Genshin Impact 5.6 Leaks: New Character May Be Preparing For Skirk's Release

There have been a series of leaks about a potential new character in Genshin Impact 5.6 and their rumored kit details may be hinting at a preparation for Skirk’s release later this year. Version 5.6 is still weeks away from arriving since the action RPG by HoYoverse is about to enter Version 5.5, a massive update that brings the Atocpan area to Natlan, as well as the Collective of Plenty tribe and Varesa to Genshin Impact. The update will have players entranced for a long while with all its new content, but some attention is already shifting toward the future.

The majority of the Version 5.6 leaks, for instance, should begin once the beta tests for the update start, bringing forth leaked footage and detailed statistics about each new playable character and what content players will be able to expect from it. However, some leaks about future content, including Version 5.6 and even other, more distant patches, have already been shared, even if superficially. The leaks have already highlighted Skirk’s early kit in Genshin Impact, for example, also stating that she may arrive as a playable unit in Version 5.7 – this somewhat matches HoYoverse’s own character release calendar teaser.

Click here to view the Cipher kit leaks.

New Genshin Impact 5.6 Character May Now Have An Official Name

Originally Leaked As Akkefi, The New Unit May Be Called Escoffier

Recently, there has been a string of leaks mentioning a new playable character who goes by the name Akkefi or Effie. This female-presenting character is said to wear white clothing and have blonde hair. The rumors often refer to her as the chef girl – she may very well be the silhouetted character who is seemingly wielding a knife in HoYoverse’s character teaser. The original leak provided by Seele, which was shared in a post flagged as “Questionable” on Reddit, also mentioned she will form a team with Skirk and Furina in Genshin Impact when it came to gameplay value.

Genshin Impact's Skirk stands seriously with a portal to the Abyss in the background.

Why Genshin Impact Confirming Long-Forgotten Leaked Characters Like Dahlia & Prison Girl Is A Big Deal

HoYoverse has teased seven new characters for Genshin Impact. Among them are several previously leaked characters like Dahlia and prison girl.

Now, a new leak has shown that Akkefi or Effie may not actually be the rumored character’s true name. Instead, as seen in information from the leaker known as Hakushin, the upcoming character is called Escoffier. The leak was shared in a post tagged as “Reliable” on Reddit. This better matches the original description of the character, who said she would be from the region of Fontaine. According to the leaker, the information stems from a voiceline in Varesa’s kit in Genshin Impact, which says she has information about Escoffier.

Rumored Genshin Impact 5.6 Character’s Talent Has Leaked

Escoffier May Provide Cryo & Hydro RES Shred

While the new name revelation seems to confirm an important aspect of Escoffier’s origins, there have also allegedly been leaks about a portion of her gameplay kit. According to leaked information by Seele Leaks, which was shared in a post flagged as “Suspicious” on Reddit, Escoffier’s passive Talent has leaked. As seen in the Talent’s description, when the combined number of Cryo and Hydro characters in the team comp is 1/2/3/4, and there is at least one Cryo and Hydro character in the party, a powerful buff effect will be triggered by Escoffier in Genshin Impact.

Genshin Impact's Varesa and Xiao are side by side. Xiao is in black and white.

Genshin Impact 5.5: Should You Pull For Varesa If You Already Have Xiao?

Because of the similarities between Varesa and Xiao in Genshin Impact, players may be unsure about whether or not they pull for the new character.

By attending to these requirements, when Escoffier’s Elemental Skill – which is allegedly called Ice Cream Bomb – hits an enemy, that enemy’s Cryo and Hydro RES are decreased by 5%/10%/15%/45% for a few seconds. This means that given the necessity of having at least one Cryo and one Hydro character in the team to trigger the buff effect, the Cryo and Hydro RES shred should be at least 10%. The leaker states that the rumored Talent is still highly subject to change, especially throughout the course of the upcoming beta tests in Genshin Impact.

Leaked Genshin Impact 5.6 Character May Be Skirk’s Best Support Unit

Escoffier, However, Is Also Described As A Main DPS

Genshin Impact' Skirk holds a void sphere in her hands.

Even if the values are altered, if the leaked Talent’s effect in Escoffier’s kit is true, then she may make a valuable support for Skirk, who is rumored to be a Cryo DPS unit. This also matches the idea that she would be teamed up with Skirk and Furina; with them, Escoffier would enable Cryo and Hydro RES shred, allowing her team to deal increased damage to opponents. The only point of contradiction is that, in Escoffier’s original leak, she was described as a main DPS with both on-field and off-field abilities.

It is also unknown when Escoffier is being released – even though the leaks stem from information pertaining to Version 5.6, her release may only occur in Version 5.7, for example. As such, more concrete details about Escoffier and her kit may take a while longer to arise, as the Version 5.6 beta tests will likely bring forth information about Ifa, who is being presented as an NPC with the release of Genshin Impact 5.5 and is expected to become playable in Version 5.6

Source: Reddit (1, 2, 3)