Genshin Impact 'Theater Mechanicus' Minigame Event Guide

Genshin Impact players can now get back to playing one of the game's oldest minigame challenges, Theater Mechanicus.

This event was originally released with one of the very first builds of the game for a limited time. Now, miHoYo has seen fit to bring it back, letting players put their elemental knowledge and strategy skills to the test. Their goal? To defend against a hostile takeover using pawns, pals, and power.

Here's how it works.

Genshin Impact "Theater Mechanicus" Explained

Players must have an account level of 30 or higher and have already completed the "Ritou Escape Plan" Quest in order for Theater Mechanicus to show up in their World Quest log. The quest itself will direct them to Inazuma City to speak with Komakata.

According to her, Theater Mechanicus is a tabletop defense game from Liyue. Players set up their own defenses and watch each level play out. Upon starting a game, they'll be ported onto the board, and allowed to allocate their defense resources known as "Mechanici" according to which attack mechanics will be prevalent that round.

It's essentially a more complicated game of Rock Paper Scissors. Players need to choose the Mechanici that will neutralize the horde and select the best position for it. Each Mechanici costs Veneficus Points (VP) to place, which can be earned through successful defenses.

There are 10 rounds to survive in total, with each featuring a different map to conquer. Rounds can be played as many times as desired. After every successful round, players earn Mechanicus Mastery experience, which increases the number of VP with which they start rounds.

It's also worth noting that the party players go in with can affect the outcome of a certain round. Characters cannot use their abilities, but can use their elements to create reactions when placed around certain Mechanici of a specific element.

Mechanici come with the following elemental reactions and abilities:

• Arcanum — Increase ATK stat of nearby Mechanici by 50%
• Banishment — Knocks back hostiles in an AoE radius with a six-second cooldown
• Binding — Explodes when approached by hostiles and imprisons them for three seconds
• Charity — Nearby hostiles suffer 20% movement speed decrease, the player gets 20 VP upon victory
• Crack Shot — Fires Arrow Shot, dealing 75% ATK damage as physical damage
• Dust Devil — Knocks back hostiles, deals 75% ATK damage as Anemo AoE
• Furious Discharge — Focuses one hostile with Thunder Strike, dealing 80% ATK damage as Electro
• Glacial Bloom — Fires Frost Bullet, dealing 50% ATK damage as Cryo to first hostile hit
• Inferno — Uses Blazing Sparks, dealing 100% ATK damage as Pyro AoE
• Rippling Reflections — Uses Water Canons, dealing 60% ATK damage as Hydro
• Tandem Mine — Self-destructs to deal 500% ATK damage as Pyro to all nearby hostiles

Rewards for completing rounds are a special event currency called "Wondrous Talismans" which can be traded in for useful items, such as:

• Guide to Elegance — 15 Talismans
• Guide to Light — 15 Talismans
• Guide to Transcience — 15 Talismans
• Hero's Wit — 8 Talismans
• 10,000 Mora — 8 Talismans
• 60 Primogems — 50 Talismans

Players will be able to play Theater Mechanicus until Aug. 23. More information about the limited-time game event and how it works can be found on miHoYo's website.