Genshin 5.5 Phase 2 Banner Review: They Are Awful?!

The second half of Genshin Impact’s 5.5 patch brings reruns of Xilonen and Venti, two five-star characters with very different trajectories in the meta. In a detailed and balanced analysis, Zajef77 breaks down the performance and future potential of both featured five-stars, evaluates the value of the accompanying four-star characters, and digs into the weapon banner’s pros and cons.

So—is this banner worth your Primogems? Let’s dive into what you need to know.

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Xilonen: Versatile Now, Questionable Long-Term

What She Offers:

Xilonen is a flexible, team-agnostic buffer whose kit provides:

• 🔻 36% RES shred to Pyro, Hydro, Electro, or Cryo
• 📜 Synergy with Cinder City, adding up to 40% damage bonus
• 💼 Low team-building restrictions (works in most comps not overloaded with Geo or Dendro)

Strengths:

• Great for early to mid-game accounts
• Extremely easy to slot into teams where no other niche support is available
• Works well in second-best teams if your top-tier buffers are elsewhere

Weaknesses:

• The effectiveness of RES shred is heavily dependent on enemy resistance
• She provides no direct stat buffs like ATK%, EM, or Crit
• Her value drops considerably when stacked with other RES shreds (e.g., Kazuha, Viridescent Venerer)

Long-Term Viability:

Zajef makes a strong point—as more niche, archetype-specific supports are introduced (like Escoffier), generic supports like Xilonen may be power-crept. Escoffier teams, for example, outright disqualify Xilonen due to her interference with team synergy and passive requirements.

Still, for players who want one reliable buffer across many teams, Xilonen remains one of the most versatile four-star-like five-stars in the game. Just don’t expect her to stay in the top tier as the meta evolves.

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Venti: Great at What He Does—When It Matters

What He Offers:

Venti is still the best unit for vertical crowd control and AoE swirl reactions, capable of trivializing groups of small enemies with his Burst.

Why He’s Fallen Off:

• Recent content rarely spawns lightweight enemies, making his core utility irrelevant
• Domains and bosses increasingly feature heavier or spread-out enemies
• Swirl-based team building has become less central in the meta

Where He Still Works:

• 🌪️ Great for Monolith defense in Imaginarium Theater
• 🌀 Viable in select Abyss chambers
• 🎮 Still fun in the overworld and can trivialize older content

Conclusion: While Venti is viable in the right content, he’s no longer a “must-pull.” He’s now best seen as a fun flex pick or a luxury option—not a meta staple.

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Four-Star Characters: Value Hinges on Faruzan

⭐ Faruzan:

• C6 Faruzan is a must-have Anemo support for units like Xiao and Wanderer
• Below C6, her buffs are weaker, and her energy generation is clunky
• Generates particles off-field at C6, drastically improving team energy flow

Verdict: Great if you’re investing to C6 and use Anemo carries. Otherwise, she’s okay, not amazing.

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🔥 Yanfei:

• Outdated four-star Pyro DPS
• High ER requirements, poor melt synergy due to her passive applying too much Pyro
• C4 shield is decent but tied to an expensive Burst

Verdict: Viable only if you’re committed to making her work. Not a strong pickup.

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⚡ Beidou:

• Still decent in taser teams, but power crept by Oruron
• Limited flexibility due to poor synergy with modern meta supports
• C2 is her key constellation; C6 adds a small RES shred bonus

Verdict: Functional but far from a must-have. Has fallen behind newer Electro supports.

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Weapon Banner: Underwhelming at Best

🌟 Peak Patrol (Xilonen’s Signature):

• Buffs elemental damage by 25.6%
• In practice, Favonius Sword often outperforms it due to energy utility
• DPS increase is marginal and not worth pulling unless you have no energy needs

Verdict: Low value. Doesn’t significantly outperform existing 4-stars like Favonius.

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🌟 Elegy for the End (Venti’s Signature):

• Provides EM + ATK buff, good for reaction teams
• Not better than Favonius unless you optimize around its passive
• Works best in niche vape/melt comps or Hyperbloom

Verdict: Decent on paper, underwhelming in practice. You’re better off investing elsewhere unless you love reaction supports.

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4-Star Weapon Highlights:

• ✅ Favonius Lance: Best polearm for many supports; very valuable
• ✅ Favonius Bow & Codex: Solid, but less impactful due to widespread access or better alternatives
• ⚔️ Sacrificial Sword: Still good for Xingqiu or Kazuha, but power has faded
• ❌ The Bell: Still bad. Still useless.

Verdict: Favonius Lance carries the 4-star lineup. Everything else is just average.

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Final Thoughts: Should You Pull?

This banner is for one type of player only:

Someone who doesn’t have Xilonen, wants a generalist support, and doesn’t mind low-value four-stars.

For everyone else:

• ❌ Venti is no longer a must-pull
• ❌ Weapon banner is not worth it
• ❌ Four-star pool is weak outside of Faruzan C6
• ✅ Xilonen is still very versatile—but her window of meta relevance may be shrinking

Unless you fit a specific need, this is a skip-worthy phase in terms of meta value.

For more honest reviews and character breakdowns, check out Zajef77 on YouTube and head to ExploreGenshin.gg for meta updates, team comp guides, and Genshin analysis.

Frequently Asked Questions About Genshin 5.5 Phase 2 Banners