Banner Watch: Must-Pull Characters and Weapons in Genshin Impact 2025

Banner Watch: Must-Pull Characters and Weapons in Genshin Impact 2025

As Teyvat’s horizons continue to expand, so too does the dizzying array of character banners and weapon offerings that tempt Genshin Impact players to spend their hard-earned Primogems. With new regions, storylines, and game mechanics on the horizon for 2025, making smart pulling decisions has never been more important—or more challenging.

Whether you’re a dedicated free-to-play adventurer carefully counting every Primogem or a more casual spender weighing your options, this comprehensive guide will help you navigate the anticipated banners of 2025. I’ll break down the most promising characters and weapons based on early beta testing, leaks from reliable sources, and analytical predictions based on HoYoverse’s established patterns.

Upcoming Banners in 2025

Several banners are anticipated in 2025, each featuring unique characters and weapons. Here’s a sneak peek at what’s to come:

Must-Pull Characters in 2025

These characters are expected to be game-changers, offering powerful abilities and synergies that can elevate your team’s performance.

1. Fontaine’s Newest Hero: A 5-star character from Fontaine, rumored to wield the power of water and bring a new playstyle to the table.
2. Natlan’s Powerful Warrior: A 5-star character from Natlan, expected to be a formidable fighter with abilities that can turn the tide of battle.
3. Crossover Character: A special character from a crossover event, potentially bringing a unique set of skills and abilities from another franchise.
4. Limited-Time Character: A character available only for a limited time, offering exclusive abilities and playstyles.
5. New Anemo Character: A new Anemo character with abilities that can enhance elemental reactions and team synergies.

Must-Pull Weapons in 2025

These weapons are anticipated to be highly sought after, offering significant stat boosts and abilities that can complement your characters.

1. New 5-Star Sword: A powerful sword with high base attack and ability to apply elemental reactions.
2. Exclusive Bow: A bow with unique abilities that enhance ranged combat and elemental damage.
3. Limited Edition Catalyst: A catalyst with special effects that boost elemental mastery and reaction damage.
4. New Polearm: A polearm with abilities that enhance physical damage and provide utility for the team.
5. Limited-Time Weapon: A weapon available only for a limited time, offering exclusive abilities and stat boosts.

Pulling Strategy for 2025 Banners

To make the most out of your pulls, consider the following strategies:

1. Save Primogems: Accumulate primogems before the banner release to ensure you have enough pulls to get the character or weapon you want.
2. Focus on Rate-Ups: Prioritize rate-up characters and weapons, as they have a higher drop rate during their featured banner.
3. Use Guaranteed Pulls: Take advantage of guaranteed 5-star pulls or pity systems to minimize waste and secure your desired character or weapon.
4. Pull on the Right Banner: Make sure to pull on the banner that features the character or weapon you want, as the drop rates are higher for featured items.
5. Don’t Waste Primogems: Avoid pulling on banners that don’t feature characters or weapons you need, as this can waste your primogems and reduce your chances of getting the items you want.

Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Pulls

To maximize your pulls, consider the following tips:

1. Know the Banner Schedule: Keep track of the banner schedule to plan your pulls and save primogems accordingly.
2. Use Your Primogems Wisely: Don’t waste your primogems on unnecessary pulls; save them for the banners that feature the characters or weapons you want.
3. Take Advantage of Events: Participate in events and complete challenges to earn rewards and primogems.
4. Join a Community: Join a community or Discord server to stay updated on the latest news and strategies.
5. Stay Patient: Don’t get discouraged if you don’t get the character or weapon you want immediately; stay patient and keep pulling.

Let’s dive into which upcoming treasures might truly deserve your precious resources in the coming year!

How to Evaluate Banner Value in 2025’s Meta

The Changing Nature of “Must-Pull”

Before we analyze specific characters and weapons, it’s important to understand how the concept of a “must-pull” has evolved in Genshin Impact. In the game’s early days, characters like Venti and Ganyu defined meta with abilities that trivially solved most content. As the game has matured, HoYoverse has moved toward more balanced designs that excel in specific situations rather than universally dominating.

In 2025, a “must-pull” will typically fall into one of these categories:

• Comfort enablers that make gameplay significantly more enjoyable
• Unique mechanics that open entirely new team compositions
• Exceptional scaling with constellations or signature weapons
• Cultural impact characters central to the main storyline

Understanding your personal priorities among these categories will help you make smarter pulling decisions aligned with your playstyle and goals.

Resource Management in a Maturing Game

With Genshin Impact entering its fifth year, veteran players face different challenges than newcomers. According to data from HoYoLAB, the average active player now owns approximately 60% of the character roster. This means veterans must be increasingly selective, while newcomers have an overwhelming number of options.

For veterans, I recommend adopting the “rule of unique value”—only pull for characters that offer something genuinely new rather than incremental improvements to capabilities you already have. For newcomers, focusing on versatile supports that work in many teams provides better account development than chasing the latest DPS.

Most Anticipated Character Banners of 2025

Natlan’s Fiery Champions

Ocelo: The Warrior Archon’s Avatar

Early leaks suggest that Ocelo will be one of the most impactful characters of 2025. As Murata’s chosen champion and a central figure in Natlan’s storyline, this 5-star Pyro Claymore user introduces a fascinating risk/reward playstyle centered around health management.

What makes Ocelo potentially worth your Primogems:

• A unique “Burning Spirit” mechanic that converts HP loss into massive damage bonuses
• Synergy with both shield characters and healers, giving flexibility in team building
• A visually spectacular burst animation that reportedly transforms the battlefield temporarily
• Strong story integration as a pivotal character in the Natlan archon quest

Based on beta testing rumors, Ocelo’s damage ceiling may be the highest we’ve seen yet, but comes with the caveat of requiring careful health management. For players who enjoy more technical gameplay with risk/reward tradeoffs, Ocelo looks to be a genuine game-changer.

Ichtaca: Revolutionary Support Design

Perhaps the most unique character coming from Natlan is Ichtaca, a 4-star Pyro Catalyst user who fundamentally changes how elemental reactions work. Early kit details suggest she can temporarily store elemental reactions and release them on command.

Why Ichtaca might deserve your Primogems:

• The first character to manipulate reaction timing, potentially enabling completely new combo strategies
• Strong synergy with slow-applying elemental characters who previously struggled in reaction teams
• Relatively low investment requirement—functions well at C0 with craftable weapons
• Adorable design inspired by Mesoamerican cultural elements

While 4-stars are generally easier to obtain than 5-stars, the unpredictable nature of 4-star distribution means you might want to save specifically for her rate-up banner if her unique mechanics appeal to your playstyle.

Snezhnaya’s Power Players

The Tsaritsa: Redefining Cryo

The most anticipated character of 2025—and possibly in Genshin’s entire history—is undoubtedly the Tsaritsa herself. As the Cryo Archon and mastermind behind the Fatui’s Gnosis collection, her arrival represents a pivotal moment in Genshin Impact’s storyline.

Why the Tsaritsa will likely be worth your Primogems:

• Revolutionary “Absolute Zero” mechanics that reportedly introduce a new state beyond frozen
• The first character with direct interactions with Delusions as well as Visions
• Exceptional solo capabilities while also offering team support
• Constellation upgrades that appear more transformative than incremental

Early leaks suggest the Tsaritsa will receive an unprecedented three-week banner duration rather than the standard two or three weeks, highlighting her importance. If you’re saving for just one character in 2025, the Tsaritsa likely represents the highest value in terms of both power and story significance.

Arlecchino: The Knave of Revolution

Another Snezhnayan character generating significant buzz is Arlecchino, the Fatui Harbinger known as “The Knave.” As a 5-star Physical damage dealer with Electro vision, she promises to revitalize physical damage teams that have fallen out of favor in recent metas.

What makes Arlecchino potentially worth your Primogems:

• A “Loyalty” system that buffs her based on specific team composition requirements
• Mechanics that scale with opponent level, making her exceptionally strong against elite enemies
• Elegant animations that combine rapid sword strikes with Electro effects
• A compelling backstory connected to the Fatui’s orphanage system

Physical damage has long been overshadowed by elemental reaction teams, but Arlecchino appears designed specifically to make physical damage competitive against the highest difficulty content. For players who’ve invested in physical damage supports like Rosaria or Yun Jin, Arlecchino could revitalize those investments.

Rerun Banners Worth Waiting For

Raiden Shogun + Engulfing Lightning

With the storyline progressing toward its Teyvat conclusion, the Raiden Shogun is expected to receive a major rerun in conjunction with important story developments. What makes this particular rerun noteworthy is the timing—it’s likely to coincide with a powerful new artifact set that early leaks suggest was designed with her in mind.

Why this rerun deserves your consideration:

• The Emblem of Severed Fate set is finally getting a spiritual successor that reportedly boosts burst damage even further
• Raiden has consistently remained meta-relevant since her release
• Works exceptionally well with many Fontaine and Sumeru characters, creating powerful team synergies
• One of the characters whose constellations (particularly C2) offer tremendous value

For players who missed her earlier runs or want to secure constellations, this rerun will likely represent excellent value, especially with her signature weapon Engulfing Lightning expected on the weapon banner alongside a new Snezhnayan polearm.

Furina: The Hydro Archon’s Definitive Rerun

After making waves with her initial release, Furina is scheduled for a significant rerun in 2025 that coincides with a story event revisiting Fontaine. What makes this rerun particularly valuable is the timing with new Hydro characters from Natlan and Snezhnaya who reportedly have exceptional synergy with her kit.

Why Furina’s rerun might be worth your Primogems:

• Her unique Pneuma/Ousia system continues to offer unparalleled flexibility
• New 4-star supports specifically designed to complement her mechanics
• The introduction of new boss enemies particularly vulnerable to her damage type
• Still one of the most entertaining and dynamic playstyles in the game

Furina exemplifies the kind of character whose value increases over time as HoYoverse develops content that plays to her strengths. For players who missed her initial run, this rerun represents an excellent opportunity to secure one of the game’s most flexible and future-proof units.

Weapon Banners Worth Your Primogems

Signature Weapons That Redefine Characters

Sovereign of the Eternal Flame (5★ Claymore)

Expected to be Ocelo’s signature weapon, this claymore introduces a fascinating new passive that interacts with HP loss and gain. Early leaks suggest it provides a massive Crit Damage secondary stat coupled with a passive that converts a portion of HP loss into elemental particle generation.

Why this weapon might be worth the risk:

• Synergizes perfectly with Ocelo’s kit but remains versatile for other claymore users
• Introduces a new visual effect where the weapon’s glow intensifies as the wielder’s HP decreases
• Especially powerful in co-op content with its rumored team-wide energy generation
• Elegant design inspired by Mesoamerican obsidian weapons

The weapon banner remains a risky proposition, but if paired with another strong 5-star weapon (rumors suggest a rerun of Homa or possibly a new bow), this particular banner could offer exceptional value.

Winter’s Final Decree (5★ Catalyst)

As the presumed signature weapon for the Tsaritsa, this catalyst appears poised to introduce entirely new mechanics to weapon passives. According to credible leaks, it features the unprecedented ability to modify the element of normal attacks under specific conditions.

Why this weapon could revolutionize catalyst gameplay:

• Allows characters to apply Cryo damage regardless of their vision under certain conditions
• Features an immense Crit Rate secondary stat, addressing a common issue for catalyst users
• Stunning visual design incorporating Fatui motifs and Delusion-inspired elements
• Versatile enough to work well on multiple catalyst users beyond just the Tsaritsa

The ability to modify elemental application through a weapon rather than character abilities represents a significant innovation that could open entirely new team compositions and strategies.

Four-Star Weapons With Five-Star Potential

The Event Weapon Series: “Winter’s Judgment”

Similar to previous event weapon series like Cinnabar Spindle or Festering Desire, 2025 will introduce the “Winter’s Judgment” series through events. What makes these weapons particularly noteworthy is their rumored passive that scales based on the number of different nations represented in your party.

The standout in this series appears to be the Winter’s Verdict (4★ Sword), which early calculations suggest could rival 5-star options for characters who frequently trigger reactions. Best of all, these weapons will be fully refinable through event participation, making them accessible to all players regardless of spending habits.

New Additions to the Craftable Lineup

With the release of Snezhnaya, a new set of craftable weapons will join the lineup at the blacksmith. Based on patterns from previous regions, these will require new billets obtained from Snezhnayan weekly bosses and exploration.

The most promising appears to be the Winterborn Greatsword, a craftable claymore with a Crit Rate secondary stat—the first craftable weapon to offer this highly sought-after stat. While its base attack will likely be lower than 5-star options, the accessibility makes it potentially one of the most valuable additions for free-to-play players in 2025.

Strategic Pulling: Planning Your 2025 Primogem Budget

Expected Primogem Income and Planning

Based on HoYoverse’s established patterns, we can make some reasonable predictions about Primogem income for 2025. Each major region release typically comes with approximately:

• 2,000+ Primogems from exploration and quests
• 800-1,000 Primogems from achievements
• 5-10 Acquaint Fates from Sacred Sakura/Tree of Dreams equivalent
• Various event rewards totaling roughly 2,500+ Primogems per update

Combined with daily commissions, Spiral Abyss completions, and regular events, a dedicated free-to-play player can reasonably expect to accumulate enough for 5-7 guaranteed 5-stars throughout 2025 (accounting for wins and losses on the 50/50 system).

Banner Order Predictions and Saving Strategies

Based on leaked roadmaps and HoYoverse’s established patterns, we can make some educated guesses about banner timing to help plan your Primogem saving strategy:

1. Natlan First Wave (Early 2025)
   • Ocelo and another new 5-star
   • Weapon banner featuring Sovereign of the Eternal Flame
2. Lantern Rite Reruns (February 2025)
   • Likely featuring popular Liyue characters with new outfits
   • Potential for a third Zhongli rerun with story relevance
3. Natlan Second Wave (March-April 2025)
   • Two additional Natlan 5-stars
   • Important 4-stars including Ichtaca
4. Major Story Interlude (May 2025)
   • Raiden Shogun rerun with story significance
   • Potentially a Sumeru character rerun (Nahida or Alhaitham)
5. Snezhnaya Prelude (Mid 2025)
   • Harbinger banners including Arlecchino
   • Fatui-themed reruns (possibly including Tartaglia with new storyline)
6. Snezhnaya Main Release (Late 2025)
   • The Tsaritsa and other major Snezhnayan characters
   • Winter’s Final Decree and other signature weapons

For free-to-play and low-spending players, I recommend identifying 2-3 “must-have” characters from this projected schedule and saving accordingly, maintaining at least one guaranteed pity at all times for unexpected but exceptional banners.

My Thoughts: Banner Pulling Philosophy for 2025

After covering Genshin Impact’s banners for years, I’ve observed that the most satisfied players aren’t necessarily those who have every character, but those who pull strategically for characters that enhance their preferred playstyles. As we head into 2025, I believe this becomes even more important as the roster expands beyond 80 characters.

My personal recommendation is to adopt what I call the “joy factor” approach to banner pulling. Rather than chasing meta, which constantly shifts, consider how much genuine enjoyment a character’s playstyle, design, and story role brings you. A character you love using will provide more long-term satisfaction than one you rarely play despite their theoretical power level.

That said, from a purely meta perspective, support characters have consistently offered better long-term value than main DPS characters, who tend to experience more power creep. The Tsaritsa, as both an Archon and a character with unique mechanics, likely represents the single highest-value banner of 2025 for players limited to just a few 5-star pulls.

For weapon banners, unless you’re a moderate spender, I recommend strict discipline—only pull when both featured 5-stars would benefit your account, and never chase refinements over new characters unless you’re a dedicated whale player.

Conclusion: Navigating a Year of Tempting Banners

As Genshin Impact’s journey through Teyvat approaches its climactic chapters in 2025, the banners reflect the increasing stakes of the storyline. From the warrior culture of Natlan to the technological wonders of Snezhnaya, each new character and weapon adds not just power but narrative depth to your account.

The most valuable banners of 2025 will likely be those featuring:

1. The Tsaritsa – as the final Archon and a character with unique mechanics
2. Ocelo – for players who enjoy risk/reward playstyles and Pyro teams
3. Arlecchino – for those looking to revitalize physical damage teams
4. Raiden Shogun’s strategic rerun – for consistent meta relevance
5. The Winter’s Judgment event weapons – for excellent free-to-play options

Remember that banner value is subjective and depends greatly on your existing roster, preferred playstyles, and personal connection to characters. The most powerful character is ultimately the one you enjoy playing enough to fully build and integrate into your teams.

As you plan your Primogem budget for 2025, consider not just individual characters but how they might work together. The most satisfying pulls are often those that unlock new team compositions or playstyles rather than incremental power increases to what you can already do.

Whatever your pulling strategy, may your 50/50s be won and your early pities come home!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Should I prioritize new characters or constellations in 2025?

For most players, character variety provides more account value than constellations. With 2025’s characters introducing increasingly unique mechanics, having access to different playstyles generally offers more team-building options than higher constellation levels on fewer characters. The exceptions are “breaking point” constellations that fundamentally change how a character functions, like the Tsaritsa’s rumored C1 that allegedly allows for maintaining her special state indefinitely.

2. Are any of the 2025 characters worth pulling specifically for Spiral Abyss?

Based on beta testing information, Arlecchino appears specifically designed to counter high-HP single targets that often appear in upper Spiral Abyss floors. The Tsaritsa is also rumored to excel in freeze teams that traditionally perform well in multi-enemy chambers. However, remember that Spiral Abyss requirements change regularly, and pulling solely for this content may lead to diminishing returns compared to pulling characters you enjoy using in all content.

3. How does the rumored “element fusion” system affect banner value in 2025?

The anticipated “element fusion” system—where characters can temporarily modify their elemental attributes—appears to particularly benefit versatile supports like Kazuha and Faruzan. If this system is implemented as leaked, characters who can buff multiple elements become significantly more valuable. Before pulling specifically for this system, I recommend waiting until its official announcement and testing period to see how it impacts existing characters you may already own.

4. Will any of the 2025 characters work well without their signature weapons?

Ocelo reportedly performs quite well with the new craftable Winterborn Greatsword due to its Crit Rate substat complementing his damage-focused kit. The Tsaritsa allegedly functions effectively with Sacrificial Fragment due to her skill having multiple charges naturally. Arlecchino, however, appears more dependent on her signature weapon to maximize her unique scaling mechanics. When a character’s banner approaches, wait for community testing before committing to weapon banner pulls.

5. Between Natlan and Snezhnaya characters, which region offers better long-term value?

Based on HoYoverse’s design patterns, Snezhnaya characters will likely offer slightly better long-term value as they represent the culmination of the developers’ experience designing for Genshin’s combat system. Additionally, as the final region of the Teyvat storyline, Snezhnayan characters (particularly the Harbingers and the Tsaritsa) are positioned to remain relevant through whatever content follows the current chapter. That said, if you enjoy Pyro reactions or the berserker/risk-reward playstyles prominent in Natlan designs, that region’s characters may better suit your preferences.