Cerydra is a 5-star Wind Harmony support who buffs one ally with Military Merit, granting them ATK based on her own ATK and generating Coup de Main — an effect that copies and fires the ally’s Skill a second time before the original.
When Charge reaches 6, Military Merit upgrades to Peerage: +72% CRIT DMG on Skill DMG, +10% All-Type RES PEN, and Coup de Main activates on the next Skill use.
One of her traces permanently sets her CRIT Rate to 100% — never build CRIT Rate on Cerydra. Stack ATK, CRIT DMG, and SPD instead.
She is highly specialised — her Coup de Main only benefits characters who primarily deal Skill DMG. Her best partners are Phainon and Anaxa. She is significantly weaker with DPS who don’t rely on Skill DMG.
Best Light Cone: Epoch Etched in Golden Blood (her signature). Best alternative: Flowing Nightglow (Robin’s signature) for Phainon teams.
Best Relics: Sacerdos’ Relived Ordeal (4-piece) + Lushaka, the Sunken Seas (Planar Ornament).
Best teams: Phainon / Sunday / Cerydra / Permansor Terrae and Anaxa / Cerydra / Tribbie / Permansor Terrae.
E1 is her highest value Eidolon — 16% permanent DEF ignore for the buffed ally (36% total during Peerage Skill) and +2 Energy per Skill use (2 Coreflames for Phainon).
Cerydra debuted in Version 3.5 (September 2025). Her rerun has not yet been confirmed as of patch 4.3 — watch official announcements.
Rated T0.5 in MoC and AS as of patch 4.3 in her specialised Skill DMG teams.

Table of Contents

Who Is Cerydra in Honkai Star Rail?

Cerydra is a 5-star Wind character following the Path of Harmony in Honkai Star Rail. She is the Sovereign of the Northern Empire and a Chrysos Heir who wields the Coreflame of Law. She debuted in Version 3.5 (September 2025) and is rated T0.5 in Memory of Chaos and Apocalyptic Shadow in optimised Skill DMG team compositions as of patch 4.3.

In the game’s lore, Cerydra rules the Northern Empire — a lost dynasty where frozen lands burn with ambitions of conquest. Her title is Sovereign Imperator, and her personality reflects that authority completely: calculating, decisive, and unflinchingly direct. She challenges the gods, passes judgment upon the faithless, and carves the path of Flame-Chase into the fate of the world. The chess motifs throughout her kit — Military Merit, Peerage, Coup de Main, Scholar’s Mate — reflect her character as a commander who wins not by outfighting enemies but by outmanoeuvring them through superior positioning and timing.

In gameplay, Cerydra occupies a highly specialised role. She is one of the few supports in the game who can duplicate an ally’s Skill — allowing characters like Phainon and Anaxa to effectively fire their Skill twice in a single action. This Coup de Main mechanic is extraordinarily powerful for Skill-centric DPS but provides minimal benefit to characters who deal damage primarily through Basic ATK, Ultimate, or Follow-Up Attacks. Understanding this constraint is the most important thing to know before pulling her. For official details and events, check the HoYoverse official Honkai Star Rail news page.

Cerydra Kit Overview – How Her Abilities Work

Cerydra’s kit is built around a three-stage escalation: Military Merit → Peerage → Coup de Main. Every ability she has either builds toward this sequence or sustains it. Understanding exactly what each stage does and when to trigger it is the key to maximising her value.

Basic Attack – King’s Castling

Deals Wind DMG equal to 100% of Cerydra’s ATK to a single enemy. Contributes minimal value in normal rotation — Cerydra’s Skill is always the preferred action. Use Basic ATK only when Skill Points are extremely tight and you cannot afford another Skill use without disrupting the team’s SP economy.

Skill – Pawn’s Promotion

Grants Military Merit to one designated ally character and gives Cerydra 1 point of Charge (maximum 8 points). Military Merit does the following:

The target ally’s ATK increases by 24% of Cerydra’s ATK. This scales with Cerydra’s own ATK, which is why building high ATK is her primary stat goal.
When the target ally uses Basic ATK or Skill, Cerydra gains 1 additional Charge.

When Cerydra’s Charge reaches 6 points, Military Merit automatically upgrades to Peerage. Peerage:

Dispels all Crowd Control debuffs from the ally immediately.
Increases the ally’s Skill CRIT DMG by 72%.
Increases the ally’s All-Type RES PEN by 10% (this applies specifically while Cerydra is in the Departed state or on the field — see notes below).
When the ally with Peerage uses their Skill on an enemy, Coup de Main triggers: the Skill is copied and fired immediately before the original Skill activates. The copied Skill does not consume SP or other resources — only the original Skill fires normally.

After Coup de Main fires, 6 Charge points are consumed and Peerage reverts to Military Merit. Cerydra then needs to rebuild Charge for the next Peerage window.

Understanding Coup de Main Timing

Coup de Main is the defining mechanic. The copy fires before the original — so the sequence is: ally Skill press → copied Skill fires at full power → original Skill fires at full power. From the player’s perspective, both instances appear as two consecutive Extra Actions in the turn order. Critically:

The copied Skill fires with all buffs active including the 72% Skill CRIT DMG from Peerage and any team buffs applied before the action.
Coup de Main cannot chain into itself — the copy cannot trigger another Coup de Main.
If the DPS character has multiple Skill interactions (like Anaxa’s Talent Follow-Up or Phainon’s Enhanced Skill), both the original and the copy benefit from these interactions.

For Anaxa specifically — whose Skill bounces up to 5 times and whose Talent fires free Skill copies off QD-state enemies — Coup de Main effectively results in 4 full Skill chains in a single action. Prydwen describes this as “32 bounces from an 8-bounce Skill.”

Ultimate – Scholar’s Mate

Gains 2 Charge and deals Wind DMG equal to 240% of Cerydra’s ATK to all enemies. If no character on the field currently has Military Merit, it automatically grants Military Merit to the character in the first team slot. The Ultimate serves two functions: it is a meaningful personal damage hit in AoE, and it provides 2 Charge toward Peerage — making it a rotation shortcut that accelerates how fast the next Coup de Main window arrives. Use the Ultimate whenever ready to deal damage and push Charge toward 6.

Talent – Ave Imperator

After the character with Military Merit uses any attack, Cerydra deals 1 instance of Wind Additional DMG equal to 60% of her ATK. This effect can trigger up to 20 times (reset by her Ultimate). The Talent is a passive off-field damage contribution that fires on every ally action by the Military Merit holder. In fights where the primary DPS attacks many times per cycle, these 60% ATK Wind hits accumulate into meaningful additional damage. The 20-hit cap resets on Ultimate use, so in longer fights you want to use Ultimate to reset it and capture full value across extended combat.

A2 Trace – Noble Phantasm

At the start of the next battle, Cerydra’s Skill is automatically used on the character currently holding Military Merit without consuming Skill Points. When switching characters, Military Merit transfers to the newly active character. These two effects mean Cerydra enters every fight with Military Merit already applied and Charge already building — without spending the Skill Point that would normally be required. The no-cost application is a meaningful quality-of-life improvement that keeps her SP-positive or at least SP-neutral across fights.

A4 Trace – Vanguard Promotion

When Cerydra uses her Skill, the SPD of both Cerydra and the ally with Military Merit increases by +20 for 3 turns. This SPD buff has significant implications for team building. It means the buffed DPS character gains +20 SPD from Cerydra’s Skill uses, which often allows those DPS to run ATK% feet instead of SPD feet — saving the SPD investment for Cerydra and letting the DPS prioritise more offensive main stats. This is especially valuable for Phainon, who benefits enormously from ATK% boots but normally needs SPD to maintain rotation speed.

A6 Trace – Permanent 100% CRIT Rate

Cerydra’s own CRIT Rate is permanently set to 100%. This is an unconditional passive — it is always active, requires no management, and cannot be overridden. The consequence: never build CRIT Rate on Cerydra. Every CRIT Rate roll on her relics is wasted. Invest all body main stat and substats into ATK%, CRIT DMG, and SPD instead. The 100% CRIT Rate means her personal Wind Additional DMG hits from the Talent and her Ultimate hits are all guaranteed crits — her personal damage is reliable and high without any CRIT Rate investment.

Technique – Crown’s Gambit

Cerydra’s Technique places the Military Merit buff on an ally before entering battle (no SP cost, as per A2). This pre-battle application ensures the buff is active from turn 1 without consuming the first turn’s action on Skill casting. Always use the Technique before entering any fight to get Military Merit live immediately and begin building Charge from the very first allied action.

Cerydra Best Light Cones in HSR

Cerydra follows the Path of Harmony. Only Harmony path Light Cones activate passive effects on her. Her signature is best-in-slot and the clear recommendation — it simultaneously solves her ATK scaling, SP economy, and Skill DMG buffing in a single Light Cone.

Epoch Etched in Golden Blood (Signature – Best in Slot)

Cerydra’s 5-star signature is purpose-built for her kit and the best option by a significant margin. It provides three simultaneous benefits:

High base ATK (582) — the highest available on a Harmony Light Cone — which directly amplifies the Military Merit 24% ATK share to the DPS target.
When Cerydra uses her Ultimate, the team recovers 1 Skill Point — making her SP-neutral or SP-positive across a full rotation and easing the SP pressure that her Skill-spam playstyle creates.
When Cerydra uses her Skill on an ally, that ally’s Skill DMG increases by 54% for 3 turns — a massive flat amplifier that stacks with the Peerage CRIT DMG buff for an extraordinary combined Skill DMG package.

The triple synergy of ATK, SP recovery, and Skill DMG buff makes this Light Cone uniquely efficient for Cerydra. No other option comes close in team output for Phainon or Anaxa compositions.

Flowing Nightglow (Robin’s Signature – Best Alternative for Phainon Teams)

Robin’s signature is the strongest alternative specifically for Phainon teams. It provides high base ATK (582), which amplifies the Military Merit ATK share. The Cantillation passive generates stacking ERR from ally attacks — enabling more frequent Ultimates without needing an Energy Regeneration Rope, freeing the Link Rope slot for ATK%. The Cadenza 24% team DMG buff when Cerydra uses Ultimate applies during Phainon’s transformation window if timed correctly (since the Ultimate fires before Phainon transforms). Prydwen notes this as the best alternative when the signature is unavailable.

But the Battle Isn’t Over (Standard 5-Star – Strong Alternative)

Provides 10% ERR, recovers 1 SP on every 2 Ultimate uses, and buffs the next acting ally’s DMG by 30% after Cerydra uses Skill. The SP recovery mirrors the signature’s primary non-ATK benefit. The 30% DMG buff after Skill targets the DPS character (who should be the next to act after receiving Military Merit). A strong accessible alternative from the standard banner or Starlight Exchange.

Past and Future (4-Star)

After Cerydra uses Skill, the next ally to take action gains 16% DMG for 1 turn. At high Superimposition, this contributes a steady DMG bonus that coincides with the DPS turn following Cerydra’s Skill. A solid budget option but notably lower ceiling than the 5-star alternatives.

Cerydra Best Relics in HSR

Cerydra’s relic goal is straightforward: maximise ATK (for the Military Merit share and personal damage), CRIT DMG (for her personal hits that are always guaranteed crits), and SPD (for action frequency and the A4 SPD buff uptime). Never chase CRIT Rate — it is already at 100% permanently.

Best 4-Piece Relic Set: Sacerdos’ Relived Ordeal

This is Cerydra’s best relic set. The 2-piece provides SPD, helping her reach rotation speed breakpoints and maximise the A4 trace’s +20 SPD buff uptime by acting more frequently. The 4-piece is the key: when Cerydra uses Skill or Ultimate on an ally, that ally gains a significant CRIT DMG boost for 2 turns. This CRIT DMG bonus stacks with the 72% Peerage CRIT DMG buff and the signature LC’s 54% Skill DMG increase for an extraordinary combined Skill DMG package during Coup de Main windows. The Sacerdos 4-piece stacks with and amplifies the Peerage window rather than competing with it. Farm this set specifically for Cerydra.

Alternative: Eagle of Twilight Line (4-Piece)

The 4-piece bonus advances Cerydra’s action forward by 25% after using her Ultimate, allowing her to act again more quickly and refresh Military Merit/Skill buffs sooner. The Wind DMG 2-piece bonus is somewhat wasted on a support, but the action advance is genuinely useful for maintaining buff uptime and reaching Peerage windows faster. A viable option if you have excellent Eagle pieces with strong ATK and CRIT DMG substats.

Best Planar Ornament: Lushaka, the Sunken Seas

Cerydra’s best Planar Ornament. It provides ERR and, when Cerydra is not the leading character (which is almost always true), boosts an ally’s ATK. The ERR helps her cycle her Ultimate more frequently for the Scholar’s Mate Charge generation and Talent counter reset. The ally ATK boost is a secondary benefit. This is the ornament to farm in Simulated Universe for Cerydra.

Alternative Planar Ornament: Penacony, Land of the Dreams

Provides ERR and a DMG bonus for allies of the same element as Cerydra (Wind). Useful in Wind-heavy compositions like Anaxa (Wind) teams where the DMG bonus applies. A strong alternative when Anaxa is the primary DPS target of Military Merit.

Relic Main Stats to Target

Head: HP (fixed)
Hands: ATK (fixed)
Body: CRIT DMG — her CRIT Rate is 100% permanently, so CRIT DMG main stat directly improves her guaranteed-crit Wind Additional DMG hits from the Talent and Ultimate.
Feet: SPD — aim for 140+ base (results in 160+ in-combat with A4 SPD buff active). Higher SPD means more Skill uses per cycle, faster Charge building, and more frequent Coup de Main windows.
Planar Sphere: ATK% — the primary offensive sphere for Cerydra. Scales Military Merit’s ATK share directly.
Link Rope: ATK% with signature LC (which handles ERR via Cantillation stacks). Energy Regeneration Rate if running an alternative LC without ERR.

Key Substat Priority

ATK% is the top substat priority — every percentage point amplifies the Military Merit ATK share to the DPS target and improves personal damage. CRIT DMG is next — her guaranteed crits on every Talent and Ultimate hit mean CRIT DMG substats translate efficiently into damage. SPD substats help reach the 140+ base threshold. Effect RES provides marginal protection but is lower priority. Never roll CRIT Rate substats — they are entirely wasted.

Stat Targets

ATK: 4,000+ (higher is always better for the Military Merit share)
CRIT DMG: 140%+ (scales all guaranteed-crit personal damage)
SPD: 140+ base (160+ in-combat with A4 buff)
CRIT Rate: 0% investment needed — it is always 100%

Cerydra Best Teams in HSR 4.3

Cerydra’s team building is more constrained than most Harmony supports. Her Coup de Main is powerful only for characters who deal most of their damage through Skill DMG. For DPS who rely primarily on Ultimate damage, Basic ATK, or Follow-Up Attacks, she provides only the Military Merit ATK share and Talent Additional DMG — useful but not her ceiling. Always verify that your primary DPS primarily deals Skill DMG before investing in Cerydra.

Premium Phainon Team: Phainon / Sunday / Cerydra / Dan Heng • Permansor Terrae

Cerydra is a definitive upgrade for Phainon teams. During his Complete Combustion transformation (Khaslana state), Phainon’s primary damage source is his Enhanced Skill (Soulscorch Edict and Stardeath Verdict). With Cerydra’s Coup de Main active during Khaslana’s window, each Enhanced Skill use during transformation fires twice — doubling the most powerful hits in his entire rotation. The Peerage 72% CRIT DMG buff stacks with the buffs snapshotted into his transformation. The A4 +20 SPD buff allows Phainon to run ATK% boots instead of SPD boots. Sunday provides Action Advance and CRIT buffs. Dan Heng • Permansor Terrae handles shields and ATK buffs. This is Cerydra’s best team for Phainon specifically. At E1, Cerydra additionally grants 2 Coreflames per Skill use (instead of 1), dramatically accelerating Phainon’s transformation trigger speed.

Premium Anaxa Team: Anaxa / Cerydra / Tribbie / Dan Heng • Permansor Terrae

Anaxa is Cerydra’s other best DPS partner — his entire damage profile is Skill DMG, his Skill bounces up to 5 times (generating multiple Coup de Main interactions), and his Qualitative Disclosure state fires free additional Skill copies off every attack on QD-active targets. With Cerydra’s Coup de Main active during Anaxa’s QD burst window, the combined chain interaction results in extraordinary total Skill hit counts per action. Tribbie provides RES PEN and DMG Taken debuffs that apply to every Skill hit, compounding with the high hit count. Dan Heng • Permansor Terrae sustains. This is a top-tier Anaxa composition that consistently clears MoC at high cycle efficiency.

Phainon + Cerydra Variation: Phainon / Cerydra / Cyrene / Dan Heng • Permansor Terrae

Including both Cyrene and Cerydra gives Phainon access to both Cyrene’s True DMG amplification and Cerydra’s Coup de Main skill duplication simultaneously. Cyrene’s first Ultimate activates all ally Ultimates — including Cerydra’s — which can accelerate the Charge building window. This is a high-investment Phainon team that presses both amplification layers at once. Note the anti-synergy caveat: Phainon’s transformation removes all allies from the field; Cerydra must have Peerage active and the DPS ready for Coup de Main before the transformation, since no buffs can be applied during the Departed state.

Accessible Phainon Team: Phainon / Cerydra / Bronya / Gallagher

An accessible Phainon composition that includes Cerydra without Sunday or Cyrene. Bronya provides Action Advance and CRIT DMG buffs. Gallagher handles healing without burning SP. Cerydra handles Coup de Main and ATK share. This team requires careful Charge management to ensure Peerage is active before Phainon transforms — with Bronya and Cerydra both using Skill on Phainon, Charge builds faster than in most setups.

Characters Cerydra Does NOT Work Well With

It is equally important to know who Cerydra should not support:

Ultimate-primary DPS (e.g., Acheron) — Coup de Main copies Skills, not Ultimates. Cerydra provides only the baseline Military Merit ATK share, not the Coup de Main ceiling.
FUA-primary DPS (e.g., Feixiao, Topaz) — Follow-Up Attacks are not Skill DMG. Cerydra’s kit has minimal interaction.
Basic ATK-primary DPS — Same issue. Military Merit ATK share helps but Coup de Main is irrelevant.
HP-scaling DPS without Skill focus — If the character’s Skill does not deal significant damage (e.g., Castorice’s Skill is primarily a HP drain / Newbud generator), Coup de Main copies don’t deliver meaningful damage.

Cerydra Trace Priority

Cerydra’s trace priorities focus on the buffs she applies to allies and her Charge building efficiency.

Skill – First. The Skill governs Charge generation speed, the Military Merit ATK share, and directly triggers the Sacerdos 4-piece CRIT DMG buff for the DPS target. More Skill levels means faster Charge building and more valuable buff triggers per use. Level this first.
Ultimate – Second. Higher Ultimate level increases the 240% ATK AoE damage multiplier and the Charge granted per cast (toward higher maximum). Since the Ultimate contributes both personal damage and Charge acceleration, leveling it is a direct DPS and rotation upgrade.
Talent – Third. Higher Talent level increases the 60% ATK Wind Additional DMG per trigger. Since this can fire up to 20 times per reset cycle, even small per-hit improvements compound into meaningful total damage over extended fights.
A4 Trace – Unlock early. The +20 SPD buff for Cerydra and the Military Merit holder is important for rotation timing and DPS boots flexibility. Unlock as soon as ascension allows.
A6 Trace – Unlock immediately. The permanent 100% CRIT Rate is essential knowledge for relic farming — it ensures every CRIT DMG investment pays off without any CRIT Rate investment needed. Unlocking it as early as possible crystallises the build direction.
Basic Attack – Last. Used only when SP is exhausted. Level minimally.

Cerydra Eidolons – Which Ones Are Worth It?

Cerydra’s Eidolons deliver meaningful improvements, with E1 being the standout priority especially for Phainon owners.

E1 – Best Value Eidolon (First Investment Priority)

E1 provides two significant effects:

The character with Military Merit ignores 16% of enemy DEF when dealing damage. If Military Merit has been upgraded to Peerage, this additionally ignores 20% of enemy DEF specifically for Skill DMG, for a combined 36% total DEF ignore during Coup de Main Skill hits. DEF ignore is one of the rarest and most powerful damage multiplier types — it compounds multiplicatively with all other buffs and does not suffer from diminishing returns the same way elemental DMG or ATK% bonuses do.
When Cerydra uses her Skill, she additionally regenerates 2 Energy for the designated ally target. For Phainon specifically, Energy regeneration translates directly to 2 Coreflame stacks per Skill use (instead of 1 at E0). Since Phainon needs 12 Coreflame to transform, E1 Cerydra accelerates his transformation by generating stacks twice as fast through Skill use. Community guides rate E1 as having transformative value specifically for Phainon owners — the DEF shred compounds with Phainon’s existing DEF penetration from relics, and the Coreflame acceleration significantly compresses his pre-transformation window.

E2 – Strong Team Damage Amplifier

When any ally uses their Skill while having Military Merit, all allies deal 40% more damage for a brief window. This is a team-wide DMG multiplier triggered by the DPS character’s Skill use — which happens constantly during active rotations. The 40% damage bonus applies to every character on the field briefly, making it a broad amplifier that benefits both the primary DPS and any sub-DPS or off-field contributors. Community estimates put E2 at approximately 15–20% total team DPS improvement. The recommended stopping point for dedicated Cerydra players.

E4 – Personal Sub-DPS Enhancement

Increases Wind DMG dealt by Cerydra’s Ultimate. Provides modest personal damage improvement. Does not improve her support capabilities — purely a personal damage bump. Considered the weakest Eidolon relative to cost for support-focused players.

E6 – Maximum Investment

Cerydra and the ally with Military Merit gain 20% All-Type RES PEN and the Additional DMG triggered by Military Merit (Talent) increases significantly whenever the ally uses their Skill. Combined with E1 and E2, E6 Cerydra allegedly enables up to 100% more total damage on the DPS target compared to E0. A dramatic spike at very high investment. Practically, E2 is the target for most players.

Cerydra Rotation Guide – How to Play Her

Cerydra’s rotation is built around one cycle: grant Military Merit, build Charge to 6 for Peerage, ensure the DPS uses their Skill while Peerage is active for Coup de Main, repeat.

Battle Start

Use Cerydra’s Technique before entering the fight. A2 trace applies Military Merit to the active character at no SP cost, and Technique pre-loads this at battle start. The DPS has Military Merit from turn 1 and immediately starts building Charge through their own actions. Cerydra starts with Military Merit already active, saving the first Skill use for Charge generation rather than initial application.

Building Charge

Cerydra gains 1 Charge per Skill use on the Military Merit holder. The holder gains Cerydra 1 Charge per Basic ATK or Skill use. With both sources active, Charge builds toward 6 within 3–4 turns in most teams. Use Cerydra’s Ultimate whenever ready to gain 2 bonus Charge and deal AoE damage. Every Ultimate use is a significant Charge shortcut — two turns of Skill would be needed to generate the same Charge organically.

Peerage Window

When Charge reaches 6, Peerage activates automatically. Do not miss this window. Ensure the DPS uses their Skill on an enemy target while Peerage is active — the Coup de Main fires immediately before the original Skill, giving full doubled Skill damage with the 72% Peerage CRIT DMG buff on both copies. After Coup de Main fires, 6 Charge is consumed and Peerage reverts to Military Merit. Begin the next Charge cycle immediately.

Timing for Phainon

For Phainon teams, there is a critical timing rule: Phainon’s transformation removes all allies from the field. Cerydra cannot act, gain Charge, or apply buffs while he is in Khaslana state. The goal is to have Peerage active and Coup de Main ready before Phainon triggers his transformation Ultimate. Use Cerydra’s Skill to reach Peerage just before Phainon’s Khaslana turn, ensuring he enters the transformation with the Coup de Main window ready for his first Khaslana Enhanced Skill use.

Should You Pull Cerydra in HSR 4.3?

Pull Cerydra if you own or plan to pull Phainon or Anaxa. She is a definitive upgrade for both characters — not an incremental improvement but a ceiling-shifting change that effectively doubles the most powerful hits in their rotation. The Coup de Main mechanic is unique in HSR: no other support duplicates an ally’s Skill at full power with 72% bonus CRIT DMG. For Skill DMG-focused DPS, she is irreplaceable.

Skip Cerydra if your primary DPS characters deal damage primarily through Ultimate, Follow-Up Attacks, or HP-drain mechanics rather than Skill DMG. For those archetypes, she provides only the baseline Military Merit ATK share and Talent Additional DMG — valuable but outperformed by supports tailored to those mechanics like Sunday for energy-dependent characters or Robin for FUA teams.

The honest caveat is exactly this specialisation — Cerydra earns T0.5 ratings specifically in Phainon and Anaxa compositions. Outside those archetypes, her tier drops sharply. Before pulling, verify that your roster will actually get value from Coup de Main. If you are a Phainon main, she is an unambiguous recommendation. If you have neither Phainon nor Anaxa, the investment is significantly less justified.

E1 is the priority investment for Phainon owners specifically — the Coreflame acceleration and DEF shred are both directly felt in every Phainon rotation. For Anaxa teams, E1 still provides meaningful DEF ignore but the Coreflame bonus is irrelevant. E2 is the recommended general stopping point for both archetypes.

For more on the DPS characters Cerydra pairs with, see our guides for Phainon and Anaxa. For other Harmony supports to compare or pair alongside Cerydra, see our guides for Sunday, Cyrene, Tribbie, and Robin.

Cerydra Build Guide HSR – Quick Summary

Role: Skill DMG Support / Coup de Main Amplifier
Element: Wind
Path: Harmony
Best Partners: Phainon and Anaxa (Skill DMG-primary DPS). Poor value for Ultimate/FUA/Basic ATK-primary DPS.
Best Light Cone: Epoch Etched in Golden Blood (signature) > Flowing Nightglow (Robin’s sig, for Phainon teams) > But the Battle Isn’t Over (standard 5-star) > Past and Future (4-star)
Best 4-Piece Relic Set: Sacerdos’ Relived Ordeal
Alternative Relic Set: Eagle of Twilight Line
Best Planar Ornament: Lushaka, the Sunken Seas
Body Main Stat: CRIT DMG
Feet Main Stat: SPD
Sphere Main Stat: ATK%
Rope Main Stat: ATK% (with signature LC) / Energy Regeneration Rate (without)
Stat Goals: 4,000+ ATK, 140%+ CRIT DMG, 140+ base SPD (160+ in-combat with A4 buff). CRIT Rate: 0% investment — permanently 100%.
Trace Priority: Skill > Ultimate > Talent > A4 (SPD buff) > A6 (100% CRIT Rate — unlock early for relic clarity) > Basic Attack
Best Eidolon: E1 (16/36% DEF ignore + 2 Coreflames for Phainon per Skill). E2 as recommended stopping point.
Best Teams: Phainon / Sunday / Cerydra / Permansor Terrae — Anaxa / Cerydra / Tribbie / Permansor Terrae
Critical Rules: Never build CRIT Rate. Always verify DPS primarily deals Skill DMG. For Phainon: trigger Peerage before his transformation, not after.
Meta Standing: T0.5 in MoC and AS in Skill DMG team compositions as of patch 4.3

For full skill calculations, complete Eidolon breakdowns, and updated meta placement, visit the complete Cerydra guide on GamingProMax.

For official version notes and event details, check the HoYoverse official Honkai Star Rail news page.