Genshin Impact 7.1 hands out 600 free Primogems and two new 5-stars on September 23
Players who log in after September 23, 2026 can grab 600 Primogems before they clear a single domain. The free currency is the first thing waiting in the mail when Genshin Impact’s Version 7.1, “A Rekviem for the Underworld,” goes live, and the patch lands right in the game’s anniversary window. Between two new 5-star characters, six event weapons, and the next chapter of the story, there is a lot to plan around. For ongoing coverage, keep an eye on our Genshin Impact hub at genshin-builds.com.
The short version
Before digging into the details, here is the part that matters for most accounts:
- Maintenance runs September 23, 2026 from 06:00 to about 11:00 (UTC+8).
- Compensation totals 600 Primogems, split between two separate mails.
- Vesna (Anemo Sword) and Vodyanitsa (Hydro Catalyst) are the two new 5-stars.
- Six weapons arrive, including Silver Light, a 4-star Sword earned through an event.
- Chapter VII continues with two acts, and a new boss waits at Fellfrost Peak.
The 600 Primogems, explained
Compensation comes in two installments of 300 Primogems. One covers the maintenance window itself. The other covers issue fixes. Together they add up to 600 Primogems, which is a little over three wishes toward whichever banner you are chasing.
Both payouts arrive by in-game mail within five hours after maintenance ends, so do not expect them the moment the servers come back. The deadlines are the part to watch:
| Type | Amount | Claim deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance compensation | Primogems ×300 | Before the end of Version 7.1 |
| Issue fix compensation | Primogems ×300 | Before September 26, 2026 at 06:00 (UTC+8) |
To qualify, your account needs Adventure Rank 5 or higher by September 23, 2026 at 06:00 (UTC+8). That is a low bar, but it is a hard cutoff, so accounts created during the maintenance window miss out. Mail also expires after 30 days, so claim everything before it vanishes.
Vesna and Vodyanitsa, the two new 5-stars
Vesna is the 5-star Anemo Sword user of the patch. She commands the Druzhna and serves as the Tsaritsa’s blade, and in combat she is built around Stellar Swirl. She can trigger that reaction for her whole party and also deal Stellar Swirl damage herself under the right conditions. Teams that keep Cryo or Hydro auras on enemies feed her kit best, which makes freeze-focused lineups an obvious home.
Vodyanitsa fills the support slot. She is a 5-star Hydro Catalyst user and the Prima Donna of the Korolevskiy Troupe, bringing healing and sustain to Freeze and Stellar Swirl teams. Her Catalyst attacks keep Hydro applied at a steady clip, which is exactly what reaction teams want from a healer.
Both characters run through Event Wishes. The official update notice does not specify banner phases or rates, so the exact schedule is still unconfirmed.
The weapon lineup
Beyond the Chrysalis is the 5-star Sword of the patch. Every time the wielder uses an Elemental Skill or Burst, it cycles through one of three bonuses: CRIT DMG, Stellar Swirl DMG, or Elemental Energy restoration. Leave the field and the effects reset.
Hymn of the Maelstrom, the 5-star Catalyst, plays a different game. It increases Healing Bonus, and every heal raises Max HP and hands ATK to the active character based on the healer’s own Max HP. Frozen and Stellar Swirl reactions push the effect further.
The four-stars are built around the new reaction system. New Bough is a Sword that grants ATK and Elemental Mastery after an Elemental Skill lands, and trades those for Stellar Glimmer reaction damage while in the Radiance: Stellar Glimmer state. Winter’s Heavy Heart is a Catalyst that counts the Cryo and Electro characters in your party, granting Elemental Mastery and ATK that scale with the headcount, with a different bonus set once Stellar Glimmer is active. Breezeborne Refrain is a Bow that raises Energy Recharge and, on Skill or Burst hits, boosts Stellar Glimmer reaction DMG for nearby party members.
Silver Light is the one weapon that does not come from wishing. It is a 4-star Sword earned through the Silverwing in Pursuit of the Moon event, and it grants Elemental Mastery after using an Elemental Skill, which makes it a solid free pick for reaction supports.
Two new acts and a new boss
The story continues in Chapter VII with two new acts. Act III, “White Night, Like a Dream Upon Waking,” unlocks at Adventure Rank 18 once Act II, “Wraith’s Nocturne,” is done. Act IV, “A Rekviem for the Underworld,” opens immediately after Act III. Both support Focused Experience Mode.
The patch also adds a new boss at Fellfrost Peak called the Guardian Blade of Drifting Snow. The fight has a simple rule. Leave it undamaged and it recovers HP and counterattacks. Damage it and it weakens. In practice the encounter punishes slow play and rewards going on the offensive.
Events, TCG, and the new season
The rest of the patch spreads across several systems. The Special Recruitment Project gains a new feature, and two new stages, “Fiery Feather Pursuit” and “Ice-Imprisoned Citadel,” bring their own rewards. New cosmetic sets from “Moonlight After the Rain” are on the way, and the Public Lobby gets a new theme called “Osmanthus Retreat: Divine Bouquet.” For spenders, the first purchase of each Chronal Nexus tier grants a Celebration Chronal Nexus.
TCG players get new cards. Columbina and Illuga join as Character Cards alongside new Talent cards, and two Action Cards, “Return of the Three Moons” and “Book of Blinding Light,” expand the pool. A new season starts October 16, 2026, and the Spiral Abyss refresh brings the biggest change to Floor 12, where the first half boosts Stellar Glimmer DMG by 75%.
Before the servers go down
Maintenance starts September 23 at 06:00 (UTC+8), so work through this list while you still can:
- Spend your Original Resin and clear the weekly bosses.
- If Vesna or Vodyanitsa is the pull target, confirm your Primogems and Intertwined Fates are ready.
- After maintenance, start the new Archon Quests to unlock Secret Tsarist Assignments.
- Try the new Edge of Survival stages once they open.
- TCG players should buy the new cards from Prince at The Cat’s Tail.
Maintenance runs from 06:00 to about 11:00 (UTC+8) on September 23, 2026, so expect roughly five hours of downtime before the 600 Primogems land in your mail.