Cai Yan
(蔡文姬)Support
Cai Yan
蔡文姬
Support
Also known as
Cai Yan is also known as Cai Wenji (蔡文姬) in Chinese Honor of Kings references.
Quick summary
Cai Yan is a strong Roam Support who wants to play team buffs. Watch for Gao Changgong-style counters in the enemy draft.
Current patch decision guide
When to pick Cai Yan, when to avoid them, and how to adapt your build.
Cai Yan is a strong Roam Support who wants to win extended trades with regeneration. Public guide data shows a build using the standard support core path, used to protect the marksman, set vision, and engage on cooldown windows. Pick her when the draft lets Cai Yan reach targets that aren't built around Gao Changgong-style answers; avoid when the matchup denies the windows her kit needs.
Pick Cai Yan when
- The enemy lacks reliable healing reduction, leaving sustain unchecked
- The enemy team relies on hard engage that you can read and recover from
- The enemy draft includes Diaochan and Arke, who appear in counter data as matchups Cai Yan can pressure.
Avoid Cai Yan when
- The game state demands burst rather than slow attrition
- The enemy chains crowd control faster than recovery cooldowns refresh
- The enemy already drafted Gao Changgong and Mulan, who counter data identifies as direct answers to Cai Yan.
Power spikes
Build decisions
Default roam path
Public build data is incomplete for Cai Yan. Use the in-game recommended preset, then adapt items based on enemy damage type and team needs.
Matchup logic
Versus Gao Changgong
Gao Changgong and Mulan are flagged in counter data as a direct answer to Cai Yan. Read the enemy's primary win condition, time Cai Yan's key cooldowns to the moment that condition activates, and don't pre-commit when the matchup answer is still up.
Versus anti-heal
Healing reduction items cut sustain by a large margin. Track when the enemy buys the anti-heal item and adjust your trade aggression accordingly.
Synergies
Public synergy data lists Gao and Di Renjie as strong partners for Cai Yan. Plan engages around Gao's setup window, then second-engage with Tune of Tranquility.
Common mistakes
- Forcing all-ins against opponents already wearing anti-heal — your healing barely activates.
- Using the recovery skill on the first crowd control, then dying to the follow-up chain.
- Ignoring Gao Changgong and Mulan on the enemy team when picking fights — counter data flags them as direct answers, so engage timing must respect their cooldowns.
- Forgetting vision while looking for picks — losing the marksman because the support roamed without setting wards is a recurring mistake.
Background
Healing Tone
“Who's ready to crash your party? This cutie!”
The pure and kind-hearted Cai Yan always brings laughter and joy to the people around her. Although she lost her father at an early age, she grew up very much loved by Dian Wei and her foster father, Cao Cao. However, when the truth behind past events was revealed and her adoptive father showed his true colors, she was forced to flee what she thought was her home. No matter her sufferings and predicaments, she never lost sight of herself, and she continues to face this complicated world with a smile. As she flies across the battlefield, she uses her music to inspire and strengthen everyone.
- Race:
- Human
- Height:
- 180 cm
- Style:
- Sorcery
- Nation:
- Wei
- Title:
- Musical Prodigy
Source: Official Honor of Kings — canonical lore for Cai Yan.
Base Stats
Source: in-game capture (HoK Global v11.x, 2026-04-20)Survivability
Offense
Utility
Current patch rates
Source: Camp APIRoam
- Win rate
- 50.4%
- Pick rate
- 1.3%
- Ban rate
- 1.9%
Rates are role-specific snapshots from the current Honor of Kings Camp data refresh.
Build
How to choose a build
Start with the safe default badge if the draft looks normal, then swap to burst, anti-tank, sustain, or utility builds when the matchup clearly calls for it.
Standard build
Safe defaultStart here if the draft looks standard and you want the safest all-around setup.
Skills
Periodic Passive Effect: Restores Health and gains a Movement Speedbonus when taking damage.
Continuously restores Health to nearby allies in range while gaining
Fires a sound wave in the target direction, stunning and dealing damage to enemies hit. Sound waves bounce between nearby enemies.
Continuously heals the nearby ally with the lowest Health within rangewhile granting them increased Physical and Magical Defense.
Skins
8 skins
Star Muse
Sweetness Overload
Wish of Fortunes
Christmas Miracle
Floral
Usagimaru
Cheerleading Captain
Throne of Roses
Playstyle
Stay near the carry and time shields/heals to overlap the enemy's damage window, not before.