Honkai: Star Rail Ruan Mei Character Guide

Introduction

Ruan Mei is a support character capable of increasing allies' Weakness Break Efficiency, SPD, and All-Type RES PEN. At the same time, Ruan Mei can also deal additional Break DMG whenever any allies Weakness Break an enemy, causing the Weakness Broken enemies' action to be further delayed.

Skills Overview

Basic Attack - Threading Fragrance

Deals Ice DMG equal to 50%—110% of Ruan Mei's ATK to a single target enemy.

Skill - String Sings Slow Swirls

After using her Skill, Ruan Mei gains Overtone, lasting for 3 turn(s). This duration decreases by 1 at the start of Ruan Mei's turn. When Ruan Mei has Overtone, all allies' DMG increases by 16%—35.2% and Weakness Break Efficiency increases by 50%.

Ultimate - Petals to Stream, Repose in Dream

Ruan Mei deploys a field that lasts for 2 turns. The field's duration decreases by 1 at the start of her turn.
While inside the field, all allies' All-Type RES PEN increases by 15%—27% and their attacks apply Thanatoplum Rebloom to the enemies hit.

When these enemies attempt to recover from Weakness Break, Thanatoplum Rebloom is triggered, extending the duration of their Weakness Break, delaying their action by an amount equal to 20% of Ruan Mei's Break Effect plus 10%, and dealing Break DMG equal to 30%—54% of Ruan Mei's Ice Break DMG.
Enemy targets cannot have Thanatoplum Rebloom re-applied to them until they recover from Weakness Break.

Talent - Somatotypical Helix

Increases SPD by 8%—10.4% for the team (excluding this character). When allies Break an enemy target's Weakness, Ruan Mei deals to this enemy target Break DMG equal to 60%—132% of her Ice Break DMG.

Technique - Silken Serenade

After using the Technique, gains Silken Serenade. At the start of the next battle, automatically triggers the Skill for 1 time(s) without consuming Skill Points.

In Simulated Universe, when Ruan Mei has Silken Serenade, the team actively attacking enemies will always be regarded as attacking their Weakness to enter battle, and this attack can reduce all enemies' Toughness regardless of Weakness types. When breaking Weakness, triggers Weakness Break Effect corresponding to the attacker's Type. For every Blessing in possession up to 20 Blessing(s), additionally increases the Toughness-Reducing DMG of this attack by 100%. After breaking an enemy target's Weakness, additionally deals to the enemy target Break DMG equal to 100% of Ruan Mei's Ice Break DMG.

Ascension 2 - Inert Respiration

Increases Break Effect by 20% for all allies.

Ascension 4 - Days Wane, Thoughts Wax

Ruan Mei regenerates 5 Energy at the start of her turn.

Ascension 6 - Candle Lights on Still Waters

In battle, for every 10% of Ruan Mei's Break Effect that exceeds 120%, her Skill additionally increases allies' DMG by 6%, up to a maximum of 36%.

TLDR

Just like any other character, her Basic ATK does nothing to support the team but it will be what she use in every turn unless her Skill duration is over to generate Skill Points.

Her Skill is one of the most important traces and you want this Skill to be active in every turn and cycle so your team can take advantage of it. What it does are:
(1) Ruan Mei gains Overtone, last for 3 turns.
(2) With Overtone, all allies' DMG increased by 16%—35.2% and Weakness Break Efficiency increased by 50%.

The cream of the crop is her Ultimate. That's why you want enough Energy so she can activate her Ultimate every time it expires. What it does are:
(1) Deploys a field that lasts for 2 turns.
(2) In the field, all allies' All-Type RES PEN increases by 15%—27%. RES is short for Resistance, PEN is short for Penetration. It basically reduces defense to all elements (in simple terms, it just does more damage)
(3) Allies' attack will apply Thanatoplum Rebloom to enemies hit. It will basically extend their Weakness Break.

Special shoutout for Ruan Mei's Talent because it can increase SPD for the whole team which in this game, is a solid plus because the more SPD you have, the more turns you can get per cycle.

Traces Priorities

Skill = Ultimate > Talent > Basic ATK

Recommended Light Cones

1. Past Self in Mirror (5⭐)
2. Memories of the Past (4⭐)
3. Planetary Rendezvous (4⭐)
4. But the Battle Isn't Over (5⭐)
5. Dance! Dance! Dance! (4⭐)
6. Carve the Moon, Weave the Clouds (4⭐)

1) Past Self in Mirror

[Superimpose 1] Effects: Increases the wearer's Break Effect by 60%. When the wearer uses their Ultimate, increases all allies' DMG by 24%, lasting for 3 turns. Should the Break Effect exceed or equal 150%, 1 Skill Point will be recovered.
During the start of every wave, all allies regenerate 10 Energy. Effects of the same type cannot stack.

2) Memories of the Past

[Superimpose 5] Effects: Increases the wearer's Break Effect by 56%. When the wearer attacks, additionally regenerates 8 Energy. This effect can only be triggered 1 time per turn.

3) Planetary Rendezvous

[Superimpose 1] Effects: Upon battle entry, if an ally deals the same DMG Type as the wearer, DMG dealt increases by 12~24%.

4) But the Battle Isn't Over

[Superimpose 1] Effects: Increases the wearer's Energy Regeneration Rate by 10% and regenerates 1 Skill Point when the wearer uses their Ultimate on an ally. This effect can be triggered after every 2 uses of the wearer's Ultimate. When the wearer uses their Skill, the next ally taking action (except the wearer) deals 30% more DMG for 1 turn(s).

5) Dance! Dance! Dance!

[Superimpose 1] Effects: When the wearer uses their Ultimate, all allies' actions are Advanced Forward by 16%.

6) Carve the Moon, Weave the Clouds

[Superimpose 1] Effects: One of the following effects is applied randomly at the start of combat and whenever the wearer takes action: Increase all allies' ATK by 10%, increase all allies' CRIT DMG by 12%, or increase all allies' Energy Regeneration Rate by 6%. The applied effect cannot be identical to the last effect applied, and will replace the previous effect. The applied effect will be removed when the wearer has been knocked down. Effects of the similar type cannot be stacked.

Recommended Relics & Planar Set

1. Relics
   • Messenger Traversing Hackerspace
   • Thief of Shooting Meteor
   • Watchmaker, Master of Dream Machinations
2. Planar Set
   • Penacony, Land of the Dreams
   • Sprightly Vonwacq
   • Fleet of the Ageless
   • Broken Keel
   • Talia: Kingdom of Banditry

Cavern Relics

Relic Set (Messenger Traversing Hackerspace)

2 Piece: Increases SPD by 6%.
4 Piece: When the wearer uses their Ultimate on an ally, SPD for all allies increases by 12% for 1 turn(s). This effect cannot be stacked.

Relic Set (Thief of Shooting Meteor)

2 Piece: Increases Break Effect by 16%.
4 Piece: Increases the wearer's Break Effect by 16%. When the wearer inflicts Weakness Break on an enemy, regenerates 3 Energy.

Relic Set (Watchmaker, Master of Dream Machinations)

2 Piece: Increases Break Effect by 16%.
4 Piece: When the wearer uses their Ultimate on an ally, all allies' Break Effect increases by 30% for 2 turn(s). This effect cannot be stacked.

Planar Ornaments

Planetary Set (Penacony, Land of the Dreams)

2 Piece: Increases wearer's Energy Regeneration Rate by 5%. Increases DMG for all other allies with the same DMG Type as the wearer by 10%.

Planetary Set (Sprightly Vonwacq)

2 Piece: Increases the wearer's Energy Regeneration Rate by 5%. When the wearer's SPD reaches 120 or higher, the wearer's action is Advanced Forward by 40% immediately upon entering battle.

Planetary Set (Fleet of the Ageless)

2 Piece: Increases the wearer's Max HP by 12%. When the wearer's SPD reaches 120 or higher, all allies' ATK increases by 8%.

Planetary Set (Broken Keel)

2 Piece: Increases the wearer's Effect RES by 10%. When the wearer's Effect RES is at 30% or higher, all allies' CRIT DMG increases by 10%.

Planetary Set (Talia: Kingdom of Banditry)

2 Piece: Increases the wearer's Break Effect by 16%. When the wearer's SPD reaches 145 or higher, the wearer's Break Effect increases by an extra 20%.

Main & Sub Stats Priority

Team Recommendations

Break Team (NEW)

Ruan Mei: Buffer
Firefly / Boothill: Main DPS
Harmony Trailblazer: Core Support for Super Break DMG
Gallagher: Healer

Ice Team

Ruan Mei: Buffer
Jingliu / Herta: Main DPS
Bronya / Tingyun: Buffer // Blade: Main DPS 2
Luocha / Huohuo: Healer

DoT Team

Ruan Mei: Buffer
Kafka: Main DoT
Guinaifen / Sampo / Luka: DoT 2
Gepard: Shielder // Luocha / Huohuo: Healer

Follow-Up Team

Ruan Mei: Buffer
Topaz & Numby: Single-Target DPS
Dr. Ratio / Blade / Jing Yuan / Clara: Follow-Up DPS
Luocha / Huohuo / Fu Xuan: Healer / Shielder

Imaginary Team

Ruan Mei: Buffer
Dan Heng Imbibitor Lunae: Main DPS
Bronya / Tingyun / Yukong: Buffer 2
Luocha / Fu Xuan: Healer / Shielder

Quantum Team

Ruan Mei: Buffer
Xueyi: Main DPS
Silver Wolf: Debuffer
Lynx / Fu Xuan: Healer / Shielder

Eidolons

Best Eidolons: E1 & E6

E1: Neuronic Embroidery ⭐
While the Ultimate's field is deployed, the DMG dealt by all allies ignores 20% of the target's DEF.

E2: Reedside Promenade
With Ruan Mei on the field, all allies increase their ATK by 40% when dealing DMG to enemies with Weakness Break.

E3: Viridescent Pirouette
Ultimate Lv. +2, up to a maximum of Lv. 15.
Talent Lv. +2, up to a maximum of Lv. 15.

E4: Chatoyant Éclat
When an enemy target's Weakness is Broken, Ruan Mei's Break Effect increases by 100% for 3 turn(s).

E5: Languid Barrette
Skill Lv. +2, up to a maximum of Lv. 15.
Basic ATK Lv. +1, up to a maximum of Lv. 10.

E6: Sash Cascade ⭐
Extends the duration of the Ultimate's field by 1 turn(s). The Talent's Break DMG multiplier additionally increases by 200%.