Five reasons to wish on Keqing's Genshin Impact banner

Seasoned gatcha gamers would not have been surprised to see Keqing, the Yuheng of the Liyue Qixing, announced as one of the banner characters for Genshin Impact 1.3.

To others, she might have been unexpected, since miHoYo has been releasing new 5* characters all this while on their limited banners, while Keqing has been in the game since launch.

If you're a Free-to-play (F2P) player saving up your primogems for Hu Tao or a future character, it would be wise to stay away from Keqing's banner. But if you're anywhere in the class of dolphins to leviathans, here are five reasons you could consider wishing for the Electro swordswoman in the Dance of Lanterns banner that starts on 17 February.

1. Electro is overdue a buff

Pyro Melt or Vaporize team comps have been all the rage recently, with the Cryo bow user Ganyu causing many to worry about power creep when she was released. Bundle that with Xiao's insane damage potential, and Zhongli's buffs which pretty much allow you to use him as main DPS (attacker), there is a slight worry that the OG 5* characters will get left behind.

When you factor in the new buffs to Geo overall, there does seem to be little space for Electro, the element of choice for early game. Characters like Razor, Beidou, Fischl and Keqing, who excelled on the path to AR 45, start to require more specific team setups to get the most of them. Meanwhile, Diluc is still smashing things, Klee is still happy blowing things up, and Tartaglia recently got new Hydro artifacts to play around with.

Given that the upcoming Inazuma is the land of the Electro archon, it would make sense if that element was the next on miHoYo's tinkering board.

2. You are a Keqing main

While not being a banner exclusive means that you could get Keqing any time, there's also a case to be made that there are many other 5* characters and weapons that are also vying for your wish luck.

Having Keqing on the limited banner means you are guaranteed her after a maximum 180 wishes, which, while not cheap, is still a lot more reasonable than trying to get her constellations on the standard one. And while Keqing's constellations have left their fair share of players underwhelmed, you never know when an incoming buff might suddenly make her the flavour of the month.

3. You've got the Primordial Jade Cutter, and no one to use it

Let's be fair, the main character is a one-handed sword user. Kaeya is a one-handed sword user. Xingqiu (whom you can pick from one of the rewards for the Lantern Rite festival) is a one-handed sword user.

But, the Primordial Jade Cutter has arguably replaced other swords as Keqing's best-in-slot, and the Crit Rate substat complements her Crit Damage ascension stat perfectly. If you want someone to make the most out of a weapon you were never statistically guaranteed to get, Keqing can be the one for you.

And, unlike the Jade Cutter, you're actually guaranteed to get her if you're willing to spend the primos.

4. You really want to complete the character archive

Similar to point 1, Keqing being a standard banner character means you would not have been able to guarantee wishing for her no matter how many tonnes of cash you pumped into the game.

For the completionist in some, having a standard banner character get their own exclusive might just be the thing to fill that void (in the archive, or your heart, whichever).

5. You want more constellations on the 4* characters

Apart from the main banner character, the expanded cast of 4* characters are also an important consideration if you're not high up the whale chain. 4* characters are much easier to get to max constellation, and some of their constellations are game changers for the way these characters perform on the field (or off).

Everyone's favourite zero-to-hero, Bennett, is one of the most, if not the most, talked about 4* at the moment, and he's on Keqing's banner. With an AoE heal over time that also boosts your attack, Bennett is an amazing support unit, and being Pyro he can also give you that juicy Pyro resonance boost for one of your DPS. If you completed Dragonspine, you'd easily have a max-refined Festering Desire for him, which will help with his energy recharge and his ult availability. Take note, though, if you're already at C5, as Bennett's C6 will mess with your elemental damage if you're using a non-Pyro DPS.

Ningguang is another amazing 4*, who, all things considered, could/should really have been a 5* character. Put a good set of artifacts on her and pair her together with someone who can shield or give Geo resonance (or better, both), and she will start doing some really high damage numbers. Her constellations only improve that, and at C6 she becomes a solid contender for the top Geo DPS. Just don't expect her to do much against Geo slimes.

It's clearly not a good time for Barbara, as she's gone from being the hype idol to emo singer with a soon-to-be hit single detailing the challenges of her relationship with her big sister. At least, in her voice lines. In battle, Barbara is still the same F2P healer she was, with just less enthusiasm for life. That being said, she's a perfect pairing for Xiao, and her Elemental skill can help negate the loss of HP from Xiao's burst. And, if you get her to max constellation, she'll be able to resurrect your on field character every 15 minutes as long as she is in your party, which is especially helpful if you're sometimes clumsy or your play style is a little reckless like the Vigilant Yaksha.

GellyPanda is a casual gamer who occasionally dabbles into gatcha games.

For more gaming news updates, visit https://yhoo.it/YahooGamingSEA

Watch more Gaming news on Yahoo TV: