Yelan vs Hu Tao: Who‘s the Better Pick for Most Genshin Players?
If you‘ve been agonizing over whether to wish for Yelan or Hu Tao in Genshin Impact, you‘re not alone. Both are incredibly powerful 5-star characters! But when it comes down to it, Yelan will be the better choice for most players.
Why? Primarily because of Yelan‘s flexibility. While Hu Tao‘s damage peaks higher, Yelan fits into more team archetypes and frees up Xingqiu. Let‘s dive into the details on why Yelan edges out Hu Tao for general value.
Yelan‘s Flexible Sub-DPS Kit Enables More Team Options
Yelan serves as an excellent sub-DPS who provides powerful off-field hydro application through her Elemental Skill and Burst. Unlike Xingqiu, she can enable both single target and AOE hydro application simultaneously.
According to theorycrafters at KeqingMains, Yelan‘s orbited hydro shots from her E have the same targeting behavior as Xingqiu‘s rain swords, while her AOE burst hydro application is on par with his Burst. This gives her superior versatility in enabling reactions.
As a sub-DPS rather than on-field driver, Yelan can fit flexibly into quickswap teams with an on-fieldcarry like Hu Tao, Ayaka, Yoimiya or physical Fischl. Her long duration off-field hydro makes vape, freeze and bloom teams viable.
Hu Tao Is More Restricted to Vaporize Teams
Hu Tao is an incredibly strong pyro DPS, but more limited in terms of teambuilding. She focuses on dealing huge Pyro damage through her Elemental Skill infusion and spamming Charged Attacks.
Hu Tao‘s best team is in a Vaporize comp with Xingqiu as her necessary partner. This allows her to constantly trigger Vaporize on her Charged Attacks for big damage. Some great additional teammates are Zhongli for his shields and resistance shred, and Albedo for off-field geo damage.
But essentially, Hu Tao is restricted to Vaporize and Melt-focused teams. Yelan provides more flexibility across different elemental reactions and team archetypes.
Yelan Enables Hu Tao‘s Best Team While Freeing Up Xingqiu
One major advantage of Yelan is that she can directly replace Xingqiu in Hu Tao‘s best vaporize team. Since Yelan provides both single target and AOE hydro application, she enables Hu Tao‘s Charged Attacks to consistently Vaporize.
Freed from Hu Tao‘s team, Xingqiu can provide rain swords for your second abyss team instead. Having two high-powered hydro applicators is a huge boost for teambuilding flexibility.
Here is an example of a Hu Tao team with Yelan instead of Xingqiu:
- Hu Tao – Main DPS
- Yelan – Sub-DPS, hydro applicator
- Zhongli – Shields, resistance shred
- Albedo – Off-field geo damage
Hu Tao Has Higher Damage Potential With Constellations
While Yelan is generally the better meta pick, Hu Tao does reach higher damage peaks when you factor in constellations.
Hu Tao‘s C1 removes the stamina consumption on her Charged Attacks, greatly improving her damage potential by allowing more CA spam. Here‘s a table from theorycrafters comparing her damage increase at each constellation level:
| Constellation | Damage Increase |
|---|---|
| C0 | N/A |
| C1 | ~15% |
| C2 | ~8% |
| C3 | ~5% |
| C4 | ~12% |
| C5 | ~10% |
As you can see, C1 gives Hu Tao a massive spike of around 15% more damage. Her C2-C5 provide more minor but still appreciable buffs.
Yelan‘s constellations are more incremental. Her C1 provides some energy refund and C2 buffs her burst damage, but none are as game-changing as Hu Tao C1.
So at high cons, Hu Tao can outdamage Yelan as a hypercarry DPS. But Yelan still brings more team flexibility.
Different Appeals for Waifu/Husbando Collectors
For players who care about aesthetics, personality and "fun factor" over meta considerations, both Hu Tao and Yelan are appealing.
Hu Tao has that adorable occult-loving prankster vibe. She playfully teases characters like Zhongli while doing her best to operate her funeral parlor business.
Yelan is mysterious and elegant, with beautiful flowing animations and a cool as ice demeanor. Yet she has a caring side underneath it all.
As a Hu Tao simp myself, I‘m very tempted by her cute ghosty animations and mischievous personality. But I have to admit Yelan‘s graceful attacks are gorgeous. Ultimately this comes down to personal preference!
Verdict: Yelan is the Better Pick for Most Players
So in summary, while Hu Tao can outdamage Yelan in some scenarios, Yelan will be more generally valuable for a majority of Genshin players.
Her flexible sub-DPS kit enables more diverse teambuilding options. She can easily fit into Hu Tao vape comps while freeing up Xingqiu for other teams.
Hu Tao remains one of the best pure pyro DPS characters. If you specifically need a top-tier on-field carry, she‘s a great option. But Yelan brings more to the table overall.
As always, weigh your own roster needs, playstyle preferences and characters you‘ve already invested in before choosing. But you can rest assured that Yelan and Hu Tao are both excellent additions worthy of your primos!