Is Furina star’s beginning to dip, like Nahida’s did?

Nahida’s usage in the Abyss has been hovering around 50% for all of Version 5, when she used to be near-ubiquitous in the usage statistics for all of Version 3 after Version 3.2, and high usage for all of Version 4 to boot. With Furina’s release, Dendro’s rarity as a featured element compared to elements like Pyro and Electro in Imaginarium Theater, and a slightly accelerated pace of powercreep in Version 5, I feel like Nahida’s no longer a must-have for every player to activate big damage.

In this way she reminds me of Kazuha, who got crept by Xilonen + Scroll of Cinder City to the extent that he’s not super necessary for new meta-minded players who want comfortable cleats and big damage—even pre-Xilonen I’d say he wasn’t a must-have in the way Furina was.

Do you expect Furina’s star to begin declining after Version 5 to the extent that she’s no longer a must have for newer players? Scroll of Cinder City is best-in-slot or second best for every Natlan character, Xilonen’s out and will probably be rerun sooner rather than later, and there are great Version 5 supports who work with a lot of teams like Citlali and Mavuika.

For me, I feel like players joining the Archon train in Version 5 are better served by getting them at C0 even if they’re really into meta. I obtained C2 Raiden and Homa on release and she has been my most-used character up until I decided to get newer DPSes in Version 5. If I had just started last year and Raiden Shogun’s Version 5.0 rerun was around the corner, I’d either save my primos or just get her at C0 and put her on a full EM Dragon’s Bane + Gilded Dreams build. At Nahida’s last rerun in Version 5.1, I feel like someone with a mind towards meta who didn’t have Nahida was probably OK to skip her unless they really wanted some Xingqiu constellations. For Furina’s upcoming rerun, I also feel like a meta-minded player who doesn’t have her is OK to hold off still if they’re recovering from the recent Mavuika or Citlali or Arlecchino pulls and they’re not going to suffer in terms of clearing endgame content in the medium-to-long term.

I imagine that at the current pace of powercreep, by Version 6, Raiden Shogun will go the way of Venti—only get her if you love her. Nahida will go the way of Raiden Shogun—not necessary, but maybe C0 if you really want her. Will Furina go the way of Nahida, then?—a great get for a lot of teams, but showing her age and not strictly needed for comfortable endgame content clears?