Honkai: Star Rail – The Best Light Cones for Every Character

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Human Made

Penned by Brittany Alva

Brittany is our resident Palia and Honkai: Star Rail specialist.

Reviewed by Jeffrey Hsu

In Honkai: Star Rail, there are a variety of things that are going to help characters do their job. Things like Relics and Trace Levels will boost stats, but Light Cones have a unique mix of adding in new passives and boosting stats that can make or break a character. That’s why we’ve put together a guide to the best Light Cones for each character in Honkai: Star Rail. 

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Best Light Cones for Every Character in Honkai: Star Rail

We’ll be going over every current playable character in the game so far by alphabetical order. While some characters can make equal use of multiple Light Cones, we’ll focus on the best overall one and list off some alternatives if you can’t get a hold of the top choice.

Expect this list to change as more characters and Light Cone options are added in future updates.

Arlan

Arlan’s best Light Cone is Something Irreplaceable (5-star). It grants the wearer scaling ATK while also healing them for 8-12% and providing an additional DMG buff if they’re hit. This works particularly well for Arlan for a few reasons. 

First, the ATK and DMG buffs it gives are great – up to 40% for both stats. Plus, the small healing is perfect for sustaining Arlan. Arlan’s damage scales with how low his HP is, so healing him can be a double-edged sword. Luckily, the small heal from Something Irreplaceable keeps him alive without substantially reducing his damage.

Best Low-Cost Light Cone

For other Light Cone options on Arlan, check these out:

• A Secret Vow (4-star)
• Mutual Demise (3-star)

Asta

The Battle Isn’t Over (5-star) is hands-down the best Light Cone for Asta. It helps her Energy Regeneration Rate, meaning she’ll be able to use her Ultimate often (which helps support the whole team’s SPD). Plus, it’ll restore a Skill Point with every 2 casts of her Ultimate – perfect for a Support character!

Additionally, every time Asta uses her Skill, the ally after her will get up to a 50% DMG buff. Given that Asta’s passive already encourages her to spam her Skill to buff her teammates’ ATK, this just makes her buffing capability even stronger.

Best Low-Cost Light Cone

For other Light Cone options on Asta, check these out:

• Dance! Dance! Dance! (4-star)
• Carve the Moon, Weave the Clouds (4-star)
• Planetary Rendezvous (4-star)
• Chorus (3-star)

Bailu

For healers (like Bailu), the undisputed best Light Cone is Time Waits for No One (5-star). It increases the wearer’s HP and their Outgoing Healing.

Additionally, once per turn after an ally attacks, a percentage of healing done by Bailu will be dished out as damage – those rounds when Bailu revives a teammate will also mean one enemy gets absolutely nuked by your healer.

Best Low-Cost Light Cone

For other Light Cone options on Bailu, check these out:

• Post-Op Conversation (4-star)
• Shared Feeling (4-star)
• Cornucopia (3-star)

Blade

The best Light Cone for Blade is his signature one, The Unreachable Side (5-star). This increases his CRIT Rate, Max HP, and gives him more DMG% whenever Blade gets attacked or deals damage to himself. Considering his entire kit is built around taking his own HP, this is an insanely busted option for him.

Best Low-Cost Light Cone

If you don’t have access to Blade’s signature Light Cone, then these are decent replacements:

• On the Fall of an Aeon (5-star)
• A Secret Vow (4-star)
• Collapsing Sky (3-star)

Bronya

Bronya’s signature Light Cone, The Battle Isn’t Over (5-star), is the best one for her character. It helps keep her Ultimate ready to go and keep the team’s Skill Points up. Plus, it buffs teammates’ damage even more, which Bronya specializes in already.

Best Low-Cost Light Cone

For other Light Cone options on Bronya, check these out:

• Carve the Moon, Weave the Clouds (4-star)
• Past and Future (4-star)
• Meshing Cogs (3-star)

Clara

Something Irreplaceable (5-star) is Clara’s signature Light Cone and the best one for her. It buffs her damage exponentially, and it also heals her when she’s hit by enemies. Clara’s kit includes a Skill that basically taunts enemies, so this comes in handy.

Plus, it can potentially provide enough healing that you won’t need a healer and can open up a spot on your team for a different role.

Best Low-Cost Light Cone

For other Light Cone options on Clara, check these out:

• Nowhere to Run (4-star)
• Mutual Demise (3-star)

Dan Heng

In the Night (5-star) is the best Light Cone for Dan Heng simply because of the raw stats it boost, which are CRIT Rate, CRIT DMG, Basic ATK, and Skill DMG. These boosts stack through a fight, snowballing him and making him stronger the longer a battle goes on. 

Best Low-Cost Light Cone

For other Light Cone options on Dan Heng, check these out:

• Swordplay (4-star)
• Only Silence Remains (4-star)
• River Flows in Spring (4-star)
• Arrows (3-star)

Gepard

Gepard benefits the most from using his signature Light Cone, Moment of Victory (5-star). While the DEF and Hit Rate Boost are great, it’s best feature is that it taunts enemies. Additionally, when the wearer gets hit, their DEF is increases even more. Altogether, it works really well to bolster Gepard’s role as a tank.

Best Low-Cost Light Cone

For other Light Cone options on Gepard, check these out:

• Day One of My New Life (4-star)
• Amber (3-star)

Herta

The best Light Cone for Herta is Before Dawn (5-star). It gives great CRIT DMG and Skill/Ultimate DMG, which affect how much damage her follow-up attacks do. Plus, it boosts follow-up attack damage specifically after the wearer uses their Skill or Ultimate, which makes Herta a hard-hitter that deals consistent damage. 

Best Low-Cost Light Cone

For other Light Cone options on Herta, check these out:

• The Birth of the Self (4-star)
• The Seriousness of Breakfast (4-star)
• Data Bank (3-star)

Himeko

As a character with a lot of follow-up attacks, the best Light Cone for Himeko is Before Dawn (5-star). Because it boosts follow-up damage and damage from the wearer’s Skill/Ultimate, Himeko is going to be doing as much damage as a single-target DPS – but to every enemy at once.

Best Low-Cost Light Cone

For other Light Cone options on Himeko, check these out:

• The Birth of the Self (4-star)
• The Seriousness of Breakfast (4-star)
• Data Bank (3-star)

Hook

Hook’s best Light Cone is On the Fall of an Aeon (5-star). This Light Cone stacks ATK and DMG boosts, which is significantly stronger than Hook’s 4-star signature Light Cone. The combination of stat boosts makes a huge difference in battle, and it’s going to beat out other Light Cones by a mile. 

Best Low-Cost Light Cone

For other Light Cone options on Hook, check these out:

• Woof! Walk Time! (4-star)
• The Moles Welcome You (4-star)
• Collapsing Sky (3-star)

Jing Yuan

Not only is Jing Yuan’s signature Light Cone, Before Dawn (5-star), one of the best in the game, it’s also the best Light Cone for Jing Yuan. The DMG% boost it provides to follow-up attacks, which include the Lightning-Lord’s attacks, is incredibly strong and can skyrocket his already absurd damage output.

Best Low-Cost Light Cone

For other Light Cone options on Jing Yuan, check these out:

• Today is Another Peaceful Day (4-star)
• The Seriousness of Breakfast (4-star)
• The Birth of the Self (4-star)
• Passkey (3-star)

Kafka

Kafka’s best Light Cone is Patience Is All You Need (5-star). This is her signature Light Cone, and it increases her DMG, SPD, and DoT damage, making it a powerhouse for her DoT-based kit.

Best Low-Cost Light Cone

Here are some other low-cost Light Cone options for Kafka:

• Good Night and Sleep Well (4-star)
• Before the Tutorial Mission (4-star)
• Hidden Shadow (3-star)

Luka

Luka’s best Light Cone actually features him on the cover of it: Resolution Shines As Pearls of Sweat (4-star). It has a high chance of Ensnaring enemies, which will also lower their DEF. While this specific Light Cone isn’t a 5-star option, it compliments his kit well.

Best Low-Cost Light Cone

Other great Light Cone options for Luka include these:

• Patience Is All You Need (5-star)
• Before the Tutorial Mission (4-star)
• Loop (3-star)

March 7th

The best Light Cone for March 7th is currently Moment of Victory (5-star). The raw stats provided from it are better than any other Light Cone for her, even though she doesn’t make use of all of its passives.

Since she does follow-up attacks on allies that are hit while under her shield’s protection, the taunt from the Light Cone may seem a bit silly – however, it gives her a considerable boost to DEF if an enemy attacks her, meaning that some part of her kit is always better when an enemy attacks. 

Best Low-Cost Light Cone

For other Light Cone options on March 7th, check these out:

• Day One of My New Life (4-star)
• This Is Me! (4-star)
• Amber (3-star)

Natasha

Natasha benefits the most from Time Waits for No One (5-star), as it increases Outgoing Healing and turns her healing into damage as well. Considering Natasha can heal a lot of HP – especially with her Ultimate – this Light Cone can turn her into a pseudo-DPS character.

Best Low-Cost Light Cone

For other Light Cone options on Natasha, check these out:

• Post-Op Conversation (4-star)
• Warmth Shortens Cold Nights (4-star)
• Cornucopia (3-star)

Pela

Pela is one of the few characters who actually works best with a 4-star Light Cone, Resolution Shines As Pearls of Sweat. This Light Cone makes it so that Pela has a chance to Ensnare enemies, a debuff that she doesn’t have access to normally.

Ensnared enemies will also have lower defenses, which makes her even better as a debuffer and an invaluable asset to teams.

Best Low-Cost Light Cone

For other Light Cone options on Pela, check these out:

• Eyes of the Prey (4-star)
• Void (3-star)

Qingque

As a Erudition character, Qingque has access to Before Dawn (5-star) and its raw CRIT DMG and Skill/Ultimate DMG stats. While she doesn’t have any follow-up attacks to make the most of the Light Cone, it’s still the best option for her. 

Best Low-Cost Light Cone

For other Light Cone options on Qingque, check these out:

• Today is Another Peaceful Day (4-star)
• The Seriousness of Breakfast (4-star)
• Data Bank (3-star)

Sampo

In the Name of the World (5-star) is a great Light Cone for Sampo. Since Sampo deals a good bit of damage while also debuffing enemies, he can make use of the Light Cone’s passive that lets the wearer do more damage to debuffed enemies.

Plus, the Light Cone also grants an increased Effect Hit Rate when the wielder uses their skill. Since Sampo’s Skill hits multiple times and his Talent grants each attack a chance to apply a DoT, this works out nicely for him.

Best Low-Cost Light Cone

For other Light Cone options on Sampo, check these out:

• Eyes of the Prey (4-star)
• Good Night and Sleep Well (4-star)
• Fermata (4-star)
• Hidden Shadow (3-star)

Seele

Seele’s best Light Cone is her signature one, In the Night (5-star). Considering she gets really speedy and the Light Cone gives more stats for speed, it’s the perfect combination. Especially since all of those extra stats boost her insane damage potential.

Best Low-Cost Light Cone

For other Light Cone options on Seele, check these out:

• Swordplay (4-star)
• Only Silence Remains (4-star)
• Arrows (3-star)

Serval

Because of all of her follow-up attacks, the best Light Cone for Serval is Before Dawn (5-star). It also gives her DMG and ATK stats massive increases, helping her light up the battlefield with electricity. 

Best Low-Cost Light Cone

For other Light Cone options on Serval, check these out:

• The Seriousness of Breakfast (4-star)
• Geniuses’ Repose (4-star)
• Data Bank (3-star)

Silver Wolf

Incessant Rain (5-star) is the signature Light Cone of Silver Wolf, fitting given it’s her best one. Besides increasing Effect Hit Rate, which is better for a debuffer like Silver Wolf, it adds another debuff to her kit that increases the DMG a target receives for a turn.

Since Silver Wolf will pretty much always have multiple debuffs on an enemy, she can easily proc the Light Cone’s bonus CRIT Rate effect and make her attacks even more potent.

Best Low-Cost Light Cone

For other Light Cone options on Silver Wolf, check these out:

• Before the Tutorial Mission Starts (4-star)
• Resolution Shines As Pearls of Sweat (4-star)
• Void (3-star)

Sushang

In the Night (5-star) is the best Light Cone option for Sushang, as it boosts a ton of different stats. The speed requirement to activate the passive on the Light Cone is low enough that most builds will naturally proc it.

Best Low-Cost Light Cone

For other Light Cone options on Sushang, check these out:

• Swordplay (4-star)
• Arrows (3-star)

Tingyun

The best Light Cone for Tingyun is Carve the Moon, Weave the Clouds (4-star). since it gives a random buff to all allies – a perfect complement for one of the best buffers in the game.

Best Low-Cost Light Cone

For other Light Cone options on Tingyun, check these out:

• Dance! Dance! Dance! (4-star)
• Chorus (3-star)

Trailblazer

The best Light Cone for the Trailblazer depends on which Element and Path they’re on.

Physical Destruction Trailblazer

Physical Destruction Trailblazer does best with On the Fall of an Aeon (5-star), as it synergizes with their focus on breaking Weakness Bars and gaining stacking amounts of ATK.

Other great options for Physical Destruction Trailblazer include:

• Something Irreplaceable (5-star)
• A Secret Vow (4-star)
• The Moles Welcome You (4-star)
• Collapsing Sky (3-star)

Fire Preservation Trailblazer

The best Light Cone for Fire Preservation Traiblazer is Moment of Victory (5-star), as they’re all about increasing their DEF stat and tanking enemy blows for their team.

Other great options for Fire Preservation Trailblazer include:

• This Is Me! (4-star)
• Trend of the Universal Market (4-star)
• Amber (3-star)

Welt

Welt’s signature Light Cone, In the Name of the World (5-star), is hands down the best Light Cone for him. Given Welt’s role as a debuffer, the Light Cone will let him consistently deal more damage to debuffed enemies.

Plus, the Light Cone boosts the Effect Hit Rate and ATK of his Skill by a sizeable margin, letting him consistently and reliably slow his enemies.

Best Low-Cost Light Cone

For other Light Cone options on Welt, check these out:

• Eyes of the Prey (4-star)
• Good Night and Sleep Well (4-star)
• We Will Meet Again (4-star)
• Loop (3-star)

Yanqing

Because of the raw stats it gives, In the Night (five-star) is the best Light Cone for Yanqing. Every effect from this Light Cone further amplifies his focus on dealing massive amounts of CRIT DMG with his Ultimate.

Best Low-Cost Light Cone

For other Light Cone options on Yanqing, check these out:

• Swordplay (4-star)
• Only Silence Remains (4-star)
• Arrows (3-star)

Yukong

The best Light Cone for Yukong is But The Battle Isn’t Over (5-star). This Light Cone boosts her Energy Recharge Rate when she uses her Ultimate, while also buffing the damage the next ally gives after she uses her Skill.

Best Low-Cost Light Cone

These are some great low-cost Light Cone options for Yukong:

• Dance! Dance! Dance! (4-star)
• Carve the Moon, Weave the Clouds (4-star)
• Chorus (3-star)

Join the High Ground

That’s everything you need to know about the best Light Cones for each character in Honkai: Star Rail. Are there any Light Cones that you really like that aren’t featured in these lists? Let us know in the comments below, and feel free to subscribe for more Honkai: Star Rail content.

Happy gaming!