XIAO GUIDE
Adeptal Guide to Conquering Xiao
An In Depth Guide to Xiao's Builds, Teams, and Gameplay
Credits
Principal Authors
baeliph, orum
Principal Theorycrafters
coded, felic1an, itslin
Guide Content Contributors
alerine, for the Lithic Thesis.
leeyuuh, for notes on Diona, Qiqi, and Zhongli.
3pi14, for notes on Energy Management and Zhongli.
poiiyo and .ioncy, for notes on Energy Management.
notmemu, for Collision Plunge damage mechanics and video examples.
Visual Contributors & Proofreaders
dri / @prinzcake for providing the guide banner.
jenjenjl, iongrey, llamagician, never3nder, homeless and rich3331, for edits and proofreading.
orum, for the guide's overall design.
Updated for Version 4.5
Character Introduction
Xiao is a 5★ Anemo Hypercarry DPS. As a Hypercarry, Xiao generally takes up the most field time due to his Elemental Burst's long duration. Ideally, he will also contribute the majority of the Team's DPS. This makes Xiao an expensive unit individually, as the majority of investment will be given to him, but the rest of his teammates can be managed with less investment.
TL;DR Visual Guide
Is Xiao Worth It?
Pros
Low skill floor gameplay.
Large AoE.
Team requires minimal investment.
Plunges count as heavy attacks, which are useful for breaking object shields & staggering enemies.
Cons
Lacking F2P weapon options.
Requires intentional energy management.
Investment-heavy as a Hypercarry.
Team options can be limited due to the long duration of his Elemental Burst.
Low value Constellations.
Ultimately, our goal is not to convince you whether Xiao is meta or not meta, or whether he is worth pulling or not for your account. Instead, the reader should review Xiao’s strengths and weaknesses as detailed above and in our “Should You Wish for Xiao?” guide, and then draw your own conclusions whether he is worth your pulls.
Talents
Constellation 0-5
Xiao's Normal Attack Talent is worth crowning.
We recommend leveling Xiao's Skill and Burst to TL8. Raising them past that is not a priority and should only be done out of love for Xiao.
Getting Burst to at least TL7 is recommended to reduce the life drain from 2.5% to 2% HP/sec.
Constellation 6
Xiao's Constellation 6 is conditional and will become inactive in single-target scenarios. Because of this, we suggest raising both his Elemental Skill and Normal Attack Talent equally.
Why prioritize Normal Attack over Burst?
Xiao scales better through Normal Attack Talents than his Elemental Burst:
Xiao's Elemental Burst simply provides him with additional DMG Bonus to his infused Normal/Charged/Plunging Attacks. Hence, Xiao's damage is still calculated through the Plunge Modifiers on his Normal Attack Talent.
The DMG Bonus from Xiao's Burst is additive to other sources of DMG Bonus, such as from your Goblet, artifact set bonuses, weapon passives, etc.
The scaling on his Burst's Elemental DMG Bonus isn't significant. From TL8 to TL10, you only gain 9.1% more DMG Bonus, which is less than what a 2pc artifact set would provide.
Constellations
At C0, Xiao already has everything you need to clear the hardest content in the game.
His C1 is primarily quality of life. It is only beneficial for gaining extra energy for the second rotation.
Unfortunately, none of C2-C5 contribute significantly to improving Xiao’s DPS nor his gameplay.
For these reasons, we recommend players to either pull for C0/C1 or to fully commit to C6.
C1. Dissolution Eon: Destroyer of Worlds
Increases Lemniscatic Wind Cycling's charges by 1.
In optimized rotations, C1 only offers a single extra Skill charge between Xiao’s first and second Bursts. This is because:
Xiao can only pre-funnel two of his Skills, so using the third Skill before his first Burst is wasting those energy particles.
Xiao should use all three Skill charges between his first and second Burst. After his second Burst, Xiao’s third Skill charge will still be on cooldown and so cannot immediately fund energy for his third Burst.
For these reasons, C1 is not a standard DPS increase to Xiao's damage per rotation. However C1 does soften his ER needs by enabling Xiao to obtain his second Burst much more reliably, while also being a decent source of extra energy in comps featuring Faruzan and/or additional Anemos.
C2. Annihilation Eon: Blossom of Kaleidos
When in the party and not on the field, Xiao's Energy Recharge is increased by 25%.
C2 is inconsequential as Xiao should be on-field as much as possible, especially when particles are directly funneled between Elemental Bursts.
C3. Conqueror of Evil: Wrath Deity
Increases the Level of Lemniscatic Wind Cycling by 3.
C3 does not impact Xiao’s plunge damage. It is only useful for C6 Xiao.
C4. Transcension: Extinction of Suffering
When Xiao's HP falls below 50%, he gains a 100% DEF Bonus.
C4 provides a DEF bonus which is useless in 99% of scenarios, especially since his most popular supports are generally Zhongli and good healers like Jean or Bennett.
C5. Evolution Eon: Origin of Ignorance
Increases the Level of Bane of All Evil by 3.
C5 is also not a big improvement as Xiao gains little overall DPS increase from Burst Levels due to oversaturated DMG Bonus.
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.
This Constellation changes Xiao’s main damage source from spamming plunges to Elemental Skills, assuming that he faces 2 or more enemies. His optimal attack string becomes 1 Plunge followed up by 3-4 Elemental Skills, heavily increasing his damage output.
While this Constellation brings powerful upgrades, it is not without its limitations; for more details please check out our C6 Xiao Guide.
Artifacts
Baseline Stat Recommendations
Xiao is a Hypercarry, so the more you can afford to invest in him, the better. We recommend building Xiao at least to the point that his team is able to clear most content in 2-3 Burst rotations. We recommend the following stat baselines:
CRIT Rate: 70%+
Energy Recharge: 120% ~ 140%
ER needs depend on team batteries and investment, we recommend you use the Xiao ER Calculator by 3.14#2780 for specific Energy needs.
Main Stats
Anemo DMG% vs. ATK% Goblet
The difference between the two is marginal in the majority of cases, and it is often better to prioritize the Goblet's substats.
The exact number depends on your weapon, team comp, artifact rolls, etc. which is why we suggest checking your damage in-game or using a tool like Genshin Optimizer to confirm which Goblet is better for your Xiao.
With 4pc Vermillion Hereafter, Anemo Goblet tends to perform better. However if your team includes Faruzan, the difference ends up being small enough that substats will matter more.
With C6 Xiao, Anemo Goblet is generally preferred.
CRIT Rate vs. CRIT DMG Circlet
Either Circlet is viable on Xiao depending on your weapon and artifact substats. Regardless of whichever you pick, we recommend at least getting 70% CRIT Rate on Xiao to permit consistent critical hits.
ER% Sands
There is no situation where running an ER% Sands is beneficial as it lowers Xiao’s damage. You should always aim to get sufficient ER% from substats and/or utilize proper batteries in your teams. Please read our Battery section for more information.
Substats
20–40% ER > CRIT Rate = CRIT DMG > ATK% > Extra ER%
Xiao is a relatively simple character whose damage scales purely from ATK, CRIT Rate and CRIT DMG (as well as DMG Bonus). We recommend a minimum of 70% CRIT Rate on Xiao, and further CRIT stats should ideally be balanced in a 1:2 ratio.
While Energy Recharge may not affect his damage, a large chunk of his gameplay is reliant on utilizing his Elemental Burst, so obtaining ~20–40 ER% from substats can be invaluable.
Recommended Artifact Sets
For full sheet comparing 4pc VHA and 4pc MH for all weapons and refines, see EE12HP 4pc Hunter vs 4pc Vermillion.
4pc Vermillion Hereafter
Xiao's Best-in-Slot artifact set.
Its effect is easily proccable by Xiao, and it possesses more total stat value than any 2pc combination. It is also one of the few ATK sources that lasts until the end of Xiao’s Elemental Burst.
For comparisons between 4pc Vermillion and 2pc sets: Vermillion Pain.
4pc Marechaussee Hunter
A strong alternative to 4pc VHA.
While his plunge attacks do not benefit from the 2pc set bonus, the 4pc effect has great synergy with Xiao’s innate HP loss, allowing him to reach max stacks (for a total of 36% CRIT Rate) by the 3rd plunge. This set has particular synergy with Xianyun comps (due to her Flat DMG scaling on CRIT) and Vortex Vanquisher (due to balancing out its stats).
If using 4pc MH, be cautious to not overcap on CRIT Rate. This may require hunting for primarily CRIT DMG rolls on your artifacts or switching to a non CRIT Rate weapon.
For comparisons between 4pc VHA, 4pc MH, and 2pc sets: EE12HP 4pc Hunter vs 4pc Vermillion.
With Xianyun: Xiao Sheet by granien.
2pc Anemo / 2pc ATK
Any combination of these 2pc sets will work for Xiao.
Comparison between Anemo/ATK and ATK/ATK depends entirely on your teams and the buffs provided to Xiao. Please refer to the sheet below for more information. Generally speaking, however, you should prioritize better substat rolls over specific set bonus combinations.
2pc Emblem
Energy Recharge is an important part of Xiao’s Gameplay.
The stat value of 18% ATK and 20% ER are virtually identical, making the trade-off fairly equal for those who want to reach a desired ER threshold. While the set on its own does not raise your Xiao's damage directly, the extra ER% permits for easier Energy management and rotations; the faster you get back Xiao's Burst, the better your overall DPS will be.
Conditional Artifact Sets
4pc Desert Pavilion Chronicle
Conditional proc; falls behind 4pc Vermillion Hereafter.
We do not recommend farming this set specifically for Xiao.
4pc DPC requires the user to cast a Charged Attack to gain a 40% DMG Bonus to Normal/Charged/Plunging Attacks, This bonus is additive to existing DMG Bonus sources like Xiao’s Elemental Burst and Anemo Goblets.
In single-target scenarios using the N1CJP attack string, it performs between 4pc VH and 2pc combinations, making it a good option. In multi-target situations however, since players will prefer pure plunge spamming, the time required to cast a Charged Attack will decrease the overall damage dealt, thus lowering its value.
4pc Viridescent Venerer
Doesn't buff Xiao's damage, but buffs Xiao's supports that deal Elemental damage.
4pc VV is viable for enabling high-damage Pyro/Cryo/Hydro/Electro damage dealers on your team, such as Xiangling, Raiden or Yelan; however, this requires high investment in these supports for it to be worthwhile. The inconsistency of Xiao’s Swirls also makes it less viable than 4pc Vermillion or 2pc combinations. 4pc VV will almost always be better to put on your Anemo battery instead.
Additionally, with the introduction of Faruzan in Patch 3.3, players will generally find more value in increasing Xiao’s own damage, thus rendering 4pc VV less practical on Xiao.
Useless Artifact Sets
2pc Noblesse Oblige and 4pc Emblem of Severed Fate
Does not work with Xiao's Elemental Burst.
Xiao’s Burst only transforms and modifies Xiao’s Plunging damage. Because of this, he cannot utilize the Elemental Burst DMG buff that is provided by any type of artifact set bonus.
Weapon Chart
The table above displays Xiao’s total damage across a single Burst rotation consisting of two Elemental Skills and twelve High Plunges (EEQ12HP).
Assumes 10/10/10 Talent and 25 perfect artifact rolls distributed optimally across ATK%, CRIT Rate, and CRIT DMG.
It does not factor in external buffs of any kind. If you’d like to see how the weapons compare with Faruzan, Bennett and/or TTDS in mind, please check out the full Xiao Weapon Comparison sheet.
The best weapon for your Xiao will depend heavily on the artifacts, stats, and supports available to you.
The purpose of this table is solely to provide a quick damage comparison. If you'd like a more in-depth look into his weapons that considers ease of building, necessary teams, ER effects, etc, please read our full Weapons guide to understand their in-depth pros and cons.
To calculate your Xiao’s damage with different weapons (and artifact sets), please use our damage calculator or other in-depth calculators such as Genshin Optimizer.
Supports, Teams, Gameplay
For information on Xiao's best supports, teams, and gameplay tips, please see the individual sections below.
Afterword
Once the guide is thick enough, we can eat it.
Thank you for taking the time to read this guide. We hope that this has provided you with all the information you need to play the Eternal Yaksha, Xiao.
If you have comments or suggestions for the guide, or wish to contribute to our Theorycrafting in the future, be sure to join the Xiao Mains Discord. We would love to have you there!
