We are finally getting Skirk in Genshin Impact 5.7. But is she worth your primogems? Read this Skirk gameplay and kit breakdown to find out!
Skirk, the long-anticipated swordmaster of the Abyss Order, is officially slashing her way into Genshin Impact Version 5.7 as a 5-star Cryo Sword DPS. Teased all the way back in Fontaine’s Archon Quest and briefly referenced by Childe, Skirk is finally becoming a playable character.
So—should you pull for Skirk? Is her kit just hype, or can she actually compete with top-tier DPS characters like Mavuika or Arlecchino? In this breakdown, I’ll cover everything we know from current beta leaks: her abilities, passives, constellations, and how she might fit into the meta.
Read More: Upcoming Characters in Genshin Impact: 5.7 and 5.8 Banners
Skirk Overview
- Element: Cryo
- Weapon: Sword
- Rarity: 5-Star
- Role: On-field Cryo DPS / Reaction Amplifier
- Kit Theme: Abyssal swordplay, mobility, and burst ramp-up
Genshin Impact 5.7 Leaks: Skirk Gameplay Kit Breakdown
Normal Attack – Havoc: Sunder
Performs 5 fast sword slashes. Holding the button unleashes a spinning Cryo spear lunge—think Keqing’s charged attack but flashier. Plunging attack deals standard AoE Cryo damage from midair.
Elemental Skill – Havoc: Warp
Skirk’s Skill has two functions:
- Tap: Instantly enters Seven-Phase Flash mode and gains 45 Serpent’s Subtlety.
- Hold: Enters a high-speed dash mode (Cryo Yelan vibes) with increased resistance to interruption. Can be canceled early and also generates 45 Subtlety.
Elemental Burst – Havoc: Ruin / Havoc: ExtinctionInstead of Energy, Skirk spends Serpent’s Subtlety to cast her Burst:
- Havoc: Ruin (Base Form): Unleashes a Cryo slash combo if Subtlety is ≥50. Extra damage scales with up to 12 additional points beyond 50.
- Havoc: Extinction (While in Flash mode): No Subtlety cost. Buffs her normal attacks to deal extra damage every 0.1s (up to 10 times). Void Rift absorption pre-Burst boosts this effect.
Passive Talents
Reason Beyond Reason
Cryo-related reactions (Frozen, Superconduct, etc.) spawn Void Rifts. Skirk can absorb these during specific actions to gain 8 Serpent’s Subtlety each.
Return to Oblivion
Nearby Hydro or Cryo teammates (excluding Skirk) grant Death’s Crossing stacks (max 3). Each stack boosts her Normal Attack and Burst DMG up to 170% and 160%, respectively.
Mutual Weapons Mentorship
If your entire team consists of Cryo and Hydro characters with at least one of each, all party members gain +1 Elemental Skill level.
Best Weapons for Skirk
Her signature weapon, ‘Azurelight’ is going to be the best in slot. This weapon comes with a high base ATK of 674 and a 22.1% Crit Rate as a secondary stat. The passive is specifically built for her to perform optimally.
If you don’t plan to pull her weapon, then any 5 star weapons with Crit based stat will be your go to.
Skirk Constellations
| Constellation | Name | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| C1 | Far to Fall | Absorbing a Void Rift summons a crystal blade that deals 500% ATK Cryo DMG (counts as charged attack damage). |
| C2 | Into the Abyss | Skill grants +12 Subtlety. Havoc: Ruin cap bonus increased by 12. Normal attacks in Flash mode deal +60% more damage. |
| C3 | Serendipitous Sin | Increases Elemental Burst level by +3 (max upgrade level: 15). |
| C4 | Fractured Flow | Each Death’s Crossing stack now increases Skirk’s ATK by 10% / 20% / 50%, based on stack count. |
| C5 | Wish Ender | Increases Elemental Skill level by +3 (max upgrade level: 15). |
| C6 | To the Source | Absorbing Void Rifts grants Havoc: Sever stacks (max 3, 15s duration). Effects: |
- Burst → 600% ATK Cryo per stack
- Normal Attacks (3rd/5th hits) → trigger 3×150% Cryo DMG
- Taking damage → reduces hit by 80%, counters with 3×150% Cryo DMG (all Cryo and based on charged attack scaling). |
Talent Materials to Farm for Skirk
- Ascension Boss Drop: Ascended Sample: Knight
- Talent Books: Gear and Contention (Fontaine Domain)
- Mob Drops: Cryo- or Abyss-aligned materials
- Weekly Boss Drop: TBD (likely new Fontaine/Natlan boss)
- Mora Cost: 2M+ (as usual for 5-stars)
Final Thoughts – Should You Pull Skirk?
After reviewing the Current Genshin Impact leaks on Skirk gameplay kit, I can say without a doubt that she is quite niche. Freeze is the reaction she seeks the most but freeze is not the best when it comes to tackling boss enemies.
Also, to dish out the maximum damage you will need Escoffier, Furina, and another Cryo (Shenhe) or Hydro teammate (C6 Dahlia or Rumoured 5 Star Hydro Support in 5.8). Until now, the initial BETA leaks suggest that her damage is similar to Varesa or lower. So, she isn’t challenging Mavuika in this regard.
That being said, she offers an extremely new mechanic. Very high damage multipliers are only defeated by the most overpowered characters in the game. Hoyoverse can pull an uno reverse, and the final multipliers might be more cracked!
With no traditional energy cost, strong multipliers, and great synergy from constellations, Skirk might be one of the most mechanically engaging Cryo DPS units we’ve seen so far.
Verdict: If the leaks hold true, and you enjoy characters with freeze ramp-up mechanics and combo-based kits, Skirk is absolutely worth the pull.
