The hype train for Genshin Impact's Natlan expansion is reaching its final stop, and let me tell you, the devs are not pulling any punches. As a dedicated Traveler, I've been grinding and prepping for this moment, and the latest reveal has me absolutely stoked. HoYoverse just dropped the deets on two brand-spanking-new Artifact sets dropping with Version 5.0 this week, and they are tailor-made for Natlan's core mechanic, the Nightsoul Blessing. It's a game-changer, folks, and I'm here to break down why these sets are about to shake up the meta big time.
For the uninitiated, Artifacts in Genshin Impact are the bread and butter of character optimization. They're the gear that lets you min-max your favorite characters, pushing their damage, support, or survivability to the absolute limit. Typically, when a new five-star character drops, they get their own specialized Artifact set within a patch or two. But with Natlan, HoYoverse is hitting the ground running by introducing sets designed specifically for the region's unique identity right out of the gate. These aren't your generic "increase ATK by 18%" sets; these are hyper-focused on enabling and empowering the new Nightsoul Blessing state. It's clear they want us to dive headfirst into the new gameplay loop.
Let's get into the nitty-gritty of these bad boys. First up, we have the Obsidian Codex. This set is all about pure, unadulterated damage for your on-field DPS characters who live and breathe the Nightsoul Blessing.
Obsidian Codex Effects:
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2-Piece Set:
While the equipping character is in Nightsoul's Blessing and is on the field, their DMG dealt is increased by 15%. -
4-Piece Set:
After the equipping character consumes 1 Nightsoul point while on the field, CritRate increases by 40% for 6 seconds. This effect can trigger once every second.
Holy moly, that 4-piece effect is no joke! A 40% Crit Rate boost is absolutely massive. For context, a maxed-out Crit Rate circlet gives you 31.1%. This set practically hands you a free crit hat on top of its other bonuses. The synergy is insane: you get a flat damage boost just for being in the Blessing state, and every time you spend a Nightsoul point (which you'll be doing constantly with Natlan characters), you get a crit steroid. This set is going to be a must-have for your main damage dealers in Natlan teams. Talk about a power spike!
On the other side of the coin, we have the Scroll of the Hero of Cinder City. This one screams support and reaction-based team play. It's the Swiss Army knife set for enabling your entire party.
Scroll of the Hero of Cinder City Effects:
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2-Piece Set:
When a nearby party member triggers a Nightsoul Burst, the equipping character regenerates 6 Elemental Energy. -
4-Piece Set:
After the equipping character triggers a reaction related to their Elemental Type, all nearby party members gain a 12% Elemental DMG Bonus for the Elemental Types involved in the elemental reaction for 15 seconds. If the equipping character is in the Nightsoul's Blessing state when triggering this effect, all nearby party members gain an additional 28% Elemental DMG Bonus for the Elemental Types involved in the elemental reaction for 20 seconds. The equipping character can trigger this effect while off-field.
This set is all about energy and empowering your team's elemental damage. The 2-piece helps with energy funneling, which is always welcome. But the 4-piece? That's where the magic happens. Trigger a reaction, and your whole team gets an Elemental DMG boost. But if you do it while in Nightsoul Blessing? Boom! You get a whopping 40% total Elemental DMG Bonus (12% + 28%). And the best part? The character wearing this set can trigger this from off-field. This is a dream come true for sub-DPS and support characters who apply elements from the backline. Imagine slapping this on a character like the newly revealed Kachina—her kit is already built around Nightsoul Blessing, and this set would amplify her support capabilities tenfold.
| Artifact Set | Primary Role | Key Mechanic Synergy | Potential User |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obsidian Codex ️ | Main DPS / On-Field Carry | Consuming Nightsoul Points for Crit | Natlan's Pyro DPS characters |
| Scroll of the Hero... 📜 | Sub-DPS / Support / Enabler | Triggering Reactions in Nightsoul State | Characters like Kachina, Reaction Drivers |
But wait, there's more! HoYoverse isn't just adding new sets; they're overhauling the entire Artifact system with some much-needed quality-of-life updates. The big one is the "Sanctifying Elixir" feature. I'm not kidding, this is potentially the biggest news for end-game players. This feature will supposedly let us craft Artifacts with player-chosen main and sub-stats. After years of RNG hell in domains, this could be a literal game-saver. Can you imagine finally getting that perfect Crit Rate / Crit Damage / ATK% sands for your main? It's enough to make a veteran Traveler like me tear up. On top of that, dismantling unwanted Artifacts will now grant EXP materials, making the fodder process way more efficient. No more just throwing them away for a pittance of Mora!
As we stand on the brink of 2025, Genshin Impact continues to evolve in exciting ways. The introduction of these Natlan-specific Artifact sets shows a clear direction: deepening the gameplay identity of each region. It's not just about new landscapes and characters anymore; it's about new systems that change how we build our teams. The Nightsoul Blessing mechanic, powered by these Artifacts, is poised to define the meta for the foreseeable future. I, for one, can't wait to spend my Resin farming these new domains starting August 28th. It's time to gear up, Travelers. A whole new world of possibilities is about to open up in Teyvat, and it looks absolutely fire. 🔥