Mavuika Xianyun Plunge Guide: Does the Buff Work? (Tested)

The Definitive Answer: Xianyun and Mavuika Nightsoul Interaction

Since Mavuika's January 1, 2025 release, players have questioned whether Xianyun's plunge support synergizes with the Pyro Archon's Nightsoul mechanics. After controlled testing: no for Nightsoul attacks, yes for standard plunges.

Mavuika's Flamestrider state (activated by holding The Named Moment) consumes 120 Nightsoul points over 9 seconds, enabling midair flight, wall climbing, and unique combat patterns. While visually resembling plunges, these Nightsoul strikes are mechanically Elemental Burst damage. Xianyun's Adeptal Assistance specifically buffs plunging attacks—creating a compatibility gap.

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Test Results: Does the Buff Apply?

Controlled testing confirms Xianyun's 180% ATK shockwave (400% at C2) doesn't apply to Mavuika's Nightsoul attacks during Elemental Burst. Damage numbers stay identical whether Adeptal Assistance is active or not.

However, Mavuika's standard claymore plunges (outside Flamestrider) fully benefit from Xianyun's 8-stack buff, adding shockwave damage capped at 9000 per plunge (18000 at C2). Reaching the cap requires 4500 ATK—achievable through Bennett's Burst and proper artifacts.

Why This Matters for Team Building

This distinction shapes optimal team construction. Players expecting Xianyun to amplify Nightsoul Burst damage get better results with ATK buffers (Bennett) or elemental amplifiers (Kazuha). Flamestrider already deals 200% ATK AoE Pyro initially, then 500% ATK AoE Pyro every 3 seconds—substantial multipliers benefiting more from direct ATK scaling.

Hybrid playstyles alternating between Nightsoul Burst windows and standard claymore combos leverage Xianyun effectively. The 0.4s cooldown per character on Adeptal Assistance stacks allows rapid plunge sequences between Mavuika's 18s Burst cooldown.

Key Takeaways

• Nightsoul attacks bypass Xianyun's plunge buffs due to classification differences
• Standard claymore plunges outside Nightsoul gain full Adeptal Assistance benefits
• Hybrid rotations require precise timing and energy management
• Alternative supports may provide superior damage for pure Nightsoul builds
• C1's increased Nightsoul cap (80→120) extends Flamestrider duration but doesn't alter buff interactions

Understanding Mavuika's Nightsoul State Mechanics

Nightsoul state is Natlan's signature combat system, fundamentally altering attack patterns and resource consumption. Mavuika's implementation showcases the most aggressive offensive application among current Natlan characters.

What is Nightsoul State?

Nightsoul state functions as a region-specific combat mode exclusive to Natlan characters, consuming Nightsoul points as a secondary resource. Mavuika's limit sits at 80 base, expanding to 120 at C1—a 50% increase enabling extended Flamestrider duration.

The state enables unique traversal:

• Midair flight: 3s base (6s at C6)
• Water traversal: 3s base (6s at C6)
• Wall climbing: 1s base (2s at C6)

How Mavuika Activates and Maintains Nightsoul

Holding The Named Moment summons Flamestrider, consuming 120 Nightsoul points over 9 seconds (13.3 points/second). This creates a fixed operational timeframe regardless of combat intensity.

Mavuika generates Fighting Spirit at 1.5 points per 0.1s when Flamestrider Normal Attacks connect, capping at 200 points. Her Kiongozi passive converts this to damage amplification at 0.2% DMG per Fighting Spirit point, reaching maximum 40% bonus for 20s. This dual-resource system rewards aggressive sustained combat.

Jump inputs during Flamestrider initiate vertical wall climbing. Holding attack executes Ancient Name Unbound—8 consecutive spinning Charged Attacks.

Nightsoul vs Normal Attack Classification

The critical distinction: Nightsoul attacks during Mavuika's Elemental Burst Hour of Burning Skies register as Elemental Burst damage in combat logs. Standard plunges outside this state classify as Normal Attack damage, qualifying for entirely different buff categories.

This explains why Xianyun's Adeptal Assistance—enhancing Plunging Attack DMG—fails to amplify Nightsoul strikes. The game's damage engine treats these as separate instances despite visual similarities.

Claymore Attack Patterns During Nightsoul Burst

Mavuika's Flames Weave Life Normal Attack chain: 4 consecutive strikes with standard claymore hitbox. During Nightsoul, these maintain fundamental structure while gaining Pyro infusion and enhanced multipliers. Sunfell Slice deals 120% ATK damage.

Flamestrider's initial activation: 200% ATK AoE Pyro damage. Subsequent 500% ATK AoE Pyro pulses every 3s create consistent pressure without additional inputs. Zero-stamina sprints every 2.5s enable rapid repositioning without depleting stamina for emergency dodges.

Xianyun's Plunge Buff: Complete Talent Breakdown

Xianyun (released January 31, 2025) established the plunge attack support archetype. Her kit revolves around amplifying aerial combat through direct damage additions and team-wide buffs.

Xianyun's Elemental Skill and Passive Talents

White Clouds at Dawn generates Adeptal Assistance with 8 stacks, each adding a shockwave to plunges:

• Base: 180% ATK damage, capped at 9000 per plunge
• C2: 400% ATK damage, capped at 18000 per plunge

The 0.4s cooldown per character prevents instant depletion while allowing rapid sequential plunges across team rotations.

Lvl.90 base stats: 10409 HP, 335 ATK, 573 DEF, 28.8% ATK bonus.

Buff Conditions and Duration Windows

Stars Gather at Dusk (Elemental Burst):

• Energy cost: 70
• Duration: 16s
• Cooldown: 18s

Crane's Echoing Call weapon increases Plunging Attack DMG by 28% for 20s, extending beyond Xianyun's Burst duration.

Adeptal Assistance stacks persist independently of Xianyun's field presence, allowing swap-friendly quickswap compositions.

Which Attack Types Qualify

Xianyun's buffs target:

• Standard plunge attacks from all weapon types
• Plunge attacks during character-specific infusion states (excluding Nightsoul classification)
• Charged plunge variations maintaining plunge classification

Explicitly excluded:

• Elemental Burst damage resembling plunging
• Nightsoul state attacks classified as Burst damage
• Elemental Skill damage with plunge-like animations
• Transformative reaction damage

Common Misconceptions

Many assume Xianyun universally enhances all aerial attacks. Testing confirms only attacks tagged Plunging Attack receive benefits.

Another error: overestimating the 9000/18000 damage cap. Reaching the cap requires 4500 ATK—achievable but demanding Bennett's Burst and ATK-focused artifacts. Teams lacking sufficient ATK buffing hit diminishing returns before the ceiling.

Players also misunderstand the 8-stack consumption mechanic. The 0.4s cooldown per character means solo plunge spam depletes stacks in ~3.2s, while coordinated team rotations extend value across the full 16s duration.

Optimal Mavuika Plunge Team Compositions

Best 4-Character Team with Xianyun

Core Team: Mavuika / Xianyun / Bennett / Kazuha

This prioritizes hybrid damage output, leveraging Nightsoul Burst for primary damage while utilizing standard plunges during cooldown windows.

Rotation:

1. Bennett Elemental Skill for particles → Elemental Burst for ATK buff
2. Kazuha Elemental Skill to Swirl Pyro, applying VV shred
3. Xianyun Elemental Burst to activate Adeptal Assistance
4. Mavuika Elemental Burst (Hour of Burning Skies) for 7s Nightsoul damage
5. Transition to standard claymore plunges during remaining Xianyun buff duration
6. Repeat as energy permits

This maximizes buff stacking during Mavuika's highest damage windows while preserving Xianyun's Adeptal Assistance for standard plunge follow-up.

Alternative DPS: Gaming

Gaming's entire kit revolves around aerial combat. Rotation: Furina E Q → Bennett E Q → Xianyun Q → Gaming E plunge Q continuous plunges. This achieves higher stack efficiency than hybrid Mavuika rotations.

F2P-Friendly Alternatives

Budget Team: Mavuika / Xianyun / Xiangling / Sucrose

Xiangling maintains Pyro resonance while adding off-field Pyro. Sucrose provides budget EM sharing and VV shred. Xiangling's Pyronado snapshots buffs—time to capture Xianyun's Burst and Sucrose's EM sharing. Requires 180-200% ER.

4-Star Weapons:

• Mavuika: Serpent Spine (Battle Pass) or Prototype Archaic (craftable)
• Xianyun: Prototype Amber (energy) or Thrilling Tales (ATK buffing)

Elemental Reaction Synergy

Pyro-focused teams benefit from Vaporize and Melt. However, Mavuika's rapid Pyro application during Nightsoul often results in reverse Vaporize (1.5x instead of 2.0x).

Melt compositions face similar aura application challenges. Ganyu's Elemental Burst provides consistent Cryo for occasional Melt reactions on Flamestrider pulses.

Overload with Electro creates knockback issues, disrupting melee combat and reducing hit consistency.

Team Rotation Timing

Detailed Breakdown:

• Bennett Burst (1.5s) → immediate ATK buff
• Kazuha Skill (1.2s) → 0.5s particle travel → VV shred active
• Xianyun Burst (2.0s) → Adeptal Assistance active for 16s
• Mavuika Burst (1.8s) → 7s Nightsoul → 9s standard plunge window

Total setup: ~6.5s, leaving 9.5s overlapping buff windows for max damage. Advanced players reduce setup through animation canceling, extending effective windows by 1-2s.

Energy regeneration requires proper particle funneling. Bennett generates 2-3 Pyro particles per Skill, Kazuha produces 3-4 Anemo particles. Xianyun's particle generation is modest—needs ER substats for consistent Burst uptime.

Build Optimization for Mavuika Plunge Teams

Mavuika's Lvl.90 base stats: 12552 HP, 359 ATK, 792 DEF, 88.4% CRIT DMG. The high CRIT DMG ascension stat influences optimal circlet selection.

Best Artifact Sets and Stat Priorities

Primary: Obsidian Codex 4-piece

Provides 15% DMG bonus (2pc) and 40% CRIT Rate for 6s (4pc), perfectly aligning with burst-window playstyle. The 6s CRIT Rate window covers initial Nightsoul damage, allowing CRIT DMG circlets to maximize damage with her 88.4% ascension stat.

Main stats:

• Sands: ATK%
• Goblet: Pyro DMG%
• Circlet: CRIT Rate or CRIT DMG (depending on substats/weapon)

Substat priority:

1. CRIT Rate/CRIT DMG (70/140 minimum, 80/180 optimal)
2. ATK% (scales both Nightsoul damage and Xianyun's shockwave cap)
3. Energy Recharge (120-140% for consistent Burst uptime)
4. Elemental Mastery (minor value for reaction teams)

The 4500 ATK threshold for maximizing Xianyun's shockwave requires Bennett's Burst (800-1200 ATK) combined with ATK% sands and substats.

Alternative: Crimson Witch 2pc + Gladiator/Shimenawa 2pc

Provides 15% Pyro DMG + 18% ATK for balanced stats.

Weapon Recommendations

5-Star:

• Wolf's Gravestone: High base ATK (608 at Lvl.90) and ATK% substat (49.6%) maximize both Nightsoul damage and Xianyun shockwave potential. Passive provides team-wide ATK buffing.

4-Star:

• Serpent Spine (Battle Pass): CRIT Rate substat (27.6% at Lvl.90) simplifies artifact optimization. Stacking DMG bonus reaches 30% at 5 stacks.
• Prototype Archaic (Craftable): ATK% substat (41.3% at Lvl.90) provides accessible scaling.

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Talent Level Priority

1. Elemental Burst: Priority 1—directly scales Nightsoul damage (200% ATK initial + 500% ATK pulses)
2. Normal Attack: Priority 2—affects standard plunge multipliers and claymore combos
3. Elemental Skill: Priority 3—primarily utility for Nightsoul generation

Prioritize Burst to 8-9 before investing heavily in Normal Attack.

Energy Recharge Requirements

Mavuika's 18s Burst cooldown with 7s active duration creates 11s downtime for energy regeneration.

ER Thresholds:

• Double Pyro with Bennett: 120-130% ER
• Single Pyro teams: 140-160% ER
• Triple Pyro: 110-120% ER

Favonius weapons on supports (Xianyun with Favonius Codex) generate neutral particles, reducing Mavuika's ER requirements by 10-20%.

Practical Combat Applications

Spiral Abyss Floor 12 Strategies

Chamber-Specific:

• Single-Target: Maximize Nightsoul damage through full buff stacking. Standard plunges during downtime provide supplementary damage.
• AoE: Flamestrider's 500% ATK AoE pulses every 3s excel against grouped enemies. Position centrally.
• High-Mobility Enemies: Use Flamestrider's midair flight and wall climbing for pursuit. Reserve Nightsoul points for repositioning.

Boss Fight Optimization

Invulnerability Phase Management:

Avoid activating Mavuika's Burst before invulnerability phases—the 7s duration wastes Nightsoul time. Use standard combos during invulnerability, reserve Burst for confirmed damage windows.

Positioning for Plunge Attacks:

Bosses with flat arenas (Azhdaha, Raiden Shogun) limit natural plunge opportunities. Xianyun's Elemental Skill provides vertical launch, but setup time reduces overall DPS.

Stamina Management:

Flamestrider's zero-stamina sprints every 2.5s conserve stamina during Nightsoul, but transitions to standard combat require careful budgeting. Avoid exhausting stamina before planned plunge sequences.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Premature Burst Activation: Activating Mavuika's Burst before Bennett's ATK buff or Xianyun's Adeptal Assistance wastes damage. All buffs must be active before Burst activation.

Neglecting Fighting Spirit Generation: Mavuika's Kiongozi passive provides up to 40% DMG bonus. Prioritize landing Normal Attacks during Nightsoul state rather than relying solely on 500% ATK pulses.

Inefficient Adeptal Assistance Consumption: Coordinate plunge timing across team members to maximize stack utilization within 16s. Solo plunge spam depletes stacks in 3.2s.

Ignoring Elemental Aura Management: Pyro aura from Flamestrider can override beneficial auras (Hydro for Vaporize, Cryo for Melt). Time Nightsoul activation to trigger reactions.

Advanced Animation Canceling

Burst Animation Canceling: Dash-cancel recovery frames after Burst activation saves 0.3-0.5s.

Swap Canceling: Character swap after plunge attacks eliminates landing recovery frames, accelerating rotation speed.

Jump Canceling Normal Attacks: Jump-cancel the fourth Normal Attack (extended recovery) transitions smoothly into plunge setup.

FAQ

Does Xianyun's plunge buff affect Mavuika's Nightsoul attacks?

No. Xianyun's Adeptal Assistance doesn't buff Nightsoul attacks—they're classified as Elemental Burst damage, not plunge attacks. Only standard claymore plunges outside Nightsoul receive Xianyun's shockwave bonus (180-400% ATK, 9000-18000 cap).

What is Mavuika's Nightsoul state?

Activated by holding The Named Moment, consuming 120 Nightsoul points over 9s (13.3 points/s). Enables midair flight, wall climbing, and enhanced Pyro attacks: 200% ATK initially + 500% ATK AoE every 3s. Generates Fighting Spirit (1.5 points per 0.1s from Normal Attacks), converting to up to 40% DMG bonus via Kiongozi passive.

Can Xianyun support Mavuika in plunge teams?

Yes, with limitations. Xianyun supports standard claymore plunges during Burst downtime, providing substantial shockwave damage. But buffs don't enhance primary Nightsoul output. Hybrid rotations alternating between Nightsoul Burst and standard plunges leverage Xianyun effectively, though pure Nightsoul builds benefit more from Bennett or Kazuha.

What are the best artifacts for Mavuika plunge build?

Obsidian Codex 4pc: 15% DMG bonus + 40% CRIT Rate for 6s. Use ATK% Sands, Pyro DMG% Goblet, CRIT Rate/DMG Circlet. Target 70/140 CRIT ratio minimum (80/180 optimal) with 120-140% ER. Prioritize CRIT stats, then ATK% to approach 4500 ATK for maximizing Xianyun's shockwave cap.

How to maximize Mavuika's plunge damage?

Stack buffs before Burst: Bennett's Burst for ATK (800-1200), Kazuha's Skill for VV shred and elemental DMG%, Xianyun's Burst for plunge shockwaves. Build Fighting Spirit to 200 during Nightsoul through Normal Attacks for 40% DMG bonus. Use standard plunges during Xianyun's remaining buff window after Nightsoul ends. Maintain 70/140+ CRIT ratio, prioritize Burst talent to 8-9.

Do Mavuika's constellations improve plunge damage?

C1 increases Nightsoul capacity (80→120), extending Flamestrider duration. C6 extends midair flight (3s→6s) and wall climbing (1s→2s), improving positioning flexibility. However, constellations don't alter Xianyun interaction—Nightsoul attacks remain Burst damage regardless of constellation. Standard plunges benefit equally from Xianyun at all constellation levels.