Roll up, roll up, one and all, come see the amazing Honkai Star Rail Guinaifen! This extravagant and enigmatic gal is a fiery four-star capable of inflicting plenty of red-hot damage through her damage over time, as a follower of the Nihility path. Guinaifen is a street performer at heart and brings this spark and flair into her skills in battle with cool tricks like throwing firecrackers or summoning multiple ditings.
If you’re constantly updating your teams like we are, check out our builds for Honkai Star Rail’s Imbibitor Lunae, Honkai Star Rail’s Fu Xuan, and the youngest Landau sibling – Honkai Star Rail’s Lynx.
Here’s everything in our best Honkai Star Rail Guinaifen build.
What’s the best Honkai Star Rail Guinaifen build?
Guinaifen is a four-star fire element character who follows the path of the Nihility. She’s a surprisingly strong support character, offering a valuable debuff with permanent up-time, impressive personal damage for a support, and the ability to proc all burn DoT effects on enemies at will.
Here’s a brief overview of our best HSR Guinaifen build:
| Best light cone | Good Night and Sleep Well |
| Light cone substitutes | Eyes of the Prey, Patience Is All You need |
| Best relic set | Firesmith of Lava Forging |
| Best planar ornaments | Pan-Galactic Commercial Enterprise |
| Main stats | Body – Effect hit rate Feet – Speed Link rope – Energy recharge Planar sphere – Fire damage bonus |
| Sub stats | Effect hit rate, energy recharge, attack, speed |
Guinaifen’s best light cone is Good Night and Sleep Well. Her best relic set is four pieces of Firesmith of Lava Forging, paired up with two pieces of the planar ornament set, Pan-Galactic Commercial Enterprise.
When choosing relics for Guinaifen, we recommend prioritizing effect hit rate, energy recharge, attack, and speed. After that, a little extra HP%, defense%, and break effect is also handy.
In terms of skill priority, we recommend leveling up both her skill and talent first, followed by her ultimate, then her basic attack. Then, when leveling up her major traces, we recommend prioritizing High Poles first, then Walking on Knives, then Bladed Hoop.
How do I use Honkai Star Rail’s Guinaifen?
As we mentioned earlier, Guinaifen is surprisingly strong in a support role. Not only does she deal an impressive amount of damage over time (and can apply it to multiple enemies at once), her talent also allows her to inflict enemies with the powerful Firekiss debuff. This increases their total damage taken by up to 7%, and can stack up to three times for a total maximum of 21%.
While she’s alive and on the field, there’s a 100% chance for her to apply Firekiss to an enemy after they sustain damage from a burn DoT. So it’s a good thing that her skill not only deals damage in a blast AoE (up to 120% of her attack to the main target and up to 40% to adjacent enemies), but it also has a 100% base chance to burn all targets hit for two turns. The burn DoT itself deals up to 218% of her attack per tick, while also triggering that delicious Firekiss debuff, making for an incredibly potent cycle of burning and debuffing as long as you continue to use her skill every two turns.
Guinaifen’s ultimate is also surprisingly powerful, dealing up to 120% of her attack as damage to all enemies on the field. Additionally, if a target is inflicted with burn, her ultimate immediately deals damage equal to 92% of the burn’s original damage. So, in short, her kit is kind of like a budget, burn-focused version of Honkai Star Rail Kafka’s.
To make the deal even sweeter, her ultimate only has a 120 energy cost, so it doesn’t take too long to charge. Her traces are also super valuable, with her A2 granting her basic attack an 80% base chance to inflict the same burn DoT as her skill, which makes her far more SP-positive than you’d think.
With all that said, Guinaifen’s rotation is pretty simple. Use her skill every two turns (or her basic attack, if you’ve unlocked her A2 talent) to apply burn to her enemies and, in turn, inflict them with Firekiss. Then, when all enemies are inflicted with burn, use her ultimate. Yup, it’s that easy – just give them a couple of smacks, then watch them burn away to nothing. Beautiful.
What are the best light cones for Guinaifen?
Guinaifen, as a Nihility unit, benefits greatly from any light cone that helps her apply damage over time, and boosts her effect hit ratio.
If you choose to run Guinaifen in a team with Kafka, or Sampo, or both – Fermata is a great light cone for her as it doubles down on the damage from Kafka and Sampo’s DoT.
Here are the best HSR Guinaifen light cones:
| Light cone | Effect | How to obtain |
| Good Night and Sleep Well (four-star) | For every debuff the enemy has, Guinaifen’s damage increases by 12%, stacking up to three times. This also applies DoT | All banners |
| Patience is All You Need (five-star) | Increases the damage dealt by Guinaifen by 24%. After every attack she unleashes, her speed increases by 4.8%, stacking up to three times. If she hits an enemy not afflicted by Erode, she has a 100% chance to inflict it. Enemies inflicted with this are also considered to have Shock and receive DoT accordingly | Light cone banner (alongside Kafka) |
| Eyes of the Pray (four-star) | Increases Guinaifen’s effect hit rate by 20%, and her damage over time by 24% | Standard banner |
| Solitary Healing (five-star) | Increases Guinaifen’s break effect by 20%. When she uses her ultimate, she increases her DoT by 24%, lasting for two turns. When she defeats a target suffering from her burn DoT, she regenerates four energy | Herta’s Store in the Simulated Universe |
| Fermata (four-star) | Increases Guinaifen’s break effect by 16%, and increases her damage to enemies affected by shock or wind shear by 16%. This also applies DoT | Forgotten Hall store |
| Void (three-star) | At the start of a battle, Guinaifen’s effect hit rate increases by 20% for three turns | All banners |
What are the best relics for Guinaifen?
Guinaifen definitely benefits from a little extra fire damage or attack stats, so the Firesmith of Lava-Forging and Musketeer of Wild Wheat relics are good choices.
Here are the best HSR Guinaifen relics:
| Relic | Effect | How to obtain |
| Firesmith of Lava -Forging | Two equipped: Increases fire damage Four equipped: Increases Guinaifen’s skill damage by 12%. After unleashing her ultimate, her fire damage increases by 12% for the next attack |
Cavern of Corrosion: Path of Conflagration on the Xhianzhou Luofu |
| Musketeer of Wild Wheat | Two equipped: Increases attack Four equipped: Guinaifen’s speed increases by 6% and her basic attack damage by 10% |
Cavern of Corrosion: Path of Drifting on Jarilo-VI |
| Messenger Traversing Hackerspace | Two equipped: Increases speed Four equipped: Not recommended |
Cavern of Corrosion: Path of Elixir Seekers |
| Prisoner in Deep Confinement | Two equipped: Increases attack by 12% Four equipped: For every DoT the target enemy has, Guinaifen ignores 6% of their defense when dealing damage. This effect is valid for up to three different DoT states |
Cavern of Corrosion: Path of Darkness in Fyxestroll Gardens |
Planar ornament
| Relic | Effect | How to obtain |
| Pan-Galactic Commercial Enterprise | Two equipped: Increases Guinaifen’s effect hit rate by 10%. Meanwhile, her attack increases by 25% of the current effect hit rate | Immersion Reward devices in World 5 of the Simulated Universe |
| Space Sealing Station | Two equipped: Increases Guinaifen’s attack by 12%. When her speed reaches 120 or higher, attack increases by a further 12% | Immersion Reward devices in World 3 of the Simulated Universe |
Relic stat recommendations
Main stats:
- Body: Effect hit ratio or attack/%
- Feet: Speed
- Planar sphere: Fire damage boost
- Link rope: Energy recharge
Sub-stats:
- Effect hit ratio
- Energy recharge
- Attack/%
- Speed
What are the best Honkai Star Rail Guinaifen team comps?
Due to her universally appreciated debuff and impressive damage, Guinaifen is a flexible support character that can slot into many teams. Naturally, pairing her up with Honkai Star Rail’s Kafka is a brilliant idea, allowing you to apply DoTs then simply sit back and watch the fireworks. However, you don’t need Kafka to enjoy Guinaifen’s powerful kit.
A personal favorite of ours, and a very good team comp, sees Guinaifen pair up in a triple-threat Nihility team with Kafka and Sampo, to really overwhelm any enemies.
Here are some strong examples of HSR Guinaifen team comps:
| First character slot | Second character slot | Third character slot | Fourth character slot |
 Guinaifen |
 Kafka |
 Sampo |
Flex healer/buffer slot |
| Guinaifen |
Kafka |
 Asta |
 Luocha |
What are Guinaifen’s abilities?
Here are the specifics of Guinaifen’s kit, and what she can do in battle.
Active skills:
| Skill | Effect |
| Basic attack: Standing Ovation | Guinaifen throws a firecracker at one target. After unlocking the trace ‘High Poles’, Guinaifen’s basic attack also has a chance of inflicting burn |
| Skill: Blazing Welcome | Guinaifen launches a firecracker at enemies, dealing fire damage equal to 105% of her attack to the main target, and 35% to adjacent enemies. This has a 100% base chance of inflicting burn. This deals fire damage equal to 167% of Guinaifen’s attack at the beginning of each turn, lasting two turns |
| Ultimate: Watch This Showstopper | Guinaifen deals fire damage equal to 108% of her attack to all enemies. If a target is inflicted with burn, their status immediately produces 87% extra damage |
Talent:
| Skill | Effect |
| PatrAeon Benefits | When Guinaifen is on the field, there is a 100% base chance to apply Firekiss to an enemy after they take damage from the burn status. While in the Firekiss state, enemies receive 6.2% extra damage, lasting for three turns. This can stack three times |
Technique:
| Technique | Effect |
| Skill Showcase | Guinaifen throws a firecracker at an enemy to start a battle, which then does damage to the main target and adjacent enemy |
Traces:
| Trace | Effect |
| High Poles | Guinaifen’s basic attack has an 80% chance to inflict an enemy with burn |
| Bladed Hoop | When the battle begins, Guinaifen’s action advances forward by 25%. |
| Walking on Knives | Guinaifen deals 20% more damage to enemies inflicted with burn. |
What are Guinaifen’s eidolons?
As you continue pulling, you may receive extra copies of Guinaifen. If you do, here is what each level of her eidolon unlocks for you.
Here are all of Guinaifen’s eidolons:
| Eidolon | Effect |
| Level one: Slurping Noodles During Handstand | When Guinaifen uses her skill, there is a 100% base chance to reduce the target enemy’s effect resistance by 10% for two turns |
| Level two: Brushing Teeth While Whistling | When an enemy target is burning, the damage multiplier of the burn status increases by 40% |
| Level three: Smashing Boulder on Chest | Increases Guinaifen’s skill level by two, up to a maximum of fifteen. Also increases her basic attack level by one, up to a maximum of ten |
| Level four: Blocking Pike With Neck | Every time a burn status inflicted by Guinaifen causes damage, she regenerates two energy |
| Level five: Swallowing Sword to Stomach | Increases Guinaifen’s skill level by two, up to a maximum of fifteen. Also increases her basic attack level by one, up to a maximum of ten |
| Level six: Catching Bullet with Hands | Increases the stackable count of Firekiss by one |
What are Guinaifen’s ascension materials?
Each character requires a list of things to ascend them through the levels, and here is what Guinaifen requires.
Here are all of Guinaifen’s ascension materials:
| Required level | Credits | Materials |
| 20 | 3,200 | Four artifex’s module |
| 30 | 6,400 | Eight artifex’s module |
| 40 | 12,800 | Two searing steel blades, five artifex’s cogwheel |
| 50 | 32,000 | Five searing steel blades, eight artifex’s cogwheel |
| 60 | 64,000 | 15 searing steel blades, five artifex’s gyreheart |
| 70 | 128,000 | 28 searing steel blades, seven artifex’s gyreheart |
What are Guinaifen’s trace materials?
Guinaifen requires artifex drops from enemies, Nihility calyx materials, and some newer boss drops from the Xianzhou Luofu’s later areas in order to level up to the top.
- 28 artifex’s module, 42 artifex’s cogwheel, and 42 artifex’s gyreheart
- Obtain from Mara-struck soldiers, purchase from the Embers Exchange store, purchase from the Xianzhou Luofu world shop, and the synthesizer
- 12 obsidian of dread, 54 obsidian of desolation, and 105 obsidian of obsession
- Obtain from the Bud of Nihility calyx, purchase from the Embers Exchange store, purchase from Herta’s Space Station world shop, and the Jarilo-VI world shop
- 12 Regret of Infinite Ochema
- Obtain from the Phantylia boss fight in the Echo of War at Scalegorge Waterscape
- 5 tracks of destiny
- Obtain from events, as rewards in the Simulated Universe, from the Embers exchange, and Nameless Honor (battlepass) rewards
- 2,400,000 credits
Skill trace priority:
- Talent > Skill > ultimate > basic attack
Major trace priority:
- High Poles > Bladed Hoop > Walking on Knives
Now that you know how to rule as Guinaifen, get your teeth into our Honkai Star Rail codes, Honkai Star Rail tier list, and some Genshin Impact codes for good measure, to get you more warps and wishes.