Lyney Genshin Impact Character Guide – Best Build, Weapons, Artifacts & Teams

TL;DR

• Lyney is a 5-star Pyro Bow DPS who excels at Charged Attacks in Mono Pyro teams.
• Best artifact set: 4-piece Marechaussee Hunter for massive CRIT Rate uptime.
• Best weapon: The First Great Magic (signature); Song of Stillness for F2P players.
• He thrives with Bennett, Xiangling, and Kazuha as supports.
• His Normal Attack talent should always be leveled first.
• C2 is his best early constellation for a free 60% CRIT DMG boost.
• Ascension uses Agnidus Agate, Rainbow Rose, and Emperor’s Resolution.

Who Is Lyney in Genshin Impact?

Lyney is a 5-star Pyro Bow character in Genshin Impact. He is a famed magician from Fontaine, known for his exceptional showmanship and charm. He first arrived in Version 4.0 alongside the release of Fontaine. He performs alongside his twin sister, Lynette, and the two share a deep bond both in the story and in his kit.

Lyney is a pure on-field Main DPS. His entire kit revolves around Charged Attacks and his unique Grin-Malkin Hat mechanic. He deals the bulk of his damage through Prop Arrows, Pyrotechnic Strikes, and powerful Pyro scaling. If you enjoy characters like Ganyu or Tighnari, Lyney will feel right at home. If you want to explore more of Fontaine’s new characters, check out our full guide on Odette as well.

You can download Genshin Impact on Android, iOS, PlayStation, Epic Games, and Xbox.

Lyney Genshin Impact Character Overview

• Rarity: 5-Star
• Element: Pyro
• Weapon: Bow
• Role: Main DPS (On-field)
• Ascension Stat: CRIT Rate (19.2% at Level 90)
• Region: Fontaine
• Birthday: February 2
• Constellation: Felis Fuscus Albopunctatus

Lyney Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths:

• Very high Pyro Charged Attack damage output.
• Has a self-taunt mechanic via the Grin-Malkin Hat, which helps protect the team.
• Naturally ascends with CRIT Rate, making him easier to build.
• Scales heavily in Mono Pyro teams, which are easy to build.
• Extremely strong at C0 without needing constellation investment.

Weaknesses:

• Limited to Pyro-heavy team compositions to get the most from his passives.
• Can be easily staggered while aiming, so he needs a shield or Interruption Resistance support.
• Not ideal for reaction-heavy teams like Vaporize or Melt in most cases.
• Requires HP management since his Charged Attacks consume his own HP.

Lyney Skills and Abilities

Normal Attack – Card Force Translocation

Lyney performs up to 4 consecutive bow shots. His Plunging Attack fires a shower of arrows in mid-air before landing and dealing AoE damage. His Aimed Shot at Charge Level 1 fires a Pyro-infused arrow. At Charge Level 2, he fires a Prop Arrow that deals Pyro DMG and summons a Grin-Malkin Hat on hit. When Lyney has more than 60% HP, this also consumes some HP to give him a Prop Surplus stack.

Elemental Skill – Wondrous Trick: Miracle Parade

Lyney turns into a Grin-Malkin Cat and dashes forward. He deals Pyro damage to enemies in his path. When this transformation ends, a Grin-Malkin Hat appears at his location. If he has Prop Surplus stacks, they are all consumed and each stack fires one Pyrotechnic Strike at a nearby enemy. He also heals a portion of his HP based on the number of Pyro characters in the team. This ability is what keeps his HP cycle going and what makes the Marechaussee Hunter artifact set work so well on him.

Elemental Burst – Finale of the Show

Lyney fires off a magic trick alongside Lynette. It deals Pyro damage in a wide area and summons one Grin-Malkin Hat. Any existing hats on the field also deal Pyrotechnic Strikes when the burst is used. This burst has a strong AoE presence and pairs well with already-accumulated Prop Surplus stacks for maximum damage.

Passive Talents

• Ascension 1 – Perilous Performance: If Lyney consumes HP to gain Prop Surplus stacks when firing a Prop Arrow, he will restore 3 Energy and gain a 80% Charged Attack DMG bonus for the next Prop Arrow he fires.
• Ascension 4 – Conclusive Ovation: This is his most important passive. DMG Lyney deals to enemies affected by Pyro gets a 60% increase. For every extra Pyro character in the party (not counting Lyney himself), this DMG increases by an additional 20%. This passive maxes out at 100% bonus DMG in a full Mono Pyro team. This is why his Mono Pyro team is his best setup.
• Utility Passive – Contiguous Betting: Lets Lyney see nearby Fontaine resources on the mini-map. Handy for exploration in Fontaine.

Best Lyney Build Genshin Impact

Best Artifacts for Lyney

The best artifact set for Lyney is the 4-piece Marechaussee Hunter. This set was practically made for him. Not all artifact sets are equal, and Marechaussee Hunter stands out because of how perfectly it syncs with his HP-consumption mechanic. The 2-piece gives a 15% Normal and Charged Attack DMG bonus. The 4-piece gives up to 36% CRIT Rate when HP increases or decreases, which happens constantly with Lyney because his Prop Arrows drain HP and his Elemental Skill heals him back. This means he maintains 3 stacks consistently, giving him a massive CRIT Rate boost that lets you focus your substats almost entirely on CRIT DMG and ATK.

Alternative sets:

• 4-piece Lavawalker: A strong option in Mono Pyro teams where enemies always stay Pyro-affected. You get a constant 35% DMG bonus.
• 4-piece Wanderer’s Troupe: Gives a 35% Charged Attack DMG bonus. Useful if you don’t have a good Marechaussee set yet.
• 4-piece Vermillion Hereafter: Works well if you want to play Lyney using his Burst first before attacking, as the ATK buff from this set stacks up quickly.

Artifact Main Stats for Lyney

• Sands: ATK%
• Goblet: Pyro DMG Bonus
• Circlet: CRIT DMG (if using Marechaussee Hunter) or CRIT Rate (if using other sets)

Substats priority: CRIT DMG > CRIT Rate > ATK% > Flat ATK

Best Weapons for Lyney Genshin Impact

Lyney’s best weapons are bows that either boost Charged Attack damage directly or provide strong CRIT and ATK scaling. Here is a ranked breakdown:

• The First Great Magic (5-star, Signature): Lyney’s absolute best weapon. It provides a massive amount of CRIT DMG as a sub-stat, plus a passive that increases Charged Attack DMG and grants stacking ATK% bonuses for each Pyro character in the team. In a Mono Pyro team, all three Gimmick stacks activate, granting up to 96% ATK at R1. This weapon is tailor-made for Lyney and should be your first choice if available.
• Aqua Simulacra (5-star): Generally considered the second-best option. It offers a large HP bonus and a 20% DMG boost when standing near enemies. The CRIT DMG sub-stat is excellent.
• Thundering Pulse (5-star): Another strong all-around CRIT DMG bow with ATK scaling. Works well in most Lyney setups.
• Amos’ Bow (5-star, Standard Banner): A solid option that boosts Charged Attack DMG based on how long the arrow is in the air. Less ideal for Lyney since Prop Arrows don’t fully benefit, but still decent.
• Blackcliff Warbow (4-star): A CRIT DMG sub-stat bow from Paimon’s Bargains. Works particularly well against single-target enemies.
• Song of Stillness (4-star, Craftable – F2P Best): Since Lyney naturally loses and recovers HP, the passive on this weapon always stays active, granting a significant DMG% boost. This is the top F2P choice for Lyney.
• Prototype Crescent (4-star, Craftable): A strong alternative if you aim for enemy weak spots, triggering its ATK buff passive consistently.

Best Team Comps for Lyney Genshin Impact

Mono Pyro Team (Best Team)

Lyney’s Ascension 4 passive rewards you for stacking Pyro characters. In a full Mono Pyro team, his damage gets a 100% bonus from his passive. Here is the best lineup:

• Lyney – Main DPS
• Bennett – Healer and ATK buffer via his burst circle
• Xiangling – Off-field Pyro DPS with Pyronado for constant Pyro application
• Kazuha – Anemo support for Pyro DMG bonus via Viridescent Venerer and Elemental Mastery buffs

Note: Running Kazuha here technically breaks the full Pyro team, but his buffs more than compensate. If you want the full Pyro passive bonus, swap Kazuha for another Pyro like Chevreuse or Thoma for shielding and Pyro resonance.

Overload Team

Overload teams have become a competitive option for Lyney. This setup pairs him with Chevreuse, who is the go-to Overload support, alongside Fischl for constant Electro application. Bennett fits in as the fourth for healing and ATK buff. The Overload reactions deal AoE Pyro damage and can help clear grouped enemies faster.

• Lyney – Main DPS
• Chevreuse – Overload support, Pyro buffer
• Fischl – Off-field Electro DPS
• Bennett – Healer and ATK buffer

Shield and Pyro Resonance Team

If you want a simpler team that is still effective, pairing Lyney with Zhongli gives him shielding to prevent stagger interruption while aiming. Add Bennett for ATK buff and healing, and Xiangling for off-field damage.

• Lyney – Main DPS
• Zhongli – Shield support
• Bennett – Healer, ATK buffer
• Xiangling – Off-field Pyro DPS

Lyney Talent Priority

Lyney’s damage comes almost entirely from his Charged Attacks and Grin-Malkin Hat strikes, both of which scale off his Normal Attack talent. This makes the talent order simple:

1. Normal Attack (Card Force Translocation) – Always upgrade this first. It directly buffs Prop Arrows, Pyrotechnic Strikes, and all Charged Attack DMG.
2. Elemental Burst (Finale of the Show) – Contributes good AoE Pyro damage. Secondary priority.
3. Elemental Skill (Wondrous Trick: Miracle Parade) – The healing from his skill scales, but the main value is in the Prop Surplus mechanic and HP cycling. Lowest priority for damage.

Lyney Constellations Guide

Lyney is strong at C0 and does not require constellations to perform well. Every constellation improves his personal Pyro damage output, and his earlier constellations give the best value. Here is a breakdown:

• C1 – Whimsical Wonders: Allows Lyney to have two Grin-Malkin Hats on the field at once. Prop Arrows now summon two hats and grant an extra Prop Surplus stack. This significantly speeds up his rotation and burst potential. A strong early constellation.
• C2 – Loquacious Cajoling: While Lyney is on the field, he gains one Crisp Focus stack every 2 seconds. Each stack gives 20% CRIT DMG, up to 3 stacks for a total of 60% free CRIT DMG. This activates simply by keeping him on field for 6 seconds, which he always does as Main DPS. This is arguably his best constellation and a great stopping point for low spenders.
• C3 – Mindbending Hurly-Burly: Raises the Normal Attack talent level by 3, capping at Level 15. Since all of Lyney’s charged attack damage scales off Normal Attack, this is a very meaningful damage boost and another great stopping point.
• C4 – Jolting Finesse: Enemies hit by Lyney’s Pyro Charged Attacks have their Pyro RES reduced by 20% for 6 seconds. This turns Lyney into a subtle debuffer without any rotation cost, making the whole team deal more Pyro damage. A nice upgrade.
• C5 – Dazzling Landfall: Raises the Elemental Skill talent by 3 levels. This is the weakest constellation since his Elemental Skill does not make up much of his overall damage.
• C6 – Irresistible Temptation: Every time Lyney fires a Prop Arrow, he also fires a bonus Pyrotechnic Strike that deals 80% of the original’s damage. This is a large damage increase to his most-used attack type and a strong constellation overall.

Best constellation to stop at: C2 for low spenders. C3 is the next strong stopping point if you want more damage. C6 is excellent but expensive.

Lyney Ascension Materials

To fully ascend Lyney from Level 1 to Level 90, you will need the following materials:

• 1x Agnidus Agate Sliver
• 9x Agnidus Agate Fragment
• 9x Agnidus Agate Chunk
• 6x Agnidus Agate Gemstone
• 18x Recruit’s Insignia
• 30x Sergeant’s Insignia
• 36x Lieutenant’s Insignia
• 168x Rainbow Rose
• 46x Emperor’s Resolution
• 420,000 Mora

Where to farm Ascension Materials:

• Agnidus Agate Gems: Drop from Pyro bosses such as the Pyro Regisvine, Pyro Hypostasis, and Primo Geovishap.
• Fatui Insignias (Recruit’s, Sergeant’s, Lieutenant’s): Dropped by Fatui Skirmishers and Agents scattered across all regions.
• Rainbow Rose: A Fontaine-exclusive local specialty found in the gardens and cultivated areas of Fontaine. Not found in the wild.
• Emperor’s Resolution: Boss material dropped by the Ley Line Overflow boss in Fontaine.

Lyney Talent Materials

To level all three of Lyney’s talents to Level 10, you will need:

• 9x Teachings of Fairness
• 63x Guide to Fairness
• 114x Philosophies of Fairness
• 18x Recruit’s Insignia
• 66x Sergeant’s Insignia
• 93x Lieutenant’s Insignia
• 18x Primordial Greenbloom
• 3x Crown of Insight
• 4,957,500 Mora (for all three talents)

Where to get Talent Materials:

• Books of Fairness (Teachings, Guide, Philosophies): Obtained from the Pale Forgotten Glory domain in Fontaine on Monday, Thursday, and Sunday.
• Primordial Greenbloom: A weekly boss material dropped by the Apep boss (Guardian of Apep’s Oasis) in Sumeru’s Realm of Beginnings domain.
• Crown of Insight: A rare material earned through limited-time events and certain in-game achievements.

Lyney Playstyle Tips

Lyney is not the most complex character to play, but a few habits will make him much stronger:

• Always stack Prop Surplus before using your Skill: Use Charged Attacks to build up all 5 Prop Surplus stacks. Then use your Elemental Skill to fire 5 Pyrotechnic Strikes at once for a big burst of damage.
• Use Bennett’s burst circle: Lyney should always stand inside Bennett’s burst field when using his Elemental Skill dumps. The ATK buff raises all Pyrotechnic Strike damage significantly.
• Keep the Marechaussee buff active: As long as you are losing and recovering HP naturally through your Prop Arrows and Elemental Skill, you will have maximum CRIT Rate from the artifact set. Don’t let HP sit still too long.
• Shield or use Interruption Resistance supports: Lyney is vulnerable to stagger during Charged Attack animations. Zhongli, Thoma, or Layla can all provide protection. Even Bennett’s burst at high HP threshold helps.
• Use Burst early in the rotation: When using the Vermillion Hereafter set, activate Lyney’s burst first to start building the ATK stacks before firing off Charged Attacks.
• Position the Grin-Malkin Hat near enemies: The Hat acts as a taunt. Placing it close to enemies pulls their aggression, giving you safer windows to aim your Charged Attacks.

Lyney Lore and Story Background

Lyney is a celebrated magician performing under the famed Steambird company in Fontaine. He is the twin brother of Lynette, and the two are nearly inseparable both on stage and off. Their parents passed away when they were young. Afterward, they were taken in by the Father of the House of the Hearth. Lyney has pledged his loyalty to this organization and carries out missions on their behalf, with the long-term goal of eventually becoming Father’s successor.

Despite his cheerful and charming public persona, Lyney carries a deep sense of responsibility and duty. He hides much of his true feelings behind showmanship, making him one of the more layered characters introduced in Fontaine. His birthday falls on February 2, placing his zodiac sign as Aquarius.

Lyney vs Other Pyro DPS Characters

Lyney sits in a unique position among Pyro DPS characters. Unlike Hu Tao, who relies on close-range Pyro infusion and Vaporize reactions, Lyney works from a distance with Charged Attacks and does not need elemental reactions to deal strong damage. This makes him much easier to pair with Mono Pyro teammates without worrying about reaction setups.

Compared to Yoimiya, another Pyro Bow DPS, Lyney’s damage is more burst-oriented and single-target focused, while Yoimiya has better AoE through Normal Attacks and reaction synergies. Lyney is the better pick for Spiral Abyss chambers with single tough enemies, especially with his consistent Prop Arrow damage cycle.

For players exploring new characters coming to the game, you can also check out guides for Alyosha and Odette’s ascension materials to plan your Primogem spending ahead.

Is Lyney Worth Pulling?

Yes. Lyney is a strong and consistent Pyro Main DPS who shines particularly in Mono Pyro teams and Overload setups. He is already powerful at C0, which means you do not need to spend Primogems on constellations to make him work. His artifact set, Marechaussee Hunter, is farmable and his gameplay loop is smooth once you understand the Prop Surplus stacking system.

He is especially worth pulling if you already have Bennett and Xiangling, as these two characters are practically tailor-made to support him. He also works well with units you may already own like Kazuha or Zhongli. If you like bow characters or the Fontaine storyline, Lyney is a safe investment of your Primogems.

Lyney Genshin Impact FAQ