After spending some time with Honkai: Star Rail, you’ve likely recognized the critical role a strong DPS character plays. This turn-based combat game allows you to assemble a team of up to four characters simultaneously, making the right choice essential. With a diverse roster boasting over 30 exceptional characters, finding the perfect DPS can significantly enhance your gameplay experience.
As you advance through the main storyline, you’ll gain access to more challenging content such as Memory of Chaos, Simulated Universe, and Swarm Disaster. To conquer these modes and reap their rewards, understanding which DPS characters excel is crucial. Here are the ranking of top DPS characters includes a detailed analysis of their abilities and overall performance in the game.
Top 19: Dan Heng – Who Needs To Build SPD
Dan Heng is the second complimentary character you will obtain as you progress through the main storyline of Honkai: Star Rail. His affable nature has endeared him to the entire community. As a four-star Wind character who walks the path of The Hunt, Dan Heng proves to be an invaluable asset, capable of conquering even the most challenging content from the early stages to the endgame.
While his basic attack, skill, and ultimate are designed to inflict significant single-target damage, there’s a deeper level of strategy required to maximize his effectiveness. Dan Heng’s Skill not only slows down enemies but also enhances the damage dealt to these slowed foes through his Ultimate and Basic Attack. Additionally, attacking an enemy boosts his own SPD, making him even more formidable in battle.
Top 18: Sushang – She Gets All The Turns
Because Honkai: Star Rail currently suffers from a shortage of Physical DPS characters, and this is where Sushang shines. As a member of the Cloud Knights on The Xianzhou Luofu, she follows the path of The Hunt. Sushang’s critical hits are outstanding, making her a reliable choice for consistent damage output.
According to experienced gamers, to maximize Sushang’s potential, the key strategy is to trigger numerous Weakness Breaks – allowing her to inflict additional damage and gain more turns. Unlocking her first Eidolon further enhances her utility: she can regenerate one Skill Point when her Skill is used on an enemy with a broken Weakness, effectively making the Skill cost zero Skill Points.
Top 17: Hook – Pitch-Dark Hook The Great!
Among the paths in Honkai: Star Rail, Destruction is undeniably one of the most powerful, offering characters who can unleash massive damage while sustaining themselves. Little Hook is a prime example of this path’s capabilities, adept at delivering formidable Fire damage to both single and multiple foes. She also has the ability to inflict a Burn status on her targets.
When Hook strikes a foe already afflicted by Burn, she amplifies her damage output, regenerates Energy, and heals herself. Additionally, with her heightened resistance to Crowd Control debuffs, Hook remains robust and dependable, guiding you to triumph in numerous battles.
Top 16: Misha – Our Resident Hotel Bellboy
Misha, the pioneering four-star character from Penacony, made his debut in the game as a Destruction character wielding Ice as his combat type. Her kit stands out for its synergy, with both his active and passive abilities enhancing the damage output of his Ultimate.
Nevertheless, it’s important to acknowledge that Misha faces stiff competition from the top DPS characters in the game, who share his path and combat type. While he may struggle to tackle the most challenging content without particular support, Misha remains an enjoyable and engaging DPS unit to play.
Top 15: Xueyi – You Said Cool Animations
Since the release of Honkai: Star Rail, players have encountered Xueyi sporadically throughout the main story. However, she only became a playable character with the Version 1.6 update. As a Quantum Destruction character, Xueyi astonished the community with her stunning animations.
Whether it’s her Technique or her Ultimate, it’s universally agreed that Xueyi boasts some of the finest animations in the game. Fortunately, her impressive visuals are matched by her damage output and overall effectiveness, making her a top-tier DPS option for those who might not have access to the game’s most powerful units.
Top 14: Clara – But You’re Really Just Using Svarog
Aside from Sushang, Clara stands as your sole option for a Physical DPS character in the game currently. As a five-star character, she has the potential to significantly outperform her four-star counterpart, provided she is built correctly. Clara’s counter skills are highly effective, dealing significant damage when she is attacked.
These follow-up attacks also trigger if any other teammate is struck after Clara uses her Ultimate. This Ultimate marks the target enemy, and her Skill then deals additional damage to those marked foes. By pairing her with support characters like Lynx or March, who can increase the likelihood of her being targeted, you’ll be astounded by the substantial damage Clara can deliver effortlessly.
Top 13: Yanqing – Don’t Base His Power On The Main Story
At first glance, Yanqing might not appear to be a top-tier DPS character based on his performance in the main story. However, with the right build, Yanqing specializes in delivering high single-target damage, ideal for taking down powerful bosses. One crucial aspect to keep in mind with Yanqing is his high demand for Skill Points. To maintain the Soulsteel Sync effect, you’ll want to use his Skill at every opportunity.
When Soulsteel Sync is active, Yanqing receives a multitude of buffs, including increased Crit Rate and Crit DMG, and gains a chance to Freeze enemies with his attacks. Additionally, using his Ultimate while Soulsteel Sync is active grants him even more Crit DMG.
Top 12: Qingque – Gacha Within A Gacha Within A Gacha
What’s more thrilling than playing a Gacha character in a Gacha game? In Honkai: Star Rail, you can indulge in that excitement without spending your precious Stellar Jades, thanks to Qingque. Her abilities revolve around her beloved game, Celestial Jade.
Every time an ally takes a turn or you activate her Skill, you’ll randomly draw a set of Jade tiles from three different suits. The objective is to match four tiles of the same suit, triggering an Enhanced Basic Attack that deals significantly more damage. However, keep in mind that Qingque can be quite demanding on Skill Points, especially if luck isn’t on your side.
Top 11: Seele – Disappear Among The Sea Of Butterflies!
Seele, the first limited character introduced in Honkai: Star Rail, is known for dealing high damage in both single-target and multi-target scenarios. However, her standing in the DPS rankings has significantly declined due to changes in the game’s meta and the introduction of new characters.
Whenever Seele defeats an enemy, she gains an extra turn in an enhanced state. This state boosts her damage output and doesn’t consume a turn, allowing her to benefit from all active buffs without diminishing their durations. Despite this, the necessity to defeat an enemy to trigger this effect limits her effectiveness, especially against high-HP foes and enemies capable of resurrecting themselves in the current game environment.
Top 10: Jing Yuan – But You’re Really Just Using The Lightning Lord
Jing Yuan, the esteemed General of the Cloud Knights, is a five-star Lightning character who aligns with the path of Erudition. Jing Yuan excels at dealing strong AOE (Area of Effect) damage, which can clear waves of enemies quickly. Activating his skill or ultimate grants two and three stacks, respectively, to the Lightning Lord, an independent entity with its own Speed (SPD) stat. The more stacks it accumulates, the quicker the Lightning Lord can take its turn.
When it acts, the Lightning Lord unleashes substantial AoE damage proportional to its stack count. However, there are caveats: the Lightning Lord remains inactive if Jing Yuan is crowd-controlled, and its attacks can be unpredictable, especially when facing multiple enemies, adding an element of randomness to Jing Yuan’s otherwise powerful arsenal.
Top 9: Dr. Ratio – Is He Seriously Free For Everyone?
Dr. Ratio, an Imaginary character on the path of The Hunt, primarily excels in single-target damage, which contrasts with the current AoE-focused meta.
Despite this, Dr. Ratio ranks high on the list due to his impressive damage output. With the right team composition, he can eliminate a boss enemy before it has the chance to summon additional foes, showcasing his potential despite not aligning perfectly with the prevailing meta.
Top 8: Argenti – The Ultimate Idrila Follower
The character who propelled the Erudition path into the meta, Argenti, is a five-star unit wielding Physical combat. Despite his straightforward nature, Argenti is incredibly enjoyable to play due to the strategic choices he offers. However, to unlock his full potential, he requires a carefully crafted team.
Argenti boasts two types of Ultimates, with an enhanced version available at 180 Energy. Achieving this energy level promptly is challenging without support characters like Tingyun or Huohuo. When paired with such allies, Argenti can unleash some of the highest damage numbers in the game, making him a formidable force in battle.
Top 7: Boothill – The Cowboy In Honkai: Star Rail
Boothill’s vibrant personality in Honkai: Star Rail is matched only by his impressive damage potential. Under the right circumstances, he can effortlessly dish out over 200,000 DMG to a single target. Yet, his low ranking on the tier list is due to the extensive effort required to reach this level of damage, beginning with his Pocket Trickshot stacks.
The bulk of Boothill’s damage hinges on these stacks, which necessitate breaking at least three enemy Toughness bars or defeating them to maximize the effect. Additionally, optimal performance requires specific support characters like Ruan Mei or Harmony Trailblazer, as their contributions far outshine those of other supports.
Top 6: Kafka – The Community’s Favorite… For Certain Reasons
When you first dive into Honkai: Star Rail, you’ll initially control Kafka before awakening the main character. Kafka is a five-star Nihility character who revolutionizes the damage-over-time (DoT) play style in the game. Her unique ability to instantly trigger all DoT effects on an enemy using her Skill and Ultimate sets her apart.
To maximize Kafka’s potential, it’s best to pair her with one or two additional DoT-based characters. Optimally, these allies should have high Break Effect stats, as the Weakness Break also inflicts a DoT that Kafka can subsequently trigger, amplifying your team’s overall damage output.
Top 5: Blade – The High Cloud Quintet Consumed By Mara
Introduced as one of the Stellaron Hunters, Blade is a Wind Destruction character hailing from The Xianzhou Luofu. He embraces a self-sacrificial play style, consuming his own HP to amplify the damage of his Enhanced Basic Attacks, Ultimate, and follow-up attacks.
Blade is particularly effective for damage over time, making him a strategic choice in prolonged battles. Each time Blade is attacked or reduces his HP, he gains a stack for his Talent. Upon accumulating five stacks, he triggers a follow-up attack that deals damage to all enemies on the field and regenerates his HP. To maximize Blade’s effectiveness, gaming experts advise pairing him with characters like Lynx or March 7th is highly recommended, as they can increase his chances of being targeted.
Top 4: Black Swan – Punishing Enemies For Getting A Turn
Black Swan made her debut early on in one of HoYoverse’s most popular trailers on YouTube. She was finally introduced alongside Penacony in the Version 2.0 update as a Nihility Path character with a Wind combat type. Just a glance at her damage numbers reveals that she is a formidable force.
Black Swan can apply Arcana stacks to enemies through various methods, and these stacks inflict massive damage when the enemy takes a turn. Her kit includes significant DMG and DEF ignore capabilities, which can be further enhanced with various Relics and Light Cones. This synergy elevates her to one of the top three DPS characters in Honkai: Star Rail.
Top 3: Dan Heng: Imbibitor Lunae – Use Him And Smash Everything Into Pieces
The release of Dan Heng: Imbibitor Lunae left players questioning the developers’ intentions, as he dominates every combat scenario effortlessly. Even against enemies without Imaginary Weakness, his damage output is astounding.
Imbibitor Lunae’s skill can be activated up to three times to amplify his Basic Attack, resulting in substantial single-target or AoE damage. Additionally, using his Ultimate or Technique grants special Skill Points, which can be used in place of regular Skill Points, further enhancing his versatility and impact in battle.
Top 2: Acheron – Who Cares About Enemy Weakness
As the first five-star Nihility unit to leverage the Crit ratio, Acheron has secured her place as the second-best DPS character available. Even in her trial mode, which represents only 50% of her full potential, she can produce astonishing damage numbers that will leave you in awe.
With the proper setup, Acheron can unleash her Ultimate nearly every cycle, devastating enemy HP and Toughness regardless of their Lightning resistance. The only factor preventing her from claiming the top spot is the current lack of support characters that perfectly complement her play style.
Top 1: Jingliu – The Game Plays Itself For You With Her
It’s hard to believe, but HoYoverse has introduced a character even mightier than Imbibitor Lunae. Jingliu, a five-star Ice Destruction character from The Xianzhou Luofu, takes the spotlight. Each time she uses her normal Skill, she gains a stack of Syzygy and enters a buffed state upon reaching two stacks.
In this enhanced state, her maximum stack limit increases to three, and she can only use her Skill during her turn. Instead of consuming a Skill Point, this Skill draws a bit of HP from all allies and delivers massive damage to three targets. The reduced Skill Point consumption combined with her consistent high damage output arguably makes her the best DPS character in the game.
A well-balanced DPS lineup combines high efficiency with diverse damage types, ensuring success in various battle scenarios.
