Honkai Star Rail's Arlan does a stellar job of protecting the Herta Space Station. Okay, he may not win every battle, but he's more than willing to put his life on the line to protect those around him. Regardless of how brave or skilled the head of the Herta Space Station's security department is, no one should have to shoulder such responsibility alone.
If you want to introduce yourself to the rest of the inhabitants of Herta Space Station, head over to our Honkai Star Rail tier list and Honkai Star Rail banner guides. You can grab some free resources with our Honkai Star Rail codes guide. We've also got a heap more build guides just like this one, including Honkai Star Rail's Trailblazer, Honkai Star Rail's Firefly, and Honkai Star Rail's Lingsha.
Here's everything in our HSR Arlan build:
What's the best Arlan build?
Arlan is a four-star lightning element character who treads the path of the Destruction. He's an incredibly accessible early-game DPS unit who uses his own HP to fuel his attacks, so make sure to pair him with a good healer to keep him alive.
Here's a brief overview of our best Arlan build:
| Rarity | ★★★★ |
| Element | Lightning |
| Path | The Destruction |
| Best light cone | The Unreachable Side |
| Light cone alternatives |
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| Best relic set | Scholar Lost in Erudition |
| Best planar ornament set | Firmament Frontline: Glammoth |
| Main stats |
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| Sub-stats |
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For Arlan's best build, you should equip him with the five-star light cone The Unreachable Side, a combination of Scholar Lost in Erudition and Firmament Frontline: Glammoth.
His damage scales based on his attack, but his HP is equally important, so make sure to balance the two stats while also boosting his lightning damage bonus, crit rate, and crit damage.
How to use Arlan
Arlan is a lightning-wielding DPS with high damage and low survivability, so he plays the role of a glass cannon in most scenarios. He specializes in taking down single targets, and his skill sees him sacrifice a portion of his HP in order to deal more damage, though he can't use this skill if his HP is insufficient. His passive also sees his damage increase based on his lost HP.
What are the best light cones for Arlan?
Honkai Star Rail Blade's light cone, The Unreachable Side, fits Arlan's HP-cutting moveset perfectly, boosting his crit rate and max HP, as well as buffing his attack when he cuts his own health or when enemies attack him. However, it's a limited five-star light cone, so can be a pain to acquire.
On the Fall of an Aeon is also a powerful option that's a little easier to acquire, as you can buy it from Herta's Store for eight Herta bonds. Arlan's damage output scales based on his attack, so the incremental increase throughout the battle helps to lift his power to new heights.
Honkai Star Rail Clara's signature light cone, Something Irreplaceable, also works with his kit as it gives Arlan an attack boost whenever he defeats an enemy or gets hit. He doesn't taunt the enemy as much as Clara does, but HP manipulation is important for Arlan's success in battle.
The four-star light cone A Secret Vow is tailored to Arlan's kit, both increasing his flat damage and allowing him to deal extra damage when an enemy has a higher HP percentage than him, which, due to his skills, is likely to be almost always active. However, if you can't get your hands on A Secret Vow for whatever reason, you can equip him with any light cone that aligns with the path of The Destruction, preferably one that also boosts his attack.
Here are the best HSR Arlan light cones:
| The Unreachable Side | Increases Arlan's crit rate by 18% and increases his max HP by 18%. When enemies attack Arlan or he consumes his own HP, his damage increases by 24%. This effect is removed after Arlan uses an attack |
| On the Fall of an Aeon | Whenever Arlan attacks, his attack is increased by 8% in this battle, up to four times. When he inflicts weakness break on enemies, Arlan's damage increases by 12% for two turns |
| Something Irreplaceable | Increases Arlan's attack by 24%. When Arlan defeats an enemy or is hit, immediately restores HP equal to 8% of his attack. At the same time, Arlan's damage is increased by 24% until the end of his next turn. This effect cannot stack and can only trigger one time per turn |
| A Secret Vow | Increases the damage Arlan deals by 20%. He also deals an extra 20% damage to enemies with a higher HP percentage than him |
| Shattered Home | Increases the damage Arlan deals to enemies that have 50% of their max HP remaining by 20% |
What are the best relics for Arlan?
When it comes to Honkai Star Rail relics, the best set for Arlan is Scholar Lost in Erudition. This set focuses on increasing his crit rate and the amount of damage he can deal with his skill and ultimate, which you want to use a lot more than his basic attack.
Band of Sizzling Thunder is a great lightning DPS pick, with only slightly lower damage output than Scholar Lost In Erudition. It increases Arlan's lightning damage and shock damage. He's a clear main DPS character, so anything that boosts his elemental damage and attack stat is beneficial. We've also tried pairing two pieces of Band of Sizzling Thunder with two pieces of Musketeer of Wild Wheat to increase his attack stat.
Longevous Discipleis also a decent option for Arlan, increasing his max HP and offering a similar effect to Blade's light cone that's much easier to get your hands on.
For planar ornaments, Rutilant Arena is a great fit for Arlan as a main DPS, boosting his crit rate, basic attack damage, and skill damage. Firmament Frontline: Glamoth is also viable, even if you're only reaching its baseline speed, offering a generalized attack and damage buff rather than focusing on Arlan's basic attack and skill.
| Scholar Lost in Erudition | Two equipped: increases crit rate by 8% Four equipped: increases damage dealt by skill and ultimate by 20%. After using ultimate, additionally increases the damage dealt by the next skill by 25% |
Obtain from: Cavern of Corrosion: Path of Uncertainty in the Xianzhou Luofu's Shackling Prison |
| Band of Sizzling Thunder | Two equipped: increases lightning damage by 10% Four equipped: increases Arlan's attack by 20% for one turn after he uses his skill |
Obtain from: Cavern of Corrosion: Path of Holy Hymn in the Xianzhou Luofu's Cloudford |
| Longevous Disciple | Two equipped: increases max HP by 12% Four equipped: when Arlan is hit or has his HP consumed by an ally or himself, his crit rate increases by 8% for two turns and up to two stacks |
Obtain from: Cavern of Corrosion: Path of Elixir Seekers in The Xianzhou Luofu's Alchemy Commission |
| Musketeer of Wild Wheat | Two equipped: increases Arlan's attack by 12% Four equipped: increases Arlan's speed by 6% and his basic attack damage by 10% |
Obtain from: Cavern of Corrosion: Path of Drifting in Jarilo-VI's Corridor of Fading Echoes |
Planar ornaments
| Rutilant Arena | Two equipped: increases Arlan's crit rate by 8%. When his current crit rate reaches 70% or higher, Arlan's basic attack and skill damage increase by 20% | Immersion Reward devices in World 7 of the Simulated Universe, or Divergent Universe: Fruit of Evil |
| Firmament Frontline: Glamoth | Two equipped: increases Arlan's attack by 12%. When his speed is equal to or higher than 135/160, Arlan deals 12%/18% more damage | Immersion Reward devices in World 8 of the Simulated Universe, or Divergent Universe: Pouring Blades |
Relic stat recommendations
Main stats:
- Body: crit rate/damage
- Feet: speed
- Planar sphere: lightning damage
- Link rope: attack%
Sub-stats:
- Crit rate and damage
- Attack%
- Speed
What's the best team comp for Arlan?
While Arlan certainly isn't the best DPS on the Honkai Star Rail tier list, he can be pretty powerful with the right team and build. For healing, Natasha is a no-brainer as her skill can directly target Arlan when his HP is getting low. Then, combine whichever supports, tanks, and sub-DPS characters suit your playstyle.
Here are some examples of strong Arlan team comps:
 Arlan |
 Sparkle |
 Bronya |
 Robin |
| Arlan |
 Yukong |
 Asta |
 Preservation Trailblazer |
| Arlan |
 Tingyun |
Bronya |
 Aventurine |
| Arlan |
 Robin |
 Sunday |
 Tribbie |
| Arlan |
 Castorice |
 Remembrance Trailblazer |
 Gallagher |
What are Arlan's skills?
Here are all of Arlan's skills and abilities at level one. Keep in mind that the multipliers for each of these skills increase as you level them up.
Active skills:
| Basic attack | Lightning Rush Deal 50% of Arlan's attack as lightning damage to a target enemy |
| Skill | Shackle Breaker Consume 15% of Arlan's max HP to deal 120% of his attack as lightning damage to a target enemy. If Arlan does not have sufficient HP, his HP will be reduced to one after using his skill |
| Ultimate | Frenzied Punishment Deal 192% of Arlan's attack as lightning damage to a target enemy, and 96% of Arlan's attack as lightning damage to enemies adjacent to the target |
Talent and technique:
| Talent | Pain and Anger Increases Arlan's damage based on his lost HP, up to a max of 36% |
| Technique | Swift Harvest Immediately attack the enemy. After entering battle, deal 80% of Arlan's attack as lightning damage to all enemies |
Major traces:
| A2 | Revival If Arlan defeats an enemy when he is at 30% or less of his max HP, restore his HP by 20% of Arlan's max HP |
| A4 | Endurance Arlan's DoT resistance increases by 50% |
| A6 | Repel If Arlan enters battle at 50% or less of his max HP he gains a barrier that nullifies the next incoming attack |
What are Arlan's eidolons?
Eidolons in Honkai Star Rail are similar to Genshin Impact's constellations. They're unique buffs that you can only unlock by pulling more than one copy of a character. Here are all of Arlan's eidolons.
Here are all of Arlan's eidolons:
| E1 | To the Bitter End When Arlan's HP is lower than or equal to 50% of max HP, increases skill's damage by 10% |
| E2 | Breaking Free Using Arlan's skill or ultimate removes one debuff from himself |
| E3 | Power Through Increases the level of Arlan's skill by two, up to a maximum of level of 15, and increases the level of his basic attack by one, up to a maximum of level ten |
| E4 | Turn the Tables When struck by a killing blow, instead of becoming incapacitated, Arlan immediately restores back to 25% of his max HP. This effect is automatically removed after it triggers once or after two turns have elapsed |
| E5 | Hammer and Tongs Increases the level of Arlan's ultimate by two, up to a maximum of level 15, and increases the level of his talent by two, up to a maximum of level 15 |
| E6 | Self-Sacrifice When Arlan's HP is lower than 50%, his ultimate's damage increases by 20% and the damage multiplier on adjacent targets increases to that of the target enemy |
What are Arlan's ascension materials?
You can do most of the work of leveling up Arlan with character EXP materials, but at certain points along the way, you'll need to spend specific resources to ascend him to the next level.
Here are all of Arlan's ascension materials:
| 20➔30 |
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| 30➔40 |
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| 40➔50 |
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| 50➔60 |
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| 60➔70 |
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| 70➔80 |
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Here's where to get each of Arlan's ascension materials:
- Extinguished, glimmering, and squirming cores - obtain from certain fragmentum monsters on Jarilo-VI or in the Honkai Star Rail simulated universe, via synthesis, from assignment rewards, or in the embers exchange store
- Lightning crown of the past shadow - drops from the Shape of Fulmination: Stagnant Shadow in Jarilo-VI's Corridor of Fading Echoes
What are Arlan's trace materials?
Leveling up a character's traces improves their abilities. To max out all of Arlan's traces, you'll need the following materials:
- 12 shattered blades, 54 lifeless blades, and 105 worldbreaker blades
- Obtain from the Bud of Destruction crimson calyx in the Herta Space Station's Storage Zone, synthesis, and the embers exchange
- 28 extinguished cores, 42 glimmering cores, and 42 squirming cores
- Obtain from certain fragmentum monsters on Jarilo-VI or in the Honkai Star Rail simulated universe, via synthesis, from assignment rewards, or in the embers exchange store
- 12 destroyer's final roads - rewards from the Echo of War: Destruction's Beginning
- Five tracks of destiny
- 2.4 million credits
Skill trace priority:
- Skill > Ultimate > Talent > Basic attack
Major trace priority:
- Revival > Repel > Endurance
That's everything we've got on Honkai Star Rail's Arlan. Make sure to check out some of our other Hoyoverse game guides, like our Zenless Zone Zero tier list and Zenless Zone Zero codes guide. We also have build guides like these for Genshin Impact's Freminet, Genshin Impact's Xilonen, and Zenless Zone Zero's Grace.