5.7 Banner Details
Leaked information suggests the following banner arrangements:
First Half: Skirk, the Perfumer, and Talia.
Second Half: Murata (the Pyro Archon) and Shenhe.
As for pull recommendations, it's advisable to wait for Skirk's version 3.
Skirk's strength has been a topic of debate across various forums. With a locked team composition, her poisoning mechanism and unimpressive stats make her less appealing. As a Cryo DPS, she struggles against self-igniting enemies, unable to trigger her talent "Beyond Reason," rendering her burst unusable. Her normal attacks don't benefit from damage boosts, and even her sixth constellation seems underwhelming. Unlike Murata, whose team compositions offer more flexibility, Skirk appears to be heavily restricted.
Spiral Abyss Usage Rates (as of May 16, Version 5.6)
The usage statistics are as follows:
Furina
Xianyun
Murata
Bennett
"Grandma"
Navia
Eikofei
This marks a rare instance where Furina's usage significantly surpasses that of the Dragon. The likely reason is Eikofei's influence; this period didn't particularly favor Furina, suggesting Eikofei diverted some of her usage. Furina has now become a versatile support character, compatible with a broader range of DPS units.
5.8 Banner Insights
Exciting news for the 5.8 version:
The Dendro Archon, Nahida, is set for a rerun.
New characters Marani and Cithralie will debut.
A new 5-star Hydro female character, serving as an attack support, will be introduced.
This arrangement seems credible. Considering Raiden Shogun's rerun in 5.6 and Murata's in 5.7, a Nahida rerun in 5.8 aligns well. Previously, it was mentioned that approximately 17 new characters would be released within a year. Given the number of characters from versions 5.0 to 5.7, 5.8 is due for another. Skirk's team currently lacks a dedicated support, making this new Hydro character a fitting addition.
Dual Region Banner: Sumeru + Fontaine
Notably, the 5.8 version will feature a dual-region banner, combining characters from Sumeru and Fontaine. Initially, it was expected to be solely Sumeru characters, but due to the significant impact of Wanderer's inclusion and the limited appeal of Sumeru characters, integrating Fontaine characters makes sense. With the Fontaine characters' rerun cooldowns aligning and a Liyue banner planned for version 6.2, this mixed banner approach is optimal.
