Version 7.2 of Genshin Impact, called "Hour of Ruin", arrives on November 4. Paimon's Update Notes, published by the official team on October 29, confirm the date along with the new characters, the new stories and a few changes that make the daily routine lighter.
The story of this version starts with the threat of the Nails of Retribution. According to HoYoverse, representatives of the seven nations of Teyvat meet in Snezhnaya to hold back the calamity, and the Archon Quest shows that union. You play alongside the Archons, Neuvillette and other allies.
New playable characters: Mitya and Valeriy
Mitya is a 5-star Electro Catalyst user. He turns the team's Superconduct reactions into Stellar Conduction reactions, raising that damage for everyone in the party. By the official description, Mitya builds up a special energy that his Elemental Skill spends to deal periodic damage to nearby enemies. Holding the same key, he performs a sequence of enhanced charged attacks, so he can stay off-field or step in himself.
Valeriy is a 4-star Electro Sword user. He is the Major of the Arsenal Palace, gives shields and raises Electro damage, mostly for Stellar Conduction teams. Both debut in the first phase of the Event Wishes, next to a Furina rerun.
If you build Stellar Conduction teams, this version already gives you a reason to save Primogems. If that kind of team doesn't interest you, Mitya and Valeriy are still one more Electro option for the account.
What changes in Snezhnaya
Version 7.2 opens a new region in eastern Snezhnaya. Per HoYoverse's official note, you take the railway to Novokitezhgrad, the nation's main producer of Kresnik Kristall. The city was built entirely underground and is surrounded by the crystal. Further east is Wingspan Peak, and there sits Old Kitezhgrad, the first city of Snezhnaya.
The region brings new Primal Ice Constructs and two elemental rifles, which you use to neutralize the dangers of contaminated Kresnik Kristall deposits. There are also new Encounter Point quests: Danica runs a secret cleanup for the Tsaritsa in Novokitezhgrad, and Mitya investigates the ground near the Teplo Oasis. According to the note, the two paths cross without warning. Novokitezhgrad also holds a gigantic creature from the depths of the ocean, for anyone who wants a challenge.
Quality of life changes
Paimon's Update Notes also carry small changes that should show up in your routine. None of them alters combat, but two of them save real time in the open world.
- Local Specialty tracking: when you track something like a Glaze Lily, the minimap now prioritizes markers for that specialty, as long as someone in the party can show nearby specialties. Before, it sometimes pointed at a Silk Flower close to you.
- Primal Ice Constructs: the permission setting gains a "Friends only" option. You can send and receive Constructs only with people on your friends list.
- Constructs are no longer sent near Statues of the Seven, Adventurers' Guilds, blacksmiths and Encounter Points.
- The batch deletion limit in "Manage Primal Ice Constructs" went from 100 to 200.
- When you select a Ley Line Outcrop on the map, you see the details of the enemies before going in.
What to do before November 4
The update date is confirmed, but the notes don't give an exact start time, so check the official channels for that. Until then, the most useful thing is to get your account in order. The official team warned about phishing sites that steal accounts in some regions. Only log in through official channels and don't type account details into pages you don't know.
Redeeming the codes that are active now is also worth the five minutes. To do it, you need to reach Adventure Rank 10. In the game on PC and mobile, open the Paimon menu, go to Settings, then Account, Redeem Code, paste the code and confirm. Rewards arrive by Mail. Codes from the official livestreams usually last only about a day, so redeem those first.
If you want Mitya on release day, finishing the Archon Quest on time gives 560 Primogems and ascension materials for the character, according to the official material. The Tsarist Secret Orders also give extra rewards, including a Snezhnaya-themed wind glider.
