Genshin Impact is, at the time, a game around 6 (soon to be 7) elements and 5 weapon types. After doing a quick math, we realize we can only get 30 (35) combinations of weapons and elements for us to play and, honestly, that number looks quite small compared to how big the game is. This realization is mitigated by a couple of factors: there are several playstyles to focus a character on like healing, shields, burst damage, consistent damage and crowd control; and the fact we can play up to 4 characters at the same time, making the possible combinations grow bigger than I can think of.
However, for someone like me that’s into weapons and elements combinations, the number 30 keeps coming back. I wanna see every single one these 30 imaginary guys in the game already, despite knowing some of the missing ones would break the game if made incorrectly (looking at you, cryo catalyst), or not having the right setting to exist. This waiting time and previous studies on visions and weapons is what made me think: “what background and (or) setting do we need for the missing combinations to appear?”
And so, let’s dive in a little series to find out one by one what’s missing and, possibly, make us wish for them.
The actual unseen Razor: A Hydro Spear character theory.
First, let’s remember that a spear user is someone that has connections to people, they want to make everybody understand and enjoy their ambitions as much as them. Spear users are not the kind to talk about them, but more about showing. In other words, they’re quite a social-driven class.
Second, the element of hydro is related to lineages, inherited duties, families, secrets, schemes, assistance, intelligence. Hydro users are rivers, followers of the path made for them, never going against its current; and, even if you’re careful, you may end up going their course.
Mixing these two get us someone that at surface level was born to help people, probably behind the scenes. A hydro spear reminds me of those secondary characters that some end up ignoring completely and some will never forget, and this is quite the challenging profile for a game that wants to keep selling and selling characters. Despite all of it, I’m sure there are some roles and personalities a hydro spear can have to make some of us want him.
The first one that comes to mind is the Teacher. Sumeru Academy is getting closer and closer and we’ve seen a lot of its students, why not get to know the academy from the point of view of their teachers? A Hydro spear teacher would be someone from a family that has generations instructing Sumeru students. Someone with great social skills and perfect lectures, too perfect even. I picture them having a permanently tired look, with all of his hard work done in secret but results talking by themselves.
Or what about a Butler? Gameplay-wise we’ve had dedicated supports like Gorou and Kujou Sara so it would be possible to have a character that’s always sticking to his master. Spears have a tendency to social services, so a person dedicated to serve another would work for the hydro one. Thoma parallels come to mind (despite Thoma not being a full dedicated butler), so the main difference between them should come from our hydro spear’s family, serving from generations. There are lots of important families in the Teyvat world, and more to know, so an exceptional butler would be easy to mix in the cast (not to mention we have a maid already).
Some hydro characters like Kokomi and Barbara have connections with religion and every region has at least one temple temple. A Rosaria parallel, that actually gets along with people and introduces us not only to the institution but the whole region, would make a nice simple hydro spear. Maybe too simple, so there should be some shady secret in their life to spice it up.
And last, but not least, I would enjoy having a Fontaine reporter as a hydro spear user. Carrying their kamera everywhere, he would have no secrets of them to protect, but would be great at finding what everyone else is hiding. Words would be their main weapon, honoring their duty of shedding light on the information.
The hydro spear would be swift, never getting into direct action but definitely helping, secretive as a comic relief or not, it would deepen their character to make them, at least, an interesting person to meet in our travels around Teyvat. This is the weapon-element combo I’m excited to see the most and I hope it gets released soon.
If anyone actually cares to read the days I didn't post, ask, but like I think only @sagewriter and @hansandvich actually read them, so like, they can just have me read it to them.
If anyone else wants me to post them, feel free to dm me.
