Columbina, the 5-star Hydro Catalyst Harbinger, launches January 14, 2026. This guide covers all materials needed for day-one level 90: 46 Radiant Antler, 168 Winter Icelea, talent books from Lightless Capital, and optimal artifacts. Banner runs January 14 - February 3. Total resin needed: 3,380-4,440.
Why Prefarm for Columbina?
Prefarming lets you max Columbina immediately when her banner drops. With only 20 days to pull (January 14 - February 3, 2026), preparation is critical for Spiral Abyss and endgame content.
Version 6.3 Luna IV introduces Columbina with 19.2% CRIT Rate ascension stat. Harbinger characters feature unique mechanics requiring specific teams and artifacts. Early access means immediate testing of advanced strategies.
For Genesis Crystals, use Genshin Impact top up through BitTopup for competitive pricing and instant delivery. Soft pity: 74 pulls. Hard pity: 90 pulls.
Day-One Readiness Benefits
Theorycrafting advantage: Establish optimal rotations before misinformation spreads
Faster Abyss clears: Immediate access to full kit
Resource efficiency: Convert downtime resin into future value
Co-op value: Knowledgeable players become highly sought after
Time-Gated Materials
Weekly boss drops: Mask of the Virtuous Doctor from The Doctor (Monday reset). Missing one clear = 7-day delay.
Local specialties: Winter Icelea respawns every 48 hours. Need 168 total = 3 farming cycles over 6 days minimum.
Talent domains: Philosophies of Moonlight available Monday/Thursday/Sunday only. Pulling on Tuesday means waiting 5 days.
Resin Efficiency
Total 3,380-4,440 resin = 28-37 days of natural regeneration (180 daily resin).
Condensed Resin: Doubles domain rewards for 40 resin. Craft 5 before daily reset for 10-15 minute sessions.
Fragile Resin: Save for artifact farming after securing guaranteed materials. RNG substats yield better returns than guaranteed boss drops.
Ascension Materials Checklist
Gems & Boss Materials
Varunada Lazurite (Hydro gems):
1 Sliver
9 Fragments
9 Chunks
6 Gemstones
Sources: Hydro Tulpa, Hydro Hypostasis, Oceanid, Primo Geovishap, Azhdaha
Resin cost: 18-20 world boss kills = 640-720 resin (40 resin/kill)
Radiant Antler: 46 total from Frostnight Herras (Hiisi Island). World Level 8 drops 3 per kill = 16 minimum kills.
Mora: 420,000 for ascension only. Budget 1.5-2 million additional for talents.
Winter Icelea Farming Routes
Total needed: 168 (48-hour respawn)
Route 1 - Hiisi Island Central Shrine: 18-22 spawns, 8-10 minutes. Start at waypoint, circle clockwise around shrine, check elevated platforms.
Route 2 - Lempo Isle Blue Amber Lake: 15-18 spawns, 7-9 minutes. Southern waypoint, follow shoreline counterclockwise, check underwater areas.
Route 3 - Paha Isle Kuuvahki Bureau: 12-15 spawns, 6-8 minutes. Government building rooftops and gardens require climbing/gliding.
Complete circuit: 25-30 minutes = 60-70 Winter Icelea per cycle. Run on Day 1, 3, 5 for 180-210 total.
Pro tip: Use interactive maps to track collected spawns. Co-op with friends to access their worlds and double available spawns.
Common Enemy Drops
Slime materials:
18 Slime Condensate
30 Slime Secretions
36 Slime Concentrate
Best locations: Mondstadt's Brightcrown Canyon, Liyue's Bishui Plain. 15-20 minutes = 40-60 materials.
Alchemy conversion: 3 lower-tier → 1 higher-tier. Overfarm Condensate, convert to Concentrate.
Talent Materials
Talent Books (Lightless Capital Domain)
Schedule: Monday, Thursday, Sunday only
Total needed per talent:
9 Teachings of Moonlight
63 Guide to Moonlight
114 Philosophies of Moonlight
Resin cost: 540-810 per talent = 1,620-2,430 total for all three
Domain: Level IV (AR45+) guarantees 2-3 Philosophies per 20 resin run
Condensed Resin strategy: 40 resin = 4-6 Philosophies. Prepare 5 Condensed Resin for burst farming sessions. Need 18-27 runs total.
Start 2 weeks before release for comfortable buffer.
For more pulls, buy Genshin Genesis Crystals through BitTopup for fast, secure transactions.
Weekly Boss Materials
Mask of the Virtuous Doctor from The Doctor
Reset: Every Monday at server time
Resin cost: First 3 weekly bosses = 30 resin each. Additional = 60 resin.
Dream Solvent: Converts unwanted boss materials to Mask of the Virtuous Doctor. Stockpile before release to counter bad RNG.
Start farming immediately to maximize accumulation before banner.
Crown of Insight
Required: 3 Crowns for triple-crown (talent level 9→10)
Sources: Major events, Frostbearing Tree, Sacred Sakura, region progression. Version 6.3 events likely distribute 1-2 Crowns.
Recommendation: Level all talents to 6 first for balanced performance. Push to 9, then wait for post-release testing to confirm Crown priority.
Talent Priority
Based on Hydro catalyst DPS archetype:
Normal Attack (basic damage)
Elemental Skill (reaction enabler)
Elemental Burst (final investment)
Wait for community testing before using Crowns.
Optimized Farming Schedule
Week 1-2: Talent Books & Gems
Monday/Thursday/Sunday: Lightless Capital domain (Condensed Resin)
Other days: World bosses for Varunada Lazurite (2-3 per day)
Daily: Winter Icelea route (every 48 hours)
Week 3-4: Boss Materials & Specialties
Weekly: The Doctor for Mask of the Virtuous Doctor
Daily: Frostnight Herras for Radiant Antler (2-3 spawns)
Every 48h: Winter Icelea route
Casual: Slime farming during commissions
Final Week: Artifact Farming
Secure all guaranteed materials first
Use Fragile Resin on artifact domains
Complete any material gaps
Artifact Sets & Weapons
Best Artifact Sets
Option 1 - Heart of Depth (4pc):
15% Hydro DMG
30% Normal/Charged Attack DMG after Elemental Skill
Option 2 - Nymph's Dream (4pc):
Hydro DMG bonus scaling with HP changes
Optimal for reaction-based playstyles
Option 3 - Mixed Sets:
2pc Heart of Depth + 2pc Wanderer's Troupe
2pc Heart of Depth + 2pc Nymph's Dream
Main stats priority:
Sands: ATK% or Elemental Mastery
Goblet: Hydro DMG Bonus
Circlet: CRIT Rate or CRIT DMG
Substats: CRIT Rate > CRIT DMG > ATK% > Elemental Mastery > Energy Recharge
Weapon Recommendations
5-star:
Lost Prayer to the Sacred Winds: CRIT Rate substat, movement speed bonus
Skyward Atlas: High base ATK, ATK% substat
Kagura's Verity: CRIT DMG, Elemental Skill DMG bonus
4-star:
The Widsith: CRIT DMG, random buff rotation
Solar Pearl: CRIT Rate, Normal/Skill DMG bonus (Battle Pass)
Mappa Mare: Elemental Mastery for reaction teams (F2P craftable)
Total Resource Summary
Resin breakdown:
Ascension gems/boss: 640-720
Radiant Antler: 640 (16 kills)
Talent books: 1,620-2,430
Weekly boss: 90-180 (3-6 weeks)
Total: 3,380-4,440 resin
Mora: 2-2.5 million (ascension + talents)
Time-gated:
Winter Icelea: 6 days minimum
Weekly boss: 3-6 weeks
Talent books: 2-3 weeks
Farmable anytime:
Slime materials: 2-3 hours total
World exploration: ongoing
FAQ
Q: Can I prefarm everything before Columbina's release?
Yes, except weekly boss materials (start farming The Doctor immediately). All other materials are available in Version 6.3 regions.
Q: How many days of resin for full preparation?
28-37 days of natural resin (180/day). Use Condensed Resin and prioritize time-gated materials first.
Q: What if I don't have enough Genesis Crystals?
Use BitTopup Genshin Impact top up for competitive rates and instant delivery. Plan for 74-90 pulls (soft/hard pity).
Q: Should I farm artifacts before release?
Farm guaranteed materials first. Use Fragile Resin on artifacts only after securing all ascension/talent materials.
Q: Which talent to Crown first?
Wait for post-release testing. Likely Normal Attack for catalyst DPS, but kit mechanics may change priority.
Q: Can I farm Winter Icelea in co-op?
Yes. Access friends' worlds to double available spawns and halve farming time. Coordinate alternating days for mutual benefit.