Varka, the long-awaited Grand Master of Mondstadt's Knights of Favonius, releases in Genshin Impact on February 25, 2026, as the headline character of Version 6.4 Luna V. He's a 5-star Anemo Claymore user with a unique twist — he fights with two Claymores simultaneously.
Quick answer: Varka's banner, "The Northerly Wind's Song of Triumph," goes live on February 25, 2026, and runs through March 17, 2026. Maintenance begins the evening of February 24 for North American servers.
Release time: February 24, 2026 at 6:00 PM EST / February 25, 2026 at 12:00 AM CET / February 25, 2026 at 7:00 AM CST (UTC+8)
Version 6.4 Luna V Maintenance Schedule by Server
| Server | Maintenance Window |
|---|---|
| North America | Feb 24, 2026 — 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM (UTC-5) |
| Europe | Feb 25, 2026 — 12:00 AM to 5:00 AM (UTC+1) |
| Asia / TW, HK, MO | Feb 25, 2026 — 7:00 AM to 12:00 PM (UTC+8) |
Maintenance typically lasts around five hours. Once it wraps up on your server, you can log in, update the client, and immediately pull on Varka's banner or jump into the new content.
How Varka's Dual Claymore Kit Works
Varka is an on-field Anemo DPS who wields a Claymore in each hand. His left-hand weapon consistently deals Anemo DMG, while the right-hand weapon adapts its elemental infusion based on the elements of his party members — it can take on Pyro, Hydro, Electro, or Cryo. Players who've used Razor will notice some shared attack animations, a lore-accurate nod to the fact that Varka trained him.
His Elemental Skill deals bonus damage and reduces its own cooldown when Varka lands hits. Triggering Swirl reactions with teammates further amplifies his power. His Elemental Burst shifts its damage type depending on the party's elemental composition, making team building a central part of maximizing his output. He synergizes particularly well with Hexerei characters from the Nod-Krai roster.
Varka's Banner Details and Phase 1 Lineup
Varka's debut banner runs alongside a Flins rerun banner during Phase 1 of Version 6.4, from February 25 through March 17, 2026. The weapon banner for Phase 1 features the new 5-star Claymore Gest of the Mighty Wolf alongside Bloodsoaked Ruins.
Standard 50/50 pity rules apply. If you pull a different 5-star character on the concurrent Flins banner (which shares the same wish counter), your next 5-star pull on Varka's banner is guaranteed to be him. The featured 4-star characters for Varka's banner have not yet been confirmed.
Phase 2 Banners and Chronicled Wish
Phase 2 kicks off on March 17 and runs through April 7, 2026, featuring rerun banners for Skirk and Escoffier. A Mondstadt-themed Chronicled Wish Banner also arrives during Version 6.4, offering selectable 5-star characters like Jean, Diluc, Klee, Mona, Albedo, and Eula alongside their signature weapons.
Varka's Story Quest and Exclusive Weapon Skin
Version 6.4 includes Varka's Story Quest, titled Lupus Majoris Chapter: Act 1. Alongside the quest, Varka has a special interaction system where he collects Wolf Spirit Fragments by engaging with Local Legends in Nod-Krai. These encounters lead to solo challenge areas, and completing them unlocks a unique weapon skin that changes the appearance of both his Claymores.
This weapon skin is earned through gameplay, not purchased. You'll need to clear the Local Legend challenges in Nod-Krai to obtain it.
New Boss, Events, and Other 6.4 Content
The Radiant Moongecko is a new world boss arriving in Version 6.4. It's an ancient underground lizard that has absorbed enough Kuuhenki energy to transform itself, and it will likely drop ascension materials for new or upcoming characters.
The patch's flagship event is Homeward, He Who Caught the Wind, running from February 27 to March 16. It takes players back to Mondstadt for a Windblume Festival celebration with mini-games — a drink stand, photo challenges, gliding courses, and more. Completing it rewards a free Catalyst weapon skin called Phantasmal Gift: Star Omen.
Other events fill out the rest of the six-week cycle. Sightseeing With Friends (March 16–26) sends you to Sumeru with Bongo Head and your Fungal companions. Operation Stronghold Defense (March 23–April 2) is a base defense event featuring Aino. Overflowing Abundance returns from March 30 to April 6 with double domain drops.
Additional Version 6.4 Additions
Nod-Krai gets its own Serenitea Pot Realm Layout, complete with new Furnishing Sets and Gift Sets. New Envisaged Echoes for Ayaka (Frostflake Heron) and Ayato (Pillar of Fortitude) become available in the Imaginarium Theater. A new instrument, the Harmonic Keys, can be purchased in Fontaine for use in the Repertoire of Myriad Melodies. And a new 5-star outfit, Cloud Edge's Glory, appears in Miliastra Wonderland.
Pre-Farming for Varka
You can start gathering most of Varka's ascension materials before the update drops. His local specialty is Wolfhook, which grows abundantly in Wolvendom — most long-time players already have stacks of it. The one material you can't pre-farm is whatever the Radiant Moongecko drops, since that boss won't be available until after maintenance concludes on February 25.
Varka's arrival marks one of the most anticipated character debuts in Genshin Impact's history. After years of being referenced only in dialogue and lore, the Grand Master is finally stepping onto the field — dual Claymores and all.