This post is up to date with Version 3.2 Phase 1
Yoimiya is a 5-Star Pyro Bow character from Inazuma. She can only be obtained via the “Tapestry of Golden Flames” event banner. Primarily, she serves as a selfish carry for her team.
Base Kit
When Yoimiya manually aims her Bow, she can charge her attack to a second level, generating up to three Kindling Arrows to accompany her standard aimed shot. In addition to providing additional DMG, these arrows have the ability to home in on a moving target. You would think having a Level 2 Charged Attack would mean this is how Yoimiya primarily deals DMG. Surprisingly however, it is suboptimal to build with this in mind as each Kindling Arrow has a pitifully low multiplier (22.96% at Lv. 6). The only reasons I can think of for using Yoimiya’s Level 2 Charged Attack is to set up a Pyro Swirl (and that’s if you lack a second Pyro unit in your team) or to hunt a group of animals in the open world. Other than that, Yoimiya’s Level 2 Charged Attack is completely pointless.
Yoimiya primarily deals DMG with her Normal Attacks in conjunction with her Elemental Skill, Niwabi Fire-Dance. Upon casting her Skill, she gains a DMG Bonus and a Pyro Infusion to her Normal Attacks for 10 seconds. These effects will immediately expire if Yoimiya leaves the field. As a tradeoff, she loses the ability to generate any Kindling ARrows though that hardly matters given how weak they are. Those looking for a straightforward playstyle will find the combination of these two Talents extremely appealing. Just press the Skill button and spam the Attack button and you’re good to go. As a Bow user, Yoimiya can comfortably attack at range. Her Normal Attack animations are very quick, to the point that she can afford to do the full 5-hit combo before she needs to cancel with a jump or a dash.
Spamming Yoimiya’s Normal Attacks are not without some caveats. The first is that these attacks are strictly single target. In other words, Yoimiya can only attack one enemy at a time. This can however be rendered moot if Yoimiya is able to kill a target extremely quickly. Against most bosses, this is a non-issue. Another caveat is that Yoimiya’s hardest hitting Normal Attacks are at the end of the string so you will take a DPS loss if Yoimiya has to dodge and restart her attack string. You can compensate for this by teaming Yoimiya with a shielder such as Zhongli.
When Yoimiya casts her Elemental Burst, Ryuukin Saixfrage, she leaps into the air and fires an arrow at her target. Said target will be struck with AoE Pyro DMG and inflicted with an “Aurous Blaze”. This mark can deal AoE Pyro DMG every 2 seconds but to trigger it, someone other than Yoimiya needs to attack the marked enemy. If the inflicted opponent is defeated and there’s still time left, the Aurous Blaze will pass onto another nearby enemy. Should Yoimiya die on the field, the mark will immediately expire.
Frankly, I don’t like using Yoimiya’s Elemental Burst all that much. Despite technically being an AoE, the Aurous Blaze has very small range so it generally does little to compensate for the lack of AoE on Yoimiya’s Normal Attacks. While you’ll generally have a Sub DPS in your team, the fact remains that you pretty much need one in order to trigger the mark’s explosion. Why miHoYo decided Yoimiya herself can’t proc the explosion is beyond me. It isn’t like she can abuse it since the explosion is on a 2 second cooldown. That all said, Yoimiya’s Burst can be worth using if only for her A4 passive, which grants her teammates an ATK buff when she casts her Burst.
Something to note with Yoimiya’s overall kit is that it entirely adheres to Internal Cooldown (ICD). In other words, she can only apply Pyro every 3 seconds or every 3 hits. This results in her getting Elemental Reactions less frequently and less consistently than some of her fellow Pyro characters (especially those who can ignore ICD with one of their Talents). I’m guessing this is a deliberate move made to keep Yoimiya from abusing Reactions, particularly with her fast Normal Attacks, but it is nevertheless something you’ll have to contend with. While this means Yoimiya needs to bank more on her raw DMG to be up to snuff, you should still consider having her use Reactions, if only because any extra DMG still equates to higher DPS.
Constellations
- C1 – Extends the duration of Yoimiya’s Elemental Burst and gives her a 20% ATK buff for 20 seconds when an opponent marked by the Aurous Blaze is defeated. If you’re not using the Burst all that often, the longer uptime hardly matters. Meanwhile, the buff is too situational to be reliable.
- C2 – Gives Yoimiya a 6 second 25% Pyro DMG Bonus buff when her Pyro DMG CRITs. This can be triggered even when Yoimiya is off field. Outside of the usual downtime of her Talents and provided that her CRIT Rate is up to par, this Constellation is pretty much always active. I consider this to be Yoimiya’s most worthwhile Constellation.
- C3 – Adds three Levels to Yoimiya’s Elemental Skill.
- C4 – Decreases Yoimiya’s Elemental Skill cooldown by 1.2 seconds if the Aurous Blaze explodes. Having a shorter cooldown is certainly nice though if you already have Yoimiya’s Skill downtime accounted for in your rotation, you probably don’t need this upgrade.
- C5 – Adds three Levels to Yoimiya’s Elemental Burst.
- C6 – While using her Elemental Skill is active, this Constellation gives Yoimiya a 50% chance to fire an extra arrow that deals 60% of the preceding Normal Attack’s DMG. It does boost Yoimiya’s DPS but obviously, it can be inconsistent.
As is always the case for 5-Star characters, you should only consider going after their Constellations if you have the money to burn. Frankly, and I say this as someone who has them, this set of upgrades is just okay, with the only standout being C2. If Yoimiya’s Constellations don’t sound too appealing to you, you should instead consider using your pulls for her Signature Weapon or for something else entirely.
Weapons
The following list of weapons begins with Yoimiya’s 5-Star Signature Weapon, followed by other recommendations of descending rarity and in alphabetical order. Stats provided in the parentheses are assuming the respective weapon is at Lv. 90.
- Thundering Pulse (5-Star | 608 ATK | 66.2% CRIT DMG) – Yoimiya’s Signature Weapon. In addition to its Base ATK, the Bow provides ATK% via its passive. The passive also grants the wielder up to three Thunder Emblems to increase their Normal Attack DMG. Each emblem has their own duration and their own scenario in which they are obtained. The first stack lasts for 5 seconds and is obtained when the wielder’s Normal Attacks deal DMG. The second stack lasts for 10 seconds and is obtained when the wielder casts their Elemental Skill. The third stack lasts so long as the wielder’s Energy is less than 100%. In Yoimiya’s case, she very easily gains and maintains the first two stacks. The third stack however is easy to lose depending on how easily and how often you’re getting Energy. Overall, the Thundering Pulse is an excellent stat stick and regardless if you get all three stacks or not, the passive is an all but permanent DPS boost for Yoimiya.
- Amos’ Bow (5-Star | 608 ATK | 49.6% ATK) – I’m only recommending the Amos’ Bow because it is a standard 5-Star weapon and its passive does increase Normal Attack DMG. Otherwise, this weapon is more tailored towards a Charged Attack DPS such as Ganyu (whom the Amos’ Bow often runs with in the gacha).
- Skyward Harp (5-Star | 674 ATK | 22.1% CRIT Rate) – The other standard 5-Star Bow. While it’s not tailored to Yoimiya’s kit per se, Skyward is a very good stat stick. In addition to having CRIT Rate as a second stat, the Bow also provides CRIT DMG with its passive. The passive can also generate an AoE Physical attack; it won’t be very powerful in Yoimiya’s case but it being AoE can Yoimiya a tiny bit more efficient in group encounters.
- Hamayumi (4-Star | 454 ATK | 55.1% ATK) – A F2P-friendly option obtained via Forging. It is also the weapon Yoimiya wields in her Wish Art and Character Demo. The Hamayumi does increase Normal Attack DMG but you are required to have the wielder’s Energy at 100% in order to double the effect. This becomes problematic if you like to Yoimiya’s Elemental Burst every rotation or if you have Shimenawa’s Reminiscence (4) equipped on her.
- Rust (4-Star | 510 ATK | 41.3% ATK) – One of, if not, the most popular 4-Star option for Yoimiya and with good reason. Rust provides a Normal Attack DMG increase at the cost of a slight Charged Attack DMG decrease. Not only is this passive unconditional, the Normal Attack DMG increase gets really high with Refinements, with a staggering cap of 80% at R5.
- The Viridescent Hunt (4-Star | 510 ATK | 27.6% CRIT Rate) – Requires the purchase of the Battle Pass. It’s a fine stat stick and the Bow’s Cyclone effect can draw enemies in and compensate for Yoimiya’s poor AoE.
- Slingshot (3-Star | 354 ATK | 31.2% CRIT Rate) – Increases DMG so long as the wielder’s Normal or Charged Attack hits their mark within 0.3 seconds of being fired. Otherwise, the wielder takes a 10% DMG decrease. So long as Yoimiya fights at medium or close range, this can be a strong weapon on her. Passive aside, the fact that the Slingshot is a common Bow with CRIT Rate is something worth considering.
Artifacts
- Crimson Witch of Flames (4) – Provides Pyro DMG Bonus and increased DMG to Pyro-related Elemental Reactions. The Pyro DMG Bonus can be further increased by 50%, for 10 seconds, and up to 3 times when the wielder casts their Elemental Skill. As mentioned earlier, Yoimiya isn’t as good at abusing Reactions as other Pyro characters. She also can’t get the full 3 stacks of extra Pyro DMG Bonus as her Skill has the same exact duration as one stack. Nevertheless, this set is still a strong option for her. It is also a lot more tolerable to farm now that it’s been added to the Strongbox system in Version 3.0.
- Echoes of an Offering (4) – Provides 18% ATK and a RNG-based flat DMG boost to the wielder’s Normal Attacks. Since you have no control over when the buff procs, results with this set will vary. The RNG is also dependent on your internet connection. Performance will suffer if you have high ping. Farming for Echoes of an Offering might not be an efficient use of Resin as it is paired with Vermillion Hereafter, which is currently only good on Xiao.
- Shimenawa’s Reminiscence (4) – In addition to providing 18% ATK, this set will give Yoimiya a 10 second 50% basic attack DMG Bonus when she casts her Elemental Skill and at the cost of 15 Energy. The Energy cost does make it harder for Yoimiya to use her Elemental Burst but it’s a worthwhile trade given how much stronger her Normal Attacks become. If you have the Thundering Pulse, Shimenawa becomes an even more appealing set as the Energy cost will allow Yoimiya to get the third stack of the weapon’s passive. Out of all the sets recommended here, Shimenawa’s Reminiscence is arguably the best one to farm as it’s paired with Emblem of Severed Fate, a superb set desired by many characters in the games.
For main stats, Yoimiya wants an ATK% Sands, a Pyro DMG Bonus Goblet, and a CRIT Circlet. At Lv. 90, Yoimiya gets 19.2% CRIT Rate from Ascensions so she’ll want 50.8% from Artifacts to reach the recommended 70%. The choice between CRIT Rate versus CRIT DMG for the Circlet will depend on what sub stats the game gives you and the weapon you give to Yoimiya. For example, if she has the Thundering Pulse and you’re getting a lot more CRIT DMG as sub stats, a CRIT Rate Circlet will do her well to balance out her CRIT ratio. Sub stats to look for are ATK%, CRIT, Elemental Mastery, and Energy Recharge.
Synergy
Broadly speaking, Vaporize is the de facto Elemental Reaction for Yoimiya to use. Aside from the Reaction’s strong scaling, Genshin also has Hydro Sub DPS units who can coordinate with Normal Attacks, making them very synergistic with Yoimiya. Another Reaction to consider is Overloaded. It’s not as strong as Vaporize but the knockback effect the Reaction causes can be useful in group encounters and the Reaction allows Yoimiya to better deal with Geo shielded enemies. Being a ranged attacker, Yoimiya has less trouble with the knockback compared to other Pyro characters such as Diluc and Hu Tao (both of whom use melee weapons).
Elemental Resonances that will benefit Yoimiya are Pyro (for increased ATK) and Geo (also for increased ATK as well as stronger shielding).
Anemo:
- Jean (5-Star) – A very versatile support unit; offers off field DMG and healing and can wield Viridescent Venerer (4) to debuff enemy Pyro RES. Jean becomes even more useful for Yoimiya when she reaches C2 and gains the ability to buff her team’s ATK SPD by 15% and for 15 seconds when she picks up an Energy particle.
- Venti (5-Star) – Provides crowd control and can wield Viridescent Venerer (4). How useful Venti is will depend on whether or not his Elemental Burst can group enemies in. His Burst can lift enemies up in the air but this isn’t much of an issue for Yoimiya since she’s a Bow user.
- Sucrose (4-Star) – Like Venti, Sucrose offers crowd control and like the other Anemo characters mentioned here, she can wield Viridescent Venerer (4). Sucrose also provides an Elemental Mastery buff, which can be used to augment Elemental Reactions.
Electro:
- Beidou (4-Star) – Beidou’s Elemental Burst coordinates with Yoimiya’s Normal Attacks and its ability to arc onto other enemies near your target can compensate for Yoimiya’s poor AoE. That said, Beidou often forces you to team her with another Electro character who can act as a battery, due to her high Energy needs.
- Fischl (4-Star) – Another Electro Sub DPS to consider. Compared to Beidou, Fischl has less AoE but she is less unwieldy and more self-sufficient. At C6, Fischl can coordinate with Normal Attacks, making her a very synergistic teammate for Yoimiya.
Geo:
- Zhongli (5-Star) – Providing the strongest shield in the game, Zhongli allows Yoimiya to perform her full Normal Attack combo uninterrupted. He also debuffs enemy RES for all Elements, including Pyro, when he activates the Jade Shield.
- Yun Jin (4-Star) – Won’t contribute much to team DMG but will contribute greatly to Yoimiya’s DPS by providing a flat DMG boost to the latter’s Normal Attacks with her Elemental Burst. If Yun Jin is at C6, she’ll also boost Yoimiya’s Normal Attack SPD.
Hydro:
- Sangonomiya Kokomi (5-Star) – I find Kokomi better served with other characters but being a potent healer and the only HP-oriented character who can use both Thrilling Tales of Dragon Slayers and Tenacity of the Millelith (4), Kokomi is still a really good support for Yoimiya.
- Yelan (5-Star) – One of two Hydro Sub DPS who can coordinate with Yoimiya’s Normal Attacks for Vaporize procs. Yelan can also provide some minor crowd control with her Elemental Skill as well as a DMG Bonus with her A4 passive.
- Barbara (4-Star) – Terrible for Vaporize use but Barbara does provide healing that follows your active character and she can wield Thrilling Tales of Dragon Slayers. Barbara can also be obtained for free so she has availability going for her as well.
- Xingqiu (4-Star) – The other Hydro Sub DPS who can coordinate with Yoimiya; can be obtained for free with Masterless Starglitter. One thing Xingqiu does have over Yelan is that his Elemental Skill provides increased resistance to interruption, which Yoimiya may want if her team lacks a shielder. He also provides DMG Reduction and minor healing.
Pyro:
- Bennett (4-Star) – Unsurprisingly the best support for Yoimiya; provides an ATK buff, Energy, and healing.
- Thoma (4-Star) – While Thoma’s shield isn’t…the best, Yoimiya is very good at refreshing it with her Normal Attacks. So long as the Blazing Barrier is re-upped, Yoimiya is free to perform her combo uninterrupted even if the shield doesn’t absorb DMG. If Thoma is at C6, refreshing the shield will also buff Yoimiya’s Normal Attacks.
- Yanfei (4-Star) – I only recommend using Yanfei if she’s C4 and you’ve built her as a shielder and/or healer. Otherwise, Yanfei fulfills the same role as Yoimiya and competes for field time with her.
Example Teams:
| Yoimiya | Xingqiu | Yun Jin | Bennett |
| Yoimiya | Fischl | Beidou | Bennett |
| Yoimiya | Yelan | Zhongli | Bennett |
Closing Words
Yoimiya is a solid Pyro DPS. She does suffer from a lack of AoE in her kit but she otherwise performs very well in single target encounters and can still do fine in mob encounters if she can kill each target fast enough. If you want to be technical, Hu Tao is stronger but Yoimiya is still strong in her own right and she’s a solid choice for a second Pyro carry if you find yourself in need for one. More importantly, I find Yoimiya to be one of the more fun Pyro carries to play as, thanks to her Normal Attacks allowing for a very straightforward and spammable playstyle.
Thanks for reading!
This post was originally published on August 13, 2021
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