Updated 28 October 2026, after HoYoverse published Valeriy's official skill showcase. Applies to Version 7.2 "Hour of Ruin", which launches on 4 November 2026.
When this page first went up on 6 October, HoYoverse had published two character cards and nothing else: no rarity, no weapon, no kit, no banner phase and no release date. Three weeks later almost all of that is official. The Version 7.2 Special Program aired on 23 October, Mitya's skill showcase followed on 27 October, and Valeriy's landed this morning. This refresh replaces the old "what we don't know" list with what HoYoverse has actually printed, and it marks clearly the few things that are still missing.
Quick answer. Genshin 7.2 adds two new playable characters, both Electro. Mitya ("Rules Set at Naught") is a 5-star Electro Catalyst user (Stellar Linchpin: Electro) built around Stellar-Conduct, and he headlines Phase 1 on the "Myriad Patterns Unfold" Event Wish alongside a Furina rerun. Valeriy ("Fort Fulguration") is a 4-star Electro sword user, a Fatui Major who shields the party and buffs Electro or Stellar-Conduct Electro DMG. He gets the drop-rate boost in Phase 1. Phase 2 boosts Zibai and Linnea (both Geo). Version 7.2 releases on 4 November 2026. HoYoverse has not yet published exact multipliers or material names.
Who are the new characters in Genshin 7.2?
There are two of them, and both carry an Electro designation. Here is the side-by-side, taken only from HoYoverse's own posts: the 29 September introduction cards, the 23 October Special Program recap, and the two skill showcases.
| Field | Mitya | Valeriy |
|---|---|---|
| Title | Rules Set at Naught | Fort Fulguration |
| Rarity | 5-star | 4-star |
| Element line | Stellar Linchpin: Electro | Vision: Electro |
| Weapon | Catalyst | Sword |
| Constellation | Nodus Gordianus | Ursus Magnus |
| Role (official wording) | Flexible on-field and off-field DMG, Stellar-Conduct base DMG boost | Electro DMG bonus and shield support |
| 7.2 banner phase | Phase 1, featured 5-star | Phase 1, boosted 4-star |
| Skill showcase | 27 October 2026 | 28 October 2026 |
The rarity column comes from the official "New Characters Showcase" panel in HoYoverse's 7.2 Special Program recap, which shows five stars under Mitya and four under Valeriy. HoYoverse's 23 October press release confirms the weapons: Mitya "joins the playable roster as a 5-star Electro Catalyst wielder", and Valeriy is "a 4-star Electro Sword wielder". Valeriy's showcase adds his birthday (24 March), affiliation (Snezhnaya) and constellation (Ursus Magnus).
When do Mitya and Valeriy release, and which banner phase are they on?
They release in Phase 1 of Version 7.2, which opens on 4 November 2026. HoYoverse's Events Overview post on HoYoLAB says it directly: "Genshin Impact Version 7.2 'Hour of Ruin' will be released on November 4, 2026."
Mitya's skill showcase names his banner:
"The 'Myriad Patterns Unfold' Event Wish will be available after the Version 7.2 update on November 4. During this event, 'Rules Set at Naught' Mitya (Electro) will receive a huge drop rate boost!"
Valeriy's showcase uses the same wording for the 4-star slot: "After the version update on November 4, Valeriy will also receive a huge drop-rate boost!"
The full official line-up from the Special Program recap:
| Phase | Featured 5-stars | Boosted 4-star confirmed so far |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 (from 4 November) | Mitya (Electro, new), Furina (Hydro, rerun) | Valeriy (Electro, new) |
| Phase 2 | Zibai (Geo), Linnea (Geo) | Not yet published |
The recap does not print the other two Phase 1 four-stars, the Phase 2 four-stars or the exact phase-switch time. They are expected in the in-game Event Wish notices around launch. Our banner schedule page will carry them the day they post. The press release also says Phase 2 brings "a new Chronicled Wish featuring certain Natlan characters", without naming them.
Before 7.2 arrives, the current Skirk and Escoffier Phase 2 banners run until 3 November 2026 at 14:59 server time, according to in-game notice 21888. HoYoverse has not posted the 7.2 Maintenance Preview yet. On the last five versions it went up on the Monday before launch at about 03:10 UTC, which points to Monday 2 November. The 7.2 release date guide converts that window to your local clock.
What does Mitya's kit do?
Mitya converts Superconduct into Stellar-Conduct, then fires the stored energy as Electro damage that counts as Stellar-Conduct reaction DMG. HoYoverse's press release puts it plainly: "While in the party, he converts the team's Superconduct reactions into Stellar-Conduct reactions, boosting the entire party's Stellar-Conduct DMG while accumulating special energy." His showcase sums up his role in two lines: "Flexible DMG Output Modes: On-Field and Off-Field" and "Stellar-Conduct Reaction Base DMG Boost."
Here is the loop, step by step, in the showcase's own terms:
- Conversion. "When Mitya is in the party", Cryo-Electro reactions, which the press release names as Superconduct, "will be converted to Stellar-Conduct reactions instead, generating Gradient Beacons that Mitya can carry."
- Accumulating Beacons. After your party triggers a Stellar-Conduct reaction, Beacons "accumulate continuously for a period of time." His Elemental Burst "can rapidly accumulate 3 Beacons at once." He can carry up to 4.
- Spending them. Consumed Beacons deal "AoE Electro DMG that is considered Stellar-Conduct reaction DMG."
- Off-field mode (Tap E). Once he hits the Beacon cap, he auto-consumes the excess for extra damage. When "the core" leaves the field, it detonates whatever Beacons are left.
- On-field mode (Hold E, then hold). "The longer you hold, the more Beacons will be consumed and the more instances of DMG will be dealt." The showcase's suggested rotation is Hold E, then Q, then hold to dump all Beacons at once.
The art sums it up in one line: "Even the tiniest elemental reaction can unleash staggering amounts of energy through successive transformations."
What do Mitya's extra talents add?
The showcase's "More Talents" panel lists four more effects. It does not say which are passives and which are constellations, so we haven't labelled them either:
- Baseline Stress Test: Detection Core Enhancement. In Tap E mode, "each beacon increases all party members' Elemental Mastery." In Hold E mode, triggering 1 Stellar-Conduct reaction generates 4 Beacons "more stably and easily."
- Explosive Reagent: Safe Limits Exceeded. Beacons last longer, and Mitya gains increased CRIT Rate for a period of time after they are created.
- Stellar Jubilee: Top-Secret Protocol. Generates a larger Polestar Field that follows the character.
- Energy Catalysis: Carve a path forward. In certain parts of Snezhnaya, his Tap E can remove rocks. The material from those rocks can be exchanged for cosmetics, including an "Energy Glow" accessory the panel says is available at Novokitezhgrad's Antykvariat.
If Stellar-Conduct is new to you, our Stellar-Conduct vs Stellar Swirl explainer covers the reaction family he is built around.
What are Mitya's ascension materials?
HoYoverse has only shown them as icons. His "Research Supplies" panel shows four ascension items, two of them tagged NEW, plus three talent level-up items. None of them is named. The panel also comes with a catch-up note worth planning around:
"Complete 'Test Run' and Archon Quest Chapter VII: Act VI within the specified duration to receive certain Ascension Materials, which can be used to increase the character's level to Level 60."
The "specified duration" is not published yet. HoYoverse has not named the new materials in any post we checked, so treat any named list before 4 November as unofficial. The press release adds that completing the 7.2 Archon Quest within the designated period grants 560 Primogems and Character Ascension Materials for Mitya.
What does Valeriy's kit do?
Valeriy is a shielder who also buffs damage. His showcase calls him "a reliable warrior who provides both Electro DMG bonus and Shield support", and its headline line reads "A Fatui Major who wields Electro and provides support and buffs for the party!" (the art uses the Electro symbol in place of the word).
What the official panels say, piece by piece:
- Impact Momentum and a special Charged Attack. He builds a resource called Impact Momentum and spends it on a special Charged Attack.
- The buff switches with his state. "Based on whether Valeriy is in the Radiance: Stellar-Conduct state", he increases your active character's Stellar-Conduct Electro DMG or plain Electro DMG.
- Two ways to build Momentum. Casting his Elemental Skill, or, after unlocking his Ascension Talent, using his Elemental Burst and having your other active characters hit enemies with Electro attacks.
- Shield. His Elemental Skill creates a shield that protects your teammates.
His two ascension talents and his utility passive:
- Advance With the Creeping Barrage. While his Elemental Burst is active, Valeriy gains Impact Momentum "whenever another nearby active character in the party hits an opponent with an attack whose Elemental Type is Electro."
- Into the Breach. "Each point of 'Impact Momentum' consumed by a special Charged Attack further increases the DMG Bonus."
- Tundra Operational Intelligence. He gains 25% more rewards from a 20-hour Snezhnaya Expedition, not including Nod-Krai.
Like Mitya's, his materials panel shows only icons: four ascension items with one marked NEW, and three talent items. His specialty dish is "Emergency Barricade", a rye loaf the card says is hard enough to "double as a makeshift rifle rest."
Do Mitya and Valeriy work together?
On paper they fit, but treat this as an early read rather than a confirmed synergy. Mitya's kit converts Cryo-Electro reactions into Stellar-Conduct and deals Electro damage that counts as Stellar-Conduct reaction DMG. Valeriy's buff targets either Stellar-Conduct Electro DMG or Electro DMG, and his first listed ascension talent feeds on Electro hits from other party members while his Burst is up. The two share Phase 1 and a storyline: Valeriy's daily-schedule art even has him enforcing Mitya's timetable ("Mr. Mitya may dislike a regimented life, but keeping to the schedule remains non-negotiable").
What we cannot tell you yet is how big any of this is. Neither showcase prints a multiplier, a buff percentage, Valeriy's shield strength or an Energy cost. Both carry the same footnote: "More details can be viewed in-game after the Version 7.2 update." Any tier placement or "best artifact set" you read before 4 November rests on numbers HoYoverse has not published. We will write the Mitya and Valeriy builds once the in-game talent text is live.
What you can plan now:
- Pull planning. Mitya and Furina share Phase 1, and Zibai and Linnea follow in Phase 2. Our pity system guide explains how your pity carries between Event Wishes, and the Furina build covers what her rerun adds to a Hydro roster.
- Valeriy is the low-cost pick. As a boosted 4-star he shares the rate-up 4-star slot on Phase 1 Event Wishes, so your odds of getting him depend on how many Phase 1 wishes you make rather than on a 5-star budget. A shielder with an Electro DMG buff has an obvious place in Electro teams.
- Primogems. The 7.2 livestream codes have already expired (26 October, 04:00 UTC). Our codes page tracks what still redeems.
Is Ronova a playable character in Genshin 7.2?
Not according to anything HoYoverse has published. Neither the Special Program recap nor any 7.2 post lists her as playable. The two new characters on the official showcase panel are Mitya and Valeriy, and the Phase 2 featured 5-stars are Zibai and Linnea.
Her 4 October HoYoLAB art post shows her name and epithet but has no playable-character data block (title, element and constellation lines), unlike the Mitya and Valeriy introduction cards, and she already appears in Version 7.1 as a Weekly Boss. Our Ronova Weekly Boss guide covers that fight. HoYoverse has never said she will never be playable. She just has no character announcement.
What is still unpublished about the 7.2 characters?
As of 28 October 2026, the following has not appeared in any first-party source we checked:
- Mitya's signature weapon. The recap's new 5-star weapon, Starsealed Edict, is a Catalyst like Mitya, but HoYoverse has not formally tied it to him.
- Talent multipliers, buff sizes and shield strength for both characters.
- Constellation effects. Only the constellation names are known.
- Ascension and talent material names. Icons only, although the Mitya panel tags two of his as new.
- The remaining 4-stars for both phases, and the exact Phase 1 to Phase 2 switch time.
- The 7.2 Maintenance Preview, with its start time and compensation. It is expected on Monday 2 November.
FAQ
Who are the new characters in Genshin Impact 7.2? Mitya and Valeriy, both Electro. Mitya is a 5-star Stellar Linchpin: Electro user built around Stellar-Conduct. Valeriy is a 4-star Electro sword user who shields the party and buffs Electro or Stellar-Conduct Electro DMG.
Is Mitya a 5-star or 4-star? A 5-star. The official "New Characters Showcase" panel in HoYoverse's 7.2 Special Program recap shows five stars under Mitya and four under Valeriy.
When is Mitya's banner? Phase 1 of Version 7.2, from 4 November 2026, on the "Myriad Patterns Unfold" Event Wish. Furina reruns in the same phase, and Valeriy is the boosted 4-star.
Is Valeriy part of the Fatui? Yes. His official showcase calls him "a Fatui Major" who wields Electro. His 29 September introduction card only described him as Commander of the Special Assignments Battalion guarding the Armory Palace, and the 28 October showcase is the post that calls him Fatui outright.
What weapon does Valeriy use? A sword, according to his official showcase and HoYoverse's 23 October press release. Mitya uses a Catalyst.
Are Mitya's and Valeriy's materials known? Only as icons. Mitya's panel shows two new ascension materials, and Valeriy's shows one. Their names and drop locations will be in-game from 4 November. Mitya's panel also says that completing "Test Run" and Archon Quest Chapter VII: Act VI within a set window gives certain ascension materials that can take him to Level 60.
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