Genshin Xingqiu Build 2026: Best Weapons, Artifacts & Teams
Raiden Shogun is rerunning now — and Xingqiu is the missing 4th piece of Raiden National (Raiden + Xingqiu + Xiangling + Bennett), the free team that clears Spiral Abyss far above its cost. If you're pulling Raiden, you need Xingqiu built right: enough ER to ult every rotation, the Sacrificial Sword trick, and the C2 breakpoint. This guide covers exactly that.
Xingqiu — the rain-calling bookworm of Liyue — is the single best Hydro enabler in Genshin Impact. His Burst rains swords that apply Hydro off-field, cut incoming damage by 15%, and keep your carry alive, all while he sits in the backline doing zero on-field work. He is also permanent and farmable (wishes + the Starglitter shop). This guide covers his best weapon (Sacrificial Sword vs Favonius/Wolf-Fang), the 4pc Emblem of Severed Fate set, the ~200% Energy Recharge breakpoint, why C2 is the real upgrade, and teams with Raiden / Hu Tao / Neuvillette / Bennett.
Why Xingqiu Is Worth Building
No other Hydro unit delivers off-field application, team survivability, and reaction enabler in one cheap package. If you build one support besides Bennett, make it him.
- Off-field Hydro engine: his Q (Raincutter) rains swords that hit enemies automatically, enabling Vape/Melt on every carry swing without him taking the field.
- Built-in 15% damage cut: the Rain Swords shatter to reduce incoming damage to the active character — a permanent mini-shield that makes squishy carries survive.
- Minor heal + C6 ATK buff: shattered swords heal a little; at C6 the field also grants +15% ATK and interruption resistance to your on-fielder.
- Permanent and accessible: obtainable from any standard/wuxu banner and the Starglitter shop, so he is never gated behind a specific rerun.
Best Weapons
Xingqiu wants Energy Recharge (to Burst every rotation) and likes CRIT / HP% for personal damage. He uses a sword.
BiS ★Sacrificial Sword
The default for a reason: its passive lets his Elemental Skill recast, generating a second wave of energy particles and doubling Hydro application. R5 is the dream; even R1 plus C2 enables the double-E combo. This is what makes National tick.
4★Favonius Sword
Generates CRIT-based particles on hit, solving energy for the whole team when Xingqiu can't ER his own Burst. Best when nobody else on the team has a battery. Pair with some CRIT rate.
5★Wolf-Fang / Primordial Jade Cutter
Wolf-Fang (battle pass) gives CRIT rate and ramps his own Skill/Burst damage — strong if you value his hits. Primordial Jade Cutter converts HP into CRIT and ATK for a beefy, hard-hitting Xingqiu. Use when ER is already covered.
AltHaran / Key of Khaj-Nisut
If Xingqiu is your personal-damage piece (rare but valid in quickswap shells), Haran or Key push his numbers hard. Overkill for a pure enabler — only when ER and support duties are solved.
Best Artifacts
For essentially every Xingqiu, 4pc Emblem of Severed Fate is best — its 2-piece ER feeds his Burst uptime and the 4-piece turns that same ER into Burst damage. His damage lives in his Q, so this set is tailor-made for him.
| Set | Use when | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Emblem of Severed Fate (4pc) | Always (default) | +20% ER on 2pc and converts ER into Burst DMG on 4pc. His identity set — run it unless someone else needs the slot. |
| 2pc Emblem + 2pc Heart of Depth | ER already solved | Keeps ER from the Emblem half while adding flat Hydro DMG%. Slightly more personal damage when you over-cap on recharge. |
| 2pc Emblem + 2pc Noblesse | Team needs the buff | If no one else holds 4pc Noblesse, Xingqiu can wear it — but he usually wants Emblem for his own damage. |
| 2pc Emblem + 2pc ER% | Tight energy | When you can't hit the ER breakpoint from weapon/substats, the extra ER two-piece guarantees uptime. |
Stat Targets — ER First, Always
Xingqiu's entire value is his Burst. If Q is down, he contributes almost nothing. So ER is non-negotiable: hit the breakpoint, then stack CRIT/HP% for personal damage.
| Slot | Main stat | Substat priority |
|---|---|---|
| Sands | ER% (never ATK% on him) | ER% (to breakpoint) > CRIT Rate > CRIT DMG > HP% (for Jade Cutter / survivability) |
| Goblet | Hydro DMG% (or HP% if using Jade Cutter) | |
| Circlet | CRIT Rate / CRIT DMG |
Best Team Comps
Xingqiu's teams share one rule: put him behind any on-fielder that wants off-field Hydro, then let reactions do the work.
NationalRaiden National
Raiden + Xingqiu + Xiangling + Bennett. Raiden batteries everyone, Xingqiu rains Hydro so Xiangling's Pyronado vaporizes every hit. The flagship free Abyss team, and the reason his rerun matters right now.
VapeHu Tao Vape
Hu Tao + Xingqiu + Zhongli + flex. Xingqiu enables clean Vape on her charged attacks and the 15% damage cut keeps her healthy at low HP. A staple for the strongest Pyro carry.
HydroNeuvillette / Furina
With Neuvillette or Furina, Xingqiu's off-field Hydro + the damage cut supports their HP-mechanic kits and adds Vape on top. He is the safe, f2p-friendly hydro partner.
Talent Priority
Level in this order — his Skill feeds energy and his Burst is his damage:
- Elemental Skill (Guhua Sword) → 8–13. Generates his particles and, with Sacrificial Sword, enables the double-cast that solves energy. Crown this first if you can.
- Elemental Burst (Raincutter) → 8–13. The Rain Sword damage and Hydro application scale here. Level it right after the Skill.
- Normal Attack → 1–6. He barely swings his sword outside quickswap memes. Leave it low.
Constellations — C2 Is the Real Upgrade
Xingqiu's constellation curve is front-loaded: one constellation changes everything, then it is smooth sailing.
- C1 (Crushing Rain): small — increases Rain Sword damage and extends their duration slightly. Nice, not essential.
- C2 (Soothing Droplet): adds a 3rd Rain Sword and cuts his Skill cooldown by 3s. This is the big one: with R1 Sacrificial Sword the -3s lets him double-cast the Skill, doubling Hydro application and energy. Hugely better uptime and Vape consistency.
- C4: extends Q duration and makes more Rain Swords — more uptime and damage. A clear step up.
- C6 (Hydropathic Absolution): the on-field character in his Q gains +15% ATK and interruption resistance. A free team buff that caps his value. Worth it if you main him.
Common Mistakes
- Too little Energy Recharge. The #1 Xingqiu killer. Sub-180% ER without a battery means a dead Burst and a team that loses all its Vape and shielding.
- Building him as a main DPS. His job is the rain, not the sword. Stacking raw ATK/DMG on him wastes the slot — ER and CRIT/HP% win.
- Skipping Sacrificial Sword. Without the double-E, his energy and Hydro application both suffer. It is the single highest-impact weapon for him.
- Wrong artifact set. Random 2pc+2pc without Emblem leaves ER and Burst damage on the table. Emblem 4pc is the default for a reason.
- Forcing him where Yelan is better. For pure single-target personal damage, Yelan out-scales him — but she gives no particles and no damage cut, so Xingqiu still wins for battery-needing and survivability-focused teams.
Don't Have Xingqiu Yet?
He is permanent: pull him from any standard banner or grab copies via the Starglitter shop over time. While you wait, Barbara or Candace can supply off-field Hydro in a pinch, and Yelan covers single-target Vape — but neither gives Xingqiu's rain of swords plus the 15% damage cut plus his own battery. Build him alongside Bennett and Xiangling; together they are the National core that carries most accounts through endgame, and right now they're the backbone of every Raiden National clear during the 6.7 rerun.
Related Guides
Quick Answers
What is Xingqiu's best build?
Xingqiu is the core Hydro enabler (off-field rain swords). Use 4-piece Emblem of Severed Fate (HP%/ER sands, Hydro goblet, CRIT circlet) with Energy Recharge 200-250%. Signature is Sacrificial Sword (R5, double skill); strong 5-stars are Skyward Blade and Freedom-Sworn.
Why is Sacrificial Sword so good on Xingqiu?
His rain swords and burst depend on frequent skill casts, and Sacrificial Sword can reset his skill CD, generating extra Hydro particles to relieve his heavy ER demand. It is his best-in-slot for most teams.
What stats should I prioritize on Xingqiu?
Energy Recharge 200-250% first (he is ER-hungry), then HP (scales his healing and swords) and CRIT for personal damage. ATK is secondary.