Boothill is one of the most powerful single-target DPS characters in Honkai Star Rail, and he remains a top-tier option in patch 4.3. A cyborg cowboy and Galaxy Ranger, his entire kit is built around forcing enemies into one-on-one duels and absolutely dismantling them through Break Effect. This Boothill build guide covers everything — best Light Cones, Relics, stat priorities, team compositions, and Eidolons — so you can get the most out of him in the current patch.

Table of Contents

TL;DR – Boothill Build Summary (4.3)

Boothill is a 5-star Physical Hunt DPS who deals damage primarily through Break Effect
Best Light Cone: Sailing Towards a Second Life (signature)
Best Relic Set: Iron Cavalry Against the Scourge (4-piece)
Best Planar Ornament: Talia: Kingdom of Banditry (requires 145 SPD)
Target stats: 260–300% Break Effect, 145+ SPD
Best team: Boothill, Fugue, Ruan Mei, Lingsha
He excels in single-target content — Memory of Chaos and boss fights
Trace priority: Talent > Skill > Basic ATK > Ultimate

Who Is Boothill in Honkai Star Rail?

Boothill is a 5-star character following the Path of the Hunt with the Physical element. He is a member of the Galaxy Rangers — an optimistic, unrestrained cyborg cowboy whose flamboyant actions mask a personal vendetta against the Interastral Peace Corporation. His swagger is matched only by his damage output.

On the battlefield, Boothill is the game’s premier single-target Break DPS. He forces enemies into a Standoff via his Skill, which taunts them and enhances his Basic ATK into a high-Toughness, high-damage attack. Once an enemy is Weakness Broken, he detonates them with bonus Break DMG from his Talent based on his stacks of Pocket Trickshot. He can also implant Physical Weakness onto any enemy with his Ultimate and Technique, making him uniquely self-sufficient against non-Physical-weak enemies.

What makes Boothill exceptional is his A2 Trace: Ghost Load. It converts his Break Effect directly into CRIT Rate and CRIT DMG, meaning he does not need to stack CRIT stats from gear. Instead, all his relic and ornament investment goes into Break Effect and SPD — a dramatically different build philosophy from most DPS characters.

Boothill Skills and Abilities

Basic ATK – Skullcrush Spurs

Deals Physical DMG to a single target. Rarely used in practice. Once Boothill enters Standoff, his Basic ATK is replaced by the Enhanced version, which is far more powerful.

Enhanced Basic ATK – Fanning the Hammer

Deals Physical DMG to the enemy in Standoff and deals 60 Toughness damage — as much as a standard Skill. Crucially, it costs no Skill Points and regenerates 30 Energy. This is Boothill’s primary attack throughout the fight, used every single turn while a Standoff is active.

Skill – Sizzlin’ Tango

Forces Boothill and a single target into the Standoff state for 2 of Boothill’s turns. While in Standoff: Boothill’s Basic ATK becomes Enhanced, the enemy is Taunted (forced to attack Boothill only), and both sides take increased DMG from each other. When the Standoff ends — either because Boothill Weakness Breaks or defeats the target — he gains 1 stack of Pocket Trickshot. If both happen in the same action, he gains 2 stacks. Importantly, using this Skill does not end his current turn, so he can use it and immediately follow up with his Enhanced Basic in the same action. The Skill also generates no Energy and costs 1 Skill Point, but since the Enhanced Basic regenerates 30 Energy per use, he has excellent Energy economy overall.

Ultimate – Dust Devil’s Sunset Rodeo

Deals Physical DMG to a single target, delays their next action by up to 40%, and applies Physical Weakness for 2 turns. This guaranteed Weakness Implant requires no Effect Hit Rate and works on any enemy that does not lock their own Toughness bar. It is a key tool for fights against non-Physical-weak enemies, allowing Boothill to brute force his way through any matchup. Costs 115 Energy.

Talent – Five Peas in a Pod

The core of Boothill’s damage kit. Each stack of Pocket Trickshot increases his Enhanced Basic ATK’s Toughness Reduction by 50% (stacking to 150% at 3 stacks). When the Enhanced Basic is used on a Weakness Broken enemy, he fires off bonus Break DMG based on his Pocket Trickshot count — 70%/120%/170% of his Physical Break DMG at 1/2/3 stacks respectively. This fires even if he Breaks the enemy on that same action. It is pure Break DMG, meaning it bypasses all the usual CRIT-based damage calculations and scales entirely off Break Effect, enemy max Toughness, and DEF shred.

Technique – 3-9× Smile

When entering combat, the first enemy Boothill uses his Skill on gets the same Physical Weakness applied as from his Ultimate, lasting 2 turns. Always use this before starting a fight — it lets him ramp up and deal Break DMG immediately from turn one, even without his Ultimate.

Major Traces

Ghost Load (A2): Converts up to 30% of Boothill’s Break Effect into CRIT Rate and up to 150% into CRIT DMG, capped at 300% Break Effect. This is the single most important trace in his kit. It means you never need to farm CRIT substats — every piece of gear should focus on Break Effect and SPD instead
Above Snakes (A4): While in Standoff, DMG received from enemies not in the Standoff is reduced by 30%. This provides meaningful damage mitigation in fights with multiple enemies
Point Blank (A6): Gaining a Pocket Trickshot stack regenerates 10 Energy, even when the stack would exceed the cap. This significantly improves his Ultimate cycling speed, keeping Physical Weakness uptime high

Boothill Best Light Cones (4.3)

1. Sailing Towards a Second Life (Best in Slot – Signature)

Boothill’s signature Light Cone and his clear best-in-slot option. It provides a massive Break Effect boost and gives him additional SPD and a large DMG bonus when Break Effect is 150% or higher — a threshold he reaches very easily. There is a significant gap between this cone and all alternatives. If you are committing resources to Boothill, pulling his signature is the single most impactful upgrade you can make.

2. Shadowed by Night (4-Star Alternative)

The best 4-star option for Boothill. It provides SPD and a Break Effect boost, both of which are exactly what he needs. It is gacha-only so it requires luck to obtain, but if you have it at a high Superimposition level it is a strong budget option.

3. Swordplay (4-Star Budget Pick)

A freely obtainable 4-star Hunt cone. Its stacking DMG% bonus synergises with Standoff because Boothill is always targeting the same enemy during the duel. It plateaus quickly compared to the signature, but it is a perfectly playable option for players still building their account.

4. Only Silence Remains (4-Star)

Provides ATK% and a CRIT Rate bonus when only one or two enemies remain. Functional in single-target content where Boothill thrives, but ATK% is notably less valuable for him than Break Effect. Use it as a last resort if nothing else is available.

Boothill Best Relic Sets (4.3)

Iron Cavalry Against the Scourge (4-Piece) – Best in Slot

The definitive relic set for Boothill in 4.3. The 2-piece gives +16% Break Effect. The 4-piece bonus provides DEF ignore on Break DMG at 150% Break Effect, and additional DEF ignore on Super Break DMG at 250% Break Effect. Both thresholds are achievable for a well-built Boothill. The DEF ignore is a significant damage multiplier that compounds with all his Break-based attacks. This is the set to farm.

Thief of Shooting Meteor (4-Piece)

A solid alternative if you do not have good Iron Cavalry pieces yet. The 4-piece gives 32% Break Effect in total and regenerates 3 Energy on Weakness Break. Slightly weaker overall than Iron Cavalry but more accessible early in your progression and still very functional.

Thief of Shooting Meteor (2) + Watchmaker, Master of Dream Machinations (2)

A workable transitional combination giving +16% Break Effect from each 2-piece bonus. No conditional requirements, no DEF ignore, but a reliable base floor while you farm for a full Iron Cavalry set.

Boothill Best Planar Ornaments (4.3)

Talia: Kingdom of Banditry (Best)

The top Planar Ornament for Boothill. It gives +16% Break Effect from the 2-piece base, with an additional +20% Break Effect bonus when Boothill’s SPD reaches 145. Reaching 145 SPD is very realistic for Boothill given his high base Speed of 107 and Break Effect-focused build freeing up his boots for SPD. Always aim for 145 SPD to activate the full bonus — this ornament underperforms significantly without it.

Forge of the Kalpagni Lantern (Fire-Weak Alternative)

Provides SPD and +40% Break Effect for 1 turn when the wearer hits a Fire-weak target. This is a situational but powerful pick in content where Fire weakness is present, such as some Memory of Chaos stages. Swap to Talia for non-Fire content.

Glamoth (Alternative if Below 145 SPD)

Provides ATK% and a SPD-conditional DMG bonus at 135 or 160 SPD. Use this as a stopgap if you cannot reach 145 SPD consistently and your Glamoth pieces have better substats than your Talia pieces. Talia is always the better long-term target.

Boothill Best Stats and Substats (4.3)

Main Stats

Body: HP% or DEF% (for survivability — CRIT stats come from Ghost Load, not gear)
Boots: SPD (reach 145 for Talia)
Planar Sphere (Orb): Fire DMG Boost% or HP%
Link Rope: Break Effect%

Substat Priority

Break Effect% (most important — target 260–300% total)
SPD (reach 145 for Talia; more SPD means more Enhanced Basic ATK uses)
HP% or DEF% (survivability; Standoff makes him take more damage)
ATK% (very low priority — Break DMG does not scale with ATK)

This is the most unique stat distribution of any DPS in the game. Do not farm for CRIT substats on Boothill. The A2 Trace Ghost Load handles all of that automatically, converting 300% Break Effect into +30% CRIT Rate and +150% CRIT DMG passively. Every CRIT substat you roll is Break Effect you did not get. Focus on Break Effect% and SPD exclusively for substats — this allows you to roll cleanly on pieces that would normally be considered non-optimal for DPS characters.

Boothill Best Team Compositions (4.3)

Best Team: Boothill, Fugue, Ruan Mei, Lingsha

The strongest team for Boothill in 4.3. Fugue is an exceptional partner who deploys her Cloudflame Luster onto the enemy, adding an extra 40% Toughness bar above the standard one. This means Boothill can potentially earn all 3 Pocket Trickshot stacks in a single attack — 1 from the standard Break, 1 from the Cloudflame Luster Break, and 1 from the kill — dramatically cutting his ramp-up time. Fugue also provides Break Effect buffs and doubles his Weakness Break windows. Ruan Mei amplifies Weakness Break Efficiency, extends Broken duration with action delays, and provides RES PEN. Lingsha is the ideal healer here — she scales with Break Effect herself, so she fits the team’s stat spread perfectly.

Strong Alternative: Boothill, Sunday, Ruan Mei, Lingsha/Gallagher

Sunday is an excellent option for Boothill. His action advance allows Boothill to take more turns and spam his Enhanced Basic ATK at high speed. Boothill’s SP economy is already very good (he only spends 1 SP every 2 turns), which makes Sunday’s SP refund on action advance extremely clean. Sunday effectively lets Boothill cycle through Standoff duels at a blistering pace, accelerating Pocket Trickshot accumulation significantly.

Classic Break Team: Boothill, Harmony Trailblazer, Ruan Mei, Gallagher

The original meta Break team. The Harmony Trailblazer applies Super Break DMG on top of Boothill’s existing Break output, which multiplied with Iron Cavalry’s DEF ignore is a significant damage boost. Ruan Mei extends Weakness Break and boosts Break Efficiency. Gallagher heals via his Besotted mechanic and contributes to the Break economy. An accessible team that remains solid in 4.3.

Speedrun / Sustainless: Boothill, Fugue, Ruan Mei, Sunday

For players who are confident in their build, dropping the sustain slot entirely and running a fourth support is viable. Boothill’s Standoff taunt partially protects squishy teammates. Ruan Mei and Fugue apply so much action delay through Break that enemies rarely get a turn. A high-risk, high-reward setup for aggressive clears in Memory of Chaos.

Other Supports Worth Knowing

Bronya – A good Sunday alternative for action advance; slightly less SP friendly
Silver Wolf – Can implant Physical Weakness and DEF shred; good synergy in longer fights
Pela – Free DEF shred that boosts all of Boothill’s Break DMG
Rappa – Can pair as a second DPS to cover AoE that Boothill lacks, freeing him to focus single-target
The Dahlia – Provides Super Break DMG and additional Break support; strong pick for dedicated Break teams in 4.3

Boothill Eidolons – Are They Worth It?

E1 – Dusty Trail’s Lone Star

At battle start, Boothill immediately gains 1 stack of Pocket Trickshot. He also ignores 16% of enemy DEF when dealing any DMG. Both effects are extremely valuable. The free Trickshot stack means he enters his first Standoff already ramped up. The DEF ignore applies to all his damage, not just Break DMG. E1 is the single most impactful Eidolon and the community consensus first priority for Boothill investment beyond E0S1.

E2 – Milestonemonger

When gaining Pocket Trickshot in Standoff, recovers 1 Skill Point and increases Break Effect by 30% for 2 turns. The Break Effect buff is enormous — dynamically updating Ghost Load to give more CRIT Rate and CRIT DMG temporarily. The SP refund also addresses what was previously Boothill’s biggest downside in some comps. A very strong E2.

E4 – Cold Cuts Chef

The Standoff enemy takes 12% more DMG from Boothill, and Boothill takes 12% less DMG from the Standoff enemy. More damage in, less damage taken — clean and straightforward. Good but not as impactful as E1 or E2.

E6 – Crowbar Hotel’s Raccoon

When triggering Talent Break DMG, Boothill also deals bonus Break DMG to the main target (40% of the original multiplier) and AoE Break DMG to adjacent targets (70% of the original multiplier). This gives him meaningful splash damage in multi-enemy scenarios, partially addressing his single-target weakness. A very powerful E6 for a dedicated Boothill main.

Recommended stopping point: E1. E0 is fully functional in all content that favours single-target. E1 is a meaningful upgrade worth targeting. E2 is excellent if you get it. The gap between E0 and E1 is more impactful than any Light Cone upgrade below his signature.

Boothill Rotation Guide

Boothill’s rotation is clean once you understand the rhythm:

Use the Technique before entering combat — the first Standoff target gets Physical Weakness immediately, enabling Break DMG from turn one
On your first turn, use Sizzlin’ Tango (Skill) on the priority target — this does not end your turn, so immediately follow with Fanning the Hammer (Enhanced Basic)
Continue spamming Fanning the Hammer each turn to build Toughness damage and Charge stacks
When the enemy is Weakness Broken, use Fanning the Hammer on that turn — Boothill fires his Talent Break DMG based on current Pocket Trickshot stacks
Gain Pocket Trickshot from the Break, and from the kill if applicable — stacks carry between fights
Use the Ultimate to apply Physical Weakness to the next target while finishing the current one, or to reset Weakness Implant on a persistent enemy
Once all 3 Trickshot stacks are banked (usually by the second or third enemy), each subsequent Standoff triggers 170% of your Physical Break DMG in bonus damage on every Enhanced Basic against a Broken enemy

The key to Boothill is reaching 3 Pocket Trickshot stacks as fast as possible. With Fugue and good SPD, this can happen on the very first enemy. Once ramped up, his damage output is enormous and consistent.

Boothill Ascension Materials

Credits: 3,308,000
Ascension materials: Tatters of Thought, Fragments of Impression, Shards of Desires (Penacony drops), and IPC Work Permit (from Svarog Echo of War)
Trace materials: Shape Shifter’s Lightning Staff, Horn of Snow, and similar Path of the Hunt Destruction materials
Boss material: IPC Work Permit from Svarog

Is Boothill Worth Using in Patch 4.3?

Yes — Boothill is one of the strongest single-target DPS characters in 4.3. He holds S-tier in Memory of Chaos where boss fights and single-target endurance define performance. His self-sufficiency through Physical Weakness Implant means he is never truly shut out by enemy typing. His Skill Point efficiency means he is easy to accommodate in virtually any team without starving supports of SP. And his Break Effect build philosophy makes gearing him unusually straightforward compared to CRIT-based carries.

The one honest caveat: he is weaker in content that emphasises AoE damage, such as Pure Fiction. For those modes, look to other options. But in everything single-target — Memory of Chaos, Apocalyptic Shadow bosses, and Simulated Universe elites — Boothill is a reliable and devastating option in 4.3.

Looking for more character guides? Check out builds for Firefly, Rappa, Fugue, Ruan Mei, and Gallagher for more top-tier picks in the current patch.

For the official Version 4.3 patch notes, visit the official Honkai: Star Rail website.