Xiao is Genshin Impact's premier Anemo Plunge DPS, capable of dealing massive AoE damage with his unique aerial combat style. To build Xiao optimally in October 2025, prioritize the Long Night's Oath artifact set (or Vermillion Hereafter), Primordial Jade Winged-Spear or Staff of Homa for weapons, and team compositions featuring Faruzan, Xianyun, and Furina for maximum damage output.
| Build Component | Best Option | Alternative Options |
|---|---|---|
| Best Artifact Set | Long Night's Oath (4pc) | Vermillion Hereafter (4pc), Marechaussee Hunter (4pc) |
| Main Stats | ATK% / Anemo DMG / Crit Rate or DMG | ATK% / ATK% / Crit Rate or DMG |
| Best Weapon | Primordial Jade Winged-Spear | Staff of Homa, Lumidouce Elegy |
| Best Team | Xiao + Xianyun + Furina + C6 Faruzan | Xiao + Faruzan + Bennett + Flex |
| Talent Priority | Normal Attack > Burst > Skill | - |
Welcome to the most comprehensive Xiao build guide for 2025! If you're looking to master the Vigilant Yaksha and unleash devastating plunge attacks across Teyvat, you've come to the right place. After the introduction of new artifacts and supports like Xianyun and Faruzan, Xiao has experienced a significant renaissance in the current meta, making him more powerful than ever before.
Contents
Xiao operates as a hypercarry DPS, meaning he demands the majority of your team's field time and investment. Unlike other Anemo characters who focus on Swirl reactions, Xiao deals raw Anemo damage through his signature plunging attacks. When you activate his Elemental Burst "Bane of All Evil," Xiao dons his Yaksha mask, dramatically increasing his jump height and converting all his attacks to Anemo damage.
What makes Xiao unique is his playstyle – while other characters stay grounded, Xiao spends most of his time in the air, raining down devastating plunge attacks on enemies below. This aerial combat style gives him excellent AoE coverage, making him particularly effective against groups of enemies. However, this power comes at a cost: Xiao continuously loses HP while his Burst is active, requiring careful team composition to keep him healthy and fighting.
My experience with Xiao has shown several key advantages that make him worth building:
While powerful, Xiao does have some limitations you should understand:
Released in Version 5.5, Long Night's Oath has become Xiao's new best-in-slot artifact set, finally dethroning Vermillion Hereafter. This Natlan domain artifact provides everything Xiao needs:
Set Bonuses:
The beauty of this set lies in its perfect synergy with Xiao's playstyle. During a typical rotation, you'll easily maintain 4-5 stacks, translating to an 85-100% Plunge DMG bonus total. This massive damage increase, combined with the unconditional 2-piece bonus, makes it worth farming even if you already have a good Vermillion Hereafter set.
Before Long Night's Oath, Vermillion Hereafter reigned as Xiao's signature set. It remains an excellent option, especially if you already have well-rolled pieces:
Set Bonuses:
This set capitalizes on Xiao's HP drain mechanic, providing up to 66% ATK bonus when fully stacked. The main advantage is that the buff lasts for the entire duration of Xiao's Burst, ensuring consistent damage output. If you have exceptional substats on Vermillion pieces, the difference between this and Long Night's Oath becomes minimal.
For players running Xiao with Furina, Marechaussee Hunter becomes a compelling option:
Set Bonuses:
While the 2-piece doesn't benefit Xiao's plunges, the 4-piece effect provides a whopping 36% Crit Rate when fully stacked. This allows you to focus entirely on Crit DMG in your artifact substats. Combined with Furina's damage bonus and Xianyun's flat damage addition, this set can compete with Xiao's dedicated sets.
For players still farming optimal 4-piece sets, these combinations work well:
The optimal main stats for Xiao haven't changed much over the years:
Sands: ATK% (always) Goblet: Anemo DMG Bonus (preferred) or ATK% (if better substats) Circlet: Crit Rate or Crit DMG (depending on your ratio)
Focus on these substats in order of importance:
Xiao's signature weapon remains his best option, providing everything he needs:
This weapon's high base ATK and Crit Rate substat perfectly complement Xiao's kit. The stacking mechanic reaches full power after a few plunges, maintaining maximum effectiveness throughout his Burst duration. Aesthetically, it's also his canonical weapon, making it the perfect choice for Xiao enthusiasts.
The universal polearm powerhouse works exceptionally well on Xiao:
While the HP threshold bonus can be challenging to maintain safely, even above 50% HP, Staff of Homa provides massive Crit DMG and significant ATK bonuses. This weapon particularly shines with shielders like Zhongli who can keep Xiao safe at lower HP thresholds.
The newest addition to Xiao's arsenal offers impressive stats:
Despite being designed for Dendro interactions, the raw stats make this weapon competitive with Xiao's traditional options. The high Crit Rate helps achieve consistent critical hits without overcapping.
Available through the Battle Pass, Deathmatch offers excellent value:
The high Crit Rate makes building Xiao significantly easier, though the low base ATK requires compensation through artifacts and buffers.
Powerful with the right team composition:
Available in Paimon's Bargains:
While the passive is unreliable in boss fights, the Crit DMG substat helps balance stats for F2P players.
Don't underestimate this 3-star weapon:
Xiao + Xianyun + Furina + C6 Faruzan
This is the ultimate Xiao team composition in 2025, maximizing both personal and team damage:
Why it works:
Rotation: Faruzan Q → Furina EQ → Xianyun EPQ → Xiao EE Q (plunge spam)
This team represents the ceiling of Xiao's potential but requires significant investment, particularly C6 Faruzan.
Xiao + Faruzan + Bennett + Zhongli
The traditional approach focusing purely on buffing Xiao:
Advantages:
Considerations:
Xiao + Sucrose/Jean + Zhongli + Albedo/Chiori
Maximum comfort and consistency:
Benefits:
This team trades some damage ceiling for unmatched comfort and ease of play.
Xiao + Sucrose + Bennett + Xiangling
Accessible team using mostly 4-star characters:
Why it works:
Xiao + Jean/Xianyun + Furina + Faruzan/Zhongli
Leveraging Furina without the full premium setup:
Key points:
Understanding which talents to prioritize can save you valuable resources:
High Plunge vs Low Plunge: Always aim for High Plunges by jumping to maximum height before plunging. The damage difference is substantial, and the timing window is forgiving. Low Plunges should only be used for specific Collision Plunge setups.
Collision Plunge Technique: Against tall enemies (Primo Geovishap, Ruin Guards), position yourself to hit the enemy model directly while plunging. This triggers additional collision damage before the ground impact, significantly increasing single-target DPS.
N1CJP Combo (JET): In single-target situations, weave in Normal Attack → Charged Attack → Jump → Plunge. This advanced combo maximizes damage but requires practice to execute consistently without losing plunges.
Pre-funneling Technique: Always use Xiao's two Skill charges immediately before casting Burst. The particles will reach Xiao during his Burst animation, providing energy for the next rotation.
Battery Optimization:
Rotation Management: If Xiao's Burst isn't ready, don't force the rotation. Use your battery's skills to generate particles, then restart properly. Wasted particles extend clear times significantly.
Knockback Management:
Aerial Mobility: Hold directional inputs while plunging to adjust position mid-air. This helps maintain optimal positioning as enemies move or get knocked back.
Burst Timing:
Provides a third Skill charge, offering slight energy improvement and quality of life. Not a significant DPS increase but makes rotations more comfortable.
The 25% Energy Recharge when off-field rarely applies since Xiao should be on-field when particles arrive. Generally considered his weakest constellation.
These constellations provide talent level increases with minimal impact. C5 (Burst +3) offers the most value among them but still doesn't dramatically change his performance.
Completely changes Xiao's playstyle, converting him from plunge-focused to Skill-spam against 2+ enemies. Provides massive damage increase but requires gameplay adjustment. Only recommended for dedicated Xiao enthusiasts.
As of October 2025, Xiao sits comfortably in the A+ to S tier of main DPS characters. The introduction of dedicated supports like Faruzan and Xianyun has revitalized his position, addressing his historical lack of tailored supports. While he may not reach the ceiling of reaction-based teams, his consistent, unconditional damage makes him valuable for various content.
Xiao offers excellent return on investment for players who commit to building him properly. His ability to handle both single-target and AoE situations, combined with his independence from specific elemental reactions, makes him a reliable choice for diverse content. The recent addition of Long Night's Oath artifact set further cements his viability in the current meta.
With Genshin Impact's tendency to release character-specific supports over time, Xiao's potential continues to grow. Each new Anemo support or plunge-focused character potentially benefits his teams. The game's evolution toward HP-manipulation mechanics (Fontaine characters) has unexpectedly synergized with his kit, suggesting continued relevance.
Xiao was last available during the Version 5.3 Chronicled Wish banner (January 21 - February 11, 2025). Based on historical patterns, he typically returns during Lantern Rite events. Watch for announcements during major Liyue celebrations or anniversary events.
Absolutely! With modern supports and artifacts, Xiao performs better than ever. He's particularly valuable for players who:
With proper team composition:
Generally, Anemo DMG% performs better, especially with external ATK buffs (Bennett, TTDS). However, if your ATK% goblet has significantly better substats (20+ crit value difference), it can outperform a mediocre Anemo goblet. Use optimizer tools to determine your specific case.
Follow dedicated Xiao theorycrafters and content creators for in-depth guides, showcases, and updates on optimal builds and strategies.
Building Xiao in 2025 rewards players who appreciate consistent, skill-based gameplay and spectacular aerial combat. While he requires significant investment and careful team building, the payoff is a character capable of demolishing any content with style and efficiency. Whether you're a longtime Xiao main updating your build or a new player considering pulling for him, following this guide will help you unleash the full potential of the Vigilant Yaksha.
Remember that Genshin Impact is ultimately about enjoyment - while this guide provides optimal builds and strategies, the best Xiao is the one you have fun playing. Don't feel pressured to achieve perfect artifacts or specific 5-star weapons immediately. Build progressively, enjoy the journey, and soon you'll be plunging through Spiral Abyss floors with ease.
For the most up-to-date information and community discussions, join the Xiao Mains community and stay informed about future updates that might affect his builds. May your plunges always crit, and your Xiao never fail to impress!