Best Light Cones for each character in Honkai: Star Rail

Ensure every recruit has the best gear possible.

Obtaining a character is only the beginning of finding success in Honkai: Star Rail. Once you have a character, you’ll then need to get to work building them in a few ways with the most important one being finding the best Light Cone for them.

Light Cones are essentially Honkai: Star Rail's version of weapons as they apply similar benefits to the weapon system present in Genshin Impact. The best Light Cone will amplify and bolster a character's already present skillset to help them truly shine as an unstoppable force on the battlefield.

Related: All Honkai: Star Rail paths explained

As important as Light Cones are, they can also be a bit confusing and overwhelming since there are so many to choose from. Finding the right one for any character will be a trial and error process depending on the team you place them on and how you want them to function in battle. But regardless of these factors, there are only a handful of Light Cones players will want to consider for each character.

You can only apply Light Cones of the correct path type to a character which means not every Light Cone can be equipped on every character. If you’re familiar with the weapon system in Genshin, you can think of this system as Honkai: Star Rail's version of weapons since each character can only equip Light Cones on their desired path just as Genshin recruits can only wield weapons of their desired type.

Most of the Light Cones that are best for five-star units feature artwork of the character they are intended for. Four-star units do appear on some Light Cones too, but these are not always the best option for them.

Because Honkai: Star Rail sometimes allows players to try out recruits that have not yet officially released as playable characters, some of the characters and Light Cones below are for upcoming units that can't be recruited just yet but will become available in the future.

Here are all of the best Light Cones for every Honkai: Star Rail character. This list will be updated as new Light Cones are released and when new characters join the game.

Characters who are part of The Destruction path are essentially Bruisers capable of dishing out massive amounts of damage while also boasting an impressive amount of health sure to last them through any fight. These characters are mighty and tough forces foes will have a tough time bringing down.

If you’re seeking a versatile Light Cone that works well on any characters on The Destruction path, the On the Fall of an Aeon one is one of the most powerful and versatile choices. Outside of this Light Cone, the other best ones will vary drastically for each character.

The characters who are part of The Preservation path strive to protect their allies at all costs. They are shielders with powerful defensive capabilities sure to help players stay safe through any battle.

Gepard's Moment of Victory Light Cone is a solid option for most characters classified under this path, but because each member of this path possesses very unique abilities players will find there is quite a variety of Light Cones that are best for each one.

Characters who walk The Hunt path are excellent single-target damage dealers. The Light Cones they can choose from thus generally possess capabilities that improve upon their overall damage output and brutal attack abilities.

Cruising in the Stellar Sea is a powerful choice for any character on The Hunt path. Sleep Like the Dead is another solid option and both are immensely versatile Light Cones that deliver powerful results.

If you’re seeking damage dealers who are focused on dealing solid blows across a group of foes, those who walk The Erudition path will be immensely beneficial. These characters can effectively take on groups of enemies and need solid Light Cones to back their abilities.

Both Night on the Milky Way, which is Himkeo's signature Light Cone, and Before Dawn, which is Jing Yuan's signature Light Cone, work as powerful tools for any character walking The Erudition path. Beyond these two Light Cones, the other best options vary depending on each character's individual skillset.

Characters who are part of The Harmony path work as powerful buffers who effectively apply benefits to their teammates and dispel negative debuffs enemies inflict on players. These characters will make your team stronger and enhance its general capabilities.

Bronya's signature Light Cone, which is But the Battle Isn't Over, is the top choice for characters walking The Harmony path. The other best Light Cones are generally the same regardless of which character you are building as most of them are fairly versatile and well-suited for any skillset.

Those who are part of The Abundance path are healers who work to keep your team healthy and thriving throughout any battle. The Time Waits for No One Light Cone is the overall best choice for most characters who walk this path.

Characters from The Nihility path are especially annoying to fight as they debuff your characters and oftentimes render them useless. When the characters who walk this path are on your side, you’ll find that they are immensely useful allies who will take opponents out of commission and make them easier to vanquish.

The signature Light Cone for Welt, which is In the Name of the World, is a top choice for characters classified under The Nihility path. All Light Cones beyond this one vary depending on each individual character's skillset.

Dot Esports gathered this information by playing Honkai: Star Rail Version 1.0 "The Rail Unto the Stars" on PC.

Staff Writer at Dot Esports primarily covering Minecraft, Genshin Impact, MC Championship (MCC), Disney Dreamlight Valley, general gaming, and streaming. She has been avidly writing and gaming her whole life and now spends her time combining the two.Kacee graduated from San Diego State University in 2021 with a Bachelor's Degree in English and a Certificate in Creative Editing and Publishing. She then joined Dot Esports as a Freelance Writer in 2022 before transitioning to a Staff Writer in 2023. In her spare time, she enjoys buying more books than she can read, gaming alone or with friends, drinking too much tea, struggling to keep up with all of the streamers she loves to watch, attending concerts, fangirling over movies and television, listening to music, and spending time with her family, friends, and pets, who are the most important parts of her world.