Yelan is a fantastic Hydro Sub-DPS, available for a few more days on the Genshin Impact Version 3.4 limited banner. Unlike Tartaglia, Yelan operates as a more traditional Bow character, with her Elemental Burst specializing in off-field Hydro DMG.
Genshin Impact: Yelan Talent Guide | Genshin Impact: How to Ascend Yelan | Genshin Impact: Hu Tao Constellation Guide
She joins a handful of characters whose ATK scales off of their Max HP, so your HP% Artifacts can be put to good use. And due to her reliance on her Burst, your Energy Recharge Artifacts will also help out.
Best Position – Sub DPS
As a Sub-DPS, Yelan contributes to the damage your Main DPS does and fills in during your Main DPS’s downtime. Though she would operate better as a Support, Yelan can hold her own as a Main DPS.
However, her power comes from off-field damage caused by her Elemental Burst. In addition to applying Hydro, her Burst deals damage every time your active character’s Normal Attack hits an enemy. So you want to focus on increasing damage from that, which include boosting Yelan’s Max HP for attack scaling.
Best Weapons
While Yelan uses all of her Combat Talents, her Elemental Burst is the most important Talent out of the three. Weapons should focus on boosting damage related to her Burst, which include Elemental Burst DMG, Hydro DMG or Elemental Mastery, and Max HP buffs. CRIT stats will help you more than ATK%
5-Star – Aqua Simulacra
Aqua Simulacra is Yelan’s signature weapon and it’s her best. The bow increases the wielder’s HP by a percentage. When there are opponents nearby, the bow also increases the wielder’s DMG by a percentage. This occurs regardless of whether the character is on-field.
The Thundering Pulse is a good alternative for easy Normal Attack DMG boosting. Meanwhile, the Polar Star increases Elemental Skill and Burst DMG, with buffs provided when any type of attack hits an opponent. Finally, if you have trouble keeping Yelan’s Burst charged, you can try out Elegy for the End for both Energy Recharge and Elemental Mastery.
4-Star – The Stringless
The Stringless increases Elemental Mastery, and its Weapon Skill increases Elemental Skill and Burst DMG by a percentage. This will make your Hydro reactions more potent and help you get some big blue numbers from Yelan’s Elemental Burst. The Stringless is the only 4-Star Weapon that directly increases Elemental Burst DMG.
If you don’t have the Stringeless but you want attack power, try out the King’s Squire for increased Elemental Mastery and an extra passive attack. If you’re struggling with charging Yelan’s Burst, try either the Sacrificial Bow or Favonius Warbow.
3-Star – Raven Bow
The Raven Bow increases the wielder’s Elemental Mastery and increases DMG dealt against enemies affected by Hydro or Pyro by a percentage. So you should see more damage after Yelan applies Hydro to opponents.
If you have a higher Refinement and/or Ascension level on the Slingshot or Recurve Bow, use that instead.
Best Artifacts
Due to Yelan’s reliance on her Elemental Burst, you want some sort of Energy Recharge on her. But the amount depends on your team and which Artifact set you put on Yelan.
For both Main Stats and Substats, you want HP% CRIT Rate, CRIT DMG, Hydro DMG Bonus, and Energy Recharge. Make sure you use one of each for Sands, Goblet, and Circlet – basically, don’t double up on a Main Stat.
4PC Emblem of Severed Fates
At 2 pieces, the Emblem of Severed Fates increases Energy Recharge by 20%. At 4 pieces, it increases Elemental Burst DMG by 25% of Energy Recharge. Up to 75% of the original Elemental Burst DMG can be increased by Emblem.
This hits on two critical pieces of Yelan: increasing her Burst DMG and keeping her Burst full. Emblem also incentivizes you to have the Energy Recharge Main Stat on one of your Emblem pieces, and/or on your fifth Artifact piece.
2PC Tenacity of the Milileth + 2PC Heart of Depth
At 2 pieces, Tenacity increases HP by 20%. Heart of Depth increases Hydro DMG by 15%. Both together work to increase Yelan’s damage output. Her coordinated attacks from Exquisite Flow will scale off of her Max HP, while any Hydro reactions it triggers will be increased by the Hydro DMG Bonus.
If you want to experiment a little, try out the Elemental Burst DMG from 2 pieces of Noblesse Oblige.
4PC Noblesse Oblige
At 2 pieces, Noblesse increases Elemental Burst DMG by 20%. At 4 pieces, using an Elemental Burst increases all party members’ ATK by 20%. This effect cannot stack.
Use the 4 pieces if you don’t have trouble charging Yelan’s Burst. Typically, a team with at least one other Hydro character should do the trick. But if Yelan is your only Hydro character, you’ll be better off with Emblem.
Best Teams
When making your Yelan team, focus on how to trigger as many Hydro reactions as possible. These reactions should inflict damage, so we’re not really looking at a Freeze Team or Swirl only. That leaves Electro-Charged, Vaporize, and Bloom.
Again, make sure to use another Hydro character if you have trouble keeping Yelan’s Burst charged. If you have a good amount of Energy Recharge on her and you’re happy with her damage, play around with your Dendro reactions.
Electro-Charged
| Yelan | Raiden Shogun | Kaedehara Kazuha | Sangonomiya Kokomi |
| Yelan | Fischl | Sucrose | Barbara |
Vaporize
| Yelan | Hu Tao | Xingqiu | Zhongli |
| Yelan | Xiangling | Xingqiu | Xinyan |
Hyperbloom
| Yelan | Raiden Shogun | Nahida | Sangonomiya Kokomi |
| Yelan | Dendro Traveler | Yaoyao | Kuki Shinobu |
Burgeon
| Yelan | Diluc | Nahida | Sangonomiya Kokomi |
| Yelan | Dendro Traveler | Thoma | Barbara |