Honkai Star Rail Trailblazer build
Introducing the Honkai Star Rail Trailblazer, our vessel for joining the crew of the Astral Express and saving the universe from Stellarons. But who exactly is the HSR Trailblazer? What are their skills, and what’s the best build for them? We’re here to answer all these questions for you.
We’ve got plenty of trailblazing guides for you to study up on including a Honkai Star Rail tier list, a guide to the Honkai Star Rail next banner, and a list of Honkai Star Rail codes. There are also build guides for more of our crewmates like Honkai Star Rail’s Black Swan, Honkai Star Rail’s Robin, and Honkai Star Rail’s Himeko.
Here’s everything you need for a strong Honkai Star Rail Trailblazer build:
What’s the best Honkai Star Rail Trailblazer build?
The Trailblazer is an adaptive character, meaning you can align them with different paths and elements as you progress through the story. So far, we’ve seen the Trailblazer aligned with the path of Destruction, the path of Preservation, and most recently, the path of Harmony.
When aligned with the path of Destruction, the Trailblazer’s kit is all about hitting hard with physical damage that scales off of their attack stat. They have both single attack and blast options so they’re a great all-round attacker for big bosses or groups of enemies. We recommend putting your resources into raising their attack stat and physical damage capabilities.
When aligned with the path of Preservation, the Trailblazer dishes out heavy hits that deal fire damage. Their normal attack triggers a shield for the whole team while also hitting the enemy with a single strike, whereas their skill sees them plant their weapon in front of them, creating a shield for the team and taunting enemies to focus attacks on them instead of their allies. Their ult also triggers the team-wide shield, while also dishing out AoE fire damage to all enemies.
When aligned with the path of Harmony, the Trailblazer provides break effect buffs to their team while also dealing imaginary damage. Their skill deals spread imaginary damage across the field and their ultimate massively increases all allies’ break effect, while introducing Super Break damage. Focus on building their HP and defense for survivability as their break effect buffs are super powerful.
What are the best light cones for the Trailblazer?
Destruction Trailblazer light cones
If you can’t get a hold of Something Irreplaceable or On the Fall of an Aeon, our three-star recommendation is Collapsing Sky. Or you can use any that follow the path of Destruction.
| Light cone | Effect | How to obtain |
| Something Irreplaceable (five-star) | Increases the Trailblazer’s attack by 24%. After receiving an attack, you immediately restore HP equal to 8% of your attack and increase damage dealt by 20%. This effect is valid until the end of the Trailblazer’s turn. The effect cannot stack and can only trigger once per turn | Gacha |
| On the Fall of an Aeon (five-star) | Whenever the Trailblazer attacks, it increases their attack by 8% up to four times. When you inflict weakness break on enemies, your damage increases a further 12% for two turns | Herta’s Store |
| Collapsing Sky (three-star) | Increases Trailblazer’s basic attack and skill damage by 20% | Gacha |
Preservation Trailblazer light cones
For Preservation Trailblazer, we recommend the Texture of Memories light cone from Herta’s Store or Honkai Star Rail Gepard‘s Moment of Victory Light Cone. Of, for a four-star option, we recommend Day One of My New Life or Landau’s choice. If you don’t have any of these to hand or want to try something different, just make sure that it also aligns with the path of Preservation.
| Light cone | Effect | How to obtain |
| Texture of Memories (five-star) | Increases the Trailblazer’s effect resistance by 8%. If an enemy attacks the Trailblazer when they don’t have a shield, they gain a shield equal to 16% of their max HP for two turns. This effect can only trigger once every three turns. If the Trailblazer has a shield when they’re attacked, the damage they receive decreases by 12% | Herta’s store |
| Moment of Victory (five-star) | Increases the Trailblazer’s defense by 24% and effect hit rate by 20%. Also increases the chance that enemies will attack the Trailblazer. When an enemy attacks the Trailblazer, their defense increases by an additional 24% until the end of their turn | Gacha or the Starlight Exchange store |
| Day One of My New Life (four-star) | Increases the Trailblazer’s defense by 16%. After entering battle, also increases the damage resistance of all allies by 8%. Effects of the same type can’t stack | Gacha |
| Landau’s Choice (four-star) | The Trailblazer is more likely to be attacked, but the damage they take reduces by 16% | Gacha |
Harmony Trailblazer light cones
Harmony Trailblazer’s best light cone for break effect is Past Self in Mirror, Honkai Star Rail Ruan Mei‘s signature five-star cone. No other cones compare when it comes to this stat, but you’ll need to supplement the Trailblazer’s energy regeneration with a link rope if you use it before reaching E6.
A great four-star option is Memories of the Past, as it’s easier to obtain than Past Self and has better energy regeneration stats, replacing the five-star cone’s team-wide damage buff. Using this cone also lets you equip a break effect link rope to compensate. If you’re really struggling for energy regeneration and just want to keep the Trailblazer’s ultimate live, a fully-upgraded Meshing Cogs light cone is a fantastic budget pick.
| Light cone | Effect | How to obtain |
| Past Self in Mirror (five-star) | Increases the Trailblazer’s break effect by 60%. When the Trailblazer uses their ultimate, increases all allies’ damage by 24%, lasting for three turns. Should the Trailblazer’s break effect exceed or equal 150%, recover one skill point. At the start of each wave, all allies regenerate ten energy immediately. Effects of the same type cannot stack | Limited gacha alongside Ruan Mei |
| Memories of the Past (four-star) | Increases the Trailblazer’s break effect by 28%. When the Trailblazer attacks, additionally regenerates four energy. This effect cannot be repeatedly triggered in a single turn | Gacha |
| Meshing Cogs (three-star) | After the Trailblazer uses attacks or gets hit, additionally regenerates four energy. This effect can only be triggered once per turn | Gacha |
What are the best relics for the Trailblazer?
Destruction Trailblazer relics
The best Honkai Star Rail relics for the Destruction Trailblazer so far are those that increase physical damage and attack. Champion of Streetwise Boxing is perfect for this but also one of the starting relic sets that you encounter, Musketeer of Wild Wheat, does almost as good a job and is much easier to find than other options.
As they’re a hard-hitting DPS unit, the Destruction Trailblazer’s best planar ornament set is Space Sealing Station, which is also one of the easier sets to get in the Simulated Universe.
| Relic set | Effect | How to obtain |
| Champion of Streetwise Boxing | Two equipped: increases physical damage by 10% Four equipped: after the Trailblazer attacks or is hit by an enemy, their attack increases by 5% for the rest of the battle. This effect can stack up to five times |
Cavern of Corrosion: Path of Jabbing Punch in Jarilo-VI’s Everwinter Hill |
| Musketeer of Wild Wheat | Two equipped: increases attack by 10% Four equipped: increases the Trailblazer’s speed by 6% and their basic attack damage by 10% |
Cavern of Corrosion: Path of Drifting in Jarilo-VI’s Corridor of Fading Echoes |
Planar ornaments
| Relic set | Effect | How to obtain |
| Space Sealing Station | Two equipped: increases the Trailblazer’s attack by 12%. When their speed reaches 120 or higher, their attack increases by another 12% | Immersion Reward devices in World 3 of the Simulated Universe |
Destruction Trailblazer relic stat recommendations
Main stats:
- Body: crit rate/damage
- Feet: speed or attack
- Planar sphere: physical damage bonus or attack
- Link rope: attack or break effect
Sub-stats:
Preservation Trailblazer relics
When aligned with the path of Preservation, the best relics for the Trailblazer are Knight of Purity Palace and Guard of Wuthering Snow. These sets both buff the Trailblazer’s shielding capabilities. If you want to buff their personal damage, try Firesmith of Lava Forging instead.
Getting the best planar ornament set for the Preservation Trailblazer can be tough – they benefit the most from Belobog of the Architects, but this is a high level reward from World 6. Instead, you could use Space Sealing Station to boost their attack, just like in the Destruction build.
| Relic set | Effect | How to obtain |
| Firesmith of Lava Forging | Two equipped: increases fire damage by 10% Four equipped: increases the Trailblazer’s skill damage by 12%. After unleashing an ultimate, the Trailblazer’s next attack deals an additional 12% fire damage |
Cavern of Corrosion: Path of Conflagration in The Xianzhou Luofu’s Stargazer Navalia |
| Guard of Wuthering Snow | Two equipped: reduces damage taken by 8% Four equipped: at the beginning of the turn, if the Trailblazer’s HP is equal to or less than 50% of their max HP, they restore HP equal to 8% of their max HP and regenerate five energy |
Cavern of Corrosion: Path of Providence in Jarilo-VI’s Everwinter Hill |
| Knight of Purity Palace | Two equipped: increases defense by 12% Four equipped: when the Trailblazer creates a shield, it can absorb and additional 20% max damage |
Cavern of Corrosion: Path of Holy Hymn in the Xianzhou Luofu’s Cloudford |
Planar ornaments
| Relic set | Effect | How to obtain |
| Belobog of the Architects | Two equipped: increases the Trailblazer’s defense by 15%. When their effect hit rate is 50% or higher, they gain an extra 15% defense | Immersion Reward devices in World 6 of the Simulated Universe |
Preservation Trailblazer relic stat recommendations
Main stats:
- Body: defense%
- Feet: speed or defense %
- Planar sphere: defense% or fire damage bonus
- Link rope: energy regeneration rate to requirements or defense%
Sub-stats:
- Attack
- Crit rate
- Crit damage
Harmony Trailblazer relics
Choosing the right relics for the Harmony Trailblazer is all about balancing their two best stats: speed and break effect. The optimal break effect relic loadout is four pieces of Watchmaker, Master of Dream Machinations thanks to its personal and team-wide break effect buffs.
Thief of Shooting Meteor and Messenger Traversing Hackerspace are fantastic flexible sets that you can either pair together for a combination of speed and break effect buffs, or combine with a two-piece set of Watchmaker for a similar stat spread. Thief and Watchmaker is the best combination to increase the Trailblazer’s personal break effect.
For planar ornaments, choosing Talia: Kingdom of Banditry is a no-brainer. Its effect provides even more break effect stats and you’ll almost always trigger its secondary effect thanks to the Trailblazer’s impressive speed. If you’re struggling for energy regeneration in certain builds, you can swap this out for Sprightly Vonwacq.
| Relic set | Effect | How to obtain |
| Watchmaker, Master of Dream Machinations | Two equipped: increases break effect by 16% Four equipped: when the Trailblazer uses their ultimate on an ally, all allies’ break effect increases by 30% for two turns. This effect cannot stack |
Cavern of Corrosion: Path of Dreamdive in Penacony’s The Reverie hotel |
| Thief of Shooting Meteor | Two equipped: increases break effect by 16% Four equipped: increases the Trailblazer’s break effect by 16%. After they inflict weakness break on an enemy, regenerates three energy |
Cavern of Corrosion: Path of Jabbing Punch in Jarilo-VI’s Everwinter Hill |
| Messenger Traversing Hackerspace | Two equipped: increases speed by 6% Four equipped: when the Trailblazer uses their ultimate on an ally, speed for all allies increases by 12% for one turn. This effect cannot stack |
Cavern of Corrosion: Path of Elixir Seekers in Xianzhou Luofu’s Alchemy Commission |
Planar ornaments
| Relic set | Effect | How to obtain |
| Talia: Kingdom of Banditry | Two equipped: increases the Trailblazer’s break effect by 16%. When their speed reaches 145 or higher, the Trailblazer’s break effect increases by an extra 20% | Immersion Reward devices in World 4 of the Simulated Universe |
| Sprightly Vonwacq | Two equipped: increases the Trailblazer’s energy regeneration rate by 5%. When their speed reaches 120 or higher, the Trailblazer’s action is advanced forward by 40% immediately upon entering battle | Immersion Reward devices in World 4 of the Simulated Universe |
Harmony Trailblazer relic stat recommendations
Main stats:
- Body: HP% or defense%
- Feet: speed
- Planar sphere: HP% or defense%
- Link rope: energy regeneration rate to requirements or break effect
Sub-stats:
- Speed
- Break effect
- HP%
- Effect resistance
What are the Trailblazer’s abilities?
Destruction Trailblazer attacks
Active skills:
| Skill | Effect |
| Basic attack – Farewell Hit (single attack) | Deals physical damage equal to 50% of the Trailblazer’s attack to a target enemy |
| Skill – RIP Home Run (blast) | Deals physical damage equal to 62% of the Trailblazer’s attack to a target enemy and any adjacent enemies |
| Ultimate – Stardust Ace (single attack or blast) | Mode one deals physical damage equal to 300% of the Trailblazer’s attack to a single enemy. Mode two deals physical damage equal to 180% of the Trailblazer’s attack to a single enemy and physical damage equal to 108% of the Trailblazer’s attack to adjacent enemies |
Talent:
| Skill | Effect |
| Perfect Pickoff | Each time the Trailblazer inflicts weakness break on an enemy, their attack increases by 10%. This effect can stack up to two times |
Technique:
| Technique | Effect |
| Immortal Third Strike | Immediately heals all allies for 15% of their respective max HP |
Traces:
| Trace | Effect |
| Ready for Battle | The Trailblazer immediately regenerates 15 energy at the beginning of the battle |
| Perseverance | Each stack of their talent increases the Trailblazer’s defense by 10% |
| Fighting Will | The Trailblazer’s blast attacks (skill or ultimate) deal 25% more damage to the target enemy |
Preservation Trailblazer attacks
Active skills:
| Skill | Effect |
| Ice-Breaking Light (basic) | Deal fire damage equal to 50% of the Trailblazer’s attack to a target enemy and gain one stack of Magma Will |
| Ice-Breaking Light (enhanced) | Consume four stacks of Magma Will to enhance Trailblazer’s basic attack, dealing fire damage equal to 90% of the Trailblazer’s attack to a single enemy, and fire damage equal to 36% of the Trailblazer’s attack to adjacent enemies |
| Ever-Burning Amber | Increases the Trailblazer’s damage reduction by 40% and grants them one stack of Magma Will, with an additional 100% base chance to increase the likelihood that all enemies will attack them for one turn |
| War-Flaming Lance | Deal fire damage equal to 50% of the Trailblazer’s attack plus 75% of the Trailblazer’s defense to all enemies. The next basic attack is automatically enhanced and doesn’t cost Magma Will |
Talent:
| Skill | Effect |
| Treasure of the Architects | Each time an enemy hits the Trailblazer, they gain one stack of Magma Will for a max of eight stacks. When Magma Will has four stacks or more, enhances the Trailblazer’s basic attack, dealing damage to a single enemy and adjacent enemies. When the Trailblazer uses their basic attack, skill, or ultimate, they apply a shield to the entire ally team that absorbs damage equal to 4% of the Trailblazer’s defense plus 16. This shield lasts for two turns |
Technique:
| Technique | Effect |
| Call of the Guardian | At the start of the next battle, gains a shield that blocks damage equal to 50% of the Trailblazer’s defense plus 160 for one turn |
Traces:
| Trace | Effect |
| The Strong Defends the Weak | After the Trailblazer uses their skill, reduces the damage taken by all allies by 15% for one turn |
| Unwavering Gallantry | When the Trailblazer uses their enhanced basic attack, they restore 5% of their max HP |
| Action Beats Overthinking | When the Trailblazer starts the turn protected by a shield, they regenerate five energy and their attack increases by 15% until the action is over |
Harmony Trailblazer attacks
Active skills:
| Skill | Effect |
| Swing Dance Etiquette (single attack) | Deals imaginary damage equal to 50% of the Trailblazer’s attack to a single enemy |
| Halftime to Make It Rain (bounce) | Deals imaginary damage equal to 25% of the Trailblazer’s attack to a single target enemy and additionally deals damage four more times, with each time dealing imaginary damage equal to 25% of the Trailblazer’s attack to a random enemy |
| All-Out Footlight Parade (support) | Grants all allies the Backup Dancer effect, lasting for three turns. This duration reduces by one at the start of the Trailblazer’s turn. Allies who have the Backup Dancer effect have their break effect increased by 15%, and when they attack enemy targets that are in the weakness broken state, the toughness reduction of this attack will be converted into one instance of Super Break damage |
Talent:
| Skill | Effect |
| Full-on Aerial Dance | The Trailblazer immediately regenerates five energy when an enemy target’s weakness is broken |
Technique:
| Technique | Effect |
| Now! I’m the Band! | After using the technique, at the start of the next battle, all allies’ break effect increases by 30%, lasting for two turns |
Traces:
| Trace | Effect |
| Dance With the One | When the number of enemy targets on the field is five or more/four/three/two/one, the Super Break damage triggered by the Backup Dancer effect increases by 20%/30%/40%/50%/60% |
| Shuffle Along | When using their skill, additionally increases the toughness reduction of the first instance of damage by 100% |
| Hat of the Theater | Additionally delays the enemy target’s action by 30% when allies break enemy weaknesses |
What are the Trailblazer’s eidolons?
Eidolons are similar to constellations in Genshin Impact. They are bonus effects for your characters that you unlock by getting duplicate copies of them. They work slightly differently for the Trailblazer though, as you unlock their eidolons by progressing through the story.
Destruction Trailblazer eidolons
| Eidolon | Effect |
| A Falling Star | When the Trailblazer defeats enemies with their ultimate, they regenerate ten energy |
| An Unwilling Host | Attacking an enemy with physical weakness restores the Trailblazer’s HP equal to 5% of their attack |
| A Leading Whisper | The Trailblazer gains two levels in their skill and talent, up to a maximum level of 15 |
| A Destructing Glance | Attacking enemies whose weakness is already broken increases the Trailblazer’s crit rate by 25% |
| A Surviving Hope | The Trailblazer gains two levels in their ultimate, up to a maximum level of 15, and one level in their basic attack up to a maximum level of ten |
| A Trailblazing Will | The Trailblazer’s talent is also triggered when they defeat an enemy |
Preservation Trailblazer eidolons
| Eidolon | Effect |
| Earth-Shaking Resonance | When the Trailblazer uses their basic attack, they deal additional fire damage equal to 25% of their defense. When they use their enhanced basic attack, they deal additional fire damage equal to 50% of their defense |
| Time-Defying Tenacity | The shield the Trailblazer provides from their talent blocks additional damage equal to 2% of the Trailblazer’s defense plus 27 |
| Trail-Blazing Blueprint | Increases the level of the Trailblazer’s skill by two up to a maximum level of 15, and their talent by two up to a maximum of level ten |
| Nation-Building Oath | Immediately gain four stacks of Magma Will at the beginning of battle |
| Spirit-Warming Flame | Increases the level of the Trailblazer’s ultimate by two, up to a maximum of level 15, and their basic attack by one, up to a maximum of level ten |
| City-Forging Bulwarks | After they use their enhanced basic attack or ultimate, the Trailblazer’s defense increase by 10%. Stacks up to three times |
Harmony Trailblazer eidolons
| Eidolon | Effect |
| Best Seat in the House | After using skill for the first time, immediately recovers one skill point |
| Jailbreaking Rainbowwalk | When the battle starts, the Trailblazer’s energy regeneration rate increases by 25%, lasting for three turns |
| Sanatorium for Rest Notes | Increases the level of the Trailblazer’s skill by two up to a maximum level of 15, and their talent by two up to a maximum level of 15 |
| Dove in Tophat | While the Trailblazer is on the field, increases the break effect of all teammates (excluding the Trailblazer), by an amount equal to 15% of the Trailblazer’s break effect |
| Poem Favors Rhythms of Old | Increases the level of the Trailblazer’s ultimate by two, up to a maximum of level 15, and their basic attack by one, up to a maximum of level ten |
| Tomorrow, Rest in Spotlight | The number of additional damage applications by the skill increases by two |
What are the Trailblazer’s ascension materials?
Luckily for us, the Trailblazer only has one set of ascension materials no matter which path they are aligned with.
Here are all of the materials you need to fully ascend the Trailblazer:
| Required level | Credits | Ascension materials |
| 20 | 3.2k | Four thief’s instinct |
| 30 | 6.4k | Eight thief’s instinct |
| 40 | 12.8k | Five usurper’s schemes and four enigmatic ectostella |
| 50 | 32k | Eight usurper’s schemes and six enigmatic ectostella |
| 60 | 64k | Five conqueror’s wills and eight enigmatic ectostella |
| 70 | 128k | Seven conqueror’s wills and ten enigmatic ectostella |
Here’s where to get all of the Trailblazer’s ascension materials:
- Thief’s instinct, usurper’s schemes, and conqueror’s wills – drops from Antimatter Legion enemies on Herta’s Space Station or in the Honkai Star Rail simulated universe, from assignment rewards, via synthesis, or the embers exchange store
- Enigmatic ectostella – level-up and mission rewards
What are the Trailblazer’s trace materials?
To get any use out of your Trailblazer’s different paths, you’ll need to individually upgrade their traces for each one. Here are all of the Trailblazer’s trace materials:
Destruction
- 41 thief’s instinct, 56 usurper’s schemes, and 58 conqueror’s wills
- Obtain from Antimatter Legion enemies on Herta’s Space Station or in the Honkai Star Rail simulated universe, from assignment rewards, via synthesis, or the embers exchange store
- 15 shattered blades, 72 lifeless blades, and 139 worldbreaker blades
- Rewards from the Crimson Calyx: Bud of Destruction, purchasable from the embers exchange, or crafted via synthesis
- 12 destroyer’s final road – rewards from the Echo of War: Destruction’s Beginning
- 11 tracks of destiny
- Three million credits
Skill trace priority:
- Ultimate > Talent = Skill > Basic attack
Major trace priority:
- Fighting Will > Ready for Battle > Perseverance
Preservation
- 41 thief’s instinct, 56 usurper’s schemes, and 58 conqueror’s wills
- Obtain from Antimatter Legion enemies on Herta’s Space Station or in the Honkai Star Rail simulated universe, from assignment rewards, via synthesis, or the embers exchange store
- 15 endurances of bronze, 72 oaths of steel, and 139 safeguards of amber
- Rewards from the Crimson Calyx: Bud of Preservation, purchasable from the embers exchange, or crafted via synthesis
- 12 destroyer’s final road – rewards from the Echo of War: Destruction’s Beginning
- 11 tracks of destiny
- Three million credits
Skill trace priority:
- Talent > Skill > Ultimate > Basic attack
Major trace priority:
- The Strong Defend the Weak > Action Beats Overthinking > Unwavering Gallantry
Harmony
- 41 thief’s instinct, 56 usurper’s schemes, and 58 conqueror’s wills
- Obtain from Antimatter Legion enemies on Herta’s Space Station or in the Honkai Star Rail simulated universe, from assignment rewards, via synthesis, or the embers exchange store
- 15 firmament notes, 72 celestial sections, and 139 heavenly melodies
- Rewards from the Crimson Calyx: Bud of Harmony, purchasable from the embers exchange, or crafted via synthesis
- 12 past evils of the borehole planet disaster – rewards from the Echo of War: Borehole Planet’s Old Crater
- 11 tracks of destiny
- Three million credits
Skill trace priority:
- Ultimate > Talent > Skill > Basic attack
Major trace priority:
- Dance With the One = Hat of the Theater > Shuffle Along
There you have it, everything you need to know about the Honkai Star Rail Trailblazer. While you’re here, why not check out our guides to Hoyoverse’s hit ARPG? We’ve got a Genshin Impact tier list and Genshin Impact codes to help you build the best team. We also have build guides like this one for characters such as Genshin Impact’s Zhongli, Genshin Impact’s Razor, and Genshin Impact’s Hu Tao.
