In Honkai: Star Rail, the Wind element is often overlooked compared to other elements, as characters from other elements tend to provide more value in many situations. However, in terms of gameplay, team composition in Honkai: Star Rail is more versatile and depends on exploiting opponents' weakness rather than focusing on elemental reactions, as seen in Genshin Impact, another successful title by HoYoverse. Therefore, Wind characters should not be solely seen as support units like their Anemo counterparts, and as more characters are released, this distinction may become more evident.
Honkai: Star Rail – All Healers, Ranked
Healers in Honkai: Star Rail can help players survive some of the hardest bosses in the game, so make sure to know how to use each of them.
In terms of gameplay, the Wind Element in Honkai: Star Rail primarily revolves around the application of the Wind Sheer DoT effect, which gradually decreases the HP of tough opponents through stackable effects. Currently, players have access to characters like Sampo who excel in applying DoT effects, and they can anticipate the introduction of more characters like Blade in future updates, each with their own unique kits and abilities. Given the diverse gameplay and team role focus of the current Wind roster, it is challenging to determine the value of each character in different situations. However, some characters may offer more versatility than others, allowing them to be effective in a wider range of scenarios.
Updated on 18th January 2024, by Elara Leclair: The Wind element had not received many new characters until the release of the game's version 2.0 update, with only Blade and Huohuo being added up to that point. Nevertheless, these additions were still notable, as both characters are relatively strong 5-star options, catering to various player playstyles. Additionally, in the upcoming patches, players can expect more Wind characters to join the roster, with some on the horizon like Black Swan. This character is anticipated to shake the current meta while introducing more unique ways for players to enjoy the new gameplay content in Honkai: Star Rail.
5 Sampo
Path: Nihility
Rarity: 4-star
In terms of the story, Sampo is a mischievous character that leaves many players with the impression that there is more to him than meets the eye. However, from a gameplay perspective, Sampo, as a 4-star Nihility character, is often overshadowed when compared to other offensive support characters, especially other Nihility characters like Pela, Welt, or more recently, Silver Wolf. This is because Sampo's team role differs from theirs.
Honkai: Star Rail – All 4-Star Characters, Ranked
4-star characters in Honkai: Star Rail can be brilliant support and DPS if players know how to use them.
Instead of providing debuffs to benefit the entire team, Sampo's focus lies in applying DoT effects and weakness breaking, which may not be perceived as valuable by most players. Nonetheless, when properly built and paired with other characters that synergize well with Sampo, players can discover his significant sub-DPS potential. In particular, in the Simulated Universe, combined with the Nihility Path Resonance, Sampo can be an enjoyable character to play and experiment with. This is especially prominent when he is paired with DoT focusing characters like Kafka, where Sampo's true potential can be realized.
4 Dan Heng
Path: The Hunt
Rarity: 4-star
One of the first characters to join the Trailblazers' journey, Dan Heng is freely given to players to tackle early content. However, Dan Heng's potential extends beyond early stages, as he can be a formidable single-target DPS character thanks to his Hunt path, even in endgame content. Therefore, players should consider properly building Dan Heng, especially if they don't aim to obtain another DPS character like Blade, to effectively tackle challenging content such as Forgotten Hall, where enemies with Wind weakness can be encountered.
Apart from being a formidable DPS character, Dan Heng also has the advantage of reducing enemy speed upon a Critical Hit after using his skill, which benefits the entire party. His Ultimate attack is further enhanced by this effect, allowing Dan Heng to deal more damage to Slowed targets. Consequently, he pairs well with Welt, who can increase the consistency of slowing enemies and create opportunities for Dan Heng to unleash even greater damage.
3 Blade
Path: Destruction
Rarity: 5-star
Alongside Kafka, Blade is another highly anticipated member of the Stellaron Hunters who joins the roster in Honkai: Star Rail version 1.2. As a Destruction character, Blade possesses the ability to deal AoE damage and perform follow-up attacks due to his kit. Interestingly, his kit functions similarly to Hu Tao from Genshin Impact, as he scales with HP and receives a damage bonus based on this stat, while gradually reducing his own HP.
Honkai: Star Rail - Blade Build Guide
Blade can become an exceptionally strong DPS character when built right.
This design makes him a high-risk, high-reward character, especially in challenging content where defensive support characters are crucial to his performance. Characters like Luocha can synergize well with Blade, enabling him to maintain high DPS while also managing his HP effectively, although Blade has some self-healing capabilities as well. However, some players may encounter difficulties in finding suitable support units for Blade since he relies on HP rather than ATK, making characters like Tingyun less suitable for his playstyle. If this concern is not an issue and players enjoy such gameplay, Blade can be an excellent addition to their teams as a Wind main DPS character.
2 Bronya
Path: Harmony
Rarity: 5-star
Bronya is highly sought after as one of the most desired 5-star characters in the standard banner due to her unique support abilities. Not only can Bronya provide a damage and Crit DMG boost, but she can also advance a targeted ally, allowing them to take an additional action within the same turn. This ability significantly accelerates the pace of difficult challenges, particularly in content like Forgotten Hall, where completing battles quickly with fewer turns is essential for earning more stars and obtaining additional rewards. As a result, Bronya stands out as an exceptional support character and arguably the best in the current game roster.
However, despite her numerous advantages and straightforward build, Bronya does have some limitations in her kit. Players should carefully manage skill points when utilizing Bronya, as her Skill lasts only one turn. While this issue can be alleviated by accessing her signature light cone, certain team compositions with characters heavily reliant on skill points may struggle with this drawback. Additionally, although Bronya is a Wind character, her Skill and Ultimate primarily target allies rather than dealing damage, limiting the benefits players can derive from her element. The use of her Basic Skill can provide some benefit through consistent critical hits, but its impact is relatively minor in her case.
1 Huohuo
Path: Abundance
Rarity: 5-star
The second limited-banner healer character to join the game's roster is Huohuo. She showcases unique abilities in-game, combining some aspects from Harmony with exceptionally strong healing potential. In addition to healing all allies, Huohuo can dispel debuffs from all allies, a feature that proves significantly useful in certain content. She also has the ability to grant Energy to all characters, similar to Tingyun but in an AoE sense. Huohuo becomes an invaluable healer for teams that rely on utilizing Ultimates as often as possible, especially for DPS characters like Argenti, who depend on Ultimates for their main source of damage. While Huohuo may not have the ability to dispel debuffs from enemies or be as skill-point friendly as Luocha for her healing capabilities, they can still be considered quite head-to-head in utility, making Huohuo arguably the best Wind character up to date.
Honkai: Star Rail – All 5-Star Characters, Ranked
5-Star Characters in Honkai: Star Rail are in high demand due to their unique abilities, but some are stronger and more versatile than others.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 83 /100 Critics Rec: 90%
- Released
- April 26, 2023
- ESRB
- Teen / Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes, Simulated Gambling, In-Game Purchases (Includes Random Items), Users Interact
- Developer(s)
- HoYoverse (Formerly miHoYo)
- Publisher(s)
- HoYoverse (Formerly miHoYo)
WHERE TO PLAY
They call them, "Aeons" in this galaxy. They construct reality, erase stars, and leave their marks on countless worlds. Together with your companions you'll travel across the galaxy on the Astral Express, following the path once traveled by the Aeons. From here, you will explore new civilizations, meet new comrades, and begin new adventures among countless fantastical worlds. All the answers you seek will be uncovered among the stars.
Well what're you waiting for? Are you ready to begin this trailblazing journey?
Honkai: Star Rail is a new HoYoverse space fantasy RPG. Hop aboard the Astral Express and experience the galaxy's infinite wonders filled with adventure and thrills.
Players will meet new companions across various worlds and maybe even run into some familiar faces. Overcome the struggles together caused by Stellaron and unravel the hidden truths behind it! May this journey lead us starward!
- Genre(s)
- RPG, Turn-Based RPG
