Honkai: Star Rail Black Swan Character Guide

Introduction

Black Swan is a DPS character capable of inflicting the enemy with "Arcana" through various means. "Arcana" is a unique form of DoT. Black Swan can trigger various additional effects based on the number of "Arcana" stacks on the enemy target.

Skills Overview

Basic Attack - Percipience, Silent Dawn

Deals Wind DMG equal to 30-78% of Black Swan's ATK to a single target enemy, with a 50-74% base chance of inflicting 1 stack of Arcana. And if the hit target currently has Wind Shear, Bleed, Burn, or Shock applied to them, each respectively has a 50-74% base chance of inflicting 1 extra stack of Arcana onto the enemy.

Skill - Decadence, False Twilight

Deals Wind DMG equal to 45-112.5% of Black Swan's ATK to a single target enemy and any adjacent targets. At the same time, there is a 100% base chance of inflicting 1 stack of Arcana on the target enemy and the adjacent targets. And there is a 100% base chance of reducing the DEF of the target enemy and the adjacent targets by 14.8-23.8%, lasting for 3 turn(s).

Ultimate - Bliss of Otherworld's Embrace

Inflicts Epiphany on all enemies for 2 turn(s).
Enemies affected by Epiphany take 15-30% more DMG in their turn, and their Arcana effect is regarded as Wind Shear, Bleed, Burn, and Shock effects. In addition, when their Arcana effect is triggered at the beginning of the next turn, the Arcana stacks are not reset. The stack non-reset effect can be triggered up to 1 time(s) in Epiphany's duration, and its charges are replenished when Epiphany is applied again.

Talent - Loom of Fate's Caprice

Every time an enemy target receives DoT at the start of each turn, there is a 50-72.5% base chance for it to be inflicted with Arcana.
While afflicted with Arcana, enemy targets receive Wind DoT equal to 96-300% of Black Swan's ATK at the start of each turn. Each stack of Arcana increases this DoT DMG multiplier by 4.8-15%. Then Arcana resets to 1 stack. Arcana can stack up to 50 times.

Only when Arcana causes DMG at the start of an enemy target's turn, Black Swan triggers additional effects based on the number of Arcana stacks inflicted on the target:
When there are 3 or more Arcana stacks, deals Wind DoT equal to 72-225% of Black Swan's ATK to adjacent targets, with a 50-72.5% base chance of inflicting 1 stack of Arcana on adjacent targets.
When there are 7 or more Arcana stacks, enables the current DoT dealt this time to ignore 20% of the target's and adjacent targets' DEF.

Technique - From Façade to Vérité

After this Technique is used, there is a 150% base chance for each enemy to be inflicted with 1 stack of Arcana at the start of the next battle.
For each successful application of Arcana on a target, inflicts another stack of Arcana on the same target. This process repeats until Arcana fails to be inflicted on this target. For each successive application of Arcana on a target, its base chance of success is equal to 50% of the base chance of the previous successful infliction of Arcana on that target.

Ascension 2 - Viscera's Disquiet

After using the Skill to hit an enemy that has Wind Shear, Bleed, Burn, or Shock, each of these debuffs respectively has a 65% base chance of inflicting 1 extra stack of Arcana.

Ascension 4 - Goblet's Dredges

There is a 65% base chance to inflict 1 stack of Arcana when a target enters battle. Every time an enemy target receives DoT during a single attack by an ally, there is a 65% base chance for the target to be inflicted with 1 stack of Arcana, stacking up to 3 time(s) during 1 single attack.

Ascension 6 - Candleflame's Portent

Increases this unit's DMG by an amount equal to 60% of Effect Hit Rate, up to a maximum DMG increase of 72%.

Traces Priorities

Talent > Skill = Burst = Normal Attack

Recommended Light Cones

1. Reforged Remembrance
2. Eyes of the Prey
3. Good Night and Sleep Well
4. It's Showtime
5. Before the Tutorial Mission Starts

1) Reforged Remembrance

Increases the wearer’s Effect Hit Rate by 40~60%. When the wearer deals DMG to an enemy inflicted with Wind Shear, Burn, Shock or Bleed, they will individually gain 1 stack of Prophet. This effect can stack up to 4 times. In a single battle, each type of DoT can only generate 1 stack of Prophet. Every stack of Prophet increases the wearer’s ATK by 5~9% and the DoT they deal will ignore 7.2~10.0% of the target’s DEF.

2) Eyes of the Prey

Increases the wearer's Effect Hit Rate by 20~40% and increases DoT by 24~48%.

3) Good Night and Sleep Well

For every debuff the target enemy has, the DMG dealt by the wearer increases by 12~24%, stacking up to 3 time(s). This effect also applies to DoT.

4) It's Showtime

When the wearer inflicts a debuff on an enemy, gains a stack of Trick. Every stack of Trick increases the wearer's DMG dealt by 6~10%, stacking up to 3 times. This effect lasts for 1 turn. When the wearer's Effect Hit Rate is 80% or higher, increases ATK by 20~36%.

5) Before the Tutorial Mission Starts

Increases the wearer's Effect Hit Rate by 20~40%. When the wearer attacks enemies that have reduced DEF, regenerates 4~8 Energy.

Recommended Relics & Planar Set

1. Relics
   • Prisoner in Deep Confinement
   • Musketeer of Wild Wheat + Pioneer Diver of Dead Waters
2. Planar Set
   • Pan-Cosmic Commercial Enterprise
   • Space Sealing Station
   • Firmament Frontline: Glamoth

Relic Set (Prisoner in Deep Confinement)

2 Piece: ATK increases by 12%.
4 Piece: For every DoT the target enemy is afflicted with, the wearer will ignore 6% of its DEF when dealing DMG to it. This effect is valid for a max of 3 DoTs.

Relic Set (Musketeer of Wild Wheat + Pioneer Diver of Dead Waters)

2 Piece: ATK increases by 12%.
2 Piece: Increases DMG dealt to enemies with debuff by 12%.

Planetary Set (Pan-Cosmic Commercial Enterprise)

2 Piece: Increases the wearer's Effect Hit Rate by 10%. Meanwhile, the wearer's ATK increases by an amount that is equal to 25% of the current Effect Hit Rate, up to a maximum of 25%.

Planetary Set (Space Sealing Station)

2-Piece: Increases the wearer's ATK by 12%. When the wearer's SPD reaches 120 or higher, the wearer's ATK increases by an extra 12%.

Planetary Set (Firmament Frontline: Glamoth)

2 Piece: Increases the wearer's ATK by 12%. When the wearer's SPD is equal to or higher than 135/160, the wearer deals 12%/18% more DMG.

Team Recommendations

Black Swan + Kafka + Ruan Mei + Huohuo

Black Swan: Main DPS
Kafka: Main DPS
Ruan Mei: Buffer
Huohuo: Healer + Buffer

Black Swan + Nihility + Harmony + Abundance/Preservation

Black Swan: Main DPS
Sampo: Sub DPS
Tingyun / Ruan Mei / Asta / Hanya: Buffer
Luocha or any other healer/shielder: Healer/Shielder

Trio Nihility + Abundance/Preservation

Black Swan: Main DPS
Kafka: Main DPS
Sampo / Guinaifen: Sub-DPS
Huohuo or any other healer/shielder: Healer/Shielder

Eidolons

Best Eidolons: E1, E2 & E6

E1: Seven Pillars of Wisdom
While Black Swan is active in battle, enemies afflicted with Wind Shear, Bleed, Burn, or Shock will have their corresponding Wind, Physical, Fire, or Lightning RES respectively reduced by 25%.

E2: Weep Not For Me, My Lamb
When an enemy target afflicted with Arcana is defeated, there is a 100% base chance of inflicting 6 stack(s) of Arcana on adjacent targets.

E3: As Above, So Below
Skill Lv. +2, up to a maximum of Lv. 15.
Talent Lv. +2, up to a maximum of Lv. 15.

E4: In Tears We Gift
While in the Epiphany state, enemy targets have their Effect RES reduced by 10%. And at the start of their turn or when they get defeated, Black Swan regenerates 8 Energy. This Energy Regeneration effect can only trigger up to 1 time while Epiphany lasts. And this trigger count resets after the enemy gets inflicted with Epiphany again.

E5: Linnutee Flyway
Ultimate Lv. +2, up to a maximum of Lv. 15.
Basic ATK Lv. +1, up to a maximum of Lv. 10.

E6: Pantheon Merciful, Masses Pitiful
When enemy targets get attacked by Black Swan's allies, Black Swan has a 65% base chance of inflicting 1 stack of Arcana on the target.
Each time Black Swan inflicts Arcana on an enemy target, there is a 50% fixed chance to additionally increase the number of Arcana stacks afflicted this time by 1.