Iansan: The New Bennett Replacement in Genshin Impact?

Bennett has long been regarded as one of the most versatile and valuable characters in *Genshin Impact*. Despite being available since the game’s launch, he continues to hold a strong position in various team compositions. However, with the introduction of Iansan in *Genshin Impact* Version 5.5—releasing on March 26—many players are asking: Is Iansan the new Bennett replacement?

Some fans speculate that HoYoverse may have unintentionally designed support characters like Bennett (and others such as Xingqiu and Xiangling) to be too universally powerful. This led to the development of newer characters with more niche roles to diversify player choices. Iansan, a 4-Star Electro Polearm character from Natlan, is now drawing comparisons to Bennett due to similarities in their support-oriented kits. But how accurate is this claim? Let’s break it down.

Iansan vs. Bennett: A Closer Look at Their Abilities

Iansan serves primarily as a support character, offering ATK buffs and healing through her Elemental Burst, The Three Principles of Power. Like Bennett, she enhances the active character's performance, but instead of generating a stationary field, she summons a Kinetic Energy Scale that follows your current character around, increasing their ATK based on her Nightsoul Points.

If Iansan has fewer than 42 out of 54 maximum Nightsoul Points, the ATK boost scales off both her current Nightsoul Points and her own ATK. However, when she reaches at least 42 Nightsoul Points, the scaling shifts entirely to her ATK, emphasizing the importance of building her with an ATK-focused substat spread.

A key gameplay mechanic involves movement: the Kinetic Energy Scale tracks the distance traveled by the active character (both vertical and horizontal), restoring Nightsoul over time. This encourages dynamic playstyles where constant motion benefits the team.

In contrast, Bennett’s field not only boosts ATK but also heals the active character for up to 70% of his max HP, which gives him a significant edge in overall sustain. Additionally, Bennett can heal himself, while Iansan lacks this ability. Therefore, Bennett remains superior in terms of healing support.

Bennett also offers Pyro infusion at C6, enhancing Normal Attacks—a feature Iansan does not replicate. Whether this is a drawback depends on your team composition and elemental synergy needs.

Exploration and Gameplay Differences

Iansan brings some exploration advantages to the table. By consuming Nightsoul Points, she enables quick sprints and extended jumps without using stamina, making traversal more efficient. However, for Pyro-based teams, Bennett still shines thanks to Elemental Resonance, which grants a +25% ATK boost and Pyro-infused attacks.

Is Iansan a Replacement for Bennett?

While Iansan shares visual and mechanical similarities with Bennett, labeling her as a direct replacement would be misleading. Instead, she functions more as a flexible alternative, especially useful in Spiral Abyss second teams or situations where mobility and sustained ATK buffing are preferred over stationary healing fields.

One major advantage Iansan offers is freedom of movement. Unlike Bennett, who requires players to stay within his Elemental Burst field to gain the full benefit, Iansan’s Kinetic Energy Scale moves with the active character, promoting a more fluid and less restrictive playstyle.

If you're curious about trying out Iansan, you’ll get your chance during Phase I of *Genshin Impact* Version 5.5, launching on [ttpp].

Genshin Impact is available now across all supported platforms.