The Bottom Line: Pre-farming means collecting character materials before they drop. You'll need weekly boss drops (6 per talent), normal boss materials (46 per character), local specialties (168 per character), and common enemy drops. Hit weekly bosses first—those resin discounts won't wait for you.
What Pre-Farming Actually Means (And Why You Should Care)
The Real Deal on Pre-Farming
Look, pre-farming isn't just hoarding materials like some digital dragon. It's strategic collection before character banners go live, letting you immediately push that shiny new character to level 90 the moment they land in your roster.
The payoff? You're optimizing that precious 180 daily resin, mapping efficient routes for those annoying 48-hour specialty respawns, and—here's the kicker—getting ahead of those time-gated weekly boss drops that can take 6-18 weeks if you're starting from scratch.
Why Strategic Collection Actually Works
Here's where the math gets interesting. Condensed Resin doubles your domain rewards while cutting farming time in half. Those three discounted weekly boss runs? That's 30 resin each versus the brutal 60-resin cost after your freebies are gone.
Material conversion opens up some clever plays too—3-to-1 crafting ratios for higher-tier stuff, plus Dust of Azoth for swapping elemental gems between character types. (Trust me, you'll thank yourself later when you're drowning in Topaz but need Lazurite.)
The Mistakes Everyone Makes
I've seen players fall into the same traps repeatedly. Chasing leak information that turns out wrong? Recipe for disaster. Burning resin on Ley Lines when events hand out EXP and Mora like candy? Painful to watch.
The worst mistake? Over-farming common materials while completely ignoring rare weekly boss drops or Crown of Insight items. Balance is everything—immediate needs versus long-term character goals.
Your Complete Materials Checklist
Character Ascension: The Full Picture
Getting to level 90 isn't cheap. We're talking 3.7 million Mora total (2.09M for ascension, 1.67M for leveling), plus 8,362,650 EXP—that's 419 Hero's Wit books if you're counting.
The elemental gems follow a standard pattern: 1 Sliver, 9 Fragments, 9 Chunks, 6 Gemstones. Then there's those 168 regional specialties with their stubborn 48-hour respawn timers. Plan ahead or suffer the wait.
Talent Materials: Where Things Get Expensive
Single talent to level 10? You're looking at 3 Teachings, 21 Guides, 38 Philosophies, 6 weekly boss materials, and 1 Crown of Insight.
Triple-crowning—because we're all perfectionists here—demands 9 Teachings, 63 Guides, 114 Philosophies, 18 weekly boss materials, 3 Crowns, plus 5 million Mora. The common enemy drops scale up too: 18 one-star, 66 two-star, 93 three-star materials per maxed talent.
Weapon Ascension: Don't Forget These
Five-star weapons run about 1.2 million Mora each, needing region-specific domain materials, elite enemy drops, and common materials. Those big Ruin Graders? They drop an average of 5.25 two-star, 1.40 three-star, 0.35 four-star materials per kill at max world level. The math actually works in your favor here.
Weekly Boss Strategy: Your Priority Target
The Monday Reset Ritual
Weekly bosses reset every Monday—mark your calendar. Three runs at 30 resin each, then it jumps to 60 resin if you're feeling ambitious (or desperate).
Current lineup includes twelve bosses spread across regions: Dvalin and Lupus Boreas holding down Mondstadt, Childe and Azhdaha representing Liyue, plus the newer additions through Fontaine. Each drops three different talent materials, and Dream Solvent lets you convert between them when RNG hates you.
Understanding the Drop Game
Every run guarantees one talent material from three random options per boss. Dream Solvent shows up about 33% of the time across all weekly bosses—not terrible odds for such a game-changing item.
The artifact drops provide unique sets per boss, while billets and rare materials add long-term value beyond just talent needs. It's not just about immediate gratification.
Resin Math That Actually Matters
Those discounted runs offer incredible value—30 resin versus 60 for the same rewards. With 160 max resin storage and 8-minute regeneration, you need about 4 hours to build up enough for three discounted runs.
Here's the thing: talent materials ONLY come from weekly bosses. No alternatives, no shortcuts, no event handouts. This makes them irreplaceable compared to other materials you can get through exploration or events.
Normal Boss Farming: The Steady Grind
Boss Locations and Timing
Normal bosses respawn 5 minutes after defeat, costing 40 resin per claim. They're scattered across regions—Mondstadt's got your Anemo/Electro Hypostasis and Cryo Regisvine, Liyue brings Geo Hypostasis, Oceanid, and Pyro Regisvine.
The newer regions keep adding to the roster: Inazuma's Maguu Kenki and Perpetual Mechanical Array, Sumeru's Jadeplume Terrorshroom, Fontaine's Emperor of Fire and Iron, plus Natlan's latest additions.
What Actually Drops
Drop quantities max out at World Level 8 with consistent gem distribution. Cryo Regisvine hands out Shivada Jade gems plus Hoarfrost Cores, while Pyro Regisvine provides Agnidus Agate gems and Everflame Seeds.
Oceanid's special because it serves multiple characters through Varunada Lazurite gems plus Cleansing Hearts for Hydro users. Some bosses just hit different in terms of utility.
Smart Farming Routes
Double Anemo resonance is your friend—15% stamina reduction, 10% movement speed, 5% skill cooldown reduction. Mobility characters like Kazuha, Wanderer, Yelan, and Sayu make traversal painless.
Detection passives are game-changers: Klee for Mondstadt, Yanfei or Qiqi for Liyue, Lyney for Fontaine. Nahida's elemental skill lets you grab plants from range without detouring. Small optimizations that add up over time.
Common Materials: The Foundation
Regional Specialty Maps
Each region offers 6-8 specialty types, and you need 168 per character with those 48-hour respawns. Mondstadt's got Calla Lilies near water, Cecilias up on Starsnatch Cliff, Dandelion Seeds around city gates.
Liyue spreads things out more—Cor Lapis on cliffs, Glaze Lilies in populated areas, Qingxin on high peaks. The pattern continues through each region, and knowing the spawn logic saves massive time.
Enemy Drop Calculations
Large slimes drop an average of 1.68 one-star, 0.45 two-star, 0.11 three-star materials per kill at max world level. Elite Ruin Guards yield 2.63 two-star, 0.70 three-star, 0.18 four-star materials per encounter.
Ruin Graders double those quantities, making them prime targets when you need higher-tier materials. Most common enemies respawn within 12-24 hours—plan your routes accordingly.
Domain and Ley Line Strategy
Talent book domains follow rotating schedules with three book types per region. Mondstadt's Forsaken Rift runs Freedom on Monday/Thursday, Resistance on Tuesday/Friday, Ballad on Wednesday/Saturday. Everything's available Sundays.
Condensed Resin doubles domain rewards while saving time—40 regular resin plus one Crystal Core for equivalent two-run rewards. It's efficiency in crystallized form.
Resin Management: The Real Game
Daily Allocation That Works
Optimal weekly schedule: 90 resin for three discounted weekly bosses, leaving 1170 resin for everything else. Daily 180 resin regeneration requires strategic timing to avoid waste.
Condensed Resin crafting extends your effective storage beyond the 160 limit. First daily refresh costs 50 primogems for 60 resin—reasonable value for progression-focused players, though the costs escalate quickly after that.
Condensed Resin Mastery
Transforms 40 regular resin plus Crystal Core into concentrated form providing double domain rewards. Crystal Cores spawn from Crystal Flies near major cities and teleport waypoints.
Maximum 5 Condensed Resin storage provides 200 effective resin beyond base 160 limit. Can't use them for weekly bosses or special activities, but they're perfect for domain farming sessions.
For players seeking efficient resource management without the grind, Genshin Impact Top Up services help ensure adequate resin for intensive farming without interrupting progression schedules.
Character-Specific Examples: Planning Ahead
Predicting New Character Needs
Skirk (Version 5.7 speculation): Likely Shivada Jade gems, Skysplit Gembloom from Natlan, Ensnaring Gaze from Tenebrous Papilla, mechanical components from Fontaine Clockwork Meka.
Ineffa (Version 5.8 speculation): Probably Vajrada Amethyst gems, Glowing Hornshroom from Natlan Ochkanatlan, Secret Source materials from Overseer Devices. Total material cost approaches 7-8 million Mora including full ascension and triple-crown talents.
Multi-Character Efficiency
Shared elemental gems, common enemy drops, and regional specialties enable batch farming strategies. Characters sharing talent books reduce total domain runs significantly.
Weekly boss materials serve multiple characters through Dream Solvent conversion. Regional farming synergies let you combine specialty collection with enemy farming and boss runs in single efficient sessions.
Advanced Strategies: Next-Level Planning
Priority Ranking System
Crown of Insight (extremely scarce, limited sources)
Weekly boss materials (6-18 week farming period required)
Local specialties (48-hour respawns, 168 required, minimum 3-4 cycles)
Common materials/elemental gems (flexible farming, conversion options available)
This hierarchy isn't arbitrary—it's based on time gates and scarcity.
Long-term Planning
Plan 2-3 characters ahead for consistent progression without resource conflicts. Event integration supplements regular farming with talent books and ascension materials, but don't rely on it completely.
Regional release schedules affect material availability, requiring strategy adjustments. Version update patterns provide predictable character release windows, enabling proactive farming alignment.
Tools and Resources: Work Smarter
Community calculators provide precise material requirements accounting for current levels and inventories. Interactive farming maps offer detailed locations with respawn timers and route suggestions.
Mobile applications enable offline access during gameplay—handy when you're planning routes between domains. Community wikis aggregate player-contributed strategies and optimization techniques that often surpass official guides.
For players prioritizing gameplay over resource management, Buy Genesis Crystals through reliable platforms provides strategic resin management while maintaining wish savings.
Avoiding Common Pitfalls
The Balance Between Over and Under
Excessive accumulation wastes resin and storage while providing zero immediate benefit. Under-preparation creates those painful periods where your new character sits at level 20 for weeks.
Optimal balance involves precise requirement calculations and verified information from official sources over unconfirmed leaks. Regular inventory assessment prevents resource waste through priority adjustment based on current needs.
Material Conversion Opportunities
Dust of Azoth enables elemental gem conversion between types—don't sleep on this. Dream Solvent allows weekly boss material exchanges within the same boss pools, turning bad RNG into targeted progress.
Those 3-to-1 crafting ratios provide alternative paths through lower-tier accumulation. Event rewards reduce farming requirements, but require schedule integration into your farming plans.
Your Questions Answered
How far ahead should I start pre-farming? Start 4-6 weeks before expected release. This allows 3-4 local specialty respawn cycles, sufficient weekly boss runs, and adequate domain farming. Focus on pre-farmable components like elemental gems and existing weekly boss materials for characters requiring unavailable regional materials.
What should I prioritize with limited resin? Weekly boss drops first (time-gated, need 6-18 total), then Crowns of Insight (extremely limited), talent books (rotating domains), local specialties (48-hour respawns), finally common materials and elemental gems (farmable anytime). Those first three weekly runs at 30 resin versus 60 standard cost make the choice obvious.
How do I verify leaked character materials? Cross-reference multiple reliable sources, prioritize official HoYoverse announcements over community leaks. Look for consistent patterns across sources, but prepare for potential changes. Start with universal materials (Mora, EXP books, Crowns), add character-specific materials as information becomes reliable.
What's the most efficient specialty farming method? Use characters with regional detection passives, double Anemo resonance for movement speed and stamina, mobility characters for faster traversal. Plan routes combining multiple materials, use Nahida's skill for long-range plant collection. Set 48-hour respawn timers for maximum efficiency.
Are primogem resin refreshes worth it for pre-farming? First daily refresh (50 primogems for 60 resin) offers reasonable value for progression-focused players. Additional refreshes get increasingly expensive—reserve for urgent needs or limited events. Calculate opportunity cost against your wish savings goals.
How long for triple-crown weekly boss farming? 18 weekly boss materials total (6 per talent) requires 6-12 weeks without Dream Solvent due to random drops. With Dream Solvent (33% drop rate), potentially 6-8 weeks through material conversion. Plan for the longer timeline, consider Dream Solvent as an acceleration bonus rather than a guarantee.