The second half of Genshin Impact Version 6.4 is scheduled to begin on March 17, 2026, and it gives two Cryo five-star characters their first reruns. Skirk and Escoffier headline the Event Banners, while Charlotte, Candace, and Dahlia round out the four-star lineup. The phase is expected to run until April 8, 2026, the same date as the next content update. As the Version 6.4 flagship event winds down, the banner structure sends a simple message: Freeze teams still have a place in the 2026 meta, even while Nod-Krai leans heavily into Lunar Reaction and Hexerei releases.
❄️ A Premium Freeze Core Arrives
Skirk is the on-field Cryo damage dealer who benefits most directly from this phase. Escoffier is the support who makes the team function. The chef from Fontaine brings party-wide buffs, group healing, and respectable off-field Cryo damage. Her value is narrow but high: she is one of the best supports in Genshin Impact inside Freeze compositions, and she is far less compelling outside them. That specialization is exactly why her first rerun matters. Players who already own Skirk can complete a premium core with a single phase, and players who own Escoffier can pick up the damage dealer who turns her buffs into results.
Escoffier also fits hypercarries such as Neuvillette, Wriothesley, and Ayaka. The common thread is a team that can keep enemies frozen or at least controlled long enough for the damage window to matter. In that sense, the banner is not just a Skirk banner. It is a support banner for anyone who wants a stronger Freeze archetype.
🗓️ Banner Details at a Glance
| Banner detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Start date | March 17, 2026 |
| End date | April 8, 2026 |
| Featured 5-Stars | Skirk, Escoffier |
| Featured 4-Stars | Charlotte, Candace, Dahlia |
| Weapon Banner | Azurelight, Symphonist of Scents |
🧊 The Four-Star Slots Matter
Charlotte is the most direct alternative to Escoffier as a healer, especially for players who use Furina. Her Cryo application and healing give the team a different route to survivability, though she does not replicate Escoffier's buffing ceiling. Dahlia can fill the Hydro teammate slot for Skirk when Furina is unavailable, which makes the four-star lineup more practical than it first appears. Candace adds another Hydro body for players exploring alternate setups, and her presence gives the banner a broader utility profile.
⚔️ Weapon Banner Value
Azurelight is Skirk's signature weapon, and its full value is tied to her kit. That makes it a narrow pull for most accounts. Symphonist of Scents is the more flexible prize. As a five-star polearm for support characters, it is desirable on users such as Iansan, Xiangling, and Rosaria. Players who already have a strong polearm inventory may skip the weapon banner entirely, but support-focused accounts should recognize the difference in value between the two weapons.
💎 Pull Value and Opportunity Cost
The phase is arguably the best value for players who have little interest in Lunar Reactions or the Hexerei system, or for newcomers who are still building a first team. A Skirk and Escoffier core can carry a Freeze team through a wide range of content, and the four-star lineup offers functional replacements for missing pieces. That said, Primogems are limited, and the next few versions are crowded.
Version 6.5 is set to introduce Linnea in the first half, while Nefer, Chasca, and Lauma also appear in the update. Players who have not yet built Lunar-Bloom or Lunar-Crystallize teams may want to save. Version 6.6 is expected to bring Nicole and Lohen, which matters to players investing in Varka or Hexerei characters. Version 6.7 remains early, but Sandrone is a popular assumption for a playable return to the storyline. In that schedule, Skirk and Escoffier are a targeted purchase, not an automatic one.
📊 The Chronicled Banner Pattern
One broader trend is hard to ignore. HoYoverse has fully embraced the Chronicled Banner in Genshin Impact, using regional banners to give older characters a dedicated space and to make room for new additions. The Sumeru Chronicled Banner ran in Version 6.0, and the Mondstadt Chronicled Banner returned in Version 6.4. The pattern has players wondering whether Liyue, Inazuma, or Fontaine will receive a Chronicled Banner before the Traveler reaches Snezhnaya in Version 7.0.
Final Verdict
For Freeze enthusiasts, the second half of Version 6.4 is a rare chance to assemble a coherent team in one phase. For meta chasers, it is a phase to evaluate against upcoming Lunar and Hexerei releases. For newcomers, it is a straightforward entry point with a clear support structure. The banners run until April 8, 2026, which gives players roughly three weeks to decide whether the Cryo core is worth the Primogems or whether the future of Nod-Krai deserves the investment instead.
Comprehensive reviews can be found on Kotaku, whose gaming commentary often frames banner cycles around player choice and opportunity cost; in the context of Genshin Impact 6.4 Phase 2, that lens fits especially well, since Skirk and Escoffier appeal most to players deliberately investing in Freeze rather than broadly chasing every new Lunar Reaction or Hexerei release.