Let’s cut to the chase: when HoYoVerse dropped the first official teasers for Genshin Impact 7.2’s new character Valeriy back in mid-October 2026, I lost my mind a little. As someone who’s spent way too many hours (and way too many Primogems) chasing the perfect Electro team comps, the idea of a shielder that doesn’t just cower in the corner but actually boosts my damage? Sign me up… until I realized half the details are still as murky as the fog in Dragonspine.

First off, let’s get the basics straight: Valeriy is an Electro shielder, and the official “best listed lineup” is Valeriy + Mitya + Yae Miko + Odette. genshin-impact-7-2-valeriy-my-honest-take-image-0 The core logic here is layered Electro support, and it’s actually pretty clever when you break it down. Valeriy’s job is twofold: throw up a shield to keep everyone alive, and dish out a flat DMG bonus for all Electro hits. Mitya and Yae Miko are the heavy hitters here, bringing the raw Electro offense that’s meant to eat up that buff like a kid at a candy store. Odette? She’s just rounding out the squad, no fancy role assigned yet, but hey, every team needs a fourth wheel, right?

Now, here’s the first red flag for me: no official damage calcs or clear-speed data for this comp have been published. That means this “best team” is just a source’s guess, not a verified speedrun standard. I’ve been burned before by following untested comps, so I’m taking this with a grain of salt the size of a Geo slime.

Let’s talk constellations, because Valeriy’s are weirdly front-loaded for a support. Most supports need C4 or C6 to really pop, but Valeriy’s big breakpoints are C2 and C6:

  • C2: Grants Elemental Mastery (EM)

  • C6: Grants Crit Rate and Electro Stellar-Conduct Crit DMG

That’s a game-changer for Stellar-Conduct teams specifically, not just generic Electro comps. For low-spend players like me, C0 Valeriy already delivers the shield and Electro bonus, which is solid. C2 is the first meaningful damage-oriented step, and C6? That’s a luxury target, not something I’m gonna stress over if I don’t get it. I’m not gonna blow my Primogems trying to hit C6 when I could save for a rerun of a character I actually love.

One thing I love about Valeriy is that he’s not a one-trick pony. If you don’t have Mitya or Yae Miko, you’re not locked out of using him. A F2P-viable approach is to keep Valeriy as the shielder and slot in an Electro main DPS you already own. The shield covers survivability, and the flat Electro DMG bonus keeps the slot from being dead weight. That’s a huge win for players who don’t have every 5-star Electro character in the game.

Now, let’s talk about the stuff we still don’t know, because there’s a lot. Exact scaling values for his buffs? Nope. Rotation and energy constraints? Not stated. Artifact sets, main stats, and ER thresholds? Still a mystery. Rarity, weapon type, and exact banner phase? All unconfirmed as of the 7.2 reveal cycle. It’s like HoYoVerse is teasing us with a half-baked cake: we can smell the vanilla, but we don’t know if it’s gonna be a chocolate layer or a lemon one, or if it’s even gonna taste good.

The only thing we know for sure is that Genshin Impact 7.2 arrives on November 4, 2026, with the Special Program airing on October 23, 2026, at 08:00 AM ET (UTC-4). HoYoVerse has also confirmed a “huge drop-rate boost” for Valeriy after the November 4 update, which is nice, but without knowing his rarity or banner phase, it’s hard to plan my pulls. Is he a 5-star? A 4-star? Is he on the first banner or the second? I’m gonna need more info before I start hoarding Primogems like a squirrel storing nuts for winter.

Opportunity cost is a big factor here, too. 7.2 also brings a Furina rerun and a new Chronicled Wish, per EarlyGG’s banner coverage. If you already have a stable shielder, Valeriy’s pull value depends on whether you run Electro or Stellar-Conduct teams. If you lack sustain, his shield-plus-buff package is a reasonable pickup — not an obligatory one. I already have Zhongli, so I’m on the fence. Do I need another shielder? Probably not. But do I want an Electro shielder that can boost my damage? Hell yeah. But I also want to save my Primogems for Furina, who’s one of my favorite characters in the game. It’s a tough call.

At the end of the day, Valeriy is a sustain-first Electro support with some serious upside. His best listed team is Valeriy + Mitya + Yae Miko + Odette, and his flat Electro DMG bonus and constellation buffs give him a real offensive role. But until we get more details on his scaling, build targets, and banner phase, I’m holding off on pulling. I’ll be tuning into the Special Program on October 23 to get the full scoop, and until then, I’m gonna keep grinding for Primogems and hoping HoYoVerse gives us a reason to blow them on Valeriy. If you need an Electro shielder with upside? Go for it. If your sustain slots are already covered and your Primogems are committed elsewhere? Skip it. That’s my two cents, and I’m sticking to it… for now.