Phainon is currently rerunning in Honkai: Star Rail’s second phase of version 3.7. Despite being a rerun character, he debuted recently in July of this year. Players who missed out on his first banner now have the early chance to grab him again! He’s a strong DPS Physical fighter with great defense. His kit allows him to enter an Enhanced State, making him extra tanky and a heavy-hitter overall. But how should you build him?
Table of Contents
🏋🏻♂️ Phainon’s Strengths & Weaknesses
🗿 Phainon’s Best Relics
🧅 Phainon’s Best Ornaments
♣️ Phainon’s Best Light Cones
💥 Phainon’s Best Teams for HSR 3.7
🏋🏻♂️Phainon’s Strengths & Weaknesses
Phainon is a Physical element 5-star character that follows the Path of Destruction. As with most Destruction characters, he’s best known for his DPS capabilities. That doesn’t make him a glass cannon though. Phainon can actually take quite the punch with his high base defense. His Enhanced State not only increases defense even more, but also Skill damage. For anyone in need of a Physical character, Phainon is an easy fit even with a basic build. As players prepare for the next Honkai: Star Rail update, more characters plan to drop too. Check for an hsr top up and new character build guides with us today!
Phainon’s main weaknesses are his higher cooldowns per Skill and Ultimate, along with some slower attack rotations. His attacks from his Skills, especially in his Enhanced State, are the biggest damage-dealers with the major cost of time. As you progress through the game and enemies become more versatile, you’d want to invest in more Energy Recharges. Phainon can also struggle against stalling mechanics, so also consider upping his Speed while you’re at it.
Character
Rarity
Element
Path
⚜️Phainon⚜️
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
💪Physical💪
💣Destruction💣
🗿Phainon’s Best Relics
Picking Phainon’s Relics can be fun, as there’s lots of picks that add attack buffs to the kit. Phainon’s best, for example, gives Help stacks that end up boosting his damage output after using an Ultimate. This makes his Ultimate far more deadly in the long run, and makes up for his longer cooldowns. Other Relic sets perform similar actions, but with Critical Rates or Hits instead.
Ranking
Relic
Description
1
🌊Wavestrider Captain🌊
2-PC: Critical damage increases by +16%.
4-PC: When Phainon is the target of another ally’s target’s ability, he gains 1 stack of “Help,” stacking up to 2 times. When using his Ultimate, if he possesses 2 stacks of “Help,” he consumes all “Help” and increases his Attack by +48%, lasting 1 turn.
2
🎓Scholar Lost in Erudition🎓
2-PC: Increases Critical Rate by +8%.4-PC: Increases damage dealt by Ultimate and Skill by +20%. After using Phainon’s Ultimate, it additionally increases the damage dealt by the next Skill by +25%.
3
🥊Champion of Streetwise Boxing🥊
2-PC: Increases Physical damage by +10%.
4-PC: After Phainon attacks or is hit, his Attack increases by +5% for the rest of the battle. This effect can stack up to 5 times.
🧅Phainon’s Best Ornaments
Now we move on to Phainon’s Ornament choices, which can be a tad different depending on your playstyle. The set we consider the best increases Phainon’s damage output when less allies are on-field. His Enhanced State will slowly take allies off the team, which is usually a weakness of his. However, this Ornament only makes him stronger along with the state’s buffs.
Ranking
Ornament
Description
1
🌌Arcadia of Woven Dreams🌌
2-PC: When there are currently more or less than 4 ally targets in battle, each additional or missing ally target increases Phainon’s and his memosprite’s damage by +9% to +12%, up to a maximum of 4 to 3 stacks.
2
🏟️Rutilant Arena🏟️
2-PC: Increases Phainon’s Critical Rate by +8%. When Phainon’s current Critical Rate reaches +70% or higher, his Basic Attack and Skill damage increases by +20%.
3
🛰️Space Sealing Station🛰️
2-PC: Increases Phainon’s Attack by +12%. When his Speed reaches 120 or higher, his Attack increases by an extra +12%.
♣️Phainon’s Best Light Cones
Besides team comps, Light Cones are the most important part of Phainon’s build. Obviously, his best Light Cone will be ‘Thus Burns the Dawn,’ which was curated just for him. This further boosts his damage after performing an Ultimate. Pairing this Light Cone with ‘Wavestrider Captain’ can potentially double the Attack buffs, making it one of the best DPS kits.
Ranking
Light Cone
Description
1
🔥Thus Burns the Dawn🔥
Dispossession: Phainon’s base Speed increases by +12. When he deals damage, he ignores 18% of the target’s Defense. After Phainon uses his Ultimate, he obtains “Blazing Sun,” which is removed at the start of their turn. While “Blazing Sun” is in possession, it increases Phainon’s damage dealt by +60%.
2
🧱On the Fall of an Aeon🧱
Moth To Flames: Whenever Phainon attacks, his damage increases by +8% to 10% to 12% to 14% to 16% in this battle, up to 4 times. When Phainon inflicts Weakness Break on enemies, his damage increases by +12% to 15% to 18% to 21% to 24% for 2 turns.
3
🩸A Trail of Bygone Blood🩸
Massacre: Increases Phainon’s Critical Rate by +12%. The Skill damage and Ultimate damage dealt by Phainon increases by +24%.
💥Phainon’s Best Teams for HSR 3.7
Phainon’s best teams are typically those with high Energy Restoration output. You’ll want characters that can quickly refill Phainon’s energy. This way, you aren’t stuck constantly waiting on his Skills and Ultimate, especially in the late-game. However, you can create builds to help him stand independently in his Enhanced State for longer.
