#wuwa speculation

Geshu Lin's Kit

Personally, I see Geshu Lin as a Havoc resonator because of the lore anecdote that his flames actually harmed him, and so far, Havoc seems to be the one attribute/element that embodies that the best.

❂ Intro Skill: Rallying Cry "The enemy is right before our eyes."

Geshu Lin leads the charge in a violet inferno and performs a wide crescent cleave with his broadblade, dealing Havoc DMG and granting increased resistance to interruption for all Resonators on the team.

🟆 Basic Attack: Sacrilegious Bladework "Step aside."

Basic Attack Geshu Lin performs up to 7 consecutive attacks, dealing Havoc DMG. Most of Geshu Lin's attacks are about advancing forward as much as possible/"pushing the frontline" movement, as a nod to his time during the Battle of the Crescent.

[↓; 1x] — Geshu Lin steps forward and cleaves downwards with his broadblade.

[↗↘; 1x] — Geshu Lin flicks the broadblade upwards in a glancing slash, crossing his arms above his bicep and letting the point of the blade dip downwards in a guard stance. Geshu Lin gains a 50% incoming damage reduction during the guard stance of Basic Attack 2. If he is hit during this stance, he will automatically proceed into Basic Attack 3 as an immediate followup attack.

[⇆; 2x] — Geshu Lin drops the guard stance and slashes leftwards, then rightwards.

[↑; 1x] — Geshu Lin cleaves upwards as if impaling an enemy and lifting their body into the air.

[↓⤴🟏; 2x] — Geshu Lin slams the broadblade into the ground and turn-steps past it with one hand on the handle over his back, kicking the enemy in front of him. This attack can be seamlessly woven back into Basic Attack 1 or his Heavy Attack.

Heavy Attack (Standard) Geshu Lin consumes Stamina to perform a forwards rush and downwards slam with his broadblade, then a turn and second slam forward again as he heaves it over his shoulder mid-turn. This second slam will create an eruption of Black Flame, damaging enemies in a small AoE.

This is a two-stage Heavy Attack, and can be cancelled out into a 360° spin-cleave by releasing the Heavy Attack button before proceeding to the second stage.

Mid-air Attack Consume Stamina to perform a Mid-air Plunging Attack, dealing Havoc DMG.

Dodge Counter Geshu Lin naturally dodges in a curve rather than in a straight line like other Resonators, as if attempting to flank his target. When dodging, he performs a side-strafe with his broadblade hefted over his bicep in a guard stance, before lunging back in with a wide circling slash, dealing Havoc DMG.

🟌 Resonance Skill: Flames of Naraka "Forgiveness is beyond our reach."

Geshu Lin incinerates his right arm and sacrifices it to the Black Flames. This consumes 25% of his current HP and consequently triggers the Repentance state, as well as gaining 25 stacks of Desperation.

🟍 Repentance Geshu Lin's right arm becomes swathed in obsidian growths and black flames. His outgoing Havoc DMG is increased scaling off of his max HP, but total increase will not exceed 400% of his Base ATK. This will remain for 14s or until he is switched out.

🟇 Desperation Every time Geshu Lin is hit by an enemy (1), performs a Basic Attack (3), or uses Flames of Naraka (25), he will gain Desperation. When holding Desperation, Geshu Lin cannot be healed. Geshu Lin can hold up to 100 stacks of Desperation. If holding <25 Desperation, all stacks can be cleared by performing a Heavy Attack, though there will be no bonus effect.

✸ Forte Circuit: To Burn Away Sin "You who seeks absolution even when undeserving."

When holding at least 25 stacks of Desperation, Geshu Lin can perform Heavy Attack: Desecration to consume 25 Desperation and heal himself based on how much damage he has dealt during the previous cycle of Repentance in combination with the percentage of missing HP. This can be done at up to three stages (at 25, 50, 75 Desperation).

If holding 100 stacks of Desperation, Geshu Lin's Heavy Attack transforms into Heavy Attack: Absolution and consumes all stacks of Desperation, healing him 4x and performing a powerful downwards cleave before ending the Repentance state.

✹ Resonance Liberation: Heretic's Final Vow "By the end, this will have all been worth it."

Geshu Lin sacrifices his body to the Black Flames and loses 50% of his current HP before entering the Heretic state, wherein his outgoing DMG is significantly increased scaling off of his max HP, never exceeding more than 600% of his ATK. He will consistently lose 3% HP for every attack performed during the Heretic state, but gains incredible resistance to interruption.

If he does not perform Heavy Attack: Absolution by the end of Heretic's duration or is switched out beforehand, Outro Skill: Changing the Guard will become Outro Skill: Dying Order.

☾ Outro Skill: Dying Order Geshu Lin brandishes his broadblade one last time and smashes it through the enemy's body, shattering the weapon into an explosion of black flames and dealing significant Havoc DMG. After this is performed, he will fall and the next Resonator will be automatically switched in.

☾ Outro Skill: Changing the Guard "Your turn."

Geshu Lin enters a guard stance and taunts all enemies for 3 seconds. Both Geshu Lin and the incoming Resonator will obtain an 80% incoming Damage Reduction throughout the duration of Outro Skill: Changing the Guard.

Geshu Lin's Story

Honestly, this is incredibly self indulgent (for obvious reasons), but I hope they do something similar to the #post ovathrax au. I understand Geshu Lin is a badass, but I would also love to see that vulnerable, unhealthy obsession with victory explored a lot more deeply the way I've been doing on this blog.

Most of my posts take on the idea that Geshu Lin wasn't a selfish person outright (or intentionally, might be better wording) but rather a person who was already heavily burdened by countless mistakes and realized he'd dug his grave too deep; his suicide mission into Ovathrax was the only way he could even fathom making "all of these sacrifices worth it," and he knew he would die there. Did he want to? Did he think himself a coward for doing so? Did he see himself as extremely noble?

Admittedly, I do not like depictions of Geshu Lin saying that he was 100% right about everything. I prefer a character who is a tragedy because of his sense of honor and goodness, and becomes an example of an absolutely shattered moral compass because of that. My view of Geshu Lin is that of a man who wanted to do what was right, but realized that with the circumstances and cards he was given, it was impossible; but he refused to believe this and only sank more and more costs into an impossible goal until there was no coming back from it. The idea that he was so obsessed with honoring those who died serving him that he eventually lost all sense of life and death and humanity, and even value for his own survival?