Billy has become one of the most talked-about agents again thanks to his Version 3 changes. In the current 2.8.3 Starlight environment, he looks far more threatening than many players expected, with stronger rotation flow, better out-of-stun damage, and much cleaner synergy with off-field stunners.
This analysis is based on a benchmark run using Billy M0W1, Jufufu M0W1, and Lucia M0W1 against a 197M HP Thrall, reaching a 50k score. The test environment also included a favorable Starlight buff that increased Agent Sheer DMG by 30%, granted 50% bonus CRIT DMG after EX Special Attack for Rupture agents, and let EX Special Attack plus Ultimate ignore 25% Physical RES for 15 seconds. With that context in mind, Billy V3 already looks like a serious high-end damage dealer rather than a niche pick.
What Changed in Billy V3?
The Bike Is Back, but Mostly as a Visual Feature
One of the first things players noticed in Billy V3 is the return of the bike. However, this change is more cosmetic than transformative. It functions more like a visual extension of his kit rather than a brand-new gameplay system.
That may feel underwhelming if you expected the bike to redefine Billy’s core loop, but it still helps restore part of his signature visual identity and ties into some of his updated animation flow.
Billy’s New Drift Mechanics Are More Important
The more meaningful addition in Billy V3 is his revised drift system after Special Attack. He now has two distinct drift options, and understanding the difference between them matters for both speed and consistency.
Short Right Drift
This route is triggered by using Special and then holding Left. Despite the input, Billy drifts to the right. It is the faster option, covers less distance, and acts as a quicker shortcut into Bike Uppercut.
The trade-off is that it gives you a smaller dodge window, so it is better when you already know the enemy timing.
Long Left Drift
This route is triggered by using Special and then holding Right. Billy drifts left in a much wider arc, covering significantly more distance.
It is slightly slower than the short drift, but it gives you more room to fish for dodges and also generates a bit more Resolve. That makes it especially useful in longer rotations where resource gain matters.
Quick Drift Tip
The inputs are counterintuitive. Holding Right produces the Left Drift, and holding Left produces the Right Drift. This is worth drilling early so your muscle memory does not fight you in actual runs.
Billy V3 Rotation Guide
Best Stun Rotation for Non-Dialyn Teams
Billy’s stun rotation still carries over some familiar logic from earlier versions, but V3 changes how efficiently he can convert resources into burst.
For non-Dialyn teams, the main goal is fitting two EBAs into a single stun window. To do that consistently, two Chain Attacks are strongly recommended because they generate a healthy amount of Resolve.
The important detail is what happens between Chain Attack 1 and Chain Attack 2. You should not simply hold Special and go straight into EX. Instead, the better route is:
- Use a normal Special first
- Hold Special during the animation
- Cancel immediately into Slam EX
- Let Slam EX play out fully
- Then cancel into the second Chain Attack
This sequence matters because it generates enough Resolve for the second EBA. If you cut the route short, you lose both damage and resource efficiency.
Important Positioning Warning
Billy’s EBA laser finisher can miss if the boss is pushed against a wall on Billy’s left side. That is a real damage loss, so positioning matters before committing to the full sequence.
Billy’s Out-of-Stun Damage Is a Big Part of Why V3 Feels Strong
One of the biggest upgrades in Billy V3 is how much he can do outside of stun. Resolve and Adrenaline now build very quickly, which means you do not always need to hoard everything for the next burst window.
Against enemies with larger daze bars, you can often spend one Sway Step EX and one EBA outside of stun without hurting your next rotation. In practice, this raises Billy’s total damage across the full fight rather than lowering it.
That is a major reason Billy now feels better with off-field stunners. He wants to stay on the field, keep building resources, and contribute meaningful damage even before the stun window arrives.
M0, M1, and M2+ Differences
The standard double-EBA stun route works cleanly at both M0 and M1. However, M2 and above open up a more aggressive route thanks to Billy’s faster Bike Uppercut during stun.
That gives higher-investment players more freedom inside the burst window, although the main core of Billy’s performance is already visible at base investment.
One caveat remains consistent across all versions: Billy’s Ultimate animation is long. That becomes especially awkward in Dialyn-based teams because it eats into the stun window and often forces you to give up a second Chain Attack, which usually means losing a second EBA in exchange for a second Ultimate.
Best Billy V3 Team Fit
Why Jufufu and Trigger Feel Better Than Dialyn
Billy V3 clearly prefers off-field stunners over teammates that interrupt his field time. Jufufu and Trigger are the best examples because they support Billy’s on-field playstyle instead of competing with it.
Billy wants to stay active, generate Resolve and Adrenaline continuously, and deal meaningful out-of-stun damage. That naturally makes him less comfortable with Dialyn, whose rotation asks for more interruption and creates awkward trade-offs inside the stun window.
Best M0W1 Benchmark Team
The benchmark team used for this analysis was:
Billy M0W1 / Jufufu M0W1 / Lucia M0W1
This setup already showed that Billy can perform at a very high level even at base investment, as long as the surrounding team structure supports his field-heavy playstyle.
Billy V3 Strength Review
How Strong Is Billy V3 Right Now?
Billy V3 looks much stronger than the Yidhari and Banyue range. Based on the current benchmark environment, he appears closer to Yixuan than to that lower top-tier group.
That does not automatically mean he has fully reached the same level as the strongest characters in the game, but it does mean he should no longer be evaluated as a fringe or merely decent option.
Early Tier Placement
Using the Prydwen-style framework as a loose reference, Billy V3 currently looks like a bottom-of-Tier-0 performer in this test environment. He still appears below Yixuan and YSG, but clearly above the Yidhari/Banyue range.
A final long-term ranking still needs more neutral testing without the current Starlight buff advantages, but the early conclusion is very favorable.
Billy V3 Summary
Core Improvement: Better drift routes, faster resource generation, stronger out-of-stun value
Best Drift for Speed: Short Right Drift
Best Drift for Safety and Resolve: Long Left Drift
Best Team Style: Off-field stunner plus support
Best Partners Mentioned Here: Jufufu, Trigger, Lucia
Dialyn Synergy: Playable, but awkward in practice
M0 Value: Strong already
M2 Value: Meaningful routing upgrade
Early Strength Tier: Near bottom of Tier 0 in the current buffed environment
FAQ
Is Billy V3 worth building at M0?
Yes. The benchmark run shows that Billy can already perform at a very high level at M0W1 when paired with the right teammates.
What is the difference between Billy’s two drifts?
Short Right Drift is faster and more direct, while Long Left Drift is slightly slower but offers more movement, a larger dodge window, and more Resolve gain.
Does Billy need Dialyn?
No. Billy works well without Dialyn and may actually feel smoother with off-field stunners like Jufufu and Trigger.
Why is Billy stronger out of stun now?
Resolve and Adrenaline generation are much faster in V3, which lets Billy spend meaningful resources outside of stun without sabotaging his next burst window.
Is M2 a major upgrade?
M2 is meaningful because it unlocks a more aggressive stun route thanks to faster Bike Uppercut during stun, but Billy already looks strong at M0 and M1.
Where does Billy V3 rank right now?
In the current 2.8.3 Starlight test environment, Billy looks like a near-Tier-0 agent, below Yixuan and YSG but above Yidhari and Banyue.
