Yaoguang Build Guide: Best Light Cones, Relics, Teams & Talent Priority

Last Updated on February 12, 2026 by SoraHoshina

Yao Guang is the first Elation character in Honkai: Star Rail, released in version 4.0. She is a Physical Support character capable of trigering additional Aha instants (which will be mentioned later). Yao Guang can also make all allies’ attacks deal Elation DMG.

There is a new mechanism followed by the Elation path called Punchline, and Yao Guang has multiple ways to gain Punchline and increase the Elation of all allies. There’s so many terms that it sounds confusing right? Don’t worry, we will cover everything you need to know here!

This guide will cover Yao Guang’s best Light Cones, Relics, team compositions, and how to optimize her talents in Honkai: Star Rail.

---

Elation Path New Mechanic

Punchline & Aha Instant

Before anything else, let’s learn about the new Elation path mechanic in Honkai: Star Rail. The first one is Punchline! Elation characters can gain “Punchline” after performing certain actions of their kits (like Yao Guang using her Skill). You can see the icon for Punchline in the image above.

With the Punchline, Aha will be in the Action Order, and once it’s THEIR turn (called Aha Instant), Aha will make all Elation units in the team to use their Elation Skill. They will deal Elation damage based on the number of Punchlines you have. So, the higher your Punchline stacks are, the higher the damage your Elation character will do for their Elation skill.

Once Aha Instant is over, whatever Punchline you have will be converted to Certified Banger (which will be explained below) for all Elation character for 2 turns.
TLDR: Elation characters can use their kit to stack Punchline > Once it’s Aha turns, Elation characters will deal Elation damage based on the number of Punchlines you have.

Certified Banger & Talent

As mentioned before, Aha Instant will convert your Punchline to Certified Banger once THEIR turn is over. Certified Banger will activate the Talent from the Elation character.

For example, when Yao Guang has Certified Banger, her Talent will allow ally characters’ attack (that are not Elation character) to deal Elation DMG. While for Sparxie, her Talent allows certain abilities to deal additional Elation DMG.
TLDR: Certain talent from Elation character is locked behind Certified Banger. You need to stack Punchlines so that once Aha Instant is over, THEY will convert the Punchlines to Certified Banger to activate those locked talent.
Don’t worry too much as you will start the battle with certain amount of Certified Banger to activate the Elation characters’ Talent.

Skill Elation Order & Participant ID

Question: Okay, so what if you have 2 Elation characters in the team? Who will be the first one in line to use their Elation Skill when Aha Instant is triggerred?

Answer: Alright, the first thing you need to know is that you cannot control who will be in the first or second in the line when using Elation Skill. Aha Instant will automatically make the Elation characters to use Elation Skill without your interferences. The order? It depends on their Participant ID (can be seen in their Traces page). The lower the Participant ID, the earlier the Elation Skill will be used.

Example: Yao Guang’s Participant ID is 116, while Sparxie’s Participant ID is 144. Thus, Yao Guang will use her Elation Skill first before Sparxie.

---

Yao Guang Kit in Honkai: Star Rail

Basic ATK

Usually I won’t be explaining Basic ATK because it’s too straight to the point. Yao Guang is no different since it’s the usual damage to one enemy. But the difference this time is this Basic ATK will increase the Energy regenerated from Basic ATK. This is not a common occurence so you know that once you use YG’s skill, you really want to just spam her Basic ATK to gain those Energy!
Special: Yao Guang’s Basic ATK provides 3 Punchline.

Skill

Ultimate

1. Using Ultimate immediately gains 5 Punchline for the team.
2. Aha immediately gains 1 extra turn with a fixed amount of 20 Punchline (this does NOT affect the normal Aha in the Action Order).
3. Increase all allies’ All-Type RES Pen by 20% for 3 turns.

Elation Skill

When Aha Instant is triggered, Yao Guang inflicts Woe’s Whisper on all enemies, lasting for 3 turns. Enemies under “Woe’s Whisper” state takes 16% increased DMG. In addition, she will also deal considerable Physical DMG to all enemies. Remember that the higher the Punchlines, the higher the Elation DMG dealt by Yao Guang.

Talent

When Yao Guang possesses “Certified Banger,” ally’s attacks will triggers the “Great Boon” effect, dealing Elation DMG to 1 random hit target. If the ally’s attacks consume Skill Points, they will trigger additional Great Boon effect 1 more time.

Yao Guang Showcase

Personally, I feel like her kit is similar to Ruan Mei (in term of usage, NOT the effects). Before the battle starts, we use her Technique to triggers Skill at the start of the battle. Then just spam her Basic ATK until the Zone duration ended to generate SP points for the team. Once the Zone ended, we use her Skill to refresh the Zone duration, and use her Ultimate whenever it’s available. It’s that easy.

---

Yao Guang Best Lightcones in Honkai: Star Rail

Light Cones	Names	Passive Skill
	When She Decided to See (5★)	Increases the wearer’s SPD by 18~30%. When the wearer enters combat or uses Ultimate on an ally target, the wearer gains “Great Fortune” for 3 turn(s). While the wearer holds “Great Fortune,” all allies’ CRIT Rate increases by 10~14%, CRIT DMG increases by 30~60%, and the wearer’s Energy Regeneration Rate increases by 12~20%. At the start of each wave, the wearer regenerates a fixed amount of 15 Energy.
	Mushy Shroomy’s Adventures (4★)	Increases the wearer’s Elation by 12~20%. When the wearer uses an Elation Skill, increases Elation DMG taken by all enemies by 6~10% for 2 turn(s). Note: This is a free Light Cone obtainable from the Priceless Jewels Light Cone Manifest.
	Today’s Good Luck (4★)	Increases the wearer’s CRIT Rate by 12~20%. When the wearer uses an Elation Skill, increases Elation by 12~20%, stacking up to 2 times. Note: This is a new BP Light Cone, so you can only get S1 for the next version.

---

Yao Guang Best Relics in Honkai: Star Rail

Recommended Cavern Relics

Cavern Relics	Set	Bonuses
	Diviner’s Extrapolation Jade Abacus	2-Pc: Increases SPD by 6%. 4-Pc: Before entering combat, if the wearer’s SPD is greater than or equal to 120/160, increases the wearer’s CRIT Rate by 10%/18%. When the wearer uses Elation Skill for the first time in each battle, enhances all allies’ Elation by 10%. This effect cannot stack.

Recommended Planar Ornaments

Planar Ornaments	Set	Bonuses
	Lushaka, the Sunken Seas	2-Pc: Increases the wearer’s Energy Regeneration Rate by 5%. If the wearer is not the first character in the team lineup, then increases the ATK of the first character in the team lineup by 12%.
	Broken Keel	2-Pc: 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%.
	Sprightly Vonwacq	2-Pc: 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.

Main & Sub Stats Priority

Main Stat	Sub Stat
Body: Crit Rate/Crit Damage Feet: SPD Planar Sphere: HP/DEF Link Rope: Energy Regeneration Rate	1. SPD 2. Crit Rate 3. Crit DMG

Stat Goals:
SPD: 160/200 (Remember that the higher the SPD, the higher the Elation stat)
Crit Rate: 100% Crit Rate in combat
Crit Damage: +120% (The more the better, but make sure to focus on the Crit Rate first)

---

Yao Guang Synergy & Team Compositions in Honkai: Star Rail

Currently, Yao Guang is in a weird spot because she is an Elation Support character. That means she needs an Elation DPS. However, the only Elation DPS (Sparxie) in version 4.0 will be released 3 weeks after Yao Guang is released. Thus, there is no best DPS for Yao Guang when she is released.

Since Yao Guang can provides SP by Basic ATK and her Elation Skill, she’s arguably ‘decent’ for some DPS that are SP-hungry like Archer or Anaxa. But I highly do not recommend you pulling Yao Guang just for them. Thus, the only option you have is to wait for Sparxie when she’s released before you can make a good team for Yao Guang. In addition, the next character to be released in version 4.1 is Ashveil, and he is a Hunt character which may not be compatible with Yao Guang (just a speculation).

In short, if you do not plan to pull for Sparxie, it’s best to save your Stellar Jades and not pull for Yao Guang either. If YG is the core for future Elation team, you can bet Hoyoverse will make her rerun again in the near future for that $.

Team Composition Examples

Elation DPS: Sparxie
Support 1: Yao Guang
Support 2: Sparkle (Remember that she is one of the character in the next FREE 5-star selector)
Sustain or Debuffer: Depending on your opponents, you can add a sustain of your choices (preferably SP positive like Gallagher) or use a debuffer if you think your team can tank the damage

---

Yao Guang Talent Priority in Honkai: Star Rail

Ultimate = Skill = Talent > Elation Skill > Basic ATK

---

Yao Guang Eidolons Overview in Honkai: Star Rail

Best Eidolons: E1, E2 & E6

Eidolon	Effects
Eidolon 1 ★	In Aha’s extra turn triggered by Ultimate, the fixed amount of Punchline taken into account increases to 40. When all all targets deal Elation DMG, ignores 20% of the target’s DEF.
Eidolon 2 ★	While the Zone is active, increases all ally targets’ SPD by 12%, and additionally increases Elation by 16%.
Eidolon 3	Skill Lv. +2, up to a maximum of Lv. 15. Basic ATK Lv. +1, up to a maximum of Lv. 10. Elation Skill Lv. +1, up to a maximum of Lv. 15.
Eidolon 4	In Aha’s extra turn triggered by Yao Guang’s Ultimate, the DMG dealt by all ally characters’ Elation Skill becomes 150% of the original DMG.
Eidolon 5	Ultimate Lv. +2, up to a maximum of Lv. 15. Talent Lv. +2, up to a maximum of Lv. 15. Elation Skill Lv. +1, up to a maximum of Lv. 15.
Eidolon 6 ★	All ally targets’ Elation DMG merrymakes by 25%. Increases the DMG multiplier of Yao Guang’s Elation Skill by 100% of its original multiplier.