Yangyang finally gets her alternate form in Wuthering Waves, and Yangyang Xuanling is nothing like the free four-star support most players started with. This is a five-star Havoc Sword main DPS whose damage comes from Heavy Attacks and constant Havoc Bane application, and she currently sits at the top of the Havoc damage pile. The catch is that her ceiling only shows up with the right weapon, echo set, stat spread, and teammates.
Quick answer: Equip Azure Oath, run the Song of Feathered Trace 5-piece with Thousand-Puppet Pavilion as the main echo, stack Crit Rate and Crit DMG at a 1:2 ratio with Havoc DMG and ATK%, push Energy Regen to at least 120%, and pair her with Chisa plus Suisui (or Shorekeeper).
Yangyang Xuanling best weapons
Her damage profile is built around Heavy Attack DMG and shredding enemies with Havoc Bane, so weapons that add Crit stats, ATK, and Heavy Attack synergy matter most. Azure Oath, her signature sword, is the clear best-in-slot. It grants a flat 12% All-Attribute DMG Bonus, and once Havoc Bane is applied it amplifies Heavy Attack DMG by 36% while letting those hits ignore 12% of the target’s DEF for eight seconds.
| Priority | Weapon |
|---|---|
| Best in slot | Azure Oath (5★) |
| 5-star alternatives | Emerald Sentence, Emerald of Genesis, Red Spring |
| 4-star alternatives | Lumingloss, Fables of Wisdom |
If you don’t own her signature, Emerald Sentence and Red Spring are the strongest five-star fallbacks, and Emerald of Genesis is the reliable free-to-play pick thanks to its Crit Rate stat and the ATK boost it stacks every time she casts her Resonance Skill to switch stances. Among four-stars, Lumingloss adds Basic and Heavy Attack DMG on skill use, while Fables of Wisdom feeds her ATK when she hits enemies afflicted with Negative Statuses.
Best echo set, main echo, and stats
Song of Feathered Trace is effectively made for her. The 2-piece adds 10% Energy Regen, and the 5-piece grants Xuanling’s Feather whenever she inflicts Havoc Bane, raising Crit Rate by 20% and Heavy Attack DMG Bonus by 35% for 15 seconds. Because she applies Havoc Bane throughout her rotation, that buff stays up almost permanently. Use Thousand-Puppet Pavilion in the main echo slot and follow the standard 4-3-3-1-1 cost pattern.
| Slot | Main stat |
|---|---|
| Cost 4 | Crit Rate or Crit DMG (1:2 ratio) |
| Cost 3 | Havoc DMG |
| Cost 3 | Havoc DMG |
| Cost 1 | ATK% |
| Cost 1 | ATK% |
For substats, prioritize Crit Rate and Crit DMG first, then Heavy Attack DMG, ATK%, and Energy Regen. Aim to push her toward a strong Crit ratio while keeping Energy Regen around 120% so her Liberation stays online every rotation. Thread of Severed Fate is a workable substitute set if you lack Feathered Trace, since inflicting Havoc Bane there boosts ATK by 20% and adds 30% Resonance Liberation DMG. Havoc Eclipse is the budget option, stacking Havoc DMG through Basic and Heavy Attacks.
Yangyang Xuanling best teams
Her ideal squad is built to abuse Havoc Bane. Chisa is the standout partner because her kit reduces enemy DEF, applies Havoc Bane, and raises the maximum Negative Status stacks a target can hold, which directly increases the DMG amplification from Xuanling’s Inherent Skill, Unbroken Vow. Suisui or Shorekeeper rounds out the team on support and healing.
| Team type | Main DPS | Sub-DPS | Support |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premium (best) | Yangyang Xuanling | Chisa | Suisui / Shorekeeper |
| Mono Havoc | Yangyang Xuanling | Phrolova | Chisa / Cantarella |
| Heavy Attack focus | Yangyang Xuanling | Iuno | Chisa / Rebecca |
| Tune Break | Yangyang Xuanling | Lynae | Mornye / Chisa |
| F2P | Yangyang Xuanling | Mortefi | Verina |
Shorekeeper works as a universal support alternative, providing Crit Rate and Crit DMG buffs tied to her Energy Regen plus heavy team-wide healing. In a dual-DPS setup, Phrolova pairs well since both characters supply Havoc DMG buffs through their Outro skills, letting Xuanling stay on the field longer. On a budget, Mortefi replaces Iuno for Heavy Attack DMG buffs and coordinated attacks, and Verina covers healing and team ATK buffs.
Why the build works: how her kit flows
Xuanling dances between two forms, the Azure Sword Stance and the Feather Sword Stance, and both build a resource called Melody through Basic Attacks. When Melody runs out, Sword Stance Flow triggers, switching her stance, restoring all Melody, and granting a point of Azure Plume. Once Azure Plume maxes out, she spends it on a huge Heavy Attack that deals massive Havoc DMG.
The Crit stacking pays off here. Casting Heavy Attack – Azure Sword Stance grants Bated Breath, boosting that same attack’s Crit DMG by 160%, while Sword Stance Flow: Feather grants Drifting Mist for a similar 160% Crit DMG boost on her next qualifying attack. Her Resonance Liberation, Hush of a Thousand Voices, spends all Melody for a burst, maxes Havoc Bane stacks on everything it hits, and summons a Shadow of Xuanling for extra Heavy Attack damage.
Crucially, Havoc Bane itself does not add direct damage. It exists to fuel her self-buffs, which is why you build her like a standard Heavy Attack DPS rather than chasing Negative Status damage. Unbroken Vow amplifies her damage by up to 30% at one to three Havoc Bane stacks and up to 36% at four to six, and she can self-apply Havoc Bane through Basic Attacks, her Intro Skill, and her Liberation without leaning on teammates.
Skill leveling should follow her damage sources. Forte Circuit and Resonance Liberation are top priority since they power her Heavy Attacks and burst, followed by the Resonance Skill that keeps applying Havoc Bane. Normal Attack and Intro Skill sit at the bottom. She is fragile, so treat dodging as part of the rotation, but a well-tuned Crit spread and steady Havoc Bane uptime turn every Heavy Attack into a heavy hit.
