Version 7.1 hands out something Genshin Impact has never offered before: a free limited 5-star character of your choice. The pool for the sixth anniversary is Varesa, Clorinde, Chiori, Nilou, Baizhu, and Tartaglia, and the pick is permanent, so the difference between the best and worst option on that screen is substantial.
Quick answer: Take Varesa if you don’t already own her. She is the newest unit in the pool and the strongest C0 pick for most accounts. The main exceptions are Clorinde at C2 and Nilou at C2, which both unlock large team-wide gains if you are already one copy away.
What unlocks the limited 5-star selector in Version 7.1
The reward is tied to the event “Tabletop Troupe: A Gathering on Adventure’s Eve.” The gate is a single requirement: finish the Version 7.1 Archon Quest “A Rekviem for the Underworld.” Until that quest is complete, the invite screen stays locked, no matter how many other anniversary rewards you have already collected.
Version 7.1 goes live on September 23, 2026. HoYoverse has also said this limited selector returns for every anniversary from here on, with a different character pool each year, so a character you skip now is not necessarily gone forever.
Note: the anniversary also includes a separate standard 5-star selector running September 23 through November 3, 2026, covering Jean, Diluc, Qiqi, Mona, Tighnari, Keqing, Dehya, and Yumemizuki Mizuki. That is a different reward with its own pool, and claiming one does not affect the other.
All six limited 5-star options ranked
| Character | Element | Value verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Varesa | Electro | Best all-round C0 pick; newest unit in the pool |
| Clorinde | Electro | Very strong, but the big jump is at C2 |
| Chiori | Geo | Situational off-field Geo for specific teams |
| Nilou | Hydro | Weak at C0, top-tier support at C2 |
| Baizhu | Dendro | Low value; replaceable by free units |
| Tartaglia | Hydro | Low value; collection pick only |
Varesa: the safest C0 pick
Varesa is an Electro on-field DPS built around plunging attacks, and she is the newest character in the pool. That matters because power creep is the single biggest factor separating these six units. She needs no constellations to function, she carries difficult combat content with accessible teammates, and her mobility makes overworld traversal noticeably faster.
Her first constellation, “Undying Passion,” adds plunging attack ground impact damage equal to 180 percent of her ATK and cuts her Nightsoul point consumption by 30 percent. That second half is the quality-of-life part, since it directly extends how long she can stay in her damage state.
Her second constellation, “Beyond the Edge of Light,” restores 11.5 energy each time her plunging attack connects with an opponent. It solves her energy problem rather than adding raw damage, which loosens up her team requirements.
One caveat worth knowing before you commit: Varesa’s usual banner partners are not in this selector pool. If your account is missing the supports she normally leans on, her ceiling on your roster will be lower than a damage spreadsheet suggests. For gear, her signature weapon is Vivid Notions and her preferred artifact set is Long Night’s Oath.
Clorinde: competitive, but the payoff sits at C2
Clorinde is the other Electro DPS in the pool and remains a strong on-field carry. Against Varesa at C0, the gap is close enough that your existing roster decides it. If you already run the supports Clorinde wants, she is the easier character to slot in immediately.
Her real case is constellation-driven. C1, “From This Day, I Pass the Candle’s Shadow-Veil,” is a solid uplift, but C2, “Now, As We Face the Perils of the Long Night,” is the one that changes how she plays. It grants interruption resistance alongside a large damage increase, which removes the main friction point of her on-field rotation. If the free copy puts you at C2, she becomes the strongest option on the screen for your account.
Her signature weapon is Absolution. As with Varesa, the selector gives you the character only, so factor in whether you have a usable substitute before assuming her full damage numbers.
Chiori and Nilou: pick these only if your roster asks for them
Chiori is an off-field Geo damage dealer with a narrow but real job. She fits Zibai and Linnea teams, and she is most useful if you lack a C6 Iluga to fill that slot. Her constellations, “Six Paths of Sage Silkcraft” at C1 and “In Five Colors Dyed” at C2, sharpen that role rather than opening a new one. On a brand-new account with thin elemental coverage, she is not the pick.
Nilou is the sharpest split in the pool. At C0 her value is low unless you have already built around Bloom. Her C2, “The Starry Skies Their Flowers Rain,” lowers enemy Hydro and Dendro RES by 35 percent, which promotes her into a top-tier support for Nefer and Columbina teams. If you own Nilou at C1, this selector is an efficient way to reach that threshold. If you do not own her at all, the supporting roster she needs is a serious investment on its own. Her signature weapon is Key of Khaj-Nisut.
Baizhu and Tartaglia: the lowest-value options
Baizhu offers Dendro application, healing, and a defensive shield, but nothing he does is exclusive to him anymore. Free units such as Yaoyao cover the same ground well enough that a limited 5-star slot spent on him is hard to justify.
Tartaglia is in a similar position. His stance-switching kit and rapid Hydro application are still distinctive, and he remains a genuine pick for players collecting Fatui Harbingers, but power creep has erased his meta case. Choose either of these two for collection reasons, not for team power.
New character or constellation: how to decide
A character you do not own usually gives more than a constellation, because it adds an entire kit, a new team role, and new reaction options. That is the default answer if several of the six are missing from your account.
The exception is a specific, high-impact constellation. Clorinde C2 and Nilou C2 both clear that bar. Varesa C2 does as well if she is already your main carry. Read the exact constellation text before you confirm rather than assuming any C1 is worth taking, because the selection cannot be undone.
How to confirm your pick went through
For most players the decision is short. Varesa is the highest floor and the safest use of a one-time limited pick. The only reason to deviate is a concrete one, such as landing Clorinde C2, completing a Bloom core with Nilou C2, or filling an off-field Geo hole with Chiori. Anything beyond that is a collection choice, and there is nothing wrong with making it deliberately.
