Genshin Impact: Yelan VS Xingqiu, Who's Better? - Game Rant

When Yelan was first revealed for Genshin Impact 2.7, the community quickly pointed out her similarities with Xingqiu. Many people call her the aunt to Xingqiu, just as Shenhe is Chongyun's auntie.

Apparently, not only their appearance, but their gameplay is also somewhat similar. This puts the fanbase into two divisions, one where they say Yelan is simply a 5-Star Xingqiu, so it's unnecessary to pull for her, while the other thinks that even if Yelan has the same DPS as Xingqiu, the fact that a character is able to do what the Guhua Disciple does is automatically an SS-tier unit. If players are unsure who's better among the two, this article will compare Yelan VS Xingqiu in Genshin Impact.

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Is Yelan Like Xingqiu?

Yelan and Xingqiu in Genshin Impact have some similarities and differences. Here are a few areas where Yelan is like Xingqiu:

• Yelan is a Sub-DPS and Hydro enabler.
• Her Elemental Burst hits three times on every attack, resetting the internal cooldown (ICD) of Elemental application.
• Yelan can replace Xingqiu in most of his team compositions.
• Both units are highly reliant on their Elemental Burst to deal damage.

Meanwhile, here are their notable differences:

• Yelan's Elemental Skill has a far shorter cooldown but may take longer to cast. Hers is better in AoE cases, while Xingqiu's is better for single targets.
• Her Skill generates more Energy than Xingqiu's, but not enough to recharge her own Burst. Most people feel like Xingqiu doesn't have an energy issue, but this is because Genshin Impact players are highly recommended to use him with Sacrificial Sword. This Sword allows Xingqiu to maintain 100% Burst uptime with ease.
• Unlike Xingqiu's Skill, Yelan heavily relies on her Elemental Burst for Hydro application, and she has a lower Hydro application overall.
• Yelan provides no defensive capabilities.
• Yelan scales with HP whereas Xingqiu scales with ATK. This also means that players can't boost Yelan's damage with ATK buffs like Bennett’s field or Noblesse Obliged artifacts.
• Yelan's fourth ascension Passive is a massive damage buff.

Can Yelan Replace Xingqiu?

Shortly, yes, Yelan can replace Xingqiu in Genshin Impact. The 5-Star character works in any team composition where Xingqiu shines. This includes popular Genshin Impact characters like Raiden Shogun and Hu Tao.

In exchange for Xingqiu's defensive abilities, Yelan offers raw DPS for a more offensive playstyle. So, Yelan is better in terms of damage, while Xingqiu is better in terms of utility.

Will Yelan Work With Hu Tao?

There are some things worth noting, but basically, yes, Yelan can work with Hu Tao in Genshin Impact. When Yelan's Elemental Burst is active, Hu Tao can easily deal Vaporize on each of her Charged Attacks. However, what players need to remember is that Yelan doesn't have Rain Swords like Xingqiu, so Hu Tao needs Yelan’s Burst to be available to deal Vaporize.

Furthermore, because Yelan has a lower Hydro application than Xingqiu, there may be some cases where the Elemental reaction is ruined because of Hu Tao's strong Pyro application. For example, Hu Tao's Burst and Blood Blossom may remove Yelan's Hydro, halting Hu Tao from dealing Vaporize damage. Therefore, Xingqiu is better with Hu Tao against bosses (or single enemy), while Yelan is great with Hu Tao against smaller opponents.

Is Yelan Worth It If You Have C6 Xingqiu?

This highly depends on the players' needs. If they are trying to have two Xingqiu, then Yelan is 100% worth it. But, if people are simply trying to replace their Xingqiu, then the decision should follow their available Primogems. As a 5-Star character, people have to spend a lot of Primogems to get Yelan.

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Genshin Impact is now available on Mobile, PC, PS4, and PS5. A Switch version is in development.

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