Gepard | Honkai: Star Rail

Overview

Ice Preservation sustain who protects the entire team with a large Ultimate shield and draws attacks toward himself.

Role

Teamwide shield sustain.

Playstyle

Basic for Skill Points, Skill only when Freeze is tactically valuable, and Ultimate before major enemy sequences or as shields expire.

Why It Works

His protection is tied to Ultimate uptime rather than Skill, making speed, energy, and aggro more important than repeated active shielding.

Watch For

Slow builds can let shields expire before he acts again, and unnecessary Skills undermine his main advantage as a Skill Point-positive sustain.

Playstyle

Combat Flow

Use Technique for an opening shield when available. Basic to restore Skill Points while building Energy, and cast Ultimate before incoming damage or shield expiry. Spend a Skill Point when its Freeze or additional Energy is worth the cost.

Key Notes

Ultimate shields last three turns on their recipients; fast allies and extra actions can use that duration quickly.
Integrity increases the chance of Gepard being attacked, but does not force all attacks onto him.
His Talent prevents his own defeat once per battle; it does not revive teammates.
A large DEF value does not prevent shields from expiring.
Gepard cannot heal HP lost through a broken shield or cleanse an ally's debuff.

Build & Investment

Light Cones

Primary

Moment of Victory

Adds DEF and Effect Hit Rate while increasing the chance of being attacked. A hit grants additional DEF until the end of Gepard's turn.

Alternative

Landau's Choice

Raises Gepard's chance of being attacked and reduces damage he takes. It does not directly increase the team's shield value.

Situational

Trend of the Universal Market

For debuff-dependent teams: attacks on Gepard can apply Burn. This needs the enemy to hit him and the debuff to land.

Relics

Primary

Self-Enshrouded Recluse

Strengthens shields and grants CRIT DMG to allies while they hold a shield supplied by Gepard.

Alternative

Knight of Purity Palace

Adds DEF and increases shield absorption. Use when the defensive value or existing pieces fit the build.

Planars

Primary

Broken Keel

At 30% Effect RES, provides team CRIT DMG. Its Effect RES also helps Gepard remain able to act.

Alternative

Lushaka, the Sunken Seas

Adds Energy Regeneration Rate and ATK for the first ally when Gepard is placed in another team slot.

Main Stats

Body

DEF%

Scales the team shield.

Feet

SPD

For actions and Energy.

Sphere

DEF%

Scales shield absorption.

Rope

Energy Regeneration Rate

For Ultimate shield access.

Recommended Substats

SPD
DEF%
Effect RES
HP%

Secure useful turns, then DEF for shields and enough Effect RES to resist disruption. HP adds personal durability; add Effect Hit Rate only when the encounter and Freeze plan justify it.

Eidolon Investment

E0 supplies team shields and a personal defeat-prevention trigger. E1 improves Freeze application; invest first in shield uptime and survivability before treating more ranks as necessary.

Moment of Victory combines DEF, targeting chance and Effect Hit Rate. Landau's Choice retains the targeting role, while Trend trades some defense for conditional debuff utility.

Raises Skill's Freeze base chance by 35 percentage points to 100%. Enemy Effect RES and control resistance can still prevent Freeze.

Enemies Frozen by Gepard's Skill lose 20% SPD for one turn after thawing.

Provides all allies 20% Effect RES while Gepard is in battle; this is resistance, not a cleanse.

When his once-per-battle Talent triggers, Gepard immediately acts and restores an additional 50% of his Max HP.

Teams

Recommended Teammates

Acheron

With Trend of the Universal Market, enemies attacking Gepard can produce debuffs for Acheron's Slashed Dream. The debuff must land, and Acheron's once-per-ability trigger still applies.

Skills

Basic ATK

Fist of Conviction

Single AttackLv. 6

Deals Ice DMG equal to 100% of Gepard's ATK to one designated enemy.

Lv. 6

Skill

Daunting Smite

Single AttackLv. 10

Deals Ice DMG equal to 200% of Gepard's ATK to one designated enemy, with a 65% base chance to Freeze the enemy for 1 turn(s).

While Frozen, the enemy cannot take action and will take Ice Additional DMG equal to 60% of Gepard's ATK at the beginning of each turn.

Lv. 10

Ultimate

Enduring Bulwark

DefenceLv. 10

Applies a Shield to all allies, absorbing DMG equal to 45% of Gepard's DEF plus 600 for 3 turn(s).

Lv. 10

Talent

Unyielding Will

RestoreLv. 10

When struck with a killing blow, instead of becoming knocked down, Gepard's HP immediately restores to 50% of his Max HP. This effect can only trigger once per battle.

Lv. 10

Technique

Comradery

DefenceLv. 1

After Gepard uses his Technique, when the next battle begins, a Shield will be applied to all allies, absorbing DMG equal to 24% of Gepard's DEF plus 150 for 2 turn(s).