You're wandering through Sumeru, probably chasing a Dendroculus or just trying to clear those pesky map markers, when you stumble upon a guy who looks like he’s lost his mind over a coffee machine. That’s Garcia. If you haven't met him yet, you're missing out on one of the most oddly satisfying long-term storytelling arcs in Genshin Impact. Specifically, the quest Garcia's Paean A Gift of Compatibility is the culmination of a lot of patience, RNG luck, and fetching weird items for a man obsessed with "The Numbering Machine."
It’s not just a quick fetch quest.
Honestly, it’s a bit of a grind. You can't just walk up to Garcia and trigger this. It requires a specific sequence of Daily Commissions in Sumeru—something that has driven completionists absolutely wild because of the way Hoyoverse handles quest RNG. If you’ve been stuck waiting for "Garcia’s Paean: Echoes of Someone" to pop up for the third time, you know the pain. But once you finally unlock A Gift of Compatibility, it feels like a genuine reward for your persistence.
What is Garcia’s Paean A Gift of Compatibility anyway?
Basically, it's a World Quest in Sumeru that serves as the "finale" (for now) to Garcia and Lutong’s adventures. You first meet Garcia way back in Liyue at Wangshu Inn, where he’s trying to make the perfect soup using a mathematical formula. Fast forward to Sumeru, and he’s moved on to more complex machinery.
The quest itself revolves around Garcia trying to create a meaningful gift. He’s a math guy. He thinks in logic and gear ratios. But he’s trying to express something human—affection, or at least a deep appreciation for his companion, Kaya. This friction between cold, hard calculation and the messy reality of human emotion is what makes the writing here actually stand out from your standard "go kill three slimes" filler.
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You’ll spend time gathering materials and witnessing the awkward, endearing social failures of a man who treats a conversation like a calculus problem.
The frustrating path to unlocking it
You can't just brute-force this. It’s annoying, I know. To even see Garcia's Paean A Gift of Compatibility on your map, you have to run the gauntlet of the "Garcia's Paean" Commission series.
Here is the specific chain you have to suffer through:
- Garcia’s Paean: Key Items
- Garcia’s Paean: Substitutes
- Garcia’s Paean: Easy Peasy
- Garcia’s Paean: The Echo of Someone
- Garcia’s Paean: A Nutty Blast (This one is often the bottleneck)
You have to complete "Echoes of Someone" multiple times. Three times, to be exact. Only after that third completion—and a daily reset—will the World Quest "A Gift of Compatibility" finally spawn near the Citadel of Regzar in Sumeru City. If you’ve set your commissions to "Random" or "Inazuma," you’re never going to find it. Switch those commissions to Sumeru immediately.
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Most players think their game is bugged. It’s not. It’s just the "Hoyoverse Special"—gating lore behind layers of RNG. It’s sort of like waiting for the "Whispers in the Wind" quest in Mondstadt, but with more gears and slightly better dialogue.
Why this quest matters for your Sumeru reputation
Look, we all want those wings. The Sumeru reputation system is a slog, and every World Quest counts for 20 reputation points. While that sounds small, "A Gift of Compatibility" is often one of the last three checkboxes people have left because of the Commission requirement.
Beyond the points, there’s the "Principia Arithmetica" achievement. You get this for completing the whole saga. It’s a nice 5 Primogem bump, but more importantly, it clears that nagging feeling of an unfinished quest log.
Breaking down the "Compatibility" logic
The narrative hook here is surprisingly deep for a side quest. Garcia is trying to use his Numbering Machine to determine the "compatibility" of gifts. He wants to find the perfect item that resonates with the recipient's personality. It’s a meta-commentary on how we interact with NPCs in RPGs. We usually just give them whatever the quest item is, but Garcia wants to solve the math of friendship.
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Kaya, the recipient, is much more grounded. The "Compatibility" in the title isn't just about the machine; it’s about the compatibility between a man who lives in his head and a world that lives in its heart.
A few things to keep in mind while playing:
- Check your inventory. Sometimes players think they’ve lost the quest items, but they’re usually tucked away in the "Quest" tab.
- The Location. Garcia is usually hanging out near the blacksmith or the cafe area in Sumeru City. If he’s not there, check your quest log to see if another NPC is occupying the "space" for a different quest.
- No Combat. Don't go in expecting a boss fight. This is a narrative-heavy, movement-focused quest. It’s a breather. Enjoy the flavor text; the writers actually had some fun with Garcia's dialogue.
The "Echoes of Someone" bottleneck
The biggest hurdle is "Garcia's Paean: Echoes of Someone." You need to give Garcia Treasure Hoarder Insignias. Usually, he wants the Silver or Gold ones if you want to progress "properly," though the game is sometimes lenient.
The trick is consistency. If you get the commission, do it immediately. Don't skip it. The game tracks the number of times you've helped him, and missing one can reset your "mental clock" for when the World Quest will trigger. I’ve seen people wait months for that third Echoes quest to drop.
Actionable steps to finish this questline
If you're looking at your quest log and seeing a void where Garcia should be, here is your roadmap. No fluff. Just do these things:
- Set your Daily Commission region to Sumeru. Do this in your Adventurer’s Handbook. It’s the only way.
- Farm Treasure Hoarder Insignias now. You’re going to need them for the commissions. Don't be the person who has to go hunt scouts in Liyue in the middle of a Sumeru commission.
- Track your completions. Use a notepad or a digital tracker. You need "Echoes of Someone" finished 3 times.
- Wait for the reset. After the 3rd completion, the World Quest won't always appear instantly. Wait for the server reset (usually 4:00 AM) and then head to the area near the Sumeru City Adventurer’s Guild.
- Talk to Loumel. Sometimes she’s the trigger point for the conversation that leads to Garcia.
Once you finish Garcia's Paean A Gift of Compatibility, you’re officially done with Garcia's Sumeru arc. It’s a long road, but seeing the "Numbering Machine" finally put to a use that isn't just calculating soup calories is a nice touch of closure.
Go fix your commissions today. The longer you wait, the longer that 20/20 reputation score stays out of reach.