She’s not your typical sleepy student. Layla, who studies at one of the six main schools of Sumeru, has insomnia and can’t get to sleep as easily as her peers. According to Genshin Impact leaker Ubatcha, it’s because she’s so dedicated to her schoolwork that her mind is constantly a mess thinking about her studies. It isn’t the same scenario as with Inazuma’s resident tanuki ninja Sayu, who frequently naps around Inazuma between missions. Layla also overlaps with talented astrologist and Hydro mage Mona Megistus with her celestial theme. She’s not a fortuneteller like the latter, though.
There’s not much information about Layla’s role in the story or how the Traveler is going to meet her. Thankfully, there’s plenty of information about her kit and how it works to compensate. Here’s everything we know so far about Layla, a starstruck Sumeru Akedimiya student.
When is the Genshin Impact Layla release date?
Layla is expected to debut next month at the conclusion of the current update on November 2, 2022. That’s the estimated date for Genshin Impact 3.2, which will also introduce Lesser Lord Kusanali as a playable character. HoYoverse dropped both her and Layla’s official previews shortly before the start of Genshin Impact 3.1.
Is Layla a 4-star or 5-star in Genshin Impact?
Layla is rumored to be a 4-star character, not a 5-star. Her leaked animations seem to support this, considering they don’t have a burst animation like 5-stars typically do.
What are Layla’s Elemental Skill and Burst?
Layla is a Cryo sword character, but her kit greatly differs from her Cryo melee peers. Her playstyle revolves around her Curtain of Slumber shield, a byproduct of her Elemental Skill “Nights of Formal Focus.” Nights of Formal Focus immediately deals AoE Cryo DMG when it erects the Curtain of Slumber shield. Its DMG Absorption scales based on Layla’s Max HP and absorbs Cryo DMG with 250 percent effectiveness. Then, there’s the complicated part. Her Elemental Skill also produces Cryo DMG-dealing shooting stars based on how many times her teammates use Elemental Skills.
Here’s how Layla’s abilities are listed on Genshin Impact database, Project Amber.
Nights of Formal Focus (Elemental Skill)
Puts forth a shield known as the Curtain of Slumber, dealing AoE Cryo DMG. The Curtain of Slumber's DMG Absorption is based on Layla's Max HP and absorbs Cryo DMG with 250 percent effectiveness. When the shield is deployed, Layla will have Cryo applied to her briefly.
Night Stars and Shooting Stars
While the Curtain of Slumber is active, it will create one Night Star that will be attached to it every 1.5 seconds. When a character protected by this shield uses an Elemental Skill, two Night Stars will be created. Night Stars can be created once every 0.3 seconds in this way. A maximum of four Night Stars can be accumulated at any one time.
Once the Curtain of Slumber has accumulated 4 Night Stars and there are opponents nearby, these Night Stars will transform into homing Shooting Stars that will be fired off in sequence, dealing Cryo DMG to any opponents hit.
If the Curtain of Slumber’s duration ends or it is destroyed, the Night Stars will disappear. If they are already being fired off as Shooting Stars, these Shooting Stars will last until this wave of shots ends. New Night Stars cannot be created until the previous wave of Shooting Stars has been fired completely.
Dream of the Star-Stream Shaker (Elemental Burst)
Unleashes a Celestial Dreamsphere that constantly fires Starlight Slugs at opponents within its AoE, dealing Cryo DMG. When a Starlight Slug hits, it will generate 1 Night Star for nearby Curtains of Slumber. Each Curtain of Slumber can gain 1 Night Star this way every 0.5s.
What are Layla’s passive abilities?
Project Amber lists the following as Layla’s passive abilities:
- Sweet Slumber Undisturbed - The DMG dealt by the Shooting Stars fired by Nights of Formal Focus is increased by 1.5 percent of Layla’s Max HP.
- Like Nascent Light - While the Curtain of Slumber is active, the Deep Sleep effect will activate each time the Curtain gains 1 Night Star. The Shield Strength of a character under the effect of the Curtain of Slumber increases by 6 percent. This effect can have a maximum of 4 stacks and persists until the Curtain of Slumber disappears.
- Shadowy Dream-Signs - When Layla crafts Character Talent Materials, she has a 10 percent chance to receive double the product.
What are Layla’s constellations?
Honey Hunter Impact lists Layla’s constellations as such:
- Level 1: Fortress of Fantasy - The Shield Absorption of the Curtain of Slumber generated by Nights of Formal Focus is increased by 20 percent. Additionally, when unleashing Nights of Formal Focus, she will generate a shield for any nearby party members who are not being protected by a Curtain of Slumber. This shield will have 35 percent of the absorption of a Curtain of Slumber, will last for 12s, and will absorb Cryo DMG with 250 percent effectiveness.
- Level 2: Light’s Remit - When Shooting Stars from Nights of Formal Focus strike opponents, they will each restore 1 Energy to Layla. Each Shooting Star can restore Energy to her in this manner once.
- Level 3: Secrets of the Night - Increases the Level of Nights of Formal Focus by 3. Maximum upgrade level is 15.
- Level 4: Starry Illumination - When Nights of Formal Focus starts to fire off Shooting Stars, it will grant all nearby party members the Dawn Star effect, causing their Normal and Charged Attack DMG to increase based on 5 percent of Layla’s Max HP. Dawn Star can last up to 3s and will be removed 0.05s after dealing Normal or Charged Attack DMG.
- Level 5: Stream of Consciousness - Increases the Level of Dream of the Star-Stream Shaker by 3. Maximum upgrade level is 15.
- Level 6: Radiant Soulfire - Shooting Stars from Nights of Formal Focus deal 40 percent increased DMG, and Starlight Slugs from Dream of the Star-Stream Shaker deal 40 percent increased DMG. Additionally, the interval between the creation of Night Stars via Nights of Formal Focus is decreased by 20 percent.
