
■ Lost Riches
The treasure hunting event quest makes a return, this time in Sumeru, where players will have to make use of the floating Seelies to seek out buried treasure chests containing loot for the picking. Just watch your back for the occasional opportunists that might attack you upon finding a chest… Clear rewards in Lost Riches, to take the Seelie home with you, which now come in 5 different color variations including Dendro green!
▍Mystic Offerings Offer More Options
Artifact Miners rejoice! As your painstaking results of grinding in domains might just be your ticket out of RNG hell. In Genshin Impact 3.0 the Mystic Offerings reroll system is receiving a revamp with all 5-Star Artifacts pre-version 1.2 (so every Artifact from launch up to Heart of Depth/Blizzard Strayer) can be obtained through the trade feature. Dump all of those Artifacts with flat defense substats for another chance at getting the artifact you want/needs!
Speaking of Artifacts, two brand new sets have been shown off as well. Deepwood Memories seems like a straightforward Dendro damage-orientated Artifact, whereas Gilded Dreams takes a more complicated spin on its set bonus. An unusual set, Gilded Dreams seems to change what stat it buffs your character with dependent on your team comps!
▍Update Schedule for Genshin Impact 3.0 and Beyond
Before closing off the stream with a musical performance of two of its thematic tracks for the region of Sumeru, Hoyoverse also divulged their planned release schedules for the updates to come after the 3.0 update to Genshin Impact.
