Yangyang has been part of Wuthering Waves since the tutorial. Every Rover knows her — she’s the free 4-star Aero Sword that most players used in the early game, then quietly set aside once stronger options arrived. Version 3.5 brings her back in a form nobody expected. She returns as Yangyang: Xuanling, a 5-star Havoc main DPS and the very first SP character in the game’s history.
This release has been building for a long time. There’s a letter in the game — Yangyang’s letter — where she promises to watch flowers together “next year.” Version 3.5, set in Mengzhou, is the payoff. She comes back with a new element, a completely different role, and a combat system built around stance switching and Havoc Bane stacking. The kit is new, the identity is new, and the damage ceiling is genuinely high.
If you’re on the fence about pulling, this guide covers everything you need to decide: her release date, full kit, weapons, Echo sets, team comps, Resonance Chains, and an honest verdict on whether she’s worth your Astrite.
Yangyang Xuanling Release Date — WuWa Version 3.5 Banner Schedule
Yangyang: Xuanling is featured in Phase 2 of Wuthering Waves Version 3.5, which went live on June 25, 2026. She shares the phase with Suisui, a new 5-star Glacio Rectifier support and one of her best teammates.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Version | 3.5 Phase 2 |
| Banner Live Date | June 25, 2026 |
| Rarity | 5-Star |
| Element | Havoc |
| Weapon | Sword |
| Role | Main DPS |
| First SP Character | Yes |
She’s also the third Havoc Main DPS in the game after Camellya and Phrolova, and the first one to build her entire kit around the Havoc Bane debuff mechanic.
Buy services for
Wuthering Waves!
Get help with the parts of the game that take the most time. Browse available services or place a custom order.
Order
Who Is Yangyang SP (Xuanling)? Story and Design Context
Xuanling is Yangyang’s SP form — a concept Kuro Games introduced with 3.5, making her the first character in Wuthering Waves to receive this treatment. The original Yangyang is a free 4-star Aero support. This version is a 5-star limited Havoc carry with a completely rebuilt kit and a darker visual identity.
The design shift is noticeable. The original Yangyang wore teal and white and had a soft, calm aesthetic. Xuanling keeps the bird and feather motifs but wraps them in shadow and blue-black tones. The sword combat feels more aggressive, more martial-arts-inspired. Lore-wise, her story runs through the new Mengzhou region and connects to the Sentinel and larger Huanglong storyline threads.
For players who followed Yangyang’s arc since launch, this patch is the moment they’ve been waiting for.
How Yangyang Xuanling's Kit Works — Full Skill Breakdown
Xuanling’s kit has a few layers to it. Once you understand the core loop, it clicks — but there’s a learning curve to managing two stances, two resources, and Havoc Bane stacks simultaneously.
Dual Stance System: Azure and Feather
Xuanling fights in two interchangeable stances: Azure Sword Stance and Feather Sword Stance. Her Resonance Skill switches between them. Each stance has its own attack patterns, and transitioning at the right time is central to the rotation.
In Azure Stance, basic attacks and combos build resources and apply Havoc Bane. In Feather Stance, those stacks convert into high-multiplier Havoc burst damage. Playing her well means reading the stance you’re in, managing resources, and timing the switch to land the biggest hits.
Two Core Resources: Melody and Azure Plume
Xuanling runs two resource gauges at the same time:
- Melody — capped at 100, consumed by basic attacks and dodge counters. When it depletes in one stance, her Resonance Skill transforms into Sword Stance Flow, which restores 100 Melody, grants 1 Azure Plume, and counts as Heavy Attack damage.
- Azure Plume — capped at 2 stacks. At max, holding Basic Attack in Azure Stance triggers a massive Havoc Heavy Attack that applies 2 Havoc Bane stacks. In Feather Stance, max Azure Plume enables Feather Fall, which puts Xuanling into the Hark the Wind state for 12 seconds.
Havoc Bane — The Core Damage Multiplier
Everything Xuanling does feeds into Havoc Bane. Her Inherent Skill amplifies her own damage based on how many Havoc Bane stacks are on the target:
- 1–3 stacks: +10% damage per stack
- 4–6 stacks: +12% damage per stack
Her Liberation instantly fills enemies to max Havoc Bane. Teammates who apply Havoc Bane build Windbound stacks for Xuanling; at 6 stacks, she summons Feather Release: Xuanling, which reapplies 6 Havoc Bane stacks on its own. The loop is self-reinforcing, and the damage ceiling scales with how well you maintain stacks.
Resonance Skill: Sword Stance Switch
Pressing the Resonance Skill switches Xuanling between stances. For a short window after casting, she gets automatic dodge frames — but triggering them costs 50 Melody. When Melody is depleted in either stance, the Skill becomes Sword Stance Flow, which deals Heavy Attack Havoc DMG, restores 100 Melody, grants 1 Azure Plume, and consumes 1 Havoc Bane stack from the target while providing a 100% Crit DMG buff to the next Heavy Attack.
Resonance Liberation: Hush of a Thousand Voices
Xuanling’s Ultimate consumes all her Melody to hit for a large burst of Havoc damage, applies max Havoc Bane stacks to every target hit, restores 1 Azure Plume, and grants the Voice upon Voice state. While this state is active, the next Sword Stance Flow summons a Shadow of Xuanling for a bonus Havoc hit before removing the state.
Intro and Outro Skills
Her Intro Skill switches the active stance, restores 1 Azure Plume, and applies 1 Havoc Bane stack to the target. Her Outro buffs all teammates who apply Havoc Bane with +20% Havoc DMG for 20 seconds — useful for the whole Havoc team, not just Xuanling.
Resonance Chains (Sequence Nodes) — Which Ones Matter
Xuanling at S0 is fully capable of clearing all current content. That said, a couple of her chains provide real performance jumps.
| Chain | Key Effect | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| S1 | Heavy Attacks gain interruption immunity; Sword Stance Flow summons a Shadow copy | Comfort |
| S2 | All Heavy Attack, Feather Fall, and Havoc in Bloom damage multipliers +50% | Best stopping point |
| S3 | Liberation DMG +240%; raises Havoc Bane stack cap for nearby enemies | Strong spike |
| S6 | Applying Havoc Bane triggers Voice Flux — Heavy ATK DMG to marked targets +40% for 30s | Full investment |
S2 is the most cost-effective upgrade. S1 makes her noticeably more comfortable in real fights — the interruption immunity alone saves rotations. Below S3, she needs Chisa as a mandatory teammate to cap Havoc Bane stacks; S3 removes that dependency.
Best Weapons for Yangyang Xuanling in WuWa 3.5
Xuanling’s weapon priority is straightforward: Heavy Attack DMG buffs and Havoc Bane synergy. Avoid weapons that focus on Basic Attack or Resonance Skill damage — those don’t feed her primary damage source.
| Weapon | Rarity | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Azure of Heaven | 5★ Signature | +36% Heavy ATK Amplify, DEF ignore on Havoc Bane application |
| Emerald of Genesis | 5★ Standard | High Crit Rate stat stick; ATK buff on Skill use — easy to maintain |
| Lumingloss | 4★ | Solid Crit Rate option without a 5-star budget |
| Fables of Wisdom | 4★ | Reliable alternative if other options aren't available |
Her signature, Azure of Heaven, is genuinely purpose-built for her. The 36% Heavy Attack Amplification and DEF ignore on Havoc Bane application directly feed every meaningful hit she lands. Emerald of Genesis is the best option if you’re skipping the weapon banner — the Crit Rate makes builds easier, and the ATK buff stays active naturally through Skill casts.
Best Echo Sets for Xuanling — Stats and Priorities
Song of Feathered Trace is the correct set. The 5-piece bonus grants +20% Crit Rate and +35% Heavy Attack DMG Bonus for 15 seconds whenever Xuanling applies Havoc Bane. Since she applies it constantly, this buff is effectively permanent in rotation.
Target stats:
- Crit Rate: 70%+
- Crit DMG: 200%+
- Priority order: Crit Rate ≥ Crit DMG > ATK% > Havoc DMG Bonus
The Havoc DMG Bonus substat is lower priority than pure crit because her kit already amplifies damage through Havoc Bane stacks — crit stats give a higher return on investment for substat slots.
Best Team Compositions for Yangyang Xuanling
Xuanling needs teammates who either apply Havoc Bane or buff Heavy Attack damage. Her Outro already gives Havoc Bane applicators a 20% Havoc DMG boost, so the synergy with Havoc-focused supports compounds quickly.
Team 1 — Current Meta (BiS) Xuanling / Chisa / Suisui
Chisa handles Havoc support and helps maintain Bane stacks. Suisui provides healing, a 50% ATK buff, and fits the Ceaseless Landscape domain synergy with Xuanling. This is the strongest setup available in 3.5.
Team 2 — Pre-Suisui / Accessible Xuanling / Chisa / Verina
Verina handles healing and provides ATK% buffs and a 15% DMG Amplify. Straightforward and effective if Suisui isn’t on your roster.
Team 3 — S3+ Setup Xuanling / Mortefi / Chisa (or flex)
At S3, Xuanling removes her dependency on Qianxiao for Havoc stack management, making S6 Mortefi a viable damage support. His Heavy Attack vulnerability debuff adds a lot of output for Xuanling’s rotation. Only recommended once you hit S3.
One important note: below S3, Chisa is mandatory. Without her consistent Havoc Bane application from a teammate, Xuanling can’t reliably hit the stack counts her damage scaling requires. Plan your roster accordingly before pulling.
Should You Pull Yangyang Xuanling in WuWa 3.5?
Xuanling is a high-skill-ceiling carry with an astronomical damage ceiling if you commit to her. She’s also the kind of character where half-hearted investment — wrong teammates, wrong Echo stats, sloppy stance management — will make her feel weaker than she is.
Pull if:
- You’ve been waiting for Yangyang’s story payoff since the game launched
- You want a Havoc main DPS with genuine mechanical depth
- You have Chisa, or you’re willing to pull Suisui in Phase 2
- You enjoy characters that reward clean execution
Skip if:
- You already have Camellya or Phrolova and don’t need another Havoc carry
- You prefer simple rotations and low-maintenance DPS
- Your biggest roster gap is a support — in that case, Suisui is a stronger long-term investment
S0 clears everything in the current endgame. S2 is the best value upgrade if you want more out of her. S6 is for dedicated fans.
Astrite Budget and Pull Planning for Xuanling's Banner
WuWa uses a soft pity / hard pity system. For a single 5-star, plan for up to 160 pulls to cover a worst-case 50/50 loss scenario. If you want Xuanling plus her signature weapon Azure of Heaven, budget up to 240 pulls for the worst case.
Free Astrite sources to clear before the banner ends:
- Daily missions
- Tower of Adversity / Illusive Realm
- New Mengzhou exploration rewards
- Version 3.5 events
- Redemption codes (check official social channels)
The banner runs for roughly 21 days in Phase 2. Prioritize daily quests and event content first — exploration rewards in a new region add up fast at patch launch.
Yangyang Xuanling Ascension and Forte Materials — Pre-Farm Guide
Most of Xuanling’s materials are tied to new Version 3.5 content, so active pre-farming before the patch isn’t fully possible. What you can do is clear the weekly boss on cooldown and keep Shell Credits stocked.
Ascension Materials:
- New field boss drop from 3.5 (x46 total — standard 5-star curve)
- Mengzhou local specialty (x60 total — gather early in the patch)
- Standard synthesis components (Waveworn Residue series)
Forte Materials:
- New Forgery Challenge drop from 3.5 (four-tier structure: Inert → Reactive → Polarized → Heterized)
- Forte upgrades cover all main nodes, bonus stat nodes, and two inherent skills — this is the largest resource sink
Weekly Boss Material:
- One drop per week from Mengzhou’s new weekly challenge
- Can’t be rushed — start as soon as 3.5 goes live and don’t skip weeks
If you have older-tier Forgery materials stockpiled, check the material conversion system — they can carry over into the new tier structure and save early farming time.
Buy services for
Wuthering Waves!
Get help with the parts of the game that take the most time. Browse available services or place a custom order.
Order
Is Yangyang Xuanling Worth Pulling in Wuthering Waves 3.5?
Yangyang: Xuanling is the most historically significant character Kuro Games has released since launch. First SP unit in the game, full mechanical rebuild, story payoff that’s been years in the making. The kit has real depth — stance switching, two resource gauges, and a Havoc Bane loop that scales hard with investment and execution.
She’s not a plug-and-play carry. She rewards players who learn the rotation and build the right team around her. At S0 with Chisa and a healer, she handles current endgame without issue. With Suisui and S2, she becomes one of the strongest Havoc options in the game.
If Yangyang has been your character since day one, this banner isn’t a question. If you’re evaluating her purely on roster value, she’s a pull if you need a main DPS — and a skip if your Havoc slot is already filled.
