Blade, a rare 5-star Destruction character in Honkai Star Rail, specializes in Wind damage. As a formidable DPS, his strength grows with his HP and Attack stats. What sets Blade apart is his unique ability to inflict greater damage as his health diminishes. To optimize Blade’s potential and effectively dismantle enemy health bars, follow these guidelines for his ideal build in Honkai Star Rail.
Understanding Blade in Honkai Star Rail
Within Honkai Star Rail, Blade belongs to the Stellaron Hunters, bearing a haunting history. Formerly associated with the High-Cloud Quintet in Xianzhou alongside Dan Heng Inbibitor Lunae, Jing Yuan, Jing Liu, and Baiheng, Blade conceals a poignant narrative. He stands as an Immortal figure, reborn upon each demise. Yet, the excruciating process of dying erodes Blade’s memories, a gradual chipping away with every revival, shaping his enigmatic existence without revealing too much.
Blade’s Upcoming Banners and Release Date
Blade is set for a re-run in the initial phase of the Honkai Star Rail 1.6 update, launched on December 27, 2023. Previously introduced as a playable character on July 19, 2023, he headlined his last featured banner during that time.
Blade’s: Cycle Rotation And Kit (At Max Level)
Blade’s kit diverges significantly from most other characters in the game. To craft the optimal Blade build, it’s crucial to grasp the intricacies of his kit. Let’s delve into the specifics of his abilities before outlining the ideal approach to playing him effectively.
- Shard Sword (Basic Attack): Inflicts flat Wind Damage equivalent to 130% of Blade’s Attack on a single enemy.
- Forest of Swords (Enhanced Basic Attack): Inflicts Wind Damage based on 52% of his Attack and 130% of his Max HP on a single enemy, consuming 10% of Blade’s Max HP. It also deals Wind Damage based on 20.8% of his Attack and 52% of his Max HP to adjacent enemies. When Blade’s HP is insufficient, it drops to 1 instead of consuming HP. This attack doesn’t generate skill points.
- Hellscape (Skill): Consumes 30% of Blade’s Max HP to activate the Hellscape state, enhancing his Basic Attack to Forest of Swords, dealing 54% increased damage for 3 turns. When Blade’s HP is insufficient, it drops to 1 instead. This skill doesn’t generate energy and doesn’t end the current turn.
- Death Sentence (Ultimate): Inflicts Wind Damage by setting Blade’s HP to 50% and dealing a combination of his Attack, 120% of his Max HP, and 120% of his accumulated HP loss in the current battle (capped at 90% of his Max HP) to a single enemy. It also deals additional Wind Damage to adjacent enemies based on a portion of his Attack, Max HP, and the tally of his HP loss in the battle. The tally of HP loss resets post-Ultimate.
- Shuhu’s Gift (Talent): As Blade’s HP reduces, he gains Charge stacks (max 5). Each stack, obtained when attacked, triggers an AoE Follow-up attack, dealing damage based on his Attack and 137.5% of his Max HP. Additionally, Blade restores HP by 25% of his Max HP. After the Follow-up attack, all Charges reset.
- Karma Wind (Technique): Deals Wind Damage equivalent to 40% of Blade’s Max HP to all enemies, consuming 20% of his Max HP upon entering combat. When Blade’s HP is insufficient, it drops to 1 instead. This technique initiates combat immediately.
Blade’s distinctive kit revolves around maximizing damage by utilizing his Max HP and the HP lost during combat. Typically, Blade operates at around 50% HP, as his kit heavily relies on consuming Max HP to amplify damage.
To optimize Blade’s performance, the ideal gameplay involves capitalizing on his Enhanced Basic Attack, activated within Hellscape following the use of his Skill. Blade’s optimal cycle rotation should ideally follow this sequence:
Skill -> Basic Attack -> Basic Attack -> Basic Attack -> Ultimate -> Skill Basic -> Attack -> Basic Attack -> Basic Attack -> Ultimate
This approach ensures that Blade’s Ultimate ability maximizes the amplified damage potential derived from his accumulated HP loss tally, capped at 90% of his maximum HP.
Best Blade Builds: Planar Ornaments, Relics & Sub Stats
The selection of Relics and Planar Ornaments holds significant importance in shaping a character’s performance. Let’s examine the optimal Relics and Planar Ornaments for Blade, along with the most advantageous main and sub stats to enhance his abilities!
Best Relics for Blade
- 4-piece Longevous Disciple set (Best For Blade)
- 2-piece Longevous Disciple and 2-piece Eagle of Twilight Line set (Buffs both HP% and Wind Damage)
Blade finds optimal synergy with the 4-piece Longevous Disciple Relic set, boosting Max HP by 12% and elevating Crit Rate by 8% (max 2 stacks) upon HP loss, aligning perfectly with Blade’s unique kit.
Alternatively, a combination of the 2-piece Eagle of Twilight Line and 2-piece Longevous Disciple sets can also benefit Blade, providing a direct 10% Wind Damage increase alongside the 12% Max HP boost.
Best Planar Ornaments
- 2-Piece Inert Salsotto set (Best For Blade)
- 2-Piece Rutilant Arena set (Best Alternative)
Both the 2-Piece Rutilant Arena and Inert Salsotto sets offer ideal options for Blade, boasting few distinctions between them. However, the Inert Salsotto set slightly outshines the Rutilant Arena as it enhances both Blade’s Ultimate and Follow-up attacks, whereas the Rutilant Arena primarily boosts Basic Attacks and Skill Damage (which Blade’s Skill doesn’t involve).
Both sets provide a Crit Rate boost, making them interchangeable with minimal observable differences in Blade’s performance.
Best Main and Sub Stats
Prioritize stacking Crit Rate and Crit Damage to maximize Blade’s damage output. Following this, prioritize increasing HP % over Attack %, as Blade’s scaling benefits more from HP. Additionally, integrating Speed can help reach Speed Breakpoints, enabling more attacks per cycle for heightened efficiency.
Best Light Cones for Blade
- The Unreachable Side (Signature Light Cone): Grants a flat 15% Crit Rate increase and boosts Max HP by 18%. Additionally, when the wearer loses HP, their Damage surges by an extra 24%. This effect resets upon each attack.
- A Secret Vow (Best Alternative): Augments the wearer’s Damage by 20% (40% at S5) and an additional 20% (40% at S5) when the targeted enemy possesses an equal or higher current HP percentage compared to the wearer.
- On the Fall of an Aeon (Best F2P Alternative at S5): Amplifies the wearer’s attack by 16% (8% at S1) with each attack (up to 4 stacks). Upon inflicting Weakness Break on an enemy, it further elevates the wearer’s damage by 24% (12% at S1) for 2 turns.
Blade Ascension and Trace Materials
All Ascension Materials for Blade:
All Trace Materials for Blade:
Blade Eidolons in Honkai Star Rail
- Blade Cuts the Deepest in Hell (E1): Amplifies Blade’s Ultimate, dealing increased damage equal to 150% of the accumulated tally of Blade’s HP loss (capped at 90% of his Max HP) in the ongoing battle, targeting a single enemy. The tally resets after using his Ultimate.
- Ten Thousand Sorrows From One Broken Dream (E2): Enhances Crit Rate by 15% while in the Hellscape state.
- Hardened Blade Bleeds Coldest Shade (E3): Elevates Ultimate Level by +2 (max Level 15) and Talent Level by +2 (max Level 15).
- Rejected by Death, Infected With Life (E4): Boosts Blade’s Max HP by 20% (max 2 stacks) when his current HP dips to 50% or lower of his Max HP.
- Death By Ten Lords’ Gaze (E5): Increases Skill Level by +2 (max Level 15) and Basic Attack Level by +2 (max Level 10).
- Reborn Into an Empty Husk (E6): Reduces the maximum Charged stack to 4 from 5. His Talent-triggered follow-up attack inflicts increased damage equivalent to 50% of his Max HP.
Blade stands as a character with formidable strength even at E0 and doesn’t heavily rely on Eidolon investments. While his E1 and E2 upgrades modestly enhance his damage output and Crit Rate, delving further into his Eidolons beyond that offers only marginal improvements to his overall kit. Consequently, in Blade’s optimal build, additional investment in his Eidolons isn’t considered necessary.
Blade Traces in Honkai Star Rail
Bonus Abilities:
- Vita Infinita: When Blade’s HP dwindles to 50% or lower than his Max HP, any incoming healing gets a 20% boost, augmenting his recovery potential during critical health situations.
- Neverending Deaths: When Blade employs his enhanced Basic Attack (Forest of Swords) against a Weakness Broken enemy, he regains HP equivalent to 5% of his Max HP and an additional 100, facilitating sustained health restoration through offensive maneuvers.
- Cyclone of Destruction: Enhances Talent-triggered Follow-up attacks, inflicting 20% increased damage, further empowering Blade’s secondary strikes for more impactful assaults.
Stat Boosts:
- Crit Rate Boost: 12%
- HP Boost: 28%
- Effect Resistance Boost: 10%
Best Team Comps for Blade
Blade excels as either a Destruction carry or a Sub-DPS within Honkai Star Rail. When playing him as a carry, maximizing his damage involves pairing him with Bronya, whose buffs directly enhance damage rather than Attack stats.
Given Blade’s playstyle that often brings him to the brink of peril, a robust healer becomes crucial. Luocha stands out as the top choice due to reactive healing capabilities. However, Bailu or Natasha also serve as viable options to sustain Blade through their healing abilities.
Indeed, for augmenting Blade’s performance, considering Pela or Silver Wolf to shred Defense, or Asta for supplementary Speed Buff, proves beneficial. Tingyun’s kit, relying on Attack-based buffs for allies, isn’t as effective for Blade, who predominantly scales with HP. However, Yukong presents a solid option if her buff uptime can be effectively managed.
Furthermore, exploring Blade’s potential as a Sub-DPS alongside Jingliu as the Main DPS showcases synergy. Jingliu’s attacks scale according to allies’ HP and reduce their HP with each attack, making her an excellent match for Blade, whose strengths align with HP-based scaling. Their partnership can amplify each other’s capabilities in combat.
Is Summoning Blade Worth It in Honkai Star Rail?
Blade emerges as a formidable Destruction character in Honkai Star Rail, wielding a distinctive playstyle. If lacking a strong DPS, he becomes an excellent addition to your roster. Pairing Blade with Jingliu yields remarkable, lore-driven damage combinations. Considering Blade’s optimal build, playstyle, and assessing whether he’s worth pulling for becomes pivotal.
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