Leaks surrounding Genshin Impact's upcoming Fontaine character, Effie, have provided a glimpse into her abilities, hinting at a potential shift in the meta. While Version 5.5 introduces Varesa and Iansan, anticipation is building for Skirk, Surtalogi's disciple, whose playable status was confirmed earlier. Skirk is expected to play a key role alongside Effie (also known as Akkefi) in future team compositions.

Genshin Impact recently teased Varesa, another new character arriving in Version 5.5.  However, the leaked details about Effie's Elemental Skill have already captured the attention of many players.  According to these leaks, Effie's skill significantly decreases enemy Hydro and Cryo resistance by up to 45%, scaling with the number of Hydro and Cryo characters in the party.  This synergy strongly suggests a focus on Freeze team compositions, potentially excluding characters like Xilonen or Kazuha in favor of Hydro and Cryo allies like Neuvillette and Furina.

This points towards Skirk's intended role as a modern Freeze hypercarry. While Ayaka has historically dominated this playstyle, Freeze teams have fallen out of favor since the Sumeru era. Effie's kit appears designed to revitalize this strategy.

Effie's rumored Ascension Passive further emphasizes the focus on pure Freeze teams. The substantial 30% difference in elemental shred between the third and final tier of her passive incentivizes a full Hydro/Cryo team. Unlike Citlali, who primarily buffs Hydro hypercarries in Freeze teams, Effie benefits both Cryo and Hydro characters equally.  This makes her a valuable asset not only for Skirk, but also for other Cryo characters like Ayaka.

A key question is whether Effie will address the core weakness of Freeze teams: their ineffectiveness against bosses.  If Effie, or potentially Skirk, enables Freeze application on bosses, it could significantly boost the Cryo element's viability.  Granting Skirk this capability would elevate her above other Cryo hypercarries, similar to Mavuika's dominance among Pyro characters. With future regions like Snezhnaya and Nod-Krai on the horizon, Skirk and Effie could usher in a new era for Cryo in Genshin Impact. Version 5.6 is anticipated to launch around May 7, 2025.