The best builds for Yanfei in Genshin Impact

best genshin impact yanfei build
(Image credit: miHoYo)

Looking for the best Genshin Impact Yanfei build? Liyue's legal ace is a potent Pyro spellcaster, and even though she's often referred to as 'discount Klee', she's plenty powerful by herself. Yanfei is a versatile damage-dealer: Her ability to produce Scarlet Seals means she can be built towards charged attack damage, but because she's a Pyro catalyst user, she can also spam those elemental reactions. 

That's not even mentioning the crit bonuses her passive skills provide. Genshin Impact version 2.0  introduced strong characters like Ayaka, with Yoimiya and Sayu just over the horizon, but Yanfei remains more than just a stand-in for Klee, and is a powerful Pyro damage-dealer in her own right.

Here's the best Genshin Impact Yanfei build, as well as info on her abilities, constellations, and how to unlock her.

Builds

(Image credit: miHoYo)

The best Genshin Impact Yanfei build

Yanfei is a Pyro DPS character who draws the most of her strength from Scarlet Seals, a resource summoned through normal attacks that increases the damage of her charged attacks. Any of Yanfei’s best builds maximize this damage output.

Charged attack DPS

Explore Teyvat with these Genshin Impact guides

(Image credit: MiHoYo)

Genshin Impact guide: 9 beginner tips
Genshin Impact tier list: Each character ranked
Genshin Impact map: All Anemoculus locations
Genshin Impact code: Rewards and how to redeem
Genshin Impact build: The best overall setups

  • Weapon: Dodoco Tales

Just as Dodoco Tales is a great catalyst for Klee, so too does it work for Yanfei in strengthening her normal and charged attacks. This catalyst increases charged attack damage by 16% for six seconds whenever a normal attack hits an opponent. Charged attack hits also increases attack by 8% for six seconds. 

Considering Yanfei's attacks grant Scarlet Seals that also strengthen the power of her charged attack, this is the perfect synergy: build buffs through your normal attacks, unleash a powerful charged attack—rinse and repeat.

  • Artifact: Wanderer's Troupe

This artifact set grants Yanfei an elemental mastery increase of 80 for two-pieces, strengthing the power of the elemental reactions she causes. Four-pieces also grants a massive 35% bonus in charged attack damage for any character using a bow or catalyst. As with Dodoco Tales, this set synergises extremely well with Yanfei, strengthening the potency of elemental reactions caused by her all Pyro attacks, while also adding another buff to her already-powerful charged attack.

Pyro DPS

  • Weapon: Lost Prayer to the Sacred Winds

This five-star catalyst is great for Yanfei, since it boosts elemental damage by 8% every four seconds, and stacks up to four times, allowing you to make the most out of her Pyro-based attacks. It also boosts movement speed by 10%, which is a nice little bonus when trying to evade. 

  • Artifact: Crimson Witch of Flames

This artifact set is the go-to for Pyro damage-dealers, as it offers a Pyro damage bonus of 15% when two pieces are equipped, and increases Overload and Burning damage by 40% when wearing four pieces. This set also boosts Vaporize and Melt reaction damage by a further 15%, and adds an additional 7% Pyro damage for ten seconds when you use an elemental skill.

Catalyst users are usually perfect for triggering reactions due to their elemental attacks, so this set is perfect for Yanfei, strengthening her Pyro damage, and every Pyro-based elemental reaction she's likely to cause. 

How to unlock

How to get Yanfei in Genshin Impact

If you're looking to snag the fiery lawyer, you're in luck! As of version 2.0, Yanfei is available with boosted rates through Ayaka Heron Court banner. If you're hoping to get her, now's your best chance, especially as the current banner ends on August 11. If not, you'll have to wish on the regular character banner and keep your fingers crossed, or hope she appears again before long.

Abilities

Yanfei's abilities

Here are Yanfei's abilities, passives, and Constellations:

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Normal attacks: Seal of Approval
NormalShoots fireballs that deal three counts of Pyro damage. Normal attacks generate Scarlet Seals upon hitting enemies. Yanfei can hold up to three Scarlet Seals, and obtaining a new Scarlet Seal increases how long the others remain active. Scarlet Seals decrease Yanfei’s stamina consumption
ChargedDeals AoE Pyro damage by consuming stamina and all active Scarlet Seals. More Scarlet Seals increase the attack’s range and power.
PlungingYanfei dives down and deals AoE Pyro damage to all nearby enemies.
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Elemental Skill
Signed EdictYanfei blisters enemies causing AoE Pyro damage. If the attack connects, it grants Yanfei three Scarlet Seals immediately.
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Elemental Burst
Done DealYanfei sends a spurt of flames at nearby enemies, dealing AoE Pyro damage, and granting three Scarlet Seals. This also applies the Brilliance status that gives Yanfei a Scarlet Seal at intervals and increases the damage of charged attacks.
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Passives
Encyclopaedia ExpertiseShows nearby Liyue resources on the mini-map.
ProvisoConsuming a Scarlet Seal increases Yanfei’s Pyro damage by 5% for six seconds, though the effect does not stack.
Xiezhi’s EyeCritical hits from Yanfei’s charged attack deal extra Pyro AoE damage equal to 80% of Yanfei’s attack, and it counts as charged attack damage.
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Constellations
The Law Knows No KindnessDuring a charged attack, each active Scarlet Seal reduces the required stamina by 10% and increases Yanfei’s resistance to interruption.
Right of Final InterpretationIncreases Yanfei’s charged critical rate by 20% against enemies with less than 50% HP.
Samadhi Fire-Forged Increases Signed Edict’s level by three with a maximum level of 15.
Supreme AmnestyUsing Done Deal creates a shield that absorbs up to damage equal to 75% of Yanfei’s max HP for 15 seconds. The shield absorbs Pyro damage 250% more effectively.
Legal Cheat SheetIncreases Done Deal’s level by three with a maximum level of 15.
Extra ClauseIncreases Yanfei’s maximum number of Scarlet Seals by one.

Ascension materials

(Image credit: miHoYo)

Yanfei Ascension materials

Character

Yanfei’s character Ascension materials require some effort. You’ll need the usual Pyro materials in the Agnidus Agate series, dropped from Pyro Regisvine, plus Juvenile Jade from Primo Geovishap fights. There are, however, two non-boss resources you need to collect from the world:

  • Treasure Hoarder Insignia
  • Noctilous Jade

You can only get items from the Treasure Hoarder family, including Silver and Golden Raven insignias, by fighting Treasure Hoarders (surprise surprise). Your best bet is finding them around Mt. Tianheng and east of Luhua Pool in Liyue.

Noctilous Jade is a bit different. You can buy it from Shito in Liyue Harbor near the Alchemy stall, or you can mine it from areas around Mingyun Village or around Liyue’s western border.

Talent

To level Yanfei's talents all the way you're going to need four specific materials:

  • Treasure Hoarder Insignia
  • Teachings of Gold
  • Bloodjade Branch
  • Crown of Insight

As mentioned previously, Treasure Hoarder as well as Silver and Golden Raven Insignias come from Treasure Hoarders. The Teachings of Gold-series items are obtainable in Taishan Mansion on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, while the Bloodjade Branch is gained through fighting Azhdaha in the trounce domain. As ever, the Crown of Insight comes from seasonal events and levelling Dragonspine's Frostbearing Tree.