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Welcome to the ultimate Cipher Honkai Star Rail guide! In this article, we’ll explore everything you need to know about Cipher, from her stats and builds to the best teams and equipment to maximize her sub-DPS and debuffing power.
SEE ALSO: Best Teams for Honkai Star Rail Apocalyptic Shadow 3.4
Cipher’s Character Overview
Cipher is a powerful 5-star Quantum character introduced in Honkai: Star Rail. She excels as a hybrid Sub-DPS and debuffer who can amplify her allies’ damage potential by weakening enemy defenses. With her versatile toolkit, she fits perfectly into a variety of quantum-based and break-focused team compositions.
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Cipher Basic Info and Rating
| Attribute | Value |
| Rarity | 5-star |
| Path | Nihility |
| Element | Quantum |
| Role | Sub-DPS / Debuffer |
| Release Version | 3.5 |
| Overall Rating | SS-tier |
Cipher Stats
| Stat | Level 1 Value | Level 80 Value | Ranking Among Characters |
| HP | 126 | — | 25th |
| ATK | 87 | — | 9th |
| DEF | 69 | — | 12th |
| SPD | 106 | — | 7th |
Cipher Honkai Star Rail Guide: Best Build
Cipher’s flexibility allows her to be built for Sub-DPS or full Debuff support. Below are two optimized builds:
Cipher Sub-DPS Build
| Category | Details |
| Best Light Cone | Lies Dance on the Breeze |
| Relic Set | Pioneer Diver of Dead Waters |
| Ornament Set | Firmament Frontline: Glamoth |
| Main Stats | Body: CRIT DMGFeet: SPDSphere: Quantum DMG or ATK%Rope: ATK% |
| Sub Stats Priority | SPD ★★★CRIT DMG ★★★Effect Hit Rate ★★CRIT Rate ★★ |
| Alternative Light Cones | Before the Tutorial Mission Starts, Good Night and Sleep Well |
Cipher Debuffer Build
| Category | Details |
| Best Light Cone | Resolution Shines As Pearls of Sweat |
| Relic Set | Eagle of Twilight Line |
| Ornament Set | Lushaka, the Sunken Seas |
| Main Stats | Body: CRIT DMGFeet: SPDSphere: Quantum DMG or ATK%Rope: Energy Regen |
| Sub Stats Priority | SPD ★★★Effect Hit Rate ★★★CRIT DMG ★★CRIT Rate ★★ |
| Build Notes | Cipher excels as a high-speed debuffer using Eagle of Twilight Line and Resolution Shines As Pearls of Sweat to apply early and consistent debuffs via her Ultimate. |
SEE ALSO: Honkai Star Rail Hysilens Ascension Guide: Signature Light Cone & Trace Materials
Cipher’s Best Teams
Cipher F2P Team (Free-to-Play Friendly)
| Role | Character | Notes |
| Sub-DPS | Cipher | Applies key debuffs and contributes damage |
| Main DPS | Any F2P DPS | Choose a DPS that benefits from DEF shred/debuffs (e.g., Dan Heng, Serval) |
| Support | Asta | Boosts team SPD, enabling Cipher to act earlier |
| Healer | Lynx | Reliable F2P healer with cleanse support |
Team Overview: This team leverages Cipher’s debuffs to amplify general F2P damage dealers. Asta’s SPD buff helps Cipher cycle her Ultimate more efficiently.
Cipher Acheron Nihility Team
| Role | Character | Notes |
| Sub-DPS | Cipher | Accelerates Slashed Dream buildup with frequent debuffs |
| Main DPS | Acheron | Nihility hyper-carry; benefits from debuff-heavy team |
| Support | Jiaoqiu | Provides DoT and extra debuffs to synergize with Acheron’s kit |
| Sustain | Aventurine | Defensive utility and shields, keeping the team alive |
Team Overview: Cipher is an excellent fit for Acheron teams as both a sub-DPS and a fast debuffer. If you’re running Acheron at E0, including another Nihility unit like Jiaoqiu is key to unlocking her full damage potential.
Cipher Follow-Up Attack Team
| Role | Character | Notes |
| Sub-DPS | Cipher | Provides frequent follow-up attacks and applies consistent debuffs |
| Main DPS | Feixiao | Scales with follow-up hits; benefits from Cipher’s DEF shred |
| Support | Robin | Boosts team SPD and ATK to maximize turn efficiency |
| Sustain | Aventurine | Delivers reliable shields and defensive utility |
Team Overview: Cipher shines in follow-up focused teams by maintaining constant debuff uptime. She pairs well with Feixiao or Dr. Ratio, enabling full value from the Pioneer Diver of Dead Waters relic set. This team benefits from synergy between frequent attacks, debuffs, and SPD-based turn control.
Cipher’s Best Relics and Ornaments
Recommended Relics for Cipher
| Relic Set | Rating | Usage & Merits |
| Pioneer Diver of Dead Waters (4pc) | ★★★★★ (Best Sub-DPS) | Best-in-slot for Cipher’s Sub-DPS role. Grants CRIT boosts and increases damage against debuffed enemies. |
| Eagle of Twilight Line (4pc) | ★★★★★ (Best Debuffer) | Optimized for debuff builds. High SPD and Energy Regen allow Cipher to use her Ultimate more often. |
| Genius of Brilliant Stars (4pc) | ★★★★☆ (Situational) | Great alternative if enemies have Quantum Weakness. Excels when paired with DEF-reduction debuffs. |
Recommended Ornaments for Cipher
| Ornament Set | Rating | Usage & Merits |
| Firmament Frontline: Glamoth | ★★★★★ (Best Sub-DPS) | Ideal for builds with 160+ SPD. Provides significant DMG boost when SPD threshold is met. |
| Lushaka, the Sunken Seas | ★★★★★ (Best Debuffer) | Boosts Energy Regen and enhances Main DPS ATK—excellent for a support-oriented Cipher. |
| Izumo Gensei and Takama Divine Realm | ★★★★☆ (Situational) | Adds CRIT Rate; good for Acheron teams where Nihility synergy is key. |
| Duran, Dynasty of Running Wolves | ★★★★☆ (Situational) | Boosts CRIT DMG; best when Cipher is in follow-up attack comps with Feixiao or Dr. Ratio. |
Recommended Light Cones for Cipher
| Light Cone | Rating | Why It’s Recommended |
| Lies Dance on the Breeze | ★★★★★ (Best) | Cipher’s best-in-slot Light Cone. Provides SPD and repeatedly applies DEF reduction for high uptime. |
| Resolution Shines As Pearls of Sweat | ★★★★☆ (Excellent) | Top 4★ option for both Sub-DPS and Debuffer builds. While it doesn’t boost Cipher’s own damage much, it strongly enhances Main DPS output. |
| Holiday Thermae Escapade | ★★★★☆ (Excellent) | Increases Cipher’s personal damage and lets her inflict Vulnerability debuffs for added team synergy. |
| Boundless Choreo | ★★★☆☆ (Good) | Grants CRIT Rate and bonus CRIT DMG against Slowed or DEF-reduced enemies. Best used with debuff-support teammates. |
| Good Night and Sleep Well | ★★★☆☆ (Good) | Boosts Cipher’s damage based on the number of debuffs on the enemy. Scales well in debuff-heavy teams. |
Cipher Ascension and Trace Materials
Total Ascension Materials
| Ascension Materials | Total |
| Ethereal Omen | 15 |
| Echoing Wail | 15 |
| Eternal Lament | 15 |
| Darkveil Moonlight | 65 |
| Credit | 308,000 |
Total Trace Materials
| All Trace Node Materials | Total |
| Fiery Spirit | 15 |
| Ethereal Omen | 41 |
| Starfire Essence | 72 |
| Echoing Wail | 56 |
| Heaven Incinerator | 139 |
| Eternal Lament | 58 |
| Daythunder Anamnesis | 12 |
| Tracks of Destiny | 8 |
| Credit | 3,000,000 |
Cipher’s Trace Priority & Bonus Abilities
Combat Traces
| Trace | Priority & Explanation |
| Basic Attack | ★★★☆☆ – Medium Priority. Cipher’s Basic Attack should be saved for last since you’d want to use Cipher’s Skill more. |
| Skill | ★★★★☆ – High Priority. Use Cipher’s Skill often, so upgrade this after Ultimate and Talent. |
| Ultimate | ★★★★★ – Highest Priority. Cipher’s Ultimate deals high True DMG and should be maxed out. |
| Talent | ★★★★★ – Highest Priority. Cipher’s high SPD benefits greatly from upgraded Talent and follow-up damage. |
Bonus Abilities
| Trace | Priority & Explanation |
| Sleight of Sky | ★★★★★ – Cipher’s Follow-up attacks deal 100% more CRIT DMG and increase enemy damage received. |
| 300 Rogues | ★★★★★ – Cipher tallies DMG from allies attacking enemies other than the Patron. |
| Empyrean Strides | ★★★★★ – Unlocks CRIT Rate buff from high SPD and improves tally gain. |
Cipher Honkai Star Rail Guide: Kit, Abilities, and Skills
Talent: Inflicts Patron State on the Enemy
Cipher’s Talent automatically marks the enemy with the highest Max HP as the “Patron.” When allies attack the Patron, Cipher keeps a tally of the damage dealt and triggers Follow-Up Attacks based on that damage.
Ultimate: Deals True Damage Based on Tally
Cipher’s Ultimate unleashes True DMG that scales with the damage recorded by her Talent, making it a powerful finishing move when the tally is high.
Skill: Changes the Patron Target
Using Cipher’s Skill allows you to switch the Patron state to a different enemy. Importantly, the previously recorded tally of damage is preserved even after changing the target.
Technique: Grants Speed Boost and Invisibility
Cipher’s Technique increases her movement speed and grants her invisibility outside of battle, allowing her to sneak past enemies undetected.
Cipher’s Traces (Skills and Kit)
Cipher’s Active Abilities
| Ability | Name | Effect (Scaling) |
| Basic ATK | Oops, A Missed Catch | Deals Quantum DMG equal to 90% of Cipher’s ATK to a single target. |
| Skill | Hey, Jackpot for the Taking | – 120% base chance to Weaken main and adjacent targets (reduces their DMG dealt by 10%).- Boosts Cipher’s ATK by 30% for 2 turns.- Deals Quantum DMG equal to 175% of ATK to main target, and 87% to adjacent targets. |
| Ultimate | Yours Truly, Kitty Phantom Thief! | – Deals Quantum DMG equal to 105% of ATK to one target.- Deals True DMG equal to 25% of the Talent’s tally to that target.- Then, deals Quantum DMG equal to 20% of ATK and True DMG equal to 75% of the tally, split evenly among that target and adjacent enemies.- Clears the tally after use. |
Cipher’s Talent
| Name | The Hospitable Dolosian |
| Effect | – If no enemy is marked as “Patron”, the enemy with highest Max HP becomes the Patron automatically.- Skill and Ultimate target becomes the new “Patron” (replacing the old one).- When allies hit the Patron, Cipher performs a Follow-up ATK dealing Quantum DMG equal to 131% of her ATK (once per turn, resets on her turn).- Cipher tallies 12% of non-True DMG dealt to the Patron by allies (Overflow DMG not counted).- Tally is cleared after using Ultimate. |
Cipher’s Technique
| Name | Puss in Boots |
| Effect | – Grants Zagreus’s Blessing for 15 seconds:• Cipher becomes invisible to enemies.• Movement speed increases by 50%.• Approaching an enemy grants a random Consumable (up to 50/day).- If battle starts with the blessing active:• Deals Quantum DMG equal to 100% of Cipher’s ATK to all enemies.• Tally gain from this hit is increased by 200%. |
Bonus Abilities & Stat Traces
| Bonus Ability | Effect | Stat Bonuses |
| Sleight of Sky | – Talent’s Follow-up ATK gains +100% CRIT DMG.- Enemies on battlefield take +40% more DMG when Cipher is present. | – Effect Hit Rate +6%– Quantum DMG +6.4% |
| 300 Rogues | – Cipher tallies 8% of non-True DMG dealt to enemies not marked as Patron (Overflow excluded). | – SPD +3– Quantum DMG +4.8%– SPD +3 |
| Empyrean Strides | – If Cipher’s SPD ≥140 / 170:• CRIT Rate +25% / 50%• Tally gained increased by 50% / 100% | – Quantum DMG +3.2%– SPD +2– Effect Hit Rate +4% |
Cipher’s Eidolons
| Eidolon | Effect Summary |
| E1 | Skill lowers enemy DEF by additional 10% |
| E2 | Basic ATK has 50% chance to spread debuff |
| E4 | Talent triggers twice per turn |
| E6 | Ultimate ignores 20% of enemy Quantum RES |
Recommended Eidolons: E1, E4, and E6
How to Get Cipher
Cipher is available through the limited-time banner in Version 3.5. She may return in future reruns or become part of the standard pool, so keep an eye on official announcements.
SEE ALSO: Cerydra Ascension Honkai Star Rail: Signature Light Cone & Trace Materials Guide
Cipher’s versatile build options and team flexibility make her a standout character in Honkai: Star Rail, especially for players who enjoy tactical gameplay and debuff-driven strategies. Whether you’re focusing on her Sub-DPS prowess, debuffer role, or synergizing with characters like Acheron or Feixiao, this Cipher Honkai Star Rail guide will help you build her right and maximize your team’s potential.
And if you’re looking to power up Cipher faster, don’t forget—you can Top Up Honkai Star Rail safely and conveniently on Joytify to get Stellar Jades, fuel, and more for your pulls and upgrades.
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