Xiao is a 5-star Anemo character in Genshin Impact who serves as the primary damage dealer on your team. He is one of the few main DPS characters for the Anemo element in Genshin Impact, making him a unique and powerful character.
Xiao is a strong bringer, capable of dealing tons of damage, but he has some weaknesses that you'll need to fix before you can start using him to his fullest potential. He is ready to receive a rerun in Genshin Impact version 2.4, so now is the perfect time to make sure you can create the best version of Xiao possible.
Here are the best builds for Xiao in Genshin Impact:
The best weapons for Xiao
Unfortunately, finding a good weapon for Xiao is one of his latest weaknesses. This is because many of the Polearm weapons available to all players aren't actually that good for Xiao. This means that if you're a free-to-play player, it's hard to find a great weapon for him.
If you can spend some money, you can easily get the Deathmatch from the monthly battle pass. Deathmatch increases Crit Rate and increases ATK% by a substantial amount through its passive, making it a perfect weapon for the character. (Plus, you're guaranteed to get it every month.) You can also roll for the Primal Jade Winged Spear, which is one of Xiao's best weapons.
If you are a free-to-play player, however, your options are slim. Free-to-play weapons like The Catch don't actually help Xiao, as his Elemental Burst doesn't register as Elemental Burst Damage. You can use the lytic spear if you were lucky enough to get it, or you can save your Starglitter and purchase the Blackcliff Pole from the Starglitter store. Otherwise, you can also use the Favonius Spear as a last resort.
The best artifacts for Xiao
Unlike many of the other main DPS characters in the game, Xiao doesn't have a dedicated artifact set. For example, Arataki Itto uses the Husk of Opulent Dreams artifact set, which was tailor-made for his kit. As a result, Xiao's best options are as follows:
You can consider building a 2-piece Viridescent Venerer set for the Anemo DMG bonus, as well as the 2-piece Gladiator's Triumph set for 18% ATK boost. Alternatively, you can build a 2-piece Gladiator's Triumph and a 2-piece Shimenawa's Reminiscence, both of which will increase her ATK by 18%.
Aim for these substats:
- Crit Rate / Crit DMG: As a main DPS character, one of the best ways to increase damage is to increase these two stats. The higher you can get both of these values, the better.
- TO%: ATK% is another important stat for DPS characters. If your ATK is too low, increasing Crit Rate and Crit DMG won't have the same impact.
- Energy recharge: Xiao is having trouble constantly charging her Elemental Burst, which accounts for most of her damage. Therefore, you want to have an energy recharge so that you can use her Elemental Burst more consistently.
The best team for Xiao
Xiao has limited teams as an Anemo character, as her damage is not heavily affected by Elemental Reactions. Generally, you will want an Anemo holder, such as Sucrose or Jean. This way you can channel the energy into Xiao's Elemental Burst.
Additionally, a shield is of great help, as Xiao's health decreases while using her Elemental Burst. In this state, Xiao is pretty soft and open to taking tons of damage, so having a shield helps mitigate this problem.
- Xiao, Saccarosio/Jean, Zhongli, Albedo: This is one of the most popular teams in Xiao. Zhongli provides a strong shield for Xiao, while Albedo deals with tons of off-screen DPS. Additionally, two Geo characters will reduce the overall stamina of enemies, allowing Xiao to deal more damage.
- When choosing between Sucrose and Jean (if you have that luxury), consider what your team needs. Sucrose provides more energy, so if you feel you need to use Xiao's Elemental Burst more frequently, choose Sucrose. If Zhongli's shields aren't enough for Xiao's defenses, you can choose Jean for healing.
- One of the big draws for this team is the Geo resonance, which is activated when two Geo characters are brought along. Therefore, if you miss Zhongli and Albedo, you can also choose to bring other Geo characters like Ningguang or Geo Traveler. (Don't use Gorou, as it doesn't empower Xiao in any significant way.)
- Xiao, Zhongli/Diona, Bennett, Xiangling: If you don't have access to two Geo characters, consider bringing Bennett and another Pyro character. Bennett will provide healing and a sizable ATK buff, while Xiangling will inflict a lot of DPS out of bounds. The last slot can be dedicated to a shielder like Zhongli or Diona. (Alternatively, you can forgo the shield and bring an Anemo holder instead.)
