Following the 4.0 update, limited 5-stars Sparkle (Harmony: Quantum) and Black Swan (Nihility: Wind) will receive major kit overhauls, marking only the second Novaflare event in the game's history. This comes amid beta testing for 4.0, with leaks from reliable sources like Hakush.in revealing transformative changes that address long-standing pain points for both units. These buffs could reshape team comps, especially in DoT and hypercarry metas.
Black Swan's Novaflare: From Niche DoT Enabler to Teamwide Powerhouse
Black Swan has always been a flashy DoT applicator with her Arcana stacks, which deal Wind DoT and enable effects at 3/7 stacks (e.g., DEF shred, vulnerability). However, her kit suffered from clunky stack management—stacks reset to 1 on enemy turns without her Epiphany (Ultimate debuff), SP-negative playstyle due to mandatory Skill for DEF shred, and selfish buffs. Beta leaks paint a picture of a completely revitalized Swan: SP-positive, consistent damage, and now a hybrid debuffer/buffer rivaling Ruan Mei or Jiaoqiu.
Key Kit Changes
| Ability/Feature | Current Kit | Novaflare Buff |
|---|---|---|
| Arcana Stacks on Enemy Turn | Reset to 1 without Epiphany | Halved (e.g., 50 → 25); overcap beyond 50 possible, excess removed after DMG (including detonations) |
| Epiphany Vulnerability | Only on enemy turns | Always active |
| Arcana DMG | Conditional effects | Always ignores 20% DEF; extra DoT MV on enemy turns (no stack req); counts as all DoTs |
| Stack Application | Variable | All attacks: 65% base chance for +5 stacks; no detonation cap |
| DEF Shred | Skill-only (SP cost) | 100% on Basic, Ult, enemy entry; auto-applies at battle start |
| Team Buff (A6 Trace) | Self EHR → DMG% | Teamwide up to 72% DMG boost |
| E2 | +6 stacks on entry | +30 stacks |
| E4 | Lowers EFF RES | +20% DMG taken; uncapped 8 Energy regen per enemy turn/death |
| E6 | 50% extra stack chance | +20 max stacks; guaranteed extra stacks |
Analysis: These changes triple her stack uptime, enabling near-permanent max stacks (50+) without Ult dependency. SP-positive play (auto DEF shred) frees her for faster Ult cycling with sustain like Huohuo. Teamwide 72% DMG + 20% DEF shred + ~25% vuln rivals E0 Ruan Mei in DoT teams (Kafka, Hyacine), while excelling in Acheron hypercarry (better than Jiaoqiu). Damage output doubles via consistent Arcana detonations and overcaps. She's now a staple in triple-DoT, no longer falling off post-ult.
Sparkle's Novaflare: SP Economy Overhaul for Elation Patch
Sparkle shines as a premium Harmony buffer with Crit DMG%, Action Advance (AA), and SP recovery, but struggles in non-Quantum teams (conditional ATK), short buff durations, and SP overflow waste. Leaks confirm buffs laser-focused on SP/ER economy and universality, positioning her as "Tier 0" support for SP-hungry DPS like Sparxie (SP Sparkle).
Key Kit Changes
| Ability/Feature | Current Kit | Novaflare Buff |
|---|---|---|
| Skill (Crit DMG%) | 1 turn | 2 turns |
| Ultimate (SP Recovery) | +4 SP | +6 SP; overflow stored as "Mask" stacks (convert back + extend Cipher) |
| Talent (SP Use Effect) | +6% ally DMG (2 turns, 3 stacks) | +3% enemy vuln (2 turns, 4 stacks; up to 12%) |
| Technique | +3 SP start | +20 Energy start |
| A1 Trace | N/A | +1 Energy when buffed ally uses SP |
| A2 Trace | Buff extension | Next Skill free if ally uses 3+ SP in 1 action |
| A3 Trace (ATK Buff) | +15% (Quantum req.) | Permanent +45% team ATK; +10% RES PEN for buffed allies |
| E1 | Cipher +1 turn | +15% SPD (2 turns) on battle start/Skill |
Analysis: SP-positive nirvana: +6 SP/ult + free Skills + no waste = net +1-2 SP/turn in heavy-SP teams (e.g., Archer 5-skill volleys). Energy gen enables 2-turn Ults. Buffs shift to vuln/RES PEN for multiplicative scaling, unconditional ATK% for all teams (bye Quantum gate). Synergizes perfectly with Sparxie/DHIL/Archer. She's now uncontested BiS Harmony, fixing "SP cuck" issues.
Meta Impact and Future Implications
- Black Swan: Resurges DoT meta; E0 viable in Kafka/Hyacine/BS teams; Acheron enabler (20% shred > Jiaoqiu).
- Sparkle: Cements Harmony supremacy; must-pull for 4.0 Sparxie banners.
- Novaflare's Return: Signals ongoing support for older units—expect more (Blade SP, Boothill?). Hoyoverse is listening, boosting roster longevity.
Note: Beta leaks (STC); final kits may tweak. Pull wisely— these buffs make E0 investments shine.
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