Xiao, the Vigilant Yaksha and Last of the Five Adepti, remains one of the most iconic and satisfying Hypercarries in Genshin Impact. While he is an older character, the introduction of specialized supports like Faruzan and Xianyun has catapulted his damage ceiling into the stratosphere. If you want to clear the highest floors of the Spiral Abyss with a storm of Anemo plunges, you need a precise build that balances raw Attack, high Critical ratios, and enough Energy Recharge to keep his "Bane of All Evil" state active.

Quick Summary for the Best Xiao Build

For those looking for the "too long; didn't read" version, here is the current gold standard for a high-end Xiao build:

  • Best Weapon: Primordial Jade Winged-Spear (Signature)
  • Best Artifact Set: 4-piece Vermillion Hereafter
  • Main Stats: ATK% Sands / Anemo DMG Goblet / CRIT Rate or DMG Circlet
  • Sub-stat Priority: CRIT > ATK% > Energy Recharge (120-140%)
  • Talent Priority: Normal Attack > Elemental Burst > Elemental Skill
  • Best Team: Xiao, Faruzan, Furina, Xianyun (The FFXX Team)

Understanding Xiao’s Core Gameplay Mechanics

Before diving into the numbers, it is vital to understand how Xiao functions. Unlike most Anemo characters who provide crowd control or support, Xiao is a pure selfish DPS. His entire kit revolves around his Elemental Burst, Bane of All Evil, which grants him increased jumping height, massive AoE for his attacks, and converts all damage to Anemo.

The Plunge Attack King

Xiao’s primary source of damage is his High Plunge Attack. During his Burst, he can spam these plunges repeatedly. However, it is not just about jumping and clicking. To maximize DPS, advanced players use the "JET" combo (Normal Attack -> Jump -> Plunge). This animation cancels the lag at the end of a plunge and adds a bit of extra single-target damage.

The HP Drain Struggle

While in his Yaksha Mask state, Xiao continuously loses health. This makes him vulnerable to being "one-shot" by heavy hitters in the Abyss. Consequently, he requires either a very strong shielder (like Zhongli) or a powerful healer (like Xianyun or Bennett) to ensure he doesn't die mid-rotation.

Stat Priorities: Finding the Golden Balance

Building Xiao is a balancing act. Because he gains Crit Rate as his ascension stat, it is tempting to go all-in on Crit Damage, but ignoring other stats will lead to a lackluster performance.

1. The Energy Recharge (ER) Threshold

This is where most Xiao builds fail. If Xiao cannot cast his Burst immediately when the cooldown ends, your team's DPS drops to nearly zero.

  • Solo Anemo: 160%+ ER (Not recommended).
  • With a Battery (Sucrose/Jean): 130–140% ER.
  • With C6 Faruzan: 120–130% ER.
  • With Xianyun and Faruzan: 115–125% ER.

In our testing, we found that running 125% ER is the sweet spot for comfort in the Spiral Abyss. Anything lower requires perfect particle funnelling, which is difficult in chaotic fights.

2. Critical Ratio

Aim for at least a 1:2 ratio. Since Xiao attacks rapidly in an AoE, consistency is better than a few "big numbers."

  • Target Crit Rate: 75% – 85%.
  • Target Crit Damage: 180% – 220%+.

3. Attack Power

Since Xiao has one of the highest base attacks in the game, ATK% is incredibly valuable. You should aim for a minimum of 2,100 ATK if using a 5-star weapon. If you are using a 4-star weapon, 1,900 is a realistic goal.

Best Artifact Sets for Xiao

Choosing the right artifact set depends heavily on your team composition, particularly whether you are running Furina.

1. Vermillion Hereafter (The Dedicated BiS)

The 4-piece Vermillion Hereafter was designed specifically for Xiao. It triggers an ATK% buff whenever the character's HP decreases after using an Elemental Burst. Since Xiao loses HP every second during his Burst, he maintains the maximum stacks of this buff (up to 66% ATK) effortlessly.

  • Why choose this: It provides the highest personal damage for Xiao in almost every scenario.

2. Marechaussee Hunter (The Furina Alternative)

If you are running Xiao with Furina, the Marechaussee Hunter set becomes extremely competitive. Furina causes team-wide HP fluctuations, allowing Xiao to gain a free 36% Crit Rate from the 4-piece set bonus.

  • Why choose this: It makes building Xiao much easier because you can focus almost entirely on Crit Damage and ATK% in your sub-stats.

3. Desert Pavilion Chronicle

This set is viable if you use a Charged Attack before starting your plunges. However, the 15-second duration can be tight, and the playstyle feels clunkier than Vermillion.

  • Why choose this: Use it only if you already have a God-tier set while farming for Wanderer.

4. 2-Piece Combinations (The Budget Option)

Mixing 2-piece Viridescent Venerer (+15% Anemo) with 2-piece Gladiator’s Finale (+18% ATK) is a solid placeholder. While it is roughly 10-15% weaker than 4-piece Vermillion, it is much easier to farm.

Best Weapons for Xiao: From Whale to F2P

Xiao is weapon-dependent. His damage scales heavily with Base ATK because his multipliers are so high.

Top-Tier Five-Star Weapons

  1. Primordial Jade Winged-Spear (PJWS): This is his signature weapon and remains the best all-around choice. It provides Crit Rate and an ATK stacking mechanic that aligns perfectly with Xiao’s long field time.
  2. Staff of Homa: While it provides massive Crit Damage, you need to stay below 50% HP to maximize it. This is risky without a shield and difficult if you are running a strong healer like Xianyun. However, even above 50% HP, it is his second-best option.
  3. Calamity Queller: Shenhe’s signature weapon is surprisingly good on Xiao due to its massive Base ATK and Elemental Damage bonus. You will need to get your Crit stats entirely from artifacts, though.

Best Four-Star and F2P Weapons

  1. Deathmatch (Battle Pass): A fantastic option that provides a high Crit Rate. Its passive gives an ATK buff depending on the number of enemies, which is perfect for Xiao’s AoE niche.
  2. Lithic Spear: If you run a team with Liyue characters (e.g., Xiao, Zhongli, Xianyun, Gaming/Yelan), this weapon can outperform some 5-star options at high refinements.
  3. Blackcliff Pole (Starglitter Shop): The best F2P choice for the Crit Damage stat stick. The passive is great for mob floors but useless against single-target bosses.

Talent Leveling and Priority

You should eventually aim for 9/9/9 or 10/10/10 (Triple Crown) if you are a Xiao main. But if resources are tight, follow this order:

  1. Normal Attack: Whirlwind Thrust (Priority #1): Many players mistakenly think the Burst increases plunge damage directly. In reality, the Burst is a multiplier for your Normal Attack talent levels. Therefore, leveling this talent gives the biggest DPS increase.
  2. Elemental Burst: Bane of All Evil (Priority #2): Leveling this increases the DMG bonus and reduces the HP drain slightly.
  3. Elemental Skill: Lemniscatic Wind Cycling (Priority #3): While this does good damage, it is primarily used for generating energy before you Burst.

The Ultimate Team Compositions

Xiao is a "selfish" carry, meaning the entire team must be built to support him. In the current meta, one team stands above the rest.

1. The "FFXX" Premium Team (Xiao + Faruzan + Furina + Xianyun)

This is currently Xiao's strongest team.

  • Faruzan (C6 is best): Provides Anemo DMG bonus, Anemo RES shred, and Crit Damage buffs.
  • Furina: Provides a massive universal DMG buff and off-field Hydro damage.
  • Xianyun: Increases Xiao's plunge attack damage based on her ATK and provides team-wide healing to stack Furina’s buffs.
  • Rotation: Furina E > Furina Q > Faruzan E/Q > Xianyun E/Q > Xiao EE > Xiao Q > Plunge spam.

2. The Classic Double Geo (Xiao + Zhongli + Albedo/Chiori + Jean/Sucrose)

This was the meta team for years. It offers incredible comfort thanks to Zhongli's shield.

  • Zhongli: Shreds all elemental resistance and ensures Xiao never gets interrupted.
  • Albedo/Chiori: Provides off-field damage and Geo resonance (which increases DMG by 15% when shielded).
  • Jean: Acts as a battery and healer.

3. F2P Friendly Team (Xiao + Sucrose + Bennett + Xiangling/Layla)

If you don't have 5-star supports:

  • Sucrose: Equip with Thrilling Tales of Dragon Slayers (TTDS) to give Xiao a massive 48% ATK buff.
  • Bennett: The universal ATK buffer and healer.
  • Layla/Diona: Provides a shield to protect Xiao during his plunges.

Advanced Combat Tips for Xiao Mains

To truly master Xiao, you need to understand the nuances of his movement and energy management.

The "Pre-Funneling" Technique

Xiao cannot generate energy particles with his Elemental Skill while his Burst is active. To maximize uptime, you should double-tap his Skill (E > E) and immediately cast his Burst (Q). This allows Xiao to catch the particles after his Burst animation finishes, giving him a head start on his next rotation.

Managing Collision Damage

When performing a plunge attack, if you land directly on an enemy’s head, you deal "Collision Damage" in addition to the "Aoe Plunge Damage." This can increase your total damage by roughly 15%. When fighting large bosses, try to aim your jumps to clip their hitbox on the way down.

Handling "Knockback"

Xiao’s plunges tend to knock light enemies away from him. To prevent chasing enemies across the arena, try to plunge on the outer edge of a group to push them toward the center, or trap them against the wall of the Abyss.

Summary of the Best Xiao Build

Xiao remains a top-tier Anemo DPS because he excels at exactly what the hardest Abyss floors require: high-frequency AoE damage. To make him shine, prioritize the Vermillion Hereafter set and pair him with Faruzan—she is his most important teammate by far. While he requires a significant investment in stats (especially Energy Recharge), the reward is a character who can bypass many shield mechanics and delete waves of enemies with ease.

Final Build Targets:

  • ATK: 2,100+
  • Crit Rate: 80%
  • Crit DMG: 200%
  • Energy Recharge: 130%
  • Key Support: Faruzan (C6 preferred)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Which is better: Anemo DMG or ATK% Goblet?

In most cases, an Anemo DMG Goblet is superior. However, because Xiao receives so many DMG% buffs from his Burst and Faruzan, an ATK% Goblet with much better sub-stats can sometimes perform similarly. Use an optimizer if the sub-stats are close.

Is Xiao's C1 worth it?

Yes. Xiao's C1 gives him an extra charge of his Elemental Skill. This significantly lowers his Energy Recharge requirements because he can generate more particles at the start of a fight. It is one of the best "early" constellations in the game.

Can I use Xiao without Faruzan?

You can, but his damage will be significantly lower. Faruzan provides Anemo Resistance Shred, which is rare in Genshin Impact. If you don't have Faruzan, you must use Zhongli or Anemo Traveler to shred resistance, but the results will not be as impressive.

Is Marechaussee Hunter better than Vermillion?

Only if you are using Furina. Without Furina, Xiao cannot reliably trigger the Marechaussee Hunter stacks. If you have Furina, the two sets are very close, and you should pick the one with the better sub-stats.

Why does my Xiao do low damage?

The most common reasons are:

  1. Low Talent Levels: Ensure your Normal Attack talent is leveled up.
  2. Low ATK: Xiao needs high base ATK; avoid using 3-star weapons other than White Tassel in the very early game.
  3. Missing Buffs: Xiao relies on his teammates to shred Anemo resistance and buff his ATK.