Hey everyone, it's your friendly neighborhood optimizer here! We've just ticked over into January 2026, and that means the Paimon’s Bargains shop has refreshed with a brand-new batch of Starglitter Exchange characters and weapons. As always, I’m diving straight in to break down what’s worth your hard-earned Masterless Starglitter, how to spend your Stardust, and what to expect if you’re still chasing constellations. Whether you’re a Venti-era veteran or just started your journey through Teyvat last month, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know.

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🌟 Starglitter Exchange Characters in January 2026

As the shop resets, the characters up for grabs this month are none other than Fischl and Xiangling! If you’ve been following the rotation since launch, you know this pair is as reliable as the Traveler’s appetite. January and July are the months that bring us the Prinzessin der Verurteilung and the pyro polearm chef from Liyue, and 2026 is no exception.

Should You Buy Fischl and Xiangling?

I’ve said this every single shop update, and I’ll say it again: only buy the characters you actually like and plan to use. Even if a character is meta-defining, that doesn't matter if they’re going to sit on the bench. That said, both Fischl and Xiangling are outstanding 4-star units that have stood the test of time, even half a decade into the game’s life.

  • Fischl: Her off-field Electro damage via Oz makes her a cornerstone of Aggravate, Superconduct, and Overloaded teams. She fits snugly into quick-swap comps and enables reactions from a distance. At C6, Oz’s joint attacks become a machine gun of constant Electro application, which can dramatically boost your overall DPS. If you’re new and only have her at C0, snagging a constellation here can be a smart move.

  • Xiangling: Do I even need to sell this chef? Her Pyronado remains one of the highest-damaging abilities in the game, especially when paired with Bennet, Xingqiu, or Childe (or, heck, the newer units from Fontaine and Natlan). She’s the backbone of the National team and its countless variants. If you somehow dodged her free copy from Spiral Abyss Floor 3, grabbing her from the shop is a no-brainer for account progression.

Veteran Players: You’re Probably Already C6

Let’s be real for a moment. If you’ve been exploring Teyvat since 2020, you almost certainly have both Fischl and Xiangling at maximum constellation by now. Xiangling was given out for free by clearing the early Abyss challenges, and Fischl has appeared in numerous events, plus both have been featured on banners repeatedly. For long-time players, this month’s character offerings might feel like a wave of nostalgia rather than a must-pull. But if you do still need that final constellation to unlock Xiangling’s fire tornado duration extension or Fischl’s electro raven storm, the 34 Starglitter per copy is a guaranteed route—no gacha RNG involved.

⚔️ Weapons Available This Month: Blackcliff Series

On the weapon side of the shop, January 2026 sticks to tradition with the Blackcliff set. You’ll find the Blackcliff Slasher (claymore), Blackcliff Longsword (sword), Blackcliff Pole, Blackcliff Agate (catalyst), and Blackcliff Warbow all available for 24 Starglitter each.

These weapons are, in a word, situational. Their passive “Press the Advantage” grants a stacking ATK% buff for 30 seconds every time you defeat an enemy, which sounds impressive on paper. In practice, though, that mechanic falls flat in single-target boss fights—like clearing the latest weekly trounce domain or tackling Abyss floors with one giant elite. You just won’t get stacks unless there are minions to kill first. On the plus side, Blackcliff weapons all come with a CRIT DMG secondary stat, which can make building your characters easier if you’re already saturated with CRIT Rate from artifacts. So, if you’re a F2P player struggling to fill a CRIT DMG slot and you regularly fight mob-heavy domains or overworld packs, the Blackcliff Pole for Xiangling or Blackcliff Longsword for a sub-DPS can be decent stopgaps. Just don’t expect these to outperform a well-refined 4-star gacha weapon or event-exclusive armaments we’ve collected over the years.

I always recommend checking the exact stats and passive details in-game before committing your Starglitter. Compare them to your current roster of weapons—sometimes the purchase is worth a small boost, other times it’s better to save for next month’s Royal weapons or characters.

💎 Stardust Exchange: Don’t Get Impatient!

Every month, the Stardust Shop offers 5 Intertwined Fates and 5 Acquaint Fates for the price of 75 Stardust each. My advice has never changed: buy those 10 fates every single month, and then stop. I know it’s tempting to spend the leftover Stardust on ascension materials, weapon enhancement ores, or Mora—especially if you’re a newer player desperate to level up a fresh pull. But patience wins in the long run. Here’s why:

  • Those 10 fates translate directly to 10 pulls that inch you closer to pity on both the limited character banner and the standard banner. Over a year, that’s 120 wishes just from Stardust alone.

  • Materials can be farmed daily with resin, and while it feels slow, you’ll eventually accumulate piles of them from events, battle pass, and chests. Stardust, however, is a limited resource that you mainly get from wishes.

  • If you spend Stardust on materials now, you risk falling short next month when you need the dust to buy those fates again. The cycle is sustainable as long as you regularly wish on banners, but dipping into your fates budget for a few Whopperflower Nectar drops is never worth the panic.

So, buy the fates, ignore the rest, and let your Stardust reserves build a safety net.

📅 The Predictable Rotation & What to Expect in 2026

Because the Starglitter shop hasn’t altered its character rotation since the game launched, you can plan your purchases months in advance. For those who love a spreadsheet, here’s a quick recap of the fixed pairs:

Month Characters
January / July Fischl + Xiangling
February / August Beidou + Noelle
March / September Ningguang + Xingqiu
April / October Razor + Amber
May / November Barbara + Kaeya
June / December Bennett + Lisa

So if you’re eyeing C6 Ningguang or a Bennett to round out your teams, you know exactly when to save up. In 2026, the shop will continue this pattern religiously, giving everyone a fair shot at these classic 4-stars regardless of banner luck.

🧭 How to Get the Most Out of Fischl & Xiangling in the Current Meta

Even after all these years, the Electro and Pyro duo hold their own. With Dendro reactions established as a mainstay, Fischl shines in teams with Nahida, Alhaitham, or the traveler infused with Dendro—Quickened enemies take extra spread/aggravate damage, and Fischl’s consistent Electro application keeps the reactions rolling. Throw in a Viridescent Venerer anemo support, and you’ve got a ridiculously fun circuit of numbers.

Xiangling remains the queen of Vaporize and Melt. Her synergy with 4-star titan Bennett (and often Xingqiu) still clears Abyss 12 chambers faster than some 5-star carries. Additionally, newer artifact sets like Emblem of Severed Fate continue to be her best friend, turning energy recharge into pure burst damage. If you’re working on building her, prioritize ER enough to burst off cooldown, then stack CRIT and Pyro DMG.

🎉 Final Thoughts & January 2026 Events

As we step into 2026, Genshin Impact shows no signs of slowing down. The consistent Starglitter shop updates, along with a steady stream of new 5-star and 4-star releases, keep both free-to-play and spending players engaged. For January, the shop brings back reliable favorites—so whether you’re grabbing constellations, picking up the Blackcliff bow for a physical DPS experiment, or just buying your monthly fates, you’ve got solid options.

Remember, the Asia servers already rolled over first, but North American and European players still have a little time if the reset hasn’t hit yet. Also, keep an eye on the ongoing Spiral Abyss rotation to stack up those precious Starglitters before the shop swaps.

Happy new year, travelers! May your wishes be early, your artifacts roll into CRIT, and your Stardust never run dry. If you have questions about team building, weapon choices, or upcoming banners in 2026, I’m always just a tweet away—and I’ll be back next month with another breakdown. Until then, enjoy Teyvat and don’t forget to cook Xiangling’s emergency dishes for the hoarders out there!