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.
| Weapon | Effect | How to obtain |
| Crane’s Echoing Call (five-star) | Bonus stat: increases 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 alongside Xianyun |
| Skyward Atlas (five-star) | Bonus stat: increases 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 (five-star) | Bonus stat: increases 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 (four-star) | Bonus stat: increases 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.
| Artifact set | Effect | How to obtain |
| Viridescent Venerer | Two equipped: Increases anemo damage. Four equipped: 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 equipped: Healing bonus Four equipped: When Xainyun heals a party member, she gets the Yearning effect for six seconds. This records the total amount of healing, including overflow. When the duration expires, the effect transforms into Waves of Days Past. This increases the damage of normal, charged, plunging, elemental skill, and elemental burst attacks by 8% of the total healing. The effect removes after five uses or ten seconds. A single instance can record up to 15,000 healing, including from multiple characters |
Waterfall Wen domain |
| Ocean-Hued Clam | Two equipped: Healing bonus Four equipped: When Xianyun heals a party member, a Sea-Dyed Foam appears for three seconds, accumulating the total HP recovered from healing. After three seconds, the Foam explodes, dealing damage to opponents equal to 90% of the accumulated healing. A Foam can appear once every 3.5 seconds and accumulate up to 30,000 HP |
Slumbering Court domain |
| Noblesse Oblige | Two equipped: Increases elemental burst damage Four equipped: Using Xianyun’s elemental burst increases all party members’ attack by 20% for 12 seconds. This effect cannot stack |
Clear Pool and Mountain Cavern domain |
| Gladiator’s Finale | Two equipped: Attack increase Four equipped: Not recommended |
World and weekly bosses, Gladiator’s Finale artifact strongbox |
| Shimenawa’s Reminiscence | Two equipped: Attack increase Four equipped: Not recommended |
Momiji-Dyed Court domain |
Artifact stat recommendations
As we mentioned, you need attack, attack, and more attack on Xianyun – and a good amount of energy recharge to ensure her healing burst is active plenty of the time.
Main stats:
- Sands: Energy recharge
- Goblet: Attack
- Circlet: Attack or healing bonus
Sub-stats:
- Attack
- Energy recharge
- Elemental mastery
To find out more about how artifacts work, check out our Genshin Impact artifacts guide.
What are the best Xianyun team comps?
Xianyun is a healer and improves plunge attack damage, so there are some key players she works very well with. Genshin Impact’s Diluc, Genshin Impact’s Xiao, and Genshin Impact’s Gaming are her ideal teammates as they all deal considerable damage with their plunge attacks.
However, Xianyun can let anyone plunge during her ultimate by increasing every character’s jump height, so if you want to plunge with your favorite DPS, you can.
| First character slot | Second character slot | Third character slot | Fourth character slot |
 Xianyun |
 Gaming |
 Bennett |
 Furina |
| Xianyun |
 Diluc |
 Zhongli |
Furina |
| Xianyun |
 Xiao |
 Faruzan |
Furina |
What are Xianyun’s abilities?
Xianyun’s kit has a lot going on, with a lot of facets that provide healing, damage boosts, and the ability to jump and plunge even on solid ground. Here is an explanation of each of her attacks and extra talents.
Active skills:
| Skill | Effect |
| Normal attack: Word of Wind and Flower | Normal: Xianyun performs up to four strikes, dealing anemo damage Charged: Xianyun uses a fixed amount of stamina to launch a Breeze Bolt at enemies in a straight line, dealing anemo damage Plunge: When jumping from the air or during her ultimate, Xianyun plunges toward the ground, damaging all opponents in an AoE around her |
| Elemental skill: White Clouds at Dawn | Xianyun enters the Cloud Transmogrification state, in which she does not take fall damage, and uses Skyladder. In this state, her plunge attack converts to Driftcloud Wave, which deals AoE anemo damage and ends the Cloud Transmogrification state. This is considered as plunge attack damage. Each use of Skyladder in this state increases the damage and AoE of the next Driftcloud Wave Xianyun uses Skyladder – Xianyun can use this skill in mid-air. She leaps forward, dealing anemo damage. During each Cloud Transmogrification state, you can use Skyladder three times. If Xianyun does not use the Driftcloud Wave while in this state, the cooldown of the next White Clouds at Dawn use decreases by three seconds |
| Elemental burst: Stars Gather at Dusk | Xianyun deals AoE anemo damage around her upon unleashing her ultimate. She also summons a Starwicker mechanism. The Starwicker follows your active character and periodically heals party members for an amount that scales with her attack stat. While her ultimate is active, active characters have their jump height increased, allowing them to perform plunge attacks in succession without having to jump off a surface. When your active character performs a plunge attack, the Starwicker consumes one stack of Assistance. You start with eight stacks, so can get eight plunges before Xianyun’s ultimate ends |
Passive skills:
| Skill | Effect |
| Galefeather Pursuit (unlocked at ascension one) | Each opponent hit by Driftcloud Waves from White Clouds At Dawn grants all nearby party members one stack of Storm Pinion for 20 seconds, maximum of four stacks. These cause the plunging attack crit rate to increase by 4/6/8/10% respectively |
| Consider, the Adeptus in Her Realm (unlocked at ascension four) | When the Staricker has Adeptal Assistance stacks, nearby active characters’ plunging attack shockwave damage increases by 200% of Xianyun’s attack. The maximum damage increase you can get is 9,000. Each plunging attack shockwave damage instance can only apply this increase in damage to a single opponent |
| Crane Form (unlocked automatically) | Increases gliding speed for your own party members by 15% |
What are Xianyun’s constellations?
If you’re lucky enough to get more than one of Xianyun, here’s what you can unlock with her constellations. Her C2 and C6 are especially good if you’re planning on pulling for multiple cons.
| Constellation | Effect |
| C1: Purifying Wind | White Clouds at Dawn gains one additional charge |
| C2: Aloof From the World | After using a Skyladder, Xianyun’s attack increases by 20% for 15 seconds. Additionally, the effects of the talent ‘Consider, the Adeptus in her Realm’ become enhanced – When the Starwicker has Adeptal Assistance stacks, nearby active character’s plunge attack shockwave damage increases by 400% of her attack. The maximum damage you can get is 18,000 |
| C3: Creations of Star and Moon | Increases the level of Stars Gather at Dusk by three. Maximum level 15 |
| C4: Mystery Millet Gourmet | After using Skyladder 1/2/3 times, when a Driftcloud Wave unleashes during that instance hits an opponent, it heals all nearby party members for 50%/80%/250% of Xianyun’s attack |
| C5: Astride Rose-Colored Clouds | Increases the level of White Clouds at Dawn by three. Maximum level 15 |
| C6: They Call Her Cloud Retainer | After Xianyun uses 1/2/3 Skyladders, the crit damage of Driftcloud Waves created in this instance increases by 15/35/70%. Within 16 seconds after Xianyun uses the Stars Gather at Dusk, White Clouds at Dawn will not have a cooldown |
What are Xianyun’s ascension materials?
Xianyun requires a ton of samachurl drops, the scrolls to be precise. These can be farmed all over Teyvat. You need to hunt down a new turtle animal in the Chenyu Vale area for the clearwater jade ores, though you can also find them on the ground. Don’t worry, it doesn’t hurt the turt to grab the rocks off their backs.
| Required level | Mora | Materials |
| 20 | 20,000 | One vayuda turquoise sliver, three clearwater jade, and three divining scrolls |
| 40 | 40,000 | Three vayuda turquoise fragments, two cloudseam scales, ten clearwater jade, and 15 sealed scrolls |
| 50 | 60,000 | Six vayuda turquoise fragments, four cloudseam scales, 20 clearwater jade, and 12 sealed scrolls |
| 60 | 80,000 | Three vayuda turquoise chunks, eight cloudseam scales, 30 clearwater jade, and 12 forbidden curse scrolls |
| 70 | 100,000 | Six vayuda turquoise chunks, 12 cloudseam scales, 45 clearwater jade, and 12 forbidden curse scrolls |
| 80 | 120,000 | Six vayuda turquoise gemstones, 20 cloudseam scales, 60 clearwater jade, and 24 forbidden curse scrolls |
If you’re not sure where to find these items, let us help.
- Vayuda turqoise – these gems drop from normal and weekly bosses, especially Dvalin, the Anemo Hypostasis, and the Solitary Suanni
- Clearwater jade – this is a mineable rock found in Liyue’s Chenyu Vale region, especially near waterways
- Cloudseam scales –these are drops from the Solitary Sulani boss in Chenyu Vale
- Divining scrolls, sealed scrolls, and forbidden curse scrolls -these items drop from samachurl enemies all across Teyvat
What are Xianyun’s talent materials?
To level up Xianyun’s talents, you need to hop into Liyue’s Taishan Mansion domain for some gold talent books, and then over to Fontaine’s All-Devouring Narwhal weekly boss for a specific drop.
| Talent level | Mora | Materials |
| Two | 12,500 | Six divining scrolls and three teachings of gold |
| Three | 17,500 | Three sealed scrolls and two guides to gold |
| Four | 25,000 | Four sealed scrolls and four guides to gold |
| Five | 30,000 | Six sealed scrolls and six guides to gold |
| Six | 37,500 | Nine sealed scrolls and nine guides to gold |
| Seven | 120,000 | Four forbidden curse scrolls, four philosophies of gold, and one lightless eye of the maelstrom |
| Eight | 260,000 | Six forbidden curse scrolls, six philosophies of gold, and one lightless eye of the maelstrom |
| Nine | 450,000 | Nine forbidden curse scrolls, 12 philosophies of gold, and two lightless eyes of the maelstrom |
| Ten | 700,000 | 12 forbidden curse scrolls, 16 philosophies of gold, two lightless eyes of the maelstrom, and one crown of insight |
To find all these bits and pieces, head to these locations and hunt these creatures:
- Divining scrolls, sealed scrolls, and forbidden curse scrolls -these items drop from samachurl enemies all across Teyvat
- Gold talent books – farm these in the Taishan Mansion domain in Liyue on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays
- Lightless eye of the maelstrom – these drop from the All-Devouring Narwhal weekly boss in Fontaine. You can challenge it once a week. If you don’t get the right drop, you can transform them at an alchemy station
Talent priority:
- Elemental burst > elemental skill > normal attack
Who is Genshin Impact’s Xianyun?
Xianyun is one of Liyue’s adepti, a group of very powerful beings allied to Morax, who fought in the Archon War hundreds of years ago. Her title is Cloud Retainer, but it appears her playable character is a more day-to-day version.
Like Baizhu and Scaramouche before her, Xianyun is a highly anticipated character that players are saving for, and have been since her appearance in Liyue’s archon quests.
If you’re not sure which person she is in the story, she’s the white bird that shouts at you for entering her abode on Mount Aocang during the Custodian of the Clouds archon quest and An Adeptal Summons world quest. You know, the one that talks about little versions of Genshin Impact’s Shenhe and Genshin Impact’s Ganyu, as she adopted and trained them both.
That’s all we have on Cloud Retainer’s playable form for now, so why not jump into some more of Liyue’s best character builds? Here are our guides to Genshin Impact’s Zhongli, Genshin Impact’s Baizhu, Genshin Impact’s Qiqi, and Genshin Impact’s Xiao.