If you want your Yukong to be a support character or a DPS monster, we’ve got two options for the best Yukong build for you.
Yukong is a popular but tricky character to make the most of in Honkai Star Rail, that's why we put together this guide to help you build the best Yukong possible.
Yukong has a very high skill ceiling due to having to juggle buffs, low base stats, and a high Ultimate Energy cost. At low levels she is quite a weak character, but as you surpass Level 60 and beyond she is an extremely powerful late game character. Especially if you manage to get her Majestas Trace! (Renegerates 2 Energy every time an ally takes an action)
A key point to understand about Yukong is that her base stats are not very impressive. Yukong has one of the lowest base DEF and HP stats of the currently available characters. This can make Yukong quite squishy if you do not build her correctly. In addition her Ultimate Energy Cost is 130, putting her in the higher end.
That said, Yukong's speed (SPD) is 107, making her one of top five quickest characters in Honkai Star Rail in version 1.3. She also offers her party a buff to ATK, CRIT Rate and Crit DMG. Plus, she's also one of the most attractive and elegant characters, and a popular Honkai Star Rail cosplay choice.
Best Yukong Build - Light Cones
The two best options focus on different parts of Yukong's kit, Break Effect and party stats buffs.
 Memories of the Past (4-star) Focuses on maximising Yukong's ability to Break Effect, taking advantage of the Toughness DMG of her Skill and Ultimate. |  Carve the Moon, Weave the Clouds (4-star) Double down on Yukong's buffing ability by alternating between bonus CRIT, ATK or Energy at the start of combat and each Yukong turn. |  But the Battle Isn't Over (5-star) A 5-star, but if you can get hold of it, it offers 30% DMG boost to the next ally after Yukong casts her Skill. This combines with Yukong's Skill's natural 40% ATK boost to the following two allies. Also grants 10% Energy Regeneration Rate. If you have your DPS follow Yukong in action order, somebody's going to get hurt real bad. |
Memories of the Past - Break everyone
- Rarity: 4-star Light Cone
- Path: The Harmony
- Ability: Increases the wearer's Break Effect by 28%. When the wearer attacks, additionally regenerates 4 Energy. This effect can only be triggered 1 time per turn. (Increases to 56% and 8 Energy at Level 5 Superimposition)
Memories of the Past is a 4-star non-Battle Pass Light Cone which you can get from Regular Event Warps. Memories of the Past focuses on Yukong wearing down enemy's Toughness via Break Effect swiftly, so the rest of your party can make use of her Skill and Ultimate DMG buffs to finish them off.
Yukong's Seven Layers, One Arrow, talent means every second Normal Attack will deal double Toughness DMG (60). If you combine this with her ultimate which deals 90 Toughness DMG, one Yukong build focuses on destroying enemy Toughness to trigger a Weakness Break. Be aware this is not going to look like massive DMG but it is going to Break their Toughness.
Imaginary alongside Quantum, has the lowest Break Base DMG of any of the elements in Honkai Star Rail. The difference is quite vast, with Physical and Fire dealing four times as much Break Base DMG as Imaginary and Quantum.
However, the Break Effect is what we care about not the DMG, and the debuff after of Imprisonment delays enemy action by 30% and reduces their Speed (SPD) by 10%. Very nice indeed!
Related articles
Carve the Moon, Weave the Clouds - Buff Queen
- Rarity: 4-star
- Path: The Harmony
- Ability: One of the following effects is applied randomly at the start of combat and whenever the wearer takes action: Increase all allies' ATK by 10%, increase all allies' CRIT DMG by 12%, or increase all allies' Energy Regeneration Rate by 6%. Cannot be stacked and same effect will not happen twice in a row. If Yukong is knocked down, effect is removed.
Carve the Moon, Weave the Clouds plays on Yukong's ability to buff both ATK and CRIT. Yukong's buff "Roaring Bowstrings" increases ATK while her Ultimate increase CRIT Rate and Crit DMG.
The Carve the Moon, Weave the Clouds Light Cones then stacks an additional 10% ATK, 12% CRIT DMG or 6% Energy Regeneration Rate. The effect will rotate whenever Yukong starts a new turn.
But the Battle Isn't Over - A Dream 5-star Light Cone for Yukong
- Rarity: 5-star
- Path: The Harmony
- Ability: Increases the wearer's Energy Regeneration Rate by 10% and regenerates 1 Skill Point when the wearer uses their Ultimate on an ally. This effect can be triggered after every 2 uses of the wearer's Ultimate. When the wearer uses their Skill, the next ally taking action (except the wearer) deals 30% more DMG for 1 turn(s).
But the Battle Isn't Over is a dream scenario for a Yukong Light Cone, but given it's a 5-star there is a chance you may never get a hold of it. It works well because Yukong's Skill Emboldening Salvo gives 40% ATK increase to her next two-party members, so But the Battle Isn't Over Light Cone adds an additional 30% DMG on top of that. It also helps regenerate Energy for Yukong's Ultimate which is a whole party buff.
Best Yukong Build - Relics
    Musketeer Hat and Shawl Wastelander Desert Terminal & Greaves Mix Musketeer and Wastelander Relics to get the best of both worlds Combines the 12% ATK damage boost from the Musketeer 2-set but also taps into Imaginary DMG bonus with the Wastelander's 2-set |  Musketeer 4-set Musketeer 4-set is a good middle-ground between Yukong support and DPS - increase ATK by 12% - increase SPD by 6% (more buffs) -increase Basic ATK DMG by 10% |  Wastelander of Banditry Desert If you want go just pure DPS this is the 4-set Relic set for your Yukong. Bonus DMG specific to Imaginary, perfect if you combine with the Break Effect Light Cone build with Memories of the Past. - When attacking debuffed enemies the wearer's CRIT Rate increases by 10% - If the enemy is imprisoned then Yukong's CRIT DMG increases by 20% |
Best Yukong build Ornaments
It's easy to forget about Ornaments but with our Relics either focusing on DMG, ATK or CRIT, we want our ornaments to ideally address Yukong's weak base stats. We can also make use of her Technique Chasing the Wind to ensure we get buffs before entering battle. These two options allow you to pick between HP and party ATK buff or Energy regeneration and Advanced Forward.
 Fleet of the Ageless (2-set) Increases the wearer's Max HP by 12%. When the wearer's SPD reaches 120 or higher, all allies' ATK increases by 8%. Explanation: Addresses Yukong's issue of poor base HP but also gives us a party buff if we cast Chasing the Winds Technique before battle to boost our SPD stat temporarily. |  Sprightly Vonwacq (2-set) Increases Yukong's Energy Regeneration Rate by 5%. When the Yukong's SPD reaches 120 or higher, her action is Advanced Forward by 40% immediately upon entering battle. Explanation: Use Yukong's Technique (Chasing the Winds) to boost her movement Speed by 35% to then enter battle with 40% Advanced Forward every time! Also gives a nice 5% boost to Energy Regeneration. |
Yukong kit in Honkai Star Rail
For context here's Yukong's kit which has a few little hidden strengths, such as the double Toughness DMG on every other second Basic ATK thanks to her Talent Seven Layers, One Arrow.
Ability | Description | Extra info / explanation |
|---|---|---|
 Basic ATK | Deals 50% of Yukong's ATK as Imaginary DMG to target enemy | - Regenerates 20 Energy as well as dealing Imaginary DMG |
 (Skill) Emboldening Salvo | Obtains 2 stack(s) of "Roaring Bowstrings". When "Roaring Bowstrings" is active, the ATK of all allies increased by 40%. Every time an ally's turn ends, Yukong loses 1 stack of "Roaring Bowstrings" | - Emboldening Salvo buffs the ATK of the next 2 allies who take an action then it will wear off - The buff will still apply if an ally out of turn casts their DPS Ultimate |
 (Ultimate) Diving Kestrel | Deals 228% of Yukong's ATK to a single enemy. If "Roaring Bowstrings" is active on Yukong additionally increase all allies' CRIT Rate by 21% and Crit DMG by 39% | - Always casts Diving Kestrel after casting Yukong's Skill. Otherwise there is no party CRIT Rate / CRIT DMG buff - At Level 10 this ability boosts Crit by 28% and Crit DMG by 65% |
| (Talent) Seven Layers, One Arrow | Basic ATK deals additional Imaginary DMG equal to 40% of Yukong's ATK. Increases Toughness-Reducing DMG to 100% every other turn. | - Yukong's Imaginary DMG from her Basic ATK will now deal 80% Imaginary DMG every second turn. - The toughness DMG is also doubled |
(Technique) Chasing the Winds | Enter Sprint Mode for 20 seconds. Boosts Movement Speed and gives Yukong two stacks of "Roaring Bowstrings" when she enters battle via attacking enemies. | - Using this Technique means you enter battle with the 40% ATK damage buff from her Skill. - First two party members to have their turns will deal additional DMG. |
