Best Luka builds and skills in Honkai: Star Rail

The four-star Nihility character Luka joined the world of Honkai: Star Rail in the Version 1.2 update when he debuted alongside Kafka on her featured banner.

Luka is a powerful character capable of inflicting immense damage. But if you want to experience his full potential, you’ll need to construct the best build possible for him.

Luka’s skills in Honkai: Star Rail

Luka is a rather unique character who possesses six different special skills instead of the usual five most other Honkai: Star Rail recruits have. This is because his basic attack can be transformed into an alternate attack through his other abilities.

• “Direct Punch” basic attack: Deals 50 percent to 110 percent of Luka’s Physical damage as an attack against the targeted opponent.
  • “Sky-Shatter Fist” alternate basic attack: When Luka has two stacks of Fighting Will present, which he gains through some of his other abilities, they will then be consumed to activate an alternate version of his basic attack. While “Sky-Shatter Fist” is active, Luka uses his “Direct Punch” first to deal three Physical damage-based hits equal to between 10 percent to 22 percent of Luka’s attack against the single selected opponent. Luka then uses Rising Uppercut to deal one hit that deals Physical damage equal to between 40 percent to 88 percent of Luka’s attack against the selected target.
• “Lacerating Fist” skill: Deals Physical damage between 60 percent to 132 percent of Luka’s attack against the targeted foe. Additionally, this skill has a 100 percent base chance of activating the bleed status effect, which then lasts for three turns. When an enemy is bleeding, they take 24 percent of their maximum health points as Physical damage over time at the beginning of each turn. This damage cannot surpass 130 percent to 371.8 percent of Luka’s attack.
• “Coup de Grâce” Ultimate: Luka received two stacks of Fighting Will that can be used to activate his alternate “Sky-Shatter Fist” basic attack. This move also has a 100 percent chance of increasing the damage a targeted opponent receives by 12 percent to 21.6 percent for three turns. Finally, this move dishes out 198 percent to 356.4 percent of Luka’s attack as Physical damage against the selected foe.
• “Flying Sparks” talent: After Luka has used either his “Direct Punch” basic attack or his “Lacerating Fist” skill, he then gains one stack of Fighting Will. Luka can gain up to four stacks of Fighting Will through his talent. When Luka has two or more stacks of Fighting Will gathered, he then activates his “Sky-Shatter Fist” alternate basic attack. After this ability strikes a bleeding opponent, the bleed status effect instantly deals additional damage from 68 percent to 88.4 percent of the original damage against the target. At the beginning of the battle, Luka will have one stack of Fighting Will.
• “Anticipator” technique: Instantly attacks the targeted enemy to enter battle. As the battle begins, Luka immediately deals Physical damage equal to 50 percent of his attack against a randomly selected foe and also has a 100 percent base chance to activate bleed on the target. Luka then gains one stack of Fighting Will.

Related: All Honkai: Star Rail paths explained

Luka is part of the Nihility path and dishes out Physical damage. The best part of his skillset is the draining and brutal bleed status effect he applies to foes that chip away at their health over time. Overall, Luka is a pretty adept damage dealer sure to help you through any battle you tackle.

Luka’s Ascension materials in Honkai: Star Rail

One of the most important ways to rise Luka’s general statistics is to level him up through Ascension, which will raise his character level. To raise Luka to the highest possible level, you’ll need to gather the following Ascension materials.

• 248,400 Credits
• 12 Ancient Part
• 13 Ancient Spindle
• 12 Ancient Engine
• 50 Broken Teeth of Iron Wolf

Luka’s Trace materials in Honkai: Star Rail

Luka has his own unique Trace tree, which is essentially a skill tree you can level up over time. Some parts of this tree will boost his general statistics like his attack or effect hit rate, while others will level up the damage done through his skills.

To fully raise all of Luka’s Traces, you will need to gather all of the following Trace materials.

• 2,400,000 Credits
• 12 Obsidian of Dread
• 54 Obsidian of Desolation
• 105 Obsidian of Obsession
• 28 Ancient Part
• 42 Ancient Spindle
• 42 Ancient Engine
• Five tracks of Destiny
• 12 Regret of Infinite Ochema

Best Luka build in Honkai: Star Rail

To equip Luka with the best build possible, you’ll need to grant him a powerful Light Cone and Relics focused on enhancing his Nihility abilities.

Best Light Cones for Luka in Honkai: Star Rail

For every Honkai: Star Rail recruit, choosing the best Light Cone possible is perhaps the most essential aspect of creating a powerful build. Luka has a few solid options, but overall, you’ll want to focus on enhancing his debuffing and damage-over-time abilities through the Light Cone you select for him.

• Incessant Rain
  • Rarity: Five-star
  • “Mirage of Reality” Ability: Raises the equipping recruit’s effect hit rate by 24 percent. When the wearer deals damage against an enemy who has three or more debuffs applied to them, their critical rate is then raised by 12 percent. After the equipping recruit uses their basic attack, skill, or ultimate move, there is a 100 percent chance of activating an Aether Code on a random enemy that doesn’t already have an Aether Code active on them. Foes who have an Aether Code active on them receive 12 percent increased damage for one turn.
• In the Name of the World
  • Rarity: Five-star
  • “Inheritor” Ability: Raises the equipping character’s damage against debuffed foes by 24 percent. When the equipping recruit uses their skill, the effect hit rate of the attack is increased by 18 percent and attack is raised by 24 percent.
• Resolution Shines As Pearls of Sweat
  • Rarity: Four-star
  • “Glance Back” Ability: When the equipping recruit strikes an enemy and if that enemy does not already have the ensnared status effect active on them, there is a 60 percent chance of applying ensnared on them. Ensnared foes have their defense decreased by 12 percent for one turn.

Best Relics for Luka in Honkai: Star Rail

The best relics for Luka are the full four-piece Champion of Streetwise Boxing set. But you can also equip the two-piece version of this set alongside the two-piece Musketeer of Wild Wheat set.

• Champion of Streetwise Boxing
  • Two-piece effect: Raises Physical damage by 10 percent.
  • Four-piece effect: After the equipping recruit is hit, their attack is raised by five percent for the rest of the battle. This effect can stack up to five times.
• Musketeer of Wild Wheat
  • Two-piece effect: Increases attack by 12 percent.
  • Four-piece effect: The equipping recruit’s speed is raised by six percent and their basic attack damage is raised by 10 percent.

For Luka’s Planar Ornaments, Pan-Galactic Commercial Enterprise is the best choice for enhancing his Nihility debuff abilities, while Space Sealing Station is a good option for those who are hoping to build his attack.

• Pan-Galactic Commercial Enterprise
  • Two-piece effect: Increases the equipping character’s effect hit rate by 10 percent and increases their attack by 25 percent of their total effect hit rate for up to a 25 percent maximum.
• Space Sealing Station
  • Two-piece effect: Increases the wearer’s attack by 12 percent. When the equipping character’s speed reaches 120 speed or higher, their attack is then increased by 12 percent.