5-Star
Physical
The Destruction
SS Tier
Physical
The DestructionThe most powerful solo carry in Honkai: Star Rail. Phainon transforms into the god-like Khaslana via his Ultimate, expelling all allies from the field and decimating enemies with 8 enhanced extra turns, Physical Weakness implant on all targets, and astronomical damage multipliers that scale directly with every buff he receives from his team.
Phainon
Chrysos Heir / Worldbearing CoreflameBest Light Cone
Thus Burns the Dawn
Best Relic Set
Wavestrider Captain 4pc
Planar Set
Arcadia of Woven Dreams
Key Mechanic
12 Coreflame = Khaslana
Best Partner
Skills
Basic
Stride to Deliverance
Deals Physical DMG equal to 50% of Phainon's ATK to one designated enemy. Rarely used outside of specific SP management scenarios since his Skill is almost always the better choice for building Coreflame.
50%
of ATK
Skill
Let There Be Light
Gains 2 Coreflame points and deals Physical DMG equal to 150% of Phainon's ATK to one target and 60% ATK to adjacent enemies. Every Skill use directly charges the Khaslana transformation. This is Phainon's primary Coreflame generator between Ultimates and should be used whenever SP allows.
150%
main target
Ultimate
He Who Bears the World Must Burn
Costs 12 Coreflame (not Energy). Transforms into Khaslana, deploys Territory "Ruinous Irontomb," and removes all allies from the field. Every enemy immediately gains Physical Weakness. Khaslana receives 8 extra turns at 60% of his base SPD. On the final extra turn, launches a massive Final Hit dealing 480% ATK Physical DMG distributed across all enemies as Ultimate DMG.
480%
final hit ATK
Talent
Pyric Corpus
Phainon's passive engine. When any target uses an ability on Phainon, he gains 1 Coreflame point. If that target is a teammate, Phainon also gains +15% CRIT DMG for 3 turns. When Khaslana transforms, he gains 4 Scourge points and his ATK increases by 40% and Max HP by 135%. After each attack, restores HP equal to 20% of Max HP. On a killing blow, Khaslana cannot be knocked down and restores 25% HP instead, then immediately launches the Final Hit.
15%
CRIT DMG / ally action
Technique
Beginning of the End
While Phainon is in the team, increases Max Technique Points by 3. When used, consumes 2 Technique Points, attacks all enemies nearby, and after entering combat: regenerates 25 Energy for all allies, grants 2 Scourge and 1 Skill Point. Deals 200% ATK Physical DMG to all enemies at wave start. Instantly defeats normal enemies without entering combat. No cost if no enemies are hit.
200%
wave AoE
Build Targets
Relic Main Stats
Head
HP (fixed)
Hands
ATK (fixed)
Body
CRIT DMG
primary choice
Feet
ATK%
or Speed
Planar Sphere
Physical DMG
Link Rope
ATK%
Stat Targets
Substat Priority
01
CRIT Rate / CRIT DMG
1:2 balance
02
ATK%
scales all hits
03
Speed
beat your booster
04
Break Effect
Weakness bonus
Skill Upgrade Order
Skill
1st
Ult
2nd
Talent
3rd
Basic
Skip
Skill first as it directly powers Coreflame generation and Khaslana's Enhanced Skills. Ultimate and Talent are equal priorities. Basic ATK is almost never used at max investment.
Best Light Cones
#1
Thus Burns the Dawn
His signature and undisputedly his best option. Provides the highest base ATK in the game (687), a permanent 18% DEF ignore on all attacks, and a massive DMG boost while in the Khaslana transformation. The base SPD bonus also directly speeds up his extra turns. Not close.
#2
On the Fall of an Aeon
Best F2P option from Herta's Store. Provides a ramping ATK% buff and a DMG bonus on Weakness Breaks, both of which Phainon triggers frequently. His buffs do not decay during the transformation, so the stacks persist through all 8 extra turns.
#3
Something Irreplaceable
Strong alternative if you already own it. The DMG bonus triggers constantly during transformation since Phainon is hit by enemies during Khaslana's extra turns. Useful if you cannot afford Aeon for another DPS and still want a meaningful Destruction cone.
#4
A Trail of Bygone Blood
Solid 4-star choice. Provides CRIT Rate and an unconditional boost to Skill and Ultimate DMG, both of which cover Khaslana's enhanced actions during the transformation. Superimpose it to maximize the passive before upgrading to a 5-star option.
Best Relics
Cavern Sets
1
Wavestrider Captain
His best-in-slot cavern set. The 4-piece bonus synergizes directly with Phainon's kit, boosting DMG in ways that benefit every action during the Khaslana transformation. Prioritize rolling this set above all others, as the power gap from the second-best option is meaningful.
2
Scholar Lost in Erudition
Competitive alternative. Increases CRIT Rate and provides a DMG bonus after using Ultimate or Skill. Works well if your Wavestrider Captain pieces are still rolling poorly on substats and you need a stat-efficient filler while farming.
3
Pioneer Diver of Dead Waters
Viable third option especially on enemies with persistent debuffs. The 4-piece CRIT boost against debuffed enemies can contribute meaningfully if your team applies debuffs before Phainon's transformation begins.
Planar Ornament Sets
1
Arcadia of Woven Dreams
His best planar ornament set. Provides stat bonuses that complement Phainon's absurd damage multipliers during transformation and synergize with his Physical scaling. First choice in virtually all builds.
2
Rutilant Arena
Strong alternative providing a CRIT DMG bonus and a conditional ATK% boost when CRIT Rate exceeds a threshold. Phainon's builds can easily clear the trigger requirement, making this a reliable second option if Arcadia pieces have poor substat rolls.
Best Teams for Phainon
Phainon is designed to be played sustainless. During his transformation he has 75% DMG reduction, CC immunity, and self-healing after every attack. His A4 trace rewards teammates who use healing or shields, so support characters that buff AND heal offer double value. Sunday is his single best partner.
01 · Premium Core
Best-in-slot composition
Sunday provides action advance and CRIT Rate buffs; his Ultimate generates 2 Coreflame for Phainon while also extending ally buff durations. Bronya's 1-turn buff extends through Phainon's entire Ultimate, granting a massive persistent DMG amplifier. Cerydra fills the final flex slot for additional Physical synergy. No sustain needed.
02 · Sunday + Robin
High burst with action sync
Robin's Ultimate ends just as Phainon's transformation concludes, allowing allies to act immediately and roll into the next cycle. Ruan Mei is crucial for Apocalyptic Shadow where Phainon's high Toughness Reduction greatly appreciates the extra Weakness Break value. Robin can also trigger a Dance! Dance! Dance! chain to pass actions after transformation ends.
03 · Sunday + Sparkle
Double-booster variant
04 · Budget / F2P
Accessible characters
Tingyun's Ultimate generates 2 Coreflame for Phainon via A4 and provides ATK buffs. Gallagher applies Weaken and his heals also trigger A4's 45% DMG increase. Bronya rounds out the team as a reliable DMG% amplifier available from the standard banner. Solid for players working toward premium supports.
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Eidolons
E
1
Fire and Light Bind Virtue and Vice
The base SPD inheritance ratio for Khaslana's extra turns increases to 66%. For every enemy defeated in one battle, additionally increases this ratio by 1.5%, up to a max of 84%. When using Ultimate, also gains +50% CRIT DMG for 3 turns, directly boosting the transformation's damage output from the first extra turn.
High Pull Value
E
2
Sky and Earth Churn Mortal Froth
Khaslana's Physical RES PEN increases by 20%, a massive unconditional penetration bonus that amplifies every hit during the transformation. When consuming 4 Scourge points with Foundation: Stardeath Verdict, Khaslana also gains 1 extra turn, extending the transformation window for additional damage.
Game Changer
E
3
Depths of Quiet, Entombed in Ruin
Ultimate Lv. +2 (max 15) and Basic ATK Lv. +1 (max 10). The Ultimate level directly increases Khaslana's Final Hit multiplier, which is already the most impactful single hit in his kit. A solid and consistent damage upgrade.
Solid Upgrade
E
4
Faces of Titans, Blurred by Time
When using Calamity: Soulscorch Edict, additionally gains 4 stacks of Soulscorch. Since each Soulscorch stack increases the Counter's DMG multiplier by 20% of its original value, this substantially raises Counter damage, a meaningful upgrade in multi-enemy scenarios where Soulscorch stacks accumulate faster.
Good Passive
E
5
The Wheel Spins Forevermore
Skill Lv. +2 (max 15) and Talent Lv. +2 (max 15). Improves both the primary Coreflame generation skill and the transformation's inherent mechanics. A consistent incremental upgrade across both the pre-transform phase and Khaslana's actions.
Incremental
E
6
Embers of Old Rise Still
Removes the 3 overflow Coreflame cap entirely. When the battle starts, immediately gains 6 Coreflame points, allowing his first Ultimate to arrive significantly faster. After Foundation: Stardeath Verdict attacks, additionally deals True DMG equal to 36% of the total DMG dealt to the enemy with the highest HP, a massive AoE amplification that makes E6 a transformative ceiling-raiser.
Massive Upgrade
Major Traces
March to Oblivion
Ascension 2
When the battle starts, immediately gains 1 Coreflame point. When the transformation ends, gains 3 Coreflame points. Speeds up both the opening Ultimate and each subsequent re-transform cycle, effectively reducing Coreflame requirements across the entire fight.
Bide in Flames
Ascension 4
When receiving a healing or Shield effect from a teammate, deals 45% increased DMG for 4 turns. Cannot trigger more than once per turn. When receiving an Energy regeneration effect from a teammate's ability, gains 1 Coreflame point. This trace is why characters like Sunday, Tingyun, and Huohuo provide double value: they buff Phainon and also generate Coreflame stacks simultaneously.
Shine with Valor
Ascension 6
When entering combat or when the transformation ends, increases ATK by 50%. This effect can stack up to 2 times, granting a total of 100% ATK at full stacks. The second stack activates after the first transformation ends, meaning Phainon hits maximum ATK scaling on every subsequent Ultimate from turn 2 of the fight onward.
+12%
CRIT Rate
+37.3%
CRIT DMG
+5%
Speed
Upgrade Materials
Ethereal Omen
Character Ascension
Borisin Teeth
Trace Material
Invasive Clot
Trace Material
Daythunder Anamnesis
Weekly Boss Drop
Frequently Asked Questions
Phainon performs meaningfully better with Thus Burns the Dawn: it is his best-in-slot option by a clear margin due to the highest base ATK in the game, permanent DEF ignore, and a large transformation DMG bonus. However, On the Fall of an Aeon (from Herta's Store) is a very capable F2P alternative that still lets him clear all endgame content at E0. The signature is a significant quality-of-life and damage upgrade but not strictly required.
Phainon needs 12 Coreflame points to activate his Ultimate and transform into Khaslana. He gains points primarily from using his Skill (2 points per use), from any target's ability hitting him (1 point), and from teammate Energy regeneration effects via A4 (1 point each). He can store up to 3 overflow points beyond the cap, which are then converted into Coreflame at the end of the transformation to help build the next Ultimate faster. E6 removes the 3-point overflow cap entirely.
Yes. Phainon is the first character explicitly designed to run sustainless. During his Khaslana transformation he takes 75% reduced DMG, is immune to all Crowd Control debuffs, and restores HP equal to 20% of his Max HP after every attack. If he would be killed, he instead restores 25% HP and immediately launches the Final Hit. Outside the transformation, shorter fights and fast Coreflame cycling mean he spends little time in a vulnerable state. That said, characters like Gallagher or Huohuo can still be used if they provide buffs alongside sustain; the A4 trace rewards their healing with a 45% DMG bonus.
Build Phainon 1 SPD faster than your action-advance booster to ensure he gains extra turns relative to his supports. A common benchmark: Phainon at 136 SPD, Sunday at 135 SPD, Bronya at 134 SPD. This grants Phainon 2 or more actions between each booster turn, accelerating Coreflame generation substantially. Do not sacrifice CRIT or ATK% substats for speed unless you are hitting a specific breakpoint that nets a meaningful extra action in your rotation.
Phainon performs excellently in Apocalyptic Shadow, where his insanely high Toughness Reduction on every attack demolishes armored bosses faster than almost any other carry. His Physical Weakness implant on all enemies during transformation ensures he always breaks regardless of the boss type. In Pure Fiction he is viable but less dominant; his damage can scatter across undesired targets in multi-wave AoE scenarios, and he lacks the wave-clear speed of dedicated AoE units like Himeko or Jade. Memory of Chaos remains his primary showcase where burst single-target output is most valuable.
E1 offers excellent value: the increased SPD inheritance ratio makes Khaslana's extra turns faster, and the 50% CRIT DMG boost during transformation is a significant damage gain with no extra building needed. E2 is transformative: 20% Physical RES PEN unconditionally plus an additional extra turn from consuming 4 Scourge. Both E1 and E2 are strong stopping points. E6 is extraordinary but extremely expensive, removing the overflow cap, granting 6 starting Coreflame, and adding True DMG after his biggest hits, a ceiling-defining upgrade for players fully investing in Phainon.
