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Finding a Worthy Successor: Who Can Replace Yelan in Genshin Impact?

Yelan. The enigmatic hydro DPS/support that has graced countless Genshin Impact teams. Her off-field damage, Hydro application, and team-wide damage buff are simply exceptional. But what happens when Yelan isn’t available? Whether you haven’t pulled her, need her on another team, or are simply looking for alternative strategies, understanding potential substitutes is crucial. The best direct substitute for Yelan depends on why you’re using her. If it’s Hydro application for Vaporize, then Xingqiu remains the closest alternative. If you need a sub-DPS with a damage buff, characters like Mona or even a well-built Fischl can offer similar (though not identical) benefits. For general off-field damage, consider options like Raiden Shogun (as a sub-DPS) or Albedo, depending on your team composition and elemental needs. Ultimately, there’s no single character who perfectly replicates Yelan’s entire kit, but understanding your specific needs will guide you to the best possible alternative.

Understanding Yelan’s Strengths

Before diving into substitutes, let’s solidify what makes Yelan so desirable. Her core strengths revolve around:

Consistent Off-Field Hydro Application: Crucial for enabling reactions like Vaporize and Electro-Charged.
Significant Sub-DPS Damage: Yelan contributes substantial damage even when she’s not actively on the field.
Team-Wide Damage Buff: Her Elemental Burst provides a scaling damage bonus to your active character.
Energy Recharge Efficiency: Yelan’s kit allows her to consistently use her Burst, which is vital to her role.

Top Yelan Alternatives

Xingqiu: The Hydro Application King

As mentioned above, Xingqiu is often considered Yelan’s closest peer, particularly for Vaporize teams. He provides:

Excellent Hydro Application: His Rain Swords offer reliable Hydro application, essential for triggering Vaporize with Pyro DPS units like Hu Tao.
Damage Reduction and Interruption Resistance: A unique benefit compared to Yelan, increasing team survivability.
Healing: While minimal, Xingqiu’s Rain Swords provide slight healing, contributing to overall team sustain.

However, Xingqiu falls short of Yelan in terms of overall damage output and team damage buff.

Mona: The Burst Amplifier

Mona offers a different flavor of support, focusing on amplifying your main DPS’s damage through her Elemental Burst. Her strengths include:

Massive Damage Amp: Mona’s Illusory Bubble significantly increases the damage taken by enemies, allowing for huge burst windows.
Hydro Application: While not as consistent as Xingqiu or Yelan, Mona’s Burst and Skill provide Hydro application.

Mona’s Hydro application is less consistent, and her damage amplification relies heavily on her Burst being available.

Fischl: The Consistent Electro Sub-DPS

If you’re looking for consistent off-field damage and don’t necessarily need Hydro application, Fischl is an excellent choice.

High Off-Field Damage: Oz, Fischl’s summoned raven, deals consistent Electro damage.
Energy Generation: Fischl helps generate Energy for the team, improving Burst uptime.

Fischl is elementally locked to Electro, and her damage buffing capabilities are limited compared to Yelan.

Raiden Shogun (Sub-DPS Build): The Energy Provider

While primarily known as a main DPS, Raiden Shogun can be built as a potent sub-DPS, especially when paired with Energy-hungry teammates.

Energy Recharge: Raiden Shogun’s Elemental Skill provides Energy Recharge to the entire team.
Significant Off-Field Damage: Her coordinated attacks deal consistent Electro damage.

Raiden Shogun demands field time to maximize her Energy generation and damage output.

Albedo: The Geo Option

Albedo provides consistent off-field damage and consistent Elemental Skill uptime.

High Off-Field Damage: Albedo’s Transient Blossoms deal consistent Geo damage.
Ease of Use: Albedo’s kit is straightforward and easy to optimize.

Albedo is elementally locked to Geo and does not provide a team-wide damage buff.

Team Compositions

The best Yelan substitute depends heavily on your team composition.

Vaporize Teams (e.g., Hu Tao, Diluc): Xingqiu is often the best choice for Hydro application.
Electro-Charged Teams (e.g., Taser Teams): Yelan, Mona, and Fischl all work well.
Mono-Element Teams: Albedo or Fischl can provide consistent off-field damage without disrupting elemental reactions.

Gear and Artifact Considerations

The gear and artifact builds for each character will vary based on their role and team composition. In general:

Xingqiu: Emblem of Severed Fate for Energy Recharge and Burst damage.
Mona: Emblem of Severed Fate or Noblesse Oblige for Burst damage and team buff.
Fischl: Golden Troupe for high off-field skill damage or mixed sets with ATK%.
Raiden Shogun (Sub-DPS): Emblem of Severed Fate.
Albedo: Husk of Opulent Dreams for DEF scaling damage.

FAQs: Your Yelan Substitute Questions Answered

1. Is Xingqiu a direct replacement for Yelan?

Not entirely. While Xingqiu provides superior Hydro application for Vaporize reactions, Yelan boasts higher overall damage and a team-wide damage buff. Xingqiu is more about Hydro application + some defensive utility, while Yelan is more about damage.

2. Can Mona replace Yelan in Hu Tao teams?

Mona can work in Hu Tao teams, but she requires careful timing to maximize her damage amplification. Her Hydro application is less consistent than Xingqiu or Yelan, potentially leading to missed Vaporizes. She can definitely work, but takes practice.

3. Is Fischl viable in a Vaporize team?

Fischl is generally not recommended for Vaporize teams, as her Electro application can interfere with the Vaporize reaction. She is great in Electro-Charged teams, however.

4. How does Raiden Shogun compare as a sub-DPS to Yelan?

Raiden Shogun as a sub-DPS offers excellent Energy Recharge and consistent Electro damage. She does not provide a direct damage buff like Yelan but can significantly improve team Burst uptime.

5. Is Albedo a good substitute for Yelan in a National Team (Raiden, Xingqiu, Xiangling)?

Albedo is not a typical choice for the National Team as Geo doesn’t contribute to the team’s core reactions (Vaporize and Electro-Charged). However, adding Albedo can provide consistent off-field damage. There are better options, typically, but not always.

6. Can I use multiple sub-DPS characters to compensate for Yelan’s absence?

Absolutely! Stacking sub-DPS characters is a viable strategy. For example, using both Fischl and Xiangling can provide substantial off-field damage.

7. Which weapon is best for Xingqiu as a Yelan substitute?

Sacrificial Sword is often considered Xingqiu’s best weapon, providing ample Energy Recharge and allowing him to use his Elemental Skill more frequently, thereby providing more hydro application. However, high refinement Favonius Sword or even Skyward Blade can work great too.

8. What artifact stats should I prioritize on Mona?

Energy Recharge is crucial to ensure Mona’s Burst is always available. ATK%, Hydro DMG Bonus, and Crit Rate/Crit DMG are also important for increasing her damage output.

9. Is Energy Recharge important for Fischl?

Energy Recharge is beneficial for Fischl, but not as crucial as it is for characters like Xingqiu or Mona. Focus on ATK% and Crit stats.

10. How does Yelan’s damage bonus compare to other damage buffs in the game?

Yelan’s damage bonus is unique in that it scales over time. Some buffs like Bennett or Sara offer higher upfront buffs, but Yelan’s can surpass them over the duration of her burst.

11. Are there any 4-star characters besides Xingqiu who can effectively replace Yelan?

Apart from Xingqiu and Fischl as discussed above, Sucrose with Thrilling Tales of Dragon Slayers can provide a team-wide ATK buff, and Rosaria can offer physical damage support. The extent of her ability to work as a replacement depends on the team.

12. What is the best team composition to use when replacing Yelan?

That will vary based on the player’s roster. However, a typical team will be a main DPS, two strong off-field DPS, and a flex support slot. An example of that team would be Hu Tao, Xingqiu, Fischl, Zhongli.

13. How much does Yelan’s Constellation influence her play style?

Yelan’s constellations significantly impact her playstyle and effectiveness. Her C1 improves her Energy Recharge and mobility, while her C2 enhances her Hydro application. C6 transforms her into a powerful on-field DPS. C0 Yelan is still very powerful, though.

14. Which free-to-play weapons work well on Yelan substitutes?

For Xingqiu, Sacrificial Sword (obtained through wishing) is often the best. For Fischl, Stringless (obtained through wishing) is a great option. For Mona, Thrilling Tales of Dragon Slayers is excellent for providing an ATK buff.

15. What is the importance of team building in maximizing Yelan’s abilities?

Team building is paramount. Yelan thrives in teams that benefit from Hydro application, off-field damage, and damage buffs. Consider your team’s elemental resonance and how each character synergizes with Yelan’s kit. Without a team, Yelan’s full strength will not be seen.

Understanding your team’s needs and the strengths of different characters is crucial when looking for a Yelan substitute. While no single character perfectly replicates her entire kit, carefully selecting alternatives based on your team composition and playstyle will ensure your team remains powerful and versatile.

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What is a good substitute for Yelan Genshin?