Genshin Impact best Yelan build, weapons, and Yelan F2P options
Roll the dice and see what happens
The best Yelan build in Genshin Impact is good for both Yelan herself and the entire party, thanks to her unique set of talents. Yelan is a relatively new five-star character introduced in Genshin Impact version 2.7 update, a Hydro bow user who occupies a gray space between DPS and support, capable of dealing hefty damage herself and also buffing the party’s attack. While it might seem counterintuitive to keep your shiny new character off the field, Yelan, true to her nature, excels by working in the shadows.
Just make sure you have plenty of Starconch on hand to level her up.
- When is the Genshin Impact Yelan banner?
- Is Yelan a DPS character?
- What is the best Yelan build in Genshin Impact?
- What is the best Yelan F2P build?
- What are the Yelan materials?
When is the Yelan banner?
Yelan is coming back to Genshin Impact during phase 2 of Genshin Impact version 3.4 alongside Hu Tao, meaning if you missed them the first time around, you're getting another opportunity to grab them very soon!
Is Yelan a DPS character?
Yes and no. Her attack is relatively low compared to other five-star characters, but with the right build and a bit of planning, her skills can still sweep the field. If you’re after a pure DPS character, though, you may want to spend your Primogems on Xiao instead.
Her Skill marks enemies and deals Hydro damage in a wide area based on Yelan’s HP and gives Yelan a high chance of entering the Breakthrough state. When Breakthrough is active, Yelan’s charged shots speed up by 80% and deal additional Hydro damage that also scales with her HP. She automatically enters Breakthrough after being off the field for at least five seconds.
Yelan’s Burst generates Exquisite Throw, a set of dice that follows your active character around – it doesn’t have to be Yelan – and deals Hydro damage that scales on Yelan’s HP whenever you use a normal attack. If Yelan has any active Lifelines, it’ll unleash the same coordinated attack once the lines explode.
Yelan’s passive talent Adapt With Ease is what makes Exquisite Throw particularly useful. While the dice are in play, they buff the party’s damage by 1%, and the buff increases by 3.5% each second for a maximum of 50%. Even if you don’t want to invest in Yelan’s HP pool for more Hydro damage, this is a potent support ability that can work with any party setup.
Ideally, you’ll do a mix of all these things, though. Let Yelan enter Breakthrough while off the field, swap her in and attack with a charged shot before using her skill. Fire off any more Breakthrough shots you can, unleash her burst, and then swap out to a stronger character who can either make the most of the damage buff, capitalize on the widespread Hydro affliction, or both.
What is the best Yelan build in Genshin Impact?
Since Yelan’s damage scales with HP, the best build for her is comparatively easy to put together and lets you get the most out of her normal attack, skill, and burst, instead of having to prioritize just one facet.
What is the best Yelan weapon?
Aqua Simulacra is ideal for Yelan since it boosts her critical rate – which already scales as she levels up anyway – increases damage by 20% when enemies are nearby, and boosts her HP by 16%. That’s good for pushing her skill damage higher, but it also means you get significant returns from Breakthrough shots.
If you have a spare Thundering Pulse lying around, it’s a solid second choice. Thundering Pulse’s base attack is higher, and it grants an even more significant boost to the wielder’s normal attack power. Breakthrough would be less important with this weapon, though.
What are the best Yelan Artifacts?
Yelan’s Artifacts are pretty straightforward, since HP and Hydro damage are what matter the most for her.
Two-piece Tenacity of the Millelith: Increases HP by 20%, earned from Ridge Watch Two-piece Heart of Depth: Increases Hydro damage by 15%, earned from Peak of Vindagnyr (Dragonspine)
What is the best Yelan F2P build?
Yelan has several free options that offer just as much utility as the spotlight weapons and work in much the same way.
Best Yelan F2P weapon
If you’re playing during the 2.7 update, the new event weapon Fading Twilight has a bit of everything and is an excellent choice for Yelan, despite having a slightly unusual passive skill. Its base attack is just slightly lower than Aqua Simulacra, while its secondary stat increases Energy recharge – ideal for casting more Exquisite Throws. The passive skill has three phases and buffs damage by 6%/10%/14% depending on which phase it’s in. Whenever an attack lands, the bow switches to its next phase, though the effect only happens once every seven seconds.
Hamayumi is our evergreen pick for Yelan’s best weapon. You can craft it, and its secondary stat grants a substantial attack buff. The passive skill boosts normal and charged attack even further, which means you’ll get quite a bit of extra damage while Exquisite Throw is in play.
Finally, if you’ve been spending some Primogems or get lucky on the evergreen banner, Alley Hunter is another strong choice. It increases the user’s damage while they aren’t on the field, which works perfectly with Yelan’s Breakthrough state.
What are Yelan's materials?
Yelan uses:
- Varunada Lazurite
- Starconch
- Runic Fang (from the Chasm boss)
- Insignia items
- Prosperity books
- Gilded Scale (from the Azhdaha boss)
If you're just getting started in Genshin Impact, check out our in-depth beginner's guide for everything you need to know on your journey through Teyvat. Keep up to date with Genshin's promo codes to top off your pile of Primogems, and plan ahead for how many you might need with our list of upcoming Genshin Impact banners.