Genshin Impact 7.1 Launch Guide: What to Claim Before Wishing for Vesna or Vodyanitsa

Genshin Impact Version 7.1 arrives on September 23 with two new Phase I character banners, two separate free 5-star selections, anniversary rewards, and a Genesis Crystal first top-up reset. The generous list makes launch day look straightforward, but the rewards follow different schedules. The 300-Primogem maintenance compensation should arrive after the servers reopen; the 1,600 anniversary Primogems begin later; and the 10 Intertwined Fates come through a seven-day login event in October.

That timing matters if Vesna or Vodyanitsa is already on your wish list. A clean first login is less about clicking every red notification and more about confirming what is actually available, testing both characters, and separating guaranteed resources from rewards that have not been distributed yet. The steps below keep the first day useful without turning it into a chore.

When Genshin Impact 7.1 goes live in your region

The Version 7.1 maintenance notice archived by GINews schedules maintenance for September 23 at 06:00 UTC+8 and estimates five hours of downtime. That corresponds to September 22 from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. PDT, 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. EDT, and 11:00 p.m. BST to 4:00 a.m. BST on September 23. These are estimated windows; an early or delayed reopening is possible, so the live launcher notice remains the final reference.

Pre-installation is available before maintenance. The published download estimate is about 10 GB on PC and 4 GB on mobile, with the real size changing according to installed voice packs. Allow extra free storage for unpacking rather than treating the download figure as the exact space requirement. Console players can update once the platform build is released.

Players at Adventure Rank 5 or above before maintenance begins are eligible for 300 Primogems as update compensation. The mail is expected within five hours after maintenance ends, remains claimable through Version 7.1, and expires 30 days after delivery. Claiming it during the first login removes one easy-to-forget deadline.

A useful pre-maintenance check takes only a few minutes

Before the servers close, collect any finished commissions, event rewards, Battle Pass items, and time-limited mail that already show an expiry notice. Spending enough Original Resin to avoid sitting at the cap during maintenance is helpful, but there is no reason to force an inefficient farm just to reach zero. The in-game event countdown is more reliable than a social post when a deadline differs by server.

It is also worth recording three numbers: current character-event pity, whether the next 5-star is guaranteed, and the balance of Primogems plus Intertwined Fates. Wish history can take time to refresh after an update, while a quick screenshot makes the launch-day budget easy to verify. Keep weapon-banner pity in a separate note because it does not transfer to the character banners.

If storage is tight, finish the pre-install early and leave space for extraction. Avoid uninstalling voice packs or game files during the maintenance window unless the launcher specifically asks for it; a rushed reinstall can take longer than the update itself.

What to check during the first login

Start with Mail. The first guaranteed launch-day item is the 300-Primogem maintenance compensation, not the full anniversary package. Then open the Events menu and confirm that both free 5-star activities are visible on the account. One selector is tied to login and event access, while the limited-character invitation requires progress through the Version 7.1 Archon Quest.

Next, visit the Character Event Wish pages for Vesna and Vodyanitsa. Confirm the displayed end time for your server, check the featured 4-star lineup, and run both character trials before spending. A trial cannot reproduce every team or investment level, but it reveals movement, field time, aiming comfort, and whether a character's basic rhythm feels enjoyable.

Finally, open the Crystal Top-Up screen only to verify the first-purchase badges. The reset should appear after maintenance, but no purchase is required to activate the free rewards. A useful launch-day record is a screenshot of the updated top-up page, wish pity, and resource balance before the first pull.

Vesna and Vodyanitsa share character-banner pity

The Phase I Event Wish notice lists Vesna in “When Warm Winds Cavort” and Vodyanitsa in “Surging Ballad.” Vesna is an Anemo 5-star and Vodyanitsa is a Hydro 5-star. Their banners open after the update and are scheduled to run until October 13 at 17:59 server time.

The two Character Event Wish banners share the same pity count and guarantee. Pulling 30 times on Vesna and then moving to Vodyanitsa does not create two separate counters; those 30 wishes remain part of the same character-event pity. The same applies to a guaranteed featured 5-star after losing a previous 50/50.

That shared system makes switching possible, but it does not make “building pity” risk-free. A featured 5-star can arrive early. If Vodyanitsa is the real priority, every wish placed on Vesna must be treated as a wish that could end the guarantee on Vesna instead. The safest order is simple: trial both, choose one primary target, and stop when the account reaches the result or spending limit set beforehand.

The featured 4-stars and weapon banner need separate decisions

Diona, Faruzan, and Chongyun receive boosted rates on both Phase I character banners. Their constellations can be useful, especially Faruzan for Anemo-focused teams, but the 4-star pool is not selective. There is no guarantee that a specific boosted 4-star will appear within a chosen number of wishes, so chasing one can unexpectedly trigger the 5-star you were trying to avoid.

The weapon banner features Beyond the Chrysalis and Hymn of the Maelstrom. It has its own pity and guarantee rules; character-banner pity does not carry into Epitome Invocation. Check the live weapon details and Epitomized Path before spending, because a signature weapon can require far more resources than the remaining distance to one character pity.

For most accounts, the character trial and team fit deserve attention before signature-weapon damage sheets. A flexible existing sword or catalyst may preserve enough wishes for a second character, while a weapon banner commitment can consume the entire anniversary allowance without adding another playable unit.

How the two free 5-star selections fit into launch day

Version 7.1 offers two independent character selections. The standard 5-star selector is the easier one to access during the event period. The limited invitation, “Tabletop Troupe: A Gathering on Adventure’s Eve,” requires Adventure Rank 18 and completion of Chapter VII, Act IV of the Archon Quest. The exact event panel on the live account shows whether every condition has been met.

Neither selection uses wishes or changes pity. That means the free characters should be considered roster upgrades, not entries in the pull count. Before confirming either choice, test Vesna and Vodyanitsa and look at the teams the account can already build. A free sustain or off-field option may solve a missing role and reduce the pressure to pull another character immediately.

There is no prize for choosing within the first few minutes. Claim access, check the deadline, and continue the Archon Quest at a comfortable pace. The limited selector is a reason to finish the story requirement during Version 7.1, not a reason to skip dialogue or rush past the part of the update a player wanted to enjoy.

Anniversary wishes arrive after launch day, not all at once

The 300 Primogems from maintenance are the launch-day payment. The anniversary distribution begins later. According to the official anniversary event notice, Missive of Grace starts on September 28 at 00:00 server time and sends 400 Primogems per day for four days, for a total of 1,600.

Resplendent Starlight runs from October 1 at 04:00 until October 19 at 03:59 server time. Logging in on seven cumulative days awards 10 Intertwined Fates in total. The days do not need to be consecutive, but leaving the event until its final week creates unnecessary risk. Together, the 1,600 Primogems and 10 Fates equal 20 limited-banner wishes, and the published schedule keeps all of them inside Phase I if collected on time.

For an accurate Genshin Primogem plan, use three columns: available now, confirmed before the target banner ends, and uncertain. Put the 300 compensation in the first column only after claiming the mail. Put anniversary rewards in the second column according to their dates. Exploration, achievements, and unfinished events belong in the uncertain column until completed. This avoids spending based on a total that the account has not actually received.

Verify the Genesis Crystal reset before topping up

The Genesis Crystal first top-up bonus resets when Version 7.1 goes live. A tier whose original double bonus was previously used can become eligible again after the reset. It does not double crystals already owned, does not renew Blessing of the Welkin Moon, and does not stack two unused first-purchase bonuses on the same tier.

Open the in-game shop after maintenance and inspect the exact tier before paying. If the expected badge is missing, restart the game and check the live notice rather than purchasing on assumption. Regional prices, taxes, payment methods, and third-party pack structures can differ from the in-game store.

Players using Treabar's Genshin Impact top-up page should verify the game region, UID or fulfillment details, product amount, and final offer shown at checkout. A third-party promotion does not necessarily mirror the in-game double-bonus tiers. Never provide an account password for a direct UID top-up, and keep the order receipt until the crystals arrive.

Frequently asked questions

What time does Genshin Impact 7.1 release?

Maintenance starts on September 22 at 3:00 p.m. PDT, 6:00 p.m. EDT, and 11:00 p.m. BST. It is estimated to end five hours later, which is September 23 at 4:00 a.m. BST. The actual reopening can move, so check the launcher notice.

Do players receive 300 or 1,900 Primogems on launch day?

The 300-Primogem maintenance compensation is expected after the update. The separate 1,600-Primogem anniversary mail begins on September 28 and is split across four days, so the full 1,900 is not an immediate launch-day package.

Do Vesna and Vodyanitsa share pity?

Yes. Both are Character Event Wish banners in the same phase, so pity and the featured-character guarantee carry between them. The weapon banner remains separate.

Can both free 5-star characters be claimed on the first day?

The standard selector should be accessible through its event conditions, but the limited selector requires Adventure Rank 18 and completion of Chapter VII, Act IV. Players who have not completed that quest will need to progress the story first.

Is it better to top up before or after the reset?

Anyone specifically waiting for the refreshed first-purchase bonus should verify it after Version 7.1 maintenance before paying. The free anniversary rewards do not require a top-up.