Layla is a new playable character in Genshin Impact, the popular open-world RPG by miHoYo. She is a four-star cryo sword user from Sumeru, the region of wisdom and academia.
She is a student of theoretical astrology, a discipline that studies the stars and their influence on the world. Layla is also a sleepwalker who often wakes up to find her papers completed by “The Stars’ Blessing.”
In this article, we will introduce Layla’s background, gameplay, best builds, and some tips on how to use her effectively in your team.
Layla Background
Layla is a young elf who attends the Rtawahist Darshan, one of the most prestigious schools in Sumeru. She is fascinated by the stars and their secrets and hopes to unravel them through her research.
She is diligent and hardworking, often staying late to finish her assignments. However, Layla suffers from chronic sleep deprivation and poor health. She frequently falls asleep during lectures or while walking around.
She also has a strange habit of sleepwalking, which she believes is caused by “The Stars’ Blessing.” Whenever she sleepwalks, she completes her papers or solves complex problems quickly.
She thinks this signifies the stars guiding her and rewarding her efforts. Layla is grateful for this blessing but curious about its origin and nature.
She wonders if there is a deeper connection between her and the stars or if there is someone or something behind it. She also worries that the blessing might disappear or become a curse one day.
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Layla Gameplay
Layla is a cryo character who can provide solid shields and buffs for her allies and deal decent damage from off the field. Her gameplay revolves around her basic skill and burst, both activated by her sleepwalking.
Talents
- Sword of the Radiant Path: Layla’s normal attack performs up to three rapid strikes. Her charged attack consumes stamina to unleash two sword strikes. Her plunging attack damages enemies along the path and upon impact.
- Starlit Slumber: Layla’s basic skill. Layla falls asleep and creates a starry shield around herself that absorbs damage based on her max HP. The shield absorbs 250% cryo damage and can be applied to other characters. The shield also deals cryo damage to nearby enemies every few seconds. The skill ends when the shield breaks or Layla wakes up by switching characters or taking damage.
- Dreamscape: Layla’s elemental burst. Layla enters a deep sleep and summons a starry field around herself that lasts for 12 seconds. The area grants the following effects:
- Increases Layla’s max HP by 20%.
- Increases the damage absorption of Starlit Slumber by 30%.
- Increases the cryo damage of Starlit Slumber by 50%.
- Increases the duration of Starlit Slumber by 6 seconds.
- Reduces the cooldown of Starlit Slumber by 50%.
- The Stars’ Blessing: Layla’s first passive talent. When Layla falls asleep using Starlit Slumber or Dreamscape, she regenerates 10 energy for all party members every 2 seconds. This effect can only occur once per use of each skill.
- Sleepwalking Genius: Layla’s second passive talent. When Layla wakes up from Starlit Slumber or Dreamscape, she gains a buff that increases her attack by 20% of her max HP for 10 seconds.
- Half-Awake, Half-Asleep: Layla’s third passive talent. When Layla is in the party but not on the field, she has a 10% chance to fall asleep every 15 seconds, triggering Starlit Slumber at her current position.
Constellations
- C1 – All Incredulous: Increases the level of Starlit Slumber by 3. The maximum upgrade level is 15.
- C2 – Dreamer’s Dilemma: When Layla wakes up from Starlit Slumber or Dreamscape, she deals an additional burst of cryo damage to nearby enemies equal 200% of her attack.
- C3 – Luscinia: Increases the level of Dreamscape by 3. The maximum upgrade level is 15.
- C4 – Daydream: When Layla falls asleep using Starlit Slumber or Dreamscape, she grants a buff to all party members that increases their cryo damage by 15% for 10 seconds.
- C5 – Fantastical Evening Star: Increases Layla’s max HP by 20%. Layla’s attack is increased by 1% for every 1% of her max HP.
- C6 – Star-Crossed: When Layla falls asleep using Starlit Slumber or Dreamscape, she creates a cryo burst that damages nearby enemies equal to 30% of her max HP. This effect can only occur once per use of each skill.
Layla Best Builds
Layla can be built as a support or a sub-DPS character, depending on your preference and team composition. Here are some suggestions for her best weapons and artifacts.
Support Build
For a support build, you want to maximize Layla’s HP, energy recharge, and cryo damage and shield strength. This will allow her to provide durable shields and buffs for your team and some passive damage from her elemental skill and burst.
Best Weapon
- Key of Khaj-Nisut: This four-star sword increases Layla’s max HP by 20% and grants her a buff that increases her attack by 1.2% for 12 seconds after using a basic skill. This weapon synergizes with Layla’s talents and constellations that scale with her HP and attack.
- Favonius Sword: This four-star sword has a high base energy recharge and a passive effect that grants a 60% chance to generate 6 energy for the character after landing a critical hit. This effect can only occur once every 12 seconds. This weapon helps Layla recharge her elemental burst faster and maintain her energy generation for the team.
Best Artifacts
- The tenacity of the Millelith: This four-piece artifact set increases the HP of all party members by 20%. Additionally, when an elemental skill hits an enemy, the attack of all party members is increased by 20%, and their shield strength is increased by 30% for 3 seconds. This effect can be triggered once every 0.5 seconds and stack up to 3 times. This set enhances Layla’s shield and buff capabilities, as well as the damage output of the whole team.
- Noblesse Oblige: This four-piece artifact set increases the elemental burst damage of the character by 20%. Additionally, using an elemental burst increases the attack of all party members by 20% for 12 seconds. This effect cannot stack. This set boosts Layla’s burst damage and provides a consistent attack buff for the team.
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Sub-DPS Build
For a sub-DPS build, you want to focus on Layla’s cryo damage, critical rate/damage, and some HP and energy recharge. This will allow her to deal more damage with her elemental skill and burst, especially when paired with other cryo or hydro characters for freeze reactions.
Best Weapon
- Primordial Jade Cutter: This five-star sword increases Layla’s HP by 20% and grants her a buff that increases her attack by 1.2% of her max HP. Additionally, it has a high base critical rate and a passive effect that increases the character’s critical damage by 4% for 6 seconds after landing a critical hit. This effect can stack up to 5 times and refreshes with new stacks. This weapon can maximize Layla’s damage potential with her HP scaling and critical stats.
- Harbinger of Dawn: This three-star sword has a high base critical damage and a passive effect that grants the character a 28% increase in critical rate when their HP is above 90%. Additionally, it has a meager refinement cost, making it easy to reach refinement rank 5. This weapon is a budget option for increasing Layla’s critical rate as long as you can keep her HP high with her shields.
Best Artifacts
- Blizzard Strayer: This four-piece artifact set increases the character’s cryo damage by 15%. Additionally, when the character attacks fan enemy affected by cryo, their critical rate increases by 20%. If the enemy is frozen, the critical rate is increased by 20%. This set is perfect for enhancing Layla’s cryo damage and critical speed, mainly when used with other cryo or hydro characters for freeze reactions.
- Emblem of Severed Fate: This four-piece artifact set increases the character’s energy recharge by 20%. Additionally, it increases the character’s elemental burst damage by 25% of their energy recharge. A maximum of 75% bonus damage can be obtained in this way. This set helps Layla recharge her elemental burst faster and deal more damage with it based on her energy recharge.