Video Guide:
Here is a guide on Black Swan, Honkai Star Rail’s newest Wind Nihility D.O.T. character.
Should you pull for Black Swan?
Black Swan excels as a D.O.T. D.P.S., showcasing her prowess across various content types. Although she operates independently of Kafka, her typical strategy benefits significantly from pairing with another D.O.T. character. This requirement can lead to higher team-building costs due to the necessity of acquiring and enhancing suitable D.O.T. companions. Despite this, Black Swan's dual role as both a potent debuffer and a reliable D.P.S. makes her a valuable addition to many teams, particularly for players in need of a wind-element D.P.S.
However, for those considering the overall value and utility of their roster, Sparkle presents an intriguing alternative. As a Harmony character, Sparkle offers a different set of advantages, potentially providing broader strategic flexibility or filling gaps in team compositions that Black Swan might not address. The choice between Black Swan and Sparkle thus depends on specific team needs, existing character synergy, and the strategic goals of the player. If the aim is to enhance a team's D.O.T. capabilities, especially with the wind element, Black Swan is a commendable choice. Conversely, if a player seeks to diversify their team's attributes or requires the unique benefits offered by a Harmony character, Sparkle may offer better overall value.
In-depth Guide:
Technique: After employing this technique, every enemy has a 150 percent base chance of being inflicted with 1 stack of Arcana at the beginning of the next battle. Upon each successful application of Arcana on a target, an additional stack of Arcana is inflicted on the same target. This sequence continues until a stack of Arcana fails to be applied to the target. The base chance for each subsequent application of Arcana on a target is halved from the base chance of the previous successful infliction of Arcana on that target.
Skills and Traces
Basic attack: Deals wind damage equal to 36 percent to 60 percent, depending on trace levels, of Black Swan's Attack to a single target enemy, with a base chance of 53 percent to 65 percent of inflicting 1 stack of Arcana. If the target currently has Wind Shear, Bleed, Burn, or Shock, each has a base chance of 53 percent to 65 percent of inflicting an extra stack of Arcana on the enemy.
Skill: Deals wind damage equal to 45 percent to 90 percent of Black Swan's attack to a single target enemy and any adjacent targets, with a 100 percent base chance of inflicting 1 stack of Arcana on the target and adjacent targets. Also, there is a 100 percent chance of reducing the defense of the target and adjacent targets by 14.8 percent to 20.8 percent, lasting for 3 turns.
Ultimate: Inflicts Epiphany on all enemies for 2 turns, increasing the damage they take by 15 percent to 25 percent during their turn. The Arcana effect is treated as wind shear, bleed, burn, and shock effects. Additionally, when their Arcana effect is triggered at the start of the next turn, the Arcana stacks do not reset. This non-reset effect can be triggered up to once during Epiphany's duration. It deals wind damage equal to 72 percent to 120 percent of Black Swan's attack to all enemies.
Talent: Every time an enemy target receives D.O.T. at the start of each turn, there is a 50 percent to 65 percent base chance of inflicting them with Arcana. While under the effect of Arcana, enemy targets suffer Wind D.O.T. equal to 96 percent to 240 percent of Black Swan's attack at the beginning of each turn. Each Arcana stack enhances this D.O.T. damage multiplier by 4.8 percent to 12 percent. Subsequently, Arcana resets to 1 stack. Arcana can accumulate up to 50 times. The additional effects based on the number of Arcana stacks are triggered only when Arcana causes damage at the start of an enemy target's turn. With 3 or more Arcana stacks, Wind D.O.T. equal to 72 percent to 180 percent of Black Swan's attack is dealt to adjacent targets, with a 50 percent to 65 percent base chance of applying 1 stack of Arcana to these adjacent targets. When there are 7 or more Arcana stacks, the current D.O.T. being dealt at that time will ignore 20 percent of both the targeted and adjacent targets' defense.
Major Traces
A2: After using the skill to hit an enemy afflicted with Wind Shear, Bleed, Burn, or Shock, there is a 65 percent base chance of adding 1 additional stack of Arcana for each of these debuffs.
A4: There is a 65 percent base chance to apply 1 stack of Arcana when a target enters the battle. Whenever an enemy target receives D.O.T. from a single attack by an ally, there's a 65 percent base chance to inflict 1 stack of Arcana, which can accumulate up to 3 times during a single attack.
A6 increases Black Swan's damage by an amount equal to 60 percent of her effect hit rate, with a maximum damage boost of 72 percent.
Trace Level Priority: Talent, then either Skill or Ultimate, then Basic attack
Eidolons:
E1: While Black Swan is engaged in combat, the presence of wind shear, bleed, burn, or shock on enemies leads to a reduction in their corresponding resistances to wind, physical, fire, or lightning by 25 percent.
This capability significantly enhances the effectiveness of all D.O.T. allies, making Black Swan exceptionally potent when paired with another D.O.T. D.P.S. character at E1.
E2: Upon the defeat of an enemy afflicted with Arcana, there is a guaranteed 100 percent chance of applying 6 stacks of Arcana to adjacent enemies.
This eidolon makes Black Swan particularly effective in scenarios involving blast and A.O.E. damage, enabling widespread application of her unique D.O.T.
E3: Increases Black Swan’s Skill and Talent Level by 2.
These enhancements are crucial for maximizing the impact of Black Swan's abilities in battle.
E4: When in the epiphany state, enemy targets experience a 10 percent reduction in their effect resistance. Simultaneously, Black Swan regenerates 8 energy at the start of their turn or upon their defeat. This regeneration effect is limited to once per Epiphany duration but resets with each new infliction of Epiphany, effectively addressing Black Swan's energy management challenges.
E5: Increases Ultimate Level by 2 and Basic Attack Level by 1.
These improvements are instrumental in facilitating the rapid accumulation of Arcana stacks, significantly enhancing Black Swan's damage output.
E6: When Black Swan's allies attack enemy targets, she has a 65 percent base chance of applying 1 stack of Arcana to the target. Each instance of Arcana inflicted by Black Swan also carries a 50 percent fixed chance of further increasing the Arcana stacks by 1, reinforcing her role as a formidable D.O.T. D.P.S. in the game.
Rotations
To maximize the application of Arcana stacks before an enemy's turn, Black Swan employs specific rotations based on the battle context.
Normal Rotation: Initially, use the skill to apply defense shred to the enemy. Following this, the basic attack is utilized to add more Arcana stacks. If the enemy is affected by various D.O.T.s, continuously using her skill might be more effective to increase Arcana stacks further. Do a skill first, then a basic attack or skill, then another basic attack or skill (depending on the presence of multiple D.O.T.s on the enemy).
Rotation after using Black Swan’s Ultimate: During the Epiphany state, it is advantageous to repeatedly use the skill to inflict additional Arcana stacks due to the enhanced effects. First do an ultimate, then one skill into another skill.
Best-in-slot relic set: 4-piece Prisoner in Deep Confinement
The 2 piece effect increases attack by 12 percent. The 4 piece effect does the following: for every D.O.T. the target enemy is afflicted with, the wearer ignores 6 percent of the enemy’s defense per D.O.T., up to a maximum of 3 D.O.T.s when dealing damage.
2-piece Pan-Cosmic Commercial Enterprise: This enhancement boosts the wearer's effect hit rate by 10 percent. Concurrently, it raises the wearer's attack by an amount equivalent to 25 percent of the current effect hit rate, with a cap at a 25 percent increase in attack.
Main Stat Recommendations:
An effect hit rate body piece with around 120 percent or an attack body piece. Speed Feet with 134 or more speed. A planar sphere with a wind damage main stat or an attack percent main stat. A link rope with attack percent, which should allow Black Swan to ideally reach around 2900 total attack.
Substat Priority: Prioritize speed until 134, then effect hit rate until 120 percent, attack percent to 2900, and prioritize break effect last.
Light Cone Recommendations
Black Swan’s Signature Light Cone: Reforged Remembrance
The effect grants the wearer an increase in effect hit rate of 40 percent to 60 percent, depending on the number of superimpositions. Additionally, when the wearer deals damage to an enemy afflicted with Wind Shear, Burn, Shock, or Bleed, each condition triggers the addition of 1 stack of Prophet, with the potential to accumulate up to 4 stacks within a single battle. However, for each type of D.O.T. effect, only 1 stack of Prophet can be granted. Each stack of Prophet boosts the wearer's attack by 5 percent to 10 percent and allows the D.O.T. dealt to bypass 7.2 percent to 10 percent of the target's defense.
It is Black Swan’s best light cone. It increases her effect hit rate, attack percent, and ignores defense on D.O.T. The condition is easy to achieve because of her ultimate.
Best 4 star light cone: Eyes of the prey
Its effect enhances the wearer's effect hit rate by 20 percent to 40 percent and boosts D.O.T. by 20 percent to 40 percent. As the best 4-star option overall, this is particularly valuable for characters like Black Swan, who have high effect hit rate demands. Achieving the necessary effect hit rate levels can be challenging without specific light cones, such as Eyes of Prey, even when using relics focused on effect hit rate. This makes it a highly effective choice at S5.
E1 versus S1:
E1 will lead to a more significant damage increase for the team, indicating its importance in boosting overall team performance through enhanced capabilities and stats.
Black Swan’s Signature Light Cone holds equivalent priority for players who do not possess either Eyes of the Prey S5 or Before the Tutorial Mission Starts S5. This means that in the absence of these specific 4 star light cones, which are highly effective in enhancing Black Swan’s abilities, her signature light cone becomes critical to consider. It serves as a valuable alternative for optimizing Black Swan’s performance, particularly for those aiming to maximize her damage output without access to the aforementioned 4 star light cones.
Character Synergies:
Kafka stands out as the optimal partner for all D.O.T. characters, retaining her unique position as the sole character capable of detonating all existing D.O.T.s on enemies. Kafka's ability to frequently apply her own D.O.T. through follow-up attacks significantly enhances her synergy with Black Swan, aiding in the accumulation of Arcana stacks. Moreover, both characters excel at delivering blast and A.O.E. damage through their skills and ultimates. This complementary capability makes them exceptionally effective across various game modes, including Memory of Chaos and Pure Fiction, ensuring their prowess is felt in any content they tackle together.
If Kafka is not on the player's roster, Sampo emerges as Black Swan's second-best ally, particularly when enhanced to E6. Their shared wind element alignment offers tactical advantages against enemies vulnerable to wind damage, enhancing their synergy in battle. Sampo's consistent application of his D.O.T. effect complements Black Swan's playstyle effectively. At E4, Sampo gains the ability to trigger his own D.O.T.s, further amplifying the number of Arcana stacks that Black Swan can accumulate. Additionally, Sampo brings a valuable D.O.T. vulnerability debuff to the table, which Black Swan greatly benefits from. This combination of shared elemental damage, enhanced D.O.T. application, and debuff support makes Sampo an excellent partner for Black Swan, especially in the absence of Kafka.
Guinaifen becomes an exceptional choice when facing enemies with a fire weakness. She stands out as she does not require eidolons to excel and is capable of detonating her own D.O.T. effects through her Ultimate. Although Guinaifen may not contribute as many Arcana stacks to Black Swan as Sampo does, she still offers a potent combination of strong D.O.T. and vulnerability effects. This makes her a valuable ally for Black Swan, especially in scenarios where exploiting elemental weaknesses is crucial. Guinaifen's ability to independently inflict significant damage and enhance vulnerability aligns well with Black Swan's mechanics, providing a robust strategic option against fire-susceptible adversaries.
Luka is a suitable choice for confronting enemies with a physical weakness, offering a specialized approach different from Sampo or Guinaifen. Unlike them, Luka's abilities are strictly single-target, making him particularly effective against bosses rather than groups of enemies. Despite this focus, he is capable of dealing a significant amount of damage and possesses the consistent ability to detonate his own D.O.T. effects. This makes Luka a valuable asset in battles where targeting individual, high-priority targets is key. His proficiency in dealing high damage and reliably triggering his own D.O.T. makes him a strong contender in matchups that favor physical damage, complementing Black Swan's capabilities in a more focused manner.
Ruan Mei stands out as one of the game's most formidable buffers, making her an asset for any D.P.S. character, particularly those on D.O.T. teams. She offers an array of enhancements that align perfectly with the needs of D.O.T. characters, including significant boosts to their damage output. Additionally, Ruan Mei brings a very potent Weakness Break effect to the table, further amplifying the team's overall damage potential against enemies with specific vulnerabilities.
Teams:
Black Swan’s best team is her, Kafka, Ruan Mei, and Huohuo.
Black Swan can also work in a team with 3 D.O.T. characters, namely, her, Kafka, either Guinaifen or Sampo or Luka, and Luocha.
Pela, Asta, and Tingyun are great flex supports for any Black Swan team.
Quick Overview:
Black Swan is an outstanding D.O.T. D.P.S., remarkably self-sufficient as she does not rely on Kafka to excel. She introduces a unique D.O.T. called Arcana, which can accumulate up to 50 stacks simultaneously, dealing wind damage. These stacks reset at the beginning of each turn. Additionally, Black Swan applies defense shred and vulnerability through her skill and ultimate, respectively. She requires around a 120 percent effect hit rate to apply her debuffs effectively and maximize her damage buff.
E0 Self-sufficiency: Eidolons significantly enhance Black Swan's damage output, but they are not essential for gameplay.
Recommended Relics: 4-piece Prisoner in Deep Confinement and 2-piece Pan-Cosmic Commercial Enterprise is her best-in-slot relic combination.
Recommended stats for relics: An effect hit rate body piece with around 120 percent or an attack body piece. Speed Feet with 134 or more speed. A planar sphere with a wind damage main stat or an attack percent main stat. A link rope with an attack percent main stat.
Recommended Character Stats: H.P.: Around 3000 Defense: Around 900 Attack: More than 2900 Effect Hit Rate: 120 percent Speed: 134 or more
Trace Level Priority: Talent, then either Skill or Ultimate, then Basic attack
Synergies: Black Swan synergizes exceptionally well with D.O.T. characters such as Kafka, Sampo, and Guinaifen, as well as harmony characters like Ruan Mei.
Pros:
Black Swan is an excellent D.O.T. D.P.S. with A.O.E. capabilities. Effective in any content, including pure fiction 4 and Memory of Chaos 12. Highly synergistic with D.O.T. characters. Applies 100 percent uptime defense shred. Possesses the highest D.O.T. multiplier. Scales with Effect Hit Rate. Her D.O.T. can deal blast damage at more than 3 stacks. She applies 25 percent vulnerability during the enemy's turn.