Genshin Impact: Aloy ability and gameplay impressions

MiHoYo made a surprise announcement this week for their first crossover character in Genshin Impact: Aloy from Horizon Zero Dawn. What does this collaboration mean for the future of Genshin Impact, and how would Aloy play? Here’s everything we know about her abilities.

Genshin Impact: Aloy ability and gameplay impressions

Aloy will be given to PlayStation players in version 2.1. In addition, a new bow in the style of Horizon Zero Dawn will be distributed as well. All you have to do is log in and check your in-game mail. Aloy and the Predator Bow will be given to every player on PlayStation.

What about PC and Mobile? Players not on PSN will have to wait until version 2.3, and Aloy will be given out the same way. It’s not known how the free Predator bow will be distributed for non Sony players, since the weapon’s abilities only work on PlayStation anyway. The two of these together make for quite a package, especially at the compelling price of free.

Genshin Impact: Aloy Impressions

MiHoYo hasn’t revealed Aloy’s abilities yet, but beta info has been released by Honey Impact. According to Honey Impact, Aloy’s Elemental Skill Frozen Wilds throws a Freeze Bomb that deals Cryo damage in a slash. Hits from the bomb or the Chillwater Bomblets that shrapnel off give Coil stacks, increasing her Normal Attack DMG. She can hold up to four, and having a full stack gives her a Cryo infusion to her normal attacks.

The duration of the Coil’s bonus will persist as long as she’s on the field, and only disappears 30 seconds after she leaves the field. It’s almost like a Serpent Spine without the downside.

Her Elemental Burst, Prophecies of Dawn, is a ranged Cryo AoE attack where she throws a Power Cell and detonates it by shooting, dealing AoE Cryo damage.

Her Passives increase Normal attack DMG and Cryo DMG when her Coils are up, making her seem like a fast and aggressive Cryo support. She could pair well with Xingqiu in freeze builds, since her second Passive also gives some of her Coil buffs to your team.

Aloy gains Coils when hitting with her Skill, so she seems best suited against crowds of enemies. She looks like she’ll be taking the field as a main DPS, firing her Skill as soon as it’s up to get Coil stacks and start snowballing damage. With this playstyle, Blizzard Strayer or Shimenawa’s Reminiscence seems to be the best sets for her.

Genshin Impact Predator Impressions

We do know the live abilities of the Predator Bow. It only works when playing on PlayStation, but its effects aren’t anything crazy. It’s like the Sword of Descension that’s given to players on PlayStation right when they start their game, except its bonus effect works for only Aloy. It’s nothing you’ll miss if you choose to put it on someone else, as a flat 66 ATK bonus isn’t anything great at higher ranks.

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The bow itself isn’t broken by any means, but players who want to give Aloy her matching bow will find it great. Windblume Ode from 1.4 seems to be stronger as our closest free-to-play comparison, but the Predator doesn’t have to be better.

It only really works on Aloy anyway, since the current Cryo archers Ganyu and Diona can’t take advantage of its abiltiies. Give Aloy her bow and call it a day. As an alternative, Sacrificial Bow looks like a great alternative at higher refinement that would greatly increase Aloy’s utility against single targets like Bosses.

Predator plays up Aloy’s fast Cryo attack kit, increasing her Normal and Charged attack DMG when landing Cryo hits up to two times. This combination that focuses on Normal Attacks with a Cryo Infusion could make her into an alternative to Ayaka or as a Cryo-style Yoimiya.