Honkai Star Rail 1.4: Should you pull for Jingliu or Topaz?

With the arrival of Jingliu and Topaz in the Honkai Star Rail 1.4 update, two very sought-after five-star characters are now available. Since it’s not easy to get every character you want in HoYoverse’s RPG, players are wondering who they should try to pull for between Jingliu and Topaz.

Both Jingliu and Topaz were teased by Honkai Star Rail‘s developers way before they arrived in the game with update 1.4. This means players have been waiting for their arrival for months, building hype around these two powerful characters. However, getting both of them in Honkai Star Rail is pretty much impossible without spending any money.

Jingliu is currently featured in the first phase of the 1.4 banner, while Topaz will be boosted in the second phase starting October 27. Some players saved Stellar Jade and even Star Rail Passes for this moment, but even then there’s no guarantee that they’ll get what they’re looking for.

To help you choose between these two powerful allies, here’s what you need to know to pick between Jingliu and Topaz in Honkai Star Rail.

• Should you pull for Jingliu or Topaz?
• Jingliu & Topaz team roles
• Jingliu & Topaz abilities
• Jingliu & Topaz builds
• Who’s best for your team: Jingliu or Topaz?

Should you pull for Jingliu or Topaz in Honkai Star Rail?

First things first, there’s no definitive answer to this Honkai Star Rail question. Five-star characters are always the most powerful in the game, meaning they can be a great addition to your team in almost any context. However, there are many factors to consider before making the decision that will cost you all your Stellar Jade.

Of course, some players already picked between Jingliu and Topaz based on their looks or Honkai Star Rail’s lore. However, if you’re still unsure which one is better for your team in terms of gameplay and abilities, this guide is here to help.

Jingliu & Topaz team roles in Honkai Star Rail

Jingliu is an Ice element character in the Path of The Destruction in Honkai Star Rail. This means she could be your new main DPS. She can deal massive damage to many enemies at a time thanks to her AoE abilities, although she can also deal with single targets with great force. If you lack a powerful DPS, Jingliu can help you, and she’s the only Ice character in this Path, at least for now.

Topaz, on the other hand, is a Fire element character in the Path of The Hunt. This means she specializes in dealing massive damage to single-targeted enemies. In other words, she can also be your new main DPS, so this choice might be tougher than you thought. Of course, if you manage to get both characters, you can still pair them in a team to increase your damage output.

Both characters are all about causing damage, so you should also consider their elements and Paths. If you already have a main team built, you might want to keep it balanced when adding new members. This means you shouldn’t have two characters of the same element or on the same Path to maximize your chances of taking down powerful and unpredictable enemies.

Jingliu & Topaz abilities in Honkai Star Rail

Since both Honkai Star Rail characters focus on attacking enemies, let’s dive into their abilities to see what kit fits best with your playstyle.

Jingliu can deal damage to both single-target enemies and AoE. It’s important to note, however, that she deals considerably more damage when facing one enemy at a time. What’s more, most of her DMG output comes from her Skill, and it can be enhanced without the need to spend Skill Points. This is a major advantage for those looking to add Jingliu to their teams.

On the other hand, Jingliu can enter a special “Spectral Transmigration” state to enhance her abilities, but she needs to hurt her allies to do so. While this sounds risky, there are a couple of characters that can create an interesting synergy with Jingliu. Arlan, Blade, and even Clara have abilities related to taking damage, so triggering those can be an interesting strategy.

Topaz can only deal with one enemy at a time, but she’s only half of her own kit. Her pet Trotter Numby does most of the work in battles and has its own turns in HoYoverse’s turn-based combat. What’s more, Topaz’s kit can enhance her and her allies’ follow-up attacks, so she can be a great asset when paired with the right characters.

While both Jingliu and Topaz can be very good DPS, the team you build around them will determine who’s best suited for the job. So, you should also check what characters you have already built to know which five-star character can work best with your composition.

Jingliu & Topaz builds in Honkai Star Rail

Since Jingliu and Topaz are DPS-oriented characters in Honkai Star Rail, you’ll find both of them are pretty straightforward to build. You might not find the perfect Relic sets or Planar Ornaments for them, but as long as you improve their ATK, CRIT Rate, and CRIT DMG, you should be fine.

Both characters are debuting brand-new Light Cones that work great for them in battle. Being five-star Light Cones, they’re always great assets, but Jingliu’s Light Cone can be great for any character in the Path of The Destruction. Topaz’s Light Cone, on the other hand, works really well for her but doesn’t leave much for the rest of the characters in the Path The Hunt.

If you’d like to know more about their builds in Honkai Star Rail, make sure to check Jingliu’s build guide.

Who’s best in Honkai Star Rail: Jingliu or Topaz?

In conclusion, we can say Jingliu is a better choice for your Honkai Star Rail team. This is because she’s self-sufficient – she can enhance her own DMG output – and doesn’t rely on Skill Points, meaning she won’t interfere with your teammates. The only setback is that, while being an Ice element character, none of Jingliu’s abilities can inflict Freeze on enemies.

Of course, Topaz is a five-star character, which means she can also be an excellent addition. However, Fire element characters aren’t ranking too high in the current meta, so you might not find much use for her on your team. What’s more, you’ll only unlock her full potential by pairing her with characters that use follow-up attacks, so if you don’t have any, it might not be worth your time.

Beyond all her pros, Jingliu also has some big cons to keep in mind. For example, you’ll need a healer with her at all times to keep your party safe from her Ultimate, with Luocha being the ideal pair. Additionally, her AoE damage isn’t up to par with what other characters in the Path of The Destruction can offer.

If you already have a powerful DPS on your team, you might not even need to pull for Jingliu or Topaz in update 1.4. As we mentioned, you should consider all the above factors before making a decision. You can always try the characters for a limited time before picking one.

Also, keep in mind that pulling for any of these characters doesn’t guarantee you’ll get them, so good luck!

If you’re looking for more Honkai Star Rail content, we’ve got you covered with plenty of guides:

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