Honkai Star Rail: Yanqing Guide - Skills, Builds & More

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Honkai Star Rail: Yanqing - Your Ultimate Guide

Hey there, Trailblazers! If you're diving into the captivating universe of Honkai Star Rail, you've likely encountered the frosty swordsman, Yanqing. This guide is your ultimate resource for everything Yanqing. We'll explore his skills, the best Light Cones and Relic builds, team compositions, and more. So, whether you've just pulled him or you're looking to optimize your existing Yanqing, let's get started!

Who is Yanqing?

Yanqing is a 5-star Ice character following the Hunt path in Honkai Star Rail. He's a prodigious swordsman from the Xianzhou Luofu, known for his unmatched skill and unwavering dedication to the Cloud Knight army. Yanqing's playstyle revolves around dealing high single-target damage, making him a formidable DPS unit. He excels at eliminating enemies quickly, especially those vulnerable to Ice attacks. His primary role is to be a damage dealer, focusing on swift and powerful strikes to take down enemies before they can react. He's often compared to other DPS characters, but his unique skill set and Ice element set him apart, giving him a specific role in team compositions.

Yanqing's character is all about the pursuit of excellence and upholding the laws of the Xianzhou. He is a very talented swordsman, his fighting style is elegant and effective, and he is a worthy opponent. He's a bit serious and sometimes overly confident, which is common for young prodigies. He also has a strong sense of duty and loyalty. This determination and dedication are reflected in his combat style, which requires him to maintain a specific state to unleash his full potential. Yanqing's commitment to his training and his role within the Cloud Knights makes him a fascinating character to play and build around.

Yanqing's Skills Explained

Understanding Yanqing's abilities is key to maximizing his effectiveness. Let's break down his skills:

  • Basic ATK - Cloud Sword: Deals Ice DMG to a single enemy. This is your bread-and-butter attack.
  • Skill - Frost Peak: Deals Ice DMG to a single enemy and increases his CRIT Rate for two turns. This skill significantly boosts his damage output and is a core part of his rotation.
  • Ultimate - Torrential Thrust: Deals Ice DMG to a single enemy and gains Sword Stance. When Sword Stance is active, Yanqing's follow-up attacks are enhanced. This is where Yanqing shines, granting him access to follow-up attacks that deal massive damage.
  • Talent - Snowjade Sword: When Yanqing has Sword Stance, his follow-up attacks deal additional Ice DMG and have a chance to freeze the enemy. This Talent is the cornerstone of his damage potential. Sword Stance is obtained by using his Ultimate.
  • Technique - Hidden Shadow: Attacks enemies at the start of battle. After entering battle, Yanqing deals Ice DMG to a single enemy and gains Sword Stance for two turns. This can be useful for starting a battle with a burst of damage.

To effectively use Yanqing, you will want to understand how his Sword Stance works, as this is critical to his high-damage output. Maximizing his uptime on this state will be vital. The basic cycle of attacking with Yanqing involves using his Skill to gain a CRIT Rate buff and using his Ultimate to gain the Sword Stance state, allowing him to deal more damage and trigger his follow-up attacks. Proper timing of the skills is crucial for maximum damage output.

Best Light Cones for Yanqing

Choosing the right Light Cone is crucial to optimize Yanqing's performance. Here are some of the best options:

  • Brighter Than the Sun (Signature Light Cone): This is Yanqing's best-in-slot Light Cone, providing a significant CRIT DMG boost and increasing his ATK. Additionally, it increases his damage when he hits enemies and has a chance to trigger a follow-up attack after using the ultimate. This is the optimal choice if you have it.
  • In the Night: This Light Cone boosts CRIT Rate and increases the wearer's damage when attacking, which is perfect for increasing Yanqing's damage output.
  • Swordplay: Increases the wearer's DMG for each time they hit the same target. This is useful for dealing continuous damage in long battles.
  • Sleep Like the Dead: Increases the wearer's CRIT DMG. Also, after the wearer uses their Skill or Ultimate, the wearer gains the Soulblade effect, which increases the follow-up attack damage. This is a very strong option for Yanqing.
  • Cruising in the Stellar Sea: Increases the wearer's CRIT Rate, and the wearer's ATK increases after defeating an enemy. This is a great free-to-play option that can be obtained from the Herta Store.

When selecting a Light Cone, consider the stats it provides and how they align with Yanqing's needs. CRIT Rate and CRIT DMG are highly valued stats to boost damage output. Look for Light Cones that buff his ATK or provide additional damage bonuses. The best Light Cone for Yanqing usually increases CRIT DMG and allows him to deal a substantial amount of damage during his follow-up attacks. If you are a free-to-play player, Cruising in the Stellar Sea is a great option. Choose a Light Cone that complements his strengths and helps him maximize damage output.

Best Relic Sets for Yanqing

Relics are essential for fine-tuning Yanqing's performance. Here are some of the best sets to consider:

  • 4-Piece - Hunter of Glacial Forest: Increases Ice DMG and, after using his Ultimate, increases the wearer's CRIT DMG. This set is tailor-made for Yanqing, amplifying his Ice DMG and further boosting his critical hit damage after using his ultimate. This set is a perfect choice and is the best-in-slot.
  • 2-Piece - Hunter of Glacial Forest + 2-Piece - Musketeer of Wild Wheat: A mix-and-match option that provides both Ice DMG and ATK, which can be a good choice for early-game players. This is a good way to get stats up quickly.
  • 4-Piece - Musketeer of Wild Wheat: Provides ATK and increases the wearer's SPD, which can allow Yanqing to act more often and maintain Sword Stance. This set is a useful option for players looking to keep his turns going. While this set may be less optimal than Hunter of Glacial Forest, it provides good stats for players still building Yanqing.

For Planar Ornaments, here are the best sets:

  • 2-Piece - Inert Salsotto: Increases CRIT Rate and boosts the Ultimate and follow-up attack damage. This is considered the best-in-slot option, as it is perfectly suited for Yanqing's skills.
  • 2-Piece - Space Sealing Station: Increases ATK, which can be a good option for maximizing damage.
  • 2-Piece - Rutilant Arena: Increases CRIT Rate and enhances the wearer's basic attack and skill damage. This is another good option for Yanqing, as it enhances his basic attack and skill damage.

When choosing Relics, prioritize stats like CRIT Rate, CRIT DMG, ATK%, and SPD. Try to get a CRIT Rate around 50-60% for a good balance. Having the correct stats on relics is essential to maximize damage output. Planar Ornaments like Inert Salsotto are excellent, as they directly benefit his Ultimate and follow-up attacks.

Team Compositions for Yanqing

Yanqing thrives in teams that can provide him with buffs and protect him from damage. Here are some team composition ideas:

  • Mono-Ice Team: Yanqing, Pela, Gepard, and Bronya: This team focuses on maximizing Ice DMG and survivability. Pela can lower the enemy's Ice RES, Bronya can advance Yanqing's turn, and Gepard provides a shield. This team is designed for high damage and sustained performance. Having multiple Ice characters will make the most of Yanqing's damage output.
  • Hypercarry Team: Yanqing, Tingyun, Bronya, and a sustain character (e.g., Bailu or Fu Xuan): This team focuses on buffing Yanqing to deal a massive amount of damage. Tingyun provides energy and ATK buffs, Bronya boosts action forward, and a sustain character provides healing and shielding. This team is focused on maximizing Yanqing's offensive capabilities.
  • Flexible Team: Yanqing, Asta, March 7th, and Natasha: A well-rounded team with good damage, shielding, and healing. Asta provides ATK buffs and SPD boosts, March 7th provides shielding, and Natasha provides healing.

When building a team for Yanqing, consider the following:

  • Harmony characters: Characters like Bronya, Tingyun, and Asta can significantly boost Yanqing's damage output by providing buffs like ATK, CRIT DMG, or action advance. They make a massive difference in his damage output.
  • Preservation characters: Characters such as Gepard and March 7th provide shielding, which is crucial for protecting Yanqing from damage. They ensure his survival and prevent him from losing Sword Stance. These characters are essential for team survivability.
  • Abundance characters: Healers like Bailu and Natasha ensure the team's survival by providing consistent healing, allowing Yanqing to focus on dealing damage.

Experiment with different team compositions to find what works best for you. Team synergy is key to maximizing Yanqing's potential. The perfect team composition for Yanqing will depend on your other characters, so feel free to experiment to find the perfect combo.

How to Play Yanqing Effectively

Mastering Yanqing involves understanding his strengths and weaknesses and playing around his Sword Stance. Here's how to play him effectively:

  • Prioritize CRIT Rate: Ensure Yanqing has enough CRIT Rate to consistently land critical hits. This will maximize his damage output and is vital for his performance. Aim for at least 50% CRIT Rate, but higher is always better.
  • Maintain Sword Stance: Always use his Ultimate to trigger Sword Stance and keep it active as much as possible. This is the key to his damage output. If Yanqing gets hit, he loses Sword Stance, so it is important to protect him with shields or healing.
  • Manage Skill Points: Be mindful of your Skill Point usage. Yanqing's skill is the most important skill to deal damage. He is a skill point-hungry character, and he can quickly deplete your Skill Points. Consider team compositions that can generate Skill Points or have characters that are less skill point-hungry to optimize your combat strategy.
  • Positioning and Enemy Targeting: Position Yanqing where he won't be easily targeted. Try to target enemies that have Ice weakness, since he will deal more damage.
  • Avoid Getting Hit: Protect Yanqing with shields or healing to prevent him from losing Sword Stance. Since Yanqing is a single-target damage dealer, it is important to be mindful of his surroundings.

Playing Yanqing effectively requires a combination of good team composition, strategic skill usage, and understanding his core mechanics. Always prioritize CRIT Rate, and maintain Sword Stance as much as possible for maximum damage output. Using these strategies will make you a formidable Yanqing player.

Yanqing's Strengths and Weaknesses

Understanding Yanqing's strengths and weaknesses will help you make the most of him:

Strengths:

  • High Single-Target Damage: Yanqing excels at dealing massive damage to single targets, making him ideal for boss fights and challenging content.
  • Excellent Crit Rate Buffs: His skill increases CRIT Rate, which allows him to consistently deal critical hits and maximize damage output.
  • Powerful Follow-Up Attacks: Yanqing's follow-up attacks, which are granted by his talent Snowjade Sword, deal substantial damage and are a significant part of his damage potential.
  • Ice Element: Ice is a strong element in Honkai Star Rail, as it can freeze enemies, which can control enemies and prevent them from attacking.

Weaknesses:

  • Vulnerability to Damage: Yanqing has low defenses, so he is susceptible to being hit. If he gets hit, he loses his Sword Stance, which decreases his damage output. He requires protection from shields or healing to survive effectively.
  • Skill Point Hungry: Yanqing requires a lot of Skill Points, so you need to be mindful of his Skill Point usage.
  • Reliance on Sword Stance: If Yanqing is hit, he loses his Sword Stance, which significantly reduces his damage output. This makes him reliant on shielding or healing to survive and sustain his damage.
  • Single-Target Focus: Yanqing's damage output is focused on single targets, so he is less effective in situations where there are multiple enemies.

Knowing both his strengths and weaknesses helps players use him effectively. Properly managing his weaknesses will help you make the most out of him.

Conclusion: Is Yanqing Worth It?

So, is Yanqing worth investing in? Absolutely, if you need a strong single-target DPS unit! He's a powerful character who can deal significant damage and is especially effective against enemies weak to Ice. However, due to his vulnerability, Yanqing requires a team that can protect him and support his playstyle. Ultimately, the best way to determine if Yanqing is worth it is if his playstyle appeals to you. If you enjoy a powerful single-target damage dealer who can freeze enemies, then Yanqing is a great choice!

This guide has covered everything you need to know about Yanqing. Good luck Trailblazer, and happy gaming! Hope you've found this guide helpful. If you have any further questions, please ask!