Velyn is one of those heroes that has been around forever, and because of that, people either completely overlook him or they keep using him out of habit without really thinking about why he still works. He’s not flashy anymore. He’s not the newest magic monster. And yeah, newer mages have definitely started creeping into his territory. But somehow, he still refuses to fully disappear from the meta.
The reason is simple. He doesn’t win fights by himself. He makes other heroes better.
That’s basically the whole identity of Velyn.
Velyn
The first thing you notice when using him is that his Rage skill hits multiple targets. It’s not insane burst damage or anything, but the fact that it spreads across three enemies gives him consistent battlefield value. In open-field fights especially, this matters more than raw single-target damage because you’re always hitting clustered marches.
Then there’s the permanent march speed bonus. This is honestly one of the most underrated parts of his kit. Most magic heroes rely on faction bonuses or specific talent paths just to keep up with faster troop types, but Velyn just… has it. It’s always there. That means you don’t need to waste talent points on movement speed, which opens up way more flexibility in builds.
And then there’s the big one — his permanent critical rate bonus.
That 10% crit rate on hero skill damage sounds small on paper, but it’s actually huge when paired with the right magic commanders. It essentially boosts every skill-damage mage you put him with. This is why he’s rarely used as a main hero anymore — he shines most when acting as a support amplifier.
He also has the Horror Frost debuff, which triggers additional damage and slows enemies. It’s not just a control effect. It synergizes heavily with certain war pets and makes him far more valuable in sustained fights.
Still, there is one clear weakness. He has zero attack stats in his skill kit. That’s the biggest reason he’s slowly falling off.
Best Hero Pairings for Velyn
This is where Velyn really shines because he’s basically a plug-and-play support for almost any magic damage dealer.
The strongest pairing by far is Liliya as primary with Velyn as deputy. This combo has been a staple for a long time because Liliya already deals huge skill damage, and Velyn just pushes that damage even further through crit bonuses and control effects. It’s simple, reliable, and still one of the safest mage pairings in the game.
Yun Ming is another extremely strong partner. Honestly, Yun Ming makes almost anyone look good, but Velyn benefits massively from being paired with him because of the consistent skill damage triggers that can repeatedly crit.
Waldyr also works surprisingly well with Velyn, especially for players who aren’t heavy spenders. This pairing shows up a lot in early-season gameplay because it provides solid AoE control and reliable damage without requiring premium heroes.
Then there are situational pairings like Theia or Bahorn, which can work depending on your lineup strategy. They aren’t as commonly used, but they still benefit from Velyn’s crit-boosting support.
In general, the rule is simple — pair Velyn with any hero that deals frequent skill damage.
Talent Tree Priority
Most players don’t run Velyn as primary anymore, but if you do, the Control tree is usually the best path.
This build focuses on increasing rage generation, debuffs, and skill frequency rather than raw stats. Since Velyn already provides permanent march speed, you can skip mobility talents entirely and invest fully into damage utility.
One of the most important points to grab is Blindside. Even just one point here can significantly increase Backstabber activation rates when entering combat. It sounds minor, but it consistently boosts your opening damage cycle.
Some players experiment with hybrid builds that mix Control and Magic trees, but these tend to be niche and mostly used when running Velyn as a main hero, which isn’t very common anymore.
In most cases, you’ll simply use him as a deputy and avoid worrying about talents altogether.
Best Artifacts for Velyn
Choosing an artifact for Velyn usually depends more on his primary partner than on his own kit.
Phoenix Eye is generally the safest and most consistent choice because it boosts overall damage output and complements his support role. If you don’t want to think too much about optimization, this is the easiest option.
If you’re pairing him with Liliya, the artifact should usually go to her instead, since she’s the main damage dealer. Velyn simply benefits indirectly from her increased skill output.
There are survivability artifacts that can work if you’re struggling in heavy infantry fights, but most of the time, damage-boosting artifacts provide the best overall value.
The key thing to remember is that Velyn doesn’t bring attack stats himself, so artifacts that increase damage output tend to compensate for that weakness.
Best War Pets for Velyn
War pets are where Velyn gets some of his strongest synergy.
Sapphire Faedric is easily his best companion because its damage scales with debuffs like Horror Frost, which Velyn applies frequently. This creates a consistent cycle of extra damage triggers during battle.
Sand Lizard is another popular option, especially in the current meta where infantry counterattacks can be extremely punishing. This pet helps reduce incoming damage and improves survivability during prolonged fights.
There are other pets that can work depending on specific pairings, but most players stick with these two because they offer the best balance of offense and durability.
