Xenopets are the most powerful companions you can get in Survivor.io, offering massive stat boosts, unique assist skills, and even new battle mechanics. But unlocking and optimizing them can be confusing — especially if you’re new to the feature.
This guide breaks down how to unlock Xenopets, how their assist system works, and which ones are truly worth your resources.
1. How to Unlock Xenopets
Before you can even summon your first Xenopet, there’s a specific requirement you need to meet.
Unlock Requirement
To unlock the Xenopet System, you must awaken four different pet types to five yellow stars.
This doesn’t mean just any four pets — it means four distinct pet types.
Here’s how to check your pet types:
- Go to your Pet List.
- Tap the down arrow at the top.
- Sort pets by type — you’ll see four main categories.
Once four types hit 5★ Yellow, the Xenopet feature unlocks automatically.
2. How to Get Xenopets
Once unlocked, Xenopets can be obtained from the Xeno Pet Chest using either Xeno Pet Crystals or Gems.
Drop Rate System
- You are guaranteed to get a Xenopet within 10 summons.
- If you get one earlier (say on your 3rd summon), the counter resets back to 10.
- This means you could pull multiple Xenopets early if you’re lucky.
Where to Get Xeno Pet Crystals
You can earn crystals by:
- Dismissing pets (normal or Xenopets).
- The higher the pet grade, the more crystals you get back.
- Epic Pet Choice Packs:
If you don’t need a specific pet, select “Xenopet Crystals” instead to instantly get 1,280 crystals.
3. Dismissing Pets
Dismissing is how you recycle unwanted pets for crystals.
How to Dismiss:
- Go to your Pet List → Tap Pet Dismissal (for bulk dismiss).
- Or select a single pet → Press Red Dismiss Button.
What You Get:
- Xenopet Crystals (amount varies by rarity).
- 90% of used Pet Cookies are refunded if you dismiss an upgraded Xenopet.
- This means there’s a 10% “tax” on your investment.
Tip:
You’ll also get 280 Xenopet Crystals for every dismissed Xenopet — useful for rerolling summons.
4. Assist Skills Explained
Assist skills are the real magic behind Xenopets. They grant passive buffs that can significantly impact your damage, survivability, and efficiency in higher stages.
How They Work
- Each Xenopet starts with 1 random assist skill by default.
- You can unlock more by leveling your Xenopet with Pet Cookies:
- Level 30 → Unlock 2nd skill
- Level 60 → Unlock 3rd skill
- Level 90 → Unlock 4th skill
These assist skills can range from pure stat bonuses to unique resonance effects.
Recommended Assist Skills
Focus on skills that amplify your damage output, not just raw health.
Best to Prioritize:
- Resonance Buff
- Resonance Damage
- Attack %
- Crit Damage
Avoid:
- HP and Final HP (they take up slots but offer less overall impact).
You can use the Assist Filter feature to help target which buffs appear, though there are a few nuances to how it works.
5. Assist Filter & Summon Costs
When summoning, you can use the Assist Filter to increase your odds of getting pets with better assist skills — but it comes at a cost.
| Filter Use | Cost per Summon |
|---|---|
| No Filter | 100 Pet Crystals |
| 1 Filter | 135 Pet Crystals |
| 2 Filters | 180 Pet Crystals |
Pro Strategy (Saving Crystals)
Players often turn the filter off for the first 9 summons and then turn it on for the 10th — since the 10th pull is guaranteed to give a Xenopet.
This method helps save crystals while still ensuring that your guaranteed pet has filtered assist skills.
However, keep in mind:
- If you pull a Xenopet early (say on your 3rd attempt), the counter resets.
- So, it’s not foolproof — but it’s a solid efficiency trick.
6. Resetting Assist Skills
If you hit level 90 and still didn’t roll the assist skills you wanted, don’t worry.
You can reset your assist skills using an item called Xenopet Elixir.
These are usually obtained through limited-time events or special reward shops.
After resetting, you’ll be able to reroll for new assist skills without losing your Xenopet progress.
7. Choosing the Best Xenopets
Which Xenopet you should use depends heavily on your awakening level, playstyle, and team setup.
But from player testing and community results, here’s a current performance overview:
| Tier | Xenopet | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| S+ | Cappy (5★ Red) | Currently the strongest at max awakening; insane raw scaling. |
| S | Puffo (4★–5★ Yellow) | Outperforms even Maxle Rex in sustained DPS and consistency. |
| A+ | King Blizzblast (4★+ Yellow) | New frost-based Xenopet — excels in Chill synergy and boss fights. |
| A | Early Puffo / Rex / Shino | Good for early progression and general stages. |
A 4★ awakened Xenopet can outperform fully maxed standard pets like Rex.
Once you hit 5★ Red, top-tier pets like Cappy dominate everything.
Xenopets are the endgame companions that can completely change your Survivor.io experience.
They don’t just add stats — they redefine your playstyle.
While Puffo has been the go-to choice for months, Cappy and King Blizzblast are proving that the Xenopet meta is far from stale. Whether you prefer raw damage, sustain, or utility, the key is awakening your Xenopet to at least 4★ — that’s where the true potential begins.
So hoard your crystals, plan your summons, and prepare to awaken your next ultimate companion.
