Best Yanqing builds and skills in Honkai: Star Rail

Yanqing is a fierce, sword-wielding five-star Ice character in Honkai: Star Rail. As he follows The Hunt Path, his single target damage is extraordinary, meaning he’s excellent at taking on Elite enemies.

Related: Best Relics in Honkai: Star Rail

Here’s how you can get the best build based on his chilling skill set.

Yanqing’s skills in Honkai: Star Rail

Being a single target, Ice damage-dealing character, you’ll need to focus on a build that compliments his unique skill set. You’ll need a Light Cone, Relic set, and a few other items to do this. While his attacks can only be directed at a single target, they are undoubtedly powerful, as many of his skills feature high amounts of CRIT damage. 

• Basic attack: Yanqing deals Ice damage equal to 50 to 130 percent of his ATK to a single enemy.
• Skill: Yanqing deals Ice damage equal to 110 to 275 percent of his ATK to a single enemy and activates Soulsteel Sync for one turn. 
• Ultimate: Yanqing’s Ultimate increases his CRIT rate by 60 percent. And when Soulsteel Sync is active, this increases Yanqing’s CRIT damage further by an additional 30 to 60 percent, and this lasts one turn. Afterward, he deals Ice damage equal to 210 to 420 percent of his ATK to a single enemy.
• Talent: If Soulsteel Sync is active, he’s unlikely to be attacked by enemies. Yanqing’s CRIT rate increases by 15 to 22.5 percent, and his CRIT damage increases by 15 to 37.5 percent. After attacking an enemy, there’s a 50 to 65 percent chance that he’ll perform a follow-up attack, which deals Ice damage equal to 25 to 62.5 percent of his ATK to an enemy. Additionally, there’s a 65 percent chance that he could Freeze the enemy for one turn, and that enemy will receive extra Ice damage equal to 25 to 62.5 percent of his ATK at the start of each turn. But when Yanqing receives damage, Soulsteel Sync disappears.
• Technique: After he uses his Technique and at the start of the next battle, Yanqing will deal an additional 30 percent damage for two turns to enemies with HPs of 50 percent or more. 

Like all characters, his abilities scale as you level him, and you’ll notice a big difference as you do. Yanqing also has Traces that can be unlocked and ascended, depending on your Equilibrium Level. 

• Icing on the Kick: When he attacks an enemy with a weakness to Ice, Yanqing deals additional Ice damage, equalling 30 percent of his ATK.  
• Gentle Blade: When CRIT Hit is activated, Yanqing’s SPD increases by 10 percent for two turns. 
• Frost Favors the Brave: Yanqing’s Effect RES increases by 20 percent when Soulsteel Sync is active.

Yanqing’s best build in Honkai: Star Rail

Light Cones

Yanqing’s signature five-star Light Cone, Sleep Like the Dead, is the best Light Cone or weapon. However, you will find the best use of this weapon in terms of damage and CRIT damage after leveling both Yanqing and his Light Cone.

It is a five-star Light Cone, so it can be hard to acquire. But there are other, more accessible options, like Return to Darkness, Only Silence Remains, or Arrows, that you can equip and are pretty effective.

As Yanqing’s skills are centered around his CRIT damage, using Light Cones that offer additional CRIT damage, and other benefits, can increase his damage and CRIT rates, making all the difference in your fights.

Sleep Like the Dead

• Rarity: Five stars
• Path: The Hunt
• Ability: Increases CRIT damage by 30 to 50 percent. When their Basic attack or Skill doesn’t CRIT, this increases their CRIT rate by 36 to 60 percent for one turn. But this effect can only be activated once every three turns.

Return to Darkness

• Rarity: Four stars
• Path: The Hunt
• Ability: Increases their CRIT Rate by 12 to 24 percent. After a CRIT hit has occurred, there’s a 16 to 32 percent chance that one of the buffs on the targeted enemy will be dispelled. And this effect can only be activated once per attack. 

Only Silence Remains

• Rarity: Four stars
• Path: The Hunt
• Ability: Increases their ATK 16 to 32 percent. However, if there are two or fewer enemies on the field, their CRIT rate increases by 12 to 24 percent.

Arrows

• Rarity: Three stars
• Path: The Hunt
• Ability: At the start of the battle, this increases their CRIT rate by 12 to 24 percent for three turns.

Relics

Relics can be hard to farm for, but thankfully, Yanqing has one core Relic set for his Head, Hands, Body, and Feet, which is the Hunter of Glacial Forest. And in terms of his Planar Sphere and Link Rope, there are two great options: Celestial Differentiator and Inert Salsotto. But as these can be hard to acquire, you can use Space Sealing Station.

In the beginning, you may only be able to get the three or four-star versions of these sets, depending on your Equilibrium Levels. However, the bonuses you receive from these Relics are the same, regardless of whether they’re a two or five-star Relic. It’s just their base stats that will differ.

Hunter of Glacial Forest Set

• Two-piece set bonus: Increases Ice damage by ten-percent.
• Four-piece set bonus: After they’ve used their Ultimate, their Crit damage increases by 25 percent for two turns. 
• Cavern: Cavern of Corrosion: Path of Gelid Wind.
• Location: Storage Zone, Herta Space Station.

Space Sealing Station

• Two-piece set: Increases their attack by 12 percent. And if their speed is 120 or more, it raises their attack by a further 12 percent.
• Location: Simulated Universe World Three, Herta’s Office, Herta Space Station.

Celestial Differentiator

• Two-piece set bonus: Increases their CRIT damage by 16 percent. And when their CRIT rate is 120 percent or more, after they’ve entered a battle, their CRIT rate increases by a further 60 percent until the end of their first attack.
• Location: Simulated Universe World Five, Herta’s Office, Herta Space Station.

Inert Salsatto

• Two-piece set bonus: Increases CRIT rate by eight percent. And when their CRIT rate reaches 50 percent or more, their follow-up attack and Ultimate damage increase by 15 percent.  
• Location: Simulated Universe World Six, Herta’s Office, Herta Space Station.

You can scale your Light Cones and Relics as you increase your Equilibrium Levels, so you don’t need to rush to get them. Yanqing is one of my favorites at the moment because when he has the best weapon and gear, he can be an incredible asset to your team.

So, if you’ve been lucky enough to get Yanqing, the five-star Ice swordsman, this is the best build for him in Honkai: Star Rail.