When Snezhnaya Actually Drops (And What's Coming First)
The Version 6.0 Timeline
Mark your calendars: September 10, 2025. That's when Version 6.0 launches with the Nod-Krai region, running until October 21st. We're getting the usual split—Phase 1 banners from September 10-30, then Phase 2 carries us through to October 21st.
Three new faces are joining the roster: Lauma and Flins (both 5-stars), plus Aino as our 4-star. But here's where it gets interesting—datamined character IDs show some suspicious gaps after Citlali (ID 107). That screams unreleased Fatui Harbingers to me.
How We're Getting There
The transition from Natlan isn't going to be subtle. Il Capitano's already stirring up trouble, and Fatui involvement is ramping up fast. Leaked NPC dialogue from 5.1 paints Snezhnaya as... well, let's just say you probably shouldn't be flashing your Mora around.
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The Tsaritsa: Everything We Know (And Don't)
Who She Really Is
The Cryo Archon isn't your typical villain, despite commanding the Fatui. Tartaglia—and honestly, when has he ever been wrong about people?—describes her as a gentle soul who's been forced into this whole mess. She's waging war against Celestia to literally burn the old world.
Her beef with Celestia stems from rejecting their callousness. Makes sense when you consider Pierro's influence and his whole Khaenri'ah situation. Unlike previous Archons who showed up early in their regions, she's positioned as a late-game character. Smart move, story-wise.
Combat Details (What Little We Have)
Here's where the leaks get frustratingly vague. Weapon type? Unknown. Specific combat mechanics? Also unknown. We know she's Cryo—obviously—but that's about it for reliable datamined info. Her ascension materials will definitely require Snezhnaya-specific local specialties, so start planning accordingly.
The Fatui Harbingers: Who's Actually Playable
Il Capitano - The Strongest Human
Il Capitano ranks #1 among the Harbingers below the Tsaritsa herself. His NPC-only status during Natlan's 5.x run suggests we'll see him become playable post-5.x—probably 6.1 or later. The leaked trailer footage of him going sword-to-sword with Mavuika using Cryo? Chef's kiss.
What we know for sure:
- Rank: 1st Harbinger (strongest human alive)
- Element: Cryo (those combat visuals don't lie)
- Weapon: Sword (trailer evidence is solid)
- Voice: Chris Tergliafera (EN), Ken Narita (JP)
Columbina - The One We've Been Waiting For
Version 6.3, January 14, 2026. That's when Columbina becomes playable, according to datamined character IDs. She's got this whole ethereal thing going—pale skin, long black hair with dark pink highlights, closed eyes behind that distinctive white X-shaped lace mask. The floating orb-crescent heels are a nice touch.
Power-wise, she's terrifying:
- Ranks 3rd among Harbingers
- Nahida straight-up said the top 3-4 Harbingers rival gods
- Tartaglia gets uneasy around her (and this is the guy who fights weekly bosses for fun)
- Wanderer warns she's completely unfeeling
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Kit Speculation (Take With Salt)
The leaks are suggesting Hydro with Lunar-Bloom reactions (Hydro-Dendro synergy) or potential Cryo connections. Weapon-wise, it's looking like Polearm or Catalyst for off-field support. Moon-phase mechanics and musical attacks like Song of the Hollow Moon keep popping up in speculation threads.
Il Dottore - The Wildcard
Dottore's #2 with god-level strength and the kind of intellect that makes you uncomfortable. His fragment system lets him surveil all of Teyvat—creepy but effective. Successfully traded the Electro Gnosis for fragment erasure and shared intel about fake Teyvat skies for the Dendro Gnosis.
The basics:
- Real Name: Zandik
- Voice: Toshihiko Seki (JP), Mick Wingert (EN)
- Notable achievement: Experimented on Collei, created body segments at different ages
Yeah, he's not winning any humanitarian awards.
The Rest of the Gang
Pulcinella, Pantalone, Sandrone
Pulcinella (#5) doubles as Snezhnaya's Mayor while keeping an eye on Childe's family. Pantalone handles Fatui finances and happens to be Teyvat's wealthiest individual—born without a Vision, which explains his resentment toward divine Mora control. Sandrone (#7) is obsessed with mechanical construction and might have Fontaine connections.
Pierro - The Mastermind
First and highest-ranking Harbinger, serving as Fatui Director with anticipated Version 6.0 playability. As a Khaenri'ah survivor cursed with immortality by Ronova, he handpicked his fellow Harbingers based on shared grievances against Celestia. Those unique pupils? Pure-blood Khaenri'ahn heritage.
What Snezhnaya Actually Looks Like
The Geography
Nod-Krai features Hiisi Island with the Silver Moon Court and Nordekalle down south. Think Tsarist Russia meets Slavic architecture—which honestly sounds gorgeous. New local specialties will support Cryo character ascension, and environmental mechanics are expanding on Dragonspine's Sheer Cold system.
Enhanced Fatui Skirmisher variants and region-specific Cryo creatures are confirmed. Basically, dress warmly.
The Endgame Story (Major Spoilers Ahead)
Gnosis Collection Update
Current tally:
- Anemo: Signora snagged it (Mondstadt)
- Geo: Zhongli's contractual agreement (Liyue)
- Electro/Dendro: Dottore's trades (Sumeru)
- Hydro: Arlecchino's deal (Fontaine)
- Pyro: TBD (Natlan's still ongoing)
- Cryo: Tsaritsa's keeping hers
The Celestia Rebellion
The Tsaritsa's war stems from witnessing what she calls absurd callousness of foundational principles. Her alliance with Khaenri'ah survivors creates a coalition seeking equitable Teyvat governance. Snezhnaya serves as the climactic chapter where every region's grievances converge into direct Celestia confrontation.
It's going to be epic.
How to Prepare (The Practical Stuff)
Snezhnaya represents the culminating chapter with the most powerful characters we've seen. Version 6.0 launches September 2025; Columbina arrives January 2026. You'll need 28,800 Primogems (180 wishes) for guaranteed acquisition over 12-15 months.
Your preparation checklist:
- Save Primogems through dailies and selective pulling
- Stock artifacts: Blizzard Strayer, Heart of Depth, Nymph's Dream
- Prepare Mora, EXP books, talent materials
- Build Dendro teams for Bloom reactions
- Monitor leak sources for kit confirmations
FAQ
When does Snezhnaya actually release? Version 6.0 introduces Nod-Krai September 10, 2025. The full arc spans Versions 6.0-6.3 through early 2026.
Which Harbingers become playable? Confirmed: Columbina (Version 6.3, January 2026), likely Pierro (Version 6.0). Il Capitano becomes playable after the 5.x versions wrap up.
Is the Tsaritsa playable? Expected to be playable during major story events, likely late in the Snezhnaya arc—similar to other Archons.
How many Primogems do I need? 28,800 Primogems (180 wishes) for guaranteed acquisition. Totally achievable over 12-15 months through daily tasks.
What elements are the new Harbingers? Columbina: Hydro with Lunar-Bloom or Cryo. Il Capitano: Cryo sword confirmed in trailers. Others remain unconfirmed.
Will Signora return? No leak evidence suggests revival. A Winter Night's Lazzo showed permanent death with Columbina's funeral song. She's done.
