Jiyan is worth pulling in WuWa 2.1 if you lack a dedicated Aero hypercarry and have Mortefi available. He's a legitimate A/S-tier AoE DPS in the 2026 meta — community tier lists score him 29/40, placing him solidly in the upper bracket for mob-clearing content like Tower of Adversity. His Qingloong Mode delivers explosive multi-hit Aero damage, and at S0 he's fully functional without any resonance chain investment. The honest caveat: he's weaker in pure single-target scenarios, and newer DPS options have closed the gap.
Quick Verdict: Should You Pull Jiyan?
Pull if:
You have no dedicated Aero DPS
Mortefi is available — he's Jiyan's best support and dramatically amplifies Heavy Attack damage
You're actively running Tower of Adversity (ToA) and need an AoE carry for mob-heavy floors
You missed the original Version 1.0 banner (May–June 2024)
You want a simple, high-impact rotation without complex swap timing
Skip if:
You already own a well-built Jinhsi, Changli, or another top-tier DPS
Your Astrite is earmarked for a 2.2 banner that fills a more critical gap
Your primary challenge is single-target boss content — Jiyan underperforms there
You're missing Mortefi entirely with no viable Heavy Attack buffer
On the fence? Ask two questions: Do I have Mortefi? and What does my ToA team look like? If both answers are weak, Jiyan solves real problems. If you're already clearing ToA comfortably, save the Astrite.
Who Is Jiyan? Kit and Role
Jiyan is a 5-star Aero Broadblade Main DPS built around sustained AoE damage through Resonance Liberation and Qingloong Mode Heavy Attacks. The identity is simple: get into Qingloong Mode, hit hard, hit everything.
How His Damage Loop Actually Works
Most guides get this wrong. Qingloong Mode is triggered by Resonance Liberation — not his Basic Forte Circuit directly. This causes players to misallocate skill upgrade resources.
The actual loop:
Intro Skill → generates initial Resolve stacks
Basic Attacks → build Resolve toward the 60-stack cap (30+ stacks enhance Resonance Skill and Liberation)
Resonance Liberation → activates Qingloong Mode, enabling enhanced Heavy Attacks
Qingloong Heavy Attacks → primary damage phase, multi-hit Aero bursts
Resonance Skill → used within Qingloong window for additional damage
Swap out, let supports work, repeat
Skill priority: Liberation ★★★★★ > Forte Circuit/Resonance Skill ★★★★ > Normal Attack/Intro ★
Basic Attacks are a delivery mechanism for Resolve stacks, not a primary damage source. Players who max Normal Attack before Liberation leave 15–25% of Qingloong damage on the table. This single correction matters more than most echo optimization decisions.
His AoE coverage is genuinely exceptional. While characters like Calcharo hit harder in single-target scenarios, Jiyan's multi-hit Qingloong attacks clear mob clusters in ways single-target DPS can't replicate at the same efficiency. The rotation is also beginner-accessible — linear, front-loaded into Liberation windows, satisfying feedback loop.
Is Jiyan Still Competitive in 2026?
He's held up better than expected. Community tier lists place him at S-tier for AoE content with a composite score of 29/40 — not the absolute ceiling, but firmly in the upper bracket.
Powercreep has affected his single-target ceiling more than his AoE dominance. Newer characters outperform him in isolated boss fights, but in multi-enemy content — which makes up a significant portion of ToA floors — he remains one of the most efficient carries available.
| Content Type | Performance | Notes |
|---|---|---| | ToA mob floors | ★★★★★ | Top-tier AoE clear speed | | ToA boss floors | ★★★ | Functional, not optimal | | Whispering Waves | ★★★★ | Strong sustained DPS | | Single-target bosses | ★★★ | Weaker vs. dedicated ST carries |
ToA rewards 400–600+ Astrite per 2–3 rotation cycles monthly for F2P players. A reliable AoE carry directly impacts how consistently you clear those floors — which feeds back into your pull economy.
What's New in 2.1 That Affects Jiyan's Value
Version 2.1 (Waves Sing, and the Cerulean Bird Calls, February 13 – March 26, 2025) didn't feature Jiyan on its primary banner, but the patch environment affects his value.
Echo landscape: The Sierra Gale 5-piece set remains Jiyan's best-in-slot and is fully farmable in 2.1. No new echo set displaces it for Aero Heavy Attack builds — your farming investment is stable.
Rate-up 4★ units: The rerun featured Youhu, Sanhua, and Mortefi. Mortefi is Jiyan's best support. If you're pulling for Jiyan and don't have Mortefi yet, the 4★ rate-ups alone make this banner worth considering.
Kit changes: None. His numbers are identical to launch. Community assessments from his original release remain accurate.
Best Team Compositions
Premium Team
F2P-Viable Teams
Jiyan / Mortefi / Baizhi — Completely viable without limited 5★ supports. Mortefi handles the Heavy ATK buff, Baizhi handles healing, Jiyan does the heavy lifting.
Jiyan / Yangyang / Baizhi — Yangyang provides energy generation and Aero sub-DPS, which helps Liberation uptime. Less damage than Mortefi but more accessible.
Mortefi's Outro directly multiplies Qingloong Heavy Attack damage. Without a Heavy Attack buffer, you're leaving a significant portion of Jiyan's potential untouched. The good news: Mortefi is a 4★ on this banner, so you have a reasonable shot at getting both.
Best Build: Weapons & Echoes
Weapons
| Weapon | Rarity | Key Passive | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---| | Verdant Summit | 5★ | Crit DMG +48.6%, +12% Resonance DMG, Intro/Lib → +24% Heavy ATK DMG (×2 stacks, 14s) | Best in slot | | Guardian Broadblade | 4★ F2P | +24% Basic/Heavy ATK DMG | Strong F2P option |
Verdant Summit's Heavy ATK DMG stacks from Intro and Liberation align perfectly with Jiyan's rotation. If you don't have it, Guardian Broadblade is a genuinely solid alternative — don't feel pressured into the weapon banner.
Echo Build
Main Echo: Nightmare: Feilian Beringal
Deals 164% + 5×22% Aero DMG on activation
Grants +12% Aero DMG and +12% Heavy ATK DMG
Set: Sierra Gale 5-piece
2-piece: +10% Aero DMG
5-piece: +30% Aero DMG for 15s after Intro Skill
Echo Stat Priority:
Critical threshold: Hit 130% Energy Regen before optimizing Crit stats. This is the breakpoint for consistent Qingloong uptime. Dropping below it causes Liberation downtime that tanks overall DPS more than suboptimal Crit stats would. Community testing is consistent on this — don't skip it.
Resonance Chain: What's Actually Worth It
S0 is fully endgame-viable. Not a consolation — Jiyan at S0 clears ToA and performs well across all relevant content.
S3 is the first meaningful power spike. It grants Crit-related buffs that directly amplify Qingloong output. The jump from S0 to S3 is more impactful than S3 to S5.
S1 and S2 provide incremental improvements without changing how Jiyan plays. Fine if you get them naturally, not worth chasing.
S6 delivers a significant Liberation damage spike — genuinely powerful, genuinely expensive. Six copies of a 5★ is whale territory. Don't let S6 marketing pressure you into overspending.
Pull for S0. Be happy with S3 if it happens naturally. Stop there.
Astrite Cost: What It Actually Takes
Pity Mechanics
Base 5★ rate: 0.8%, guaranteed every 80 convenes (hard pity)
Soft pity: Begins around pulls 70–80
50/50: First 5★ has 50% chance to be the featured unit; if you lose, next 5★ is guaranteed featured
Pity is banner-type independent — character banner pity doesn't carry to weapon banners
Pull Cost Scenarios
Each pull costs 160 Astrite. If you're carrying a guaranteed 5★ from a previous banner, your effective cost drops to the 70–80 pull range.
To bridge the gap efficiently, buy Wuthering Waves Astrite top up through BitTopup — larger top-up tiers offer better per-Astrite value, so calculate exactly how many pulls you need before purchasing.
F2P Astrite Income During 2.1
Over a 6-week banner window, a consistent F2P player realistically accumulates 2,700–4,800 Astrite — roughly 17–30 pulls. The Lunite Subscription (2,700 Astrite over 30 days via 90 daily + upfront bonus) is the single best-value purchase for minimal spenders.
Most F2P players can't guarantee Jiyan from free resources alone within a single banner window unless they're carrying saved Astrite from prior patches. If you're starting from zero pity with no saved pulls, you'll likely need either prior savings or a top-up. For tiered pricing that rewards larger purchases, recharge Lunite Wuthering Waves cheap via BitTopup.
Jiyan vs. Alternatives
Jiyan vs. Calcharo: Calcharo edges ahead in single-target damage; Jiyan wins on AoE efficiency. In 2026 ToA, Jiyan's AoE advantage is more consistently useful across floor types. Neither is strictly better — they serve different content.
Jiyan vs. Jinhsi: Different archetypes entirely. Jinhsi has a higher single-target ceiling; Jiyan is more broadly applicable across content types. Having Jinhsi doesn't eliminate Jiyan's value for AoE-heavy floors.
Should you wait for 2.2? If you have a specific 2.2 character in mind who fills a more critical gap, save. If you're pulling without a clear target and lack an Aero DPS, Jiyan is a safe investment. His AoE niche is durable — most new character designs don't directly replace it.
No other currently available character replicates Jiyan's combination of Aero AoE hypercarry + accessible rotation + strong ToA performance. Aalto provides Aero sub-DPS but isn't a main carry. Yangyang offers Aero energy support, not primary damage. If you want an Aero main DPS, Jiyan is the option.
Final Verdict by Player Type
New players (under Union Level 40): Pull. Jiyan is one of the most beginner-friendly 5★ DPS characters available. Linear rotation, satisfying damage, carries you through story content and early ToA without complex team building. The Mortefi rate-up makes this banner doubly valuable.
Mid-game players building their first endgame roster: Pull if you lack AoE coverage. ToA starts demanding specialized compositions at this stage. If your current lineup is single-target focused, Jiyan fills a genuine gap. If you already have solid AoE coverage, evaluate whether Astrite is better spent on a missing support or healer.
Endgame players optimizing for ToA: Conditional. If you're already clearing high floors with consistent Astrite returns, Jiyan is an upgrade rather than a necessity. Whether the marginal improvement justifies the cost versus saving for a future character is the real question.
Collectors and lore fans: Jiyan is one of the most narratively prominent characters in WuWa's early story. If you missed his original banner, this is your opportunity. S0 is genuinely endgame-capable — you're not pulling a trophy unit.
FAQ
Is Jiyan still worth pulling in 2026? Yes, for players without an Aero hypercarry. A/S-tier for AoE content, 29/40 community score, one of the most efficient ToA mob-floor carries available. Single-target performance is weaker, but his AoE niche is durable.
How many Astrite to guarantee Jiyan? Worst case: ~25,600 Astrite (160 pulls). Average: ~16,000–17,600. Best case: ~11,200. Carrying a guaranteed 5★ from a previous banner drops your cost to the 70–80 pull range.
Best echo set for Jiyan in 2.1? Sierra Gale 5-piece with Nightmare: Feilian Beringal. Provides +10% Aero DMG (2-piece), +30% Aero DMG after Intro Skill (5-piece), and +12% Aero/Heavy ATK DMG from the main echo. No 2.1 set displaces this.
Is S0 Jiyan viable for endgame? Fully viable. Clears ToA, performs well across all relevant modes. S3 is the first meaningful power spike if you pull additional copies, but it's not required.
Does Jiyan need Mortefi? He doesn't need Mortefi, but the damage ceiling drops noticeably without a Heavy Attack buffer. Jiyan/Yangyang/Baizhi is functional; Jiyan/Mortefi/Baizhi is significantly stronger. Since Mortefi is a rate-up 4★ on this banner, pulling for Jiyan gives you a reasonable shot at both.
Should I pull Jiyan or wait for 2.2? If you have a specific 2.2 target who fills a more critical gap, save. If you're pulling without a clear target and lack an Aero DPS, Jiyan is a safe, durable investment.
Banner schedules, Astrite income figures, and meta assessments reflect data available through WuWa 2.1. Review recommended at Version 2.2 launch.