S+ Tier
Chen Qianyu
PhysicalGUARDSword
Advanced Builds
SS
sub_dpssupportphysicalvulnerabilitycrowd_control
Chen Qianyu sits at the very top of the physical roster thanks to how often she can Lift and mark enemies as Vulnerable, opening Crush and Breach windows for her teammates. Her own damage is only average, but the utility, free acquisition, and strong base-facility perks make her an easy include on almost any physical team.
endgamesub dpslate_gamephysicalvulnerabilitysub_dpssignature_weapon
This endgame setup leans into Chen Qianyu's role as an enabler rather than a raw carry. Rapid Ascent supplies the burst-oriented stats her Ultimate wants, while the Qingbo set shortens her Combo Skill cooldown so Soar to the Stars fires more often and keeps Vulnerability running on the field. The gear pieces simultaneously raise Agility, Strength, Physical DMG, and Skill DMG, which matches every stat her kit actually converts into damage. The result is a sub-DPS that keeps feeding Crush and Breach opportunities to the main carry while still contributing respectable burst whenever enemies are staggered.
Weapon
Gear
skill_dmg
armor
swordmancer heavy armor t1
gloves
qingbo gauntlets
core 1
qingbo positioning kit t1
core 2
qingbo positioning kit t1
1agility_boost2strength_boost3physical_dmg_boost4skill_dmg_boost
Explanation
Rapid Ascent is picked first because her damage profile is concentrated in the Ultimate, and the weapon's Twilight effect lines up with that burst window.
Glorious Memory is the next best pick if you have access to the Protocol Pass weapon supply, trading raw attribute scaling for a Twilight proc of its own.
Sundering Steel and Aspirant are budget answers that still give useful Agility, Physical DMG, and conditional buffs that her kit can activate.
Qingbo is chosen over pure damage sets because its Combo Skill cooldown reduction feeds the Vulnerability engine that defines her value in physical lineups.
Notes
- Rapid Ascent plus the Qingbo set is the strongest pairing because both sides of the kit reward the same thing: repeating skill casts.
- The Qingbo bonus shortens the Combo Skill cooldown, which in practice means more Vulnerability stacks fed to the rest of the team.
- Remember that the recommended armor piece comes from a different set than the rest of the listed pieces.
early gamesub dpsbeginnerf2pphysicalagility
A starter configuration for players who have not yet farmed endgame gear. Sundering Steel supplies Physical DMG and Agility, and the Roving MSGR set stacks the Agility she is built around while adding a Physical DMG bonus that stays up as long as she keeps her health high. The two Gyro slots also contribute flat attack, so she can actually threaten enemies rather than only setting up Lifts. It is not the strongest version of Chen Qianyu, but it costs little and keeps her core Lift-and-Vulnerability pattern intact while you work toward the Qingbo build.
Gear
agility
armor
roving msgr jacket
gloves
roving msgr fists
core 1
roving msgr gyro
core 2
roving msgr gyro
1agility_boost2physical_dmg_boost
Explanation
Sundering Steel leads the weapon slot here because its Physical DMG and Agility rolls are exactly what an early Chen Qianyu converts into damage, with a conditional bonus she can keep active.
Aspirant works as a fallback if you happen to own it instead, since its Twilight and attribute lines still support her burst pattern.
Roving MSGR is chosen because its Agility stat and high-HP Physical DMG bonus complement a character who scales off both, and the Gyro pieces add flat attack on top.
Switching to the Qingbo setup later is the natural upgrade path once the endgame set becomes available.
Notes
- Sundering Steel and the Roving MSGR set are easy to assemble early and both push the Agility she naturally favours.
- The set's conditional Physical DMG bump only holds while she stays healthy, so keep her out of chip damage where possible.
- Both Roving MSGR Gyro slots add attack, which helps her contribute real damage before better gear is available.
Build Insights
Chen Qianyu functions as a physical sub-DPS whose real job is enabling everyone else. She parks herself next to the team's main physical damage dealer, cycles Ascending Strike to Lift targets, and lets Soar to the Stars answer every Vulnerable window - the follow-up is essentially free damage that also stacks more Lift. Because both skills push Vulnerability onto enemies, she pairs best with carries that consume that status, such as Crush or Breach users, and with teammates who can stagger quickly so her cheap Blade Gale lands during the burst window. She is built as a damage dealer whether or not she is the controlled operator, but her cooldown-gated Combo Skill means she wants a team that produces Vulnerable frequently rather than a team that expects her to carry alone. Outside combat she is a premium base operator, boosting weapon EXP output in the Manufacturing Cabin and rare mineral growth in the Growth Chamber.
Core Mechanics
- Her Ascending Strike battle skill deals Physical damage and Lifts the target, which is the main way she seeds Vulnerability for the team.
- Whenever an enemy becomes Vulnerable, Soar to the Stars automatically fires as a follow-up dash that deals Physical damage and Lifts everything in its path; it has a 16s cooldown so it cannot be spammed.
- Blade Gale is a cheap seven-sequence burst Ultimate - holding it for a staggered target gets the most value out of it.
- Thanks to Momentum Breaker, interrupting an enemy's charge-up (the red ring) with any active skill adds bonus Stagger on top of the normal interrupt.
Scaling
- In the early game she mostly contributes through Lift and Vulnerability; her personal numbers stay modest until skill levels and potentials are raised.
- Her output scales off Agility, Strength, and Physical DMG Bonus, with Skill DMG Bonus also improving her whole kit.
- Potentials 3 and 4 raise her skill multipliers and cut the Ultimate energy cost, so vertical investment noticeably lifts her ceiling.
Character Notes
Chen Qianyu is a physical Guard who plays more like a utility sub-DPS than a frontline killer. Her Battle Skill uppercuts enemies into the air, her Combo Skill answers every Vulnerable proc with a lifting dash, and her cheap Ultimate delivers a quick burst when targets are staggered. None of that produces spectacular numbers on its own, but the Vulnerability and Lift she spreads let the rest of the team hit far harder. She is also a free acquisition with genuinely useful base skills, which makes her easy to recommend to new and veteran players alike.
Playstyle
- Open with Ascending Strike to Lift a target and push Vulnerability onto the field, then let the rest of the team exploit that window.
- Weave basic attacks between skill casts - she spends a lot of time auto-attacking, so her first talent's stacking attack buff stays relevant.
- Treat Soar to the Stars as a reaction rather than a rotation piece; it only fires off Vulnerable triggers and has a 16 second cooldown.
- Hold Blade Gale until the target is staggered, since the Ultimate is cheap and hits hardest inside that window.
- Watch for charging enemies with a red ring and interrupt them with any active skill for extra Stagger.
Strengths
- Applies Vulnerability and Lift repeatedly, which unlocks Crush and Breach for her teammates.
- Very low Ultimate cost, so her burst comes back quickly in longer fights.
- Free to obtain and highly useful as a base operator in the Manufacturing Cabin and Growth Chamber.
- Simple, forgiving rotation that works whether she is the controlled operator or not.
Weaknesses
- Her Combo Skill is locked behind a 16 second cooldown, so she cannot stack Vulnerability endlessly on her own.
- Personal damage is average; she needs teammates who actually consume the Vulnerability stacks she creates.
- The Battle Skill shares the team's SP pool, so it cannot be spammed freely during long fights.
- Her best performance is tied to physical compositions rather than general-purpose teams.
Team Guide
bestphysical_teamburst_team
Chen Qianyu is the backbone of this Mono-Physical composition because she is the primary source of Vulnerable stacks. Spending 100 SP lets her place two Vulnerable marks in one go, which is what keeps Crush and Breach online for a physical team. Lifeng serves as the second stacker, adding Vulnerable through his Battle Skill and Ultimate, while Pogranichnik powers the rotation as the SP engine and also contributes Breach plus the Fervent Morale buff. The damage slot can be filled by Endministrator, Da Pan, or Mi Fu — all of them convert the stacked Vulnerable into heavy Crush damage. The rotation shown here is built around Mi Fu.
Explanation
Chen Qianyu's job is stacking Vulnerable; two stacks per 100 SP is what keeps Crush and Breach available to the rest of the team.
Lifeng doubles up on Vulnerable application with his Battle Skill and Ultimate, so Chen is not the only stack source.
Pogranichnik is the SP generator that keeps skills cycling, and he also applies Breach while granting Fervent Morale to the party.
Endministrator, Da Pan, and Mi Fu are interchangeable in the DPS slot because each of them can trigger Crush off the stacks Chen builds.
The provided rotation sequences Mi Fu's Move 2 and Move 3 Battle Skill steps around two full cycles of Chen's Combo and Battle Skills.
Strengths
- Everything lines up around one damage type, so Physical Susceptibility and Vulnerable both amplify the same hits.
- Two skills per rotation cycle on Chen Qianyu means Vulnerable rarely falls off before the finisher.
- Breach plus Crush together give the team unusually strong burst windows on a single target.
Weaknesses
- Crush only pays off once Vulnerable reaches four stacks, so the exact skill order has to be respected.
- The lineup leans on several high-rarity operators, making it expensive to assemble early on.
Rotation
- 1Open with Pogranichnik's Ultimate so Fervent Morale is online and the team starts recovering SP for the rest of the sequence.
- 2Use Lifeng's Ultimate to place a Vulnerable stack; hold Mi Fu's Combo Skill for now even if the follow-up Knock Down lands.
- 3Trigger Chen Qianyu's Combo Skill to add another Vulnerable stack on the target.
- 4Cast Chen Qianyu's Battle Skill to push the Vulnerable count up toward four.
- 5Use Pogranichnik's Battle Skill to inflict Breach while the stacks are still present.
- 6Cast Lifeng's Battle Skill for one more Vulnerable stack and to apply Physical Susceptibility.
- 7Trigger Mi Fu's Combo Skill to layer an additional Physical Susceptibility onto the enemy.
- 8Fire Pogranichnik's Combo Skill to refill SP for the remaining skills in the rotation.
- 9Perform Mi Fu's Final Strike to deal a strong hit during the debuff window.
- 10Trigger Lifeng's Combo Skill to grant the team Link.
- 11Follow up with Mi Fu's Ultimate, consuming Link, switching her Battle Skill to Move 2, and adding a Vulnerable stack.
- 12Reapply the Combo Skill of Chen Qianyu for another Vulnerable stack.
- 13Cast Chen Qianyu's Battle Skill again so Vulnerable returns to four stacks.
- 14Use Mi Fu's Battle Skill on Move 2 to trigger Crush and upgrade the next cast to Move 3.
- 15Cast Mi Fu's Battle Skill once more to land the upgraded Move 3 attack and close the rotation.
Buff and stack first, apply Breach, then loop Chen's skills twice so Mi Fu can cash out Crush through Move 2 and Move 3.
early gamephysical_teambeginner
A budget-friendly setup for players who do not yet own the strongest six-star operators. Chen Qianyu pairs with Endministrator because her Lift effects feed the Vulnerability stacks that Endministrator later spends on damage. Estella rounds out the damage side by granting a Physical DMG buff through her Combo Skill. Alesh fills the SP generator slot so skills come back faster, making the whole rotation smoother. The plan is simply to chain Combo Skills one after another and cash out the accumulated Vulnerability before it expires.
Explanation
Chen Qianyu provides Lift-based Vulnerability so Endministrator has something to consume, which is the core of this low-cost pairing.
Combo Skills are used back to back here — chaining them keeps Vulnerable stacked long enough to matter.
Estella adds a Physical DMG buff with her Combo Skill and can create extra Cryo Infliction with her Battle Skill.
Alesh is the SP engine: he turns Cryo Infliction into Solidification and restores SP so the team's rotations stay fast.
This is meant as a stepping stone for the early game until stronger six-star options become available.
Strengths
- Very accessible, since it works with the characters most players obtain first.
- The SP loop from Alesh lets Combo Skills come online quickly and repeatedly.
- Vulnerability stacking from Chen Qianyu still delivers solid burst even without premium damage dealers.
Weaknesses
- Damage ceiling is lower than a fully built Mono-Physical team with high-rarity operators.
- The rotation leans on Estella applying Cryo Infliction; short windows can break the chain if the setup is missed.
Rotation
- 1Begin with Estella's Battle Skill or Alesh's Ultimate to apply Cryo Infliction to the enemy.
- 2Follow with Alesh's Battle Skill to consume the Cryo stacks and forcibly apply Solidification.
- 3With Solidification active, use Estella's Combo Skill for a Vulnerable stack and Physical Susceptibility; cast her Ultimate here if it is ready.
- 4Chain Endministrator's Combo Skill to place Originium Crystals, and use her Ultimate to consume them for burst if it is charged.
- 5Trigger Chen Qianyu's Combo Skill to lay down another Vulnerable stack.
- 6Use Alesh's Combo Skill to recover SP for the team.
- 7Cast Chen Qianyu's Battle Skill to build one more Vulnerable stack.
- 8Spend the available SP on Endministrator's Battle Skill so Crush consumes every Vulnerable stack at once.
Apply Cryo, convert it to Solidification, chain Combo Skills for Vulnerability, then let Endministrator spend the stacks.
Team Insights
Chen Qianyu is a support-style physical operator whose value comes from piling up Vulnerable stacks so a physical damage dealer can convert them into Crush and Breach damage. Building a team around her usually means picking one main DPS that can trigger Crush, adding a second operator who also applies Vulnerable, and filling the last slot with an SP generator to keep the skill cycle short. In endgame compositions that partner is Lifeng for extra Vulnerable and Pogranichnik for SP and Breach, with Endministrator, Da Pan, or Mi Fu taking the damage role. Before those units are available, a much cheaper version still works by chaining Combo Skills with Endministrator, Estella, and Alesh, relying on Lift and Solidification to set up the same stack-and-spend pattern.
Synergy Patterns
- Chen Qianyu's stacks only matter if another character consumes them — pair her with a Crush-capable physical DPS such as Endministrator, Da Pan, or Mi Fu.
- A second Vulnerable source like Lifeng lets the team hit four stacks much faster and keeps uptime high between Chen's cooldowns.
- SP generators such as Pogranichnik or Alesh shorten the wait between skill casts, which is what makes Chen's repeated Combo Skill and Battle Skill cycles possible.
- In the early team, Estella's Cryo Infliction is fed into Alesh to force Solidification, unlocking the Combo Skills that build Vulnerability.
Tips
- Save Chen Qianyu's SP for the 100-cost window so she places two Vulnerable stacks rather than spreading them out.
- Track the Vulnerable counter: most damage dealers want four stacks before they spend their Crush trigger.
- Do not fire every Combo Skill the moment it lights up — hold the damage dealer's trigger until the stacks are in place.
- In the Mono-Physical rotation, Chen is meant to use both her Combo and Battle Skills twice, once before and once after the mid-rotation Ultimate.
Availability
v1.6Obtained from Headhunting banners or as a reward for completing the Break the Siege quest.Confidence: 90%
Featured Banners
Basic HeadhuntingNew HorizonsWinter Hunt
Potentials
- Shadowless: increases damage dealt to enemies under 50% HP by 20%.
- Heirloom Martial Arts: grants +15 Agility and +8% Physical DMG Dealt.
- Dual-Wielding Swordmancer: raises the damage multipliers of Ascending Strike, Soar to the Stars, and Blade Gale to 1.1x their original values.
- Improvised Chi Xiao: reduces Blade Gale's Ultimate energy cost by 15%.
- Bonded with the World: shortens Soar to the Stars' cooldown by 3 seconds.
Best Gifts
Eureka TeaboxFrontiers WatchTidestone SpecimenCosmic Gate PuzzleFin-n-ChipsChubby Lung Fangxing MemorabiliaFowlbeast Paper KiteDer Schwingende Gentleman Classical AlbumMiracle Cake
The Eureka Teabox is her clear favourite and gives the largest trust gain; the remaining items are acceptable substitutes if the teabox is unavailable.
Chen Qianyu is a specialist operator attached to Endfield Industries, and her fighting ability comes from training that started when she was very young. People around her describe her as upbeat and remarkably stubborn, someone who refuses to bend no matter how bad things get. She shares both a surname and the Lung race with Chen Hui-chieh from the original Arknights, which strongly hints at a family connection, though whether that link is real or simply a coincidence has not been confirmed.