My Brutally Honest Opinion on the Genshin Impact 1st Anniversary Rewards

In short: They suck.

Get the joke? Yeah, that's the point.
The anniversary rewards ARE a joke.

But you know me and my habit of explaining everything in detail. (Yes, even in my English teaching.) So I won't settle for such a simple answer as that.

Admittedly, though, much of my information comes from YouTubers. I suck at forming my own opinions sometimes.

x10 Intertwined Fates: Everyone Can Get This Reward

These are among the few guaranteed rewards this anniversary, not counting the Moonchase Festival rewards.

As RedFlaim pointed out, for most people, these equate to 9 3-star weapons and 1 4-star item. These are very easy to acquire, even for free-to-play players.

According, I think, to Valkyrja, these are low by other gacha games' standards, but high by Genshin Impact standards. Most events just give, say, 60-420 Primogems, with 420 being equivalent to 2 gacha pulls (when removing the remainder). A 10-pull is worth 1600 Primogems.

Before I quit Fire Emblem Heroes on its 4th anniversary, I pulled a 5-star Hero for free and a few more for a discount.

Heck, even in the 1st anniversary of FEH, up to 70 Orbs, or 17 pulls, were possible on top of a special banner with a 5% chance to get a 5-star Hero (vs. the normal 3%)!

Art Contests* and Raffle Draws

*I use "art contest" here to refer to contests that require some form of creativity, including cosplay and photography. It's not strictly limited to digital painting like with Photoshop.

There are millions of players that play Genshin Impact to this day, and among those, only 1000 players each can win a raffle draw prize of...100 Primogems. Bro, why? Livestreams, maintenance, and bug fix news give either the same or more Primogems for absolutely no effort from the players.

The most appealing reward among the raffle draws is a Blessing of the Welkin Moon...which has a 10% chance to win. Everyone else gets 100,000 Mora. This has been criticized as "gacha within a gacha game"--besides, when we think of gacha games, the "gacha" part typically applies to characters and, less frequently, equipment.

From what I know of the art contests, there are roughly 35-90 winners each. Most (if not all of them) give Primogems, but some also give physical prizes, including merch and gadgets.

Merch is cool, not gonna lie. I'm willing to take that over Primogems, but I'm not good at art and I'd rather focus on other things in life like making simple gameplay videos.

Among the gadgets are iPhones and iPads. I think these aren't the best choices for prizes because Genshin Impact is an expensive game to start playing, to begin with--you need a gaming PC/phone or a PlayStation console. I think people who can play Genshin Impact on their own PCs/PS4s/PS5s can afford their own smartphones. Also, most people nowadays have their own smartphones, so I think only diehard tech collectors will truly benefit from having these fancy-schmancy new Apple devices. (Not gonna lie, though, I haven't used an Apple device in years--I'm too used to Android.)

The only gadget that I actually feel interested in is the Razer DeathAdder V2, a gaming mouse. Besides, not gonna lie, I feel uncomfortable gaming with a plain mouse that works for...well, work. (Okay, I mean white-collar jobs.) However, this mouse will be almost useless for those who don't play video games on PCs.

Cosplay, in particular, is a VERY expensive form of art. Taking in-game photos requires Genshin Impact installed while there are free photo-editing programs out there, as well as tutorials. But cosplay? Oh boy. Whether you know how to sew or not, be ready to shell out a LOT of cash, either for a pre-made outfit or the raw materials and tools to make one yourself.

But we're not done yet. To maximize the quality of the photos you take while you cosplay, you'll probably need a DSLR camera and a good location to shoot. The DSLR camera further increases cosplay expenses while the location can vary in quality and "danger". What do I mean by "danger"? Well, the danger of being caught by law enforcement not wearing a mask. I hope your house's interior looks good.

In "Defense" of miHoYo?

The real reason I made this post is that the vast majority of community reactions to the 1st-anniversary rewards are strongly negative. I see almost nothing that talks about the other side of the story.

After all, I like to pretend to be a journalist.

First off, the low rewards in Genshin Impact have been an issue since the game's launch, most notably the 0.6% drop rate for a 5-star character which is very low by other gacha games' standards. (FEH has a combined 6% chance; 3% for a Hero on the banner, 3% for a 5-star not on the banner.)

I heard that it has even lower rewards than another miHoYo game, Honkai Impact 3rd.

But I have several theories for this.

One, it's possible to get decent results in any Spiral Abyss "season" with just the 7 starter characters. It's kinda like what Karen in Pokémon Gold and Silver says: "Truly skilled Trainers should try to win with their favorites." Or, in this case, "Truly skilled Travelers should try to win with the characters they have." PIMPNITE is famous for being able to sweep competitive teams with weak Pokémon like Magikarp. Similarly, Enviosity, known to some as the F2P Archon, can beat the Spiral Abyss with those 7 characters.

In other words, it's a subtle way to say "you can win even if you never do any sort of gacha", which may be a marketing strategy to attract more F2P players.

Two, in general, the harder it is to get something, the more rewarding it feels when it is finally obtained. It's why we get bored quickly when, for example, we start an RPG with a max-level character equipped with the very best items. After all, even Genshin Impact whales rejoice like crazy when they get the characters they want.

Also, it's a way to get players to play for longer. Ever since I got my English tutoring job, I have NEVER missed a day of Daily Commissions. (But I capped my Resin a few times, such as last July when my niece and I were staying overnight at a swimming pool where there was no Wi-Fi. I don't use mobile data.)

Next, let's talk about the puny art contest rewards. Putting the gadgets out of the way first, the Genshin Impact Facebook page shares Genshin Impact content from the Apple App Store more often, while the most Google-related thing that they've done was...a Google Play namecard. Similarly, I see ads saying "Recharge Genesis Crystals with Razer Gold!" I think Apple and Razer are providing free products to miHoYo to be given away.

Next, let's talk about the sheer few winners. I admit I don't dive deep into the fan art community, but holy wow, I see a wide variety of amazing fan art on Instagram and DeviantArt. The competition is very intense. However, if I remember correctly, the 1st prize is typically 6000 Primogems...or 37 pulls. I was able to achieve 70 pity after Theater Mechanicus: Stage of Wonders and before Sangonomiya Kokomi's banner. Perhaps this is miHoYo's way of saying that, traditionally, in a birthday celebration, the birthday celebrant is the one who gets gifts, not the people attending.

Putting them all together, perhaps miHoYo is trying to teach us an important life lesson: that the real rewards are the memories you make along the way. After all, even if the meta encourages hardcore gameplay, the advertising emphasizes traveling above all else. Daily Commissions and events are pretty generous with Primogems in comparison--after all, most of them encourage the player to travel from place to place.

Or perhaps miHoYo is trying to take advantage of the Approval of God trope. After all, merely getting acknowledged by a celebrity is enough to make some girls melt and scream in joy. I know whenever I got a reply from someone from Hypixel Studios, I was very thankful.

Nah, Those Reasons Still Suck

As far as I know, even Enviosity can't 36-star the Spiral Abyss using the 7 starter characters--he relies on his gacha characters like Bennett and Eula to do so.

In the end, no matter how good the best artists are or how much effort they put, it's still up to miHoYo to decide which are the best.

I wish they also gave rewards based on community reception, just like with the Klee sticker contest.

Obviously, there are players who care only about the story and the traveling experience, so Primogems typically don't matter to them. Those who do want Primogems probably want to do things like catching 'em all, taking photos with the characters, or simply enjoying the characters' company.

I don't like Sangonomiya Kokomi's combat, but I REALLY enjoy her personality, especially given I'm also a tactician.

But, come on, miHoYo, let the hardcore F2P players get what they deserve for being so loyal to the game.

I was thinking...maybe give more rewards to those who have played for more than 200 days? lololol

After all, I talk about Genshin Impact a lot, even with people who don't play video games. When I make analogies, for example, I use the Genshin Impact characters and lore.

Making Fun of the Anniversary Rewards

The theme of my Genshin Impact 1st anniversary celebration is the Fowl meme.

I started by pretending to be Diluc. The night before the anniversary, I mimicked Diluc while teaching one of my non-gamer students, such as by saying "I hate alcohol" in Diluc's voice. I wore a black shirt and red shorts at work in my store, similar to Diluc's color scheme. Also, Diluc is one of several characters that can kill Timmie's pigeons with a single attack: a huge phoenix. Which is also a bird. I used the bird to destroy the birds.

Luckily, my mom had no idea what to cook for the anniversary (I didn't tell her in advance about the anniversary), so I asked her to buy KFC and she approved. After all, Diluc, along with Noelle, got special KFC artworks.

Enjoy the photos I've taken:

My younger brother may not be a Genshin Impact player anymore, but even he wouldn't say no to Fowl.

I normally drink from a jug, but just this once because I was Diluc, I drank from a goblet.

Rapid-Fire List of Annoying/Difficult Crossover Hytale Enemies

Image from Know Your Meme

Azhdaha

Zhongli's second Story Quest was kinda boring for me, so I'll spare you the nerdy lore. Azhdaha is a Genshin Impact weekly boss that packs very high HP and a currently unique ability to control three elements simultaneously: Geo plus two of either Cryo, Electro, Hydro, or Pyro. In addition to the massive AoEs of his attacks, his Cryo, Electro, Hydro, and Pyro attacks inflict a Damage Over Time status to unshielded units; it lasts surprisingly long and deals a lot of damage, meaning a character who is too full to eat HP-restoring food is pretty much dead.

I still have LOTS of trouble fighting this boss, both in single-player and Co-Op Mode. He slaughters pretty much anyone, including heavy damage dealers (Eula, Hu Tao), height advantage abusers (Kaedehara Kazuha, Venti, Xiao), healers (Barbara, Bennett, Qiqi), speedsters (tall characters, Kamisato Ayaka, Sayu), and even the Nigh-Invulnerable Zhongli.

His melee attacks have HUGE AoEs, forcing the player to keep their distance. His ranged attacks, however, are not as huge, making ranged attackers like Ganyu valuable.

Obviously, taking on Azhdaha with a bow is the safest bet thanks to the bow's generally superior range in action RPGs. However, he has 40% Physical RES, 50% Geo RES, and 60% or 70% RES to the two elements he's infused with, so I think an Anemo bow is the safest bet, even if I don't inflict elemental reactions.

As long as I manage my stamina well, I should be able to dodge his attacks.

Edelgard: Hegemon Husk

Without a doubt, I consider this to be the most frustratingly difficult unit to fight in Fire Emblem Heroes. She (or it?) has VERY high Atk/Def/Res that can be boosted even further by her skills, can move surprisingly far for an armored unit, can act twice in one turn, can counterattack from any range, and can even self-heal after combat! Even anti-armor weapons have trouble getting through her thick (no sexual jokes intended) defenses! She's so powerful that GamePress has an entire guide dedicated to defeating her!

I know Fire Emblem is NOT an action game series (except for Fire Emblem Warriors), but if I were to translate this to Hytale, she would have a high movement and attack speed, as well as both close- and long-range attacks. Each hit she lands or takes, even if it's blocked or parried, will restore her HP.

Dealing massive damage in a single hit would neutralize Edelgard's self-healing, but in many RPGs, attacks of this type are either very slow or are Limit Breaks. Obviously, slow attacks don't work for someone who hits VERY hard and fast.

We know we can charge the Hytale sword's signature move by landing hits or blocking with a shield, but we don't know if the fully-charged state lasts until the signature move is used (similar to mana systems in many games) or if it expires over time or outside of combat.

Preparation is key when fighting Edelgard, so assuming the signature move works like a Genshin Impact Elemental Burst which does not expire when unused, I can simply fight some weak mooks to charge up my signature move.

La Signora

MASSIVE spoilers for Chapter II of the Genshin Impact Archon Quests.

La Signora is the 8th of the Fatui Harbingers, the highest-ranking members of the Fatui behind only their god, the Tsaritsa. She is responsible for taking the Gnoses of two of the Archons.

Her attacks leave lingering areas that inflict elemental damage when stepped on. She also adds a weather effect that eventually deals Damage Over Time but can be neutralized by staying close to a Heart of Flame or Eye of Frost near the corners of the battlefield.

Cryo Phase

I might start with ranged attacks since La Signora stays still in this phase. I don't want her to cover the area around her in DoT terrain when I hammer her with my melee attacks which have higher DPS.

In her Cryo cocoon state, I'd say I'm alright at using heavy weapons like claymores which are somewhat effective against Cryo, so I'd use claymores. Ideally, I'd rather use my fists for both speed and power, though I don't know if vanilla Hytale fists can become effective against heavy armor.

Crimson Witch of Embers (Pyro Phase)

In this phase, La Signora is significantly more malikot (unable to stay still) and uses Pyro attacks with HUGE AoEs, making her difficult to dodge. She can eventually engulf maybe 70% of the battlefield in lingering flames, making this a near-literal game of "The Floor is Lava".

She does gain a weakness: her huge size. I can simply hug a corner to stay cool while pelting Signora with arrows.

Raiden Shogun

MASSIVE spoilers for Chapter II of the Genshin Impact Archon Quests.

The Raiden Shogun is one of the most difficult bosses in Genshin Impact, having very fast AoE attacks and is malikot. She also has an IMMENSELY HIGH amount of HP. There's a good reason Yae Miko makes the Traveler do the Anti-Raiden Shogun Training where the Traveler must dodge simulated versions of the Raiden Shogun's attacks.

I don't really understand how the Traveler got powered up by the confiscated Visions, but for this battle, I won't give myself that opportunity.

Good thing I'm a physical attacker to begin with, so my combat abilities will be unaffected by the Vision Hunt Decree. Unfortunately, hypothetical teammates who do use magic will be rendered helpless unless they're Magic Knights. I would just inform those teammates to do something else while I fight the Raiden Shogun unless the Raiden Shogun is attacking my base.

First of all, I need to be SUPER prepared in real life before this fight because it will last horribly long. Although there's nothing I can do about emergencies that force me to stop playing, I can certainly sleep and eat well.

The Raiden Shogun wields both polearms and her famous booba sword, so just to be safe, I'll also wield a polearm. Fists and daggers are too risky when it comes to the range of a polearm and, given her speed, I can't simply dash towards uppercut range (the shortest-range punch in boxing) when I see an "opening".

Of course, long range doesn't work either, especially thanks to my Stormtrooper aim in gaming.

A spear-and-shield combo similar to a Spartan might be effective defensively, while a spear-only build may be more effective offensively, especially if spears are strictly two-handed weapons in Hytale. I wield a spear like a bo staff in real life.

Note that, to only give the spoilers necessary to write this post, I deliberately referred to her incorrectly as the Raiden Shogun.

Specters (Genshin Impact)

Continuing the trend of tanky new enemies in Inazuma, we have Specters which are slime-like floating beings that are the size of an office chair. Although their attacks don't deal a lot of damage, they are extremely annoying in that they float out of reach of melee attacks and bombard the player with fast homing projectiles that are difficult to dodge. They are also tankier than--guess what? Mitachurls, which are muscular hilichurls that are about 9 feet tall.

If this was a real-life fight, I would hit Specters with wrestling moves to stop them from moving so much, but Hytale isn't WWE.

I don't know if I'm just bad at dodging in Genshin Impact or I REALLY need a shield to properly protect myself from Specters. I tend to play hyper-aggressively for the sake of speedrunning.

But since Hytale is a single-player game (that, like Minecraft, I assume is playable offline) that doesn't have "deadlines", I can take a more relaxed approach to tasks in general, including combat. As such, I can play more defensively by using a shield and throwing knives.

Hold up, throwing knives?

There's a popular clip of a deadeye pigeon (likely a transformed player) throwing a dagger with one wing, suggesting that this can be thrown with one hand by a normal player.

This is my only option for now since every other practical ranged weapon we've seen being used was used with two hands, including crossbows, spears, staves, and tomes. (Wands have never been seen in any videos, so we don't know if they're one- or two-handed. We also don't know if rocks will be viable in combat. Poop, however, is one-handed and deals chip damage even to an unarmored player.)

Also, just in case there will be elemental specializations in Hytale where, for example, a dedicated fire mage will have stronger fire spells than someone who branches into both fire and water, I choose not to use magic against Specters. After all, there may be a Specter for all seven elements, not just Anemo, Geo, and Hydro as of Genshin Impact Version 2.1. Specters are immune to damage of their own element.

Ultra Necrozma

Using Hytale weapons

Note that, for this section, I'll treat myself as typeless regardless of equipment or elemental infusions. This means I take normal damage from all attacks and don't gain Same-Type Attack Bonus (STAB) from any type of attack.

Pokémon Legends: Arceus has wild Pokémon literally striking the player. If the player takes too much damage, they'll black out similar to losing all their Pokémon in past games.

So I'll go extra crazy by allowing players to damage certain Pokémon with swords, etc.

Ultra Necrozma starts its battle with an increase to all its stats, as well as four very powerful moves that cover its weaknesses, making its battle one of the biggest Difficulty Spikes in all of Pokémon history. In an average playthrough with no extreme grinding or preparation, it can easily one-hit KO the player's Pokémon.

However, MandJTV had a massive comeback when his plan to overwhelm Ultra Necrozma with stat boosts failed due to his Incineroar taking a critical hit, followed by his Vikavolt dodging Ultra Necrozma's attack then landing a super-effective critical hit, defeating Ultra Necrozma with a one-hit KO. (Critical hits in Pokémon ignore the attacker's stat drops and the defender's stat boosts.)

I plan to take a similar approach to MandJTV's feat...and it just so happens that my character build is perfect for taking on Ultra Necrozma. I just need equipment that greatly boosts my movement speed and crit rate to ignore Ultra Necrozma's stat boosts and land the first hit; besides, Smart Strike never misses and I'm not planning to use a Zhongli-style build that tanks almost everything. Again, daggers may be perfect for this because of their traditionally fast attack speed in gaming.

If a Genshin Impact-themed mod is installed, reverse Melt (inflict Pyro then Cryo to deal increased Cryo damage) will be extra effective since Ultra Necrozma, a Psychic/Dragon-type, is weak to Ice-type moves. However, inflicting two elements can be a chore without dual-wielding Pyro and Cryo daggers, giving Ultra Necrozma an opening to strike.

Using Pokémon

The easiest and laziest way to defeat Ultra Necrozma is to have six Pokémon in the player's team and lead with a Pokémon that holds a Focus Sash (lets the Pokémon survive an otherwise fatal hit with 1 HP) and knows Toxic (inflicts poison damage that steadily gets worse) then let Ultra Necrozma beat up five of the player's Pokémon before fainting due to poison damage.

For safety, I would teach Protect to all six of those Pokémon to completely avoid all of Ultra Necrozma's attacks for one turn each.

But, surely, competitive battlers who have watched ThirtyVirus's "Hytale should be DIFFICULT" won't make it THIS easy, will they?

Let's make Ultra Necrozma immune to Damage Over Time moves and effects, then! Let's ban Focus Sashes and use permadeath rules too!

And while we're at it, let's ban using world backups (the Minecraft equivalent of a soft reset in Fire Emblem and Pokémon).

Super Cheats recommends Zoroark, a Dark-type Pokémon that disguises itself as the last Pokémon in the player's team. Disguising as a Pokémon that is weak to Psychic (such as Bellsprout which is commonly found in Forest biomes in Minecraft Pixelmon) can trick Ultra Necrozma to use Photon Geyser, a Psychic-type attack that Zoroark is immune to. Zoroark can then comfortably spam Dark-type moves for super-effective damage, especially Night Slash which has a high crit rate.

(Just please don't have divination spells like true seeing or a Viral Detector-like ability.)