Lingyang is one of those characters that the community has had a complicated relationship with since day one. Flashy, fun, visually impressive in combat — but consistently sitting in B-tier while newer characters keep entering the scene at higher power levels. In 3.2, that’s still pretty much where things stand.
That said, he’s not unplayable. He’s a character with a specific niche, a clear gameplay identity, and some genuine strengths that make him worth understanding — especially if you got him for free from the standard banner and want to actually use him. This guide covers everything you need to build him right.
Who Is Lingyang?
Lingyang is a 5-star Glacio Gauntlet resonator and a member of Jinzhou’s Liondance Troupe. He joined the troupe young, and liondancing gave him a way to channel his more feral nature into something the community could celebrate rather than fear. He’s described as sincere, compassionate, and energetic — someone whose passion for humans is immediately obvious even though he’s not entirely one of them.
In combat, he’s a main DPS who specializes in single-target Glacio damage through an aerial combat state called Striding Lion. His playstyle is aggressive and momentum-driven — his damage peaks when he’s constantly in the air, chaining enhanced attacks, and keeping his Lion’s Spirit gauge managed properly.
His weaknesses are real and worth being upfront about: low HP and Defense compared to other 5-star main DPS characters, and a heavy focus on single-target that makes him struggle in multi-enemy content where other carries thrive. He’s also one of the few characters where S0 is considered genuinely weak — his Sequences make a meaningful difference to his output in a way that most other 5-stars don’t require.
If you have him at S0 and limited resources, building a different main DPS first is a reasonable call. But if you like his style, he’s fun and satisfying to play once you get the rhythm down.
How Lingyang’s Kit Works
Lion’s Spirit — The Core Resource
Above Lingyang’s HP bar is the Lion’s Spirit Forte Gauge. Everything he does in combat feeds into building this gauge. He generates Lion’s Spirit through:
- Basic Attacks Stage 3, 4, and 5 hitting targets
- Enhanced Resonance Skill: Furious Punches (triggered after Basic Attacks 3, 4, or 5 hit)
- Intro Skill
- Resonance Liberation
One thing worth knowing: his Resonance Skill has no cooldown in the traditional sense. After Basic Attacks 3, 4, or 5 connect, his Resonance Skill transforms into Furious Punches — an enhanced version that deals higher Glacio DMG and generates Lion’s Spirit faster. This is the primary way you build gauge during normal combat.
Striding Lion — The Main Damage State
Once the Lion’s Spirit gauge is full, hold Heavy Attack to activate Striding Lion. In this state, Lingyang hovers in the air, his attacks are significantly enhanced, and his damage output spikes considerably. This is where the vast majority of his damage comes from — staying in Striding Lion as long as possible, with optimized attack chains.
During Striding Lion, the first 3 seconds after each Resonance Skill Mountain Roamer cast gives him a 100% Basic Attack DMG Bonus on his next Basic Attack. That window is tight but extremely impactful — hitting it consistently is one of the main skills to practice.
Important shortcut: You don’t need a full Lion’s Spirit gauge to enter Striding Lion via his Resonance Liberation. As long as the gauge is at 40% or more, using his Liberation grants the remaining 60% automatically and launches him directly into Striding Lion. Even better — using Liberation this way reduces the meter consumption speed by 50%, meaning Striding Lion lasts significantly longer than if you entered manually with a full gauge. Always use Liberation to enter Striding Lion when it’s available. Never waste it.
Resonance Liberation — The Boost and Entry Tool
His Liberation grants him a 50% Glacio DMG Bonus during Striding Lion and extends the state duration. It also gives the whole team a 20% Glacio DMG Bonus through his Outro Skill: Frosty Marks — lasting 30 seconds. That team-wide buff has value even if you’re using him in a role where his personal damage is supplementary.
Skill Priority
- Forte Circuit — Top priority, no debate. The bulk of Lingyang’s damage comes from his Striding Lion state, which is entirely governed by his Forte Circuit. Max this first.
- Basic Attack — Level alongside or directly after Forte Circuit. His Basic Attacks outside of Striding Lion are still a meaningful part of his rotation, and they feed into triggering Furious Punches.
- Resonance Skill — Third priority. Furious Punches is constantly in use and contributes significantly to his damage — it’s worth keeping up with Basic Attack investment.
- Resonance Liberation — Upgrade after the three above. Improves Striding Lion duration and the Glacio DMG bonus it provides.
- Intro Skill — Level last.
Best Weapons for Lingyang
Lingyang uses Gauntlets, and Energy Regen is the most valuable secondary stat for him — it directly determines how often he can use Liberation to enter Striding Lion optimally.
5-Star Options
Abyss Surges — Best-in-Slot The only 5-star Gauntlet in the game, and Lingyang’s clear best option. It provides Energy Regen to improve Liberation uptime, a 10% Basic Attack DMG Bonus after hitting with Resonance Skill, and a 10% Resonance Skill DMG Bonus after hitting with Basic Attacks — creating a self-sustaining buff cycle that matches his rotation perfectly. If you have Abyss Surges, there’s no competition.
4-Star Options
Hollow Mirage His best accessible 4-star alternative. Provides ATK and DEF bonuses after using Liberation, which gives Lingyang some defensive cushion alongside a solid damage boost. A reliable choice while you’re working toward Abyss Surges.
Stonard (Battle Pass) Decent option that boosts Liberation DMG after Resonance Skill use — aligns reasonably with his rotation.
Gauntlets of Night (3-Star) A completely viable starter weapon that you can use early on. Don’t feel bad about running it while farming proper alternatives.
Originite: Type IV Another 3-star option worth knowing about. Works as a temporary weapon in the early and mid-game while you get Lingyang established.
Best Echo Sets for Lingyang
Frosty Resolve (5-Piece) — Best-in-Slot After Rinascita
This is Lingyang’s optimal set once you’ve progressed far enough to farm it. It provides permanent Resonance Skill DMG% and even bigger Glacio and Skill DMG increases when casting Skill and Liberation — directly amplifying his most important damage windows. The Glacio DMG boost from the set pairs with his inherent Skill synergy through the Diligent Practice passive to make it a clean fit.
Run Sentry Construct as your main echo with Frosty Resolve. The Sentry Construct’s passive provides 12% Glacio DMG and 12% Resonance Skill DMG Bonus at all times, which is permanently active unlike many conditional echo bonuses. Its transformation ability is also powerful, swap-cancelable, usable mid-air, and has shorter effective cooldown when you activate Liberation — fitting Lingyang’s rotation naturally.
Freezing Frost (5-Piece) — Strong Alternative
If you don’t have Frosty Resolve yet, Freezing Frost is your next best option. It builds Glacio DMG Bonus stacks with Basic Attacks and Heavy Attacks, stacking up to 3 times. The stacks have a 15-second duration each — manageable during his rotation, though it requires some attention to maintain uptime compared to Frosty Resolve’s more passive benefits.
Run Lampylumen Myriad as your main echo here. It boosts Glacio DMG and Resonance Skill DMG — both core stats for Lingyang — and its active deals meaningful Glacio damage. Make sure all 3 hits from the Lampylumen Myriad connect on enemies to get the full Glacio DMG Bonus from the skill.
Lingering Tunes (5-Piece) — Competitive Alternate
A genuinely competitive option that’s worth considering, especially in quick-swap compositions. Lingyang can fully use both of its core effects: the steadily increasing ATK from extended field time, and the significant damage boost to his Outro Skill. If you already have strong Lingering Tunes pieces, don’t feel obligated to re-farm — it performs close to Freezing Frost in practice.
Switch to Mech Abomination as the main echo if running Lingering Tunes, since the ATK boost better serves the set’s scaling logic.
Early Game Option
2-Piece Freezing Frost + 2-Piece Lingering Tunes — A solid early-to-mid game fallback that combines Glacio DMG bonuses with utility boosts. Replace this as soon as you can farm a proper 5-piece set, but it gets the job done while you build your roster.
Echo Main Stats and Sub-Stats
Main Stats to Target:
- 4-Cost Echo: Crit Rate or Crit DMG (prioritize Crit Rate if you’re below 50% — this is a hard floor for Lingyang)
- 3-Cost Echoes: Glacio DMG Bonus on both (or swap one for Energy Regen if Liberation uptime is inconsistent)
- 1-Cost Echoes: ATK%
Energy Regen Note: Aim for roughly 10–25% extra Energy Regen above baseline, depending on your team. If Liberation frequently isn’t available when you need it, push slightly higher. Don’t over-invest though — too much Energy Regen costs you damage stats.
Sub-Stats Priority:
- Crit Rate (target ~50% minimum, ideally 60–70%)
- Crit DMG
- ATK%
- Basic Attack DMG Bonus
- Energy Regen (to hit comfortable Liberation uptime)
Best Team Compositions
Lingyang needs a Basic Attack DMG buffer and a healer at minimum. He has no built-in sustain, relatively low HP and Defense, and spends a lot of time in the air where positioning matters — so keeping him alive is a real consideration.
Team 1: Lingyang + Zhezhi + Shorekeeper (Premium Team)
This is Lingyang’s highest-damage setup in 3.2. Zhezhi is his best Glacio sub-DPS partner — her Outro Skill buffs incoming Resonance Skill DMG and Glacio DMG, which slots perfectly into Lingyang’s window. She also deals off-field coordinated attack damage while Lingyang operates, keeping team damage high even during his uptime.
Shorekeeper handles sustain and applies her impressive team-wide buffs — 12.5% Crit Rate, 25% Crit DMG, 25% ATK, and 15% DMG Amplify from her Stellarealm — giving Lingyang a statistically significant damage boost during his burst window.
Run Frosty Resolve (5pc) on Lingyang, Empyrean Anthem (5pc) on Zhezhi, and Rejuvenating Glow (5pc) on Shorekeeper.
Team 2: Lingyang + Sanhua + Verina (Best F2P Team)
This is the most accessible team and genuinely very effective. Sanhua is a game-changer for Lingyang specifically — her Outro Skill provides a 38% Basic Attack DMG Amplification, which directly amplifies his primary damage source during his Striding Lion window. Her rotation is extremely fast, meaning she spends minimal time on field and hands Lingyang the buff quickly.
Verina fills the support slot with universal team healing, ATK% buffs, and 15% DMG Amplify. Since Verina’s Outro buffs the whole team rather than just the next character, you can do the full rotation of Verina → Sanhua → Lingyang and have both buffs stacked going into Lingyang’s burst. Both Sanhua and Verina are obtainable without limited banner investment, making this an excellent foundation.
Run Frosty Resolve or Freezing Frost (5pc) on Lingyang, Moonlit Clouds (5pc) on Sanhua, and Rejuvenating Glow (5pc) on Verina.
Team 3: Lingyang + Sanhua + Baizhi
The most budget-friendly team available. Replace Verina with Baizhi for healing when Verina isn’t available. Baizhi’s healing output is lower and her Outro only buffs the next character rather than the whole team, so you need to be careful with rotation sequencing — use Baizhi last, swap into Lingyang immediately after her Outro to make the most of her buff window.
This team covers all the basics and can handle standard game content comfortably, even if the damage ceiling is lower than the premium options.
Rotation Guide
Standard Combo (No Liberation Ready)
- Start with your support (Sanhua or Zhezhi) — run their rotation and use their Outro Skill to buff Lingyang before he enters
- Enter on Intro Skill — builds Lion’s Spirit immediately
- Basic Attack 1-3 → Furious Punches → Basic Attack 4 → Furious Punches → Basic Attack 5 → Furious Punches — this rapidly fills the Lion’s Spirit gauge
- Once gauge is full, hold Heavy Attack to enter Striding Lion manually
- In Striding Lion: chain Basic Attacks and weave in Resonance Skills within the first 3-second window for the 100% Basic Attack DMG Bonus
- When Concerto Energy is full, swap out — Outro fires and gives the team 20% Glacio DMG Bonus
Liberation Combo (Preferred — Higher Damage)
This is the rotation you want to use whenever his Liberation is available:
- Enter on Intro Skill — builds 1 phase of Lion’s Spirit
- Use 2 Resonance Skills (Furious Punches) to reach 40% gauge
- Cast Resonance Liberation — fills the remaining 60% automatically and enters Striding Lion with extended duration and 50% reduced meter consumption
- In Striding Lion: Basic Attack chain → Resonance Skill within 3-second window → repeat until meter depletes
- Swap out with Concerto Energy full to apply Outro Skill buff
The Liberation combo is strictly better than manual Striding Lion entry — it lasts longer, hits harder, and the 50% consumption reduction means significantly more time in the enhanced state. Prioritize getting Liberation available through team rotation support before bringing Lingyang on field whenever possible.
Sequence Nodes — The Honest Truth
Lingyang is the rare case where Sequences genuinely matter in a way most other 5-stars don’t require. At S0, his damage output is noticeably below his potential.
S1 — Increases Basic Attack DMG Bonus during Striding Lion by 20% and Resonance Skill DMG Bonus by 10%. A meaningful step up for his in-state damage.
S2 — Adds a damage bonus and increases ATK for all team members — a solid breakthrough that opens up more competitive performance.
S4 — Makes his Liberation hit harder during Striding Lion, unlocking a more powerful burst window.
S6 — Significant overall power increase, but this is extreme investment territory.
The community consensus: if you already have him at S0 from the standard banner, enjoy him but don’t pull hard for more copies unless you’re specifically a Lingyang fan. If you’re building a second team for endgame content like Tower of Adversity, stronger S0 options exist at S-tier. That said — if you’re a Lingyang enjoyer who just wants to make him work, S2 is the sweet spot for feeling the meaningful improvement without going overboard.
Ascension and Level-Up Materials
Lingyang’s key materials are:
- LF Howler Core and upgrades — enemy drops from Howlers (find via Echo Hunting directory in the Guidebook)
- Roaring Rock Fist — boss drop from Feilian Beringal, located under the Giant Banyan in Dim Forest
- Lantern Berry — abundant throughout Tiger’s Maw Mine
His Forte upgrade materials include Cadence Seed variants from Forgery Challenges. Max him to Level 90 — his damage scaling in Striding Lion is heavily level-dependent, and the gap between Level 80 and 90 matters more on a hyper-offensive carry like him than on a support.
Is Lingyang Worth Building in 3.2?
Honestly? It depends on where you are in the game and what your goals are.
If you’re a new or mid-game player who got him for free from the standard banner and want to use him — yes, absolutely build him. The Sanhua + Verina or Sanhua + Baizhi team is accessible, fun, and capable of clearing all the standard content you’ll encounter. He teaches you good combat habits around maintaining buffs and managing resource gauges, which transfers to other characters.
If you’re a late-game player pushing endgame speedrun content and trying to maximize your Tower of Adversity scores — there are better investments at S0. S-tier carries like Jinhsi, Carlotta, and Camellya will give you more output from equivalent investment.
But here’s the thing — Lingyang is genuinely enjoyable. The aerial combat style, the liondance aesthetic, the satisfying rhythm of building Lion’s Spirit and entering Striding Lion — it all feels great when you nail it. Sometimes that matters more than a tier list ranking.
