Iansan: The New Bennett Replacement in Genshin Impact?

In the world of *Genshin Impact*, Bennett has long been celebrated as one of the most versatile and essential characters, maintaining his relevance since the game's inception. His utility spans across numerous team compositions, making him a staple in many players' rosters. However, with the introduction of Iansan in Version 5.5 on March 26, the question arises: is Iansan poised to become the new Bennett?

The *Genshin Impact* community often discusses how HoYoverse might have unintentionally created overpowered support characters like Bennett, Xingqiu, and Xiangling, prompting the development of new characters with more specialized roles to diversify gameplay. Iansan, a 4-Star Electro Polearm character from Natlan, is being touted as a "Bennett replacement" due to similarities in their kits. Let's delve into the details to see if this claim holds water.

How Does Iansan’s Kit Compare to Bennett’s in Genshin Impact?

Iansan serves primarily as a support character, offering damage buffs and healing, much like Bennett. Her Elemental Burst, "The Three Principles of Power," plays a crucial role in buffing other characters. Unlike Bennett, who requires characters to remain within his field to receive benefits, Iansan's approach is unique. She summons a Kinetic Energy Scale that follows the active character, boosting ATK based on her Nightsoul Points.

If Iansan's Nightsoul Points are below 42 out of a maximum of 54, the ATK bonus scales with both her Nightsoul Points and ATK. Once she reaches or exceeds 42 points, the ATK bonus increases and scales solely off her ATK, highlighting the importance of building her with ATK in mind.

A unique aspect of Iansan's scale is that it encourages movement. The active character must move to accumulate distance, which in turn restores Nightsoul Points to Iansan. This mechanic offers a dynamic playstyle compared to Bennett's static field.

In terms of healing, Bennett has a significant edge, capable of restoring up to 70% of the active character's HP. Iansan also provides healing but falls short of Bennett's capacity. Moreover, Iansan cannot heal herself, further distinguishing her from Bennett.

Another key difference is elemental infusion. At Constellation 6, Bennett can infuse Pyro into the Normal Attacks of the active character, a feature absent in Iansan's kit, which does not provide Electro infusion. This could be a disadvantage depending on your team composition.

For exploration, Iansan offers unique advantages. She can use Nightsoul Points to sprint without consuming stamina and jump longer distances, making her a valuable asset in navigating the game's world. However, for Pyro-based teams, Bennett's ability to provide Elemental Resonance and Pyro infusion makes him the preferred choice.

Should You Choose Iansan or Bennett in Genshin Impact?

Iansan and Bennett share striking similarities, almost like siblings in their design and functionality. However, rather than outright replacing Bennett, Iansan serves as a strong alternative, particularly for secondary team compositions in challenges like the Spiral Abyss, where a support similar to Bennett is needed.

Iansan's primary advantage is the freedom of movement her Kinetic Scale provides, eliminating the need to stay within a fixed area as required by Bennett's Burst. This offers a fresh gameplay experience and could be particularly appealing to players looking to mix up their strategies.

If you're eager to explore Iansan's capabilities, you can do so starting in Phase I of *Genshin Impact* Version 5.5, available from March 26.

*Genshin Impact is available to play now.*