Genshin Impact 5.6: The Best Builds & New Characters Guides
Genshin Impact’s version 5.6 update goes live on May 7, 2025! Server maintenance will begin at 06:00 AM (UTC+8) and is expected to last for around 5 hours. While the game is down, here’s what you can look forward to in the new patch, including new characters, events, and where to find the best builds and guides!
Two New Characters Join the Game: Escoffier and Ifa
Version 5.6 introduces two new playable characters:
- Escoffier, a famous Chef from Fontaine
- Ifa, a Saurian Vet from Natlan
Escoffier is a 5-star Cryo polearm user. She shines as an off-field support who deals consistent Cryo damage, heals your team, and reduces enemy resistance by up to 55% depending on your team composition. If you’re looking for a strong Cryo support, she’s a great pick!
Ifa, on the other hand, is a 4-star Anemo catalyst. He can group enemies together, heal, and boost elemental reactions, especially Swirl and Electro-Charged. He fits perfectly into Taser teams, and like many Anemo units, he’s easy to build and very flexible.
If you are looking to make the most of Escoffier and Ifa, you can head over to Icy Veins for updated builds, weapons, artifacts, team comps, and gameplay tips for both characters:
Version 5.6 Banners – What to wish for
Here’s what the banners look like in version 5.6:
Phase 1:
- Escoffier’s first Banner
- Escoffier’s Signature Weapon
- Navia rerun
- Navia’s Signature Weapon Rerun
- 4-star characters featured: Ifa, Layla, and Ororon
Phase 2:
- Reruns for Raiden Shogun and Kinich, as well as their Signature Weapons
If you’re saving Primogems, this update gives you lots of options! In case you are looking for more information about the upcoming banner characters and their weapons, you can also head to Icy Vein’s Genshin Impact section.
Free Primogems for Maintenance
As usual, all players Adventure Rank 5 and above will receive 300 Primogems via in-game mail as maintenance compensation. If the servers stay down longer than expected, extra Primogems will be given out too.
What else is new in Genshin Impact 5.6?
There’s plenty more coming in this patch:
- A new story quest that takes players back to Mondstadt
- Several limited-time events
- New boss fights
- And other surprises!
While version 5.6 doesn’t include a brand-new zone, there’s still time to finish exploring the latest one! If you haven’t fully completed your journey through the Ancient Volcano in Natlan, don’t forget you can get up to 400 bonus Primogems just for exploring it.
Need help finding hidden chests, Pyroculi, or secret spots? Check out Icy Veins’ Natlan Exploration Guides to make sure you don’t miss a thing!