Best Black Swan Honkai Star Rail build: Light Cone, Relics, teams, more

Honkai Star Rail launched its 2.0 update, bringing a new storyline and a new five-star character: Black Swan. If you pulled her in HSR, here’s how to build Black Swan with the best Light Cone, teammates, and more.

Honkai Star Rail is entering a new era thanks to the highly anticipated 2.0 update. The new storyline set in Penacony is full of dreamlike scenarios and many new resources, as well as new characters players are looking forward to. The first phase of the update already added some of these powerful units, including Black Swan.

So, if you’re one of the lucky ones who got Black Swan in HoYoverse’s RPG, here’s a guide to build her with the best Light Cone, Relic sets, and more.

• Black Swan’s abilities in Honkai Star Rail explained
• Best Relics for Black Swan in Honkai Star Rail
• Best Planar Ornament for Black Swan
• Best Light Cone for Black Swan in Honkai Star Rail
• Best Honkai Star Rail teams for Black Swan

Black Swan’s abilities in Honkai Star Rail explained

Black Swan is a five-star Honkai Star Rail Wind element character in the Path of The Nihility. Characters in this specific Path specialize in weakening enemies by applying debuffs and other effects to enemies. Black Swan is boosted in the first phase of update 2.0 on her own banner.

Here are all of Black Swan’s abilities in Honkai Star Rail:

• Percipience, Silent Dawn (Basic attack) – Deals Wind DMG to a single target enemy, with a chance of inflicting one stack of Arcana. If the target has Wind Shear, Bleed, Burn, or Shock applied to them, each effect respectively has a chance of inflicting one extra stack of Arcana.
• Decadence, False Twilight (Skill) – Deals Wind DMG to an enemy and its adjacent targets. At the same time, inflicts one stack of Arcana on them. Additionally, reduces their DEF for 3 turns.
• Bliss of Otherworld’s Embrace (Ultimate) – Inflicts Epiphany on all enemies for 2 turns. Enemies affected by Epiphany have more DMG in their turn, and their Arcana effect is regarded as Wind Shear, Bleed, Burn, and Shock effects. Additionally, when their Arcana effect is triggered at the beginning of the next turn, the Arcana stacks are not reset. This effect can only be triggered 1 time in Epiphany’s duration, and its charges are replenished when Epiphany is applied again. Lastly, the Ultimate deals Wind DMG to all enemies.
• Loom of Fate’s Caprice (Talent) – Every time an enemy target receives DoT at the start of each turn, there is a chance for it to be inflicted with Arcana. While afflicted with Arcana, enemy targets receive Wind DoT equal up to 264% of Black Swan’s ATK at the start of each turn. What’s more, each stack of Arcana increases this DoT DMG multiplier. Arcana can stack up to 50 times. Only when Arcana causes DMG at the start of an enemy target’s turn, 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 to adjacent targets, with a chance of inflicting 1 stack of Arcana on adjacent targets.
  • When there are 7 or more Arcana stacks, enables the current DoT dealt to ignore 20% of the target’s and adjacent targets’ DEF.
• From Façade to Vérité (Technique) – After the Technique is used, an enemy is inflicted with one stack of Arcana at the start of the next battle. 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.

As you can see from her kit, Black Swan is a very powerful Nihility character that can change the tide of any battle. Additionally, her abilities can pair really well with other Nihility characters that apply DoT to enemies, enhancing her abilities and effects.

Regarding her main stats, you’ll want to improve her Effect Hit %, ATK, and Wind DMG since Black Swan can also act as DPS on certain compositions. Additionally, enhancing her SPD is also a priority so you can apply Arcana every chance you get.

Best Relics for Black Swan in Honkai Star Rail

Prisoner in Deep Confinement

• Two-piece bonus: ATK increases by 12%.
• Four-piece bonus: 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.

Prisoner in Deep Confinement is the best Relic set for Black Swan in Honkai Star Rail. It improves her ATK while also improving the DMG she can make based on DoTs, which are an essential part of her kit. Pairing her with other Nihility characters can make this Relic set even better.

Eagle of Twilight Line

• Two-piece bonus: Increases Wind DMG by 10%.
• Four-piece bonus: After the wearer uses their Ultimate, their action is Advanced Forward by 25%.

Eagle of Twilight Line is a great second option for Black Swan because it increases her Wind DMG and can Advance her Action forward when using her Ultimate. As we mentioned, you’ll want Black Swan to participate in battle as often as she can to apply as much Arcana as she can, so this Relic set will help you achieve that.

Best Planar Ornament for Black Swan in Honkai Star Rail

Pan-Cosmic Commercial Enterprise is the best Planar Ornament for Black Swan in Honkai Star Rail, especially if she’s equipped with one of the Relic sets listed above. This Planar Ornament increases the wearer’s Effect Hit Rate by 10% while also increasing their ATK by an amount based on the current Effect Hit Rate.

On the other hand, if you’re only looking to improve Black Swan’s ATK, Firmament Frontline: Glamoth is a good alternative. This Planar Ornament increases the wearer’s ATK by 12%, and when their SPD is equal to or higher than 135/160, the wearer deals 12%/18% more DMG.

On that note, Space Sealing Station can also work great with Black Swan as is very similar to Firmament Frontline: Glamoth. While its requirements are lower (the wearer needs to reach 120 SPD), its effect is also less powerful (increases the wearer’s ATK by 12% and then another 12%), so keep that in mind.

Best Light Cone for Black Swan in Honkai Star Rail

Reforged Remembrance

Black Swan is a five-star Honkai Star Rail character, which means she debuted alongside her signature Light Cone, Reforged Remembrance. It increases the wearer’s Effect Hit Rate, for starters, and when the wearer deals DMG to an enemy inflicted with a DoT (Wind Shear, Burn, Shock or Bleed), they will individually gain one stack of Prophet. This effect can stack up to 4 times.

It’s important to note that each type of DoT can only generate one stack of Prophet. However, every stack of Prophet increases the wearer’s ATK, and the DoT they deal will ignore part of the target’s DEF. This is, of course, tailor-made for Black Swan, but can work very well with most Nihility characters.

Eyes of the Prey

This Light Cone is pretty straightforward, as it increases the wearer’s Effect Hit Rate by up to 40% and DoT by up to 48%. While its description doesn’t look like much compared to Reforged Remembrance, it greatly improves Black Swan’s kit in all the right places.

Patience Is All You Need

Kafka’s signature Light Cone increases DMG dealt by the wearer by up to 40%. Then, after every attack unleashed by the wearer, their SPD increases by up to 8.0%, stacking up to 3 times. What’s more, there is also a chance to inflict Erode on the target. Eroded enemies are also considered to be Shocked and will receive Lightning DoT at the start of each turn for 1 turn.

Other Nihility Light Cones that can work well with Black Swan include Good Night and Sleep Well, Fermata, and Before the Tutorial Mission Starts.

Best Honkai Star Rail teams for Black Swan

Black Swan is a Nihility character in Honkai Star Rail, but can also be considered a great sub-DPS for your team.

If you’re going for a free-to-play composition, you can pair Black Swan with Serval, so you have two characters applying DoT. You can add Natasha or Lynx as healers, and opt for the Fire Trailblazer to provide shields or Asta to boost the team’s SPD.

However, for a premium team, you should pair Black Swan with Kafka to take full advantage of their capabilities. With Huohuo as healer, you can round up the team with Ruan Mei, who improves allies’ Break Effect. Alternatively, you can add another Nihility character, like Silver Wolf or Guinaifen, to apply even more debuffs and DoT to enemies.

For more Honkai Star Rail content, you can check out some of our other guides:

Best Dr. Ratio Honkai Star Rail build | Who is Gallagher in Honkai Star Rail? | Honkai Star Rail PC and mobile requirements | Honkai Star Rail 2024 player count | Best Seele Honkai Star Rail build | Best Dan Heng Imbibitor Lunae Honkai Star Rail build | Best Tingyun Honkai Star Rail build