Genshin Impact's Wriothesley Rumored for Version 5.4 Rerun After Year-Long Wait
A leak suggests Wriothesley will finally return in Genshin Impact Version 5.4, marking his first rerun after a year-long absence since his debut in Version 4.1. This extended wait highlights the ongoing challenge Genshin Impact faces in balancing its ever-expanding roster of over 90 playable characters with the limited rerun slots available on Event Banners. With limited banner space and a steady stream of new characters, providing fair and timely reruns for all existing 5-star characters proves difficult.
While the Chronicled Banner aimed to alleviate this issue, its effectiveness remains debated. Even with the Chronicled Banner, some characters, like Shenhe, experienced exceptionally long waits before their reruns. Until the developers implement triple banners, players can anticipate extended wait times between character reruns.
Wriothesley, a Cryo Catalyst, is a prime example of this scheduling constraint. His unique Cryo hypercarry capabilities and Burnmelt team compositions make him highly sought after, but his absence since November 8, 2023, has frustrated many players. The leak from Flying Flame, however, points to his return in Version 5.4.
This leak should be treated cautiously, as Flying Flame's track record is inconsistent. While their prediction of a new Chronicled Banner in Version 5.3 proved accurate, other leaks have been inaccurate. However, the recent Spiral Abyss buff that benefits Wriothesley's playstyle lends some credence to the rumor.
Version 5.4 is also anticipated to introduce Mizuki, potentially Inazuma's first Standard Banner character. If the leak is true, and Mizuki and Wriothesley share an Event Banner, the other banner might feature either Furina or Venti, as they are the only Archons yet to receive a rerun following a set sequence. Version 5.4's projected launch date is February 12, 2025.
