So, you’ve pulled Phainon, the Physical powerhouse who transforms into a one-man army. Congratulations! You now own one of the most devastating damage dealers in Honkai: Star Rail. But staring at his complex kit, with “Coreflame” and “Enhanced States,” can be a little intimidating.
Don’t worry, Trailblazer. This guide will break down everything you need to know to turn your Phainon from a powerful unit into an absolute monster that breezes through the Memory of Chaos and Divergent Universe. Let’s dive in.
Is Phainon Worth Your Stellar Jades?
Let’s get this out of the way: Yes, absolutely. Phainon isn’t just a strong DPS; he’s a self-sufficient engine of destruction. His core mechanic involves building up “Coreflame” stacks to unleash his Ultimate, entering an “Enhanced State” where he becomes incredibly tanky and deals colossal damage.
You should pull for Phainon if:
You need a top-tier Physical DPS to handle weakness-specific content.
You have excellent Harmony supports like [Link: Sunday Build Guide] or [Link: Bronya Build Guide], who can take his damage to absurd levels.
You’re a newer player! Phainon works amazingly well with accessible supports like [Link: Tingyun Build Guide] and the Remembrance Trailblazer.
The Ultimate DPS Build for Phainon
Phainon’s goal is simple: hit hard. We build him like a traditional DPS, focusing on CRIT, ATK, and Physical DMG.
Best Relics & Planar Ornaments
Relic Set (4-Piece): Wavestrider Captain This is, without a doubt, his best-in-slot set. It’s practically tailor-made for his kit, providing a massive ATK buff that perfectly complements his Enhanced State.
- Planar Ornament Set (2-Piece): Arcadia of Woven Dreams This set is Phainon’s dream. It grants a huge DMG buff when fewer allies are on the field. Since his Enhanced State temporarily removes his teammates from combat, he gets the full benefit of this effect every time he ults.
Stat Priorities: What to Look For
Here’s the stat checklist for your Relics:
Body: CRIT Rate (He gets a lot of free CRIT DMG from his Traces, so Rate is more valuable here)
Feet: ATK% or SPD (More on this below!)
Planar Sphere: Physical DMG Boost
Link Rope: ATK%
Substats: CRIT Rate > CRIT DMG > ATK% > SPD
The Big Question: ATK or SPD Boots?
This is a common question, and the answer depends entirely on your supports.
Use ATK% Boots if: Your supports (like Sunday or Bronya) are incredibly fast (160+ SPD). They will be able to advance Phainon’s turn so he doesn’t need the extra speed himself. Go for raw power!
Use SPD Boots if: Your supports are in the more standard 134 SPD range. You’ll want Phainon to be just slightly faster than them to ensure a smooth rotation and faster Coreflame generation.
Best Light Cones for Phainon (Signature & F2P)
Thus Burns the Dawn (5-Star Signature): His absolute best weapon. It lets him ignore enemy DEF, buffs his damage after his Ultimate, and gives him a Base SPD bonus. It’s a significant upgrade, but not mandatory.
On the Fall of an Aeon (5-Star F2P): The best free-to-play option, available from [Link: Herta’s Store Guide]. This is an incredible stat stick that provides a stacking ATK buff and a DMG bonus when you cause a Weakness Break.
Under the Blue Sky (4-Star): A very solid and accessible 4-star Light Cone that gives him both ATK% and CRIT Rate.
Unlocking His Power: Trace Leveling Priority
To maximize your resources, level his abilities in this order:
Skill & Talent (Highest Priority): These are the core of his damage output and his transformation mechanic. Level them up together.
Ultimate (High Priority): This increases the final devastating blow when he exits his Enhanced State. Level this after his Skill and Talent.
Basic Attack (Low Priority): You will almost always be using his Skill, so this can be leveled last.
Building the Perfect Phainon Team
Phainon is the star of the show, so we build the team around him to maximize his damage.
Phainon Hypercarry Team (Best in Slot)
This team focuses on funneling every possible buff into Phainon.
DPS | Support 1 | Support 2 | Sustain |
|---|---|---|---|
Phainon | [Sunday] | [Cerydra] | [Huohuo] |
Phainon F2P-Friendly Team
This team is incredibly effective and uses highly accessible 4-star characters.
DPS | Support 1 | Support 2 | Sustain |
|---|---|---|---|
Phainon | [Tingyun] | [Trailblazer (Ice)] | [Lynx] |
The Sustain-less Gambit (Advanced)
For endgame players looking to maximize damage, you can drop the healer. Phainon’s Enhanced State makes him so tanky and removes allies from play, so he can often survive on his own.
DPS | Support 1 | Support 2 | Support 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
Phainon | Sunday | Cerydra | Tingyun |
Now you have everything you need to build an absolutely terrifying Phainon. Go forth and let the world burn!