Genshin Xiao Build 2026: Best Weapons, Artifacts & Teams
Version 7.0 Snezhnaya is about to flood the banner with new Cryo and Electro units — but the accounts that clear endgame are still the ones with a self-sufficient main DPS. Xiao is exactly that: an Anemo plunge carry who needs no specific teammate to function, so he stays relevant no matter how the 7.0 meta shifts. While everyone chases the new units, building Xiao now gives you a permanent, team-agnostic DPS that you can drop into almost any team. This guide covers his best weapon, the 4pc Vermillion Hereafter set, the ATK% / Anemo DMG / CRIT stat plan, the Energy Recharge that keeps his plunge uptime, and the Xiao Hypercarry shell.
Xiao is the game's premier Anemo plunge DPS. His Elemental Burst (Bane of All Evil) transforms him into a high-air plunge attacker, dealing massive AoE Anemo damage at the cost of his own HP. He is the Anemo answer to a selfish hypercarry — pair him with a shield (Zhongli) and a battery (Bennett) and he deletes groups. This guide covers his best weapon (Primordial Jade Winged-Spear vs Staff of Homa / Deathmatch), the 4pc Vermillion Hereafter set, the ATK% / Anemo DMG / CRIT stat plan, the ER that keeps his Burst up, and teams with Zhongli / Bennett / Furina / Kazuha.
Why Xiao Is Worth Building
Among Anemo units, only Xiao gives you a pure, self-contained main DPS that does not depend on a specific teammate to shine.
- Team-agnostic carry: his Burst makes him the damage source; he works with whoever gives him shield + buffs, so he never gets benched by meta shifts.
- Huge AoE plunge clears: his Burst plunges hit surrounding enemies repeatedly — the best group-clear in the game for Spiral Abyss floors.
- HP-cost design: he sacrifices his own HP instead of needing a squishy setup, which pairs perfectly with a Zhongli shield.
- Evergreen value: an Anemo DPS that has lasted every version since release — a safe long-term investment.
Best Weapons
Xiao wants ATK%, CRIT and a high base ATK. He uses a polearm.
BiS ★Primordial Jade Winged-Spear
His signature-ish weapon: high base ATK and a passive that stacks ATK% on hits, which snowballs through his long plunge combos. The clear best if you have it.
5★Staff of Homa
HP-to-ATK conversion plus a low-HP damage bonus — and Xiao sits at low HP during his Burst, so the passive is always active. Best raw damage after PJWS.
4★Deathmatch
Big CRIT Rate and an ATK% boost when surrounded (which he always is while plunging). The strongest f2p-friendly 4★ for him.
3★White Tassel (R5)
Massive Normal Attack boost at R5 — and Xiao's plunges count as Normal Attacks. The best free weapon; refine it and it punches far above its rarity.
Best Artifacts
For a plunge DPS Xiao, 4pc Vermillion Hereafter is best — its ATK% stacking after Burst is tailor-made for his entire kit.
| Set | Use when | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Vermillion Hereafter (4pc) | Default plunge DPS | +18% ATK plus up to +48% more ATK after Burst — his identity set, a massive free damage jump during his window. |
| 2pc Viridescent Venerer + 2pc ATK% 18% | Flex / no VH pieces | VV's Anemo RES shred plus raw ATK; a strong, flexible stand-in when Vermillion pieces are weak. |
| 2pc Shimenawa + 2pc Gladiator | Generic ATK stacking | Safe all-rounder that boosts his Normal/plunge damage without a set bonus dependency. |
| 4pc Shimenawa's Reminiscence | When not Bursting often | Trades Burst for a NA damage buff — only if your rotation under-uses his Burst (rare). |
Stat Targets — ATK%, Then Anemo DMG, Then CRIT (and Some ER)
Xiao's plunge damage scales on ATK% and CRIT; his Burst cost is high, so a little ER% keeps his window up.
| Slot | Main stat | Substat priority |
|---|---|---|
| Sands | ATK% (never EM — he does not react) | CRIT (rate/dmg) > ATK% > ER% (aim ~120–130% with Furina / ~140% without) |
| Goblet | Anemo DMG% (or ATK% if no good Anemo piece) | |
| Circlet | CRIT Rate / CRIT DMG (balance to ~70/140) |
Best Team Comps
Xiao's teams share one rule: shield him, buff his ATK, battery his Burst, then let him plunge.
HypercarryXiao + Zhongli + Bennett
Zhongli shield + Bennett ATK buff + flex (Furina / Jean / Faruzan). The safest, highest-damage Xiao shell — tanky and forgiving.
Furina CoreXiao + Furina
Furina builds fanfare stacks that turn into a huge team DMG buff, and her off-field Hydro pairs with a healer. One of Xiao's strongest modern teams.
AnemoXiao + Kazuha / Faruzan
Kazuha (or Faruzan) shreds Anemo RES and groups enemies; Faruzan also batteries Xiao's Burst. Adds damage and comfort.
Double GeoXiao + Zhongli + Geo
Xiao + Zhongli + a Geo flex (Albedo / Ningguang) for Geo Resonance's +HP% / +15% DMG to shielded foes. Tanky and self-sufficient.
Talent Priority
Level in this order — his Normal Attack drives plunges, his Skill gives the jump, his Burst enables the window:
- Normal Attack (Whirlwind Throw) → 9–13. Plunges scale off NA level; this is his damage. Crown this first.
- Elemental Burst (Bane of All Evil) → 8–10. Extends the plunge window and boosts plunge damage; level it after NA.
- Elemental Skill (Lumidouce Eruption) → 6–8. A small jump + nuke; useful for mobility and energy, not his core damage.
Constellations — C1 and C2 Matter Most
Xiao's constellation curve is front-loaded: early cons fix his biggest pain points.
- C1 (Conqueror of Evil: Wrath Deity): an extra mid-air charge and reduced fall damage — smoother, longer plunge rotations.
- C2 (Conqueror of Evil: Devourer of Sins): increases his Skill's jump charges and converts them into burst energy — a real ER and damage boost.
- C4 (Conqueror of Evil: Guardian Yaksha): within his Burst he gains +CRIT Rate after using his Skill — smooths his crit floor.
- C6 (Conqueror of Evil: Guardian Yaksha): plunges create mini-vacuum blades on hit — a big personal DPS spike. The whale stop.
Common Mistakes
- Skipping Energy Recharge. Without ~120–140% ER his Burst misses and he does nothing. ER is the stat most new Xiao players ignore.
- No shield. Xiao drains his own HP in Burst; without a Zhongli / Diona shield he can kill himself. Shield is mandatory.
- Wrong artifact set. Random 2pc+2pc without Vermillion Hereafter leaves the post-Burst ATK stacking on the table. VH 4pc is the default for a reason.
- Building EM or ATK% Goblet wrong. He wants Anemo DMG Goblet and ATK% Sands — EM is useless on him since he barely reacts.
Don't Have Xiao Yet?
He is a limited 5★ who reruns periodically, so pull him when he returns — and with 7.0 Snezhnaya reshaping the roster, locking in a team-agnostic main DPS now is the safest long-term play. While you wait, Kaedehara Kazuha or a plunge-friendly 4★ can scratch the AoE itch, but neither gives Xiao's self-contained carry power. Build him alongside Zhongli and Bennett; together Anemo + Geo + Pyro is the durable hypercarry backbone that carries most accounts through endgame, and right now they are the safest evergreen pickups before the 7.0 shift.
Quick Answers
What is Xiao's best build?
Xiao is an Anemo plunge DPS. Use 4-piece Vermillion Hereafter or 2-piece Gladiator + 2-piece Viridescent (ATK% sands, Anemo goblet, CRIT circlet). CRIT 70%+, ATK 2000+, and Energy Recharge 120-130%+. Signature is Primordial Jade Wing-Spear; best 4-stars are Staff of the Scarlet Sands and Deathmatch.
Why does Xiao need a shielder?
During his burst he takes continuous HP drain and is vulnerable to interruption, so a shielder (Zhongli) or strong healer is essential for comfortable plunge uptime. His damage also ignores reactions, so he wants raw stats.
What stats should I prioritize on Xiao?
CRIT Rate/DMG (70%/140%+), ATK 2000+, and Energy Recharge about 130% (he needs frequent bursts). Elemental Mastery is low priority since he deals direct Anemo damage.