Watch out for Genshin Impact character Yelan. As her character description says, she can’t be trusted, likes to wear a disguise, and may or may not work for the Ministry of Civil Affairs. Oh, and she can wear a coat without actually wearing a coat (still a topic of debate among Genshin Impact players). We do have plenty of information to share about her skills and level-up materials though! Here’s how to prepare for her addition to your team with a look at her materials, abilities, artifact and weapon recommendations, substats to focus on, and more!
Yelan Abilities
Yelan is a 5-Star Hydro Bow wielder with the main task of applying Hydro and dealing Elemental damage. The main takeaway for your Yelan build is to focus on HP. All of her abilities scale with this stat.
Yelan doesn’t need much active time. In fact, her Charged Attack becomes stronger (the Breakthrough shot) after she’s been missing in action for at least five seconds. Don’t forget to use it before swapping to other characters.
After using the Elemental Burst, swap to an ally with a strong Normal Attack to make use of the Exquisite Throw damage. This is an amazing ability to trigger Elemental Reactions. The Elemental Skill is also good for easy Hydro application, but it requires a bit more coordination. Try to hit as many enemies as possible before the time runs out.
In case you’re worried about triggering Exquisite Throw with Lifeline explosions, remember that Normal Attacks can trigger it every second. You don’t really need those explosions to make good use of this ability.
Stealthy Bowshot (Normal Attack)
- Normal Attacks: Fires up to four consecutive shots.
- Charged Attack: Performs a more precise Aimed Shot for increased damage. Also infuses the arrowhead with Hydro. Additionally, Yelan may enter a ‘Breakthrough’ state after spending at least five seconds out of combat.
- The next Charged Attack takes 80% less time to fully charge.
- Once fully charged, it will fire a Breakthrough Barb dealing AoE Hydro damage based on Yelan’s Max HP.
- Plunging Attack: Deals AOE damage on impact.
Lingering Lifeline (Elemental Skill)
Fires a Lifeline, enabling rapid movement for Yelan and entangling opponents along her path.
- When rapid movement ends, the Lifeline explodes, dealing Hydro damage to all marked opponents based on Yelan’s max HP.
- Push: Move a certain distance forward rapidly.
- Hold: Continue moving forward rapidly until the time runs out or until hitting the Skill button again. The direction of the Sprint can be adjusted. Furthermore, Yelan has a 34% chance to gain Breakthrough for each enemy marked by Lifeline when it explodes.
Depth-Clarion Dice (Elemental Burst)
Deals AoE Hydro damage and creates an Exquisite Throw aid.
- The Exquisite Throw follows the active character and deals coordinated Hydro Attacks scaled with Yelan’s max HP. This only happens under the following circumstances:
- When the active character uses a Normal Attack
- When Lifeline explodes and hits opponents
Turn Control (Passive 1) – Ascension 1
When the party has one, two, three, or four different Elemental types, Yelan’s Max HP increases by 6%, 12%, 18%, or 30% respectively.
Adapt With Ease (Passive 2) – Ascension 4
While Exquisite Throw is active, active characters deal 1% more damage, which increases by another 3.5% damage for every additional second.
- The maximum damage increase gained from this effect is 50%.
Lengthy Consideration (Passive 3) – Unlocked
Gain 25% more rewards when dispatched on an Expedition in Liyue for 20 hours.
Best Yelan Build
Weapon Options
Yelan’s signature 5-Star weapon is the Aqua Simulacra Bow. Although it has a low base Attack compared to others, it offers a massive Critical Damage increase (almost 90% when fully ascended) and a large HP bonus. If you’re able to get it, it’s the number one choice here.
Unfortunately, it’s a bit hard to find a proper alternative as the Attack Power and Physical Damage Bows aren’t great on Yelan. There’s only one Bow with HP% as a secondary stat, but it’s a 3-Star with a useless passive ability (the Recurve Bow). Those who don’t pull for 5-Star weapons will want to wait for the Version 2.7 event, which is rumored to introduce the Fading Twilight Bow as a reward.
If you’re unable to get Fading Twilight, the Sacrificial Bow is a good alternative. Energy Recharge is always helpful and it can’t hurt to use the Elemental Skill more often. If you want even more Energy Recharge and you’re able to get a high enough Critical Rate, the Favonius Warbow is also a great option.
As long as you stay close to your opponents, the 3-Star Slingshot is a decent free-to-play weapon. It’ll help you make the most of your Breakthrough shots.
- Aqua Simulacra (5-Star) – Increases Critical Damage as a secondary stat. Also offers an HP bonus of up to 32% and increases the damage dealt by this weapon up to a maximum of 40% when enemies are nearby. This effect also works while the wearer is not on the battlefield.
- Fading Twilight (4-Star) – Increases Energy Recharge. This weapon has three states, increasing damage dealt by 6/10/14% respectively. Hitting an opponent advances the weapon to the next state, which can occur once every seven seconds. The wearer doesn’t need to be active on the battlefield.
- Sacrificial Bow (4-Star) – Increases Energy Recharge. After dealing damage with an Elemental Skill, the skill has a maximum chance of 80% to end its own cooldown. Can occur once every 16 seconds when fully upgraded.
- Favonius Warbow (4-Star) – Increases Energy Recharge. Critical hits have a chance of up to 100% to generate a small amount of Elemental Particles, which will restore six Energy for the character. Can occur every six seconds when fully upgraded.
- Slingshot (3-Star) – Increases Critical Rate. If a Normal or Charged shot hits an opponent within 0.3 seconds after being fired, it increases damage by 60% (when fully upgraded). Otherwise, damage is decreased by 10%.
Best Yelan Artifacts
As Yelan is a Hydro DPS who scales with HP, a 2-piece Heart of Depth and Tenacity of the Millelith set seems like the obvious choice. However, the 2-piece Noblesse Oblige and Emblem of Severed Fate sets can be even better, depending on what you want and need: an all-round damage bonus (HoD and TotM), the strongest possible Burst (TotM and NO or EoSF and NO), or an all-round damage bonus plus additional Energy (EosF and HoD).
A 4-piece Heart of Depth set is also an option, but not ideal since it requires the use of Normal and Charged Attacks, and you only get one Breakthrough Barb. It’s a proper temporary Artifact set if you don’t have anything better.
As for sub-stats, you can’t go wrong with HP%. If you need it, choose Energy on the Sands of Eon slot instead. As for Circlet, Critical Rate or Critical Damage are harder to obtain but ideally the best options.
- Tenacity of the Millelith – (2) +20% HP. (4) When an Elemental Skill hits an opponent, all nearby party members’ Attack is increased by 20% and their shield strength is increased by 30% for three seconds. This effect can be triggered once every 0.5 seconds. The character using this artifact set doesn’t need to be on the field.
- Heart of Depth – (2) +15% Hydro damage bonus. (4) After using an Elemental Skill, Normal and Charged Attack damage are increased by 30% for 15 seconds.
- Emblem of Severed Fate – (2) +20% Energy Recharge.
- Noblesse Oblige – (2) +20% Elemental Burst damage.
Best Team for Yelan
Very important to remember: one of Yelan’s passives, Turn Control, increases her max HP based on the number of Elemental types in the party. As both the Skill and Burst scale with her max HP, you definitely want the highest possible bonus of 30%.%. On top of that, the passive Hydro Attacks from the Burst are triggered by Normal Attacks. So we’re looking for three different Elements and a Normal Attack DPS.
As if that isn’t specific enough, make sure the Normal Attack DPS can deal Elemental damage to create Hydro-infused Reactions. A Catalyst wielder like Klee is the most straightforward option, but you can also use someone who’s capable of infusing their Normal Attacks with their Element, like Hu Tao. If that’s not an option, try a Support character who can take care of the Normal Attack infusion, such as a Constellation Level 6 Bennett.
As for the Healer or Shield provider, just go for the strongest one you’ve got, ideally of an Element that isn’t on the team yet. If you don’t have many Genshin Impact characters yet, remember that you can change Traveler’s Elemental alignment to get the ideal four different types team!
Top Tier Team
- Main DPS/Sub DPS: Klee, Hu Tao
- Sub DPS: Yelan
- Sub DPS/Support: Raiden Shogun, Diona, Bennett
- Support: Zhongli, Yun Jin
Budget Team
- Main DPS: Lisa, Sucrose, Yanfei
- Sub DPS: Yelan, Chongyun, Traveler
- Sub DPS/Support: Diona, Bennett
- Support: Noelle
Talent Materials
- Talent Level-Up Material: Teachings/Guide/Philosophies of Prosperity
- Common Ascension Material: Recruit’s/Sergeant’s/Lieutenant’s Insignia
- Weekly Material: Gilded Scale (Azhdaha Boss drop)
Yelan Constellations
As always when a new character arrives alongside a signature weapon; consider pulling for that weapon instead of chasing Constellations. The Aqua Simulacra will no doubt be great for your Yelan build. Also, Sacrificial Bow users beware: think twice before getting Constellation Level 1, as this won’t add much to your build at all.
- Level 1 – Enter the Plotters: The Elemental Skill Lingering Lifeline gains an additional charge.
- Level 2 – Taking All Comers: When Exquisite Throw performs a coordinated attack, it will fire an additional Hydro arrow dealing 20% of Yelan’s max HP as Hydro damage. This effect can occur once every 2.8 seconds.
- Level 3 – Dealer’s Sleight: Increases the Elemental Skill level by three (maximum upgrade is 15).
- Level 4 –Bait-and-Switch: Increases all allies’ max HP by 10% for 25 seconds for every enemy marked by Lifeline when it explodes. A maximum increase of 40% can be attained per character this way.
- Level 5 – Beware the Trickster’s Dice: Increases Elemental Burst level by three (maximum upgrade is 15).
- Level 6 – Winner Take All: After using her Elemental Burst, Yelan enters the Mastermind state, which converts all Normal Attacks to Breakthrough Barbs. All damage is thus considered Charged Attack damage, dealing 130% of normal damage. This state lasts for 20 seconds and ends after firing six arrows.
Yelan Ascension Information
These are all the materials needed to Ascend Yelan:
- 1st Ascension (Max Level 20) – 1 Varunada Lazurite Sliver, 3 Star Conch, 3 Recruit’s Insignia
- 2nd Ascension (Max Level 40) – 3 Varunada Lazurite Fragments, 2 Runic Fang, 10 Star Conch, 15 Recruit’s Insignia
- 3rd Ascension (Max Level 50) – 6 Varunada Lazurite Fragments, 4 Runic Fang, 20 Star Conch, 12 Sergeant’s Insignia
- 4th Ascension (Max Level 60) – 3 Varunada Lazurite Chunks, 8 Runic Fang, 30 Star Conch, 18 Sergeant’s Insignia
- 5th Ascension (Max Level 70) – 6 Varunada Lazurite Chunks, 12 Runic Fang, 45 Star Conch, 12 Lieutenant’s Insignia
- 6th Ascension (Max Level 80) – 6 Varunada Lazurite Gemstones, 20 Runic Fang, 60 Star Conch, 24 Lieutenant’s Insignia
What do you think about the latest addition to the Hydro roster? Are you going to pull for Yelan, or did you spend your Primogems on her colleague Ayato? Let us know in the comments!
