Yangyang: Xuanling turns the free Aero starter into a 5-star Havoc main DPS, and the kit leaks show exactly how that switch plays out. She fights through two sword stances, builds her damage around Heavy Attacks, and snowballs off Havoc Bane stacks that her whole team helps apply. Everything below reflects beta data and can still change before Version 3.5 goes live.
Quick answer: Xuanling deals Havoc damage by alternating Azure and Feather sword stances, converting most of her output into Heavy Attack damage, then crit-fishing with Bated Breath and Drifting Mist after spending Melody. Resonance Liberation grants the Voice upon Voice state, which summons Shadow of Xuanling for extra Heavy Attack hits.
Yangyang: Xuanling core profile
She is a 5-star Havoc Resonator who wields a Sword and anchors a Havoc Bane team. Her job is to stay on the field, stack Havoc Bane on enemies, and burst them down with charged Heavy Attacks. This is the first time the original tutorial 4-star has received a full SP rework, and the redesign drops her old teal-and-white Aero look for a darker, combat-focused style.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Rarity | 5-Star |
| Element | Havoc |
| Weapon | Sword |
| Role | Main DPS, Heavy Attack focus |
| Team | Havoc Bane |
| Signature weapon | Azure of Heaven |
Basic Attack: Azure and Feather Sword Stances
Her Basic Attack splits across two stances, and both consume a resource called Melody to chain up to four hits of Havoc damage. While Melody is available, each stance gains 20% increased Energy Regen on its Basic Attack. Landing Stage 4 of either stance applies 1 stack of Havoc Bane to the target, which feeds nearly every other part of her kit.
The same stance logic carries into the air and after dodges. Mid-air Attacks spend stamina and Melody for plunging strikes, and pressing Normal Attack right after lets you flow back into Stage 2 of the matching stance. Dodge Counters also consume Melody, count as a Stage 2 Basic Attack, and chain into Stage 3 if you continue the combo.
Resonance Skill: Sword Stance Switch
The Resonance Skill is the toggle between her two stances. From Azure you switch to Feather and immediately perform Feather Stage 1, and from Feather you switch back to Azure with Azure Stage 1. Both deal Havoc damage on the swap, so changing stances is part of her rotation rather than a pause in it.
Timing the skill after a Basic Attack upgrades the switch. Pressing Resonance Skill shortly after a Basic Attack triggers Sword Stance Switch – Azure or Sword Stance Switch – Feather, and both versions count as Heavy Attack damage. They also open a short window where taking a hit triggers a successful Dodge, with each dodge costing 50 Melody, and the combo will not reset for a moment afterward.
Resonance Liberation: Hush of a Thousand Voices
Her Liberation, Hush of a Thousand Voices, spends all current Melody to deal Heavy Attack damage and restore 1 Azure Plume. More importantly, casting it grants the Voice upon Voice state.
While Voice upon Voice is active, your next Sword Stance Flow – Azure or Sword Stance Flow – Feather summons Shadow of Xuanling, which adds another burst of Heavy Attack damage. The state does not stack, and it disappears once Shadow of Xuanling appears, so you want to spend it on the highest-value flow cast. This burst transformation is the centerpiece of her damage identity.
Forte Circuit: Melody, Azure Plume, and the crit windows
The Forte Circuit is where her rotation actually pays off. When Melody runs out in one stance, the Resonance Skill is replaced by a Sword Stance Flow version. Sword Stance Flow – Azure (used from depleted Feather) and Sword Stance Flow – Feather (used from depleted Azure) each deal Heavy Attack damage, restore 100 Melody and 1 Azure Plume, and consume 1 stack of Havoc Bane from the target.
Each flow also grants a crit buff. Sword Stance Flow – Azure gives Bated Breath, raising the Crit. DMG of the next Heavy Attack – Azure Sword Stance by 100%. Sword Stance Flow – Feather gives Drifting Mist, raising the Crit. DMG of the next Heavy Attack – Feather Sword Stance, Mid-air Attack – Feather Fall, or Basic Attack – Havoc in Bloom by 100%. Both buffs trigger once every 25 seconds and last 15 seconds.
Azure Plume powers her biggest hits. With max Azure Plume in Azure stance, holding Normal Attack unleashes Heavy Attack – Azure Sword Stance, a cyclone that applies 2 stacks of Havoc Bane. In Feather stance, the grounded Heavy Attack auto-follows into Mid-air Attack – Feather Fall, also applying 2 stacks, and Feather Fall enters Hark the Wind for 12 seconds. During Hark the Wind, Basic Attack – Feather Sword Stance becomes Basic Attack – Havoc in Bloom, a three-stage Heavy Attack chain you can finish near the ground.
Two passive systems inside the Forte tie her scaling to Havoc Bane. Feathered Oath gives 1 stack every second whenever any team member applies Havoc Bane, up to 6 stacks, with each stack adding 30% Crit. DMG to her key Heavy Attacks for a 180% maximum. That is why she is built for a Havoc Bane team rather than a solo carry.
Inherent Skills: Havoc Bane amplification
Her first Inherent Skill turns enemy Havoc Bane stacks into raw damage amplification. With 1 to 3 stacks on a target, each stack amplifies her damage by 10%. With 4 to 6 stacks, each stack amplifies by 12%, so keeping enemies fully stacked is the goal.
The second Inherent Skill loops Havoc Bane back into her output. Casting Hush of a Thousand Voices applies Havoc Bane up to the maximum, and team-applied Havoc Bane grants Windbound, stacking up to 6. At 6 Windbound she gains One with the Wind, and her next Sword Stance Flow summons Feather Release: Xuanling to slap 6 stacks of Havoc Bane onto the target, usable once every 5 seconds.
| Buff or stack | Effect |
|---|---|
| Bated Breath | +100% Crit. DMG to next Heavy Attack – Azure |
| Drifting Mist | +100% Crit. DMG to next Feather Heavy Attack, Feather Fall, or Havoc in Bloom |
| Feathered Oath | +30% Crit. DMG per stack, up to +180% |
| Windbound | 6 stacks trigger One with the Wind |
| Feather Release: Xuanling | Applies 6 Havoc Bane stacks, every 5s |
Signature weapon and team fit
Her signature Sword, Azure of Heaven, lines up directly with the kit. It carries ATK as its main stat and a passive built around her core loop, with a 12% All-Attribute DMG Bonus plus an extra 36% Heavy Attack DMG and 12% DEF ignore for 8 seconds when Havoc Bane triggers.
For teammates, she slots best alongside Chisa for Havoc Bane application and DEF shred, with a flex slot for sustain or amplification. The more Havoc Bane your team can stack, the faster her Feathered Oath, Windbound, and damage amplification ramp.
Release window for Version 3.5
Yangyang: Xuanling is expected to headline Phase 1 of Wuthering Waves Version 3.5, which is tracking for a launch around July 23, 2026. No exact release time or timezone has been confirmed yet, and a beta livestream would normally arrive a few weeks ahead of the patch with the final numbers.
Until Kuro Games publishes the official preview, treat every multiplier, energy value, and buff duration above as beta data that may shift. The stances, Havoc Bane scaling, and the Liberation transformation have stayed consistent, so they are the safest pillars to plan a build around.
