Lan Yan is the latest 4-star Anemo character to join the Genshin Impact roster in Version 5.3. Hailing from Liyue, Lan Yan embodies elegance and grace, wielding a catalyst as her weapon of choice. Her abilities focus on dealing consistent Anemo damage, shielding allies, and enhancing team performance. If you're excited about pulling for her, this guide will cover everything you need to know, from her skills and talents to the materials needed to ascend her and unlock her full potential.

Lan Yan’s Availability:

Lan Yan debuted on January 21, 2025, as one of the boosted 4-star characters on Clorinde and Arlecchino’s banners. After Version 5.3, she will also be added to the standard banner, making her accessible to all players. Additionally, during the 2025 Lantern Rite event, players can choose her as one of the free 4-star units.

Who Is Lan Yan?

As an artisan from Liyue's Chenyu Vale Artisans Association, her lore suggests deep ties to craftsmanship and tradition. Her design takes inspiration from the Miao people, known for their intricate silver accessories and rattan weaving.

Quick Facts About Lan Yan:

Birthday: January 6

Weapon: Catalyst

Region: Liyue

Constellation: Hirundo Lazuli

Affiliation: Chenyu Vale Artisans Association

Special Dish: Jade-Cut Flowers

Lan Yan’s Abilities:

Normal Attack: Black Pheasant Strides on Water

Lan Yan performs up to four consecutive Anemo attacks when tapping the normal attack button. Holding it down consumes stamina to unleash a charged Feathermoon Ring, dealing Anemo damage.Her plunging attack gathers Anemo energy to strike the ground, dealing AoE Anemo damage to enemies along her path and at the impact site.

Elemental Skill: Swallow-Wisp Pinion Dance

Lan Yan summons the Swallow-Wisp Shield, a defensive barrier with 250% Anemo damage absorption efficiency. Upon dashing forward and contacting an enemy, she leaps back into the air, creating opportunities for strategic attacks.

Press: Activates the skill and generates the shield.

Hold: Enters Aiming Mode, allowing players to adjust her dash direction.

Bonus Mechanic: If the shield interacts with Hydro, Pyro, Cryo, or Electro elements, it undergoes Elemental Conversion, enhancing damage absorption and altering the damage type of her Feathermoon Rings.

Elemental Burst: Lustrous Moonrise

Lan Yan creates a Swallow Array that pulls in nearby enemies and objects, dealing multiple instances of AoE Anemo damage. Her burst is ideal for crowd control and pairs excellently with characters capable of creating powerful elemental reactions.

Passive Talents

1.Four Sealing Divination Charms:

When the dash from her Elemental Skill interacts with specific elements, the shield absorbs 250% of the corresponding element's damage. Feathermoon Rings also deal bonus elemental damage.

2.Skyfeather Evil-Subduing Charm:

Increases damage dealt by her Elemental Skill and Burst based on her Elemental Mastery:

Elemental Skill: 309%

Elemental Burst: 774%

3.Thought and Intent, Like Silken Scent:

Prevents certain wildlife (like Crystalflies) from being startled when approached, making her a valuable addition for exploration teams.

Lan Yan’s Constellations

Lan Yan’s constellations elevate her combat and support capabilities, offering increased shield strength, enhanced elemental reactions, and more damage output.

C1 - As One Might Stride Betwixt the Clouds: Produces an additional Feathermoon Ring after Elemental Conversion.

C2 - Dance Vestments Billow Like Rainbow Jade: Restores 40% of the Swallow-Wisp Shield’s absorption when normal attacks deal damage, up to the shield's maximum capacity.

C3 - On White Wings Pierce Through Cloud and Fog: Increases Elemental Skill level by 3 (max level 15).

C4 - With Drakefalcon's Blood-Pearls Adorned: Boosts party members' Elemental Mastery by 60 for 12 seconds after using her Elemental Burst.

C5 - Having Met You, My Heart is Gladdened: Increases Elemental Burst level by 3 (max level 15).

C6 - Let Us Away on Sylphic Wing: Grants an additional charge to her Elemental Skill, enhancing versatility.

Here’s a detailed description for LanYan's weapon choices in Genshin Impact:

Best Weapons for Lan Yan

Memory of Dust

Rarity: 5-Star
Base ATK: High, with ATK% as its secondary stat.
Effect: Boosts Shield Strength and grants a stacking ATK bonus with every hit. If Lan Yan is shielded, this ATK bonus is further increased.
This weapon is a top-tier option for maximizing Lan Yan's shielding capabilities while offering a substantial ATK boost to improve her team's overall effectiveness.

Skyward Atlas

Rarity: 5-Star
Base ATK: High, with Elemental DMG Bonus as its secondary stat.
Effect: Increases Elemental DMG and occasionally summons an autonomous cloud to attack enemies.
Though its focus is more on Elemental DMG, the high base stats and bonus DMG output make it a secondary option for enhancing shield resilience and maintaining offensive capability.

Starcaller's Watch

Rarity: 5-Star
Base ATK: 44 (scaling to high ATK at max level)
Bonus Effect: Elemental Mastery +58
Skill:Offering Unto Wind and Sun
Increases Elemental Mastery by 100. Upon creating a shield, grants the active character the "Mirror of Night" effect, which increases their DMG to nearby enemies by 28% for 15 seconds. This effect can be triggered once every 14 seconds.
Starcaller's Watch perfectly complements Lan Yan’s support and sub-DPS role. The Elemental Mastery boost strengthens reaction-based damage, while the "Mirror of Night" effect significantly enhances the active character's offensive capabilities when shields are utilized. This synergy makes it an outstanding choice for shield-heavy, reaction-focused teams, allowing Lan Yan to amplify both her personal and team performance.

Sacrificial Fragments

Rarity: 4-Star
Base ATK: Moderate with a secondary stat of Elemental Mastery.
Effect: Has a chance to reset the cooldown of the Elemental Skill after dealing DMG with it.
Perfect for reaction-based playstyles where LanYan relies on Elemental Skills for triggering reactions. The Elemental Mastery stat increases reaction damage, making it valuable in Vaporize or Overload setups.

Thrilling Tales of Dragon Slayers

Rarity: 3-Star
Base ATK: Low, with HP% as its secondary stat.
Effect: When switching characters, grants a massive ATK boost to the next character on the field for 10 seconds.
A budget-friendly option that turns Lan Yan into a utility powerhouse. This weapon works perfectly in quick-swap teams, ensuring the primary DPS or sub-DPS deals amplified damage.

Hakushin Ring

Rarity: 4-Star (Craftable)
Base ATK: Moderate base ATK with Energy Recharge as a secondary stat.
Effect: After triggering an Electro-related elemental reaction, nearby party members gain Elemental DMG Bonus based on the reaction triggered.
If LanYan works in an Electro-centric team, this weapon enhances team synergy and boosts reaction damage significantly.

Oathsworn Eye

Rarity: 4-Star (Event Weapon)
Base ATK: Moderate with a secondary stat of ATK%.
Effect: Increases Energy Recharge for 10 seconds after using an Elemental Skill.
For players who need to manage LanYan’s energy requirements, Oathsworn Eye ensures quick burst uptime while providing a decent ATK boost.

Support Weapon Overview:

For Shield Strength:
- Memory of Dust (Best)
- Skyward Atlas (Alternative)
For Buffing the Team:
- Starcaller's Watch (Focused Buffs)
- Thrilling Tales of Dragon Slayers (Budget-Friendly and Versatile)

Lan Yan’s adaptability as a shield or support character makes her an invaluable addition to any team. By tailoring her weapon choice to your team's needs, you can unlock her full potential, whether it’s providing the strongest shields or amplifying your team's damage output.

Best Artifacts for Lan Yan

Best Artifact Set: Viridescent Venerer

Set Bonus:
- 2-Piece: Increases Anemo DMG Bonus by 15%.
- 4-Piece: Increases Swirl DMG by 60% and decreases the enemy's Elemental RES to the element infused in the Swirl by 40% for 10 seconds.
Why It's Best:
Viridescent Venerer is Lan Yan's most effective set, as the RES shred provided by the 4-piece bonus amplifies the team's overall damage. This is particularly valuable in elemental reaction teams where Swirl reactions are frequent.

Alternative Artifact Set:

Noblesse Oblige

Set Bonus:
- 2-Piece: Increases Elemental Burst DMG by 20%.
- 4-Piece: Using an Elemental Burst increases all party members' ATK by 20% for 12 seconds.
Why It's Viable:
Noblesse Oblige is a solid alternative for teams that do not rely on Swirl but still benefit from Lan Yan’s Elemental Burst utility and team-wide buffs.

2-Piece ATK% Sets

Options: Gladiator’s Finale, Shimenawa’s Reminiscence, Echoes of an Offering
Set Bonus:
- Increases ATK by 18%.
Why It's Decent:
If Viridescent is unavailable or if you're looking for raw damage increases, pairing two ATK% sets can be a simple yet effective option.

Energy Recharge Needs

Lan Yan requires around 180% Energy Recharge to consistently use her Elemental Burst every rotation. However, teams that do not prioritize her Burst or rely on the grouping and buffs it provides can manage with slightly lower Energy Recharge.

Main Stats:

Sands: ATK%
Goblet: ATK%
Circlet: ATK%
Why ATK% Focus:
Lan Yan’s abilities scale well with ATK, making it the most efficient stat for her main artifact slots. This ensures her shields are strong and her utility is impactful.

Substat Priority:

ATK% – Enhances both her shield strength and damage potential.
Energy Recharge – To meet the 180-190% requirement for consistent Burst uptime.
Elemental Mastery – Increases the effectiveness of Swirl reactions and synergizes with Viridescent Venerer.

Lan Yan’s best build leverages the Viridescent Venerer set for unparalleled RES shred and team utility. For teams that do not require Swirl reactions or not much work from her Burst, Noblesse Oblige or 2-piece ATK% sets offer alternative approaches. Ensuring adequate Energy Recharge while prioritizing ATK% and Elemental Mastery in substats allows Lan Yan to thrive in her supportive role.

Lan Yan Playstyle and Synergies

Lan Yan is a versatile character who excels as a sub-DPS or support, offering consistent Anemo damage, crowd control, and powerful team buffs. Her strengths make her a valuable asset in teams relying on Elemental Mastery and elemental reactions. Here's how to effectively utilize her and integrate her into synergistic team compositions:

Playstyle

Key Functions:

Anemo Damage and Crowd Control:
- Use Lan Yan’s Elemental Skill to group enemies together, enabling easy application of Swirl reactions.
Shielding and Buffs:
- Her shields provide excellent absorption for Hydro, Pyro, Cryo, and Electro damage thanks to her Ascension Passive: Four Sealing Divination Charms.
- Her C2 Constellation: Dance Vestments Billow Like Rainbow Jade restores shield strength when her Normal Attacks hit enemies, keeping your team protected.
Optimizing Viridescent Venerer’s Effect:
- The 4-piece bonus of Viridescent Venerer shreds enemy RES for 10 seconds, making it crucial to time her Elemental Skill or Swirl application right before your main DPS enters the field.
- Her shield duration of 12.5 seconds allows enough overlap to maximize the buff window for your DPS.
Elemental Swirl Selection:
- Be mindful of the element you swirl. Using the correct element maximizes her team's reaction potential and capitalizes on the Viridescent RES shred.

Role Substitution:

Lan Yan acts as a great alternative to Kaedehara Kazuha and Zhongli in teams, providing a balance of shielding and RES shred. This allows you to substitute one of these characters for another DPS or support, enhancing team flexibility without compromising effectiveness.

Team Synergies

Lan Yan thrives in reaction-heavy teams where her Anemo application and shields amplify damage. Here are the best elemental pairings for her:

Hydro Synergy:Crowd Control and Healing

Best Characters: Yelan, Mona, Kokomi, Xingqiu

Swirling Hydro triggers Vaporize or Freeze reactions when paired with Pyro or Cryo characters. Hydro characters like Kokomi also provide healing to complement Lan Yan's shielding.

Pyro Synergy:High Damage Vaporize

Best Characters: Hu Tao, Yanfei , Arlecchino , Xiangling
Pyro and Hydro combinations result in powerful Vaporize reactions. Lan Yan ensures crowd control and RES shred, making it easier to apply Pyro to grouped enemies.

Cryo Synergy:Freeze Compositions

Best Characters: Ayaka, Ganyu
Swirling Cryo enhances Freeze team compositions, immobilizing enemies and creating opportunities for powerful Cryo bursts. Lan Yan’s shields protect fragile Cryo characters while enabling consistent Freeze uptime.

Electro Synergy:AoE Swirl Damage

Best Characters: Kuki, Raiden Shogun, Fischl , Ororon
Electro Swirl deals widespread AoE damage, particularly in reaction-heavy teams. Lan Yan's shields also absorb elemental damage, keeping your team safe during Electro-charged or Overloaded reactions.

Team Flexibility

Shielding Teams: For teams that need strong shields, Lan Yan is a reliable choice regardless of elemental focus.
Reaction Teams: She excels in reaction-heavy compositions, particularly for AoE crowd control and RES shred.

Lan Yan's combination of shielding, RES shred, and Anemo crowd control makes her a flexible and valuable support in a wide range of teams. Whether you're pairing her with reaction-based characters or using her as a substitute for high-value units like Kazuha or Zhongli, she provides excellent utility while opening up new possibilities for team building.

Ascension and Talent Materials:

Ascension Materials

Clearwater Jade: Found in the Chenyu Vale area of Liyue.

Gold-Inscribed Secret Source Core: Dropped by Secret Source Automaton in Natlan.

Vayuda Turquoise: Acquired from Anemo bosses like the Anemo Hypostasis.

Whopperflower Nectars: Dropped by Whopperflower enemies.

Talent Level-Up Materials

Teachings, Guides, and Philosophies of Diligence: Obtained from the Taishan Mansion domain in Liyue on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.

Eroded Sunfire: Dropped by the Lord of Eroded Primal Fire in Natlan’s Weekly Boss domain.

Crowns of Insight: Rewarded during events.

Complete Costs:

Mora: 6,610,000

Crowns of Insight: 3

Books of Diligence: 114 (combined)

Nectars: 93 Energy, 66 Shimmering, 18 Whopperflower.

Final Thoughts:

Lan Yan’s intricate design and skillset offer players a fresh and versatile Anemo character to experiment with in Genshin Impact. She is definitely a flexible character with a unique playstyle centered around mobility and utility. Whether you're drawn to her cultural inspiration, combat abilities, or exploration perks, she’s a character worth building. With careful preparation and strategy, Lan Yan can become a valuable asset in any player’s roster and she’s worth considering for your team.

May you get lucky to have this elegant dancer in your team. Good luck on your pulls!

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