Meet Wriothesley: Genshin Impact's Upcoming Cryo Catalyst User Ready to Redefine the Meta

Genshin Impact has unveiled a new character demo showcasing the forthcoming five-star Cryo catalyst user, Wriothesley. His official announcement dates back to August, preceding the arrival of the Fontaine region. The initial phase of the ongoing update 4.1 introduced a fresh set of limited characters, including the fearless Chief Justice known as Neuvillette.

As the Neuvillette and Hu Tao double banner concludes, it's time for a new limited character lineup to grace the stage. The live stream event for Genshin Impact 4.1 has confirmed that the second part of the update will feature Wriothesley and Venti as the limited five-star characters.

Genshin Impact has a history of releasing multiple promotional videos spotlighting their upcoming characters. Thus, their latest character demo, titled "Art of Improvisation," showcases the new Cryo catalyst character, Wriothesley. In the video, Wriothesley displays his remarkable combat prowess by taking on powerful adversaries one after another. Although limited information is available about Wriothesley, it is known that he was once incarcerated at the Fortress of Meropide, considered Fontaine's primary prison. Subsequently, he assumed the role of the prison's Administrator, implementing significant changes to its operations.

Despite the fear Wriothesley's appearance instills in many of Fontaine's residents, he is a tranquil character who strives to treat everyone with fairness. He has even earned a noble title from the Palais Mermonia, a special privilege within the Hydro nation. Regarding his combat abilities, the video illustrates Wriothesley's preference for close combat, despite being a catalyst user, reminiscent of the previously released Shikanoin Heizou.

Wriothesley will wield Cryo catalyst abilities, making him the first Genshin Impact character capable of inflicting Cryo damage solely through Normal Attacks. This positions him as a potential go-to DPS unit in Genshin Impact team compositions reliant on this element. Some players argue that the Cryo element has waned in popularity with the introduction of the new Dendro elemental reactions by HoYoverse.

Nonetheless, the introduction of characters with unique skill sets like Wriothesley could potentially rekindle interest in Cryo users in the weeks ahead. Leaks over recent months have suggested that Wriothesley may eventually join the Standard Banner once his Limited Banner expires. However, in the absence of official confirmation, he remains part of the limited character lineup for now.