Honkai Star Rail Ruan Mei kit, ability, and role explained

Honkai Star Rail 1.6 has finally kicked off, introducing Ruan Mei as a playable 5-star character. As a support unit from the Ice element, she follows the Path of Harmony to disperse an array of buffs, which can greatly increase the combat prowess of all her allies. Her kit also appears to be future-proof, as it allows other characters on the team to penetrate a target’s Toughness.

This article will offer a closer look at Ruan Mei's official abilities and further discuss her role in Honkai Star Rail.

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Ruan Mei's kit and abilities in Honkai Star Rail

The following list outlines Ruan Mei’s abilities and every element of her gameplay:

• Basic ATK (Threading Fragrance): Deals 50% of Ruan Mei’s ATK as Ice DMG on a target.
• Skill (String Sings Slow Swirls): Obtains Overtone for three turns, which increases all allies’ DMG by 16% and Weakness Break Efficiency by 50%.
• Ultimate (Petals to Stream, Repose in Dream): Deploys a field for two tuns in which allies’ All-Type RES PEN is boosted by 15%. Teammates' attack applies Thanatoplum Rebloom, which prevents the target’s Weakness Break while delaying their action by 20% of Ruan Mei’s Break Effect. It further triggers 30% Break DMG scaling on her Ice Break DMG.
• Talent (Somatotypical Helix): Boosts SPD by 8% for the team. Ruan Mei further deals 60% Break DMG on enemies when allies Break their Weakness.
• Technique (Silken Serenade): She acquires Silken Serenade at the beginning of the battle, which activates her Skill once without consuming any points. In the Simulated Universe, the effect enables the team to inflict a Weakness Break after attacking an enemy. The ability further increases the Toughness-Reducing damage of the attack for every Blessing in possession.

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Ruan Mei’s Eidolons in Honkai Star Rail

Ruan Mei's Eidolons (Image via HoYoverse)

Here are Ruan Mei’s first, second, fourth, and final Eidolons, as they drastically improve her combat efficiency:

• Eidolon one: Allies within her Ultimate field ignore 20% of target’s DEF while dealing damage.
• Eidolon two: When Ruan Mei is on the field, all teammates' ATK is increased by 40% while attacking enemies afflicted with Weakness Break.
• Eidolon four: She gains a 100% Break Effect boost when a target’s Weakness is Broken.
• Eidolon six: Increases the duration of her Ultimate by one turn and enhances the Talent’s Break DMG multiplier by 200%.

The remaining Eidolons simply add extra levels to her traces.

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Ruan Mei’s team role in Honkai Star Rail

Ruan Mei has been designed to support the DPS characters (Image via HoYoverse)

Ruan Mei is destined to be a support character in Honkai Star Rail, given that every aspect of her abilities enhances allies’ DMG output one way or another. In fact, her kit is powerful enough to establish her position as a primary pair for various hyper-carry DPS like Imbibitor Lunae and Jingliu.

However, she relies heavily on the Break Effect stat as some of her buffs and damage output scales on her Ice Break DMG. With the proper Light Cone and Relic sets, Ruan Mei should be able to push your team’s DMG potential by a mile.

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