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CARDGenshin 7.1 Anniversary Banners and Star Swirl Guide
Snezhnaya has only just opened in Version 7.0, and news about the Version 7.1 anniversary update is already starting to surface! The final chapter of the seven nations contains far more information than expected. September 28 marks Genshin Impact’s sixth anniversary, and this anniversary happens to fall during Version 7.1, so the rewards are expected to be among the strongest of the entire year.
What deserves even more attention is the banner lineup and the actual rollout of the Star Swirl system. The two new 5-star characters for Version 7.1 are basically confirmed: Visna in the first half and Voyanissa in the second half. Both are designed around the Star Swirl mechanic, which means this new reaction system will officially enter practical combat from Version 7.1 onward.
This article combines test server data and multiple leaks to clarify the roles of the two new characters, the value of rerun characters, the impact of the Star Swirl system, and the anniversary rewards in one place.
Version 7.1 Preview: Sixth Anniversary Banner Lineup Confirmed
Version 7.1 is expected to launch around September 23. As the sixth anniversary version, with the anniversary date on September 28, its rewards should be among the best of the year, likely including a standard 5-star selector, 20 pulls, a first top up double bonus reset, and more.
According to multiple leaks, the Version 7.1 banner schedule is as follows:
| Banner | New Character | Rerun Character |
| First half | Visna (5-star, Anemo, Star Swirl Main DPS) | Zibai |
| Second half | Voyanissa (5-star, Hydro, Star Swirl Support) | Skirk |
Banner logic analysis: Voyanissa shares a banner phase with Skirk. Leaks suggest she is a dedicated support upgrade for Skirk, as her Hydro and Cryo RES shred mechanics fit Skirk’s damage rotation very well. Meanwhile, Visna + Zibai provides a buffer for the transition between old and new systems. Players who do not want to invest in the new system can instead pick up Zibai.
Detailed Introduction to the New Characters
Visna (5-star Anemo Sword) - Core Star Swirl Main DPS
Visna is a member of the Winter Pact Army and serves the Tsaritsa. In the PV “Sudden Snow,” she leads a search operation. She is positioned as an on-field Anemo main DPS and the core damage dealer of the Star Swirl system.
Core skill mechanics:
Her Elemental Skill has three stages: thrust, drop, and dance. Each stage upgrades the Elemental Skill and summons flying feathers to pursue enemies, with a mechanic somewhat similar to Wanderer’s attacks after an enhanced dash. Her core damage loop revolves around the Elemental Skill. Her Burst deals AoE Anemo damage and restores 1 stack of “Spirit Sword Power,” allowing Visna to continue her Elemental Skill combo.
Ascension Talent “Composure”: Each Elemental Skill stage grants 1 mark, up to 6 stacks. Each stack increases skill damage up to 160%.
Open-world Elemental Skill climbing: The height reaches Chasca’s level. Holding sprint or jumping can both enter the “Cruise” hovering state.
Talent “Dexterity”: Each Cryo/Anemo character in the party provides 6% ATK, while each character of another element provides 25 Elemental Mastery.
Constellation analysis:
C1: Adds one extra Spirit Sword Dance stage and grants +20% Star Swirl damage during the Elemental Skill duration.
C2 (major breakpoint): Entering the Elemental Skill state immediately maxes out “Composure” stacks, and at full stacks grants +60% ATK.
Expected strength: Insider testing analysis places her as the current version’s top Anemo DPS. Thanks to multiple layers of damage bonuses from the Star Swirl reaction and her strong personal damage template, her ceiling is clearly higher than traditional Anemo main DPS units. However, she relies heavily on matching teammates. Snezhnaya-system supports such as Odette and Voyanissa can push her damage to another level.
Voyanissa (5-star Hydro Catalyst) - Star Swirl System Support
Voyanissa is the prima donna of the Korolevsky Theater Troupe. Her character design is closely tied to singing and ocean imagery. She is a core support for both the Skirk system and the Star Swirl system.
Core mechanics:
Elemental Skill “Mermaid Overture”: Transforms her into mermaid form, continuously summons microphones for coordinated attacks, reduces enemy Hydro/Cryo RES by 26%, provides interruption resistance and periodic healing once every 1.5 seconds. It lasts 16 seconds and has a 16-second cooldown, allowing full uptime with no downtime.
Burst “Mermaid Aria”: Deals AoE Hydro damage. During the Elemental Skill duration, its damage is increased by an additional 86.4%. It costs 60 Energy and has a 15-second cooldown.
Passive Talent 1 “Mermaid Evening Song”: During the Elemental Skill duration, Star Swirl is converted into “Star Vortex.” When triggered or detonated, it reduces nearby enemies’ Anemo RES by 30% for 6 seconds.
Passive Talent 2 “Solo and Ensemble”: Entering the Elemental Skill state grants 17 stacks of “Solo” + 10 stacks of “Ensemble,” similar to Shenhe’s quill mechanic, serving on-field and off-field characters respectively. For the portion of Max HP above 40,000, every 1,000 HP increases Star Swirl damage by 260, up to 6,500, and Hydro/Cryo damage by 140, up to 3,500.
Constellation analysis:
C1: Increases teammates’ ATK when healing, based on 0.7% of Voyanissa’s Max HP.
C2 (major breakpoint): On-field Hydro/Cryo CRIT DMG +50%, Star Swirl CRIT DMG +60%; extends the Elemental Skill microphone summon duration by 9 seconds.
C6: Changes the C2 effect to apply to the whole team, with an additional +50% Hydro/Cryo damage and +25% Star Swirl damage.
Weapon and pull advice: Her signature weapon can extend the enhanced RES shred duration, but it is not mandatory. Voyanissa unlocks all core mechanics at C0, including off-field RES shred, healing, and damage buffs. A 4-star weapon or version event weapon can serve as a practical replacement.
In-depth Star Swirl System Analysis
Reaction mechanics and trigger method, based on multiple leaks:
Star Swirl is one of the new Astral reactions introduced in Version 7.0. When the team triggers Cryo Swirl, if certain conditions are present on the field, Cryo Swirl is upgraded into Star Swirl.
Visna’s special mechanic: She has a passive talent that can directly convert Cryo Swirl triggered by the team into Star Swirl, and increases the whole team’s base Star Swirl reaction damage based on her own ATK, with +0.7% per 100 ATK up to 14%.
Reaction effects:
After triggering, it creates a special Anemo vortex with stackable intensity. Repeated Star Swirl triggers can expand the explosion radius and increase damage.
Voyanissa’s Passive Talent 1 further converts Star Swirl into “Star Vortex,” providing an additional 30% Anemo RES reduction when triggered or detonated.
Current state and controversy: Players on NGA have pointed out that the Star Swirl system has far fewer characters than Star Superconduct. Star Superconduct has multiple sub-DPS units and dedicated supports, while Star Swirl currently only has Visna and Voyanissa as its two cores, and there may be no long-term reinforcement after Version 7.1. This “sell the full package and move on” arrangement means players who want to play Star Swirl may need to secure both core characters in Version 7.1.
Overall Character Strength Ranking
Detailed Character Power Analysis
Visna: Core Star Swirl Main DPS, rising to the top Anemo DPS of the version
As Snezhnaya’s first fully formed Anemo main DPS, Visna’s core value lies in her three-stage Elemental Skill stacking damage and unique aerial combat ability. With multiple damage bonuses from the Star Swirl reaction, several insider tests place her as the current version’s top Anemo DPS, with a damage ceiling clearly higher than traditional Anemo carries such as Wanderer. C2 instantly maxes out “Composure” stacks and provides a 60% ATK bonus, making it a major breakpoint for both comfort and burst output. In the open world, her Elemental Skill climbing height reaches Chasca’s level, and her hovering mechanic makes her one of the strongest exploration characters in Snezhnaya.
Voyanissa: Dedicated Star Swirl support, full kit unlocked at C2
Voyanissa’s core value lies in 30% Anemo RES reduction, 26% Hydro/Cryo RES reduction, and a Shenhe-like quill damage bonus mechanic through Solo/Ensemble. She is the expected core teammate for Visna and is also viewed as a dedicated support upgrade for Skirk. C2 is the key breakpoint, granting 50% Hydro/Cryo CRIT DMG and 60% Star Swirl CRIT DMG for the on-field character, while C6 enables teamwide buffs. C0 already unlocks all core mechanics, and her signature weapon is not mandatory.
Potential impact of Star Swirl on older characters:
After Star Swirl launches, it may bring some older Anemo characters back into top-tier teams, including Kazuha, Venti, Xiao, and others. Leaks also mention that some older characters will unlock Star Swirl-related mechanic upgrades. If the developers do not add extra restrictions to older characters’ elemental application logic, these characters may return to frontline team building within the Star Swirl system.
Recommended Teams and Pull Advice
Recommended lineups:
Endgame Star Swirl team: Visna + Voyanissa + Odette + Cryo Traveler (Anemo Swirl component)
Skirk upgrade team: Skirk + Voyanissa + Furina + sustain slot
F2P transition team: Visna + Cryo Traveler + Diona + Sucrose
Double Anemo Swirl team: Visna + Voyanissa + Faruzan + Odette
Pull advice:
| Your situation | Recommendation |
| Want to try the new Star Swirl system | Visna is a must-pull because she is the system core, with C2 as a major breakpoint. Voyanissa is recommended at least at C0, with C2 as her complete form. |
| Have Skirk but lack teammates | Voyanissa can join the team. She works at C0, with C2 as a major breakpoint. |
| Limited budget | Prioritize C0 Visna, as a main DPS holds value. Voyanissa’s signature weapon can be skipped entirely. |
| Veteran Anemo players (Kazuha/Xiao/Wanderer) | Wait and see. Confirm older characters’ actual performance in the Star Swirl system after release. |
| Marionette players | Visna + Voyanissa may increase the value of Marionette dual-reaction teams. |
Genshin Impact 7.1 Kardz Resource Preparation Guide
Version 7.1 brings two new 5-stars and two reruns, so demand for Genesis Crystals during the anniversary period will be high. If you play on the global server or the Hong Kong/Taiwan server and want to top up Crystals through a third-party platform, Kardz is an option worth considering. The following points are organized based on its official instructions.
Self-service direct top up (recommended):
Enter your game UID and server at Kardz checkout. No account password is required.
After payment, the top up usually arrives within 1-3 minutes. This is the safest and fastest method, and it is also the default choice for most global server players.
Currently available Genesis Crystal packs include 60/300/980/1,980/3,280/6,480, as well as Blessing of the Welkin Moon (monthly card) and Battle Pass options (Gnostic Hymn/Gnostic Chorus). Each tier has different discounts, and new users can also stack a first-order coupon.
UID and server confirmation:
Your UID is a 9-digit number shown at the bottom of the screen in the menu bar at the lower-right corner of the game’s main interface.
You can identify your server by the first digit of the UID: 6 for America, 7 for Europe, 8 for Asia, and 9 for Hong Kong/Macau/Taiwan. Choosing the wrong server is the most common cause of failed top ups, so be sure to check carefully before paying.
Notes:
Do not log in to the game during the recharge process to avoid order delays.
Virtual goods are non-refundable after delivery. Confirm that your UID and server are correct before placing an order.
It is recommended to keep a screenshot of your order information. If any issue occurs, contact customer service for help.
The anniversary version has the biggest rewards, but new characters and reruns are arriving at the same time, so preparing Genesis Crystals in advance will make pulling much smoother.
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