With Genshin Impact's version 5.1 just around the corner, everyone has their eyes on upcoming powerful and gorgeous tiger like character Xilonen. She is said to be a famous smith from the Children of Echos, one of the Natlan’s six tribes. As a 5-Star Geo sword user, Xilonen is set to be a versatile addition to many teams with a unique skill set centered around her ability to manipulate Geo damage, enhance her defense, and provide utility as a healer. Whether you’re looking to add her to your roster or simply curious about her abilities, this guide covers all possible information on Xilonen, including her Ascension materials, talents, playstyle, and potential teammates. While the information here is can be subject to change upon the official release, it offers an exciting preview of what to expect from this upcoming character.

Xilonen's Banner and Availability:

Xilonen will be the featured 5-Star character on her debut banner, "Forgefire's Blessing" during version 5.1. As with most banners, this event will only be available for a limited time. However, like other 5-Star characters, Xilonen is expected to return to the game in future banner reruns, allowing players more opportunities to summon her in the future. Chiori will be the other 5 star character who will be really helpful in mono-geo teams or double geo teams. In our point of view, Xilonen seems to work well with lots of DPS characters and also she is a healer. If you are looking for a strong support character who can reduce enemy's resistance and fill a spot in many team compositions, you should go for Xilonen.

Xilonen's Playstyle and Abilities:

Xilonen's kit revolves around her Nightsoul mechanics, a system unique to her that allows her to gain powerful buffs and control over Geo damage. As a defense-scaling character, her attacks and abilities depend heavily on her defense stat, making her a solid support character that can also double as an off-field healer in certain team compositions. When it comes to her battle mechanics, she is equipped with three Geo samplers crafted by herself and their element and color can change when we add other Hydro, Pyro, Cryo or Electro characters to our party. Attacking enemies with normal attacks will build up Nightsoul points when Xilonen has at least two samplers of an element, other than Geo.

The samplers will be activated when those points are at their maximum level that reduces the corresponding elemental resistances of nearby enemies. Which means her abilities would work best when there are at least two different elemental characters in our party and once we have our optimal team, all we have to do is activate the Nightsoul’s Blessing and max out her Nightsoal points. Xilonen also works great with multiple Geo characters, because her normal and plunging attacks deal greater damage instead of rapidly accumulating Nightsoul points if her samplers are aligned with GEO. Also, when Xilonen is in our party, triggering a Nightsoul Transmission with one of our party members will allow them to regain a set amount of Philogiston. Her elemental burst deals AoE Geo damage and if she has at least two samplers of an element other than Geo, then her burst will restore HP to active characters at set intervals.

Normal Attack: Ehecatl's Roar

Xilonen's basic attack sequence allows her to perform up to three rapid sword strikes. When holding down the attack button, she performs a stamina-consuming forward kick. In her plunging attack, Xilonen deals AoE Geo damage as she descends, with damage scaling based on her defense stat.

Elemental Skill: Yohual's Scratch

Xilonen’s Elemental Skill, Yohual's Scratch, transforms her combat style, switching her into highspeed blading gear. She rushes forward a certain distance, dealing Nightsoul-aligned Geo damage based on her defense. After casting this skill, Xilonen gains 45 Nightsoul points, entering her unique Nightsoul's Blessing state, which activates her Blade Roller mode.

In this mode, Xilonen’s normal attacks become rapid kicks performed on her roller blades, with the damage scaling from her defense stat. During this state, she loses access to charged attacks but deals Nightsoul-aligned Geo damage, which cannot be overridden by any other elements.

Elemental Burst: Ocelotlicue Point

Xilonen’s Elemental Burst, Ocelotlicue Point, unleashes the full power of her Phlogiston Stereo DJ Controller. This burst deals Nightsoul-aligned AoE Geo damage based on her defense and triggers additional effects depending on how many of her Source Samples have been activated.

• Healing Mode: If at least two of Xilonen's Source Samples have undergone Elemental Type changes, she will heal nearby party members based on her defense at intervals.

• Damage Mode: If fewer than two Source Samples have been changed, Xilonen triggers an additional AoE Geo damage effect, playing two extra beats that deal more Geo damage based on her defense.

Passive Talents:

Xilonen's passive talents further enhance her survivability and utility in combat.

• Night Realm's Gift: After her Nightsoul points are depleted, Xilonen consumes Phlogiston to maintain the Nightsoul’s Blessing. In Natlan, she doesn't consume stamina while climbing.

• Netotiliztli's Echoes: While in her Nightsoul’s Blessing state, if Xilonen has at least two Source Samples with Elemental Type changes, she gains additional Nightsoul points upon landing normal or plunging attacks. If not, her normal and plunging attacks deal increased damage.

• Portable Armored Sheath: When Xilonen reaches her maximum Nightsoul points while in the Nightsoul's Blessing state, she triggers a burst-like effect that enhances her defense and increases the defense of nearby party members.

Best Weapons for Xilonen:

For players looking to optimize Xilonen, her signature 5-star sword, Peak Patrol Song, is her best-in-slot weapon. It provides a defense substat and boosts critical rate and critical damage based on her defense. Gives the whole team elemental DMG bonus for a free-to-play option, the Favonius Sword or a newly introduced craftable defense sword can serve as excellent alternatives. Additionally, Freedom Sword is an option too.

Artifacts for Xilonen:

Xilonen benefits from artifact sets that boost her Geo damage and defense. Scroll of the Hero of Cinder City (4-piece): Provides an Elemental Energy regeneration bonus and increases elemental damage after triggering reactions while in her Nightsoul's Blessing state. Golden Troupe or Husk of Opulent Dreams are also good alternatives if players need to focus more on increasing defense or Geo damage. Use the new Natlan dps set obsidian Codex in teams, where you use her as a dps. It gives extra damage and crit rate.

Best Team Compositions for Xilonen:

Xilonen excels in teams that can benefit from her Geo support, healing, and utility buffs. Ideally, players will want to pair her with characters that trigger Elemental Reactions to maximize the potential of her passive talents and artifact effects.

Here are some team compositions that Xilonen will work well. But keep this in your mind that the amount of team compositions are countless because of the abilities of Xilonen. So feel free to try out different compositions.

Top Geo Teammates:

Zhongli: Provides strong shields and benefits from Geo resonance with Xilonen.

Albedo: A consistent Geo sub-DPS option that also generates particles.

Geo Traveler: Offers free-to-play players a good source of Geo energy generation.

Top Pyro, Hydro, Cryo, and Electro Teammates:

Bennett, Xiangling , Arlecchino , Leney (Pyro)

Xingqiu, Yelan , Furina (Hydro)

Fischl (Electro)

Rosaria , Shenhe (Cryo)

And instead of replacing Kazuha you can use both Kazuha and Xilonen in one team and it will be incredibly good.

Ascension Materials and Talent Materials:

Like every Genshin Impact character, Xilonen will require specific materials to ascend and increase her power. According to leaks, players will need to farm Brilliant Chrysanthemum and Whistle materials alongside the standard Prithiva Topaz gemstones. If you're planning to pull for Xilonen, it’s a good idea to start gathering her Ascension and Talent materials to level her up efficiently upon her release.

Ascension Materials Needed:

Prithiva Topaz Sliver/Fragment/Chunk/Gemstone

Brilliant Chrysanthemum

Sentry's Wooden Whistle

Warrior’s Metal Whistle

Gold-Inscribed Secret Source Core

Saurian-Crowned Warrior's Golden Whistle

Mora (Total cost: 420,000 Mora)

Talent Materials Needed:

Crown of Insight

Teachings of Kindling

Sentry's Wooden Whistle

Mirror of Mushin

Philosophies of Kindling

Mora (Total cost: 4,957,500 Mora for all talents)

Our thought on Xilonen: Is she worth the pull?

From what we know of Xilonen, she could be a strong support unit capable of healing and reducing enemy resistances. Her ability to shred resistance, boost elemental damage, and heal allies makes her versatile in various team compositions, similar to Kazuha and Furina. And Xilonen is a healer too. Whether you're looking to replace characters like Kazuha or complement existing characters, Xilonen brings a unique playstyle to the battlefield, making her a strong contender for support teams.

Pros:

• Flexibility- she can put into any team that has two chracters of the elements we mentiones early. One of the main reasons for this is that she shreds opponents’ resistances rather than buffing our characters. With a character like Bennett for example buffing attack, Furina, Neuvillette, Yelan and Mualani don’t benefit from him. Xilonen benefits unitsthat scale off different stats.

• Cinder City- As she is the first holder of Cinder City set that can give the whole 40% elemental damage buff while also providing value from her actual kit. Compared with Kachina Xilonen is much more even when it comes to exploring Natlan.

• Healing- Often we dedicate one slot in the team to a buffer and another to a sustain unit, but she acts as both, which means we can dedicate the last slot to another off-field damage dealer for reactions if we want to. Alternatively, we can go full hyper carry with another buffer like Kazuha

• Easy to Build (F2P friendly)- We can give her Favonius Sword and throwaway artifacts and call it a day. She doesn’t need difficult main stats and sub stats like Geo damage or crit. She just needs defense and energy recharge.

• Exploration: Her travel mechanics are worth mentioning. She will be better even outside of Natlan because of her ease of use. It’s great to have someone useful as her when climbing, so that we don’t have to switch in Kachina or Kirara all the time. Additionally, her shred follows us and no circle impact is a big win.

Cons:

• Sidegrade not upgrade – She seems more like a sidegrrade to a lot of character’s current best teams and some may complain that she doesn’t make any of their teams better. Even though we think that’s fine because we like units that open up the potential for flexible team building.

• Team Restrictions- We decently think that restriction on elemental samplers is a downside Dendro and Anemo not being benefited and also the need to run at least 2 units of Pyro, Hydro, Electro, or Cryo elements is little bit disappointing, because it limits our team building options/

Overall, with these advantages outshining the cons, we think that Xilonen is arguably going to be the best release since Furina. While the decision of pulling her is completely up to you, this guide provides an exciting glimpse into her potential as a powerful Geo sword user with the ability to enhance elemental damage and support her team through healing and i believe that she’s set to become a key figure in many teams. Whether you're planning to pull for Xilonen or are just curious about her abilities, we hope our article has been helpful.

Happy gaming, prepare well, and may your pulls be fortunate!

Related Resource Links:

1. Official Genshin Impact Website: (https://genshin.hoyoverse.com/)

2. Genshin Impact Wiki (Fandom): (https://genshin-impact.fandom.com/wiki/Genshin_Impact_Wiki)

3.Genshin Impact YouTube Channel: (https://www.youtube.com/c/GenshinImpact)

4. Hoyolab - Community Forums and News: (https://www.hoyolab.com/)

5. Genshin Impact Subreddit:(https://www.reddit.com/r/Genshin_Impact/)

6. miHoYo Interactive Map : (https://webstatic-sea.mihoyo.com/app/ys-map-sea/index.html)

7. Genshin Impact Builds (GameWith): (https://gamewith.net/genshin-impact/)

8. Genshin Impact Database (Honey Hunter World): (https://genshin.honeyhunterworld.com/)

9. Xilonen Character Teaser (https://youtu.be/7vY4kxQLsdI?si=NQHK69aIRn7OVbYS)

10. Xilonen: From Name to Form (https://youtu.be/KJXHU6QGrBM?si=ZB0Kzt_9ZSjK2Xfx)

11.Genshin Impact 5.1 Update Guide (https://ifomex.com/articles/genshin-impact-5-1-special-program-highlights---new-content--events--rewards-and-everything-you-need-to-know)