Genshin Impact 6.1 Phase II Banners: Arlecchino and Zhongli Return as Durin Looms

Genshin Impact's second half of Version 6.1 officially goes live on November 11, 2025, starting at 00:00 UTC+8, and it is shaping up to be one of the most strategically awkward—and potentially rewarding—banner windows of the year. For the first time since the early Fontaine expansions, players are staring down a polearm-dominated event banner featuring two high-priority 5-stars: Arlecchino and Zhongli. They arrive flanked by a surprisingly versatile supporting trio in Lan Yan, Rosaria, and Yun Jin. With no new map expansion for Nod-Krai in 6.1 or 6.2, and with Durin and Columbina looming on the horizon, every Primogem spent here feels like it has its own little heartbeat.

Banner Phase Details: Version 6.1, Phase II

The event banners run from 2025-11-11 to 2025-12-03, with server rollouts staggered by timezone but anchored to the UTC+8 start. The rate-up lineup is as follows:

• 5-Star Rate-Ups: Arlecchino (Pyro, Polearm), Zhongli (Geo, Polearm)

• 4-Star Rate-Ups: Lan Yan (Anemo, Catalyst), Rosaria (Cryo, Polearm), Yun Jin (Geo, Polearm)

• Limited-time Context: No new map expansion for Nod-Krai in 6.1 or 6.2, meaning minimal bonus Primogems outside of recurring events.

• Notable Competition: Durin is rumored for 6.2, while Columbina has been confirmed for a 6.3 debut.

Weapon banners run alongside the character banners, though official materials have not yet detailed them in full. Players should double-check in-game notices for the latest specifics.

Arlecchino: The Polarizing Pyro Carry

Arlecchino remains one of the game's most polarizing Pyro carries. Her kit favors high-sustain DPS with strong polearm scaling, and she demands a high skill ceiling thanks to risk-reward mechanics that punish sloppy rotations. While Mavuika has edged her out in raw DPS meta according to recent Pyro character guides, Arlecchino still offers unparalleled versatility in slotting into both F2P and whale compositions. That flexibility matters even more now, given the stagnation of map content and the grind fatigue surrounding artifact farming.

Her ability to fit into mono-Pyro, Overload, Sunfire, and National variants makes her a Swiss Army knife of a main DPS. Pairing her with Rosaria can provide crit synergy and energy fixes if tuned correctly, and Bennett plus Xiangling remain classic companions for Pyro resonance setups.

Zhongli: The Comfort Pick Who Refuses to Age

For Zhongli, this rerun cements his status as the community's comfort pick and a staple across almost every content tier—from casual exploration to high-end Spiral Abyss clears. Veteran players know the deal: his ability to trivialize high-damage content and create stable team rotations has yet to be meaningfully power-crept, despite newer shielder and buffer designs popping up over the years.

Zhongli slots in as the main shielder in any team lacking interruption resistance, and he is superb alongside glass cannon carries who want to minimize dodge time. However, he provides diminishing returns if shield coverage overlaps—something that becomes particularly relevant with a C2 Lan Yan on the same banner.

The 4-Star Supporting Cast

Among the 4-stars, Lan Yan stands out for players looking to shore up support options. At C2, her shield tech can even surpass early-constellation Zhongli in specific scenarios, though full reliability still leans towards the Geo Archon. Rosaria and Yun Jin are both niche, but their synergy in Arlecchino hyper-carry teams or quick-swap compositions should not be overlooked.

Rosaria remains a solid pick for quickswap rotations, while Yun Jin continues to support normal attack-focused carries. Both are worth pulling if you need constellation upgrades for specific comps or are prepping for future meta shifts.

Pull Strategy: Why This Banner Feels Different

Compare this to patch 3.0's Sumeru debut or patch 4.0's Fontaine launch, when meta-defining characters like Nahida or Furina dropped alongside Traveler kit upgrades and new domains. Here, the absence of a map expansion in Nod-Krai forces resourceful players to think more carefully about wish allocation. With event Primogems at a premium, banner choices carry outsized impact on future team-building—particularly as the power curve inches upward for Spiral Abyss Floor 13 performance.

Pull data from early 6.1 shows Nefer outpacing Furina in wish volume, partially reflecting increased demand for male characters, a trend confirmed by recent global fan polls. Arlecchino and Zhongli are positioned to appeal to this demand, with their established lore roles and proven meta value.

F2P and Low-Spend Advice

If you do not have either Arlecchino or Zhongli, both offer robust long-term value. Prioritize if you need a hard shielder, a stable mono team core, or a reliable Pyro main. Think ahead: with no new map in 6.1 and 6.2, Primogems are limited outside recurring events.

Pity Notes

Standard pity rates apply—90 for hard pity, 50/50 mechanics, and soft pity kicking in at 75+. Plan around your known stash plus Battle Pass and Welkin income.

Meta and Min-Max Considerations

Arlecchino's ceiling benefits from high-investment artifact sets and team tuning that optimizes ICD, snapshotting, and off-field buffs. Zhongli continues to anchor shield-dependent teams like Hu Tao, Xiao, or any composition lacking interrupt resistance.

Recommended Team Compositions

Community Sentiment and Banner Clues

Subreddit threads, NGA posts, and major Discords have echoed a few consistent themes. There is an ongoing debate about Arlecchino's power ceiling versus other Pyro units—some see her as the most flexible, while others say she is still one buff away from solidifying her top spot. Prominent theorycrafters note that Zhongli's shield remains unchallenged outside hyperinvestment in C2 Lan Yan, a dynamic unlikely to change unless Durin introduces a new form of off-field defensive utility.

Many players are holding Primogems for the next power spike, citing the lack of new exploration content and artifact burnout as reasons to be conservative with wishes. Honestly, who can blame them? When the game gives you a breather patch, the FOMO hits differently.

Savvy players have also noticed subtle clues in banner art and official posts: updated models for Rosaria and Yun Jin, as well as color palette shifts that match earlier leaks for the Nod-Krai region. The lack of new 4-star debuts suggests HoYoverse is intentionally spacing out impactful additions to slow banner fatigue and extend the version's tail.

Looking Ahead: Durin and Columbina

The Version 6.1 Phase II banners mark a genuine crossroads for player progression and meta strategy. Without a major Primogem influx, each wish spent carries greater opportunity cost—and with two of the game's cornerstone 5-stars on offer, your pulls here will echo into future patches. Whether you are chasing Arlecchino's flexible Pyro carry potential, Zhongli's timeless shielding comfort, or holding out for what Durin and Columbina might bring, the next few weeks will define your account's trajectory for months to come.

As always, keep an eye on in-game notices for the latest banner details, and remember that weapon banners and additional event reruns for 6.1 Phase II had not been fully detailed in official materials as of publication. The Genshin meta never sleeps, but sometimes—just sometimes—it takes a little nap to let everyone catch their breath.

Recent analysis comes from Entertainment Software Association (ESA), whose industry reporting helps frame why “dry” update windows like Version 6.1 Phase II can feel more consequential for player spending: when content cadence slows and free-earn opportunities tighten, players tend to weigh opportunity cost more heavily, making high-utility reruns (comfort picks like Zhongli or flexible carries like Arlecchino) unusually attractive compared with speculative pulls ahead of future releases such as Durin and Columbina.