Genshin Impact’s Xianyun, known as Cloud Retainer, is one of the mighty and illuminated adepti of Jueyun. She’s an anemo character focusing on plunge attacks and helps your party to do the same. Here’s everything we know about her build, and some key lore you need to learn about the adeptus.
See where Xianyun ranks in our Genshin Impact tier list – and here are some Genshin Impact codes so you can pull for a new DPS to use with her. If you’re interested, you can also check out the next Honkai Star Rail update for another of Hoyoverse’s great games.
Here’s everything in our Genshin Impact Xianyun build guide:
What’s the best Genshin Impact Xianyun build?
Xianyun is a five-star character in Genshin Impact who has a catalyst as a weapon and uses the anemo element.
| Best weapon | Crane’s Echoing Call |
| Weapon substitutes | Skyward Atlas, Favonius Codex |
| Best artifact set | Viridescent Venerer or Song of Days Past |
| Main stats | Sands – Energy recharge Goblet – Attack Circlet – Attack or healing bonus |
| Sub stats | Attack, energy recharge |
Xianyun, a new resident in Liyue Harbor, uses the anemo element. Her kit focuses on her floating around, able to perform plunge attacks during her elemental skill, to deal anemo damage. Her ultimate, meanwhile, restores HP for the team and increases the jump height of party members, allowing them to also perform plunge attacks.
Her best in slot weapon is the five-star catalyst, Crane’s Echoing Call, and the best artifact sets you can give her are a full set of Viridescent Venerer or Song of Days Past – depending on the team comp you’re working with. If you’re using a main DPS like Xiao, stick with Song of Days Past, but if you’re using an element-focused DPS like Diluc who can pop off reactions, it’s best to go with Viridescent Venerer. The key to aiding her is to stack up her attack and energy recharge levels.
What are Xianyun’s best weapons?
One’s best weapon is the Crane’s Echoing Call, available on a weapon banner alongside Xianyun. If you don’t have the means to get this (honestly, who does?), then there are some other good options.
If you have a Memory of Dust handy, make sure to put Xianyun with Zhongli or another reliable shielder in order to activate the attack buffs regularly.
| Crane’s Echoing Call | Stat: Attack Skill: when Xianyun hits an opponent with a plunge attack, all nearby party members’ plunge attacks deal 28% increased damage for 20 seconds. When nearby party members hit opponents with the plunge attacks, they restore 2.5 energy to Xianyun. This can trigger when she is not on field | Weapon banner |
| Skyward Atlas | Stat: Attack Skill: increases Xianyun’s elemental damage bonus by 12%. Normal attack hits have a 50% chance to earn the Favor of the Clouds, which actively seeks out targets to attack them, lasting 15 seconds. This deals 160% attack as damage, but can only occur once every 30 seconds | Standard banner and weapon banner |
| Memory of Dust | Stat: Attack Skill: increases shield strength by 20%. Hitting opponents increases Xianyun’s attack by 4% for eight seconds, and can stack five times. This can only occur once every 0.3 seconds. While protected by a shield, this attack buff increases by a further 100% | Weapon banner |
| Favonius Codex | Stat: Energy recharge Skill: crit hits have a 60% chance to generate a small number of elemental particles, which can regenerate six energy for Xianyun. This can only occur once every 12 seconds | All banners |
What are Xianyun’s best artifacts?
As we mentioned before, it’s a toss-up between which artifacts are the ‘best’ for Xianyun. If you plan to use her with fiery boys like Diluc or Gaming, with some elemental reactions thrown in, then Viridescent Venerer is a perfect choice. If, however, you want to use Xianuyun to improve your Xiao, then go for a set of Song of Days Past to capitalize on her healing.
Whichever set you go for, make sure you have plenty of attack and energy recharge through main and sub-stats.
| Viridescent Venerer | Two pieces: Increases anemo damage Four pieces: Increases swirl damage by 60%, and decreases opponent’s elemental resistance to the element infused in the swirl by 40% for ten seconds | Valley of Remembrance domain |
| Song of Days Past | Two pieces: Healing bonus Four pieces: 
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