Xiao Genshin Impact Build Guide – Best Weapons, Artifacts, Teams & Tips

TL;DR

• Xiao is a 5-star Anemo Polearm character from Liyue and the sole surviving Yaksha Adeptus.
• He functions exclusively as an on-field Plunge Attack Main DPS during his Elemental Burst.
• His Burst converts all attacks to Anemo DMG, drains his HP, and dramatically boosts jump height and damage.
• Best artifact: 4-piece Vermillion Hereafter or Long Night’s Oath (his new best-in-slot as of recent updates).
• Best weapons: Primordial Jade Winged-Spear (signature), Staff of Homa, Blackcliff Pole, or Deathmatch.
• His best team is FFXX: Faruzan + Furina + Xiao + Xianyun — the definitive Xiao hypercarry setup.
• Talent priority: Normal Attack first, then Elemental Burst and Skill (equal after C6).
• C6 Faruzan in his team is a major power spike. Xiao himself is strong at C0.

Who Is Xiao in Genshin Impact?

Xiao is a 5-star Anemo Polearm character in Genshin Impact, released in Version 1.3. He is a Yaksha Adeptus who has served the Geo Archon Rex Lapis for thousands of years, and the sole survivor of the five Yakshas created to cleanse the lingering evils left behind by the Archon War. His name in the Adepti’s tongue is Alatus — the Golden-Winged King — though few dare call him that today.

His lore is one of the most tragic in Genshin Impact. The Yakshas were tasked with consuming the curses, hatred, and resentment of the malicious entities they destroyed. Over millennia, that accumulated karmic debt drove each of his four companions to madness, despair, and death. Xiao alone remains, still bound by his contract with Morax, still fighting — but haunted and isolated. He asks only to be called when danger comes, promising to answer without fail.

In battle, Xiao is defined by his Elemental Burst, Bane of All Evil. He dons the Yaksha Mask, transforming all his attacks into Anemo damage and launching himself skyward for devastating Plunging Attacks. His playstyle is fast, aggressive, and mobile — leaping high and diving down again and again to deal massive AoE Anemo damage while his HP slowly drains beneath him.

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

For more Liyue character guides, check out our pages on Zhongli and Xianyun, two of Xiao’s most important teammates in endgame content.

Xiao

Xiao’s Role and Playstyle

Xiao is a pure On-Field Anemo Plunge Main DPS. He does not support, does not buff, and does not work from off-field. His entire kit revolves around staying on the field during his Burst and repeatedly jumping and plunging into enemies for AoE Anemo damage.

During Bane of All Evil:

• His jump height increases dramatically, letting him reach heights needed for maximum Plunge damage.
• All Normal, Charged, and Plunging Attacks deal Anemo DMG instead of Physical.
• His attack AoE increases, making each Plunge hit more enemies.
• He continuously loses HP — this is a core mechanic that enables his artifact synergy.
• His DMG bonus ramps up by 5% every 3 seconds, reaching a maximum of 25% bonus at the 15-second mark.

His key strengths include large AoE damage, exceptional mobility and repositioning, and the ability to stagger small and medium enemies with continuous Plunge hits. His main weakness is his reliance on Energy Recharge to maintain Burst uptime and his inability to trigger elemental reactions (since Anemo cannot react with itself and Swirl requires specific setups that don’t directly buff his damage).

Xiao does not use Swirl for damage. His teams are built around buffing his Anemo DMG directly — Anemo RES shred, CRIT DMG bonuses, and Plunge Attack multipliers are what he wants from his teammates.

Xiao’s Abilities and Talents

Normal Attack – Whirlwind Thrust

Xiao performs up to six consecutive Polearm strikes. His Charged Attack consumes Stamina for an upward thrust. His Plunging Attack drops from mid-air and deals AoE damage on impact. Critically, Xiao does not take fall damage from performing Plunging Attacks. During his Burst, all these attacks deal Anemo DMG instead of Physical. Normal Attack is his top talent priority because Plunge Attack multipliers scale directly with Normal Attack talent level.

Elemental Skill – Lemniscatic Wind Cycling

Xiao lunges forward, dealing Anemo DMG to enemies in his path. This skill can be used in mid-air, which is essential for his Plunge loop — he uses it to gain height, then plunges down for a high-damage hit. He starts with two charges, allowing him to use it twice before waiting for cooldown.

His 4th Ascension Passive makes consecutive Skill uses stronger: each use increases the DMG of subsequent Lemniscatic Wind Cycling casts by 15%, stacking up to three times (45% total bonus). This makes chaining two Skills before a Plunge very efficient for damage.

Elemental Burst – Bane of All Evil

This is everything. Xiao dons the Yaksha Mask that once set gods and demons trembling. During the 15-second Burst:

• Jump height dramatically increases.
• Attack AoE and DMG increase significantly.
• All attacks convert to Anemo DMG.
• Xiao continuously loses HP at a set rate.
• A stacking DMG bonus of up to 25% builds over time.

The Burst ends if Xiao leaves the field. Energy cost is 70, making Energy Recharge management a core consideration in his build and team selection.

1st Ascension Passive – Conqueror of Evil: Tamer of Demons

While under the effects of Bane of All Evil, all DMG dealt by Xiao increases by 5%. This bonus increases by a further 5% for every 3 seconds the ability persists. The maximum bonus is 25% at 15 seconds. This rewards staying in Burst state as long as possible and front-loading your rotation correctly to reach max stacks before the Burst ends.

4th Ascension Passive – Dissolution Eon: Heaven Fall

Using Lemniscatic Wind Cycling increases the DMG of subsequent Skill uses by 15% for 7 seconds, stacking up to 3 times. Each new stack refreshes the duration. This means chaining multiple Skills in sequence provides a significant cumulative damage boost for the Skill itself.

Utility Passive – Transcension: Gravity Defier

Decreases all party members’ Climbing Stamina consumption by 20%. A strong exploration passive that makes scaling Liyue’s tall mountains and cliffs much less stamina-intensive. Does not stack with similar passives from other characters.

Talent Priority for Xiao

• Normal Attack first (C0–C5) – Plunging Attack multipliers scale directly with this talent. This is always his top priority at C0 through C5. Level to at least 9 or 10.
• Elemental Burst second – Increases the base DMG of Bane of All Evil and the raw Plunge DMG during the Burst window. Level to 8–9.
• Elemental Skill third – Worth leveling for the mid-air lunges and inter-Plunge damage, but less impactful than the other two. Level to 8.
• At C6, level Elemental Skill equally with Normal Attack — C6 makes his Skill deal significantly more damage, raising its talent priority to match Normal Attack.

Best Weapons for Xiao

5-Star Weapons

• Primordial Jade Winged-Spear – His signature weapon and best-in-slot for most builds. Provides the highest base ATK of any Polearm (674 at level 90), a 22.1% CRIT Rate secondary stat, and a passive that stacks ATK on each hit (up to 7 stacks). At max stacks, an additional 12% DMG bonus is applied. Xiao’s rapid Plunge attacks charge and maintain stacks easily throughout his Burst window.
• Staff of Homa – Provides CRIT DMG and scales ATK with Max HP. Synergizes with Xiao’s HP drain during his Burst — the lower HP bonus triggers when his HP drops below 50%, which happens naturally during extended Burst use. A strong alternative when Jade Winged-Spear is not available.
• Calamity Queller – Provides ATK% as a secondary stat and a passive that increases Elemental DMG and stacks ATK when Xiao is off-field. Since Xiao is generally off-field between rotations, the passive stacks up before he re-enters, giving him a strong ATK bonus at the start of each Burst window.
• Long Night’s Oath – A newer weapon that has surpassed Vermillion Hereafter as his best artifact-slot partner in specific builds. Provides Plunging Attack DMG bonus directly, making it an excellent weapon for his core Plunge loop. Check in-game for its current availability.

4-Star Weapons

• Blackcliff Pole – Provides CRIT DMG and stacking ATK bonuses after defeating enemies. In multi-enemy content, stacks build quickly. One of his best 4-star options for damage.
• Deathmatch (Battle Pass) – Provides CRIT Rate and ATK% bonuses depending on the number of nearby enemies. Clean, conditional-free stats that work in all content types. Excellent Battle Pass option.
• Lithic Spear – Provides ATK and stacking bonuses for each Liyue character in the party. Xiao is from Liyue, as are Zhongli, Xiangling, and others. In full Liyue teams, this can be very competitive.
• Skyward Spine – Provides Energy Recharge and ATK, with a passive that boosts CRIT Rate and Normal Attack speed. Good for solving Energy Recharge needs while maintaining damage output.
• Favonius Lance – Generates Elemental Particles for the team on CRIT hits. A support-oriented option that helps Xiao and his teammates maintain Burst uptime more consistently. Worth using if Energy is the main bottleneck.

Best Artifacts for Xiao

Primary Build – 4-Piece Vermillion Hereafter

The long-standing best artifact set for Xiao in most team compositions. The 2-piece provides 18% ATK. The 4-piece activates after using an Elemental Burst — it provides a flat ATK bonus that stacks up as Xiao’s HP decreases during Bane of All Evil. Since his Burst continuously drains his HP, these stacks build naturally during his damage window, giving him a ramping ATK boost throughout the entire Burst duration. This is the recommended set for most Xiao players and the set he can get the most out of at C0.

Alternative – 4-Piece Long Night’s Oath (Artifact Set)

A newer artifact domain that has become his best-in-slot in specific builds and team compositions. Provides strong Plunge Attack DMG bonuses that complement his core playstyle. However, the domain itself is considered inefficient to farm for Xiao specifically (farming yields artifacts better suited to other characters). Unless you happen to get strong pieces naturally, Vermillion Hereafter is still the safer investment for most players.

Alternative – 4-Piece Marechaussee Hunter

Provides CRIT Rate stacks when the character’s HP changes. Since Xiao loses HP continuously during his Burst, the stacks proc automatically and consistently. This set outperforms Vermillion Hereafter in teams with Furina or Bennett (where HP fluctuates more). However, it is difficult to pair with CRIT Rate weapons since the set already provides a lot of CRIT Rate, making it harder to maintain a healthy CRIT ratio.

Alternative – 4-Piece Desert Pavilion Chronicle

Provides Anemo DMG Bonus and Normal/Plunge/Charged Attack damage buffs after a Charged Attack. Requires a Charged Attack at the start of his Burst to activate the 4-piece bonus. Works reasonably well with low base ATK weapons and Bennett, performing similarly to Vermillion Hereafter in those setups. Not a domain worth farming specifically for Xiao.

Recommended Artifact Main Stats

• Sands: ATK%
• Goblet: Anemo DMG Bonus
• Circlet: CRIT Rate or CRIT DMG (maintain a roughly 1:2 CRIT Rate to CRIT DMG ratio)

Recommended Substats

Energy Recharge (until comfortable Burst uptime — aim for 130–150% depending on team support) > CRIT Rate > CRIT DMG > ATK%. Prioritize ER first, then optimize the CRIT ratio. Xiao’s Burst cost of 70 is moderate but requires attention, especially without a dedicated battery in the team.

Best Team Compositions for Xiao

FFXX – The Definitive Xiao Team (SS Tier)

• Xiao (Main DPS) + Faruzan (Anemo Buffer) + Furina (Sub-DPS / Buffer) + Xianyun (Healer / Plunge Buffer)

The name FFXX — coined by the Xiao Mains Discord — stands for Faruzan, Furina, Xiao, and Xianyun. This is Xiao’s definitive best team and one of the most synergistic hypercarry setups in the game. Faruzan shreds enemy Anemo resistance and, at C6, provides a massive CRIT DMG bonus that directly multiplies Xiao’s Plunge hits. Furina buffs the entire team’s DMG through her Fanfare mechanic while dealing her own off-field Hydro damage. Xianyun provides a direct Plunging Attack DMG bonus (up to 9,000 flat damage per Plunge), heals Xiao to offset his HP drain, and increases his CRIT Rate for Plunge Attacks. Together these four characters push Xiao’s ceiling to its absolute maximum.

FFXX Budget (Without C6 Faruzan)

• Xiao + Faruzan (any constellation) + Furina + Xianyun

The same team but without the C6 Faruzan off-field particle generation advantage. Build more Energy Recharge on Faruzan (Favonius Warbow helps significantly here) and on Xiao himself to compensate. Still an extremely strong team — the damage drop compared to C6 FFXX is meaningful but not crippling for most content.

Xiao Anemo Hypercarry (No Furina)

• Xiao + Faruzan + Jean or Bennett + Zhongli

A more accessible team that doesn’t require Furina or Xianyun. Jean generates Anemo particles to help fill Xiao’s Burst and heals the team. Bennett buffs ATK and heals inside his field. Zhongli provides his universal shield and physical/elemental RES shred. Faruzan handles Anemo buffing. This team remains very strong and accessible for players who have not pulled Furina or Xianyun.

Xiao Geo Resonance Team

• Xiao + Jean (Anemo Battery) + Albedo (Geo Sub-DPS) + Zhongli (Geo Shielder)

Double Geo provides the Geo Resonance bonus, increasing the team’s damage when shielded by 15%. Zhongli provides the shield and universal RES shred. Albedo deals off-field Geo damage and generates energy. Jean heals and supplies Anemo particles for Xiao’s Burst. A self-sufficient team with strong survivability and good damage output.

Xiao Budget Team

• Xiao + Sucrose (Anemo Battery) + Xiangling (Pyro Sub-DPS) + Bennett (Healer / Buffer)

A fully free-to-play friendly team using 4-star characters. Sucrose generates Anemo particles for Xiao and provides EM sharing (less impactful for Xiao but the particles matter). Xiangling’s Pyronado adds off-field Pyro damage. Bennett heals and provides his powerful ATK buff. A functional team for players building Xiao on a limited roster.

For more guides on Xiao’s key supports, visit our pages on Jean, Sucrose, and Zhongli.

Xiao Constellations Guide

Xiao is strong at C0 and does not require constellations to clear all content. However, his constellations do improve him meaningfully. Here is what each one does:

• C1 – Dissolution Eon: Destroyer of Worlds: Increases the number of charges for Lemniscatic Wind Cycling (Elemental Skill) by 1, giving him 3 total charges. This is his best personal constellation. More Skill uses mean more mid-air lunges during his Burst, more damage, and more height for Plunges. Strongly recommended if you are spending on Xiao.
• C2 – Annihilation Eon: Blossom of Kaleidos: When in the party and not on the field, Xiao’s Energy Recharge is increased by 25%. This significantly reduces the ER he needs to build on artifacts, freeing substats for CRIT stats. Very helpful for maintaining consistent Burst uptime.
• C3 – Conqueror of Evil: Wrath Deity: Increases Lemniscatic Wind Cycling (Elemental Skill) level by 3 (max level 15). A direct Skill damage boost.
• C4 – Transcension: Extinction of Suffering: When Xiao’s HP drops below 50%, he gains a 100% DEF increase. Since his Burst drains his HP, this often activates mid-fight, providing notable survivability in harder content.
• C5 – Evolution Eon: Origin of Ignorance: Increases Bane of All Evil (Elemental Burst) level by 3 (max level 15). Raises both the Burst’s base damage multiplier and its DMG bonus scaling.
• C6 – Conqueror of Evil: Guardian Yaksha: While Bane of All Evil is active, hitting an opponent with a Plunging Attack grants Xiao a Yaksha’s Clarity effect: his Elemental Skill DMG is increased by 100% and its Stamina cost for Charged Attacks is removed. This makes his Elemental Skill deal significantly more damage and changes the optimal rotation to include Skill uses more prominently during the Burst. This is why Elemental Skill becomes equal priority to Normal Attack at C6.

Summary: C1 is his most impactful personal constellation and the first one worth chasing. C2 solves energy issues elegantly. C6 raises his ceiling notably with the Skill DMG bonus. The biggest team-side power spike is getting C6 Faruzan rather than Xiao’s own constellations — prioritize that if you want maximum Xiao team performance.

Xiao Ascension Materials

To fully ascend Xiao from Level 1 to Level 90, you need:

• Vayuda Turquoise (Sliver, Fragment, Chunk, Gemstone) – Dropped by Anemo bosses including the Anemo Hypostasis (Stormbearer Mountains, Mondstadt), Maguu Kenki (Inazuma), Stormterror Dvalin (weekly), and the Algorithm of Semi-Intransient Matrix of Overseer Network. The Anemo Hypostasis is the most efficient boss for both Turquoise and Hurricane Seeds simultaneously.
• Juvenile Jade – Dropped by the Primo Geovishap boss, found in Minlin, Liyue. Costs 40 Original Resin per claim. You need 46 total. At World Level 8, the boss drops 2–3 per claim, so expect at least 15–23 runs. Bring a team resistant to Geovishap’s elemental swaps — it infuses different elements depending on the fight phase.
• Qingxin – A Liyue local specialty that grows at high altitudes in Liyue, particularly around Minlin, Wuwang Hill, and Mt. Aocang. You need 168 total. They only appear on mountain peaks and clifftops — Xiao’s own Utility Passive helps reduce climbing stamina, making him convenient to use while farming his own materials. Can also be purchased from Bubu Pharmacy in Liyue Harbor in limited quantities.
• Slime drops (Slime Condensate, Slime Secretions, Slime Concentrate) – Dropped by all Slime enemies found throughout Teyvat. Easy to farm naturally while exploring.

Xiao Talent Materials

To fully upgrade all three of Xiao’s talents, you need:

• Teachings, Guide, and Philosophies of Prosperity – Obtained from the Taishan Mansion domain in Liyue on Mondays, Thursdays, and Sundays.
• Slime drops (all three tiers) – Same drops as ascension material. Collect from Slimes throughout your travels.
• Shadow of the Warrior – A weekly boss drop from defeating Childe (Tartaglia) at the Golden House trounce domain in Liyue. You need 18 total across all talents. Unlocked by completing the relevant Archon Quest chapter.
• Crown of Insight – Needed to max any talent to level 10. Obtained from limited-time events and offerings like the Sacred Sakura and Frostbearing Tree.

Should You Pull for Xiao?

Xiao is a limited 5-star character who returns on event banners periodically. He is one of the oldest limited 5-stars in the game and has a dedicated, loyal player community for good reason.

He is an excellent pull if you:

• Want a unique and mobile on-field DPS with a fun, high-skill Plunge playstyle.
• Enjoy hypercarry Anemo compositions and have or plan to build Faruzan and Xianyun.
• Need a strong AoE DPS who performs well against groups of enemies.
• Connect with his lore and character story — he is one of the most narratively developed characters in the game.

He is less ideal if you prefer off-field or reaction-based DPS styles, or if you already have another strong DPS and don’t have the support lineup his best teams require. His energy management also needs more attention than self-sufficient DPS characters.

Xiao Quick Tips

• Use both Elemental Skills before activating your Burst for the 4th Ascension Passive stacks. Do two Skill uses, then immediately activate Bane of All Evil to carry the 30% Skill DMG bonus into the Burst window.
• His Burst’s DMG bonus ramps up over time (5% every 3 seconds to a max of 25%). Don’t end your Burst early — the longer he stays in Burst state, the more damage each subsequent Plunge deals.
• Xiao takes no fall damage from Plunging Attacks. Jump as high as you can before plunging to maximize the fall distance and trigger the High Plunge multiplier rather than Low Plunge. Xianyun’s bounce lift helps consistently reach this height.
• He cannot trigger powerful elemental reactions with his damage. Anemo only Swirls other elements and doesn’t create amplified reactions with itself. Build him entirely for raw Anemo and Plunge DMG, not Elemental Mastery.
• If you don’t have Xianyun, Jean is the best healer for Xiao. She generates Anemo particles for his Burst and her healing offsets his HP drain from Bane of All Evil. With Jean’s C4, she also buffs the active character’s Anemo DMG.
• Manage Xiao’s Energy carefully. His Burst costs 70 Energy. If you don’t have a battery Anemo character, Xiao himself needs to use his Skills frequently between rotations to generate particles. Using Skills off-field (swap Xiao in, use Skills, swap out) can help fill his Burst meter before bringing him on-field.
• In the FFXX team, trigger Furina’s Burst before Xiao’s to stack Fanfare quickly and maximize her DMG Bonus buff during Xiao’s Burst window.

Platforms to Play Genshin Impact

• Official Website (PC)
• Google Play (Android)
• App Store (iOS)
• PlayStation Store
• Epic Games Store
• Xbox

Frequently Asked Questions About Xiao

For more Liyue character guides, explore our builds for Ganyu, Hu Tao, Yelan, and Xiangling — strong Liyue characters who pair well with Xiao’s team compositions.