The 1.5 update for Genshin Impact will bring a rerun of Zhongli's banner as well as a brand new banner for Eula alongside the housing update, new events, and quests. The Zhongli banner will also feature Yanfei, Genshin Impact's newest four-star character who wields a Pyro vision and a catalyst. While Yanfei's animations have been leaked previously, the newest 1.5 update trailer for Genshin Impact gave fans a glimpse of her in action.
With the Zhongli rerun banner due to arrive during the 1.5 update on April 28, fans are curious to see Yanfei's playstyle, constellations, and skillset. While there could be still be minor changes before her release, Yanfei appears to fit the main DPS role and relies on charged attacks to deal massive amounts of damage. Genshin Impact players that are lacking a strong Pyro character or main DPS should consider investing in Yanfei.
Who Is Yanfei?
Unlike many of the previous new characters added in Genshin Impact, Yanfei doesn't appear in any of the current quests or voicelines so she's a mystery for most players. Yanfei's in-game description states that she's a well-known legal advisor in Liyue Harbor who is well-versed in every area of the law from commercial litigation to criminal lawsuits.
Interestingly enough, Yanfei's in-game description also states that she's a brilliant young lady whose veins run with the blood of an illuminated beast. Although the details surrounding it are vague, it's likely that Yanfei is similar to Ganyu in that they are half-human, half-adeptus hybrids. Beyond these cursory details though, much of Yanfei's past and motivations are shrouded in mystery. Hopefully, Yanfei's appearance on the newest Genshin Impact banner will come with a storyline that introduces players to her a little better.
Yanfei's Attack Patterns, Elemental Skill, and Elemental Burst
While Yanfei's kit might initially draw comparisons to Klee, the other Pyro catalyst, she actually shares more similarities with Ningguang. Yanfei's regular attack pattern consists of shooting fireballs which deals three counts of increasing Pyro damage. When these fireballs hit Genshin Impact enemies, they grant Yanfei a Scarlet Seal which lasts 10 seconds. Yanfei can carry a maximum of three Scarlet Seals by default and they amplify the damage and AOE of her charged attacks.
Yanfei's elemental skill is called "Signed Edict" and causes her to summon a blaze of flames which deal Pyro damage to enemies in a small AOE. If enemies are hit by "Signed Edict", they will automatically grant Yanfei the maximum amount of Scarlet Seals. Though Yanfei's elemental skill isn't flashy, it allows her to consistently keep up a rotation with her Scarlet Seals and resulting charged attacks.
Yanfei's elemental burst is called "Done Deal" which triggers an explosion of flames that hit nearby enemies in an AOE dealing Pyro damage. Similar to her elemental skill, "Done Deal" will automatically grant Yanfei the maximum amount of Scarlet Seals that she can carry while applying a buff called "Brilliance" onto her. During the effect of "Brilliance", Yanfei gains a Scarlet Seal at fixed intervals and increases the damage of her charged attacks. Like many DPS characters in Genshin Impact, the effects of "Brilliance" will disappear if Yanfei is swapped out or falls in battle.
Yanfei's Passives and Constellations
Genshin Impact's Yanfei has two main passives: "Proviso" and "Blazing Eye." The "Proviso" passive increases Yanfei's Pyro damage bonus by 5% when she consumes a Scarlet Seal during a charged attack. When a charged attack is used again during this duration, it will dispel the previous effect. Essentially, "Proviso" provides Yanfei a bonus of up to 15% in Pyro damage so long as players continually generate Scarlet Seals and alternate with charged attacks. The "Blazing Eye" passive activates whenever Yanfei's charged attack deals a critical hit and it will be followed up with an additional instance of Pyro damage equal to 80% of her attack.
As Yanfei is a four-star Genshin Impact character, her constellations are easily obtainable for any player and they will provide her with some nice boosts to her damage potential and some defensive mitigation. Yanfei has three notable constellations: her first, fourth, and sixth ones.
The first constellation is called "The Law Knows No Kindness" and whenever Yanfei uses a charged attack, each existing Scarlet Seal will reduce the stamina cost of the charged attack by 10% and increases her resistance to interruptions. Her fourth constellation is called "Supreme Amnesty" which creates a shield to absorb 45% of Yanfei's max HP whenever she uses her elemental burst. Since Yanfei has a Pyro vision, the shield will absorb Pyro damage 250% more effectively. Yanfei's sixth constellation is called "Extra Clause" which increases her maximum number of Scarlet Seals by one. Though most of her constellations aren't as strong as her five-star counterparts, they will be much easier to obtain through wishes.
Yanfei's Team Composition and Weapon
Looking at Yanfei's attack patterns, elemental skill, and elemental burst, it appears that she's suited for the main DPS role as her kit is selfish and she rarely wants to be off the field. While her focus on charged attacks are reminiscent of Ningguang, Yanfei's Pyro vision will require a different supporting cast. Much like the other Pyro catalyst Klee, Hydro supports such as Mona and Xingqiu will boost Yanfei's damage greatly due to the Vaporize reaction. Pyro resonance also provides a strong 25% attack boost so Genshin Impact supports like Bennett and Xinyan could provide damage mitigation for Yanfei as well.
Yanfei's weapon choices are a little complex because there is so little information that's revealed about her. However, of the five-star catalyst choices, the Lost Prayer of the Sacred Winds will likely be one of the best weapons for her as she will stay on the field consistently. Amongst the four-star catalyst choices, her role as a main DPS will seemingly benefit the most from the Solar Pearl or the Widsith. However, Genshin Impact players might want to hold off investing heavily into one weapon before seeing Yanfei's attack numbers in detail.
Yanfei's inclusion to the Genshin Impact cast finally allows players to obtain a true four-star Pyro DPS character. Moreover, players will be able to easily obtain constellations and form support compositions around her. If players are unsure if they will enjoy her playstyle or mechanics, Yanfei will likely be available on a trial run when the Zhongli banner is released. As always, players should note that there is room for minor adjustments to her kit before release, and nothing is set in stone until the banner. Nonetheless, Yanfei should prove to be an exciting new character that can help players utilize the strength of the Pyro element effectively without breaking the bank.
Genshin Impact is available now on PC, Mobile, and PS4, and is currently in development for PS5 and Switch.
