Genshin Impact Reveals Everything You Need to Know About Varka

Following a tumultuous beta, Genshin Impact is set to release Varka alongside Version 6.4 on February 25, 2026, with an ability kit that promises an exciting 5-Star Anemo Claymore but may not necessarily deliver in the execution. With Lantern Rite officially underway, Genshin Impact players are enjoying a myriad of rewards, a new Permanent Event, and the promise of Zibai and Illuga around the corner. Columbina’s Event Banner has been remarkably popular, and HoYoverse has made sure to give fans ample opportunity to obtain the Moon Maiden of Nod-Krai.

Whereas Columbina in Genshin Impact represents the crowning jewel of Lunar Reaction teams in Nod-Krai, the new region has developed another playstyle in parallel since Version 6.2: the Hexerei. Thanks to the Hexerei system, Mondstadt characters have had a chance to shine again in the current meta, reinforced by newcomers such as Durin and Varka. With Durin being an off-field Pyro character, many Genshin Impact players correctly assumed that he would be one of Varka’s finest supports. However, even in his best team, Varka’s damage numbers have left theorycrafters concerned.

Genshin Impact: Varka Overview for Version 6.4

Name: Varka
Gender: Male
Rarity: 5-Star
Vision: Anemo
Weapon: Claymore
Constellation: Lupus Majoris

Varka’s drip marketing kicked off on January 23, 2026, revealing the Knight of Boreas as the first Genshin Impact character to dual-wield Claymores. According to datamined information from Hakushin, Varka is a 5-Star Anemo hypercarry with an exclusive focus on Swirl. To make full use of his ability kit, Varka requires one Anemo teammate and two teammates of the same Pyro, Hydro, Electro, or Cryo element. Given that he scales with ATK, Varka functions best in a composition featuring two Anemo and two Pyro characters – with Venti, Durin, and Bennett forming his ideal team.

As a Hexerei character in Genshin Impact, Varka benefits from having other Hexerei members in his party. For players who may not have obtained Durin in Version 6.2, this enables Varka to run a team featuring Mona, Furina, and Jean. While beta testers have praised Varka’s gameplay and animations, his damage leaves a lot to be desired. Even in his best team, Varka struggles to match the output of Lunar Reaction hypercarries such as Flins and Nefer.

Despite the concerns, there are a few things to consider. Varka has powerful Constellations and a Signature Weapon worth investing in, making him friendly to players who want to vertically invest. Most importantly, it’s quite possible that his best support hasn’t been released yet. Both Nicole and Lohen are expected to be Hexerei characters, with the latter seemingly delayed to Version 6.6. Given that Version 6.4 also delayed Dornman Port, Varka will be the sole focus of the upcoming Genshin Impact update. As such, Varka will receive a dedicated Story Quest in Version 6.4, rumored to feature Thrain and Roland – two legendary knights from Teyvat’s history.

genshin impact upcoming characters 2026 columbina varka snegurochka nicole alice

While players will be able to pre-farm the majority of his ascension materials, Version 6.4 will also introduce a new World Boss for Varka in Genshin Impact: the Moongecko. Varka will otherwise need talent books from Mondstadt, the Trounce Domain from Version 5.6, and Wolfhooks. Genshin Impact players will be able to pull for Varka during the first half of Version 6.4, but it remains to be seen who HoYoverse will pair him up with. Though the Event Banners for Version 6.4 have been datamined to feature Skirk, Escoffier, Varka, and Flins, their exact order is yet to be determined.

Genshin Impact will provide an official overview of Varka and Version 6.4 during the next Special Program Announcement on February 13, 2026. Until then, players will have ample time to enjoy the Lantern Rite, stock up on Primogems, and ultimately make a decision on whether Varka is worth the pull.