Xiao build guide · GenGuru: Your guru for Genshin Impact

Overview

On-field Anemo damage
Plunging Attack carry

Xiao is a plunge-focused damage dealer. His Elemental Burst puts on the Yaksha Mask, which turns his attacks into Anemo damage that no other infusion can override, raises his jump height and boosts his damage. While the mask is on you jump and plunge over and over, and his passive keeps adding damage the longer the Burst lasts. The cost is steady HP drain, and the Burst ends as soon as he leaves the field.

Give him ATK, Anemo DMG Bonus and crits, with enough Energy Recharge that the Burst is ready every rotation. He wants teammates who buff Anemo or plunges, heal him, and keep him from being knocked out of his combo.

Weapons

Best first. Every polearm on this list links to its page.

Primordial Jade Winged-Spear ★★★★★
His signature polearm. High CRIT Rate, and the stacking ATK and DMG bonus fill up quickly from his fast hits.
Staff of Homa ★★★★★
Big CRIT DMG plus ATK from Max HP. The extra bonus below half HP lines up with how his Burst drains his health.
Calamity Queller ★★★★★
A flat Elemental DMG Bonus and stacking ATK after the Skill. Strong, though its main stat helps him less than the two above.
Vortex Vanquisher ★★★★★
A large ATK main stat and stacking ATK on hit, doubled while shielded. Best with a shielder in the team.
Blackcliff Pole ★★★★
Sold in Paimon's Bargains for Starglitter. CRIT DMG on the main stat makes it a solid 4-star; the ATK stacks only come after kills.
Deathmatch ★★★★
A battle pass polearm with a lot of CRIT Rate and an ATK bonus that works in both single-target and group fights.

Artifact sets

Long Night's Oath 4-piece
Made for plunging. The 2-piece raises Plunging Attack DMG and the 4-piece stacks more of it as his plunges and Skill land.
Vermillion Hereafter 4-piece
The Burst grants ATK and his own HP drain stacks it higher. A good choice if you already have a farmed set.
Long Night's Oath + Desert Pavilion Chronicle 2-piece each
A flexible mix of Plunging Attack DMG and Anemo DMG Bonus while you farm for a full set.

Main stats and substats

Sands: ATK% or Energy Recharge
Goblet: Anemo DMG Bonus
Circlet: CRIT Rate or CRIT DMG
Substats: CRIT Rate > CRIT DMG > ATK% > Energy Recharge > ATK

Talent priority

Elemental Burst Bane of All Evil
Normal Attack Whirlwind Thrust
Elemental Skill Lemniscatic Wind Cycling

Teams

Xianyun plunge team
- Xiao
- Xianyun
- Furina
- Faruzan
Xianyun raises plunge damage and heals, which offsets both Xiao's HP drain and Furina's. Faruzan shreds Anemo RES and adds an Anemo DMG Bonus, and Furina buffs everyone from off the field.
Xianyun and Bennett
- Xiao
- Xianyun
- Faruzan
- Bennett
Swap Furina for Bennett if you do not have her. Bennett's ATK buff and healing keep the damage high and Xiao alive.
Budget Xiao
- Xiao
- Faruzan
- Bennett
- Layla
All 4-stars. Layla's shield stops interruptions, Bennett heals and buffs ATK, and Faruzan boosts every Anemo hit.

Tips

Use his Elemental Skill before the Burst to gather Energy, then spend the whole Burst jumping and plunging. Plunges are where most of his damage comes from.
His Burst ends the moment he leaves the field, so set up your supports first and only switch back to Xiao when you are ready to stay on him.
Plunges do not hurt him, but the Burst drains HP the whole time. A healer or shielder makes a large difference to how comfortable he feels.
His Skill passive stacks Skill damage for a short time, so dashing with the Skill a few times in a row is a good way to open a fight.

Base stats at level 90

Base HP: 12736
Base ATK: 349
Base DEF: 799
CRIT Rate: 24.2%

Talents

Normal Attack Whirlwind Thrust

Normal Attack Performs up to 6 consecutive spear strikes. Charged Attack Consumes a certain amount of Stamina to perform an upward thrust. Plunging Attack Plunges from mid-air to strike the ground below, damaging opponents along the path and dealing AoE DMG upon impact. Xiao does not take DMG from performing Plunging Attacks.

Elemental Skill Lemniscatic Wind Cycling

Xiao lunges forward, dealing Anemo DMG to opponents in his path. Can be used in mid-air. Starts with 2 charges.

Elemental Burst Bane of All Evil

Xiao dons the Yaksha Mask that set gods and demons trembling millennia ago. Yaksha's Mask ·Greatly increases Xiao's jumping ability. ·Increases his attack AoE and attack DMG. ·Converts attack DMG into Anemo DMG, which cannot be overridden by any other elemental infusion. In this state, Xiao will continuously lose HP. The effects of this skill end when Xiao leaves the field.

Passive talent Conqueror of Evil: Tamer of Demons

While under the effects of Bane of All Evil, all DMG dealt by Xiao increases by 5%. DMG increases by a further 5% for every 3s the ability persists. The maximum DMG Bonus is 25%.

Passive talent Dissolution Eon: Heaven Fall

Using Lemniscatic Wind Cycling increases the DMG of subsequent uses of Lemniscatic Wind Cycling by 15%. This effect lasts for 7s, and has a maximum of 3 stacks. Gaining a new stack refreshes the effect's duration.

Passive talent Transcension: Gravity Defier

Decreases climbing Stamina consumption for your own party members by 20%. Not stackable with Passive Talents that provide the exact same effects.

Constellations

C1 Dissolution Eon: Destroyer of Worlds

Increases Lemniscatic Wind Cycling's charges by 1.

C2 Annihilation Eon: Blossom of Kaleidos

When in the party and not on the field, Xiao's Energy Recharge is increased by 25%.

C3 Conqueror of Evil: Wrath Deity

Increases the Level of Lemniscatic Wind Cycling by 3. Maximum upgrade level is 15.

C4 Transcension: Extinction of Suffering

When Xiao's HP falls below 50%, he gains a 100% DEF Bonus.

C5 Evolution Eon: Origin of Ignorance

Increases the Level of Bane of All Evil by 3. Maximum upgrade level is 15.

C6 Conqueror of Evil: Guardian Yaksha

While under the effects of Bane of All Evil, hitting at least 2 opponents with Xiao's Plunging Attack will immediately grant him 1 charge of Lemniscatic Wind Cycling, and for the next 1s, he may use Lemniscatic Wind Cycling while ignoring its CD.