The cosmic opera of Honkai: Star Rail continues to expand, introducing Trailblazers to a fresh roster of captivating characters. Among them, the elusive Cypher, a new “Zlatius” character, recently made her debut during the second half of Patch 3.3, coinciding with the rerun of the esteemed Aglaia. With her unique blend of Quantum damage, debuffing capabilities, and a flair for the dramatic (and perhaps a bit of petty larceny), Cypher promises to shake up team compositions and provide a fresh tactical approach.
But how does one harness the full potential of this phantom thief? This comprehensive guide will dissect Cypher`s enigmatic kit, recommend the optimal Light Cones and Relic sets, and outline synergistic team compositions to ensure she steals not just materials, but also the show on the battlefield.
Cypher`s Toolkit: The Art of Subtlety and Surprise
Cypher`s abilities weave together a fascinating tapestry of stealth, damage, and enemy weakening. Understanding each thread is crucial to mastering her, as her kit is designed for cunning tactical plays.
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Technique: “Puss in Boots”
Before combat even begins, Cypher can enter a “Zagrea`s Blessing” state for 15 seconds, granting invisibility and a significant 50% speed boost. This isn`t just for looking cool; it allows her to steal materials from enemies up to 50 times a day—a rather charming, albeit morally ambiguous, bonus. Initiating combat from this state unleashes Quantum damage upon all foes and dramatically buffs her talent`s effect by 200%, setting the stage for a grand entrance. -
Basic Attack: “Oh, the Fish Got Away”
A straightforward, yet effective, single-target Quantum attack dealing 50-100% of her ATK. Sometimes, even phantom thieves just need to poke to get the job done. -
Skill: “Hey, Free Benefit”
Cypher deals Quantum damage to a chosen enemy and adjacent targets, applying “Helplessness.” This debuff ingeniously reduces the damage allies take, while simultaneously boosting Cypher`s own ATK for two turns. A true win-win, if you`re Cypher, as she ensures safety for her allies while increasing her own offensive capabilities. -
Ultimate: “Sincerely Yours, Phantom Thief Kitten”
Her ultimate attack delivers potent Quantum damage to a primary target. What makes it truly special is the additional True Damage, with 25% of it recorded by her talent and the remaining 75% distributed among the primary target and adjacent enemies. This is where her accumulated “thievery” from her talent truly pays off, culminating in a significant burst of damage. -
Talent: “Hospitable Dolosian”
This passive ability ensures Cypher is always watching. At the start of a battle, she marks the enemy with the highest HP as a “Regular Customer.” This mark can also be applied via her Skill or Ultimate, though only one enemy can be marked at a time. When allies attack this marked foe, Cypher unleashes a Quantum bonus attack (75-150% of her ATK, once per turn). A cunning 12% of this damage is recorded and then unleashed through her Ultimate. She might be a thief, but she certainly ensures repeat business from her targets.
Optimizing Cypher: Gear Up for Grand Heists
To maximize Cypher`s impact, a meticulous selection of Light Cones, Relics, and Planar Ornaments is paramount. Her kit heavily emphasizes Speed (SPD) and Effect Hit Rate, so prioritize these stats to ensure her debuffs land consistently and frequently.
Light Cones: The Tools of the Trade
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“Flying Lie in the Wind” (Signature Light Cone)
Unsurprisingly, Cypher`s signature Light Cone is her best-in-slot. It offers invaluable enhancements, particularly a significant speed boost—a crucial stat for her. Beyond excellent base stats, it can impose a double defense reduction on enemies, provided Cypher frequently attacks and achieves a hefty 170 SPD to fully realize its passive. This cone`s utility isn`t limited to Cypher; it`s a stellar choice for many Nihility characters, including the illustrious Silver Wolf. -
“Resolution Shines As Pearls of Sweat”
A fantastic epic-rarity alternative. This Light Cone perfectly suits Cypher`s debuffing role, significantly lowering enemy defense by applying “Entrapment” whenever an ally attacks. While it doesn`t boost Cypher`s personal damage directly, the team-wide DPS increase from reduced enemy defenses is undeniable and highly valuable. -
“Patience Is All You Need” (Kafka`s Signature Light Cone)
If Kafka isn`t using it, this 5-star cone can notably elevate Cypher`s personal damage through its substantial speed increase and the “Webbing” debuff, which inflicts periodic Electric DoT. It transforms Cypher from a pure debuffer into a significant damage contributor alongside her primary role. -
“Before the Tutorial Mission Starts”
Another epic-rarity option, while good, generally falls behind the others for overall synergy. Its passive helps restore energy for Cypher`s high-damage Ultimate and boosts Effect Hit Rate. However, relying on this cone means you`ll need other team members to provide the crucial defense reduction that Cypher often needs to capitalize on.
Relic Sets: The Phantom`s Garb
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2-Piece “Warrior of Sun and Storm” / 2-Piece “Messenger Traversing Hackerspace”
This combination reigns supreme for Cypher. It provides a maximal speed boost, which, as established, is her most vital combat stat. An ideal 170 SPD is the target, and this pairing grants a substantial 12% increase, almost guaranteeing she reaches that coveted threshold to frequently apply her debuffs and contribute to the team`s cycle. -
4-Piece “Pioneer Diver of Dead Waters”
If you`ve managed to secure high SPD for Cypher through substats or other means, this set becomes an excellent second choice. It significantly amplifies her personal damage and critical hit rate. Given that Cypher constantly applies debuffs through her kit, this set`s passive will be active almost continuously, providing consistent and robust damage output.
Planar Ornaments: The Finisher`s Touch
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“Firmament Frontline: Glamoth”
The undisputed best Planar Ornament set for Cypher. It offers a respectable speed boost, and crucially, if you hit that 170 SPD target (which should be your top priority), it further augments her damage output, turning her into an even more formidable presence on the battlefield. -
“Space Sealing Station”
This set notably increases Cypher`s critical hit rate. To unlock its full passive effect—which boosts her Ultimate and bonus attack damage (her primary DPS sources)—you`ll need to achieve at least 50% critical rate. While sometimes challenging to reach, the payoff for her damage ceiling is substantial, making her bonus attacks hit even harder.
Cypher`s Entourage: Assembling the Perfect Heist Crew
Cypher truly shines when paired with characters who can capitalize on her debuffs and frequent bonus attacks. Her ability to weaken enemies and contribute to team-wide damage makes her a versatile asset. Here are some prime candidates for her ideal team compositions:
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Acheron
The enigmatic Emanator of Nihility is arguably Cypher`s best partner. Cypher`s consistent debuff application perfectly stacks Acheron`s ultimate, transforming her into a destructive force. Moreover, Cypher`s personal damage output is impressive, standing toe-to-toe with other strong Nihility supports like Jiaoqiu in terms of utility and overall contribution. -
Feixiao
This general from Xianzhou Luofu also benefits immensely from Cypher. Not only do Cypher`s debuffs aid Feixiao`s damage, but her frequent bonus attacks contribute significantly to charging Feixiao`s ultimate. Cypher can prove as valuable in these teams as other known follow-up attack enablers like Mocze or Topaz. -
Aglaia
Another fellow “Zlatius” character, Aglaia, forms a potent duo with Cypher. Aglaia`s frequent actions, along with those of her summoned `seamstress,` allow Cypher to unleash her bonus attacks more often, leading to a substantial increase in Cypher`s overall damage output. Their combined DPS and synergy can be devastating to foes. -
Dr. Ratio
The erudite Path of The Hunt character thrives on enemies with reduced defenses, a specialty Cypher provides in spades. By consistently shredding enemy defenses, Cypher enables Dr. Ratio to deal significantly more damage, making them a highly synergistic pair, fitting perfectly into Ratio`s standard team builds where debuffs are key.
Cypher emerges as a fascinating addition to the Honkai: Star Rail roster, offering a blend of utility, damage, and a truly unique playstyle. Her emphasis on Speed and debuffs carves out a distinct niche, rewarding players who meticulously optimize her gear and intelligently pair her with synergistic allies. Whether she`s subtly influencing battles by stealing resources or dramatically weakening the toughest foes, Cypher is ready to become a pivotal part of your trailblazing adventures. Equip her wisely, and watch her turn the tide of battle with a mischievous grin and a cunning quantum strike.
