Two of Honkai: Star Rail’s most notorious villains are set to become playable in the Version 1.2 update. The Stellaron Hunter Blade is officially becoming a playable unit, so all players hoping to add him to their roster may want to begin learning about his skills and preparing the best build possible for him.
Blade is a five-star Wind character who walks the Destruction path. This means that he is an incredibly adept damage dealer who also packs a lot of health points, so players who obtain him will have an extremely solid and powerful ally for their team.
As powerful as Blade can be, he is also a rather tricky character since many of his abilities drain his health to dish out damage. Here’s everything you need to know about Blade’s skillset and what the best way to build him is.
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Blade’s skills in Honkai: Star Rail
Trailblazers will need to master five different abilities that Blade possesses. Most of them come with some health point-draining effects that result in more damage dealt, so players will want to keep an eye on Blade’s health as they use him.
The exact percentages of Blade’s abilities will be raised over time as players upgrade his abilities, so all of his skills are represented here at the lowest and highest possible percentages so players know how they will change over time.
Blade’s five different abilities are as follows.
- “Shard Sword” basic attack: Deals 50 percent to 130 percent of Blade’s attack as Wind damage against a single foe.
- When Blade’s skill is used, his basic attack is converted into “Forest of Swords.” This version of his basic attack consumes 10 percent of Blade’s maximum health points to deal Wind damage equal to the sum of 20 percent to 52 percent of his attack plus 50 percent to 130 percent of his maximum health points against a single foe. Additionally, it also deals Wind damage against adjacent foes equal to the sum of eight percent to 20.8 percent of Blade’s attack plus 20 percent to 52 percent of his maximum health points. If Blade doesn’t have the required health points, his health points will be lowered to one.
- “Hellscape” skill: Consumes 30 percent of Blade’s total health points to activate the Hellscape state. While this state is active, Blade’s skill cannot be used again and the damage he deals is raised by 12 percent to 54 percent. Additionally, his basic attack is changed to “Forest of Sword” for three turns. If Blade doesn’t have the required amount of health points when he uses this skill, his health points will be reduced to one.
- “Death Sentence” Ultimate: Changes Blade’s current health points to 50 percent of his maximum health points and deals Wind damage against one target. The damage dealt in this attack is equal to the sum of 24 percent to 48 percent of Blade’s attack, 60 percent to 120 percent of Blade’s maximum health points, and 60 percent to 120 percent of the health points Blade has lost in battle. Simultaneously, Blade deals a blast of Wind damage against the adjacent foes equal to the sum of 9.6 percent to 19.2 percent of his attack, 24 percent to 48 percent of his maximum health points, and 24 percent to 48 percent of the total health points he has lost in battle.
- “Shuhu’s Gift” talent: When Blade consumes his health points or takes damage, he then gains one stack of charge for up to five stacks. Only one charge can be gained each time Blade is attacked. When the maximum number of stacks is obtained, Blade immediately initiates a follow-up attack that deals Wind damage equal to 22 percent to 55 percent of his attack plus 55 percent to 137.5 percent of his maximum health points. All charges are consumed in this attack.
- “Karma Wind” technique: Immediately initiates an attack on the enemy to enter battle. After the battle begins, 20 percent of Blade’s maximum health points are consumed to deal Wind damage equal to 40 percent of his maximum health points against all foes. If Blade doesn’t have the required amount of health points and this ability is used, his health points will be reduced to one.
Related: All Honkai: Star Rail paths explained
If you’re familiar with either Hu Tao or Xiao in Genshin Impact, you have a solid understanding of how most of Blade’s skillset will function. The Destruction character essentially consumed his own health to increase his damage output which is a powerful tool when managed properly.
Blade’s Ascension materials in Honkai: Star Rail
As players work on leaving up Blade through Ascension, he will shift from being a pretty solid recruit to a truly unstoppable force on the battlefield. To raise Blade to the highest level, Trailblazers will need to obtain:
- 300,000 Credits
- 15 Immortal Scionette
- 15 Immortal Aeroblossom
- 15 Immortal Lumintwig
- 65 Ascendant Debris
Blade’s Trace materials in Honkai: Star Rail
In addition to raising Blade’s basic statistics through Ascension, players will also need to gradually work their way through leveling up his Traces. Upgrading Traces will improve the damage dealt by each of Blade’s abilities and also grant him specific boosts to traits like attack or health points.
Across all of Blade’s Traces, players will need to gather:
- 3,000,000 Credits
- 18 Shattered Blade
- 69 Lifeless Blade
- 139 Worldbreaker Blade
- 41 Immortal Scionette
- 56 Immortal Aeroblossom
- 58 Immortal Lumintwig
- Eight tracks of Destiny
- 12 Regret of Infinite Ochema
Blade’s best build in Honkai: Star Rail
Overall, players will want to focus on Blade’s damage-dealing capabilities when building him. This means primarily equipping him with items that will raise his critical rate, critical damage, and attack.
Best Light Cones for Blade in Honkai: Star Rail
Players will want to focus on building Blade’s damage-dealing abilities when selecting the best Light Cone for him. Generally, players will want to equip at least a four-star or higher Light Cone since this will ensure Blade functions as powerfully as possible.
- The Unreachable Side
- Rarity: Five-star
- Path: The Destruction
- “Unfulfilled Yearning” Ability: Raises the equipping character’s critical rate by 18 percent and increases their maximum health points by 18 percent. When the equipping character is attacked or consumes their own health points, the damage they deal is raised by 24 percent. This effect ends after the equipping recruit uses an attack.
- Something Irreplaceable
- Rarity: Five-star
- Path: The Destruction
- “Kinship” Ability: Raises the equipping character’s attack by 24 percent. When the equipping recruit vanquishes an enemy or is struck by one, the wearer then has eight percent of their attack restored as health points. The equipping character also has their damage raised by 24 percent until the end of their next turn.
- Nowhere to Run
- Rarity: Four-star
- Path: The Destruction
- “Desperate Times” Ability: Raises the equipping character’s attack by 24 percent. When the equipping recruit successfully vanquishes a foe, they then restore some of their health points equal to 12 percent of their attack.
Best Relics for Blade in Honkai: Star Rail
There are currently only a few viable options for Blade’s Relics, but more have been leaked to arrive in the Version 1.2 update alongside him. These Relics and any others will be added here if they are viable choices for Blade.
- Eagle of Twilight Line
- Rarity: Two-star, three-star, four-star, or five-star
- Two-piece effect: Raises Wind damage by 10 percent.
- Four-piece effect: After the equipping recruit uses their Ultimate, they then have their action advanced forward by 25 percent.
- Musketeer of Wild Wheat
- Rarity: Two-star, three-star, four-star, or five-star
- Two-piece effect: Raises attack by 12 percent.
- Four-piece effect: Raises the equipping character’s speed by six percent and their basic attack damage by 10 percent.
- Celestial Differentiator
- Rarity: Two-star, three-star, four-star, or five-star
- Two-piece effect: Raises the equipping recruit’s critical damage by 16 percent. When the equipping character’s critical damage reaches 120 percent or more, their critical rate is then raised by 60 percent until the end of their first attack after entering battle.
- Inert Salsotto
- Rarity: Two-star, three-star, four-star, or five-star
- Two-piece effect: Raises the wearer’s critical rate by eight percent. When the equipping recruit’s critical rate reaches 50 percent or more, they then have their Ultimate and follow-up attack damage increased by 15 percent.
