Learn how to put together the best possible Xiangling build in Genshin Impact.
Want to learn how to create the best build for Xiangling in Genshin Impact?Pyro Polearm wielder Xiangling may not beGenshin Impact’s most powerful character, but she does have a few characteristics that make her a very desirable recruit for your party.
Xiangling is a solid fighter, placing respectably on ourGenshin Impact character tier list, which becomes a lot more important when you take into account the fact that Xiangling is one of only two characters (alongsideBarbara) who you can claim completely for free after completing the Prologue. Xiangling is powerful enough that you might well consider her as your party’s main DPS character, though she is most ideally placed as a sub DPS.
How to build Xiangling as your sub DPS in Genshin Impact
Alternative:Dragon’s Bane
If you want to go in a slightly different direction, a strong second choice is theDragon’s Bane, which increases damage against enemies affected by Pyro or Hydro by a minimim of 20%.
Set bonuses:
Alternative:Crimson Witch of Flames mixed with Gladiator’s Finale
There are two main good choices when it comes to Xiangling’s artifacts: you can either choose to go all-in on theCrimson Witch of Flamesset, or take a mix-and-match approach and work in some pieces from theGladiator’s Finaleset as well.
The benefit of focusing exclusively on the Crimson Witch of Flames is that this set is designed specifically to boost Pyro characters, and this particular set boasts some surprisingly high stacking damage increases. Equipping two pieces will grant Xiangling a 15% elemental attack bonus, while having four pieces equipped gives her access to a suite of frankly terrifying benefits:Overloaded and Burning DMG both get an extra 40%; Vaporize and Melt DMG increase by 15%; and utilising her Elemental Skill stacks an additional 50% DMG (up to three times) on top of the 15% she gains from the two piece set, for a 10-second duration.
Alternatively, mixing in a few pieces from the Gladiator’s Finale set locks you out of those amazing four-piece bonusesbutgives a useful increase to weapon as well as elemental attacks, allowing you to play to Xiangling’s strengths and preserve her in-built balance between the two attack styles. (You could even go exclusively down the Gladiator’s Finale route for a nice extra boost to Xiangling’s Polearm attacks, though that requires sacrificing all the Pyro benefits of Crimson Witch of Flames and so probably isn’t worth it on balance.)
To further tweak this delicate arrangement, aim for the following substats on Xiangling’s artifacts:
Alternative:Guoba Attack (Elemental Skill)
Xiangling’s best Talents are undeniably her Elementals, but whether you prefer the Skill or the Burst will largely depend on how well you vibe with her companion character, Guoba. Xiangling’s Elemental SkillGuoba Attacksummons her sweet red panda buddy, who deals Xiangling’s best base Pyro AoE damage while he’s out. But some players find the inability to direct Guoba’s attacks simply too frustrating, and prefer to prioritise herPyronadoElemental Burst, if only because it leaves the opportunity to unleash flaming chaos against her enemies firmly in Xiangling’s own hands.
If you’ve been following this build and its recommendations closely, Xiangling’s weapon feeds off of her Elemental Burst while her artifacts do the same with her Elemental Skill, so it’s still really up to you. Personally, I find Genshin Impact’s companion characters are often too much of a wild card for my liking, so I’ve gone for Pyronado ahead of Guoba, but it really is a matter of personal preference (and for best results, you should absolutely be looking at developing both).
Below is a full list of Xiangling’s Talents:
5-star alternative:Tartaglia replacing Xingqiu as main DPS
Pairing Xiangling up with a Hydro DPS allows them to repeatedly apply the Vaporize elemental reaction, a powerful effect that gives a significant boost to outgoing damage against affected enemies.Xingqiuis the best 4-star character for this role, though like Xiangling, he’s really better suited to sub-DPS duties. The two of them can muddle along quite nicely as effectively joint-DPS party members, but if you have any 5-star Hydro DPS candidates at your disposal — like the formidableTartaglia— this is definitely the time to deploy them.
Bennettis always a top-class healer, but in a party with Xiangling he’ll be even more help, passively triggering the Fervent Flames elemental resonance that increases all party members' attack by 25%. That’s on top of his own innate healing prowess, so don’t miss the chance to add this shockingly easy-to-obtain candidate for the game’s best character to Xiangling’s team if at all possible.
Rounding out the party isSucrose, another extremely high-tier 4-star character. Sucrose’s strength lies in crowd control, and when her Anemo powers combine with Hydro and/or Pyro, the Swirl effect is triggered and the team’s potential for dealing elemental damage to multiple enemies at once goes off-the-charts.
To fully ascend Xiangling you’ll need the following materials:
None of these materials are vanishingly rare, but there is only one source for Everflame Seeds in the game. You pick up this resource from Pyro Regisvines (Normal Bosses) above Level 30, so expect to perhaps have to make a more conscious effort to keep supplies coming in compared to the other resources. Jeuyun Chilis, which you’ll need in spicy quantities, can fortunately be easily obtained by foraging for them in Xiangling’s home nation of Liyue, or alternatively just bought from the Wanmin Restaurant where she works when you meet her.
To level up any one of Xiangling’s talents, you’ll need to gather together the following materials. Note that if you plan to triple crown Xiangling by fully levelling up all of her talents, you’ll have to do this a total of three times.
Slimes are easily obtained from defeated Slime enemies at various increasing levels of difficulty; while Dvalin’s claws, as the name suggests, come from completing the Stormterror Challenge at Level 70+. You can pick up the books you need from the Taishan Mansion domain (Tuesday/Friday/Sunday only); while Crowns of Insight are possible rewards for participating in most time-limited events, as well as obtainable by making offerings to Frostbearing Trees or Sacred Sakuras.
Xiangling’s Constellations overwhelmingly favour her Elemental attacks, and since those are her greatest strengths, it’s well worth getting her all the way up to Level 6. The good news is that since she’s a 4-star character who can be obtained for free with a little effortandquite often enjoys incresed drop rates on Character Event Wish banners, you’ll likely have plenty of opportunities to do so.
Note that if you complete the Spiral Abyss - People’s Choice event, you can only obtain the free copy of Xiangling once, no matter how many times you beat Floor 3, Chamber 3. This is basically just to stop you from using the event to exploit your way through all of her Constellations. (Sorry if I’ve just shattered your dreams of cheesing your way to a high-powered Xiangling; it was a good idea.)
Below is a full list of Xiangling’s Constellations:
Xiangling can be claimed for free by players who participate in theSpiral Abyss Event — People’s Choiceand complete Floor 3, Chamber 3 of the challenge. At the time of writing this event is described as indefinitely available, and the only requirement to take part is that you’ve reachedAdventure Rank 20. However, it’s quite challenging to complete, and since Xiangling is a 4-star rarity, you might well end up pulling her from the gacha before you’re able to make it that far.
You have a chance of pulling Xiangling from the gacha whenever youWish, whether it’s on the Wanderlust Invocation (standard wish); Beginners' Wish (expires after 20 wishes); or all Character Event Wishes and Weapon Event Wishes. She’ll also sometimes feature with a boosted drop rate on theevent bannersof 5-star characters — we’ll be sure to let you know the next time this happens!
Xiangling can also frequently be obtained from the Starglitter Exchange in Paimon’s Bargains, where she’s featured and available to purchase outright roughly one month out of every six.
Now you know everything about putting together the best Xiangling build in Genshin Impact! Once you’re able to claim Xiangling for free you might well want have her replace starting party member Amber as your go-to Pyro character — why not take a look at our guide to thebest Amber buildto get a feel for how the two compare? Or, for a more recent addition to the roster who also happens to be a 4-star Pyro polearm and gives Xiangling a run for her money in the sub-DPS department, check out ourbest Thoma buildadvice.
