The Definitive Build & Analysis

Rarity	(4-Star)
Element	Pyro
Weapon	Polearm
Best Role	Off-Field Vaporize DPS
CV Priority	ER > EM > CRIT > ATK%
Tier	SS (The "Polearm Archon")

Xiangling is arguably the strongest 4-star character in the game. Her Elemental Burst, Pyronado, has no internal cooldown (ICD) on applying Pyro, meaning every single hit can Vaporize. Combined with snapshotting, she deals damage comparable to C0 5-star characters from off-field.

Quick Guide (TL;DR)

If you don't have time for the math, here is the cheat sheet.

Best Artifact: 4pc Emblem of Severed Fate (Uncontested BiS).
Alt Artifact: 4pc Crimson Witch or 2pc/2pc (Placeholder only).
Best Weapon: Engulfing Lightning (5⭐) or Staff of the Scarlet Sands.
F2P Weapon: "The Catch" (R5 Fishing Weapon - Rivals 5-stars).
Main Stats: SANDS: ER% or EM | GOBLET: Pyro DMG | CIRCLET: CRIT Rate/DMG.
Talent Priority: Elemental Burst > Elemental Skill > Normal Attack (Ignore).
Top Team: Xiangling + Bennett + Xingqiu + Raiden (Rational).

Pro Tip: Xiangling's Pyronado snapshots stats on cast. You MUST stand in Bennett's circle before pressing Q. The buff will then persist for the entire duration of the Pyronado, even if Bennett's circle expires.

Talent Breakdown & Mechanics

Elemental Skill: Guoba Attack

Function: Summons Guoba (Bear). He breathes fire 4 times.
Particle Generation: Guoba does not generate particles on cast. He generates 1 particle every time he hits an enemy. This makes funneling energy tricky.
Chili Pepper: After Guoba disappears, he leaves a chili pepper. Picking it up boosts ATK by 10% for 10s.

Elemental Burst: Pyronado

Cost: 80 Energy | Cooldown: 20s | Duration: 10s (14s at C4)
No ICD: Every single hit of the spinning spear applies Pyro. This is extremely rare and allows her to Vaporize every hit if enough Hydro is present.
Snapshot: The damage is calculated based on her stats *at the moment of casting*. Buffs applied after casting (like TTDS or Freedom Sworn) will not affect the active Pyronado.

Talent Priority Order:

Elemental Burst (Level 10 / Crown) - 90% of her damage.
Elemental Skill (Level 6+) - Decent damage but unreliable aim.
Normal Attack (Level 1) - Ignore.

Stat Requirements & ER Thresholds

Xiangling is tied to Bennett because she needs his battery capability. Without him, her ER needs are impossible.

Team Context	ER Requirement (With The Catch)	ER Requirement (No ER Weapon)
Raiden National (Rational)	160% - 180%	200%
International (Childe)	200% - 220%	240%+
Ganyu Melt (Solo Pyro)	250%+	Unplayable

Substat Priority:

Energy Recharge (Until requirement met - DO NOT ignore this)
CRIT Rate / CRIT DMG (Target 60/120 ratio minimum)
Elemental Mastery (100-300 EM is ideal for Vape)
ATK% (Lower priority due to Bennett buff)

Best Artifacts Comparison

Set Name	Recommendation	Reasoning
4pc Emblem of Severed Fate	Best in Slot	Converts her massive ER needs into Burst Damage. Perfectly designed for her kit.
4pc Crimson Witch	Good Alternative	Strong for Vaporize, but provides no ER help. Harder to farm.
4pc Gilded Dreams	Stat Stick	Good if you have high ER substats, but generally Emblem is superior.

Weapon Rankings

Weapon	Type	Performance	Description
Engulfing Lightning	ER%	S+	Raiden's signature. Solves ER issues and converts excess ER to ATK. Perfect synergy with Emblem set.
The Catch (R5)	ER%	S (F2P God)	Free from fishing. Gives ER, Crit Rate, and Burst DMG. Beats almost every other 5-star (Skyward/Homa) in many scenarios.
Staff of the Scarlet Sands	CRIT Rate	S	Very strong if you stack EM, but makes building ER very difficult.
Dragon's Bane	EM	A	High damage potential for Vape, but zero ER help. Only use if you have insane ER artifacts or Raiden.

Constellation Value

Xiangling is free (Abyss 3-3), but her constellations (especially C4) are massive upgrades.

C1: Crispy Outside, Tender Inside - (Good) Guoba reduces enemy Pyro RES by 15%. Good damage boost if Guoba actually hits.
C3: Deepfry - (Damage) +3 Levels to Pyronado. Significant DPS increase.
C4: Slowbake - (Game Changer) Increases Pyronado duration by 40% (from 10s to 14s). This allows it to outlast Bennett's buff and sync perfectly with Childe/Xingqiu rotations. Essential.
C6: Condensed Pyronado - (Mixed) 15% Pyro DMG bonus. Note: Pyronado does NOT snapshot this C6 buff because the buff applies *after* the burst cast. Only Guoba/Other chars benefit.

Verdict: C4 is the goal. Everything else is icing.

Top Team Compositions

1. Raiden National (Rational)

Driver: Raiden Shogun
Sub-DPS: Xiangling
Hydro: Xingqiu / Yelan
Buffer: Bennett

Why it works: The most popular team in Abyss history. Raiden recharges Xiangling's expensive burst while buffing her Burst DMG. Xiangling and Xingqiu trigger Vaporize/Overload relentlessly.

2. Childe International

On-Field DPS: Tartaglia (Childe)
Off-Field DPS: Xiangling
Grouper: Kazuha
Buffer: Bennett

Why it works: Childe applies Hydro so fast (Riptide) that Xiangling can vaporize every single hit of her Pyronado. Kazuha double swirls Hydro/Pyro for massive shreds.

Rotations & Combos

Standard Funneling Rotation:
Bennett Q > Bennett E > Swap to Xiangling (Catch particles) > Xiangling Q E

Tip: Never cast Pyronado (Q) unless you are standing inside Bennett's Inspiration Field. If you cast it outside, it will deal significantly less damage for the full duration.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is "The Catch" better than 5-star weapons?
It is better than most 5-star weapons (Skyward Spine, Jade Spear) because the passive fits her perfectly. Only Engulfing Lightning and sometimes Staff of Scarlet Sands beat it.

Can I run her without Bennett?
It is not recommended. Without Bennett, you lose the massive ATK buff (which she snapshots) and the particle generation she desperately needs. Her damage drops precipitously without him.

Data Source: KQM Standards. Last Updated: December 2025

Genshin Impact. Xiangling Guide