Genshin Impact 7.0 "Everwinter Without Mercy" went live on August 12, 2026, opening up Snezhnaya, Teyvat's seventh nation. Alongside the new region comes a major meta shake-up: new characters entering SS-tier, brand-new elemental reactions, and several older units suddenly buffed back into relevance.
SS-Tier: who's dominating right now?
Odette, a Fatui agent working under La Signora and Snezhnaya's celebrated ballerina, is a 5-star Cryo sword-wielder now considered the strongest sub-DPS/support in the game, close to mandatory in any team built around the Snezhnaya storyline. Standing alongside her is Sandrone, the seventh Fatui Harbinger, whose damage output is exceptional thanks to the brand-new Stellar-Conduct mechanic. Another surprise addition to SS-tier is Sucrose, who just received a major kit buff that makes her one of the best Anemo supports available right now.
The strongest team right now
The community's top-rated team at the moment is Sandrone – Yae Miko – Odette – Alyosha: Sandrone carries most of the damage through the Stellar-Conduct mechanic, Yae Miko triggers off-field elemental reactions, Odette amplifies that reaction damage, and Alyosha keeps the whole team healed and stable. For Cryo-leaning comps, Odette and Yae Miko remain Sandrone's best teammates.
New reaction mechanic: Stellar Glimmer
The current Genshin Impact 7.0 meta revolves around the Stellar Glimmer reaction family, led by two brand-new reactions exclusive to Snezhnaya: Stellar-Conduct and Stellar Swirl. Familiar reactions like Lunar Bloom and Lunar Hyperbloom remain strong, while Vaporize and Burning teams also got a boost now that Durin is playable.
Still worth building: Mavuika and Bennett
Despite the wave of new characters, Mavuika (the Pyro Archon of Natlan) remains one of the best Pyro DPS options, especially paired with another Natlan character to maximize her damage. Bennett is also back in the meta thanks to his combination of damage buffs and healing, making him one of the most flexible supports to slot into virtually any Snezhnaya team, even without the new SS-tier units.
Overall, version 7.0 brings one of Genshin Impact's biggest tier list shake-ups yet, driven by both the new Snezhnaya cast and the Stellar Glimmer reaction system reshaping how teams are built. Players should prioritize building Odette and Sandrone if they have them, and take advantage of Sucrose's buff to refresh older teams.