Genshin Impact has been out for less than a year, but the game already boasts an impressive array of characters, weapons, and Artifacts for players to choose from. That said, such a variety of characters and attributes leads to an even greater number of potential team compositions and character builds, which in turn calls for more particular equipment.
Recent images, courtesy of Genshin Impact leaker NEP NEP, show that Geo and Hydro lovers will finally be getting some of their own unique Artifact Sets. While there's currently a single Artifact Set catered towards Geo Vision holders, the game lacks any sort of Hydro Artifact Set at all, so that alone makes this an exciting announcement.
Neither of the leaked Artifacts' names has been shared, however, their purported Set Bonuses have been revealed. The Artifact Set geared towards Geo users features a Max HP buff alongside a CRIT Rate bonus and comprehensive defensive support; the Hydro Set focuses on amping up Hydro DMG and eliminating skill cooldowns, which is undeniably a nod to new Hydro DPS celebrity, Childe.
NEP NEP themself reiterates that these leaks may not be authentic, and that even if they are, these attributes are subject to change. The shared images are theoretically taken from the game's beta version, and it's not uncommon to see content undergo several waves of changes before making it out of beta and into the official game. Nonetheless, given the current general need for a Hydro DMG boosting set of equipment, and the recent arrival of Childe, whose play-style is perfectly aligned with this supposed Hydro Artifact, many fans are assuming the leaks to be reasonable.
Hydro Artifact Set
- 2-Piece Bonus - Hydro DMG +15%
- 4-Piece Bonus - Upon using an Elemental Skill, Hydro DMG is increased by an additional 35% for 20s. This can stack up to a maximum of twice. After using an Elemental Skill, 100% chance of completely resetting Elemental Skill CD. This effect can occur once every 15s.
This Set would match the recently leaked Cryo Artifact Set, finally allowing players to boost the Elemental DMG of any character with an Artifact Set. There still aren't Sets for the Dendro Vision, but there aren't any playable Dendro characters either, so it's more understandable.
Geo Artifact Set
- 2-Piece Bonus - Max HP increased by 20%
- 4-Piece Bonus - Elemental Skill CRIT Rate increased by 30%. After casting Elemental Skill, all teammates receive a 20% DEF boost, while enemies suffer from a 40% Geo RES reduction*
* This may be a mistranslation (see tweet below). If not -40% Geo RES to enemies, then players will receive +40% Geo RES.
Of course, as mentioned above, the Hydro Set lends itself well to Tartaglia/Childe, whose main drawback is a tricky cooldown situation. With a guaranteed cooldown reset and insane Hydro DMG buffs, a character like Childe becomes considerably stronger. On the other hand, the Geo Artifact Set seems eerily in line with miHoYo's recent explanation of Zhongli.
The apparent Geo Archon features shields that scale with his own HP, and an Elemental Skill that triggers continuous attacks over time, which would both benefit directly from the Geo Artifact Set's bonuses. While there's already a Geo DMG boosting set among Genshin Impact's best artifacts, that's more so because it's the only Geo-affiliated option. Specifically, there isn't an existing Artifact that really elevates shield-users in a significant offensive way.
Genshin Impact is available now on the App Store, Google Play, PC, and PS4, and is currently in development for Switch.
