Yao Guang walks into Honkai Star Rail like she already knows the punchline. As a 5-star Physical character on the Path of Elation, she doesn’t compete with your DPS, she sharpens them. She feeds Punchlines, nudges Aha Instant forward, and slips extra Elation damage into almost every ally attack. Build her fast, keep her energized, and she will quietly run the entire show.
Best Yao Guang build in HSR
We break down each piece below.
Best Light Cones for Yao Guang
When She Decided to See
Her signature Light Cone gives her 18% SPD and 12% Energy Regeneration Rate, then rewards the whole team with 10% CRIT Rate and 30% CRIT DMG after she enters combat or uses her Ultimate. The cone does not whisper subtlety, it hands her speed, energy, and teamwide crit in one sweep.
Speed matters because Amaze-In Grace turns every point above 120 SPD into more Elation, and she wants to cross 160 anyway for her relic set. Energy matters because her Ultimate grants 5 Punchline and triggers an extra Aha Instant. More uptime means more masks, more Certified Banger stacks, and more team damage.
Mushy Shroomy’s Adventures
This 4-star option grants 12% Elation and makes enemies take 6% more Elation DMG for two turns after she uses her Elation Skill. It leans directly into her kit and keeps the whole team humming during burst windows.
Today’s Good Luck
This Light Cone adds 12% CRIT Rate and grants 12% Elation after she uses an Elation Skill, stacking twice. It pushes her crit consistency while quietly increasing the Elation she shares with her allies.
Sneering
Sneering raises her Elation by 16–32% during Aha Instant. It costs little and does exactly what it promises.
Best Relics and Ornaments
Diviner of Distant Reach
The 2-piece effect grants 6% SPD. The 4-piece effect grants 10% CRIT Rate, which rises to 18% when she reaches 160 SPD, and after she uses her first Elation Skill it increases all allies’ Elation by 10%.
She already wants 160 SPD, so this set feels less like a compromise and more like a reward. Hit the threshold and it pays you back in crit and teamwide Elation.
If you are still farming, run two SPD sets together and chase speed first.
Lushaka, the Sunken Seas
This ornament grants 5% Energy Regeneration Rate and, if the wearer does not stand in the first slot, increases the first ally’s ATK by 12%. Keep Yao Guang out of slot one and let your DPS take the spotlight.
Sprightly Vonwacq
Sprightly Vonwacq also grants 5% Energy Regeneration Rate and advances her action by 40% at the start of battle if she reaches 120 SPD. She steps onto the stage early, drops her Zone, and starts stacking Punchlines before anyone else speaks.
Best team comps
Sparxie as DPS, Yao Guang as support, Sparkle as Skill Point engine, and Permansor Terrae as sustain form her cleanest lineup.
Yao Guang builds Punchlines and grants All-Type RES PEN through her Ultimate. Sparkle feeds Skill Points so your DPS can spend freely. Sparxie converts that freedom into explosive Elation damage during Aha Instant. Permansor Terrae keeps the team alive without draining resources.
When Aha Instant triggers, the screen fills with layered Elation skills and the damage climbs in waves.
Yao Guang abilities
Basic Attack
Skill
Elation Skill
Ultimate
Talent
Technique
Best Eidolons
- E1 increases the fixed Punchline used during her extra Aha Instant from 20 to 40 and allows Elation damage to ignore 20% of enemy DEF. It dramatically strengthens the entire team’s Elation output and serves as a clean stopping point.
- E2 causes her Zone to grant 12% SPD and 16% Elation to allies, helping them cross speed thresholds and hit harder.
- E6 increases allies’ Elation DMG by 25% and doubles the multiplier of her Elation Skill, transforming her from elegant support into a central engine for Elation teams.
Yao Guang pros and cons
Yao Guang is an exceptional unit but she has a few flaws as well. Here are the pros and cons of using her.
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