However, it seems the methods for building some of the more popular characters aren’t very player-friendly. This is due to Genshin Impact’s approach to unveiling new region-based characters as well as the resources necessary to build them.
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Genshin Impact’s Current Gacha System and Character-building Mechanics
To acquire a character, players must Wish from a character banner. There are two primary types of character banners in Genshin Impact — namely, the standard banner (known in-game as Wanderlust Invocation) and the limited-time banners that feature otherwise unobtainable 5-Star characters. These limited banners feature either new characters or reruns. So, players who are hoping to get a specific 5-Star need to wait for their banner to come up (unless that character is already available in the standard banner).
When it comes to introducing new playable characters, Genshin Impact usually releases region-specific characters based on the events of the main quest line. For example, when the nation of Inazuma was first unveiled in Genshin Impact version 2.0, the game also released many Inazuma-based characters. And based on recent Genshin Impact leaks about Sumeru, it seems the new region will follow the same pattern of character releases.
Now, when a player acquires any character in Genshin Impact, building them requires region-specific resources. To illustrate, Razor is a Mondstadt-based character, so leveling him up requires Wolfhooks, a berry found specifically in Wolvendom, Mondstadt. On the other hand, Arataki Itto is an Inazuma-based Genshin Impact character, so building him requires Onikabuto, a type of beetle that can only be found in Inazuma.
This particular mechanic can be quite troublesome to new players since the Inazuma region of Genshin Impact is inaccessible at the beginning of the game. Players must first complete the prologue and Chapter 1 of the Archon Quests to unlock the nation. They also need to reach at least Adventure Rank 30. As such, new players with Inazuma-based characters cannot build them from the onset, and this is a problem considering that it’s often Inazuma-based characters that are getting reruns at the moment. If it turns out that Sumeru is also unlocked through quests and leveling, the same issue will come up.
Solutions to the Region-locking Issue in Genshin Impact
Assuming that Inazuma, Sumeru, and later regions are locked at the beginning of the game, then it’s worth providing players with an alternative method of collecting their region-specific resources. One option is to add an NPC that can swap Mondstadt- or Liyue-specific resources for ones from other, gated regions. For instance, players could trade in three or four Wolfhooks for one Onikabuto in Genshin Impact. This would at least allow players to level up Inazuma-based characters before reaching Adventure Rank 30.
Another option is to incorporate a similar mechanic to Genshin Impact’s alchemy system. This would allow players to transmute certain materials into their required resources. So, instead of simply trading three or so region-specific items for another one, players could forge together common enemy drops, like Recruit Insignias or Stained Masks. These systems could also apply to region-specific boss drops.
Implementing these mechanics give low-level players alternative, albeit more tedious, methods to build their Inazuma-based Genshin Impact characters (and potentially, the characters of later regions as well). This allows them to build the characters they want without being held back by region-locking. After all, character ascension is already a long process, so players should be allowed to build whoever they want.
Genshin Impact is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, and mobile devices. A Switch version is in development.
MORE: Genshin Impact: Sumeru Character Leaks Controversy Explained
