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The Best 4-Star Light Cones In Honkai: Star Rail, Ranked

Nov 10, 2024

As someone who has spent countless hours battling through the realms of Arknights, I can confidently say that these Light Cones are not only essential but also game-changing for any serious player. Each one brings its unique strengths to the table, tailored to specific roles and units within the game.

In Honkai Star Rail, having a five-star Lightcone isn’t the ultimate key to character development. In fact, some four-star Light cones can be just as impactful in turning the tide of battle, often without requiring a fortunate five-star pull. The thoughtful game developers at MiHoYo have ensured that each Path includes a notable four-star Light cone worth utilizing, and there are even some exceptional honorable mentions that truly shine in specific scenarios.

Here’s a summary of the top 4-star light cones you should have at your disposal. They offer damage enhancements as well as situational advantages, making them the most adaptable and efficient light cones that you will find particularly useful.

7.

Under the Blue Sky – The Destruction Path

Beneath the Clear Sky, you’ll find an excellent 4-star Light Cone ideal for characters specializing in Destruction Path, who often crave critical damage. This artifact stands out due to its simplicity, increasing base attack and boosting critical rate when adversaries are vanquished. With this enhancement, your Destruction characters, such as Jing-Liu or Imbibitor Lunae, become even more formidable, swiftly clearing waves and escalating damage against incoming foes.

Honorable Mention: Ninja Record – Sound Hunt

This Light Cone stands out due to its flat HP percentage bonus and straightforward Critical Damage (DMG) bonus, making it a popular choice for those seeking a potent damage increase without complex requirements. For those under the Blue Sky who prioritize simplicity, this could well be their pick. However, if you’re using characters like Blade, Clara, or Yunli, Ninja Record – Sound Hunt might better suit your playstyle.

6.

Memories of the Past – The Harmony Path

Memories of the Past brings invaluable support perks to Harmony Path units, making it a must-have for characters like Ruan Mei, Imaginary Trailblazer, or Tingyun. This light cone enhances Energy Regeneration, allowing these supports to unleash their powerful ultimates more often. It also gives a significant 28% (base) bonus to Break Effect, which makes it a prime Light Cone for the plethora of teams that focus on Break-Effect.

Honorable Mention: Carve the Moon, Weave the Clouds

This Light Cone continuously applies various boosts to Attack, Critical Damage, or Energy Regeneration when its user’s turn starts. Since these enhancements are applied randomly, there’s an element of unpredictability involved. Nevertheless, the consistent supply of buffs makes it extremely useful for Harmony characters, ensuring the team remains energized and prepared. It’s an excellent choice if you don’t focus on Break Effect.

5.

Landau’s Choice – The Preservation Path

Landau’s Selection follows the guiding principle of the Preservation Path: defend and endure. This light cone offers a substantial increase in damage resistance when the user is struck, ideal for tank characters such as Gepard and Fu Xuan. Additionally, it draws enemy focus towards the wearer, simplifying the management of incoming attacks, thereby safeguarding more fragile teammates from danger.

Honorable Mention: Day One of My New Life

With its ability to enhance teamwide defense and offer damage resistance, this Light Cone is excellent for increasing the overall survivability of your team. It serves as an effective alternative when Landau’s Choice isn’t available, or if you’re specifically looking to bolster your units’ defensive prowess. This Light Cone empowers your Preservation units to serve as a protective shield within your team.

4.

Before the Tutorial Mission Starts – The Nihility Path

Before the Tutorial Mission Starts is undoubtedly one of the strongest Light Cones for Nihility Path characters. With many Nihility characters relying on the Effect Hit Rate stat, this Light Cone can provide up to a whopping 40% (with free-to-play accessible Superimpositions), in addition to providing extra Energy if the wearer attacks a unit with reduced DEF. For units like Pela, Silver Wolf, and Jiaoqiu, it means better consistency on their debuffs and faster access to their skills, letting them disrupt enemies with ease.

Honorable Mention: Good Night and Sleep Well

Nihility units are split between debuffer and DOT units, and this Light Cone is especially good for the latter. By boosting both Effect Hit Rate and DoT effects, it’s ideal for units like Sampo, Kafka, Black Swan, and Guinaifen. For general Nihility roles, Before the Tutorial Mission Starts still remains a staple for its versatility, however, this Light Cone pulls ahead for any DOT-focused Nihility unit.

3.

Swordplay – The Hunt Path

In the world of Hunt Path, Swordplay stands out as a timeless skill. Each strike against the same foe increases its potency. Consequently, characters specialized in one-on-one combat, such as Dr. Ratio, Dan Heng, and Feixiao, gain an edge in prolonged battles, dealing more and more damage to their targets. This cone effect is particularly effective against high-health bosses, enabling Hunt units to zero in on single targets and swiftly deplete their health reserves.

Honorable Mention: Final Victor

This Light Cone provides substantial damage enhancements but requires a specific activation prerequisite. Initially amplifying your attack power by 12%, it also increments your Critical Damage every time you successfully strike an enemy critically. With the possibility of accumulating up to four stacks, each providing an additional 8% damage increase, the damage advantages of this Light Cone could surpass Swordplay if you’re prepared to put in the effort.

2.

Quid Pro Quo – The Abundance Path

While Quid Pro Quo may not appear flashy at first glance, it provides a valuable energy boost to the Abundance Path healers’ entire team. This energy beam grants Energy to a randomly selected ally whose energy is less than half of its maximum when the wearer acts. Given that numerous Abundance units already have effective means to sustain their teams, Quid Pro Quo’s additional functionality makes it more advantageous than straightforward healing bonuses.

Honorable Mention: Post-Op Conversation

To clarify, possessing healing advantages that are consistently outgoing guarantees their reliability. Furthermore, the bonus of an extra 8% self-energy regeneration makes it highly consistent. Particularly beneficial for units such as Natasha, Luocha, and Lynx, this Light Cone effect is something they can greatly take advantage of.

1.

Today is Another Peaceful Day – The Erudition Path

Today, the constantly active DMG increase of Another Peaceful Day sets it apart as the most reliable among the Erudition Light Cones. It truly shines when paired with standard Erudition characters like Herta, Himeko, and Argenti, as each of their attacks becomes more powerful.

Honorable Mention: Genius’s Repose

This Light Cone significantly increases its attack power by 16% and crit damage by 24% when defeating an enemy, making it highly effective in situations with multiple enemies, particularly during Erudtion unit-focused battles like Pure Fiction runs. On the other hand, Today is Another Peaceful has a wider range of applicability as it performs well not only in Pure Fiction, but also in other game modes such as Memory of Chaos and Apocalyptic Shadow, giving it an edge in versatility.

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2024-11-10 13:04