Best Xiao builds in Genshin Impact

Xiao is the original Plunging Attack DPS in Genshin Impact. His builds are surprisingly diverse for an Anemo DPS unit, with multiple build options depending on Xiao’s team. For those with the five-star polearm-wielder, here are Xiao’s best weapons and artifact sets in Genshin Impact!

Artifact Sets

4pc Marechausee Hunter (4MH)

My generally recommended artifact set, simply because it’s in a more Resin-efficient domain. Xiao has no problem triggering the 4pc effect with his innate health drain, making him one of the rare DPS units who doesn’t rely on Furina to use a 4MH build.

4pc Vermillion Hereafter (4VHA)

This set performs similarly to 4pc Marechausee Hunter, but comes from a worse domain. Vermillion Hereafter’s sheer ATK makes it better than Marechausee Hunter in a vacuum, but scales worse as you stack more external buffs. It’s still very competitive though, and your best set can come down to your specific team and artifact stats.

2pc combos

If you don’t want to farm for a full 4pc set, try 2pc combos of ATK, Anemo DMG, and Energy Recharge. They’re not quite as good as the 4pc sets above, but they’ll get you most of the way there, and you’re likely to already have usable 2pc sets in your inventory.

Artifact Stats

Xiao’s Energy Recharge needs vary considerably depending on his team. If you have a Favonius holder on your team and you’re able to let Xiao catch Anemo particles from a dedicated battery (Sucrose, Jean, or Faruzan), you can get away with 110-140% Energy Recharge. C6 Faruzan in particular allows Xiao to stay in the lower end of this range.

Aside from Energy Recharge, Xiao uses the typical DPS stats: CRIT Rate, CRIT DMG, and ATK. In teams with lots of DMG buffs (e.g., Furina teams) and a 4pc Marechausee Hunter build, an ATK goblet can be better than Anemo DMG.

Weapons

Staff of Homa / Primordial Jade Winged-Spear

In the absence of a true signature weapon, these two Polearms are Xiao’s current best options. The two are fairly comparable, but I recommend Staff of Homa if you’re using 4pc Marechausee Hunter artifacts.

Other 5-star Polearms

If you happen to have any other 5-star Polearm, you can use it on Xiao. Even if its passive isn’t ideal for Xiao (e.g., Skyward Spine), the higher base ATK makes up for it. Unfortunately, Xiao’s 4-star options aren’t great, so practically any 5-star Polearm will be better.

Deathmatch / Lithic Spear / Blackcliff Pole

These 4-star weapons aren’t exactly the most accessible, being locked to the Battle Pass, weapon banner, and Starglitter shop, respectively. Still, if you have access to them, they are Xiao’s best 4-star options. Deathmatch and Lithic Spear scale decently with Refinements, but Blackcliff does not, since its passive can be unreliable. Lithic Spear is also only worth it if you have another Liyue teammate, i.e., Xianyun.

Prospector’s Drill / Missive Windspear / Ballad of the Fjords

These three weapons are a tier below the other 4-stars. They’ll work fine if you don’t have anything better. Of these, only Missive Windspear was available for free, but only for a limited time in late 2022.

Favonius Lance

Favonius is your fallback option if you are free-to-play and don’t have any of the above. If you lack C6 Faruzan or other Anemo batteries, Favonius Lance can help with Xiao’s Energy needs, allowing him to focus on more offensive stats with his artifacts. It’s still a gacha weapon, but easier to acquire than the others on this list.