Ruan Mei Build Best Relics, Light Cones, and Team Comps
Ruan Mei is a 5-star Harmony character in Honkai Star Rail, specializing in Ice damage and excelling as a support unit. As the first limited 5-star Harmony character, she brings incredible team-wide buffs that can significantly enhance any battle scenario. When built correctly, Ruan Mei can act as a hybrid of Asta and Tingyun, making her a crucial addition to any team. This guide covers the best Ruan Mei build, including optimal relics, planar ornaments, light cones, and team compositions.
Who is Ruan Mei in Honkai Star Rail?
Ruan Mei Build is known for her calm demeanor and scholarly brilliance. As the 81st member of the Genius Society, she specializes in biological sciences and collaborates with Herta, Screwllum, and Stephen to develop the Simulated Universe. Apart from her scientific pursuits, Ruan Mei enjoys desserts, traditional theater, and embroidery.
Ruan Mei Build Release Date and Banner Information
Ruan Mei Build debuted during the first phase of the Honkai Star Rail 1.6 update. She is slated to return in the 2.3 banner alongside Firefly, Gallagher, Xueyi, and Misha, with the banner release date confirmed for June 18.
Ruan Mei’s Kit and Cycle Rotation (At Max Level)
Ruan Mei’s abilities blend Asta and Tingyun’s strengths, offering damage buffs and weakness-break potential. Here is an overview of her skills and optimal rotation:
Basic Attack – Threading Fragrance:
- Deals Ice damage equal to 130% of Ruan Mei’s attack to a single enemy.
Skill – String Sings Slow Swirls:
- Grants Overtone, increasing all allies’ damage by 40% and boosting Weakness Break Efficiency by 50% for three turns.
Ultimate – Petals to Stream, Repose in Dream:
- Deploys a field for two turns, increasing allies’ All-Type Resistance Penetration by 24%. When enemies are weakness broken within the field, their actions are delayed by 15% plus an extra 10%, while receiving additional damage equal to 180% of Ruan Mei’s Ice break damage.
Talent – Somatotypical Helix:
- Increases all allies’ speed by 11% (excluding Ruan Mei Build). When allies break an enemy’s weakness, the target receives bonus damage equal to 150% of Ruan Mei’s Ice Break Damage.
Technique – Silken Serenade:
- Activates Silken Serenade state, triggering her skill for one turn without consuming skill points. In the Simulated Universe, attacks target enemy weaknesses automatically, regardless of the ally’s damage type.
Optimal Rotation:
- Skill → Basic Attack → Basic Attack → Skill → Basic Attack → Basic Attack
- Use her Ultimate during significant damage cycles or when enemies are near a weakness break.
Best Ruan Mei Build: Relics, Planar Ornaments & Sub-Stats
Ruan Mei Building focuses on enhancing her break effect and boosting ally performance. Below are the ideal relic sets and planar ornaments for maximizing her potential.
Best Cavern Relics:
- 4-piece Thief of Shooting Meteor – Increases break effect and regenerates energy when weakness breaking, synergizing perfectly with Ruan Mei’s kit.
- Alternative: 4-piece Messenger Traversing Hackerspace – Provides a 12% speed buff to all allies, enhancing overall team agility.
Best Planar Ornaments:
- 2-piece Talia: Kingdom of Banditry – Increases break effect, boosting Ruan Mei’s Ultimate damage during weakness breaks.
- Alternative: 2-piece Pan-Cosmic Commercial Enterprise – Enhances attack and makes debuffing enemies easier.
Main and Sub-Stats Priorities:
- Head: HP / Break Effect % > Speed > HP% > Defense% > Effect Resistance %
- Hands: Attack / Break Effect % > Speed > HP% > Defense % > Effect Resistance %
- Body: Break Effect % / HP% > Speed > Defense % > Effect Resistance %
- Feet: Speed / Break Effect % > HP% > Defense % > Effect Resistance %
- Planar Sphere: Ice Damage Boost / Break Effect % > Speed > HP% > Defense %
- Link Rope: Break Effect % > Energy Regeneration Rate > Speed > HP% > Defense %
Focus on maximizing break effect and speed while boosting survivability through HP and defense.
Best Light Cones for Ruan Mei Build
Ruan Mei benefits from light cones that enhance break effect, energy regeneration, and ally buffs.
Best Light Cone (Signature):
- Past Self in Mirror – Grants energy at the start of each wave, increases damage by 15% for all allies, and enhances All-Type Resistance Penetration by 6%.
Best 4-Star Option:
- Memories of the Past – Provides a 28% break effect boost and regenerates energy when attacking.
Best F2P Option:
- Chorus – Increases ally attack by 12%, making it an accessible yet effective choice.
Ruan Mei Ascension and Trace Materials
Ascension Materials:
- Credits: 308k
- Immortal Scionette: 15
- Immortal Aeroblossom: 15
- Gelid Chitin: 65
- Immortal Lumintwig: 15
Trace Materials:
- Credits: 3 Million
- Harmonic Tune: 18
- Immortal Scionette: 41
- Ancestral Hymn: 69
- Immortal Aeroblossom: 56
- Stellaris Symphony: 139
- Immortal Lumintwig: 58
- Past Evils of the Borehole: 12
- Tracks of Destiny: 8
Ruan Mei’s Best Team Compositions
Best Team (Meta):
- Main DPS: Firefly
- Support: Harmony Trailblazer
- Support: Ruan Mei
- Sustain: Gallagher
Alternative Team:
- Main DPS: Boothill
- Support: Pela
- Support: Ruan Mei
- Sustain: Huohuo
F2P Friendly Team:
- Main DPS: Misha
- Support: Pela
- Support: Ruan Mei
- Sustain: Gallagher
Should You Pull for Ruan Mei?
Absolutely! Ruan Mei’s unique ability to enhance team-wide damage, speed, and weakness break efficiency makes her a valuable asset for any player. Her E1 significantly boosts ally attack, making her even more impactful. If possible, aim to unlock her E1 to maximize her utility.
Looking for more tips? Check out our guides on the best weapons, builds, and strategies in Gaming.