Genshin Impact 5.1 Banner Schedule: Xilonen Debut, Nahida and Hu Tao Reruns, and Pull Advice

Genshin Impact Version 5.1, "The Rainbow Destined to Burn," is a key early update in the Natlan chapter. The 5-star Geo sword character Xilonen officially joins the limited banners, while Chiori, Nahida, and Hu Tao return as featured 5-star reruns. For players who want to improve Natlan exploration, resistance shred support, Geo-team options, or Dendro reaction teams, the two banner phases have very different value.

If you only want the quick conclusion: Phase 1 mainly favors Xilonen, with Chiori as the secondary option; Phase 2 brings Nahida and Hu Tao, so players missing a Dendro reaction core should prioritize Nahida, while players who need a Pyro main DPS can consider Hu Tao. For the weapon banner, Phase 1 focuses on Xilonen's signature weapon Peak Patrol Song and Chiori's Uraku Misugiri, while Phase 2 features A Thousand Floating Dreams and Staff of Homa.

Genshin Impact 5.1 Release Time

According to the update maintenance schedule, Version 5.1 maintenance began at 06:00 on October 9, 2024 (UTC+8) and was expected to last 5 hours. Most players could therefore prepare for the Version 5.1 launch around 11:00 on October 9, 2024 (UTC+8). If maintenance ended early, the actual opening time may have been slightly earlier.

Common time-zone conversions are as follows:

Please note that Character Event Wishes usually switch according to server time. Asia, Europe, and America servers may feel different in terms of Phase 2 opening time, so the in-game Wish countdown should always be treated as the final reference.

Genshin Impact 5.1 Banners Overview

The limited character banners in Version 5.1 are divided into two phases. Phase 1 centers on Natlan's new character Xilonen, while Phase 2 is led by two long-popular characters, Nahida and Hu Tao.

Phase 1 feels fresher because Xilonen is the new 5-star of Version 5.1 and one of the most watched support characters in the early Natlan cycle. Phase 2 is more about strengthening established systems: Nahida remains a core piece for Dendro reaction teams, while Hu Tao represents the classic Vaporize Pyro DPS archetype.

Phase 1: Xilonen Debut and Chiori Rerun

Version 5.1 Phase 1 runs from October 9, 2024 to October 29, 2024. The featured 5-star characters are Xilonen and Chiori.

Xilonen is a 5-star Geo sword character whose highlights focus on support and team buffs. Her value is not only that she is a new Geo character, but also that she can serve multi-element teams: through her kit, she can provide resistance shred, healing, or better team comfort, allowing Pyro, Hydro, Electro, Cryo, and other main DPS characters to enjoy a smoother combat environment. For most accounts, she is more flexible than traditional Geo characters.

Chiori is better suited to players who already have a Geo-team foundation. She leans toward off-field Geo damage and interactions with Geo constructs. If you are playing Navia, Arataki Itto, or another Geo lineup, Chiori's rerun still has clear value; but if your goal is to improve multi-team flexibility, Xilonen is usually the higher priority.

Phase 1 Weapon Banner

The Phase 1 weapon banner centers on:

· Peak Patrol Song: Xilonen's signature weapon, suitable for players who want stronger support value and a more complete build for her.

· Uraku Misugiri: Chiori's signature weapon, also worth considering for some characters that benefit from DEF or Geo damage.

The weapon banner also includes new Version 5.1 4-star weapons such as Fruitful Hook, Mountain-Bracing Bolt, and Sturdy Bone. If your Primogem budget is limited, secure your character target first before deciding whether to chase a signature weapon.

Phase 2: Nahida and Hu Tao Rerun

Version 5.1 Phase 2 runs from October 29, 2024 to November 19, 2024. The featured 5-star characters are Nahida and Hu Tao.

Nahida's priority remains very high. As long as your account still needs Bloom, Hyperbloom, Quicken, Burning, or other Dendro-related systems, she can greatly improve team stability and reaction coverage. For new or returning players, Nahida often improves overall account strength more than adding a single DPS unit.

Hu Tao depends more on whether the player is willing to build a Vaporize damage team around her. She relies on rotation rhythm, HP management, and suitable Hydro teammates, but once complete, she still has very strong single-target burst potential. If you already have Xingqiu, Yelan, Zhongli, or a substitute shielder, Hu Tao will feel more complete.

Phase 2 Weapon Banner

The Phase 2 weapon banner centers on:

· A Thousand Floating Dreams: Nahida's signature weapon, suitable for players chasing the upper ceiling of Dendro reactions.

· Staff of Homa: Hu Tao's classic signature weapon and a powerful polearm for many damage dealers.

The Phase 2 weapon banner is very attractive, but it still depends on account needs. If you do not have Nahida yet, the character usually takes priority over the weapon; if Hu Tao is already built, adding Staff of Homa will improve her damage experience more directly.

Xilonen Pull Value: Should You Pull?

Is Xilonen worth pulling? The likely answer is: yes, but the key question is whether you need a flexible support, not simply whether she is a Geo character.

She suits the following players:

· Players who want to prepare a core character for the Natlan cycle.

· Players lacking strong buffing, resistance shred, or healing support.

· Players who already own multiple elemental main DPS characters and want better lineup flexibility.

· Players who like Xilonen's character design and want to build her long term.

She may not suit the following players:

· Players with a tight Primogem budget who have already decided to pull Nahida.

· Players who only lack a main DPS, rather than a support slot.

· Early-account players whose main goal is to complete story exploration and build basic reaction teams first.

Overall, Xilonen's advantage lies in long-term value. She is not only a version-hype character, but more like a support component that can enter multiple teams; this kind of character often holds value better than a single DPS unit.

Best Pull Priority for Version 5.1

From the perspective of account value, you can use the following logic:

Simply put, Nahida solves the core Dendro-system problem, Xilonen solves multi-team support flexibility, Hu Tao solves the Pyro main DPS problem, and Chiori solves off-field Geo damage. Spend your Primogems according to what your account is missing.

Version 5.1 Content Beyond Banners

Beyond banners, Version 5.1 continues the Natlan Archon Quest and brings new version events, weapons, exploration content, and system improvements. Based on the livestream summary, the key points of Version 5.1 include:

· Natlan's Archon Quest continues, with the story revolving around tribes, the Abyss crisis, and Natlan's fate.

· Version events provide Primogems, materials, weapon enhancement resources, and other rewards.

· New weapons are added, including 4-star weapons suited to different character needs.

· System experience continues to improve, including convenience updates related to development, exploration, or interface features.

If you care about more than banners, Version 5.1 is still worth clearing as soon as it goes live: early version event Primogems and exploration rewards can feed directly into later Phase 2 pulls.

Final Thoughts

The banner structure of Genshin Impact Version 5.1 is very clear: Phase 1 features Xilonen's debut and Chiori's rerun, while Phase 2 features Nahida and Hu Tao reruns. For most accounts, Xilonen and Nahida are the stronger long-term-value choices; Hu Tao and Chiori are better for players who clearly like their corresponding team styles and want to keep investing in team depth.If you want the safest way to plan your Version 5.1 Primogems, first answer one core question: does your account need flexible support, a Dendro reaction core, a Pyro main DPS, or off-field Geo damage? Once the answer is clear, this banner cycle becomes much easier to choose from.