Hey there, fellow Travelers! So, I heard some of you missed the Version 4.8 livestream. Life gets busy, I totally get it. But worry not, my friends! I've got your back with all the juicy details from the stream right here. Consider this your one-stop guide to everything coming in the 4.8 update. Let's dive straight in, shall we?
First things first, let's talk about the main event: Wish Banners. As always, we've got two phases to look forward to.
➤ Phase 1 brings back two fantastic 5-star characters:
- **Navia** (Geo, Claymore)
- **Nilou** (Hydro, Sword)
➤ Phase 2 is where things get really spicy with a brand-new face and a beloved rerun:
- **Emilie** (New 5-Star!)
- **Yelan** (Hydro, Bow)
Now, let's get to the star of the show, the new character: Emilie. Honestly, she looks absolutely stunning and her kit seems like a game-changer for Dendro teams, especially Burning comps.
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Rarity: 5-Star
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Vision: Dendro 🌿
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Weapon: Polearm
Her gameplay revolves around a unique construct called the Lumidouce Case. Here's the lowdown on her abilities:
- Elemental Skill: She deploys the Lumidouce Case, which deals AoE Dendro DMG and fires periodic Dendro shots. The real kicker? When enemies are Burning, the Case collects Scents. Get two Scents, and it levels up to Level 2, firing extra shots with increased damage. It's like her own little perfume-powered turret!
- Elemental Burst: This is where she goes all out. The Case ascends to Level 3, gathers any existing Case, and starts raining down Scented Dew for continuous Dendro DMG. When it ends, a new Case is created at the same level as the one absorbed. Talk about an elegant yet powerful finish!
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Passive Talents: She's got some neat tricks up her sleeve.
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At Level 2, her Case releases a "Cleardew Cologne" blast based on collected Scents.
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She deals bonus DMG to Burning enemies, and her Case boosts the whole party's Burning RES. A true specialist!
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Of course, a new 5-star character often comes with a signature weapon. For Emilie, it's the "Lumidouce Elegy" polearm. While exact stats weren't fully detailed, you can bet it's tailor-made to make her kit shine even brighter.
Alright, let's shift gears to the main event: "Summertide Scales and Tales". This is our big summer event, and it takes us to a breathtaking new time-limited area called Simulanka.
Simulanka is a fairytale world straight out of a storybook, but it's facing some mysterious crises (giant footprints, anyone?). Exploring it is going to be a blast. The event itself packs multiple game modes:
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Boreal Flurry: Zip through air currents and smash targets to score points. Destroy special targets for cool effects!
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Flying Hatter's Trick: Use a magical Flying Hat to attract toy figures and score in various mini-games. Whimsical and fun!
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Metropole Trials: This is the combat challenge. Form two teams to take on waves of enemies. Build up Valor to trigger "A Time for Valor" for massive team buffs and even higher scores!
As a sweet bonus, you can collect coins during the event and use them in Figurine Fabrication to get souvenir figurines! How cool is that?
But wait, there's more! Version 4.8 is absolutely stacked with other events:
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Bing-Bang Finchball: The fan-favorite ball game is back with new stages featuring pesky Rival Finchballs and a brand-new Co-Op Mode! Time to team up with a friend.
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Outside the Canvas, Inside the Lens: Asagiri's photography event returns with a new Interval Timer Mode for that perfect shot.
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Energy Amplifier: Lemma: Hosseini is back with a Fontainian-tech upgrade—the "Hosseini Amplifier". This one's tough: you need three parties for three consecutive combat rounds. Strategy is key here!
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Envisaged Echoes: An extension of the Imaginarium Theater! Complete five character-specific challenges to earn gorgeous Echo cosmetic rewards. Equip them for unique sprinting trail effects. The previews looked insanely pretty.
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Overflowing Mastery: Your chance to double talent book rewards. Don't miss it!
Now, for the fashionistas out there, we're getting two new outfits!
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Nilou - "Dew-Kissed Bloom" (Paid): This outfit is simply gorgeous, giving our dancer an elegant new look. Totally worth the primos for Nilou mains.
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Kirara - "Feline Fortuitous Finder" (FREE!): You can earn this adorable new outfit for our favorite delivery cat by collecting "Excerpts of Bliss" during the Summertide Scales and Tales event. Free outfit? Yes, please!
Let's not forget some serious quality-of-life improvements that are absolute game-changers:
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Long-Term Encounter Points: FINALLY! Excess points from commissions can now be stored as Long-Term Encounter Points. You can convert them later by spending Resin. This is a huge win for casual players. No more FOMO if you miss a day!
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Reduced Boss Cooldown: All World Boss respawn timers are slashed to a mere 10 seconds. Farming materials just got a whole lot less tedious. Hallelujah! 🙌
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One-Click Hide UI: Want to soak in the beauty of Simulanka without clutter? A new button lets you hide the entire UI for perfect screenshots and immersion.
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Dialogue Review: Accidentally skipped a line? Now you can review both text and audio from the current conversation. A blessing for lore enthusiasts.
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Domain Difficulty Adjustments: Some early-game Domains in Mondstadt and Liyue are being tweaked to be more newcomer-friendly.
Oh, and for you TCG enjoyers, new character cards for Chevreuse, Navia, and the Fatui Frost Operative are being added to the tavern! The meta is about to shift.
As a little "cherry on top", the stream ended with some tantalizing teasers for Natlan. We got a glimpse of the atmosphere and a snippet of the BGM. The land of the Pyro Archon is calling, and it sounds epic! The hype for the next chapter is real.
So, there you have it, folks! Version 4.8 is shaping up to be an incredibly content-rich update before we head to Natlan. From the elegant Emilie and the magical Simulanka to some of the best QoL changes we've seen in a while, there's something for everyone. My Primogems are already sweating just thinking about those banners. I don't know about you, but I'm counting down the days. See you in Simulanka, Travelers! 🎉