Genshin Impact Wine and Song

Introduction to the Wine and Song Catalyst

The Genshin Impact Wine and Song is a 4-star Catalyst weapon in Genshin Impact that often appears in limited weapon banners, meaning many players might have a copy of it tucked away. At its maximum level of 90, this Catalyst offers a base ATK of 565 and provides a substantial 30.6% Energy Recharge as its secondary stat. Its unique passive and stats make it a compelling choice for certain character builds, especially when other optimal weapons aren’t available.

Understanding the “Ever-Changing” Passive

The core of Wine and Song’s utility lies in its unique weapon skill, known as “Ever-Changing”. This passive has two main components that synergize with an active playstyle. Firstly, hitting an opponent with a Normal Attack will decrease the Stamina consumption of Sprint or Alternate Sprint by a percentage, ranging from 14% at Refinement 1 to 22% at Refinement 5, and this effect lasts for 5 seconds. Secondly, and crucially for damage, using a Sprint or Alternate Sprint ability will increase your character’s ATK by a percentage, from 20% at Refinement 1 up to a significant 40% at Refinement 5, also for 5 seconds.

This passive encourages a dynamic combat style where characters are actively using Normal Attacks and then incorporating sprints to gain an ATK buff while also managing their stamina more efficiently. It’s the only 4-star Catalyst that provides any form of stamina reduction, making it quite unique in its category. The upward arrows that appear around your character are a visual indicator that the passive effect is active.

Why Choose Wine and Song? Ideal Use Cases

While not always a character’s top-tier option, Wine and Song serves as a very good alternative weapon, particularly for Catalyst characters who heavily rely on their Normal Attacks for damage or those who have a high Energy Recharge requirement. Its combination of a high base ATK for a 4-star weapon and its Energy Recharge sub-stat makes it suitable for on-field damage dealers (DPS) who need to cast their Elemental Bursts frequently. The ATK buff from its passive further enhances damage output, especially if you can consistently trigger the effects by timing your Normal Attacks and sprints.

Best Characters for Wine and Song

The effectiveness of Wine and Song truly shines on specific characters whose kits align well with its stats and passive.

Character	Role / Element	Wine and Song Benefits	Notes
Ningguang	4★ Geo DPS	High base ATK and Energy Recharge aid Burst uptime; sprint activates ATK buff	Dash before attack to trigger passive; complements Normal Attack playstyle
Shikanoin Heizou	4★ Anemo Melee Catalyst	ER supports frequent Burst use; sprint stamina reduction helps with combo flow	Stamina passive stacks with his talent; strong synergy with close-range playstyle
Lisa Minci	4★ Electro Support/DPS	ER helps with her high-cost Burst; good for reaction-based builds	Useful in Dendro/Electro teams; recommended for support build
Mona	5★ Hydro Burst DPS	ER boosts her Burst; Alternate Sprint triggers ATK buff from passive	Strong synergy with sprint-based passive; boosts her main damage window
Sucrose	4★ Anemo Support	ER helps maintain Burst uptime for crowd control	Good for reaction setups; not ideal for triggering passive regularly
Sangonomiya Kokomi	5★ Hydro Healer	ER supports Burst uptime; potential boost to healing and Normal Attack damage	Better options exist (e.g., Prototype Amber); niche usage
Xianyun	5★ Anemo Support	ER is valuable; can use passive occasionally for ATK buff	Passive uptime may be limited; not her BiS but usable

Characters with Better Alternatives:

While characters like Yanfei and Klee can use Wine and Song, they generally have better free-to-play or limited weapon options available. The damage fall-off for these characters when using Wine and Song can be quite significant compared to their other optimal choices. Similarly, though Cloud Retainer can technically use it for its stats and the sprint passive, other options like Favonius Codex or Oathsworn Eye are often considered more optimal due to their higher Energy Recharge or more consistently useful passives for her.

Recommended Artifacts for Wine and Song Users

To further enhance the effectiveness of Wine and Song, pairing it with the right artifact sets is key:

Obtaining Wine and Song

Wine and Song is classified as an event-exclusive 4-star weapon. This means that the only way to acquire it is by wishing on specific limited-weapon banners where it is featured as a rate-up item. Unlike 5-star weapons, where you can chart an Epitomized Path to guarantee it, there’s no direct way to guarantee Wine and Song; however, you have a chance to obtain it every 10 pulls from the last 4-star or 5-star weapon you received on such banners. It is not available through Paimon’s Bargains, crafting, or the standard Wanderlust Invocation banner.

Historically, it has appeared in several past weapon banners, including updates 1.4, 1.6, 2.3, 2.8, 3.5, 3.8, and 4.5. As of the current information, it is not consistently obtainable, so you’ll need to keep an eye out for future weapon banner rotations.

Ascension Materials for Wine and Song

To ascend Wine and Song to its maximum level of 90, you will need a specific set of materials. These include:

The Lore of Wine and Song

Beyond its in-game stats, the Wine and Song Catalyst carries a rich and evocative backstory that adds to its charm. It’s described as an elegantly bound songbook, originating from the bygone aristocratic era, and carries the faint scent of daisies and aged wine within its pages.

The book itself chronicles the tale of a “certain heroic outlaw” – a gentleman thief known for his carefree spirit, singing, and drinking. This thief was renowned for stealing from the rich and helping the poor, embodying a Robin Hood-esque figure who threw “a spark into the dark, and night is pierced by day”. His skills were matchless, his strides light as the Anemo Archon Barbatos’s flight, and his strength so great he could “slake the entire Cider Lake”.

The lore details a poignant moment where this thief, after a successful heist, looked up and saw a lovely maiden with eyes like sapphire stones. He was so captivated that he pried a gem from his stolen loot, a sapphire that matched her eyes, and gave it to her. The story concludes with the thief and the maiden, who is referred to as the Blue-Eyed Spear Witch in another source, leaving to explore distant lands after toppling the indolent nobles. The song states they “warmed each other’s days with light forevermore”.

While the songbook itself presents a happy ending, it is noted that the actual story behind it is quite tragic. Despite this, the tale became popular in alleys and taverns, and it’s highlighted that “wine and songs brim with hope”. This story served as a testimony, giving hope to those suffering under the aristocrats, even if such “justful thieves” are no longer needed today.

This theme of “wine and song” also resonates deeply with the broader lore of Genshin Impact, particularly concerning Barbatos, the Anemo Archon. Before the age of Celestia, humans were noted for mining and gathering to write poetry and song. Barbatos, who originated as a wind wisp, became an Archon through the “prayers and hopes” of people. His status as the God of Wine and Song is believed to be tied to people gathering (wine) and telling stories or poems about him (song), reinforcing their belief in him.

This suggests that the collective belief and faith of humanity in these themes, and in their Archons, is a powerful force that can sustain even gods. The lore of the Wine and Song Catalyst, therefore, ties into this fundamental aspect of Teyvat’s power system: belief can manifest and create change in the world.

Final Thoughts and Unique Playstyle

Wine and Song is definitely a unique weapon, primarily due to its passive. While it might be considered niche because not many characters can fully utilize its effects, it offers an interesting alternative playstyle. If you can consistently trigger its effects through careful timing of Normal Attacks and sprints, it can be quite useful for both DPS and Burst DPS roles, adding considerable damage through its ATK buff and ensuring high Elemental Burst uptime with its Energy Recharge sub-stat. It’s a testament to how even a 4-star weapon, with the right understanding and character pairing, can be a valuable asset in your Genshin Impact journey.