Xianyun Genshin Impact: Best Build, Weapons, Artifacts & Team Guide

TL;DR

Xianyun is a 5-star Anemo Catalyst support released in Genshin Impact Version 4.4 (January 31, 2024). She is the playable human form of Cloud Retainer, one of Liyue’s Adepti.
Her core role is enabling and buffing Plunging Attack DPS characters — she increases jump height, adds Plunge DMG, heals the team, and applies Swirl off-field.
Her Burst summons the Starwicker which heals the team, gives 8 stacks of Adeptal Assistance for jump height boosts, and adds flat Plunging Attack shockwave damage equal to 200% of her ATK per plunge.
She scales on ATK — stack ATK and Energy Recharge, not EM or CRIT.
Best artifact set: 4-piece Song of Days Past (Xiao and pure Anemo DPS teams); 4-piece Viridescent Venerer (elemental reaction DPS teams).
Best weapon: Crane’s Echoing Call (signature). Best F2P alternatives: Oathsworn Eye or Favonius Codex.
Best teams: Xiao, Varesa, Gaming, or any Plunge DPS alongside Xianyun plus one ATK buffer and one reaction enabler.
C2 is her most impactful constellation, doubling her Plunge DMG buff scaling to 400% of her ATK.

Xianyun Genshin Impact is one of the most unique support characters ever added to the game. A 5-star Anemo Catalyst user released during the Lantern Rite event in Genshin Impact Version 4.4 on January 31, 2024, Xianyun is the playable human form of Cloud Retainer — one of the Mighty and Illuminated Adepti of Liyue’s Jueyun region. She brought an entirely new team archetype to the game: the Plunging Attack team. Characters like Xiao, Gaming, and others who deal damage through Plunging Attacks received a massive power boost when Xianyun arrived. Her Starwicker mechanism lets any character on-field launch into the air and plunge freely, while also healing the team and adding flat damage to every plunge. Her build is straightforward — ATK and Energy Recharge are what she needs — but choosing the right artifact set for her team makes a real difference.

You can play Genshin Impact for free on Android, iOS, PlayStation, Epic Games, and Xbox.

Table of Contents

Who Is Xianyun in Genshin Impact?

Xianyun is the human form of Cloud Retainer, one of the Adepti who have watched over Liyue for millennia. In her adeptus crane form, Cloud Retainer had been a recurring figure in Liyue’s story — first encountered during the Archon Quest in the Jueyun Karst region, and appearing again in events and story quests alongside Ganyu and Shenhe. She is known as an expert in mechanical contraptions and invention. Her greatest creation, the Starwicker mechanism that she deploys in battle, was originally offered to her disciple — who turned it down with a flat “no thank you” — leaving Cloud Retainer no choice but to keep it herself.

As Xianyun, her heart has turned toward the affairs of the mortal world, and she takes up residence in Liyue Harbor as a “new resident.” She is lofty in both her manner and combat style — detached, precise, and utterly confident in her own abilities. Her constellation is Grus Serena (the Serene Crane), and her birthday is April 11. Her ascension stat is ATK Bonus%, reaching 28.8% at maximum ascension — which feeds directly into the healing and plunge buff scaling of her entire kit.

Xianyun

Xianyun Genshin Impact Character Overview

Rarity: 5-Star
Element: Anemo
Weapon Type: Catalyst
Region: Liyue (Adepti of Jueyun)
Release Date: January 31, 2024 (Version 4.4)
Role: Plunge Attack Enabler, Healer, Off-field Support
Scaling Stat: ATK (heals and Plunge buff both scale with ATK)
Best Content: Any content with a Plunging Attack main DPS; excellent in Spiral Abyss and exploration
Birthday: April 11
Constellation: Grus Serena

How Xianyun’s Plunge Support Mechanic Works

Xianyun’s entire design is built around one idea: enabling characters who normally cannot plunge freely to do so continuously, and making those plunges hit far harder than they would naturally.

The mechanic works through her Elemental Burst. When she uses Stars Gather at Dusk, she summons the Starwicker — a floating mechanism that follows the active character for 16 seconds. The Starwicker gives the active character 8 stacks of Adeptal Assistance. Each stack increases the jump height of the active character significantly, allowing them to reach plunge height from a standing position without any cliff or terrain advantage. Every time the active character performs a Plunging Attack, one Adeptal Assistance stack is consumed and the Starwicker fires an instance of AoE Anemo damage.

On top of the jump height and Anemo triggers, Xianyun’s Ascension Passive adds flat damage equal to 200% of her ATK to every Plunging Attack shockwave while the Starwicker is active and has stacks remaining — up to a cap of 9,000. This is a massive flat damage addition per plunge that scales directly with how much ATK Xianyun has built. The Starwicker also heals the team periodically, making Xianyun both a plunge buff engine and the team’s primary sustain source in one support slot.

This means characters who previously had difficulty fitting plunges into their rotations — like Diluc, Gaming, or Kaeya — can now plunge freely every rotation as long as Xianyun’s Starwicker has stacks. And characters already built around plunges — like Xiao — receive enormous direct damage increases from the flat Plunge DMG boost.

Xianyun Skills and Abilities Explained

Normal Attack — Fleeting Figures

Xianyun summons swirling winds to perform up to 4 Anemo strikes. Her Charged Attack fires a Breeze Bolt in a straight line dealing Anemo damage. Her Plunging Attack deals AoE Anemo damage on landing. In her support build, Normal Attacks are not used in combat rotations and should not be leveled. In the C6 on-field DPS build, they are relevant but still secondary to her Skill and Burst.

Elemental Skill — White Clouds at Dawn

Xianyun leaps forward and enters the Cloud Transmogrification state, activating three Skyladder uses. Each Skyladder allows her to leap forward in mid-air and rise higher. The more Skyladder leaps she uses before performing a Plunging Attack, the higher and more powerful her resulting Driftcloud Wave — her crane-form Plunging Attack that replaces her normal Plunge while in this state. One Skyladder produces a moderate Driftcloud Wave; three Skyladders produces the strongest version with the largest AoE and highest damage multiplier.

The Driftcloud Wave also generates Anemo Particles, helping fuel her Burst. Her first Ascension Passive causes each opponent hit by the Driftcloud Wave to grant all nearby party members a Storm Pinion stack (up to 4), increasing Plunging Attack CRIT Rate for party members by up to 10%. This passive gives every Xianyun rotation a small CRIT Rate boost for the on-field DPS’s plunges on top of the flat damage from her Burst.

At C4, hitting opponents with the Driftcloud Wave heals all party members. At C6, after plunging while the Starwicker has Adeptal Assistance stacks, one stack is consumed and the Skill cooldown is reset — allowing her to continually re-enter Cloud Transmogrification state on-field.

Elemental Burst — Stars Gather at Dusk

This is Xianyun’s most important ability and the heart of her entire kit. She deals AoE Anemo damage to nearby enemies, heals all party members based on her ATK, and summons the Starwicker mechanism for 16 seconds. The Starwicker:

Follows the active character and continuously heals all party members based on Xianyun’s ATK at regular intervals
Grants 8 stacks of Adeptal Assistance that each increase the active character’s jump height for easy plunge access
Consumes 1 stack and fires AoE Anemo damage whenever the active character performs a Plunging Attack
Combined with her Ascension Passive, adds flat Plunging Attack shockwave damage equal to 200% of her ATK (up to 9,000) per plunge while stacks remain

The Burst has a 70 Energy cost and 18-second cooldown. Cycling it every rotation is critical — without it, she contributes no plunge buff, no heightened jumps, and only basic off-field Anemo damage from her Skill. Level this talent first above everything else.

Ascension Passive 1 — Consider, The Adeptus in Her Realm

When the Starwicker has Adeptal Assistance stacks, nearby active characters’ Plunging Attack shockwave damage is increased by 200% of Xianyun’s ATK. The maximum damage increase that can be applied this way is 9,000. Each Plunging Attack shockwave can only apply this effect to one opponent, and it can trigger once every 0.4 seconds. This passive is what makes Xianyun transformative for Plunge DPS teams — every plunge done while the Starwicker has stacks deals significantly more damage purely because of how much ATK Xianyun has built.

Ascension Passive 2 — Crane Form

Increases the gliding speed of all party members by 15%. This is not stackable with other identical effects. Genuinely useful for exploration in Liyue’s mountainous terrain and anywhere with significant vertical traversal.

Best Artifacts for Xianyun in Genshin Impact

4-Piece Song of Days Past (Best for Xiao and Non-Reactive DPS Teams)

This is Xianyun’s best artifact set when her DPS partner cannot trigger Swirl reactions with Anemo — specifically for Xiao or any Anemo main DPS whose damage cannot be amplified by Viridescent Venerer’s resistance shred. The 2-piece gives 15% Healing Bonus. The 4-piece creates a stacking buff: when Xianyun heals party members who are not at maximum HP, they gain up to 3 stacks of “Yearning” that each add 8% DMG Bonus — for a maximum of 24%. After reaching 3 stacks, healing over-caps converts into a larger 50% DMG Bonus buff that replaces the stacks. This buff applies to the entire party, including the active DPS character. In Xiao teams where Faruzan already holds Viridescent Venerer for resistance shred, Song of Days Past on Xianyun provides a strong DMG Bonus buff stacked on top without any overlap. Available from the Waterfall Wen domain in Fontaine.

4-Piece Viridescent Venerer (Best for Elemental Reaction DPS Teams)

The standard Anemo support set. Its 4-piece effect reduces enemy elemental resistance by 40% for the Swirled element after Xianyun triggers a Swirl. When her DPS partner deals Pyro, Hydro, Cryo, or Electro damage and Xianyun Swirls those elements through her Skill or Burst, this resistance shred directly amplifies the DPS’s elemental hits. Use this set for teams like Gaming (Pyro plunges triggering Vaporize), Diluc (Pyro plunges), or any elemental reaction-focused plunge DPS. This set is available from the Valley of Remembrance domain.

4-Piece Noblesse Oblige (Alternative)

If both Song of Days Past and Viridescent Venerer are already held by other team members, Noblesse Oblige is a clean fallback. Its 4-piece gives all party members 20% ATK for 12 seconds after the user activates their Elemental Burst. Since Xianyun uses her Burst every rotation, this ATK buff stays active reliably. Stack this with her own ATK scaling and the team gets a consistent flat ATK bonus on top of everything else.

Artifact Main Stats and Substats

Sands: ATK% (or Energy Recharge if ER is insufficient)
Goblet: ATK%
Circlet: Healing Bonus% or ATK%
Substats Priority: Energy Recharge (until comfortable) > ATK% > CRIT Rate (only to trigger Favonius Codex if using it)

Xianyun’s healing and Plunge DMG buff both scale with ATK. There is no reason to build CRIT DMG, Elemental Mastery, or Hydro/Anemo DMG Bonus on her — pure ATK and enough ER to cycle her Burst reliably are all that matters. Aim for approximately 200–220% Energy Recharge without another Anemo character in the team, or 160–180% with an Anemo battery like Faruzan. Her own ATK% ascension bonus already contributes meaningfully, and her signature weapon’s ATK% secondary stat reduces how much ER she needs from artifacts.

Best Weapons for Xianyun in Genshin Impact

Crane’s Echoing Call (5-Star — Signature Best-in-Slot)

Xianyun’s signature weapon is her best option by a significant margin. It boasts the highest base ATK of any Catalyst in the game at 741 base ATK, and has ATK% as its secondary stat — both of which directly increase her Plunge DMG buff and healing. Its passive is what makes it truly exceptional: after Xianyun hits an opponent with a Plunging Attack using her Driftcloud Wave, all nearby party members’ Plunging Attacks deal 28% increased damage for 20 seconds. Additionally, whenever any party member hits an opponent with a Plunging Attack, Xianyun restores 2.5 Energy per hit, triggering up to once every 0.7 seconds. This passive dramatically reduces her Energy Recharge requirements since every plunge the on-field DPS performs refunds energy back to Xianyun, making it easier to cycle her Burst without stacking ER from artifacts. Between the flat ATK, ATK% secondary, and the passive benefits, this weapon outperforms all alternatives for her specific role.

Skyward Atlas (5-Star)

A standard 5-star Catalyst with ATK% secondary stat and a high base ATK. Its passive summons a cloud that deals Anemo damage and increases elemental damage by 12%. While not purpose-built for Xianyun’s kit, the massive ATK contribution from both the base stat and secondary stat translates into higher healing output and a stronger flat Plunge DMG buff from her Ascension Passive. A solid option if you have it from the standard banner and cannot access Crane’s Echoing Call.

Memory of Dust (5-Star)

Another high ATK% catalyst with strong passive stacking when the wielder is shielded. In Xianyun teams that include Zhongli as a shielder, Memory of Dust reaches its full stacked ATK% bonus easily, making it a competitive 5-star alternative. The shielded condition that activates its passive is naturally satisfied by Zhongli’s jade shield in Xiao’s standard team composition.

Oathsworn Eye (4-Star — Best F2P / Event Option)

This event weapon is Xianyun’s best accessible 4-star option. Its ATK% secondary stat contributes directly to her buff and healing scaling, and its passive restores a flat 24 Energy after using the Elemental Skill, drastically cutting her Energy Recharge requirements. With Oathsworn Eye, Xianyun can achieve comfortable Burst cycling at much lower ER investment than other 4-star alternatives, freeing artifact slots for more ATK%. It cannot be obtained after its event window, but players who have it from past events should prioritize it for Xianyun.

Favonius Codex (4-Star)

The standard Energy Recharge catalyst available from regular wish banners. Its ER secondary stat directly addresses Xianyun’s biggest stat need, and its passive generates Elemental Particles on CRIT hits — providing energy for the whole team, not just Xianyun. You will need some CRIT Rate in substats to reliably trigger the passive, but in exchange this weapon handles ER needs so thoroughly that artifact pieces can focus almost entirely on ATK%. One of the most accessible options for new players building Xianyun without event weapons.

Xianyun Talent Priority

Level Xianyun’s talents in this order:

Elemental Burst (Stars Gather at Dusk) — This is her most important talent by far. The Starwicker’s healing output scales with the Burst talent level, and more importantly, the flat Plunge DMG addition from her Ascension Passive is calculated using her ATK multiplied by a scaling factor tied to the Burst talent level. Higher Burst level = more flat damage added per plunge and stronger healing per tick. Level this first and push it to 8–10 as your primary investment. Crown this if you are going all-in.
Elemental Skill (White Clouds at Dawn) — Level this second. The Driftcloud Wave damage scales with this talent, and higher levels increase the healing output from C4 if you have it. It also affects how much healing the Skill contributes at later constellations.
Normal Attack (Fleeting Figures) — Do not level this in a support build. Only invest here if using her as an on-field DPS at C6, where her Normal Attacks become part of the rotation.

Xianyun Genshin Impact Best Team Compositions

Xiao Hypercarry Team (Best Xiao Team)

Xiao (Anemo Main DPS, Plunge DPS)
Xianyun (Plunge Support, Healer)
Faruzan (Anemo RES Shred, DMG Buffer)
Furina or Bennett (Sub-DPS/Healer Buffer)

This is the definitive Xiao team and widely considered one of the strongest plunge compositions in the game. Xiao needs no help plunging — his Burst already enables that — but he gains enormous benefit from Xianyun’s flat Plunge DMG addition and healing. Faruzan shreds Anemo resistance and provides CRIT DMG buff at C6. Furina adds a massive DMG Bonus through Fanfare stacking and off-field Hydro sub-DPS. In this team, Xianyun holds 4-piece Song of Days Past since Faruzan already handles Viridescent Venerer resistance shredding. The rotation is: Faruzan Burst → Furina Skill and Burst → Xianyun Skill (3 Skyladders) and Burst → swap to Xiao and Burst → plunge through the Starwicker stacks.

Varesa Plunge Team

Varesa (Electro Main DPS, Plunge DPS)
Xianyun (Plunge Support, Healer)
Furina (Hydro Buffer)
Iansan or Fischl (Electro Sub-DPS)

Varesa is currently one of the best Plunge Attack DPS characters in the game, and Xianyun is her strongest support. Varesa’s plunge attacks naturally benefit from the Starwicker’s jump height and flat damage bonus, and Furina’s Fanfare system amplifies her output massively. Xianyun holds Viridescent Venerer here since Varesa’s Electro attacks can trigger Swirl resistance shred. This team is excellent for players who have both Varesa and Xianyun and want maximum plunge damage output.

Gaming Vaporize Team

Gaming (Pyro Main DPS, Plunge DPS)
Xianyun (Plunge Support, Healer)
Furina (Hydro Buffer, Vaporize Enabler)
Bennett (Pyro ATK Buffer, Healer)

Gaming is the only 4-star DPS character whose primary damage mechanic is Plunging Attacks. He deals Pyro plunge damage and benefits enormously from Xianyun’s jump height and flat Plunge DMG buff. Furina’s Hydro application enables Vaporize reactions when Gaming’s Pyro plunges hit enemies already coated in Hydro. Bennett provides ATK buffing and additional healing. Xianyun holds 4-piece Viridescent Venerer to shred Pyro resistance through Swirl, directly amplifying Gaming’s Pyro plunges. An extremely accessible team since Gaming, Bennett, and Furina are all obtainable for most players.

Diluc Dragon Strike Team

Diluc (Pyro Main DPS, Dragon Strike Plunge)
Xianyun (Plunge Support, Healer)
Ganyu (Cryo off-field for Melt)
Bennett (Pyro ATK Buffer, Healer)

With Xianyun’s Starwicker providing jump height and plunge buffs, Diluc can perform Dragon Strike — a combat technique where Normal Attack cancels launch him into plunge range — consistently in every rotation. His Pyro plunges then Melt against Ganyu’s off-field Cryo. Xianyun holds VV for Pyro resistance shred. This is an advanced build that unlocks a playstyle Diluc previously could not use reliably without precise technique. Important note: only activate Xianyun’s Burst when Diluc’s own Burst is active to ensure continuous Pyro infusion through Diluc’s attacks.

Xilonen Geo Plunge Team

Xilonen (Geo Plunge DPS)
Xianyun (Plunge Support, Healer)
Gorou (Geo Buffer, DEF Boost)
Furina (Hydro DMG Buffer)

Xilonen’s Geo Infusion after her Elemental Skill lets her perform Geo plunges, and Xianyun’s Starwicker boosts those plunges with flat damage while healing. Gorou provides DEF and Geo DMG buffs that scale with Xilonen’s DEF-based damage. Furina adds team-wide DMG Bonus. An interesting combination that makes Xilonen’s on-field plunge rotation substantially stronger.

Is Xianyun Worth Pulling?

Xianyun is worth pulling specifically if you use or plan to use a Plunging Attack DPS character. Her value is extremely high in those teams and genuinely irreplaceable in her niche — no other character in the game provides jump height enabling, flat Plunge DMG addition, and team healing all at once. Characters who receive the biggest benefit include:

Xiao — his absolute best support outside of Faruzan
Varesa — dramatically increases her plunge damage and team survival
Gaming — enables consistent plunge rotations for the 4-star Pyro plunge DPS
Diluc — unlocks Dragon Strike plunge combos that were previously difficult to execute

Her weaknesses are relevant. She is niche — if you do not run a Plunge DPS, she contributes primarily as a healer with Anemo debuffs, which Jean or even Sayu can fill. Her Energy Recharge requirement is high without her signature weapon or a battery Anemo character. Outside of plunge teams, her supporting utility is less impressive than more broadly applicable Anemo supports like Kaedehara Kazuha or Sucrose. But within plunge teams, she is the enabler who makes the entire archetype work smoothly.

Xianyun Constellations

Xianyun functions effectively at C0, but her early constellations provide significant and meaningful upgrades:

C1 — Purifying Wind: White Clouds at Dawn gains 1 additional charge. This gives Xianyun two uses of her Elemental Skill per rotation instead of one. The additional Skill use generates more Anemo Particles for faster Burst cycling, allows more Driftcloud Wave hits to apply Storm Pinion CRIT Rate stacks to the team, and gives her more on-field uses for exploration. A solid quality-of-life upgrade that meaningfully improves her rotation flexibility.
C2 — Aloof From the World: After using a Skyladder from White Clouds at Dawn, Xianyun’s ATK is increased by 20% for 15 seconds. More importantly, the Plunging Attack flat damage addition from her Ascension Passive is doubled — from 200% of her ATK to 400% of her ATK, with the cap also doubling from 9,000 to 18,000. This is her most impactful constellation by a wide margin. Doubling her Plunge DMG contribution effectively doubles the most transformative part of her kit. C2 is the recommended stopping point for most players who want to invest in her constellations.
C3 — Creations of Star and Moon: Increases Elemental Burst talent level by 3. More healing per Starwicker tick and better multipliers on her flat Plunge DMG contribution.
C4 — Mystery Millet Gourmet: After using 1/2/3 Skyladders in one Cloud Transmogrification state, when the resulting Driftcloud Wave hits an opponent, all nearby party members are healed for 50%/80%/150% of Xianyun’s ATK. This adds a healing burst from her Skill on top of the Burst’s periodic healing, improving sustain in longer fight rotations.
C5 — Astride Rose-Colored Clouds: Increases Elemental Skill talent level by 3. Boosts her Driftcloud Wave damage and the healing from C4.
C6 — They Call Her Cloud Retainer: After using Skyladder 1/2/3 times within one Cloud Transmogrification state, the CRIT DMG of the resulting Driftcloud Wave is increased by 15%/35%/70%. After Xianyun plunges and the Starwicker has Adeptal Assistance stacks, one stack is consumed and the Elemental Skill does not enter cooldown, allowing her to re-enter Cloud Transmogrification state instantly and keep plunging. When the same Cloud Transmogrification instance triggers the Starwicker with a Driftcloud Wave, no Adeptal Assistance stack is consumed. This constellation transforms Xianyun from a pure support into a viable on-field DPS — she can continuously re-enter her Skill, plunge, recover the cooldown, and plunge again while her Starwicker stacks last. Combined with Faruzan and Bennett, this is a legitimately powerful on-field Anemo DPS playstyle.

Xianyun Ascension Materials

Here is what you need to fully ascend Xianyun from level 1 to level 90:

Vayuda Turquoise: Sliver ×1, Fragment ×9, Chunk ×9, Gemstone ×6 — farmed from the Anemo Hypostasis, Maguu Kenki, and other Anemo bosses
Cloudseam Scale ×46 — Boss drop from the Solitary Suanni world boss in Chenyu Vale (introduced in Version 4.4)
Clearwater Jade (Chenyu Vale local specialty) — 168 total needed; found throughout Chenyu Vale, including purchasable from Fengtai at Yilong Wharf; also obtainable by breaking shattered Jade Jars in Yaodie Valley with heavy attacks
Divining Scroll, Sealed Scroll, Forbidden Curse Scroll — dropped by Samachurl enemies found throughout Teyvat
Mora: approximately 420,000 total for full ascension

Clearwater Jade and the Cloudseam Scale are both exclusive to the Chenyu Vale area introduced alongside Xianyun in Version 4.4. If you are farming for Xianyun, you will spend significant time in Chenyu Vale. The Solitary Suanni boss drops the Cloudseam Scale and is also found in that region. Samachurl drops are the most common materials in the game — farm them during your regular world exploration rather than dedicating special sessions to them.

Xianyun Talent Level-Up Materials

To fully level all three of Xianyun’s talents you will need:

Teachings, Guide, and Philosophies of Gold — obtained from the Taishan Mansion domain in Liyue on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays
Divining Scroll, Sealed Scroll, Forbidden Curse Scroll — from Samachurl enemies
Lightless Eye of the Maelstrom — weekly boss material from the All-Devouring Narwhal weekly boss in Fontaine
Crown of Insight — for crowning a talent to level 10

The Lightless Eye of the Maelstrom is the only Fontaine-exclusive material in Xianyun’s list. You need to unlock and defeat the All-Devouring Narwhal weekly boss in Fontaine to farm it. Crown the Elemental Burst talent first — it governs the healing output and the scaling of her flat Plunge DMG contribution from her Ascension Passive, making it the single most valuable talent level upgrade she can receive. Characters like Jean and Bennett follow similar talent priority logic where the ability that drives both healing and team utility deserves the crown.

Xianyun vs Other Anemo Supports

vs Jean: Jean heals with Anemo attacks and can hold Viridescent Venerer for RES shred. She does not buff Plunge damage or provide jump height enabling. In teams without a plunge DPS, Jean and Xianyun are comparable healers. In Plunge teams, Xianyun is always the better choice.
vs Sayu: Sayu rolls through enemies and heals through Anemo attacks. She has no Plunge buff and no jump height mechanic. She is a budget alternative to Jean for teams not using Plunging Attack DPS.
vs Faruzan: Faruzan buffs Anemo damage and shreds Anemo resistance — the perfect complement to Xianyun in Xiao teams. They are not in competition; they fill different support roles and both belong in Xiao’s ideal team.
vs Kaedehara Kazuha: Kazuha is the premier general Anemo support for elemental reaction teams. He does not enable plunges or buff Plunge DMG. In Plunge teams with Xiao, Xianyun is specifically more valuable than Kazuha because she provides the flat damage buff and healing Kazuha cannot. In non-Plunge teams, Kazuha is usually stronger.

Xianyun Genshin Impact Lore and Background

Cloud Retainer has been part of Genshin Impact’s Liyue lore from the very beginning of the game. She appeared during the Archon Quest when the Traveler visited Jueyun Karst, presented as one of the ancient Adepti who have protected Liyue for thousands of years. In her crane form, she is elegant, distant, and occasionally condescending — a being of immense power who looks upon human affairs from a great height, literally and figuratively.

Her relationship with her disciples defines much of her characterization. Ganyu and Shenhe both have connections to her, and the playful dynamic between the ancient, proud Cloud Retainer and the humans and half-humans who interact with her is a recurring source of humor and warmth in Liyue’s story. Her Starwicker mechanism, which she offered to one of her disciples only to have it refused without ceremony, speaks perfectly to that dynamic.

As Xianyun — her name for her human form — she takes on the challenge of understanding mortal life firsthand rather than observing it from above. Expert in mechanical contraptions, inventor of the Starwicker, and deeply invested in the wellbeing of those she considers connected to her, Xianyun brings the full weight of an Adeptus’s power and the genuine curiosity of someone just beginning to understand what it means to live among people. Her story quest in Version 4.4 explored that transition and her evolving relationship with the world below the clouds she has inhabited for so long.

Xianyun Genshin Impact Build Summary

Best Artifact Set: 4-piece Song of Days Past (Xiao and pure Anemo teams); 4-piece Viridescent Venerer (elemental reaction plunge teams)
Alternative Set: 4-piece Noblesse Oblige (team ATK buff when VV is covered)
Best Weapon: Crane’s Echoing Call (signature)
Best 4-Star Weapons: Oathsworn Eye (best accessible), Favonius Codex (ER management), Skyward Atlas (if owned)
Artifact Main Stats: ATK% or ER% / ATK% / Healing Bonus% or ATK%
Substats: Energy Recharge (to ~160–200% depending on team) > ATK% > CRIT Rate (only for Favonius Codex)
Talent Priority: Elemental Burst (crown first) > Elemental Skill > Normal Attack (skip unless C6)
Best Teams: Xiao + Xianyun + Faruzan + Furina/Bennett; Varesa + Xianyun + Furina + Iansan; Gaming + Xianyun + Furina + Bennett
Core Rule: Activate Xianyun’s Burst before swapping to the Plunge DPS so they enter the field with all 8 Starwicker stacks available
Best Constellation Value: C1 for rotation flexibility; C2 for doubling Plunge DMG buff — hard stopping point for most players

Xianyun redefined what Plunging Attack gameplay looks like in Genshin Impact. She took a mechanic that most characters barely used and turned it into a viable, high-damage DPS style for characters as different as Xiao, Gaming, Diluc, and Varesa. Her Starwicker is one of the most elegant support mechanics in the game — a single deployable device that simultaneously solves jump access, adds flat damage per plunge, and heals the team without any of those functions stepping on each other. If you run any Plunge DPS character, Xianyun is the support who makes them reach their actual ceiling.