Genshin Impact 2.8 update, new character and weapon banners – Full patch notes

With Genshin Impact 2.8 arriving July 13, HoYoverse has released a comprehensive breakdown of everything in this update. A returning set of coveted five-star characters and the ability to revisit the Golden Archipelago region. One new character is coming alongside a slew of game updates and balance changes. These are the full patch notes for the Genshin Impact 2.8 update.

Related – Genshin Impact version 2.8 Kazuha and Klee banners revealed, featuring Heizou, Tohma, and Ningguang

Genshin Impact 2.8 update full patch notes

The official patch time for Genshin Impact 2.8 is slated for July 13, 6 AM (UTC+8). This time breaks down as follows.

• July 12, 2022, 8 PM PT
• July 12, 2022, 11 PM ET
• July 12, 2022, 4 AM GMT

Downtime is expected to last up to five hours, with 60 gifted Primogems for every hour the game is down.

New Area

Limited-Time Area: Golden Apple Archipelago (This area is only available during Version 2.8)

• Area Unlock Criteria
  • Reach Adventure Rank 32 or above
  • Complete the Archon Quest “Chapter II: Prologue – Autumn Winds, Scarlet Leaves”
  • Complete Mona’s Story Quest “Astrolabos Chapter: Act I – Beyond This World’s Stars”

During the event, the Adventure Rank required to accept Mona’s Story Quest “Astrolabos Chapter: Act I – Beyond This World’s Stars” will be adjusted to 32.

The Golden Apple Archipelago will no longer be accessible after the end of Version 2.8. You will also no longer be able to open treasure chests, gather materials, or earn quest rewards on the islands, so grab the opportunity to explore.

New Character – Shikanoin Heizou:

Update 2.8 features a new character, a 4 Star Anemo hero named “Analytical Harmony” Shikanoin Heizou. He does battle with a Catalyst for a weapon. Shikanoin possesses these talents and abilities.

Hold Shikanoin Heizou’s Elemental Skill “Heartstopper Strike” to charge energy and unleash an even stronger blow. He will obtain the Declension effect while charging, which will increase the power of the Heartstopper Strike. When the skill button is released or the skill duration ends, he will strike forward, dealing Anemo DMG. When you possess 4 Declension stacks, the Conviction effect will be produced, which will cause the next Heartstopper Strike to be even stronger and have a larger AoE.

After unleashing his Elemental Burst “Windmuster Kick,” Shikanoin Heizou leaps into the air and uses the Fudou Style Vacuum Slugger and kicks his opponent. The Vacuum Slugger will explode upon hit and create an Arresting Windtunnel that pulls in nearby objects and opponents, dealing AoE Anemo DMG.

When Vacuum Slugger hits opponents affected by Hydro/Pyro/Cryo/Electro, these opponents will be afflicted with Windmuster Iris. This Windmuster Iris will explode after a moment and dissipate, dealing AoE DMG of the corresponding aforementioned elemental type.

Vacuum Slugger can afflict a maximum of 4 opponents with the Windmuster Iris. A single opponent cannot be under the effect of Windmuster Irises of different elements at the same time.

New Equipment “Cursed Blade”

The new weapon featured in this update is the Cursed Blade (4-Star Sword). Take part in the Version 2.8 quest storyline to learn more about this weapon. This is what the weapon has for unique talent.

When a Normal, Charged, or Plunging Attack hits an opponent, it will whip up a Hewing Gale, dealing AoE DMG equal to 180% of ATK and increasing ATK by 15% for 8s. This effect can be triggered once every 8s. Take part in the Version 2.8 quest storyline to learn more about this weapon.

New Event “Summertime Odyssey”

During the event, complete the specified tasks in “Surfpiercer” and “Phantom Realms” to obtain rewards such as Primogems, Hero’s Wit, and Mystic Enhancement Ore. Complete the “Phantom Realms” challenges to obtain Iridescent Flotsam.

Accumulate a specified number of Iridescent Flotsam to invite “Prinzessin der Verurteilung!” Fischl (Electro)! You can also use Iridescent Flotsam to exchange for rewards such as Crown of Insight, Character Level-Up Materials, and Talent Level-Up Materials from the Event Shop.

New Costumes for Diluc and Fischl

• Dilucs New Outfit – Red Dead of Night
  • One of the outfits Diluc wears during covert actions, it resembles a flame dancing in the shadows. The crimson red traces it leaves behind at the edges of the enemy’s vision will scar their nightmares forever.
  • Diluc’s outfit “Red Dead of Night” will also feature additional idle animations, combat special effects, combat voice lines, and chat voicelines.
• Fischl’s New Outfit – Ein Immernachtstraum
  • A ceremonial outfit for the Prinzessin. May she who is noble retain her courage, sincerity, and kindness forever, such that no evil shall ever overcome her.
  • During Version 2.8, Travelers can obtain Fischl’s “Ein Immernachtstraum” for free through the “Resonating Visions” event.
  • After Version 2.8 is over, Travelers can buy the outfit in the Character Outfit Shop.

New Main Story Quest

• New Story Quest – Kaedehara Kazuha’s Story Quest: Acer Palmatum Chapter – Act I “A Strange and Friendless Road”
• New Hangout Event – Hangout Event: Shikanoin Heizou – Act I “Trap ‘Em by Storm”
• New World Quests – New limited-time World Quests: “The Treasure of the Four Skerries,” “Thus Was the Work Done in Vain,” “Treasure Voyage,” “The Final Treasure,” “Drama Phantasmagoria: Tale of the Sword-Wielding Princess!,” “Bake-Danuki Wanderlust,” “The Misplaced Photo,” “The Discarded Insignia,” and “A Misplaced Conch.”
• New World Quest – “Film Notes.”

New Additions

• New Recipe – The Only Truth
• New Achievements added to the “Memories of the Heart” categories
• New Namecards – “Shikanoin Heizou: Temari” and “Travel Notes: Azure Main”
• Adds the “Adventurer Handbook – Guide” page to the Adventurer Handbook: it shows the recommended priority quests to be completed.
• Adds the “Adventurer Handbook – Embattle” page to the Adventurer Handbook: ascend characters of various elements (except the “Traveler”) and complete the Elemental Trials in the Temple of the Lion to receive the corresponding rewards.
• Adds tutorials related to the use of Fragile Resin for beginners.
• Adds some prompts for loading screens.
• Spiral Abyss – Floor 11 Ley Line Disorders changed to:
  • All party members receive a 75% Pyro DMG Bonus.
  • Updated the monster lineup on Floors 11 – 12 of the Spiral Abyss.
    
• Starting from the first time that the Lunar Phase refreshes after updating to Version 2.8, the three Lunar Phases will be as follows：
  • Phase I:
    • Valiant Moon
      When a character takes the field, they will gain 1 Fortitude stack every 2s. This will increase their ATK by 20%. Max 3 stacks. When characters with 3 Fortitude stacks hit opponents with Charged Attacks, a shockwave will be unleashed at the opponents’ position, dealing True DMG. A shockwave can be unleashed in this manner once every 2s. When the character leaves the field, all their Fortitude stacks will be cleared.
  • Phase II: Windswept Moon.
    • When a character triggers Swirl on an opponent, that opponent’s DEF is decreased by 12% for 10s. Max 3 stacks. Each stack’s duration is counted independently.
  • Phase III: Shivered Moon
    • After the active character’s Normal, Charged, or Plunging Attacks hit opponents, that character’s Normal, Charged, and Plunging Attack DMG is increased by 12% for 8s. This effect can be triggered once every 0.1s. Max 4 stacks. Each stack’s duration is counted independently. This effect will be cleared if the character leaves the field.
      
• *The effects of some Chinese voice-over lines in the Version 2.8 update may be affected by the recording conditions. We seek your kind understanding on this matter.

Adjustments and Optimizations

• Enemy Adjustments
  • Reduces the ATK of Nobushi: Jintouban, Nobushi: Kikouban, Nobushi: Hitsukeban, Kairagi: Fiery Might, Kairagi: Dancing Thunder, and Specters in Worlds with a World Level of 3–6.
  • Optimizes the performance of Rifthounds after being hit.
  • Adjusts the performance of Specters after being hit and launched.
  • Reduces Specters’ HP and resistance to interruption, and increases the HP Percentage to fill up the Fury meter of Specters.
  • Adjusts part of the Specters’ behavior logic: it can be affected by the pull effect when it is not in the “expanded” state.
• When picking up an item drop, the icon of the drop will also show the number of its stacks if its stack is greater than 1.
• Optimizes the attribute filtering of Artifacts, giving priority to displaying Artifacts whose primary attribute is the filtered attribute.
• Adds “Traveler” Character Level-Up prompts to the character screen.
• Adds Receiving a Gift voice-over lines for some characters in “Character > Profile.”
• Optimizes the sound effects for certain character attacks.
• Optimizes the volume performance of some cutscene animations.
• Optimizes the Japanese, English, and Korean voice-over for certain characters, quests, and NPCs.
• Adjusts the Korean voice-over of Venti to be consistent with the subtitles.
• During the same period of Event Wishes, when you enter the Wish interface again, the page will retain the Wish interface selected when you exited last time.
• Changes the “Guide” page to “Version Highlights” in the Paimon Menu.
• Fixes an issue whereby buttons may conflict in the “Character Selection” interface when using a controller: in the “Character Selection” interface, the Claim Friendship Rewards button will be hidden and the corresponding function of the L3 button will be to carry out filtering.
• When using a controller, the Purchase button and purchase function of items that are not available for purchase or redemption in the Event Shop will be disabled.

These are a complete set of patch notes hitting in this massive update. HoYoverse has started teasing the upcoming 3.0 Dendro update, which will feature a new region and the game’s seventh element.