Three days are left on both of Genshin Impact's free 5-star selectors, and this weekend's questions are about running out of time. One new player is stuck halfway through Inazuma and asking whether to skip straight to Snezhnaya. Another, last seen at the end of the Electro islands, is asking if the quest gate is possible in five days. Others still haven't chosen a limited 5-star. This page answers all of them with today's numbers.
Quick answer: Version 7.1 has two free 5-star selectors and you can claim both, once each. Tabletop Troupe: A Gathering on Adventure's Eve offers Tartaglia, Nilou, Baizhu, Chiori, Clorinde or Varesa and needs Adventure Rank 18 plus Archon Quest Chapter VII: Act IV. Across the Frozen Wilds, Honing One's Edge offers one 5-star from the Wanderlust Invocation standard wish and needs only the Wish feature unlocked. Both close at 2026/11/03 14:59 server time. New since our last update: Varesa is back on a Chronicled Wish in Version 7.2 Phase 2, and a new Stella Fortuna cycle runs 2 November to 25 January, so a pick claimed now can still reach C1 later. Varesa is the one pick not on the current roster, per the community wiki.
Article status: refreshed and re-verified on 31 October 2026, in the final week of Version 7.1 "A Rekviem for the Underworld". Every deadline, eligibility rule and character list below was re-read today from the live in-game announcement feed: announcement 21924 (Tabletop Troupe), 21885 (Across the Frozen Wilds), 21923 (the Benefits Overview that names the standard eight), 21761 and 21892 (the outgoing and incoming To Temper Thyself and Journey Far cycles), 21880 (Archon Quest window) and 21946 (the Version 7.1 Update Details). Where a point comes from players or the community wiki rather than HoYoverse, the sentence says so.
When does the Genshin free 5-star selector end in your time zone?
Both selectors end at 2026/11/03 14:59, and the notices tag that as local server time. That is the same wall-clock time on every server but three different real-world moments, because Genshin's servers run fixed offsets with no daylight saving: Asia is UTC+8, Europe is UTC+1, America is UTC-5.
| Deadline (server time) | Asia server | Europe server | America server |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stella Fortuna cycle closes, 2 Nov 03:59 (21761) | 1 Nov, 19:59 UTC | 2 Nov, 02:59 UTC | 2 Nov, 08:59 UTC |
| Next Stella Fortuna cycle opens, 2 Nov 04:00 (21892) | 1 Nov, 20:00 UTC | 2 Nov, 03:00 UTC | 2 Nov, 09:00 UTC |
| Free selectors close, 3 Nov 14:59 (21924, 21885) | 3 Nov, 06:59 UTC | 3 Nov, 13:59 UTC | 3 Nov, 19:59 UTC |
| Archon Quest bonus and Epilogue close, 3 Nov 14:59 (21880) | 3 Nov, 06:59 UTC | 3 Nov, 13:59 UTC | 3 Nov, 19:59 UTC |
US clocks go back on 1 November, in the middle of this countdown. After that, New York matches the America server, so the selector closes at 14:59 on a New York clock, and at 11:59 in Los Angeles. On the Europe server it closes at 14:59 in Berlin and 13:59 in London.
Version 7.2 "Hour of Ruin" follows a day later: HoYoverse's Events Overview post says it "will be released on November 4, 2026". The exact maintenance hours are covered in our Genshin 7.2 release date breakdown.
Can you still unlock Tabletop Troupe in 3 days?
Yes, if you can give it a long session now. This gate is what costs lapsed accounts the limited pick. Announcement 21924 requires Adventure Rank 18 and completion of Chapter VII: Act IV "A Rekviem for the Underworld". Act III is not enough.
You don't need Sumeru, Fontaine or Natlan first. Per 21924: "Once you reach Adventure Rank 18 and complete Archon Quest Prologue: Act III 'Song of the Dragon and Freedom,' you can explore the Snezhnaya region to automatically accept Archon Quest Chapter VII: Act I 'Everwinter Without Mercy' and continue progressing up to the latest Archon Quest introduced in the current version update."
The full chain:
- AR18 and Prologue Act III are needed to start Chapter VII.
- Chapter VII Acts I and II come next. Announcement 21880 lists Act II "Wraith's Nocturne" as the unlock requirement for Acts III and IV.
- Act IV unlocks Tabletop Troupe.
HoYoverse publishes no duration for this, and player reports vary widely. In the threads above, one player reported clearing the chain in about 6 hours on an alt by skipping everything. Another called the 7.0 quest "SUPER LONG" and doubted five days was enough. Skipping isn't fully hands-free either, because you still have to play the combat sections, and players disagree on how hard the Ronova fight is to get through on autopilot. Treat 6 hours as a best case and start today.
There are two things to know before you commit. Players in those threads warn that jumping ahead spoils the story of the regions you skipped, and several say a free character isn't worth that if you play for the plot. And this shortcut covers Snezhnaya only. Replies in a thread about skipping to Nod-Krai report that its quick-start ran through an event that has since ended.
Clearing on time also pays beyond the selector. Announcement 21880 adds Primogems, ascension and level-up materials and Snezhnaya specialties for finishing Acts III and IV by 2026/11/03 14:59. Finishing Act IV in that window also opens the series Epilogue, "a time-limited quest" that closes at the same minute. Our Version 7.1 Archon Quest guide covers the acts.
Which characters are in the "Choose 1 of 6" limited selector?
This is "Tabletop Troupe: A Gathering on Adventure's Eve" (announcement 21924). The notice's wording: "During the event, you can invite an event-exclusive 5-star character of your choice from the following characters to join your party via the event interface!"
| Character | Element | Weapon | Our build guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tartaglia | Hydro | Bow | Childe build |
| Nilou | Hydro | Sword | Nilou build |
| Baizhu | Dendro | Catalyst | Baizhu build |
| Chiori | Geo | Sword | Chiori build |
| Clorinde | Electro | Sword | Clorinde build |
| Varesa | Electro | Catalyst | Varesa build |
The pick comes with "Ascension Level-Up Materials for the same character". The event notice names no level. HoYoverse's pre-release Version 7.1 Benefits Overview infographic (announcement 21923) put it at enough for Lv. 60, so treat that as the infographic's figure. The rule that matters most is a footnote: "You can invite a character only once during the event." There is no swap and no second pick.
Which characters are in the "Choose 1 of 8" standard selector?
The second selector is "Across the Frozen Wilds, Honing One's Edge" (announcement 21885). Its eligibility line is just "After unlocking the Wish feature", so no quest gate applies. The pre-release Benefits Overview named eight characters: Jean, Diluc, Qiqi, Mona, Tighnari, Keqing, Dehya and Yumemizuki Mizuki.
Same material grant, same one-invite limit. These eight can all turn up from the standard wish later, so this selector fills a gap rather than beating scarcity. It has no quest gate, so every account should claim it before the deadline.
Which free 5-star can you field in Imaginarium Theater in November?
Season 29 starts on 1 November, so the October grid no longer matters. Announcement 21946 sets Hydro, Electro and Geo as the required elements, with Qiqi, Odette, Vesna and Jahoda as Special Guest Stars who skip the element rule. Here are all 14 selector picks checked against that season:
| Eligible in November | Not eligible in November |
|---|---|
| Tartaglia (Hydro) | Baizhu |
| Nilou (Hydro) | Jean |
| Mona (Hydro) | Yumemizuki Mizuki |
| Clorinde (Electro) | Diluc |
| Varesa (Electro) | Tighnari |
| Keqing (Electro) | Dehya |
| Chiori (Geo) | |
| Qiqi (guest star) |
Eight of the 14 qualify. The grid covers element and guest-star eligibility only, and the Theater's usual level and roster rules still apply on top. HoYoverse hasn't published the December season yet. Our Imaginarium Theater guide has the full Season 29 breakdown.
Who should you pick from the Genshin free 5-star selector?
Pick for what your account is missing. The order we'd use:
1. Check whether you will pull Varesa anyway. This is the new deciding fact. Varesa is on the Natlan Chronicled Wish in Version 7.2 Phase 2, alongside Chasca, Xilonen, Mualani and Kinich, as covered in our 7.2 banners guide. If you were already saving for her, you can spend the free invite on someone else and still have a published route to her. If you want her and don't plan to pull, take her free: it costs nothing, and a Chronicled Wish is not a guaranteed win. Phase 2 has no official date yet.
2. Varesa or Clorinde comes down to your 4-stars. Player advice in the threads above and the earlier r/GenshinImpactTips discussion leans toward Varesa for damage and exploration, with some replies pointing players without Iansan or a high-constellation Chevreuse to Clorinde. Others say Varesa does fine without those supports, and players are openly split on how strong she still is. Our view: take Varesa if you own her supports, and Clorinde if you own neither and won't invest in them. Our Varesa build and Clorinde build list the teams.
3. If you mainly play Imaginarium Theater, stay inside the eight in the table above. Tartaglia, Nilou and Chiori are the Theater-eligible picks that don't compete with Varesa or Clorinde for a slot, and all three are on the current Stella Fortuna roster per the community wiki's list.
4. Take Baizhu only if you specifically want him. He is a healer who fits none of November's elements. Our Baizhu build explains where he does fit.
5. On the standard list, take the one you don't own. If you own all eight, a duplicate isn't wasted. HoYoverse's support article on duplicate characters says copies 2 to 7 of a 5-star convert into that character's Stella Fortuna ×1 plus Masterless Starglitter ×10, whether "obtained in a wish, redeemed at the shop, or awarded by the game". The selector notices don't mention duplicates, but by that rule the invite should grant a constellation until C6. Pick the character whose next constellation you want most.
Can you still get a free C1 from the training event?
Yes, and the route that matters now is the next cycle, not this one. "To Temper Thyself and Journey Far" asks for 4 Daily Commissions and 120 Original Resin in a day for a daily goal, 5 daily goals in a week for a weekly goal, and 8 weekly goals for a Stella Fortuna.
The current cycle (announcement 21761) is nearly over. It closes at 2026/11/02 03:59. The window that opened on 26 October is the last one, so you need 7 weekly goals already banked. You also need 5 daily goals in that window: 3 done from Monday to Friday, then both Saturday and Sunday, is the latest route still open. The arithmetic is ours, not HoYoverse's. If you qualify, claim the character first, because the notice says Stella Fortuna "cannot be obtained for characters you have not obtained". Then redeem before 2 November, about 35 hours ahead of the selector deadline.
The next cycle (announcement 21892) went live in the feed today. It runs 2026/11/02 04:00 to 2027/01/25 03:59, 84 days with the same 8-goal requirement, so you can miss up to four of its 12 weekly windows. If you only started playing again for the selector, this is the C1 to plan around.
Two caveats apply to that plan:
- Varesa is still unconfirmed. The community wiki's current list doesn't include her, and notice 21892 announces no added names. The previous notice said its nine new names, including Clorinde, Chiori and Mizuki, were "permanently added". The community wiki's cycle page puts the other 10 selector picks on the roster too. Check the event page in-game on 2 November before planning around any name.
- The one-time limit carries over. The notice blocks any character who "already obtained a Stella Fortuna from past" cycles. Long-time players may already have used that on Keqing, Mona or Diluc.
What happens after 3 November?
Both selectors close and Announcement 21924 offers no carry-over, so treat 14:59 server time as final. Clorinde, Chiori and the other Tabletop Troupe picks go back to waiting for a rerun, except Varesa, who has the published 7.2 Chronicled slot.
The standard selector has a stated follow-up, but only for new accounts. Announcement 21885: "During Version 7.x, Travelers who register after Version 7.1 ends can invite a standard 5-star character of their choice in the subsequent 'Across the Frozen Wilds, Honing One's Edge' event." No date or terms are published, and nothing says existing accounts get a second pick.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you claim both Genshin free 5-star selectors? Yes. Tabletop Troupe and Across the Frozen Wilds are separate events with separate requirements, and claiming one doesn't use up the other. Each allows one invite, and both close at 2026/11/03 14:59 server time.
When does the Genshin free 5-star selector end? 2026/11/03 at 14:59 server time: 06:59 UTC on Asia, 13:59 UTC on Europe and 19:59 UTC on America. That is 14:59 on a Berlin clock on Europe and on a New York clock on America.
Can I skip to Snezhnaya to get the free 5-star? Yes. Announcement 21924 lets you start Chapter VII after Adventure Rank 18 and Prologue Act III, without the Sumeru, Fontaine or Natlan chapters. Players warn it spoils those stories, and one reported about 6 hours as a skip-everything best case.
Should I pick Varesa or Clorinde? Our recommendation: take Varesa if you own her supports and won't pull on the 7.2 Chronicled Wish. If you lack them, or plan to pull her anyway, take Clorinde, unless Varesa is simply the one you want. Players disagree on this, but Clorinde's Stella Fortuna route is confirmed and Varesa's isn't.
Do I need to finish the Archon Quest for both selectors? No, only for Tabletop Troupe. Across the Frozen Wilds needs only the Wish feature unlocked, so every account can claim it.
Does claiming a free 5-star affect my pity or 50/50? No. The character comes through the event interface, not a wish, so no Fate is used and your pity is untouched. HoYoverse doesn't state this in either notice; it follows from how the grant works. Our pity system guide covers how pity carries between banners.
More Genshin Impact guides
Planning the move into Version 7.2? These pages are kept current:
