The best Genshin Impact Xiangling build

Want to learn how to create the best build for Xiangling in Genshin Impact? Pyro Polearm wielder Xiangling may not be Genshin Impact’s most powerful character, but she does have a few characteristics that make her a very desirable recruit for your party. She’s a solid fighter, placing respectably among the B Tier on our Genshin Impact character tier list. While this is only quite good in itself, it becomes a lot more important when you take into account the fact that Xiangling is one of only two characters (alongside Barbara) who you can claim completely for free after completing the Prologue.

Best Xiangling build: Weapons

Xiangling is powerful enough that you might well want to consider her as your party’s main DPS character, though she can also be well-placed as a secondary damage dealer. In either case, her best weapon remains the same: the Skyward Spine. Wielding this high-end Polearm grants Xiangling hefty increases to her crit rate and attack speed. There’s also a 50% chance that her normal and charged attacks will trigger an AoE effect that deals anywhere between 40%-100% of her attack damage again, and this can be repeated every two seconds.

It’s worth noting that Xiangling’s base stats are solid but nothing amazing, and it’s her strengths as a Pyro character that really make her shine. But you shouldn’t neglect her weaponry, since a good Polearm like this really rounds out her fighting style and elevates her to the level of a pretty formidable offensive character.

Best Xiangling build: Artifacts

There are two main good choices when it comes to Xiangling’s Artifacts: you can either choose to go all-in on the Crimson Witch of Flames set, or take a mix-and-match approach and work in some pieces from the Gladiator’s Finale set 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 bonuses but gives 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.)

Best Xiangling build: Ascension Materials

To fully ascend Xiangling you’ll need the following materials: 168 Jeuyun Chilis, 46 Everflame Seeds, 36 Slime Concentrates, 30 Slime Secretions, 18 Slime Condensates, 9 Agnidus Agate Chunks, 9 Agnidus Agate Fragments, 6 Agnidus Agate Gemstones, and 1 Agnidus Agate Sliver.

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, incidentally, can 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.)

Best Xiangling build: Talents

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 Skill Guoba Attack summons 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 her Pyronado Elemental Burst, if only because it leaves the opportunity to unleash flaming chaos against her enemies firmly in Xiangling’s own hands.

Below is a full list of Xiangling’s Talents:

• Normal Attack: Dough-Fu
• Normal Attack – Performs up to five consecutive spear strikes with her polearm.
• Charged Attack – Consumes a certain amount of Stamina to lunge forward, dealing damage to opponents along the way.
• Plunging Attack – Plunges from mid-air to strike the ground below, damaging opponents along the path and dealing AoE DMG upon impact.
• Elemental Skill: Guoba Attack – Summons Guoba the Panda. After 2 seconds, Guoba starts breathing fire at an opponent, dealing AoE Pyro DMG 4 times every 1.5 seconds.
• Elemental Burst: Pyronado – Displaying her mastery over both fire and polearms, Xiangling sends a Pyronado whirling around her. The Pyronado will move with her for so long as the ability persists, dealing Pyro DMG to all opponents in her path.
• 1st Ascension Passive: Crossfire – Increases Guoba’s flame range by 20%.
• 4th Ascension Passive: Beware, It’s Super Hot! – When Guoba Attack’s effects end, Guoba leaves a chili pepper on the spot where it disappeared. Picking up the chili pepper increases Xiangling’s attack by 10% for 10s.
• Utility Passive: Chef de Cuisine – When Perfect Cooking is achieved on an attack-boosting dish, Xiangling has a 12% chance to receive double the product.

Best Xiangling build: Constellations

Xiangling’s Constellations overwhelmingly favour her Elemental attacks, and since those are her greatest strengths, it’s well worth considering investing in getting her all the way up to Level 6. All of her Constellations are pretty useful, however, even if you decide not to build her up all the way.

Below is a full list of Xiangling’s Constellations:

• Crispy Outside, Tender Inside (Lvl 1): Opponents hit by Guoba’s attacks have their Pyro Resistance reduced by 15% for 6s.
• Oil Meet Fire (Lvl 2): The last attack in a Normal Attack sequence applies the Implode status onto the opponent for 2s. An explosion will occur once this duration ends, dealing 75% of Xiangling’s attack as AoE Pyro DMG.
• Deepfry (Lvl 3): Increases the level of Pyronado by 3. Maximum upgrade level is 15.
• Slowbake (Lvl 4): Pyronado’s duration is increased by 40%.
• Guoba Mad (Lvl 5): Increases the level of Guoba Attack by 3. Maximum upgrade level is 15.
• Condensed Pyronado (Lvl 6): For the duration of Pyronado, all party members receive a 15% Pyro DMG Bonus.

How to get Xiangling in Genshin Impact

Xiangling can be claimed for free by players who participate in the Spiral Abyss Event — People’s Choice and 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 reached Adventure Rank 20.

You also have a chance of pulling Xiangling from the gacha when using the following Wishes: Wanderlust Invocation (standard wish); Beginners’ Wish (expires after 20 wishes); and all Character Event Wishes and Weapon Event Wishes.

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 the best Amber build to get a feel for how the two compare? Or if you prefer to be on the cutting edge (and don’t mind parting with a bit of cash in the gacha), check out our guide to the best Yoimiya build, Genshin Impact’s latest Pyro-wielding star.