As a dedicated Genshin player, I've been keeping a close eye on the whispers about Version 4.5, expected to drop around mid-March 2026. The main draw is, of course, the long-awaited playable debut of Chiori! 🎠But the latest leaks, which are still pretty early and speculative, are painting a concerning picture about the free 4-star event weapon we're supposedly getting. These F2P event weapons are usually a highlight—think of the absolute gems we've gotten like Festering Desire or Cinnabar Spindle, which are irreplaceable for some builds. This time, though, the rumor mill is churning out what might be... bad news. 😬
The Leaked Weapon: An HP-Scaling Polearm
So, what's the tea? According to leaks from sources like 'Foul' shared on Reddit, Version 4.5's flagship event will reward us with a free 4-star polearm. Here are the rumored stats at level 90:
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Base ATK: 510
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Sub-stat: 41.35% HP
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Weapon Skill: When the wielder triggers healing, they restore 8 Energy.
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This effect has a 10-second cooldown and can trigger even if the character is off-field.
On the surface, a free weapon with an HP sub-stat sounds decent, right? Especially for our beloved shielders and healers. But let's dig deeper.
Why This Might Be a Letdown: The Rightful Reward Problem
Here's the real kicker, and why the community is a bit miffed. This leaked weapon looks awfully similar to an existing craftable polearm: Rightful Reward. 🤨
Let's compare the two:
| Feature | Leaked 4.5 Event Polearm | Rightful Reward (Craftable) |
|---|---|---|
| Base ATK (Lvl 90) | 510 | 565 |
| Sub-stat (Lvl 90) | 41.35% HP | 27.6% HP |
| Weapon Skill | Heal -> 8 Energy (10s CD) | Heal -> 8 Energy (10s CD) |
| Refinement Path | Event-exclusive materials (Easy R5) | Northlander Billet RNG (Hard R5) |
See the issue? The core Energy-restoring mechanic is nearly identical! For players (like me!) who spent weeks, maybe months, farming those elusive polearm billets to get an R5 Rightful Reward, this feels like our effort is being invalidated. 😤 Getting billets is a nightmare of RNG, and refining a craftable weapon to R5 is a serious commitment. Now, a new event weapon comes along that does almost the same thing and can be refined to R5 effortlessly through the event? It stings a bit.
Niche & Underwhelming Character Synergy
This leads to the second major problem: who even wants this? The weapon's skill only activates when the character using it triggers healing. This means it's essentially locked to polearm-wielding healers. Let's list them:
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Mika
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Yaoyao
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Chevreuse
While it's nice to get a specialized weapon for these often-overlooked 4-star supports, it's a far cry from the versatility and power of past event weapons. Remember:
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Toukabou Shigure: An EM sword perfect for Kazuha or Ayato.
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Cinnabar Spindle: Still Albedo's BiS (Best in Slot) weapon, beating 5-stars!
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Oathsworn Eye: A fantastic ER catalyst for Yae Miko.
This new polearm's niche is just... smaller. What about Hu Tao? Sure, her Burst heals, so she could trigger the effect, but why would you? She has much better F2P options like Dragon's Bane. What about Zhongli? He loves the HP% sub-stat for his shield, but the weapon skill is completely useless on him since he doesn't heal. So we're left with a tool for a very specific, non-meta job.
A Silver Lining & The Big Reminder
It's not all doom and gloom! If you don't have an R5 Rightful Reward and main Mika or Yaoyao, this could be a fantastic, easy-to-get upgrade for them. A free R5 weapon is always welcome in my inventory!
However, we MUST remember this is all based on leaks. 🧂 Take this with a massive grain of salt! HoYoverse could change the weapon's stats, its effect, or scrap it entirely before the 4.5 livestream. Leaks have been wrong before.
Final Thoughts
As we look ahead to 2026 and the Chiori update, my hype is tempered by this leak. If it's true, the 4.5 event weapon represents a shift towards more niche, less impactful free gear compared to the game-changing tools we've received in the past. It feels like a missed opportunity to give us another universally valuable piece like Festering Desire.
I'll be waiting for the official announcements, but for now, I'm keeping my expectations in check. What about you all? Are you disappointed by the potential overlap with Rightful Reward, or are you excited to finally gear up your Mika? Let me know in the comments! 💬