How good is Xiao's signature artifact - Vermillion Hereafter in Genshin Impact?

Genshin Impact update 2.6 will introduce a new artifact set called Vermillion Hereafter which is tailor-made for Xiao. Unlike other DPS units such as Raiden Shogun, Ganyu, and Arataki Itto, the five-star Anemo character doesn't have his own artifact set.

However, several months after his release, HoYoverse is finally adding the Vermillion Hereafter set with the following attributes:

• 2-Piece: ATK + 18%
• 4-Piece: After using an Elemental Burst, the character will gain a stack called the Nascent Light effect, which will increase their ATK by 8% for 16 seconds. When the character loses health, their attack will further increase by 10%. This effect can be triggered once every 0.8 seconds, and a total of ATK+66% can be obtained. The Nascent Light stack will be dispelled when the character leaves the field. If an Elemental Burst is used again during the duration of Nascent Light, the original Nascent Light will be dispelled.

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This article will talk about the viability of the upcoming artifact set in Genshin Impact update 2.6.

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Xiao gets a massive damage boost with Vermillion Hereafter artifact set in Genshin Impact

Since he's a main DPS, ATK% is a highly desirable stat on Xiao. Hence, the two-piece bonus that grants an ATK boost of 18% is ideal.

However, the four-piece set bonus is as niche as it gets. It initially boosts the wielder's ATK during an Elemental Burst by 8%, and when the character loses HP, their attack is further increased up to 66%. It is evident how this bonus is created to favor Xiao's playstyle.

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During his Elemental Burst, Xiao gains the ability to jump high above the ground and deal a ton of AoE Anemo DMG through Plunging Attacks. However, he loses HP with every Plunging Attack, and the Vermillion Hereafter artifact set compensates for it through the damage buff.

A recent showcase of the new artifact set in Genshin Impact 2.6 revealed that Xiao's damage could be boosted from 30,000 (from every Plunging Attack during Elemental Burst) to 40,000. However, the tester had the ideal stats (100 Crit Rate, 200 Crit Damage) and the weapon (Primordial Jade Winged Spear) as well.

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Is Vermillion Hereafter worth the grind in Genshin Impact 2.6?

To be fair, the Vermillion Hereafter is undoubtedly the best-in-slot artifact set for Xiao. The character was released a long time ago, and even his rerun banner was available during the 2.4 update.

Hence, it wouldn't be a surprise if the majority of players have already spent resources like Mora and Resin on other artifact sets like Shimenawa's Reminiscence and Viridescent Venerer.

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Resin and Mora are two of the most scarce resources in Genshin Impact, and F2P players might not want to waste them on a character that they've already built. The damage boost from Vermillion Hereafter is decent, but it doesn't seem worth the effort if your Xiao is already dealing 20-30k damage with every Plunge attack (it is important to consider weapons and talents as well).

Moreover, the upcoming artifact set is too niche. Using its four-piece set bonus with other DPS characters isn't a good strategy.

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Genshin Impact players who are still building Xiao or those who aren't satisfied with his damage should invest in the Vermillion Hereafter set. Others can choose to avoid the grind as the damage difference won't be too significant.

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