Chen Qianyu
SSearly game sub dps
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.
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.
Insights
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.
Team Role
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.
Weapon
Weapon Stat Priority
physical_dmg_boostagility_boostcombative
Gear
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.