The leaks about Mavuika in Genshin Impact 5.3 are making me hopeful for not only the playable character herself but for what it may represent for the game – even if four years later. Mavuika is the Pyro Archon from Natlan, introduced to the action RPG by HoYoverse in Version 5.0. So far, the character has only been available as an NPC in the Natlan story arc via the Archon Quests in the Nation of Pyro. Despite her role in the story, she is bound to become a playable unit as one of the announced Natlan characters in Genshin Impact.
We know that Mavuika possesses Pyro abilities as the Archon of that Elemental throne in Teyvat and that she uses a claymore, as she is seen wielding one lent by Kinich in combat against Capitano in a cutscene. Despite the lack of more official details about Mavuika as a playable character, new leaks about her are starting to emerge, providing better insight into what she will do on the field and outside of it. The most recent Mavuika leaks in Genshin Impact 5.3, for instance, indicate that she may be a sub-DPS unit, and that’s precisely what’s getting me excited.
Mavuika May Be A Pyro Sub-DPS In Genshin Impact 5.3
Her Leaked Abilities Indicate She Deals Off-Field DMG
While not clearly cited, the aforementioned leaks do give reason to understand that Mavuika will be a Pyro sub-DPS in team comps. According to the rumors, Mavuika’s Elemental Skill will have two versions, one of which is triggered by tapping the ability and the other which can be activated by holding down the action button. With the Press version, Mavuika is said to summon a coordinated attack – a type of offensive skill commonly present in sub-DPS units, such as Raiden Shogun or Yelan in Genshin Impact. The Hold version is rumored to infuse her weapon with the Pyro Element.
Furthermore, the leak about Mavuika’s gameplay kit states that her Elemental Burst creates an effect that triggers an attack every two seconds – which is most likely going to deal Pyro DMG. Both her leaked Skill and Burst seem to have effects that may linger with her off the field, meaning that she may operate as an off-field sub-DPS. The leak lacks more details, but it does tease the team comp role. Hopefully, this is at least partially true because Mavuika could fix one of the game’s most notable character problems: the lack of Pyro sub-DPS options in Genshin Impact.
Genshin Impact Is In Dire Need Of A Strong Pyro Sub-DPS For Four Years
Since Release, Players Have Been Reliant On Xiangling
Currently, players do not have many options when it comes to enhancing their team comps with a Pyro sub-DPS. The go-to option across most parties tends to be the 4-star character Xiangling. She is an excellent character but is limited to her 4-star status, even if obtaining her Constellations over the past few years has been a doable task. However, if players want to build more than one team comp for the same activity, be that the Spiral Abyss or the Imaginarium Theater, for example, they may not have many other Pyro characters to choose from in Genshin Impact.
In 2023, HoYoverse released a new Pyro sub-DPS. The 5-star unit known as Dehya is from Sumeru, and she is capable of dealing off-field Pyro DMG to opponents. The big problem with Dehya is that she is a poorly optimized character. Her damage output scales off of two distinct stats, which makes building her a nightmare, and she has flawed abilities, too. Dehya’s Elemental Burst can suddenly end if players accidentally jump, for instance. Her Pyro field is a good source of damage but, overall, it is much more worthwhile to have Xiangling as a Pyro sub-DPS in Genshin Impact.
Other Pyro Units In Genshin Impact Are Mostly Support Characters
Bennett & Thoma Are Great For Triggering Reactions, But Not Damage
Other than Xiangling and Dehya, players don’t have many other options to rely on when it comes to a Pyro sub-DPS. There are superb Pyro supports that can help trigger Pyro-related Reactions, but not a proper sub-DPS that will deal immense off-field Pyro DMG. For Pyro reactions, players often have to look at support units such as Bennett and Thoma, both of which are 4-star units. Chevreuse is also a great 4-star support but is made almost exclusively for Overloaded team comps. As such, if players want Pyro DMG at the forefront, they either use Xiangling or a Pyro main DPS.
If Mavuika’s leaks are accurate, then she may finally address the absence of a proper Pyro sub-DPS in the game, even if four years late. Those who have relied exclusively on Xiangling for the role – myself included – may finally get to put the Liyue cook to rest or, at least, in a secondary team comp. Not only would she offer a completely new option for team comps, but her role as a sub-DPS could come as an enhancement to the Elemental Reactions that HoYoverse is currently trying to buff in Genshin Impact.
Pyro Reactions Could Be Stronger With Mavuika In Genshin Impact 5.3
The Pyro Archon Could Trigger Reactions & Deal Great Off-Field Damage
Lately, the developer has been making efforts into buffing Pyro-related Elemental Reactions. Chevreuse’s release was a way of significantly enhancing the already powerful Overloaded Reactions, and having her on the team can help optimize the performances of characters like Arlecchino or Clorinde, provided they have the proper teammates to help them trigger the Reaction. In addition to that, just before the release of Natlan in Version 5.0, HoYoverse also released Emilie, a Dendro sub-DPS who specializes in augmenting the power of Burning Reactions in Genshin Impact, which tends to be one of the weakest ones available.
In Natlan, two of the new characters also have Pyro in their kits, despite not being directly linked to the Element. Mualani’s signature 5-star catalyst, Surf’s Up, works normally without Pyro interaction but is stronger when the team triggers Vaporize Reactions – which requires Mualani’s Hydro attacks to interact with Pyro-touched enemies. Kinich, on the other hand, has a passive that helps him restore Nightsoul points when he hits opponents affected by Burning or Burgeon Reaction DMG.
These types of Reactions simply need to be triggered and the power they wield has no influence on the activation of the effects, so a simple Pyro support could be enough. However, the team’s overall damage output could significantly be increased if the units helping trigger Pyro-related Reactions were not supports but Pyro sub-DPS who deal meaningful off-field Pyro DMG, which then interacts with the main DPS’ own Elemental DMG.
As such, the increase of attention toward Pyro Reactions should also come with Pyro characters that can help make those Reactions be triggered in the first place. The Mavuika leaks sound extremely promising in this aspect, as she may finally offer players more opportunities. Kinich’s team comps in Genshin Impact, for instance, could undergo serious changes with Mavuika’s release, but players will have to wait for more leaks and, finally, official confirmation from HoYoverse on how Mavuika will truly operate.
