The fiery nation of Natlan has finally opened its gates, and with it comes a wave of fresh faces ready to join the Traveler's journey. The official reveal of the first playable characters from the Nation of Pyro has sent waves of excitement through the Teyvat community. While the grand storyline promises new adventures and mysteries, the immediate spotlight shines on three distinct warriors: Mualani, Kinich, and Kachina. These pioneers of Natlan bring not only unique combat styles but also innovative mobility mechanics that promise to redefine exploration and battle strategies in the ever-evolving world of Genshin Impact. As players begin to save their Primogems, the question on everyone's mind is how these characters will shape the meta in 2025.

Mualani: The Hydro Shark Rider

Mualani emerges as a formidable 5-star Hydro catalyst user, poised to make a splash as a powerful main DPS. Her gameplay revolves around a dynamic and thrilling mechanic: summoning and riding her Sharky Surfboard into the fray. This isn't just for show; while mounted, Mualani enters the Nightsoul's Blessing state, which transforms her Normal Attacks into a powerful move called Sharky's Bite. This attack consumes Nightsoul points and, crucially, scales its damage based on her HP stat, drawing immediate comparisons to the powerhouse Hydro Sovereign, Neuvillette. Her potential to match such established power is a tantalizing prospect for players seeking a new top-tier Hydro carry.

Her combat style is aggressive and interactive. By crashing her shark mount into enemies, she marks them and gains stacks of Charge. Each stack amplifies the power of her Sharky's Bite. Upon reaching max Charge, she unleashes a devastating blow and clears the stacks. Furthermore, collisions trigger missile barrages against marked foes, with damage concentrating beautifully on single targets. Her Elemental Burst caps off her kit with a massive area-of-effect missile strike, solidifying her role as an on-field Hydro damage dealer. For team compositions, she will likely shine in setups that maximize her HP and provide hydro-related reactions, making her a central, active figure in any battle.

Kinich: The Dendro Acrobat

On the opposite elemental spectrum, Kinich arrives as a 5-star Dendro claymore user, bringing a wildly different and acrobatic approach to the DPS role. His signature tool is a grappling hook, which defines his unparalleled mobility. Out of combat, it lets him swing across gaps with ease. In combat, however, it becomes a weapon of elegant destruction. His Elemental Skill allows him to attach the grapple to an enemy and enter a spinning orbit around them, simultaneously entering the Nightsoul's Blessing state.

While spinning, he fires Dendro projectiles at the central target. Hitting the enemy generates more Nightsoul points, and at maximum capacity, players can trigger a follow-up attack where Kinich throws a powerful bomb. The skill's depth is highlighted by the ability to re-aim the grapple to another target before detonating the bomb, allowing for strategic repositioning and multi-target damage. His Elemental Burst summons his pixelated dragon companion, Ajaw, to execute a persistent AoE Dendro attack. This effect continues even when Kinich leaves the field, making him flexible for quick-swap rotations. Notably, Kinich gains extra Nightsoul points from triggering Burning or Bloom reactions, encouraging synergistic team builds focused on these Dendro interactions.

Kachina: The Geo Drill Specialist

Completing the trio is Kachina, a versatile 4-star Geo polearm user. While her rarity is lower, her utility and unique mechanics make her an incredibly exciting addition. Her Elemental Skill allows her to summon a large drill onto the battlefield. This drill serves a dual purpose: when she is not mounted, it acts as an off-field turret, periodically dealing AoE Geo DMG that scales with her DEF stat. When she mounts it, she gains increased movement speed and her Normal Attacks become wide, sweeping Geo strikes.

Her exploration utility is exceptional, as she can climb vertical surfaces while mounted on the drill. Her Elemental Burst creates a field that further boosts her mounted speed and deals initial Geo damage. This makes her an ideal candidate for both combat and traversing Natlan's challenging terrain. Players can build her as a main DPS focused on her mounted attacks or as a sub-DPS/support who drops her drill and swaps out, letting it pulse with Geo damage from the background.

Banner Schedule & Team Building Insights

The release schedule for these characters is set:

• Phase 1 Banners: Feature the debut of Mualani (5-star) and Kachina (4-star).

• Phase 2 Banners: Feature the debut of Kinich (5-star).

For team building, here's a quick overview of their potential roles and synergies:

Character	Element & Weapon	Primary Role	Key Stat	Notable Synergy
Mualani	Hydro, Catalyst	On-field Main DPS	HP	Vaporize teams with Pyro supports like Xiangling or Bennett.
Kinich	Dendro, Claymore	On-field Main DPS	ATK/EM	Teams focused on Burning (with Pyro) or Bloom/Hyperbloom (with Hydro/Electro).
Kachina	Geo, Polearm	Main DPS or Sub-DPS	DEF	Mono-Geo teams or as a flexible damage dealer in various compositions.

A New Era of Exploration and Combat

The introduction of Mualani, Kinich, and Kachina signifies more than just new characters; it heralds a shift in gameplay philosophy for Genshin Impact. Their kits are deeply intertwined with enhanced mobility—surfing, grappling, and drilling—that seamlessly blends combat prowess with world exploration. This design philosophy echoes Natlan's theme of vibrant, dynamic movement and adventure.

As 2025 unfolds, these characters are set to become central figures in the evolving meta. Whether it's Mualani's HP-scaling Hydro dominance, Kinich's reaction-enhanced Dendro acrobatics, or Kachina's versatile Geo constructs, each offers a fresh and engaging way to experience Teyvat. The anticipation is palpable, and the journey through the Nation of Pyro is just beginning. For Travelers around the world, the time to prepare for new adventures—and new allies—is now. 🌋✨