Honestly, the Natlan cycle has been a wild ride. We started with surfing on sharks and now we're staring down the barrel of the most anticipated unit in the game's history. If you've been hovering over that "Wish" button, take a breath.
HoYoverse is playing a very specific game right now. They know we're all hoarding for the Archon. But the current roadmap is littered with lore-heavy units and some surprising faces from Liyue that might actually be better for your account long-term than another DPS.
Genshin Impact upcoming characters and the Natlan heavy hitters
Let's talk about the sun in the room. Mavuika.
She isn't just "another Pyro unit." As the Pyro Archon, she’s basically the centerpiece of the entire 5.x meta. The talk on the street—and from the beta leaks—is that she brings a unique Flamestrider mechanic. Basically, you’re looking at a claymore-wielding biker who can likely solo-carry most of the endgame content.
But then there's Citlali.
You've probably seen her pink hair and "Granny Itztli" nickname. She’s a Cryo Catalyst user, but don’t let the "Granny" thing fool you; she isn’t using an elderly model. She’s basically a high-damage stabilizer. Think of her as the bridge between your reaction teams. If you missed out on top-tier Cryo supports in the past, she’s the one to watch.
Then we have Lan Yan. She’s the 4-star Anemo Catalyst coming in the second half of 5.3. Her kit is weirdly specific—she has this "Swallow-Wisp" shield that absorbs Hydro, Pyro, Cryo, or Electro. It’s a reactionary shield. Kinda cool, but mostly a niche pick for players who don't already have a stacked roster of Anemo grouping units.
The Liyue legends are finally coming home
Every year, Lantern Rite (Version 5.4) breaks the internet. This year is no different.
The biggest rumor that has basically been confirmed by the "Iris Leaks" and the usual high-tier insiders is Madame Ping. Yes, the lady who gave you the Serenitea Pot.
Except, she won't look like a grandma. She’ll be using her "Streetward Rambler" form—a younger, polearm-wielding Adeptus.
- Name: Rumored to be "Lanya" in her playable form.
- Element: Likely Hydro.
- Weapon: Polearm (rumored to have a massive Crit Damage sub-stat).
The community is banking on her being a "Plunge Attack" support or sub-DPS, similar to how Xianyun changed the game last year. If you’re a Xiao main, Madame Ping is basically a mandatory pull at this point.
Beyond the fire: The 2026 roadmap
If we peer even further into the 6.x updates, things get really strange. We're moving into Nod-Krai territory and the whispers of the Hexenzirkel are getting louder.
There's a character named Linnea who is supposedly an advisor for the Adventurers' Guild. Pink hair, elf ears, and massive lore connections to Snegurochka. Then there's Nicole, one of the witches we've only ever heard in voice-overs. If she becomes playable in 6.6 as rumored, the entire power scaling of the game is going to shift. Witches in Genshin don't just "fight"—they rewrite rules.
Don't forget the Fatui. Columbina and Sandrone are always lurking in the code. While Capitano is still technically an "NPC" in the backend, the pattern of Harbinger releases suggests we won't be waiting until the end of time to see them on a banner.
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How to actually manage your pulls right now
It is so easy to get caught up in the hype of every new silhouette. Don't do that.
You need to look at your "Bennett situation." A lot of these newer Natlan units are designed to work without the old-school 1.0 supports. Mavuika is likely going to be the "Bennett-killer" in terms of utility.
If you're F2P or a low spender:
- Prioritize Mavuika. Archons are always the safest investment. They never fall out of the meta.
- Skip the 4-stars. Never pull on a banner just for a 4-star like Lan Yan or Iansan. You will end up with a 5-star you didn't want and a C0 4-star that sits on your bench.
- Watch the Lantern Rite freebie. You usually get a free 4-star Liyue character. If you're missing Gaming or Yaoyao, just wait for the event.
The reality is that Genshin Impact upcoming characters are shifting toward highly specialized roles. Gone are the days of "one size fits all" units. You're building "engine" teams now—characters that generate their own buffs rather than relying on a single burst.
Keep an eye on the 5.4 beta cycles. That's when we'll see if Madame Ping is actually the Hydro savior everyone expects. Until then, hold your primogems. Natlan is just getting started, and the "God of War" doesn't play nice with empty wallets.
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Your next move: Check your current Pity count and see if you have enough for a guaranteed 180 pulls. If you're under 10,000 Primogems, you should start clearing the Natlan exploration logs and world quests immediately to prepare for the 5.3 banner drop.