Genshin Impact Layla Guide: Master Cryo Support & Shield Builds

Layla: A Comprehensive Guide to Cryo Support

Welcome to this in-depth guide on Layla, Genshin Impact’s aspiring scholar and formidable Cryo support. We’ll delve into her abilities, optimal builds, and team compositions to help you master her playstyle.

✦ Quick Infographic ✦

✦ Introduction ✦

Layla is a 4-star Cryo Sword user whose strength lies in her ability to provide consistent off-field Cryo application and a powerful shield. Her kit revolves heavily around maximizing her Max HP, making her a F2P-friendly option. While a damage-focused build is possible, this guide will focus on her optimal role as a Cryo support.

"Huh, glad I saw this. I almost didn’t even notice it."

✦ Talents Overview ✦

✦ Elemental Skill: Nights of Formal Focus ✦

Layla’s Elemental Skill deals AoE Cryo DMG and creates a Cryo Shield known as Curtain of Slumber. This skill is the crux of her off-field Cryo application.

• Cooldown: 12s

Curtain of Slumber (Shield)

• Duration: 12s (100% uptime)
• Absorption: Based on Layla’s Max HP
• Cryo DMG Absorption: 250% effectiveness
• Cryo Application: Briefly applies Cryo to Layla on cast

Night Stars (Off-Field Cryo Application)

• Generation: Every 1.5s, a Night Star is created while the shield is active. Using an Elemental Skill while protected by the shield generates 2 Night Stars (0.3s cooldown).
• Damage: Upon accumulating 4 Night Stars, they will fire at nearby enemies, dealing Cryo DMG.
• Energy Generation: Hitting enemies with Night Stars generates 1 Energy Particle (33% chance for 2) on a 3s cooldown, even when Layla is off-field.

Important Notes:

• Maximum of 4 Night Stars can be active.
• New Night Stars won’t generate until all previous ones have fired.
• Shield breaking or ending prematurely will remove any unfired Night Stars.
• Night Stars have a small AoE on hit.

✦ Elemental Burst: Dream of the Star-Stream Shaker ✦

Layla’s Elemental Burst summons a celestial field that continuously fires projectiles at enemies, dealing Cryo DMG. Each hit also generates Night Stars on a 0.5s cooldown.

• Energy Cost: 40
• Cooldown: 12s
• Duration: 12s

✦ Normal Attack: Sword of the Radiant Path ✦

This encompasses Layla’s Normal, Charged, and Plunging Attacks. While functional, they are not a priority due to her kit’s focus on HP scaling for shield strength and off-field Cryo application.

Normal Attack (NA)

• Performs up to 3 consecutive Physical DMG strikes.

Charged Attack (CA)

• Consumes 20 Stamina to unleash a two-hit Physical DMG attack.

Plunging Attack

• Standard plunging attack dealing AoE Physical DMG.

✦ Passive Talents ✦

✦ Ascension 1: Like Nascent Light ✦

Each time Layla’s shield gains a Night Star, the shielded character’s Shield Strength increases by 6%, stacking up to 4 times. This effect persists until the shield ends, further bolstering Layla’s defensive capabilities.

✦ Ascension 4: Sweet Slumber Undisturbed ✦

This passive increases the DMG dealt by Night Stars generated from Layla’s Elemental Burst by 1.5% of her Max HP. While this enhances their damage, focusing on Crit and DMG% will yield greater returns.

✦ Utility Passive ✦

Layla has a 10% chance to double the product when crafting Character Talent Materials, a valuable asset for long-term character development.

✦ Talent Priority and Playstyle ✦

Prioritize leveling Layla’s Elemental Skill to enhance both her shield’s durability and the damage of her Night Stars. Her Elemental Burst should also be leveled for its consistent Cryo DMG and 100% uptime. Her Normal Attack talent can be left at level 1.

Layla’s playstyle revolves around deploying her shield and Burst off-field, allowing your DPS characters to benefit from consistent Cryo application and a strong shield.

✦ Artifacts and Stats ✦

Artifact Sets

• 4-Piece Tenacity of the Millelith: This is Layla’s best-in-slot set. It provides a 20% HP bonus and increases the ATK of all party members by 20% and their Shield Strength by 30% for 3 seconds after Layla’s Elemental Skill hits an opponent. This set synergizes perfectly with her kit, offering both offensive and defensive benefits.

• 4-Piece Noblesse Oblige: A strong alternative if you haven’t farmed Tenacity. This set grants a 20% Burst DMG bonus and increases all party members’ ATK by 20% for 12 seconds upon casting Layla’s Elemental Burst.

• 4-Piece Instructor: A viable option for teams that benefit from Elemental Mastery. Upon triggering a reaction, this set grants a 120 EM buff to the entire party for 8 seconds. However, its lower HP stats compared to 5-star artifacts may result in a weaker shield.

• 2-Piece Flex (Tenacity/Emblem/Noblesse): Use a combination of 2-piece sets to optimize specific stats if needed.

• Damage Sets (Blizzard Strayer/Emblem of Severed Fate): While viable for a damage-focused build, Layla’s strengths lie in her support capabilities.

Main/Sub Stats

• Ascension Stat: HP (24%)

• Sands: HP% / ER% (depending on ER needs)

• Goblet: HP% / Cryo DMG Bonus

• Circlet: HP% / Crit Rate (if using Favonius Sword)

Prioritize Energy Recharge until you achieve comfortable Burst uptime, followed by HP%, Crit Rate (if using Favonius Sword), and Crit DMG.

✦ Weapons ✦

• Favonius Sword: The ideal F2P-friendly option. Its high Energy Recharge sub-stat helps fuel Layla’s Burst, while its passive generates additional energy particles. Aim for a decent amount of Crit Rate to activate its effect consistently.

• Freedom-Sworn: While Layla doesn’t benefit directly from its stats, the party-wide ATK buff provided by this sword is incredibly potent. Consider this option if your team composition doesn’t require Layla to build ER and her shield remains consistent.

• Key of Khaj-Nisut: The best 5-star option for maximizing Layla’s shield strength due to its HP% sub-stat. However, its EM-sharing effect is less valuable on her.

• Primordial Jade Cutter: Another 5-star option that provides HP and a significant Crit Rate boost. While the Crit Rate is more beneficial for other characters, this sword can be used for a more offensive Layla build.

• Sacrificial Sword: A decent option for ensuring shield uptime, as its passive can reset the cooldown of Layla’s Elemental Skill. However, the effect only triggers on shield cast or when Layla is on-field.

Other Notable Weapons: Xiphos’ Moonlight, Festering Desire, Skyrider Sword, Skyward Blade, and Harbinger of Dawn (F2P option for damage builds).

✦ Teams ✦

Layla’s team compositions often overlap with Diona’s due to their similar roles. However, Layla lacks healing but offers different buffing and energy generation mechanics.

Freeze Teams

Layla excels in Freeze teams, providing consistent Cryo application for perma-freezing enemies. While she lacks Diona’s healing, Freeze teams often don’t require it with proper execution.

Mono Cryo Teams

Layla synergizes well with Shenhe in Mono Cryo teams, providing a shield and further amplifying Cryo DMG.

Fridge Teams

Layla’s Cryo application can be used in "Fridge" teams, where Cryo and Dendro auras coexist on enemies to generate Blooms for Burgeon or Hyperbloom reactions.

Physical Damage Teams

Layla’s shield and Superconduct application make her a valuable asset for Physical DPS characters like Eula and Razor.

Any Team

Layla’s versatility allows her to slot into various team compositions, especially for newer players who need a reliable shielder and off-field Cryo applicator.

✦ Constellations ✦

Layla is a capable support at C0. Consider pulling for constellations if you are particularly fond of her or if she’s featured on a banner with a desired 5-star character.

• C1: Increases shield absorption by 20% and grants nearby party members without a shield a weaker version of Curtain of Slumber upon casting Layla’s Elemental Skill.

• C2: Restores 1 Energy to Layla each time a Shooting Star from Nights of Formal Focus hits an enemy.

• C3: Increases the Level of Nights of Formal Focus by 3.

• C4: Grants nearby party members the Dawn Star effect when Nights of Formal Focus begins firing Shooting Stars, increasing their Normal and Charged Attack DMG based on Layla’s Max HP.

• C5: Increases the Level of Dream of the Star-Stream Shaker by 3.

• C6: Increases the DMG of Shooting Stars and Starlight Slugs by 40% and decreases the interval between Night Star creation by 20%.