Wuthering Waves: Analysis of Ji Yan’s Skills and Recommended Builds
Character Strength
As the strongest main C in the current version, Ji Yan’s strength is unquestionable. His actions and visuals are both excellent, making it very comfortable to use Ji Yan in combat.
(Here’s a brief explanation of the latter half for all wanderers: Yinyin is an auxiliary C with support nature, also the strongest auxiliary C in the current version. Comparatively, her strength is actually greater than Ji Yan’s. However, if your team lacks a main C, it’s still advisable to choose Ji Yan. See below for “Selection Suggestions.”)
Selection Suggestions
- A main C is crucial for beginners to explore. In the early stages, a team of wanderers must have a powerful main C; otherwise, it will be challenging to explore the vast world and fight monsters.
(1) First, we need to see if a main C is missing in the early stages. If wanderers draw a main C (such as Kakaro) in the early-stage beginner pool, then you can skip the Ji Yan pool and wait to draw Yinyin.
(2) Conversely, if wanderers draw an assistant class (such as Weirina) in the beginner pool, then wanderers can draw Ji Yan to team up with Weirina. This can increase the team’s strength.
- Special Note: The strength of the main C may weaken with version updates and may gradually become unsuitable for the version environment. As the saying goes, “A flowing main C, a sturdy assistant.” Drawing Yinyin is relatively more valuable than Ji Yan.
Character Evaluation
Combat Characteristics and Mechanisms
(1) Combat Characteristics: Ji Yan relies on ultimate skills for output, focusing on heavy hit damage, effective against both single and multiple enemies, suitable for both the vast world and boss battles.
(2) Combat Mechanism: Ji Yan’s basic attacks, heavy hits, and small skills can all stack passive effects. When the passive is fully stacked, it can be consumed by small skills and ultimate skills, and after consumption, the skills will be strengthened. For example, the ultimate skill strengthens basic attacks, but after consuming the passive, the ultimate skill damage will be enhanced. His output heavily relies on the benefits provided by the ultimate skill.
Skill Analysis
(1) Normal Attack – Lone Spear Stopping the War: [Attribute Bonus: Increases critical hit rate by 4%.]
Ji Yan’s basic attacks have the characteristic of continuous multi-stage attacks, causing sustained pneumatic damage.
(2) Resonance Skill – Gun Sweep Wind Fix: [Attribute Bonus: Increases attack by 6%.]
Ji Yan’s resonance skill allows him to lunge forward a distance, dealing damage to enemies along the way. This skill not only allows for quick approaches to enemies but also enables flexible positioning in combat.
(3) Resonance Loop – Blue Dragon Breaking Formation: [Unlock Inherent Skill: Tidal Flat/Reservoir Gathering Wind]
(4) Resonance Liberation – Cangyue Eight Desolation · Strategizing: [Attribute Bonus: Increases attack by 6%.]
He enters a state of continuous multi-stage attacks and enters a formation-breaking state. In this state, Ji Yan’s attack power will be greatly increased, capable of dealing enormous damage to enemies.
(5) Variation Skill – Attack Unprepared: [Attribute Bonus: Increases critical hit rate by 4%.]
(6) Extension Skill – Self-Restraint
When the next character hits the target with a heavy hit, Ji Yan will summon a long spear to attack in coordination.
Skill Upgrade Priority: Resonance Liberation > Resonance Loop > Resonance Skill > Variation Skill > Normal Attack
Branch Upgrade Priority: Inherent Skill > Level 1 Critical Hit > Level 1 Attack (Level 2 nodes are not considered during the early game, but can be maxed out later when resources are sufficient)
Resonance Liberation increases the damage of the core output skill “Formation-breaking Spear”, while Resonance Loop increases the damage of Resonance Liberation under the core state.
Weapon Selection
Azure Scale Thousand Peaks (Exclusive Weapon) > Horizon Gleam (Permanent five-star weapon) > Wenqiu (Obtainable from the radio station’s monthly card, four-star weapon) > Dongluo (Four-star) > Chengguan Long Blade · Dingjun (Three-star transitional)
Resonance Chain Recommendations
Chains 1, 3, 5, 6
Voice Core Combination
Five-piece set of Echoing Valley Breeze
Flying Lien the Crimson + COST3 Any Voice Core + COST3 Any Voice Core + COST1 Any Voice Core + COST1 Any Voice Core
Flying Lien the Crimson provides 12% pneumatic damage and 12% heavy hit mimicry enhancement.
The five-piece set of Echoing Valley Breeze provides a 40% pneumatic damage enhancement, and the Residual Echo two-piece set provides a 10% attack enhancement.
Primary Substats Recommendation: COST4: Critical hit rate, COST3: Pneumatic damage bonus, COST1: Attack
Secondary Substats: Critical hit rate/Critical hit damage > Percentage attack increase > Heavy hit damage bonus > Attack
Echoing Valley Breeze 2-piece set + Residual Echo 2-piece set
Used during the novice transitional period
Flying Lien the Crimson + Machina Amalgam + COST1 Any Voice Core + COST1 Any Voice Core + COST1 Any Voice Core
Flying Lien the Crimson provides 12% pneumatic damage and 12% heavy hit mimicry enhancement.
The Echoing Valley two-piece set provides a 10% pneumatic damage enhancement, and the Residual Echo two-piece set provides a 10% attack enhancement.
This combination is relatively easy to obtain in the early game.
Primary Substats Recommendation: 2 COST4: One for critical hit rate, one for critical hit damage, COST1: Attack
Secondary Substats: Critical hit rate/Critical hit damage > Percentage attack increase > Heavy hit damage bonus > Attack
Overall Voice Core Configuration Idea
Critical hit rate and heavy hit damage increase are crucial for Ji Yan; his output mainly relies on heavy hit damage, making critical hit rate particularly important. During Ji Yan’s ultimate skill, basic attacks will be enhanced and considered as heavy hit damage.
Team Composition
The main team composition formula is: Ji Yan + Sub-C + Healer
(1) [Recommended] Team Composition One: Ji Yan + Mortefi +
(Baizhi can be used as a low-level substitute)
(2) [Transitional] Team Composition Two: Ji Yan + Sanhua + Verina (Baizhi can be used as a low-level substitute)
(3) [Transitional] Team Composition Three: Ji Yan + Qiushui + Verina (Baizhi can be used as a low-level substitute)
Qiushui and Mortefi can both provide the heavy hit damage bonus Ji Yan needs, with Qiushui leaning more towards pneumatic damage bonus. Sanhua provides a bonus to basic attack damage.
Here, “Mortefi” is recommended as the Sub-C because he has the ability to attack in coordination with heavy hits (i.e., can provide additional attacks), making him the best teammate for Ji Yan.