Hello, Travelers! A year after the release of Inazuma, today we'd like to confirm that Sumeru, the fourth nation on the continent of Teyvat, will be welcoming players on August 24 on the Epic Games Store as part of our Version 3.0 update "The Morn a Thousand Roses Brings."For the first time, we will set foot in the nation of flora and foliage, and explore the unique and vivid tropical landscapes, creatures, and of course, Sumeru City that lies within. Players will finally be able to wield the Dendro elemental power and master its unique effects and reactions.

The Nation that Manages Knowledge

To the west of Liyue lies Sumeru, the nation of wisdom which is home to the most prestigious and historical academic institution in Teyvat, the Sumeru Akademiya. Throughout the long history of this nation, the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata has helped the people to overcome a multitude of hardships and created a vast and abundant rainforest for them to live a peaceful life. Greater Lord Rukkhadevata was considered omniscient and omnipotent by the scholars who followed her, and these scholars then founded the Akademiya to help the Archon handle civil affairs.

Unfortunately, Greater Lord Rukkhadevata perished when disaster befell Khaenri'ah 500 years ago. With Lesser Lord Kusanali ascending as the current Dendro Archon, is the youngest of The Seven capable of leading the nation to a better future? Some of the sages have their doubts regarding this.

When the Akademiya assumed power as the governing body of Sumeru after the death of Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, knowledge has been holistically managed as a "resource." Through the Akasha Terminal left by the previous Dendro Archon, the Akademiya has been distributing knowledge on a need-to-know basis to prevent any inadvertent breach of confidentiality.

Although Sumeru City is under the strict supervision of the Akademiya, travel southward along the river and you will reach Port Ormos, Sumeru's largest import and export trade center and the gray area under the rule of the Akademiya. If you cross the rainforest to the west, you can even reach the desert where King Deshret, known as the Scarlet King, is buried. But that's another story for the future.

A Wide Variety of Rainforest Dwellers

The fertile rainforest has nurtured a wide range of wildlife, such as the Spinocrocodiles, the Sumpster Beast family, the Dusk Bird, and many others. If you are lucky, you will also encounter Aranara, special spirits that only appear in children's fables and that very few have had the honor of seeing.

Among these peculiar creatures, a unique species, the Fungi, has emerged in the humid tropical environment of Sumeru. The Fungi have evolved from the Shroom-kin to protect the flora and defend the environment they inhabit. Some of them even developed a strong animalistic nature and become quite territorial, exhibiting aggressive behavior. An example of this is the new world boss, the Jadeplume Terrorshroom.

When traversing through the rainforest, you must always be aware of the surrounding dangers. Another boss enemy, the "Electro Regisvine," is violently releasing electric charges stored in the Ley Line. In addition, you should also watch out for the dreadful "Withering Zones" corroded by an unknown power.Finally, Sumeru is home to many different cultures and people. In addition to scholars, you will also encounter The Eremites, descendants of an ancient civilization in the desert. These mercenaries can be your friendly allies in cities and villages, or become your formidable enemies in the wild.

A New Member of the Elemental System

The last piece of the puzzle in Genshin Impact's seven-element system will finally become playable with Version 3.0. The Dendro element can trigger three basic reactions: Burning, Bloom, and Catalyze. We are already familiar with the first reaction as a combination of the Dendro and Pyro elements. "Bloom" is inspired by the blooming of flowers in real life. When Hydro meets Dendro, one or more Dendro Cores will spawn and explode after a short duration, dealing Dendro damage. When a creature is affected by the Electro and Dendro elements, it will trigger the last basic reaction "Catalyze," which will render them Quickened.

As you delve into Sumeru's rainforest, you'll find that Burning, Bloom, and Catalyze can be found and applied in a variety of places. Some plants and creatures with Dendro characteristics can produce "polymorphic transformation" by interacting with the Hydro, Pyro, or Electro element. Monsters affected by these elements can switch between different states, attack patterns, and even provide different drops, while some plants and Shroom-Kin can provide useful effects. For example, applying Pyro to a Shroom-Kin called "Bouncy Mushroom" will cause it to become Scorched, while applying Electro will cause it to become Activated, and you can use it to bounce to greater heights.

In combat, the Bloom and Catalyze reactions will bring us even more fun. In short, you can trigger more chain reactions based on Bloom and Catalyze to further enhance your damage dealt.

When Dendro is combined with Hydro, the Bloom reaction will produce Dendro Cores that deal delayed explosive Dendro damage. If Dendro Cores are affected by the Pyro element, it will trigger the "Burgeon" reaction, causing even greater AoE Dendro DMG. However, if they come into contact with the Electro element, this triggers the "Hyperbloom" reaction, causing Dendro Cores to transform into homing Sprawling Shots that can track and strike the enemy.

The Catalyze reaction resulting from the combination of Dendro and Electro elements will cause the target to enter the "Quicken" state, increasing the damage it takes from the next Dendro or Electro attack. If a Quickened entity is attacked by Electro, it triggers the "Aggravate" reaction, causing it to take more Electro damage. Alternatively, if a Quickened entity is attacked by Dendro, it triggers the "Spread" reaction, causing it to take more Dendro damage.

New Playable Characters From Sumeru

In addition to the two Dendro characters, a four-star Electro support character Dori will also join the game. Dori is an elusive merchant and wields a claymore. She can help restore HP and energy for nearby team members with her Elemental Burst.

Tighnari and Collei will be available during the Event Wishes in the first half of the update, coinciding with Zhongli's rerun. Dori will join the Event Wishes later in Ganyu's and Sangonomiya Kokomi's reruns. Besides, you may also recruit Collei for free by completing Version 3.0's main seasonal event, "Graven Innocence."

That’s it for now, but we have so much more to share about Sumeru in the future!