Vodyanitsa is the 5-star character on the Surging Ballad banner, which runs until October 13, 2026, at 19:59 (Brasília time). She is exclusive to this event wish, so she does not appear in the standard wish "Wanderlust Invocation". If you want her, the window is short.

The same banner boosts the drop rate for the 4-star characters Diona, Faruzan and Chongyun. If you are building a Hydro or Cryo support team, look at all three before deciding.

When the banner ends

Surging Ballad started on September 23, 2026, at 00:00 and ends on October 13, 2026, at 19:59. The next set of Version 7.1 wishes, Phase II, starts on October 13 and runs until November 3, with Skirk and Escoffier on the character banners and Bright Blue and Aroma Symphonist on the weapon banner.

Official art for the Surging Ballad banner, with Vodyanitsa
Official art for the Surging Ballad banner, with Vodyanitsa

What Vodyanitsa does in combat

Vodyanitsa is a Hydro character who uses a Catalyst. She is not a main damage dealer: her job is supporting the team.

Her elemental skill, Rechitativ: Sonorous Dawn, shows her true form, a water imp, and activates the Song of Ages Past effect. While it is active, she summons the Horn of Spring's Call, which attacks enemies, and the active character on your team gains interruption resistance and recovers HP at intervals, based on Vodyanitsa's max HP. Attacks made in that state also reduce the Hydro and Cryo resistance of the enemies they hit.

Her burst, Koda: Sink With Thee, is an AoE Hydro damage song that hits harder while the song state is up. The best use is to keep the song running before you fire the burst.

The passives also change your routine on the map:

  • The Last Djeguako Songstress: when she uses her elemental skill, Star Vortices on the field turn into Errant Vortices. Creating or detonating an Errant Vortex also reduces the Anemo resistance of nearby enemies.
  • Dirge of the Fandyr: her elemental skill gives Vodyanitsa stacks of Solo Voice and Chorus, each lasting 30 seconds.
  • Echoes Over the Frozen Lake: out of combat, she can swim for up to 10 seconds, spending stamina, and walk on water.
  • Heartless Siren Song: when you use a gadget instrument with her as the active character, she sings instead of the instrument playing.

The upsides of having her

The strong point is support with healing. If your team takes a lot of damage, the song state can hold everyone up for longer, and the interruption resistance keeps your main character from losing their attack rhythm.

The Hydro and Cryo resistance shred is useful in teams that already lean on those elements, and the Errant Vortices help anyone who likes playing around the Vortex reactions, especially with the Anemo resistance shred on top.

For exploration, walking on water is practical. Crossing lakes and rivers without stopping to find another way there saves real time, and the singing on instrument gadgets is a small thing that a lot of players end up using on purpose.

How the community took the character

The reveal trailer, titled "Tonight, We Sink as One", got a strong positive reaction. Comments praise the animation, the 2D art of the flowers around her and the music. Plenty of players wrote that the scene convinced them to pull.

Not all of the reaction was positive. Some Russian players complained that the Russian lyrics were sung with an accent they hear as foreign. Their argument is that Snezhnaya is inspired by Russia, so the team should have hired a native singer. Those players are asking HoYoverse to pick native singers for future songs. Players who do not speak Russian, on the other hand, liked the song.

Before you pull

If you want Vodyanitsa, the banner period is the window. She will not be in the standard wish after October 13, so if you skip her now, the next path is waiting for another banner.

Take a look at your team first. If you already run Hydro and Cryo characters, she fits well as a support. If your team does not use those elements, think carefully before spending your Wishes.