Cryo will be back with Snezhnaya

First time I heard that statement was towards the end of Sumeru. It’s hard to believe it’s been an additional three years since and here we are.

While I do think Escoffier is a great addition (love her) it’s hard to shake off the feeling we got her just to sell Skirk, and we are back with our regular schedule of mediocrity.

No dendro reaction
No lunar reaction
5 stars few and far between

While cryo is still very much usable, it irks me to see the other elements get all the shiny toys. Just wondering if any cryo enthusiasts share the same sentiment and what you would expect in the next region.

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Bierzgal2026-01-06 12:44

> Cryo will be back with Snezhnaya

I mean... do you want to count all the Pyro characters from Natlan with me? :P It's probably true but it's not a given.

> it irks me to see the other elements get all the shiny toys.

I'd argue that Skirk being the Top 2 DPS is a pretty big toy to get. Not to mention Escoffier single handedly reviving the whole element.

Radiant_Public78562026-01-06 13:04

Top 2 DPS? Maybe before Columbina

Bierzgal2026-01-06 13:24

Which is quite literally now? Columbina is not out yet and Skirk has been Top 2 DPS for almost 6 months. And even after 6.3 she will be around Top 5.

RoyAhoym2026-01-06 13:42

If it followed patterns, Cryo would still be the focus just like Pyro was in Natlan. Mauvuika on release was best in a lot for nearly every character that came out in Natlan because it interacted with Pyro. Kinich was burning, Mualani was Vape, Citlali was Melt, and even the less direct interactions reacted with her well. And the same can be said for Columbina. So it’s less how many come out and how many Cryo based teams would be released that the Tsaritsa contributes too. If I were to guess we will be getting some new mechanic as well is locked to certain characters as a way to block Escoffier from mattering a lot to the new cast.

Traditional-Let2002026-01-06 12:49

Snegurochka is speculated to be one of the upcoming characters pictured in the silhouette teaser. Though from what I remember she was speculated to be a 4*, but frankly if she's a 4* character idk what kind of lore-nuke a 5* character needs to be.

Also iirc there was a leak that said a "female cryo" character (sneguroch) would be Sandrone's BiS support, and that sandrone (electro) would be a superconduct main dps.

so there's your annual "trash reaction is now meta".

now for rimefrost...

Irneta2026-01-06 12:49

Is Skirk still a top 2 dps post Bina? Would need more informed players to fill me in on that.

Escoffier reviving the whole element doesn’t hit the same as getting a new reaction for me personally. I would have loved a lunar freeze that could have shaken up the older teams. Especially after 5 years of freeze.

Berry_Sprout2026-01-06 13:54

DPS wise it goes

>!Flins, then Nefer, then Zibai, then mavuika, then Tao ( with Bina and ineffa), then Bina DPS, then skirk!<

Grouchy_Gap452026-01-06 15:27

Who said Flins and nefer are above mavuika, especially with her combos?

Berry_Sprout2026-01-06 16:05

Depends per combo cause yea Mav can easily be above, it's just the combos can be pretty unreleastic

Oeshikito2026-01-06 12:51

2020 player here. My first ever 36 star was with a freeze team so naturally it's my favorite playstyle. I've been playing it for years and it always felt like it was missing something. Especially with Cryo getting Shenhe as it's first support and her kit promoting mono cryo teams. But back then the roster was so small that Shenhe was often stuck with 2 member cryo teams. I waited so long for a proper cryo sub DPS. We eventually got Escoffier but it took 2 whole years lol.

In just one version, cryo got the perfect freeze and melt enabler, two off field archetypes that were missing for years.

Now the only thing it's missing is a rev melt enabler. And that's not an issue with cryo. This character would have to be a pyro unit. But the vast majority of pyro characters are designed to be onfielders. We did get 2 off fielders this year but Mavuika is mostly used as a DPS and Durin doesn't have any cryo buffs. So this is a role that is still empty and there's no guarantee if they will even release such a pyro unit in Snezhanaya.

I don't believe rimegrass will ever be added to the main game though. It just exists to make cryo feel less shit in IT.

>While I do think Escoffier is a great addition (love her) it’s hard to shake off the feeling we got her just to sell Skirk

This is always the case with the new supports. They are fantastic with their intended carries and feel noticably weaker elsewhere. If a rev melt enabler comes out some day, they would be releasing with a new cryo DPS in mind. And then it will just be the same thing. These new supports are always made to sell new carries. They aren't made out of generosity of the devs. Otherwise Escoffier would've been released years ago when cryo was at its lowest point.

Irneta2026-01-06 12:55

Same friend! I got into Genshin cause of Ayaka and got my first 36 star with Ayaka freeze. Over the years I did invest heavily in that team and it will forever remain a favourite of mine.

A rev melt enabler would be interesting but who would make the best use of that besides Ganyu (and maybe Wrio.) I would love a reverse melt unit followed by another cryo unit who would prefer that reaction.

strongestforeskin2026-01-06 12:56

That's why I am skipping all the nod krai units and only pulling on reruns which character I want . I will save for snezhnaya as I will be aiming for the best team snezhnaya can offer

Irneta2026-01-06 12:58

All the best for your future pulls o7

AlaindeshoGT2026-01-06 12:58

As if Cryo has gone anywhere and is not being meta for a while now

Right-Silver73542026-01-06 13:04

Of course, you can look forward to things like the Dendro–Cryo or Lunar–Frozen reactions being added in the future.

However, it needs to be stated clearly that Escoffier should not be labeled as *“just there to sell Skirk.”* Her existence provides a significant boost to Hydro and Cryo DPS units (such as Ayato and Ayaka) whose damage is not primarily based on elemental reactions. Moreover, she also be used in Mavuika Melt teams.

Lack of imagination sometimes can be dangerous.

xzxp2026-01-06 14:16

I think characters like Escoffier are really good, even if she was made to sell Skirk, she revived Ayaka and Ganyu, and they're actually viable at endgame content (And they might get buffed later too).

Freeze was already bad when Ayaka was released, similar to venti against mobs/bosses. They started putting only bosses in abyss, and in Fontaine, they spammed the Icewind suit boss, making freeze teams almost unusable. I think they should rework the reaction so that the 4pc blizzard and cryo resonance effects work properly.

No-Tonight31322026-01-06 15:04

I have a strong feeling that we will get a Rev Melt DPS

zephyrseija22026-01-06 16:29

*Cryo will return in Avengers: Doomsday*