Meta snapshot 7.1: who should you pull right now?

Version 7.1 packs a lot of choices into six weeks: two new 5-stars, two reruns and two free selectors. Here is where things stand in the current meta, based on the main community tier lists and guides.

Phase I: Vesna or Vodyanitsa?

Vesna is the pull if you want a new main damage dealer. She is a mobile on-field Anemo DPS whose Spirit Blades deal Stellar Swirl damage, and early tier lists already place her at the very top of the main DPS rankings. She shines with the other Snezhnaya characters: Odette, the Cryo Traveler (free, and a great budget partner) and Vodyanitsa. C0 works well; C2 is often cited as the comfort breakpoint for heavy investors.

Vodyanitsa is arguably the best value of the version. Everything important is available at C0: permanent healing, interruption resistance for the active character, Hydro and Cryo RES shred (up to 30% at skill level 10) and, in Stellar Swirl teams, a 35% Anemo RES shred. She slots into Freeze teams as well as Stellar Swirl ones, and her signature weapon is a luxury rather than a requirement.

In short: pull Vesna if you invested in Stellar Swirl during 7.0 or want a new carry; pull Vodyanitsa if you already own Skirk or another Cryo DPS, or if your account lacks a healer.

Phase II: the Skirk and Escoffier reruns

Skirk remains a top-tier Cryo DPS, and Vodyanitsa's release makes her even stronger by giving her a second RES-shredding support next to Escoffier. The catch: her best teams lean heavily on limited 5-star supports. Escoffier is excellent with Skirk but far more niche elsewhere. If you already have Skirk and Vodyanitsa, you can safely skip this phase.

Anniversary selectors

• Limited selector: Varesa is the most common recommendation for most accounts, as she is the newest and strongest C0 option in the pool. If you already own her, look at a duplicate of Clorinde or Nilou if you are building their teams. Tartaglia has been clearly powercrept.
• Standard selector: Yumemizuki Mizuki is the safest pick, as she still sits near the top of the main DPS rankings. Qiqi has also climbed back up some tier lists as a support.

The current meta at a glance

Among on-field damage dealers, Sandrone, Mavuika, Nefer, Zibai, Flins and Wriothesley sit alongside Vesna at the top. On the support side, Columbina, Lauma, Ineffa, Linnea, Nicole, Odette and Citlali are the most sought-after names, while Bennett and a well-built Iansan remain excellent value.

As always, pull for the characters you love first: tier lists change with every version, but your favorites stay yours.