Honkai Star Rail: Ruan Mei Best Build

Ruan Mei is a 5-star Harmony character with the Ice damage type. She is also the first 5-star limited Harmony character in Honkai Star Rail, and her kit is stacked with insanely strong team wide buffs. If built correctly, she can act as a combination of Asta and Tingyun. Here is a complete Ruan Mei build guide, including her best light cones, relics, and team comps.

Who is Ruan Mei in Honkai Star Rail?

Ruan Mei is a sweet-tempered and elegant scholar. She is the #81 member of the Genius Society and an expert in biological sciences. Herta invited her to develop the Simulated Universe, collaborating with Screwllum and Stephen. She also enjoys desserts, traditional theater, and embroidery.

Ruan Mei Release Date and Upcoming Banners

Ruan Mei was released in the first phase of the Honkai Star Rail 1.6 update. She will next feature in the upcoming 2.3 banners, next to Firefly, Gallagher, Xueyi, and Misha. The HSR 2.3 banners have been released on June 18.

Ruan Mei’s Kit And Cycle Rotation (At Max Level)

From everything we know, Ruan Mei is a combination of Asta and Tingyun with some insane weakness-break capabilities sprinkled on top. Let’s take a look at her kit to understand how to play her optimally with the best Ruan Mei build.

• Threading Fragrance (Basic Attack): It deals flat Ice Damage to a single target, equal to 130% of Ruan Mei’s Attack.
• String Sings Slow Swirls (Skill): When using Skill, Ruan Mei gains Overtone, which increases damage of all allies by 40% and Weakness Break Efficiency increases by 50%, for 3 turns.
• Petals to Stream, Repose in Dream (Ultimate): Ruan Mei’s Ultimate deploys a field for 2 turns (based on her turns) that increases Resistance penetration of All-Type for all allies by 24%. Enemies that get their weakness broken while this field is active will have their action delayed by 15% of Ruan Mei’s Break Rffect plus 10% while also receiving an additional 180% of Ruan Mei’s Ice break damage.

• Somatotypical Helix (Talent): It gives a straight 11% Speed increase to all allies (excluding herself) and when allies break enemy target’s weakness, the target receives extra damage equal to 150% of Ruan Mei’s Ice Break Damage.
• Silken Serenade (Technique): This gives Ruan Mei Silken Serenade state. In this state, Ruan Mei’s Skill will automatically trigger for 1 turn without consuming Skill points. In Simulated Universe, this effect allows any attack from any weakness type to an enemy outside to start the combat as attacking the enemy’s weakness. The Weakness break effect after entering the combat will be according to the attacker’s weakness type. Additionally, every Blessing in possession increases the Toughness reducing Damage of this attack by 100%. After breaking an enemy’s Weakness, additionally deal Break Damage equal to 100% of Ruan Mei’s Ice break damage.

Ruan Mei’s kit is stacked with buffs, her Skill giving a massive Damage and Weakness Break Efficiency buff. Her Ultimate further increases All Type Resistance penetration for allies while delaying attacks from weakness broken enemies. Ruan Mei’s Talent also gives a Speed % increase to all allies and her Technique lets you enter battle by targeting enemy weakness, irrespective of ally damage type.

Ruan Mei’s ideal cycle rotation should be:

Skill >> Normal Attack >> Normal Attack >> Skill >> Normal Attack >> Normal Attack

Her Ultimate lasts for two turns, so use it during a big damage cycle or when the enemy is close to a weakness break.

Ruan Mei Best Build: Relics, Planar Ornaments & Sub Stats

Ruan Mei is a very strong Support, but she can be even better with the correct Relics and Planar Ornaments. Here are the best Relics, Planar Ornaments, Sub, and Main stats for the Ruan Mei build.

Ruan Mei Cavern Relics

• 4-piece Thief of Shooting Meteor (Best for Ruan Mei)
• 4-piece Messenger Traversing Hackerspace (Additional speed buff for the team)

Ruan Mei’s buffs are based on her allies’ stats, so her stats don’t affect most of her buffs. Since her kit is made for weakness breaks, the Thief of Shooting Meteor artifact set will be perfect for her. This artifact set will further increase her break effect, dealing additional damage with her Ultimate and regenerating energy with each break. You can also use the 4-piece Messenger Traversing Hackerspace for an additional 12% speed buff to all the allies.

Ruan Mei Planar Ornaments

• 2-piece Talia: Kingdom of Banditry (Best for Ruan Mei)
• 2-piece Pan-Cosmic Commercial Enterprise (Buffs attack and will make it easier to debuff enemies)

For Planar Ornaments, 2-piece Talia: Kingdom of Banditry fits her best as it increases her break effect, directly affecting her Ultimate’s additional damage during the weakness break. You can also run a 2-piece Pan-Cosmic Commercial Enterprise to apply debuffs easily on enemies with high effect resistance.

Best Ruan Mei Main and Sub Stats

Relics	Main / Sub-Stat
Head	HP / Break Effect % > Speed > HP% > Defense % = Effect Resistance %
Hands	Attack / Break Effect % > Speed > HP% > Defense = Effect Resistance %
Body	HP% = Defense % / Break Effect % > Speed > HP% = Defense % = Effect Resistance %
Feet	Speed / Break Effect % > HP% > Defense % = Effect Resistance %
Planar Sphere	Ice Damage Boost / Break Effect % > Speed > HP% > Defense % = Effect Resistance %
Link Rope	Break Effect % > Energy Regeneration Rate / Speed = Break Effect % > HP% > Defense % = Effect Resistance %

For Relic stats, you must stack as much Break effect as possible. Also, make sure to add enough Speed to reach the high 145-speed requirement of the 2-piece Talia: Kingdom of Banditry. Other than that, stack HP%, Defense %, and Effect Resistance % to make her tank hits. As Break Effect damage is unaffected by Attack, Crit Rate, and Damage, there is no need to add offensive sub-stats.

Light Cones for Best Ruan Mei Build

There are a lot of good Light Cones that can work well on Ruan Mei. Let’s take a closer look at them:

• Past Self in Mirror (Signature Light Cone): Regenerates Energies at the start of each wave and increases the damage dealt by 15% for all allies after using the skill. It also increases All-Type Resistance Penetration by 6% for all allies with speed boosts lasting for 3 turns.
• Memories of the Past (Best 4-star option): Flat 28% increase to Break Effect. Regenerates 4 energy when the wearer attacks.
• Chorus (Easy to get and Superimpose): Flat 12% increase to attack for all allies.

Ruan Mei Ascension and Trace Materials

All Ascension Materials for Ruan Mei:

Materials	Quantity
Credit	308k
Immortal Scionette	15
Immortal Aeroblossom	15
Gelid Chitin	65
Immortal Lumintwig	15

All Trace Materials for Ruan Mei:

Materials	Quantity
Credit	3 Million
Harmonic Tune	18
Immortal Scionette	41
Ancestral Hymn	69
Immortal Aeroblossom	56
Stellaris Symphony	139
Immortal Lumintwig	58
Past Evils of Borehole Planet Disaster	12
Tracks of Destiny	8

Ruan Mei Eidolons in Honkai Star Rail

• Neural Replication Embroidery (E1): Increases Overtone’s duration by 1 turn and increases attack of all allies by 40%.
• Reedtide Stroll (E2): Ruan Mei’s break effect is increased by 100% for 2 turns when an enemy’s weakness is broken.
• Smoke Rises, Viridescence Sways (E3): Ultimate Level +2 up to Level 15 and Talent Level + 2, up to Level 15.
• Divinity in Reflected Bronze (E4): Increases Crit Damage of allies by 40% when attacking weakness broken enemies. Ruan Mei must be on the field.
• Hairpin of the Languid Crafter (E5): Skill Level +2 up to Level 15 and Basic Attack Level + 1, up to Level 10.
• Gauze Amidst a Fall (E6): Ruan Mei’s Ultimate field lasts for 1 more turn. Furthermore, the additional damage multiplier of her Ultimate increases by 24% when her Break Effect is higher than 180% for every 10% over the threshold to a maximum of 240% damage multiplier.

She has some powerful Eidolons, making it worthwhile to go for her E6. Even if you are not planning to get her C6, we suggest you at least try for her E1, which increases the Overtone’s duration by 1 turn and additionally increases the attack of all allies by 40%.

Ruan Mei Traces in Honkai Star Rail

Bonus Abilities:

• Inert Respiration (Ascension 2): Break Effect increases by 20% for all allies.
• Days Wane, Thoughts Wax (Ascension 4): Ruan Mei regenerates 5 Energy at the start of her turn.
• Candle Lights on Still Waters (Ascension 6): For every 10% of Ruan Mei’s Break Effect exceeding 120%, her Skill additionally increases the damage of allies by 6% (max 36%).

Stat Boosts:

• Break Effect Boost: 37.3%
• Defense Boost: 12.5%
• Speed Boost: 5

Best Team Comps For Ruan Mei

Order	Main DPS	Support	Support	Sustain
Best	Firefly	Harmony Trailblazer	Ruan Mei	Gallagher
Alternative	Boothill	Pela	Ruan Mei	Huohuo
F2P Friendly	Misha	Pela	Ruan Mei	Gallagher

Ruan Mei is a Break Effect damage buffer and she works extremely well with Firefly and Boothill. However, she can work with most Hyper Carry DPS units in the game. Pairing her with Harmony Trailblazer also increases her effectiveness.

You can also pair Ruan Mei with Pela to have additional defense shred or pair her with Asta to further boost the speed and attack of allies. Gallagher works best with Ruan Mei in Break Effect focused teams. Other than that, you can also use Huohuo as Sustain as she can regenerate energy for her Ultimate, allowing her to keep her Ultimate active most of the time.

Should You Pull for Ruan Mei in Honkai Star Rail?

Yes, you should definitely pull for Ruan Mei. Ruan Mei’s kit is absolutely stacked with quality buffs that will elevate the performance of any team you are using. She is 100% worth spending your Stellar Jades, and we suggest you go for her E1 if you can. Share your opinion on Ruan Mei and tell us if you are impressed by her kit.