Choosing Your Liyue 4-Star During the Lantern Rite
Every Lantern Rite Festival in Genshin Impact, the game lets you invite a 4-star character from Liyue, guaranteed. Sure, you must collect some currency and participate in the festival, which makes this a fitting reward. With 9 characters on the list, it can be not easy to choose who to pick. Collectors will choose the one they don’t have yet, and min-maxers will pick the one they need.
For more casual players, here are the most recommended ones and some general guidelines.
Table of Contents
Overview of the Liyue 4-Stars
All C3 and C5 upgrades increase the Elemental Skill or Burst level, which is a generally good thing to get. They don’t have to be mentioned as a notable boost.
Xiangling (Pyro)
She’s part of the ‘National Team’ composition, which is an excellent party for all combat activities. Xiangling is a hard-hitting off-field DPS specializing in triggering or setting up Pyro-related elemental reactions.
She’s a free-to-get character from completing a specific level of the Spiral Abyss. She can be received from wishing in any banner. Still, her constellation upgrades boost her damage and viability, so dupes are welcome for her.
Notable constellations:
- C1: Guoba decreases targets’ Pyro RES by 15% for 6s when hit by his flames.
- C4: Pyronado’s duration is lengthened.
- C6: When Pyronado is active, the party receives a 15% increase in Pyro DMG Bonus.
Xingqiu (Hydro)
Xingqiu is another part of the ‘National Team,’ which should already tell you that he’s a great character to pick. Like Xiangling, he’s another excellent off-field DPS with additional healing and DMG Reduction abilities. Also, he uses a Hydro Vision, which complements the above character in creating Vaporize reactions.
He’s been featured as a free character during the Irodori Festival in Inazuma (Hues of the Violet Garden 2.6 event). Otherwise, he’s available in any banner, which should (in theory) make collecting his constellations easier.
Notable Constellations:
- C1: Increases the maximum number of Rain Swords created by his skills by 1 (4 in total)
- C2: Raincutter’s duration is increased, and opponents hit by the Rain Swords will have their Hydro RES decreased by 15% for 4s.
Ningguang (Geo)
She’s the only Geo catalyst user in the game, and a powerful one. Depending on how you built her, she can be an on-field DPS or a support character. However, most players recommend making her a DPS because she can hit hard, and enemies rarely resist the Geo element.
Like the other 4-stars, she can be obtained through wishing on any banner. Currently, she’s the only Liyue 4-star to have a cosmetic skin (from 2022’s Lantern Rite).
Notable Constellations:
- C1: When her Normal Attacks hit a target, it deals AoE DMG.
- C2: If the Jade Screen shatters, reset the skill’s cooldown.
- C6: Using Starshatter will give Ningguang 7 Star Jades.
Beidou (Electro)
Beidou is a flexible character who can dish out damage as an on-field DPS or be more supportive as an off-field DPS/shielder. She features in fewer party compositions, but she can set up Electro-related reactions or, as mentioned, shield the active character.
She’s been featured as a reward for the event during the Thunder Sojourn event (2.0 update). You can also get her from any banner.
Notable Constellations:
- C1: Using Stormbreaker will create a shield.
- C2: Stormbreaker’s arc lightning strikes two more enemies.
- C4: When attacked, Beidou’s Normal Attacks gain a lightning strike instance for 20% Electro DMG for 10s.
- C6: When using Stormbreaker, surrounding enemies have their Electro RES decreased by 15%.
Yaoyao (Dendro)
Yaoyao is the first ever Dendro element healer, which many team compositions need. However, as it is still early (this article was written before her release), we still need to find out how she synergizes with the party.
Some mechanics could prove troublesome, especially when Yuegui’s radishes seem to have a small AoE. Besides, her healing relies on the character’s health, so Yuegui will not always be reliable when applying Dendro to enemies.
Yanfei (Pyro)
This fiery lawyer is an on-field DPS. Her kit relies on her gaining and using ‘Scarlet Seals,’ which boosts the power of her Charged Attacks. Later, she can get a shield when using her Burst, a handy option for some people who want to use her as a support instead.
Yanfei has yet to be featured as a reward for an event other than the Lantern Rite Festivals.
Notable Constellations:
- C2: Increased Charge Attack Crit Rate by 20% against enemies with below 50% HP.
- C4: When using Done Deal, creates a shield that absorbs up to 45% of Yanfei’s max HP. The shield absorbs Pyro DMG 250% more effectively.
- C6: Adds one to the maximum Scarlet Seals Yanfei can hold.
Yun Jin (Geo)
Yun Jin is a support-oriented character, as her Burst boosts the party’s Normal Attack DMG based on her DEF. In addition, she works best in team compositions with varied elements. She can also work as a tank because her E skill has a parry/counterattack mechanic.
As one of the more recently released Liyue characters, she has yet to be featured/given as a reward in an event. So far, only the Lantern Rite (and the various banners) are how to get her.
Notable Constellations:
- C1: Opening Flourish’s cooldown is reduced by 18%
- C2: Upon using Cliffbreaker’s Banner, nearby party members receive a +15% Normal Attack DMG bonus.
- C6: Characters under the Flying Cloud Flag Formation buff get a +12% ATK SPD increase.
Xinyan (Pyro)
Xinyan is easier to build if you focus on one aspect of her kit. She can shield with DEF or be a DPS (on-field and off-field) with ATK and Phys or Pyro DMG. Because of that split, either her damage will be significant or her shields will be effective. You cannot have both at the same time.
In version 2.2, she was the 4-star reward of the Labyrinth Warriors event. Also, in the 2023 Lantern Rite, she finally performs at an Iridescence Tour concert! You can get her in any banner as well.
Notable Constellations:
- C2: Her Burst has its Phys DMG aspect’s Crit Rate raised to 100%, and using the ability will create a Level 3: Rave shield on cast.
- C4: Using her E skill decreases the Physical RES of enemies hit by 15% for 12s.
- C6: Charged Attacks have their stamina consumption decreased by 30% and gained a damage bonus equal to 50% of Xinyan’s DEF.
Chongyun (Cryo)
Chongyun was once the main DPS of the fan-favorite National Team comp. However, with more Cryo characters being released, he has been passed over for better options. Despite that, if appropriately built, he’s still a powerful character who can be a support or an on-field DPS.
He has not been featured in any event despite being one of the first few Liyue characters.
Notable Constellations:
- C2: Abilities used within the AoE of Spirit Blade: Chonghua’s Layered Frost will have their cooldowns shortened by 15%.
- C6: His Burst deals 15% more damage to enemies with a lower health percentage than him. Also, it adds another spirit blade to that skill.
General Tips
In general, any character can be built to be strong. It doesn’t matter if they’re not meta. If you like using them, make them properly, and they can be used in any activity you want, even in the Spiral Abyss. Still, here are some tips to help you prioritize what you need.
Prioritization
People have different priorities, and the first step in figuring out what you need is to sort them out. The following section has other priority orders depending on some categories.
Role or Element
Roles refer to any character’s three primary functions. While the usual classifications are DPS, Tank, and Healer, it’s a little different in Genshin. There’s a ‘main’ DPS, ‘sub’ DPS, and healer/support. Tanks are relegated to shielders, and they fall under the support category.
Some characters can fit two roles simultaneously, but their kit tends to focus on one. Main DPS characters are your damage dealers and tend to stay on the field the longest. Sub-DPS characters have abilities that still take effect when you switch them out. They’re focused on dealing DMG instead of other supportive or healing buffs. That’s how they differ from the last category, which also has abilities like that but focuses on shielding, buffing, or healing.
Party compositions tend to have one character filling each role. The last slot doubles up on sub-DPS or support, depending on your need/preferences. Look at your roster and see which position you’re lacking in, then pick the character you need to fill that gap. For the Liyue 4-star classification:
DPS
- Xiangling (sub)
- Xingqiu (sub, with minor healing capabilities)
- Ningguang (main)
- Yanfei (main)
- Beidou (build-dependent, shielder only at C1)
Support
- Yaoyao (healer)
- Yun Jin (buffer)
Flexible
- Chongyun (main DPS, buffer)
- Xinyan (DPS role dependent on build, shielder)
On the elemental side, you need a wide variety to take advantage of the various reactions and other mechanics it offers. While an all-Pyro team may seem powerful because of an ATK bonus, one with at least one Hydro character mixed in will perform better. The latter composition takes advantage of the Vaporize reaction, which is one of the most potent.
More than that, various enemies have elemental shields that absorb the same element. For example, defeating a Pyro Abyss Mage with your all-Pyro team will take a long time. In contrast, any team with at least one Hydro character can efficiently dispatch it. Other enemies are outright immune to their element (like slimes), so you need a variety to get through the game.
Take a look at your roster and see which element you lack. Pick the character that uses it.
Constellations
If you’re okay with the above categories, the next thing you need to look at is constellation levels. Which character upgrades do you need the most? Pick that one to get one step closer to your goal.
This is why notable constellation upgrades were mentioned in the previous section. Barring C6, the others are good stopping points that boost a character’s abilities enough. Of course, the goal is to reach the last buff, but there’s no need to rush it. If you wish for characters often, you’ll get there eventually.
Your Preference
In the end, how you justify your pick is up to you. Whatever your reason for picking that character, that is your preference and right. You don’t have to follow these suggestions, but we still hope it helps you reach a decision.
Enjoy the Lantern Rite, and have a Happy New Year!
