Xinyan

Xinyan

4★PyroClaymoreShielder

TL;DR

Xinyan's Skill swings her guitar for a shield that lasts 12 seconds and scales off her Defence. How big it is depends on how many enemies the swing hits. Whoever is holding it also deals 15% more Physical damage. Skill into a crowd, Burst if you have it, swap.

Rotation

  1. Skill (E) into a group. Two or more enemies hit gives you the top shield.
  2. Burst (Q) when you have the Energy. Everything nearby gets launched.
  3. Swap to your damage dealer, who keeps the shield and the Physical damage bonus for 12 seconds.
  4. Skill (E) again every 18 seconds.

Abilities

Skill (E) 18 second cooldown. Pyro damage in a swing around her, plus a shield lasting 12 seconds that reads off her Defence. It soaks Pyro particularly well and applies Pyro to Xinyan when it goes up.
The shield levels Three of them, decided by how many enemies the swing catches. With her first passive unlocked, one enemy gets you the middle level and two or more gets you the top one, which also deals Pyro damage to things standing near it now and then.
Burst (Q) 60 Energy, back in 15 seconds. Two seconds of Physical damage that launches enemies, followed by Pyro explosions.

The one mechanic to understand

The shield's size depends on how many enemies you hit.

This is the one thing that separates a useful Xinyan from a disappointing one. The swing has to connect with two enemies to reach the top level once her first passive is unlocked. Only that level adds the periodic Pyro damage around the shield. Against a lone boss you are stuck with the middle level, which still shields, just less. So walk into the group before you press it rather than casting on the way in.

What actually matters

The two or three real decisions. Everything else is noise.

  • Defence. The shield reads off it and nothing else she has scales with Attack. This is one of the few characters where a Defence goblet is correct.
  • The Physical damage bonus. Anyone carrying her shield deals 15% more Physical damage, which is the reason to bring her over another shielder for a Physical carry.
  • Energy Recharge for a 60 cost Burst. Around 160% if she's your only Pyro character. The Burst is optional, the shield is not.

Gear

A build that works. KeqingMains lists every other option.

Weapon Defence. Whiteblind is craftable, carries Defence on it and stacks more Defence and Attack every time she lands a hit.
Artifacts 4-piece Noblesse Oblige. 20% party Attack whenever she Bursts, which costs her nothing since her own damage was never the plan.
Main stats Defence sands, Defence goblet, Defence circlet, with Energy Recharge in the substats.

Works well with

ElectroCryo

Her Pyro is thin, so this is mostly about what her shield covers. Electro or Cryo alongside a Physical carry stacks resistance shred on top of her 15%.

Don't bother

  • Attack or Crit stats.
  • Her Burst in a fight where scattering enemies is a problem.
  • Her own attack strings. She swings once and leaves.
  • Chasing the top shield off a single enemy. Take the middle level and move on.

Want the full theorycrafting version? Read Xinyan on KeqingMains.