Introduction

Genshin Impact Lan Yan, a 4-Star Anemo character wielding a catalyst, made her debut in Genshin Impact during version 5.3. Hailing from Chenyu Vale in Liyue, she is not just an artisan but also a unique addition to the game’s roster as the first Anemo shielder. Initially featured as a boosted 4-Star on the banners of Clorinde and Arlecchino in version 5.3, Genshin Impact Lan Yan will eventually join the standard banner and reappear on future event banners. This guide will delve into her kit, ascension and talent materials, constellations, and team compositions to help you understand her potential and how to best utilize her abilities.

Understanding Lan Yan’s Capabilities

Normal AttackSwallow-Wisp Pinion DanceLustrous Moonrise

As an Anemo catalyst user, Genshin Impact Lan Yan’s abilities revolve around her Elemental Skill, Elemental Burst, and Passive Talents. Her Normal Attack is known as Black Pheasant Strides on Water. However, the primary focus of her kit lies in her capacity as a shielder and her Anemo-based interactions.

Her Elemental Skill, Swallow-Wisp Pinion Dance, allows her to dash forward and create a shield. If this dash comes into contact with an opponent affected by Hydro, Pyro, Cryo, or Electro, her shield will undergo Elemental Absorption, converting to that element and gaining 250% damage absorption efficiency against the corresponding type. Notably, the initial dash itself does not deal damage or apply Anemo.

After using the skill, pressing the skill button again or using a Normal Attack will cause Genshin Impact Lan Yan to throw Feathermoon Rings at her opponents. If the Swallow-Wisp Shield underwent Elemental Absorption, these rings will also deal additional Elemental Damage equal to 50% of their original damage in the absorbed element’s type, considered Elemental Skill Damage. Holding the Skill button allows Lan Yan to enter an Aiming Mode to adjust her dash direction.

Genshin Impact Lan Yan’s Elemental Burst, Lustrous Moonrise, creates a Feathermoon Swallow Array that pulls in nearby opponents and objects, dealing multiple instances of AOE Anemo Damage. While it offers some crowd control, it’s not on the scale of characters like Kazuha or Venti.

Genshin Impact Lan Yan’s Passive one, Four Sealing Divination Charms, is intricately linked to her Elemental Skill’s Elemental Absorption, as previously described. Her Passive two, Skyfeather Evil-Subduing Charm, increases the damage of her Elemental Skill and Elemental Burst based on her Elemental Mastery, by 309% and 774% of her EM, respectively. Finally, her Exploration bonus, Thought and Intent, Like Silken Scent, prevents your party’s characters from startling Crystalflies and certain other animals when approaching them, listed in the ‘Other’ category of the ‘Living Beings/Wildlife’ tab in the Archive menu.

Genshin Impact Lan Yan’s primary strength lies in her shielding capabilities, which can become remarkably strong, potentially surpassing even Zhongli’s under specific conditions, especially at higher constellation levels. Being an Anemo character also grants her the ability to utilize the Viridescent Venerer artifact set, providing valuable elemental resistance shred to enemies. However, her shield has a relatively short duration, and effectively swirling the desired element for your main DPS to benefit from the Viridescent Venerer set requires careful timing.

Preparing for Genshin Impact Lan Yan: Ascension and Talent Materials

Genshin Impact Lan Yan’s Ascension requires:

MaterialQuantity NeededSource/NotesVayuda Turquoise Sliverx1Dropped by Anemo bossesVayuda Turquoise Fragmentx9Dropped by Anemo bossesVayuda Turquoise Chunkx9Dropped by Anemo bossesVayuda Turquoise Gemstonex6Dropped by Anemo bossesClearwater Jadex168Found near water in Chenyu ValeWhopperflower Nectarx18Dropped by WhopperflowersShimmering Nectarx30Dropped by higher-level WhopperflowersEnergy Nectarx36Dropped by high-level WhopperflowersGold-Inscribed Secret Source Corex46Dropped by Gold-Inscribed Secret Source AutomatonMora420,000Required for all ascension levels
  • Vayuda Turquoise: This Anemo elemental gem is dropped by various bosses such as the Anemo Hypostasis, Maguu Kenki, and others. You will need x1 Sliver, x9 Fragment, x9 Chunk, and x6 Gemstone in total.
  • Clearwater Jade: This is Genshin Impact Lan Yan’s local specialty, found around bodies of water throughout Chenyu Vale. A total of 168 Clearwater Jade is needed.
  • Whopperflower Nectar, Shimmering Nectar, and Energy Nectar: These are common enemy drops from Whopperflowers, with higher-level Whopperflowers dropping the more advanced nectar types. You will need x18 Whopperflower Nectar, x30 Shimmering Nectar, and x36 Energy Nectar.
  • Gold-Inscribed Secret Source Core: This is a boss material obtained from the Gold-Inscribed Secret Source Automaton. A total of 46 cores are required.
  • Mora: You will need a total of 420,000 Mora for all ascension levels.

Genshin Impact Lan Yan’s Talent upgrades require:

MaterialQuantity NeededSource/NotesTeachings of Diligencex3Taishan Mansion (Tues/Fri/Sun)Guide to Diligencex21Taishan Mansion (Tues/Fri/Sun)Philosophies of Diligencex38Taishan Mansion (Tues/Fri/Sun)Whopperflower Nectarx6Dropped by WhopperflowersShimmering Nectarx22Dropped by higher-level WhopperflowersEnergy Nectarx31Dropped by high-level WhopperflowersEroded Sunfirex6Weekly boss drop from Stone Stele Records (Natlan)Crown of Insightx1Limited resource for maxing talent levelMora1,652,500Per talent. All three talents = 4,957,500 Mora
  • Teachings of Diligence, Guide to Diligence, and Philosophies of Diligence: These talent books are part of the Diligence series and can be obtained from the Taishan Mansion domain in Liyue on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. To fully level one talent, you need x3 Teachings, x21 Guides, and x38 Philosophies.
  • Whopperflower Nectar, Shimmering Nectar, and Energy Nectar: As with ascension, these are also needed for talent upgrades. For one talent, you’ll need x6 Whopperflower Nectar, x22 Shimmering Nectar, and x31 Energy Nectar.
  • Eroded Sunfire: This is Genshin Impact Lan Yan’s weekly boss material, dropped by the Stone Stele Records trounce domain in Natlan, unlocked through the Natlan Archon Quest. You will need 6 Eroded Sunfires to fully level one talent.
  • Crown of Insight: This rare item is needed to bring a talent to its maximum level (Level 10). You will need one Crown of Insight per talent you wish to maximize.
  • Mora: Upgrading a single talent to level 10 costs a total of 1,652,500 Mora. Therefore, fully upgrading all three talents will cost 4,957,500 Mora.

The Talent Priority for Genshin Impact Lan Yan generally focuses on her Elemental Skill first, as this dictates her shield strength and is the core of her supportive capabilities. Following that, the Elemental Burst can be leveled for additional damage and crowd control. The Normal Attack is generally the lowest priority, as her damage primarily comes from her skill and burst, even when utilizing her post-skill Feathermoon Rings.

Unlocking Her Potential: Genshin Impact Lan Yan’s Constellations

Obtaining duplicate copies of Genshin Impact Lan Yan through wishing on banners will grant you her Stella Fortuna, which can be used to unlock her Constellation levels, each enhancing her abilities.

ConstellationNameEffectC1Gentle Rain Cleanses the EarthTriggers an extra Feathermoon Ring after Elemental Absorption; minor damage increase.C2Dance Vestments Billow Like Rainbow JadeNormal Attack damage restores 40% of Swallow-Wisp Shield every 2s; greatly boosts shield durability.C3Silken Ribbons IntertwineIncreases Swallow-Wisp Pinion Dance level by 3 (max 15); enhances shield strength and skill damage.C4With Drakefalcon’s Blood-Pearls AdornedElemental Burst boosts nearby party members’ Elemental Mastery by 60 for 12s; great for reaction teams.C5Azure Dragonfish Leaps from DepthsIncreases Lustrous Moonrise level by 3 (max 15); raises burst damage.C6Auspicious Twirl Upon the BreezeGrants 1 extra charge of Elemental Skill; improves shield uptime and team flexibility.
  • C1: Gentle Rain Cleanses the Earth: After triggering Elemental Absorption with her Elemental Skill, Genshin Impact Lan Yan will produce an additional Feathermoon Ring when they are thrown. This provides a minor increase to her damage output.
  • C2: Dance Vestments Billow Like Rainbow Jade: While the Swallow-Wisp Shield created by her Elemental Skill is active, when the active party member’s Normal Attacks deal damage, 40% of the shield’s damage absorption will be restored, up to its original maximum. This effect can be triggered every 2 seconds. This is widely considered her most impactful constellation, significantly improving her shield’s survivability, especially in teams that rely on normal attacks.
  • C3: Silken Ribbons Intertwine: Increases the Level of Swallow-Wisp Pinion Dance by 3. Maximum upgrade level is 15. This directly enhances her shield strength and skill damage.
  • C4: With Drakefalcon’s Blood-Pearls Adorned: After Genshin Impact Lan Yan uses her Elemental Burst, the Elemental Mastery of all nearby party members is increased by 60 for 12 seconds. This provides valuable support to reaction-based teams.
  • C5: Azure Dragonfish Leaps from Depths: Increases the Level of Lustrous Moonrise by 3. Maximum upgrade level is 15. This increases her burst damage.
  • C6: Auspicious Twirl Upon the Breeze: Genshin Impact Lan Yan gains an additional charge of her Elemental Skill. This offers greater flexibility in shield uptime and skill usage, particularly beneficial for characters who don’t frequently use normal attacks.

While Genshin Impact Lan Yan is a capable unit even at C0, her C2 significantly elevates her as a shielder, making her considerably more reliable. Her C4 also provides a useful team-wide buff, especially for elemental reaction focused compositions.

Building Genshin Impact Lan Yan: Artifacts and Weapons

In Remembrance of Viridescent FieldsViridescent Venerer’s DeterminationViridescent Arrow FeatherViridescent Venerer’s DiademViridescent Venerer’s Vessel
  1. Viridescent Venerer (4-piece)
    • Best option for support builds.
    • 2-piece: +15% Anemo DMG Bonus.
    • 4-piece: Increases Swirl DMG and reduces enemy Elemental RES by 40% for 10s.
2-piece ATK%2-piece ATK%2-piece ATK%2-piece ATK%2-piece ATK%any artifact with ATK%any artifact with ATK%any artifact with ATK%any artifact with ATK%any artifact with ATK%
  1. 2-piece ATK% + 2-piece ATK%
    • Maximizes shield strength, since her shield scales with ATK.
2-piece Anemo DMG Bonus2-piece Anemo DMG Bonus2-piece ATK%2-piece ATK%2-piece ATK%any artifact with Anemo DMG Bonusany artifact with Anemo DMG Bonusany artifact with ATK%any artifact with ATK%any artifact with ATK%
  1. 2-piece Anemo DMG Bonus + 2-piece ATK%
    • Balanced build for both damage and shielding.
Royal FloraRoyal Pocket WatchRoyal PlumeRoyal MasqueRoyal Silver Urn
  1. Noblesse Oblige (4-piece)
    • Support-focused set.
    • 2-piece: +20% Elemental Burst DMG.
    • 4-piece: Grants +20% ATK to the entire party for 12s after using Burst.

For Artifacts, the 4-piece Viridescent Venerer (VV) set is generally considered her best option. The 2-piece bonus provides an Anemo Damage Bonus, which benefits her skill and burst. More importantly, the 4-piece bonus increases Swirl damage (though this isn’t her primary focus) and, crucially, decreases opponents’ Elemental RES to the element infused in the Swirl by 40% for 10 seconds. This makes her a valuable support in elemental reaction teams.

Alternative artifact options include 2-piece ATK % sets combined with another 2-piece ATK % set to maximize her shield strength, as her shield scales off her attack. You could also consider a 2-piece Anemo DMG Bonus set combined with a 2-piece ATK % set for a balance of damage and shield strength. The 4-piece Noblesse Oblige can also be used to provide an ATK buff to the team after using her Elemental Burst.

The Main Stats to prioritize on her artifacts are typically ATK % on the Sands, ATK % on the Goblet, and ATK % on the Circlet if you are focusing purely on shield strength. If you wish to balance damage with shielding, you could consider an Anemo DMG Bonus Goblet and a Crit Rate or Crit DMG Circlet, especially if using weapons that support damage. Substat priority should generally be ATK %, followed by Energy Recharge to ensure her burst is available when needed, and then Elemental Mastery for increased personal damage from her passive. Crit Rate and Crit DMG can also be beneficial if building for damage.

For Weapons, several options cater to Genshin Impact Lan Yan’s needs:

WeaponRaritySubstatKey Strengths
Thrilling Tales of Dragon Slayers (TTDS)★★★HP%Huge ATK buff for next character; ideal for support builds with Viridescent Venerer.
Memory of Dust★★★★★ATK%Best for shield-focused builds; increases Shield Strength and ATK when shielded.
Skyward Atlas★★★★★ATK%Boosts Anemo DMG via passive; strong for hybrid damage-focused builds.
Sacrificial Fragments★★★★Elemental MasteryMore frequent skill use via CD reset; boosts Swirl reaction damage.
Oathsworn Eye★★★★ATK%Increases Energy Recharge after skill use; helps with Elemental Burst uptime.
Eye of Perception★★★★ATK%Decent ATK boost; passive not fully synergistic but still viable for general use.
Frostbearer★★★★ATK%Good ATK stats; passive less relevant unless in Cryo comps.
Mappa Mare★★★★Elemental MasteryBetter for reaction-based builds; can work if focusing on Swirl damage.
Wandering Evenstar★★★★Elemental MasterySupports reaction-focused playstyles; offers team utility through passive buffing.
Starcaller’s Watch★★★★★ATK%Strong for buffing; bonus activates when shields are created—synergizes well with her kit.
  • Thrilling Tales of Dragon Slayers (TTDS): This 3-star weapon is a strong contender for support builds due to its ability to significantly increase the ATK of the next character switched to after Genshin Impact Lan Yan uses her skill or burst. While its HP secondary stat doesn’t directly benefit her shield, the substantial ATK buff it provides to your main DPS makes it a highly valuable option, especially since Genshin Impact Lan Yan can wield the Viridescent Venerer set simultaneously.
  • Memory of Dust (5-star): This weapon offers a high base ATK and an ATK % secondary stat, directly boosting her shield strength. Its passive also increases Shield Strength and further boosts ATK when shielded characters hit opponents. This is arguably her best weapon for a pure shield-focused build.
  • Skyward Atlas (5-star): Another 5-star option with a high base ATK and an ATK % secondary stat. Its passive provides an Elemental DMG Bonus, which benefits her Anemo damage.
  • Sacrificial Fragments (4-star): This weapon has an Elemental Mastery secondary stat, which increases her personal damage. Its passive can reset her Elemental Skill CD, allowing for more frequent shield casts and Swirl reactions. This can be particularly useful for driving elemental reactions in certain team compositions.
  • Oathsworn Eye (4-star): An event weapon with an ATK % secondary stat. Its passive increases Energy Recharge after using an Elemental Skill, which can help with burst uptime.
  • Other viable 4-star options include weapons with high ATK % substats like Eye of Perception and Frostbearer, even if their passives are not perfectly aligned with her playstyle. EM-based weapons like Mappa Mare and Wandering Evenstar can also be considered if focusing more on her personal damage through reactions, though ATK % weapons generally benefit her shield more. The 5-star Starcaller’s Watch is also mentioned as a strong option, particularly for its buffing capabilities, although it requires shield creation to activate its bonus.

The choice of weapon will depend on your priorities: TTDS for maximizing your main DPS’s damage, Memory of Dust or other ATK % weapons for the strongest possible shield, or Sacrificial Fragments for more frequent skill usage and reaction potential.

Team Compositions for Lan Yan

Genshin Impact Lan Yan’s versatility allows her to fit into various team compositions, primarily as a supportive shielder who can also provide Anemo resistance shred with the Viridescent Venerer set.

ArlecchinoHu TaoXingqiuYelanBennett
  • Vaporize Teams: Genshin Impact Lan Yan works well in Vaporize teams featuring a Pyro DPS like Arlecchino or Hu Tao, alongside Hydro applicators such as Xingqiu or Yelan, and a buffer like Bennett. Her shield can protect the Pyro DPS, especially Arlecchino who cannot be easily healed due to her Bond of Life mechanic. Genshin Impact Lan Yan can also potentially Swirl Pyro to further enhance the team’s damage with VV.
NeuvilletteAyatoFischlOroronFurina
  • Electro-Charged (Taser) Teams: Genshin Impact Lan Yan can be used in Electro-Charged teams with Hydro DPS units like Neuvillette or Kamisato Ayato, alongside Electro characters such as Fischl or Ororon, and potentially another Hydro support like Furina. Her shield provides interruption resistance, crucial for characters like Neuvillette during his charged attacks. She can also drive Electro-Charged reactions as a more defensive alternative to Sucrose.
ClorindeSethosNahida
  • Aggravate/Quicken Teams: Genshin Impact Lan Yan can be incorporated into Aggravate teams to provide crowd control, resistance shred with VV, and a shield for survivability. She pairs well with Electro DPS characters like Clorinde or Sethos and Dendro supports like Nahida.
LyneyArlecchino
  • Mono-Pyro Teams: Genshin Impact Lan Yan’s shield can be invaluable in Mono-Pyro teams featuring a Pyro DPS like Lyney or Arlecchino, as these teams often lack defensive options. Her ability to potentially Swirl Pyro with VV can also contribute to the team’s damage.
NeuvilletteKazuhaZhongli
  • Neuvillette Teams: Genshin Impact Lan Yan is a strong support option for C0 Neuvillette, providing a shield to mitigate his interruption vulnerability during charged attacks, while also offering Anemo resistance shred with VV, freeing up other powerful supports like Kazuha or Zhongli for other teams.
OroronXingqiuFischl
  • Free-to-Play (F2P) Teams: Genshin Impact Lan Yan can form the core of accessible teams, such as a Taser team with Ororon, Xingqiu, and Fischl, where she can act as the main driver.

Genshin Impact Lan Yan’s ability to function as a shielder while potentially providing the benefits of the Viridescent Venerer set makes her a valuable and versatile addition to many Genshin Impact teams. Her effectiveness is further enhanced at higher constellation levels, particularly with C2 providing significant shield reinforcement and C4 offering a team-wide Elemental Mastery buff. Whether you’re looking for a reliable shielder, an Anemo support, or a combination of both, Lan Yan is a character with a unique and promising toolkit.