Vortex Gaming

· Version 6.6 will introduce two new characters: Nicole and Loen.
· Nicole will appear in the first half, and Loen in the second half, both with their dedicated weapons on limited banners.
· Important News: Loen has been officially confirmed as a Standard Banner character.
· After his limited banner release in Version 6.6, Loen will be permanently added to the Standard Banner starting from Version 6.7. This is the same approach as Tighnari and Dehya.
· Therefore, the Version 6.6 limited banner will be the only opportunity to guarantee obtaining Loen.

Category	Details
6.6 New Characters	Nicole (First Half) Loen (Second Half)
Loen Banner Method	Version 6.6: Limited Banner (Includes dedicated weapon) Post-Version 6.7: Added to Standard Banner
Guaranteed Acquisition Opportunity	Version 6.6 Limited Banner

· Loen is designed as a main DPS and has deep ties to the Witch's Coven.
· His skillset focuses on synergy with the Witch's Coven.
· As an on-field DPS, he applies a massive amount of Cryo while on the field.
· He is specifically designed to work seamlessly with Black Durin, creating a perfect Melt reaction setup when Durin is in its black form.
· Loen applies a Cryo aura, and Durin delivers Pyro attacks, triggering devastating Melt reactions.
· The community has high expectations for the return of the Melt meta.
· Despite being a Standard character, if this Melt synergy is perfect, Loen has the potential to be a fantastic meta pick for a long time.

Category	Details
Role	Main DPS
Affiliation	Witch's Coven
Elemental Application	Applies large amounts of Cryo while on-field
Key Synergy	Black Durin (Loen Cryo Aura + Durin Pyro = Powerful Melt Reaction)
Potential	Core pick for the Melt meta

· Nicole is a powerful Witch's Coven witch with a 5-star Pyro Vision.
· Surprisingly, according to leaked information, Nicole does not apply Pyro at all.
· This has caused significant confusion and questions in the community, as a Pyro character not applying Pyro is unusual.
· Nicole is expected to be a pure buffer, shielder, or healer type of support.
· Her Pyro element is merely a visual aspect; she does not apply meaningful Pyro gauge to enemies, thus not triggering Vaporize or Melt reactions.
· While initially disappointing, this design is very rational when considering specific team compositions.
· If Nicole were to apply Pyro, she would interfere with elemental auras, steal reactions, and disrupt Melt timings, potentially harming the team.
· By not applying Pyro, Nicole becomes elementally completely neutral.
· This means she can seamlessly fit into various elemental reaction teams, such as Melt, Vaporize, or Freeze, without any interference.
· She will be a flexible support providing shields, healing, and Witch's Coven synergy without penalizing elemental reactions.
· This characteristic of Nicole is a huge advantage, especially in Loen-Durin Melt teams where random Pyro application can disrupt the rotation.

Category	Details
Element	Pyro (5-star)
Key Feature	No Pyro application
Expected Role	Buffer, shielder, or healer type of support
Strategic Value	Elementally neutral, flexible for various elemental reaction teams Provides shields, healing, and Witch's Coven synergy without interfering with reactions
Main Synergy	Loen-Durin Melt teams and other compositions sensitive to elemental application interference

· 6.6 Beta applications are open until April 6th, and the beta itself officially begins on April 8th.
· Skillset information is subject to change at any time, so final confirmed details will be revealed after the beta begins.
· The actual performance of Nicole and Loen will soon be verifiable through the beta.