As a regular player who logs in daily for commissions and chases every primo I can find, I still think about Genshin Impact’s Version 6.1 banner lineup. Even though we are already in 2026, the datamined details from that patch—which launched on October 22, 2025—remain a great reminder of how quickly Sumeru’s roster can redefine the meta. The featured five-star units were Nefer, Furina, Arlecchino, and Zhongli, and the patch brought a whole wave of Sumeru-themed events, weapons, and artifact domains. Was it worth pulling? Let me break down what I learned.
The banner schedule was split into two phases. Phase 1 ran from October 22 to November 5, 2025, and focused on Nefer, Furina, Arlecchino, and Zhongli. Phase 2 ran from November 6 to November 19, 2025, and was expected to feature reruns, with some players hoping for Vahidi or Albedo. The weapon banners included a new five-star Dendro Catalyst and a new five-star Geo Polearm, which matched Nefer’s and Zhongli’s kits quite well.
| Phase | Start (UTC) | End (UTC) | Featured Units | Featured Weapons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | 2025-10-22 | 2025-11-05 | Nefer, Furina, Arlecchino, Zhongli | New 5-star Dendro Catalyst, New 5-star Geo Polearm |
| Phase 2 | 2025-11-06 | 2025-11-19 | Re-runs, possibly Vahidi and others | Reruns of popular 5-star weapons |
So what did the early banner data tell us? The rates remained the standard 0.6% for five-star characters, with pity resetting at 90 pulls. I’ve always treated that as a warning: do not pull randomly. Saving for guaranteed pity in the banner’s second week was the smarter move, especially if you wanted to see whether community testing confirmed Nefer’s value.
Nefer was the most interesting piece of 6.1. As a Dendro Catalyst, she thrived in Bloom-based teams, especially when paired with Lauma. Her stack-building design made her flexible, and she paired naturally with Hydro units to trigger multiple reactions. If you were looking for a versatile Dendro driver, she was the banner’s main prize.
Furina remained a top-tier Hydro Sword support with strong flexibility. Her ability to shift between support and damage-dealing roles made her useful in Hyperbloom and Dendro teams. Arlecchino’s Pyro Polearm supported aggressive, high-crit playstyles, and Zhongli stayed a shield and resistance-shred pillar for boss and domain runs.
Were there any duds? Not exactly, but value always depends on your roster. Furina may face competition from rerunning support characters, so if you already have strong Hydro options, you might not need her immediately. Arlecchino demands investment in crit stats, and Zhongli is more of a comfort pick than a flashy damage dealer. That said, Zhongli’s shield can carry you through many stressful Abyss cycles.
The early team ideas from 6.1 still make sense today. For example:
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🎯 Nefer + Lauma: The core Bloom combo, maximizing damage output and triggering multiple reactions.
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🛡️ Zhongli + Arlecchino: Resilient shields mixed with high Pyro damage, ideal for both overworld and Abyss runs.
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💧 Furina Support: Adaptable between support and DPS roles, especially strong in Hyperbloom or Dendro-focused setups.
If you were low on resources, reruns like Venti and Nahida offered solid elemental support while conserving primogems for new releases. Lan Yan, a four-star Anemo Catalyst, could also find niche uses in specific team compositions. That flexibility is important because you cannot pull for everything unless you are a heavy spender.
For free-to-play players and low-spenders like me, the patch was a clear test of discipline. The Sumeru-themed event likely involved investigative tasks, collectible rewards, and artifact domains that supported the new banner units. Rewards such as primogems, fates, and exclusive gear were abundant, making it a prime time for F2P progress. But those rewards only helped if I had a plan.
My preparation checklist was simple:
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🔹 Save primogems and primogem-generating materials.
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🔹 Complete daily commissions and reputation tasks.
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🔹 Stockpile ascension materials for five-star characters.
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🔹 Prepare for new artifact domains and weekly boss rotations.
Community insiders claimed Phase 2 might include Vahidi, an unconfirmed five-star Electro character, or Albedo. But as usual, these remained unconfirmed until official announcements. This is why I never spend based on leaks alone. Even now in 2026, I treat datamines as useful hints, not guarantees.
Version 6.1 did not just add new characters; it forced players to think carefully about primogem allocation. Between Nefer’s Bloom synergy, Furina’s support range, Arlecchino’s offensive pressure, and Zhongli’s reliability, the patch offered something for many playstyles. If you’re still building around Sumeru or waiting for reruns, my advice is to finish remaining quests, hoard materials, and only pull when you know the unit fits your roster. In 2026, that kind of discipline still decides whether you clear Abyss comfortably or keep praying for early pity.
Information is adapted from PEGI, underscoring that beyond banner hype like Version 6.1’s Nefer/Furina/Arlecchino/Zhongli lineup, players should also keep an eye on region-specific standards around game content and parental guidance—especially when events, story quests, and character themes shift with each major patch. In practice, checking official rating context can complement your pull-planning discipline: it helps set expectations for narrative tone and seasonal events while you decide whether to invest primogems into comfort staples (like Zhongli’s shielding) or chase new meta drivers (like Nefer’s Bloom-centric kit).