Yanqing | Honkai: Star Rail

Overview

Ice Hunt carry who gains major CRIT bonuses while Soulsteel Sync remains active and he avoids taking HP damage.

Role

Shield-dependent single-target DPS.

Playstyle

Skill every turn to maintain Sync, preserve shields before enemy actions, and Ultimate while the CRIT buffs are active.

Why It Works

Skill activates Soulsteel Sync, but taking direct HP damage removes it; shields and controlled aggro are central to consistency.

Watch For

Any unshielded damage can disable Soulsteel Sync, and his Skill Point demand remains high even when the buff is protected.

Playstyle

Combat Flow

Establish a shield before enemy attacks, then use Skill to activate Soulsteel Sync. Cast Ultimate while Sync is active to receive its extra CRIT DMG. Continue refreshing Skill and shields so the next enemy attack does not remove the buff.

Key Notes

Soulsteel Sync provides CRIT and a fixed chance to follow up; its follow-up Freeze can still be resisted.
Receiving damage removes Soulsteel Sync, so a broken or expired shield threatens the whole damage loop.
Ultimate's large CRIT Rate increase lasts one turn; it is not part of every attack's baseline.
Do not build around permanently having the Ultimate's 60% CRIT Rate.
Extra actions can consume shield duration faster, so a damage support's advance needs a matching sustain plan.

Build & Investment

Light Cones

Primary

Swordplay

Rewards repeated hits on one target. Changing targets resets its damage stacks.

Alternative

Cruising in the Stellar Sea

Supplies CRIT Rate and conditional ATK, but count Yanqing's own CRIT buffs to avoid unnecessary overcap.

Alternative

Sleep Like the Dead

Adds CRIT DMG and grants temporary CRIT Rate after a Basic or Skill fails to CRIT. Its trigger has a three-turn cooldown.

Relics

Primary

Scholar Lost in Erudition

Increases Skill and Ultimate damage and boosts the next Skill after Ultimate.

Alternative

Hunter of Glacial Forest

Adds Ice damage and grants CRIT DMG for two turns after Ultimate.

Planars

Primary

Firmament Frontline: Glamoth

Adds ATK and damage at 135 or 160 SPD. Include Gentle Blade's active SPD buff when evaluating the build.

Alternative

Rutilant Arena

Requires 70% active CRIT Rate for Basic and Skill damage. Check uptime outside the one-turn Ultimate buff.

Main Stats

Body

CRIT DMG

Count Sync and temporary Ultimate CRIT Rate.

Feet

SPD
AlternativeATK%

For the selected support order.

With a planned action-advance setup.

Sphere

Ice DMG Boost
AlternativeATK%

For Ice attacks.

Alternative based on buffs and substats.

Rope

ATK%

Scales direct and follow-up damage.

Recommended Substats

SPD
CRIT DMG
CRIT Rate
ATK%

Secure the intended action order, then balance CRIT DMG, the CRIT Rate needed outside Ultimate and ATK. Avoid treating brief CRIT overcap as proof that all further CRIT Rate is worthless.

Eidolon Investment

E0 contains the full damage loop, with protection as its main condition. Eidolons improve output or duration but do not remove the need to avoid damage.

Sleep Like the Dead offers CRIT DMG and a conditional CRIT Rate recovery effect. It does not replace shields; Swordplay or Cruising remain options according to targets and CRIT balance.

Attacks against Frozen enemies deal extra Ice damage equal to 60% of Yanqing's ATK; the target must actually be Frozen.

Grants 10% Energy Regeneration Rate while Soulsteel Sync is active.

Grants 12% Ice RES PEN while Yanqing's current HP is at least 80%.

When an enemy is defeated while Soulsteel Sync or Ultimate buffs are active, their duration extends by one turn.

Teams

Recommended Teammates

Aventurine

Aventurine supplies team shields through Skill and follow-ups. Refresh them before Yanqing loses protection; enemy damage can still exhaust a shield.

Gepard

Gepard's Ultimate shields can preserve Soulsteel Sync. His Energy generation and the recipients' turn counts must support shield refreshes.

Sunday

Sunday advances Yanqing and supplies Energy and CRIT buffs. Coordinate the extra action with shield duration and the Skill Points needed to renew Sync.

Skills

Basic ATK

Frost Thorn

Single AttackLv. 6

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

Lv. 6

Skill

Darting Ironthorn

Single AttackLv. 10

Deals Ice DMG equal to 220% of Yanqing's ATK to one designated enemy and activates "Soulsteel Sync" for 1 turn.

Lv. 10

Ultimate

Amidst the Raining Bliss

Single AttackLv. 10

Increases Yanqing's CRIT Rate by 60%. When "Soulsteel Sync" is active, increases Yanqing's CRIT DMG by an extra 50%. This buff lasts for one turn. Afterwards, deals Ice DMG equal to 350% of Yanqing's ATK to one designated enemy.

Lv. 10

Talent

One With the Sword

Single AttackLv. 10

When "Soulsteel Sync" is active, Yanqing is less likely to be attacked by enemies. Yanqing's CRIT Rate increases by 20.0% and his CRIT DMG increases by 30%. After Yanqing attacks an enemy, there is a 60% fixed chance to launch Follow-Up ATK, dealing Ice DMG equal to 50% of Yanqing's ATK to the enemy, which has a 65% base chance to Freeze the enemy for 1 turn.

The Frozen target cannot take action and receives Ice Additional DMG equal to 50% of Yanqing's ATK at the beginning of each turn.

When Yanqing receives DMG, the "Soulsteel Sync" effect will disappear.

Lv. 10

Technique

The One True Sword

EnhanceLv. 1

After using his Technique, at the start of the next battle, Yanqing deals 30% more DMG for 2 turn(s) to enemies whose current HP percentage is 50% or higher.

Traces

Major Traces

Icing on the Kick

After Yanqing attacks, deals Ice Additional DMG equal to 30% of Yanqing's ATK to enemies with Ice Weakness.

Frost Favors the Brave

When Soulsteel Sync is active, Effect RES increases by 20%.

Gentle Blade

When a CRIT Hit is triggered, increases SPD by 10% for 2 turn(s).

Minor Traces

ATK Boost+28.0%
DMG Boost: Ice+14.4%
HP Boost+10%

Eidolons

Svelte Saber

When Yanqing attacks a Frozen enemy, he deals Ice Additional DMG equal to 60% of his ATK.

Supine Serenade

When Soulsteel Sync is active, Energy Regeneration Rate increases by an extra 10%.

Sword Savant

Basic ATK +1
Skill +2

Skill Lv. +2, up to a maximum of Lv. 15.

Basic ATK Lv. +1, up to a maximum of Lv. 10.

Searing Sting

When the current HP percentage is 80% or higher, this unit's Ice RES PEN increases by 12%.

Surging Strife

Ultimate +2
Talent +2

Ultimate Lv. +2, up to a maximum of Lv. 15.

Talent Lv. +2, up to a maximum of Lv. 15.

Swift Swoop

If the buffs from "Soulsteel Sync" or the Ultimate are in effect when an enemy is defeated, the duration of these buffs is extended by 1 turn.

Stats

Level 80

Maximum ascension

HP893

ATK679

DEF412

SPD109

Level	HP	ATK	DEF	SPD
1	121	92	56	109
20	285	217	132	109
30	395	300	182	109
40	504	383	233	109
50	613	467	283	109
60	723	550	334	109
70	832	633	384	109
80	893	679	412	109

Level	HP	ATK	DEF	SPD
1	121	92	56	109
20	285	217	132	109
30	395	300	182	109
40	504	383	233	109
50	613	467	283	109
60	723	550	334	109
70	832	633	384	109
80	893	679	412	109

Level	HP	ATK	DEF	SPD
1	121	92	56	109
20	285	217	132	109
30	395	300	182	109
40	504	383	233	109
50	613	467	283	109
60	723	550	334	109
70	832	633	384	109
80	893	679	412	109

Level	HP	ATK	DEF	SPD
1	121	92	56	109
20	285	217	132	109
30	395	300	182	109
40	504	383	233	109
50	613	467	283	109
60	723	550	334	109
70	832	633	384	109
80	893	679	412	109