Honkai Star Rail Black Swan Guide

Honkai Star Rail Black Swan Guide: Introduction

Honkai Star Rail Black Swan is a Memokeeper from the Garden of Recollection, known for her enigmatic and laid-back demeanor. As a seer, she has the ability to listen to the memories of others, allowing her to manipulate destiny by weaving together interconnected threads. Her mysterious nature and deep understanding of fate make her a compelling character within the lore of Honkai: Star Rail.

In gameplay, Honkai Star Rail Black Swan is a Wind-type character following the Path of Nihility, excelling in teams that focus on applying Damage over Time (DoT) effects. Her abilities revolve around inflicting and amplifying DoT, making her a potent choice for strategies that emphasize sustained damage rather than direct bursts. She thrives when paired with characters and relics that enhance her debuffing potential, enabling her to weaken enemies while maintaining control over the battlefield.

This guide will explore Honkai Star Rail Black Swan’s abilities in depth, including her optimal upgrade materials, best equipment choices, and how to maximize her potential through team compositions. Whether you’re looking to enhance her damage output or build a synergistic lineup, understanding her strengths and playstyle will help you make the most of her unique skillset.

Honkai Star Rail Black Swan Guide: Abilities and Skills

Honkai Star Rail Black Swan’s abilities showcase her expertise in dealing Wind damage and applying the Arcana status, which serves as the foundation of her damage output. As a Nihility character, she thrives in strategies that emphasize Damage over Time (DoT), gradually wearing down enemies with persistent effects rather than relying on direct burst damage. Her skillset is designed to stack and amplify Arcana, creating a chain reaction of DoT effects that synergize with debuff-heavy team compositions.

Percipience, Silent Dawn (Basic ATK)

Single Target

Deals Wind DMG equal to 30% of Black Swan’s ATK to a single target enemy, with a 50% base chance of inflicting 1 stack of Arcana. And if the hit target currently has Wind Shear, Bleed, Burn, or Shock applied to them, each respectively has a 50% base chance of inflicting 1 extra stack of Arcana onto the enemy.

Decadence, False Twilight (Skill)

Blast

Deals Wind DMG equal to 45% of Black Swan’s ATK to a single target enemy and any adjacent targets. At the same time, there is a 100% base chance of inflicting 1 stack of Arcana on the target enemy and the adjacent targets. And there is a 100% base chance of reducing the DEF of the target enemy and the adjacent targets by 14.8%, lasting for 3 turn(s).

Bliss of Otherworld’s Embrace (Ultimate)

AoE ATK

Inflicts Epiphany on all enemies for 2 turn(s). Enemies affected by Epiphany take 15% more DMG in their turn, and their Arcana effect is regarded as Wind Shear, Bleed, Burn, and Shock effects. In addition, when their Arcana effect is triggered at the beginning of the next turn, the Arcana stacks are not reset. The stack non-reset effect can be triggered up to 1 time(s) in Epiphany’s duration, and its charges are replenished when Epiphany is applied again. Deals Wind DMG equal to 72% of Black Swan’s ATK to all enemies.

Loom of Fate’s Caprice (Talent)

Impair

Every time an enemy target receives DoT at the start of each turn, there is a 50% base chance for it to be inflicted with Arcana. While afflicted with Arcana, enemy targets receive Wind DoT equal to 96% of Honkai Star Rail Black Swan’s ATK at the start of each turn. Each stack of Arcana increases this DoT DMG multiplier by 4.8%. Then Arcana resets to 1 stack. Arcana can stack up to 50 times.

Only when Arcana causes DMG at the start of an enemy target’s turn, Honkai Star Rail Black Swan triggers additional effects based on the number of Arcana stacks inflicted on the target: When there are 3 or more Arcana stacks, deals Wind DoT equal to 72% of Honkai Star Rail Black Swan’s ATK to adjacent targets, with a 50% base chance of inflicting 1 stack of Arcana on adjacent targets. When there are 7 or more Arcana stacks, enables the current DoT dealt this time to ignore 20% of the target’s and adjacent targets’ DEF.

From Façade to Vérité (Technique)

Enhance

After this Technique is used, there is a 150% base chance for each enemy to be inflicted with 1 stack of Arcana at the start of the next battle. For each successful application of Arcana on a target, inflicts another stack of Arcana on the same target. This process repeats until Arcana fails to be inflicted on this target. For each successive application of Arcana on a target, its base chance of success is equal to 50% of the base chance of the previous successful infliction of Arcana on that target.

Honkai Star Rail Black Swan Guide: Traces

Honkai Star Rail Black Swan’s Traces play a crucial role in enhancing her damage output and increasing the effectiveness of her Arcana application. These passive upgrades bolster her ability to stack DoT effects, making her an even more formidable Nihility character. By improving her synergy with debuffs and amplifying her overall damage potential, her Traces ensure she remains a consistent threat on the battlefield.

Her Ascension Traces focus on increasing Arcana stacks through interactions with existing DoT effects, rewarding strategic team compositions that inflict Wind Shear, Bleed, Burn, or Shock. Additionally, her abilities gain a significant boost from Candleflame’s Portent, which converts her Effect Hit Rate into bonus damage, further strengthening her offensive power. These enhancements make her an ideal choice for DoT-heavy teams that rely on prolonged enemy debilitation.

Viscera’s Disquiet (Ascension 2)

• First Tier: After using the Skill to hit an enemy that has Wind Shear, Bleed, Burn, or Shock, each of these debuffs respectively has a 65% base chance of inflicting 1 extra stack of Arcana.
• Second Tier (Ascension 2): Wind DMG +3.2%
• Third Tier (Ascension 3): ATK +4%
• Fourth Tier (Ascension 3): Effect Hit Rate +4%

Goblet’s Dredges (Ascension 4)

• First Tier: Every time an enemy target receives DoT during the single attack of allies, there is a 65% base chance for it to be inflicted with 1 stack of Sacrament, stacking up to 3 time(s) during 1 single attack.
• Second Tier (Ascension 4): ATK +6%
• Third Tier (Ascension 5): Wind DMG +4.8%
• Fourth Tier (Ascension 5): ATK +6%

Candleflame’s Portent (Ascension 6)

• First Tier: Increases DMG dealt by this unit by an amount equal to 60% of their Effect Hit Rate, up to a maximum DMG increase of 72%.
• Second Tier (Ascension 6): Effect Hit Rate +6%
• Third Tier (Lv. 75): Wind DMG +6.4%

Honkai Star Rail Black Swan Guide: Eidolons

Honkai Star Rail Black Swan’s Eidolons provide powerful enhancements that elevate her damage potential, Arcana application, and overall team synergy. Each Eidolon introduces new ways to amplify her DoT effects, weaken enemies, and improve her battlefield presence. As a Nihility character, these upgrades make her even more effective at spreading debuffs and ensuring enemies remain under constant pressure.

Her Eidolons progressively refine her playstyle, from reducing enemy resistances at E1 to dramatically increasing Arcana spread and application at E2 and E6. Additionally, E4 enhances her energy regeneration, allowing her to use her Ultimate more frequently, while E5 and E3 provide direct upgrades to her abilities. These improvements make each Eidolon a valuable addition to her kit, whether focusing on maximizing damage output or improving team utility.

Seven Pillars of Wisdom (Eidolon 1)

While Honkai Star Rail Black Swan is active in battle, enemies afflicted with Wind Shear, Bleed, Burn, or Shock will have their corresponding Wind, Physical, Fire, or Lightning RES respectively reduced by 25%.

Weep Not For Me, My Lamb (Eidolon 2)

When an enemy target afflicted with Arcana is defeated, there is a 100% base chance of inflicting 6 stack(s) of Arcana on adjacent targets.

As Above, So Below (Eidolon 3)

Skill Lv. +2, up to a maximum of Lv. 15. Talent Lv. +2, up to a maximum of Lv. 15.

In Tears We Gift (Eidolon 4)

While in the Epiphany state, enemy targets have their Effect RES reduced by 10%. And at the start of their turn or when they get defeated, Honkai Star Rail Black Swan regenerates 8 Energy. This Energy Regeneration effect can only trigger up to 1 time while Epiphany lasts. And this trigger count resets after the enemy gets inflicted with Epiphany again.

Linnutee Flyway (Eidolon 5)

Ultimate Lv. +2, up to a maximum of Lv. 15. Basic ATK Lv. +1, up to a maximum of Lv. 10.

Pantheon Merciful, Masses Pitiful (Eidolon 6)

When enemy targets get attacked by Honkai Star Rail Black Swan’s allies, Black Swan has a 65% base chance of inflicting 1 stack of Arcana on the target. Each time Black Swan inflicts Arcana on an enemy target, there is a 50% fixed chance to additionally increase the number of Arcana stacks afflicted this time by 1.

Honkai Star Rail Black Swan Guide: Build

Honkai Star Rail Black Swan’s build focuses on maximizing her damage output through strategic equipment choices.

Best Light Cone

Those Many Springs Overview and effects

Attribute Details Light Cone Name Those Many Springs RarityLight Cone Type The Nihility

Worldly Affairs Leave No Mark

Increases the wearer’s Effect Hit Rate by 60%/70%/80%/90%/100%. After the wearer uses Basic ATK, Skill, or Ultimate to attack an enemy target, there is a 60% base chance to inflict “Unarmored” on the target. While in the Unarmored state, the enemy target receives 10%/12%/14%/16%/18% increased DMG, lasting for 2 turn(s). If the target is under a DoT state inflicted by the wearer, there is a 60% base chance to upgrade the “Unarmored” state inflicted by the wearer to the “Cornered” state, which additionally increases the DMG the target enemy receives by 14%/16%/18%/20%/22%, lasting for 2 turn(s). During this period, the wearer cannot inflict “Unarmored” on the target.

Incessant Rain Overview and effects

Attribute Details Light Cone Name Incessant Rain RarityLight Cone Type The Nihility How to Obtain Light Cone Event Warp

Mirage of Reality

Increases the wearer’s Effect Hit Rate by 24%/28%/32%/36%/40%. When the wearer deals DMG to an enemy that currently has 3 or more debuffs, increases the wearer’s CRIT Rate by 12%/14%/16%/18%/20%. After the wearer uses their Basic ATK, Skill, or Ultimate, there is a 100% base chance to implant Aether Code on a random target that does not yet have it and was hit by the ability. Targets with Aether Code receive 12%/14%/16%/18%/20% increased DMG for 1 turn.

Reforged Remembrance Overview and effects

Attribute Details Light Cone Name Reforged Remembrance RarityLight Cone Type The Nihility How to Obtain Light Cone Event Warp

Crystallize

Increases wearer’s Effect Hit Rate by 40%/45%/50%/55%/60%. When the wearer deals DMG to an enemy inflicted with Wind Shear, Burn, Shock, or Bleed, they will individually gain 1 stack of Prophet. This effect can stack up to 4 times. In a single battle, each type of DoT can only generate 1 stack of Prophet. Every stack of Prophet increases wearer’s ATK by 5%/6%/7%/8%/9% and the DoT dealt will ignore 7.2%/7.9%/8.6%/9.3%/10% of the target’s DEF.

It’s Showtime Overview and effects

Attribute Details Light Cone Name It’s Showtime RarityLight Cone Type The Nihility

Self-Amusement

When the wearer inflicts a debuff on an enemy, they gain a stack of Trick. Every stack of Trick increases the wearer’s DMG dealt by 6%/7%/8%/9%/10% for a max of 3 stack(s). This effect lasts for 1 turn(s). When the wearer’s Effect Hit Rate is greater or equal to 80%, increases ATK by 20%/24%/26%/28%/30%.

Good Night and Sleep Well Overview and effects

Attribute Details Light Cone Name Good Night and Sleep Well RarityLight Cone Type The Nihility How to Obtain Departure Warp, Stellar Warp, Character Event Warp, Light Cone Event Warp

Toiler

For every debuff the target enemy has, the DMG dealt by the wearer increases by 12%/15%/18%/21%/24%, stacking up to 3 time(s). This effect also applies to DoT.

Best Relics

Prisoner in Deep Confinement

• 2-Piece: ATK increases by 12%.
• 4-Piece: For every DoT the target enemy is afflicted with, the wearer will ignore 6% of its DEF when dealing DMG to it. This effect is valid for a max of 3 DoTs.

Eagle of Twilight Line

• 4-Piece: After the wearer uses their Ultimate, their action is Advanced Forward by 25%.

Best Ornament

Firmament Frontline Glamoth

• 2-Piece: Increases the wearer’s ATK by 12%. When the wearer’s SPD is equal to or higher than 135/160, the wearer deals 12%/18% more DMG.

Space Sealing Station

• 2-Piece: Increases the wearer’s ATK by 12%. When the wearer’s SPD reaches 120 or higher, the wearer’s ATK increases by an extra 12%.

Pan-Galactic Commercial Enterprise

• 2-Piece: Increases the wearer’s Effect Hit Rate by 10%. Meanwhile, the wearer’s ATK increases by an amount that is equal to 25% of the current Effect Hit Rate, up to a maximum of 25%.

Main Stats

• Body: Effect Hit Rate / ATK%
• Feet: Speed / ATK%
• Planar Sphere: Wind DMG / ATK%
• Link Rope: ATK%

Substats

• Effect Hit Rate (120%)
• Speed (155)
• ATK%
• Effect RES

The stats you want to prioritize for Honkai Star Rail Black Swan include Effect Hit Rate, Speed, and ATK%. Effect Hit Rate is crucial for applying Arcana and other debuffs, while Speed ensures Honkai Star Rail Black Swan can act more frequently. ATK% directly boosts her damage output.

Honkai Star Rail Black Swan Guide: Team Composition

Kafka – Main DPS: Kafka takes on the role of the Main DPS in the team, excelling at triggering and amplifying Damage over Time (DoT) effects. Her Ultimate applies a DoT effect to all enemies, ensuring continuous damage throughout the fight. Additionally, her Skill deals extra damage to enemies already afflicted with DoT, making her a key enabler for DoT-based team compositions. With her ability to detonate existing DoT effects for immediate burst damage, she synergizes well with characters like Honkai Star Rail Black Swan, who further amplify these effects.

Black Swan – DPS: Honkai Star Rail Black Swan functions as a secondary DPS, specializing in extending and enhancing DoT effects through her unique Arcana mechanic. She attacks enemies afflicted by DoT to trigger Sacrament, increasing her damage output while stacking Arcana. Maintaining at least 7 Arcana stacks provides significant advantages, including ignoring a portion of the target’s DEF. Her Ultimate plays a crucial role by extending the duration of Arcana stacks and treating them as multiple DoT types, making her a perfect complement to Kafka’s DoT-focused playstyle.

Ruan Mei – Support: Ruan Mei serves as a powerful support unit by significantly boosting her allies’ damage potential and Break effectiveness. Her Skill increases allies’ DMG% and Break Efficiency, allowing them to deal more damage and weaken enemy defenses faster. Her Ultimate deploys a field that enhances All-Type RES PEN, allowing DoT effects to bypass a portion of enemy resistances. Additionally, she extends the duration of Weakness Break, making enemies more vulnerable for a longer period, which further benefits DoT-based damage dealers like Kafka and Honkai Star Rail Black Swan.

Huohuo – Healer: Huohuo plays a dual role as a healer and support, ensuring the team’s survivability while also providing valuable buffs. Her Ultimate skill regenerates energy for all allies, allowing them to use their abilities more frequently. Additionally, she grants an ATK% increase, boosting the overall damage output of her teammates. Her consistent healing ensures that the team can sustain prolonged battles, making her an essential part of a DoT-focused composition that relies on maintaining effects over time rather than immediate burst damage.

Team Synergy and Key Points

This team is built around Damage over Time (DoT) effects, utilizing Kafka and Honkai Star Rail Black Swan as the main damage dealers, Ruan Mei as a powerful buffer, and Huohuo as a healer and energy support. The synergy revolves around stacking multiple DoT effects, extending their duration, and amplifying their damage through debuffs and penetration effects.

Key Synergies

Kafka + Black Swan: Kafka’s Skill and Ultimate trigger and amplify DoT effects, while Honkai Star Rail Black Swan’s Arcana mechanic further enhances and spreads these effects across enemies. The combination allows for constant and escalating DoT damage throughout the fight.

Ruan Mei + DoT DPS: Ruan Mei increases allies’ DMG% and Break Efficiency, making it easier to extend Weakness Break for prolonged enemy vulnerability. Her Ultimate boosts All-Type RES PEN, allowing Kafka and Honkai Star Rail Black Swan’s DoT effects to bypass enemy resistances and deal more damage.

Huohuo + Energy Regen: Huohuo provides healing and energy regeneration, ensuring that Kafka and Honkai Star Rail Black Swan use their Ultimates more frequently. Her ATK% buff further boosts the team’s damage output, making DoT effects hit even harder.

Key Points

Constant DoT Application: The team ensures that DoT effects are always active, with Kafka detonating existing ones and Honkai Star Rail Black Swan continuously stacking Arcana to increase damage.

High Damage Scaling: Honkai Star Rail Black Swan’s Arcana stacks grow exponentially, meaning the longer the battle lasts, the higher the damage output. This makes the team extremely powerful in prolonged fights.

Weakness Break Advantage: Ruan Mei’s abilities extend Weakness Break duration and enhance penetration, making enemies more vulnerable for longer, which directly benefits DoT-based damage.

Sustain and Energy Management: Huohuo provides healing, ATK buffs, and energy regeneration, ensuring constant Ultimate uptime and keeping the team alive in long battles.

Synergy with Effect Hit Rate: Since Honkai Star Rail Black Swan’s Arcana stacks depend on Effect Hit Rate, pairing her with Ruan Mei’s support abilities ensures higher debuff application success, making her damage even more reliable.

This team excels in sustained damage, enemy debilitation, and battlefield control, making it one of the most effective DoT-focused setups in Honkai: Star Rail.

Honkai Star Rail Black Swan Guide: Ascension Materials

Level Credits Enemy Drops Stagnant Shadow Drops 20 4,000 5x Extinguished Core – 30 8,000 10x Extinguished Core – 40 16,000 6x Glimmering Core 3x Ascendant Debris 50 40,000 9x Glimmering Core 7x Ascendant Debris 60 80,000 6x Squirming Core 20x Ascendant Debris 70 160,000 9x Squirming Core 35x Ascendant Debris

The easiest way to obtain Extinguished Core is through daily character Assignments rather than battle. You can use the Omni-Synthesizer to turn your Extinguished Core into Glimmering Core or Squirming Core. Alternatively, you can find these materials in the Simulated Universe or as a Flame/Frost/Wind/Thunderspawn drop.

You can obtain Ascendant Debris from Stagnant Shadow: Shape of Celestial.

Basic Attack Trace Materials

Level Credits Enemy Drops Calyx Materials 2 5,000 3x Extinguished Core 6x Fiery Spirit 3 10,000 3x Glimmering Core 3x Starfire Essence 4 20,000 5x Glimmering Core 4x Starfire Essence 5 45,000 3x Squirming Core 3x Heaven Incinerator 6 160,000 8x Squirming Core 4x Heaven Incinerator

Fiery Spirit and its higher-tier variants are essential materials used for character ascension and skill upgrades. These items can be obtained from the Calyx (Crimson): Bud of Nihility located on Penacony. Engaging with this Calyx allows players to farm Fiery Spirit materials efficiently, ensuring their characters reach optimal performance levels. It’s advisable to allocate specific in-game resources and time to repeatedly challenge this Calyx, as higher-level variations of Fiery Spirit are required for advancing characters to their maximum potential.

Trace Talent, Skill, and Ultimate Materials

Level Credits Enemy Drops Calyx Materials Echoes of War Drops Tracks of Destiny 2 2,500 – 3x Fiery Spirit – – 3 5,000 3x Extinguished Core 6x Fiery Spirit – – 4 10,000 3x Glimmering Core 3x Starfire Essence – – 5 20,000 5x Glimmering Core 4x Starfire Essence – – 6 30,000 7x Glimmering Core 6x Starfire Essence – – 7 45,000 3x Squirming Core 3x Heaven Incinerator – – 8 80,000 5x Squirming Core 4x Heaven Incinerator 1x Past Evils of the Borehole Planet Disaster – 9 160,000 8x Squirming Core – 1x Past Evils of the Borehole Planet Disaster 1x Tracks of Destiny 10 300,000 14x Squirming Core – 1x Past Evils of the Borehole Planet Disaster 1x Tracks of Destiny

Past Evils of the Borehole Planet Disaster is a Trace material used for upgrading character abilities. It is obtained from Echo of War: Borehole Planet’s Old Crater, located in Herta’s Space Station. This challenge becomes available after completing the quest “When the Stars of Ingenuity Shine” and features the Starcrusher Swarm King: Skaracabaz boss. Defeating this enemy grants players the material, crucial for character progression and skill enhancement.

Tracks of Destiny are advanced materials used to unlock and upgrade characters’ key abilities. Players can obtain them through limited-time events, Embers Exchange, Simulated Universe milestone rewards, and Nameless Honor (battle pass). While events provide them periodically, consistent methods like accumulating Simulated Universe points or purchasing from the Embers Exchange ensure players can collect these materials for long-term character development.

Ascension Abilities Materials

Name Credits Trace Materials Echoes of War Drops Tracks of Destiny Viscera’s Disquiet 5,000 3x Extinguished Core 1x Past Evils of the Borehole Planet Disaster – Goblet’s Dredges 20,000 5x Glimmering Core 1x Past Evils of the Borehole Planet Disaster 1x Tracks of Destiny Candleflame’s Portent 160,000 8x Squirming Core 1x Past Evils of the Borehole Planet Disaster 1x Tracks of Destiny

Honkai Star Rail Black Swan Guide: Conclusion

Honkai Star Rail Black Swan stands out as a powerful Main DPS, offering a unique DoT-focused playstyle through her Arcana mechanic. Her ability to stack Arcana on enemies allows for escalating damage over time, making her especially effective in longer battles and multi-target encounters. Unlike traditional burst DPS units, Honkai Star Rail Black Swan thrives in scenarios where her debuffs have time to build up, enabling her to deal overwhelming damage with sustained DoT effects.

To fully capitalize on her potential, it is essential to prioritize Effect Hit Rate, Speed, and ATK% when equipping her. Effect Hit Rate ensures consistent Arcana application, Speed allows her to apply stacks more frequently, and ATK% enhances her overall damage output. Additionally, unlocking key Traces such as Viscera’s Disquiet, Goblet’s Dredges, and Candleflame’s Portent further enhances her Arcana stacking and DoT amplification, making her an even deadlier force on the battlefield.

Honkai Star Rail Black Swan’s Eidolons significantly enhance her performance, particularly E1, which reduces enemy resistances, and E2, which spreads Arcana stacks to adjacent targets. These upgrades help her amplify DoT damage across multiple enemies, making her even more effective in AoE-focused team compositions. Choosing the right Relics and Light Cones, such as Prisoner in Deep Confinement and Reforged Remembrance, further solidifies her role as a top-tier Nihility DPS by maximizing her debuff application and DoT scaling.

By following this guide, players can optimize Honkai Star Rail Black Swan’s strengths and unleash her full potential in battle. Whether in challenging boss fights or extended encounters, she excels at weaving destiny through her Arcana-inflicted foes, ensuring that enemies succumb to an ever-growing storm of DoT damage. With the right build, team composition, and strategy, Honkai Star Rail Black Swan becomes an unstoppable force in Honkai: Star Rail, proving that the power of memory and fate can be a devastating weapon.