Genshin Impact 1.3 Leaks, New Characters, Release Date!

Updated: Jan. 19

Genshin Impact has taken the world by storm, and with the release of the first major update 1.1, and the second major update 1.2, next on the horizon is 1.3! MiHoYo is getting ready to keep the content flowing and the hype increasing. Update 1.2 comes with new characters are entering the fray and a new event, but what else we're not entirely sure!

Everyone is eagerly waiting for 1.3, the next major update coming to Genshin Impact. For the most part, these are unofficial Genshin Impact 1.3 patch notes! We've compiled all of the known and leaked information from a variety of sources. As of right now, we're pretty confident that the majority of this is true, but somethings may change by the time the update is released. But as always, take everything with a pinch of salt.

A thank you to Zeniet, AE Entropy, also a big thank you to the Genshin Community and Honey Impact!

Genshin Impact 1.3 Release Date

The Genshin Impact version 1.3 update is scheduled for Feb. 3, 2021. This is subject to change, but from miHoYo's own official post from the production team, they are trying to organize a consistent update schedule every 6 weeks.

This is our road map of when the updates should be released. However, anything after 1.3 is purely guesswork based on the 6 week update period. MiHoYo should release a new roadmap after 1.3 is released, but whether they will or not is hearsay.

• Version Update 1.3 - Scheduled for Feb. 3, 2021. This update will kick off the Lantern Rite Festival set of quests.
• Version Update 1.4 - Scheduled for March. 17, 2021. Inazuma was meant to be here; however, leakers and users are speculating that a new area called the Chasm will be released here. This is a rumor.
• Version Update 1.5 - Scheduled for April. 28, 2021
• Version Update 1.6 - Schedule for June. 9, 2021. This update is rumored to be when Electro region Inazuma is coming.

MiHoYo has already started the Version 1.3 recruitment process for pioneer testing in China. We know the focus on 1.3 is Xiao and the Lantern Rite Festival.

According to leaks new region, Inazuma was meant to be releasing in update 1.4; of course, it was first rumored to be coming in 1.1, but that truly was a pipe dream. However, Inazuma is now rumored to be coming in 1.6.

Up until we have official confirmation from miHoYo, keep all updates of new regions with a pinch of salt.

Developer Discussion

Official Changes

This information comes directly from miHoYo in their Developer Discussions, so this is 100% confirmed.

• Pre-installation is coming to mobile devices before the 1.3 update.
• You can now increase/decrease the amount of materials consumed at a time.
• iOS devices with operating systems iOS 14 or higher will have controller support.
• Material conversion is coming to 1.3
• All events in 1.3 will not require Original Resin.
• The Battle Pass will be adjusted from 1.3 onwards to have Fragile Resin as rewards.
• Bug Fixes

Battle Pass Changes | Fragile Resin

Fans have been wanting more Original Resin ever since the game began, and even though Fragile Resin has been introduced in 1.2, which does help players who cannot play every day. It doesn't help players who can.

However, miHoyo have listened to your cries and wanted to semi help you. They dodged the initial question about wanting more Origin Resin, and instead went for Battle Pass changes. Though, all upcoming events will not use Original Resin from now on.

Both of the Battle Passes will now have Fragile Resin as a reward, every 10 levels from level 5, you will get Fragile Resin x1.

Q8: We would like to have more Original Resin.

A8:

1) All events in Version 1.3 that do not require challenging Ley Line Outcrops or Domains will not consume Original Resin. The vast majority of large-scale events in future versions will also not consume Original Resin.

2) Our BPs will be adjusted from Version 1.3 onward to have additional Fragile Resin rewards:

Sojourner's Battle Pass and Gnostic Hymn will obtain Fragile Resin ×1 per 10 levels, starting from Level 5, replacing the Mystic Enhancement Ores that was originally there. This will not change the total amount of Mystic Enhancement Ore gained through the BP. These Mystic Enhancement Ores will instead be distributed amongst other levels.

Material Conversion

Thanks to miHoYo's Developer Discussion, we have learned that a new mechanic is in development and is coming to 1.3, called Material Conversion.

They did not give much away from their Developer Discussion, only that it's being worked on and that more information will be coming in the future, especially regarded what materials can be used and the rules behind this new mechanic.

Q4: I wish that we could have the ability to convert materials.

A4: The upcoming material conversion function that will go live in Version 1.3 is already in development! Stay tuned for future official announcements regarding the required materials and rules behind this function!

Our thoughts on this will be material-type specific can be converted, so you'll turn Iron Ore into Iron Chunks and then Iron Chunks into the next rarity. However, the number that is needed for each conversion will differ depending on said rarity.

This section will be updated when more information is released.

Leaks

New Characters

Xiao

Xiao is a 5 Star Anemo user who wields a polearm.

Xiao is shown to be quite polite, reserved, and logical; demonstrated when he keeps calm and rethinks his actions after hearing about the death of Rex Lapis. While other adepti were inclined to abandon their duty to protect the people of Liyue upon hearing about Rex Lapis' assassination, Xiao prioritizes his duty and tries to find more information about Rex Lapis' death.

For more information on Xiao's skills, we've got you covered.

• Genshin Impact | Xiao Skills, Talents, and Ascension

For more information on what materials you need for Xiao's Ascension, we've got you covered!

• Farming for Xiao | Genshin Impact

Hu Tao

Hu Tao is a 5 Star Pyro user who wields a polearm.

Little is known about Hu Tao, but most characters who talk about her have a negative impression of her. She is typically described as a cheeky prankster who always causes trouble, and Qiqi's character stories say she has a very "punch-able face" due to Hu Tao's insistence on burying the zombie.

For more information on Hu Tao's skills, we've got you covered.

• Genshin Impact | Hu Tao Skills, Ascension, and Constellations

For more information on what materials you need for Hu Tao's Ascension, we've got you covered!

• Farming for Hu Tao | Genshin Impact

We are not sure if there will be any new 4 Star characters with Xiao and Hu Tao. If they continue the theme, they started with Albedo and Ganyu; then we presume not. However, closer to the release date of 1.4, more information may be revealed.

Zhongli Buff

MiHoYo has been listening to player feedback about Zhongli, and they have taken the 5 Star character brought up back to 1.3 beta testing, so they can ultimately buff the character. Zhongli was a truly sought after character when he was first revealed for 1.1, so fans truly want him to be the best 5 Star character that he can be.

We understand the love that everyone has given Zhongli, and the rapt attention being paid to any future changes to him. As such, we apologize for the tardiness of this announcement concerning said adjustments.

We have organized and summarized player feedback numbering in the tens of thousands during this time, in-game and out of it. Through this, we have discovered that your feedback has focused on Zhongli's strength in practical combat, the finer points of his ability usage, the Geo construct system, and so on.

Below are all the changes that are coming to Zhongli. For more information, miHoYo has released two blog pages, the first being the first adjustments to Zhongli, and the second regarding further adjustments to Zhongli.

• Adjustments to Passive Talent Dominance of Earth
  • The Damage dealt by the following of Zhongli's attacks will be increased based on his Max HP:
    • Normal, Charged, and Plunging Attack Damage will be increased by 1.39% of Max HP.
    • The Stone Stele, Resonance, and Holding Mode Damage of Dominus Lapidis will be increased by 1.9% of Max HP.
    • Planet Befall's Damage will be increased by 33% of Zhongli's Max HP.
• Adjustment to Dominus Lapidis' Holding Mode
  • Elemental Skill: Dominus Lapidis (Hold)
    • Causes nearby Geo energy to explode, causing the following effects:
    • If the maximum number of Stone Steles has not yet been reached, it will create a Stone Stele.
    • Creates a shield of jade. The shield's Damage Absorption scales based on Zhongli's Max HP, and has 150% Physical DMG and Elemental Damage Absorption.
    • When a character is protected by the Jade Shield, opponents within a set radius have all Elemental Resistance and Physical Resistance decreased by 20%. Effect cannot be stacked.
    • Deals AoE Geo Damage.
    • If there are nearby targets with the Geo element, it will drain a large amount of the Geo element from a maximum of 2 such targets. This effect does not cause Damage.

Geo Buff

With the feedback they received about Zhongli miHoYo also decided that Geo users, in general, needed a little boost. For below are the adjustments coming to Geo characters.

• Adjustment to Geo Resonance "Enduring Rock"
  • Increases shield strength by 15%. Additionally, characters protected by a shield will have the following special characteristics: Damage dealt increased by 15%, dealing Damage to enemies will decrease their Geo Resistance by 20% for 15s.
• Geo Shield Balance Adjustments
  • Geo Shields are adjusted from "having 250% Geo Damage Absorption" to "having 150% Physical DMG and Elemental DMG Absorption".
    • Affected effects include:
      • The Geo Shield created by Zhongli's Elemental Skill.
      • The Geo Shield created by Noelle's Elemental Skill.
      • The Geo Shield created when picking up Geo Crystals dropped by Geovishap Hatchlings.

New Event

Lantern Rite Festival

The Lantern Rite Festival is the main part of 1.3. Not long ago, miHoYo released a website for the Lantern Rite Festival, where players can write a heartfelt message and send it up into the sky. However, due to the sheer number of users doing this, the ability to write messages was removed.

Though according to AE Entropy, this event will feature Tower Defense mechanics.

Not much is known about what else this event will entail, but we will update this section the second we have more information.

New Boss

Ancient Geovishap

A new boss is coming to 1.3, and it seems to be an ancient version of the Geovishap. Pictures have been released of this new boss, they are in Chinese, but the Twitter comments have translated what the images say.

New overworld boss, Ancient Geovishap, drops materials used in the ascension of Xiao and Hu Tao pic.twitter.com/8YdKMvy7KL

— AE Entropy (@AeEntropy) December 29, 2020

Translation: Both of them have the same name, meaning ancient geo dragon. The first pic's description said the ancient geo dragon who awakened from his slumber, and the second one said the great dragon who has fought and destroyed mountains with the dragon king.

Though according to one Twitter users, Jhony has clarified that

Actually it's story is told in the unforged's (5* claymore) lore. Basically he was large geovishap-ish dragon that zhongli befriended, but in the end betrayed and fought zhongli and is sealed in the guyun chi forest.

Actually it's story is told in the unforged's (5* claymore) lore. Basically he was large geovishap-ish dragon that zhongli befriended, but in the end betrayed and fought zhongli and is sealed in the guyun chi forest or smth.

— Jhony (@Jhony52506856) December 29, 2020

This new boss also drops a new material type for Xiao and Hu Tao's Ascension level. The material is called Juvenile Jade, and here is the information for it, thanks to Genshin Honey.

Of course, the boss won't be available until 1.3 releases, but the location of where the new boss will be has been leaked. The location is between Nantianmen and Tianqui Valley.

And here's where you'll find him. pic.twitter.com/7vp7B9uH68

— AE Entropy (@AeEntropy) December 29, 2020

New Weapons

Of course, with a new update comes new weapons. As both Xiao and Hu Tao are both polearm users, they will both come with signature weapons.

Primordial Jade Winged-Spear

Passive: On hit, increases Attack by 3.2% for 6 seconds. Max stack is 7. This effect can only occur once every 0.3 seconds. While in possession of the maximum number of stacks, Damage dealt is increased by 12%.

Staff of Homa

This polearm is for Hu Tao.

Passive: HP increased by 20%. Additionally, provides an Attack Bonus based on 0.8% of the wielder's Max HP. When the wielder's HP is less than 50% this Attack Bonus is increased by an additional 1% of Max Hp.

Primordial Jade Weapons

A new Jade set is also leaked that is coming to 1.3, and it will have 5 weapons. Thanks to Genshin Honey for the following information.

• Primordial Jade Vista (Bow) - 5 Star
  • Passive
    • HP increased by 20%. Additionally, provides an Attack Bonus based on 1.2% of the wielder's Max HP.
• Primordial Jade Greatsword - 5 Star
  • Passive
    • HP increased by 20%. Additionally, provides an Attack Bonus based on 1.2% of the wielder's Max HP.
• Primordial Jade Cutter (Sword) - 5 Star
  • Passive
    • HP increased by 20%. Additionally, provides an Attack Bonus based on 1.2% of the wielder's Max HP.
• Primordial Jade Regalia - 5 Star
  • Passive
    • HP increased by 20%. Additionally, provides an Attack Bonus based on 1.2% of the wielder's Max HP.

New Event

Lantern Festival of the "Tower Defense"

Update 1.3 revolves heavily around the Lantern Festival; we know this from the roadmap miHoYo released back before 1.1 was released.

This event is very different from anything else we've encountered before in Genshin Impact, as it might be a Tower Defense event. However, this is a rumor, so as always, take it with a pinch of salt!

This information comes from well known Genshin Impact leaker Nep Nep, who has tweeted the information about the rumor.

Battle Pass changes

Remember to take everything in this article with a pinch of salt until official confirmation from miHoYo.

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