Wriothesley (Genshin Impact)
Warden of the Fortress of Meropide and reformed former prisoner.
Wriothesley is a character from the video game *Genshin Impact*, created by miHoYo. He serves as the warden of the Fortress of Meropide, an underwater prison located in the nation of Fontaine, and carries the title of "Duke." After losing his parents at a young age, he killed his adoptive parents as a teenager when he discovered they were abusing and trafficking children. Sentenced to prison for this crime, he slowly built up influence within the facility, eventually taking control and becoming its administrator. He introduced reforms and was granted his ducal title. Wriothesley debuted in version 4.1 of the game in 2023 and was made available as a playable character later that same year. In the story, he meets the Traveler and Paimon inside the prison and later helps the people of Fontaine, the Traveler, and Paimon face a prophesied flood. His design draws inspiration from Cerberus, the three-headed dog of Greek mythology that guards the underworld, and also includes features linked to prison guards. Players and critics responded well to his design and praised his layered personality, and he inspired a large amount of fan content. He introduced a new combat style to the game, and his mechanics and overall strength were received positively, though he has trouble against groups of enemies.
- First appearance
- Version 4.1 (2023)
- Role
- Warden of the Fortress of Meropide, Duke
- Weapon type
- Catalyst (close-range with mechanical gauntlets)
- Element
- Cryo
- Constellation
- Cerberus
- Voice actors
- Chinese: Liu Beichen; English: Joe Zieja; Japanese: Daisuke Ono; Korean: Kwon Chang-wook
Lore & Background
In the game's main storyline, the Traveler infiltrates the Fortress of Meropide at the request of Neuvillette to investigate the disappearance of the Fatui Harbinger Tartaglia. Wriothesley guides the Traveler's actions while revealing that Fontaine faces a flood from the Primordial Sea. He shows the Traveler a protective gate and a vessel named after himself. When the gate fails, Wriothesley uses his Cryo powers to hold back the water until Neuvillette seals it. Later, during the prophesied flood, he leads a rescue aboard the vessel Wriothesley, saving residents. In his Story Quest, he investigates the Beret Society, a mutual-aid group whose leader Dourgie used a black gemstone to control members through fear. Wriothesley leads a raid, rescues captives, and defeats Dourgie, later allowing a wedding in the fortress.
Reader's Guide
Wriothesley is significant as the first five-star Cryo character in Genshin Impact to use a catalyst, fighting with mechanical gauntlets in close range. His Normal Attacks deal Cryo damage, his Charged Attack becomes more powerful under conditions and restores health, his Elemental Skill strengthens attacks while consuming health, and his Elemental Burst deals area-of-effect Cryo damage. His gameplay style was new to the game, and his combat mechanics and overall strength were received well, though he has limitations against groups of enemies. His character design, inspired by Cerberus and prison guards, was positively received, and his multifaceted personality in the story was praised by players and critics. He inspired a large amount of fan-created works. His voice actors include Daisuke Ono, who previously voiced Jotaro Kujo, and Joe Zieja, who drew on his U.S. Air Force experience for the role.
Did You Know?
- Wriothesley's constellation is named 'Cerberus', after the three-headed dog from Greek mythology that guards the underworld.
- His Japanese voice actor, Daisuke Ono, previously voiced Jotaro Kujo from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, and incorporated Jotaro's 'ora ora' line into Wriothesley's battle dialogue as an Easter egg.
- Wriothesley's English voice actor, Joe Zieja, served in the United States Air Force before becoming a voice actor.
- Wriothesley's design incorporates dog- and wolf-like elements, including animal-ear-like hairstyle and a dog-head-shaped emblem.
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