Honestly, when I saw Hesei's skill description, I knew the DoT team's spring had arrived.
Version Update Highlights at a Glance
This update took 5 hours, and players with Trailblaze Level 4 or higher will receive 600 Stellar Jades as compensation (though not much, it's better than nothing). The new scene, 'The Grand Reverie' in Stichoscia, has excellent visual effects, and the mechanisms of the new enemies, 'The Divine Audience, Legatus' and 'Lady of the Waves,' are quite interesting.
It's worth noting that the Trailblaze Mission 'Omphalos' is now permanently open—good news for new players.
Hesei In-Depth Analysis: The New Core of DoT Teams
Her skill mechanics are truly powerful.
Hesei, as a 5-star Physical Nihility character, has a very clear role: DoT output plus support. Her core gameplay revolves around 'Barrier,' a mechanic that reminds me of crowd control strategies in certain strategy games.
I've compiled the key data for you: :
Her Skill has a 100% chance to increase all enemies' damage taken by 20% (for 3 turns) while dealing 140% of her ATK as Physical DMG.
Her Ultimate's Barrier effect lasts for 3 turns, reducing enemies' ATK by 15% and DEF by 25%; more importantly, each DoT trigger within the Barrier deals 80% of her ATK as additional damage, up to 8 times per turn.
This additional damage mechanism is key. Based on my tests, in battles with high DoT density, the total output from this additional damage can account for a significant proportion.
Ingenious Talent Design
Her Talent, 'Strings of Pearl,' requires you to reach 120% Effect Hit Rate to gain a maximum 90% DMG boost. This means you'll have to make some trade-offs in equipment selection—you can't just stack ATK.
Interestingly, her Talent allows our allies' attacks to have a 100% chance to inflict one of Wind Shear, Bleed, Burn, or Shock on enemies. Combined with Kafka's detonation mechanism, it's a match made in heaven.
Skill Level-Up Priority Suggestions : Ultimate > Skill > Talent > Basic ATK (I've tested this priority multiple times, and it is indeed the optimal solution).
Eidolon Cost-Effectiveness Analysis
Based on my experience in the test server, Hesei's E1 is a transformative upgrade. Our DoT DMG becomes 124%, and the frequency of her Talent's application directly doubles—this is essentially a must-pull Eidolon.
E2 makes her Trace's DMG boost apply to the entire team, instantly transforming her from a pure DPS to a powerful support. E6 further allows her Talent to have a 100% chance to apply an additional DoT of the same type, and her Ultimate's trigger limit increases to 12 times.
But honestly, for most players, E0S1 (Eidolon 0, Signature Light Cone 1) is sufficient.
Klydelra: Revolutionary Skill Replication Design
Unique 'Military Merit' Mechanism
Klydelra's core is allowing allies to cast their Skill twice consecutively. This sounds simple, but it's actually a quite complex charging system. She accumulates charges for a designated ally through 'Military Merit'; once 6 points are reached, that ally's next Skill can be cast an additional time, and they also gain a 72% Crit DMG boost and Resistance Penetration.
In actual combat, I found that this 'Skill replication' mechanism essentially grants an extra turn to an ally, and its power is indeed very high.
**Skill 'Ascension, All Can Be Commanders'** grants Military Merit to an ally while gaining 1 charge for herself. Her Talent provides a 24% ATK boost to the Military Merit character based on her own ATK.
How does she perform in actual combat?
The advantages are clear: her unique replication mechanism is one-of-a-kind in the game, providing a huge boost to characters who rely on Skill output, while also offering ATK buffs and crowd control reduction.
However, there are also disadvantages: the charging speed is indeed a bit slow, her versatility still needs observation, and she must rely on specific allies to unleash her maximum value.
Hesei Complete Cultivation Guide
Optimal Relic Set Combinations
After extensive testing, I recommend the following combination:
Cavern Relics First Choice: 4-piece Prisoner in Deep Confinement. Enemies ignore 6% DEF for every DoT they are afflicted with, up to 3—this is a perfect fit for DoT teams.
Planar Ornaments First Choice: 2-piece Firmament Frontline: Glamoth. ATK +12%, and when ATK reaches 2400/3600, DoT gains an additional +12%/24%.
If you're in a transitional phase, for Cavern Relics, you can consider a 2+2 combination of ATK, SPD, and Physical, and for Planar Ornaments, Space Sealing Station or Firmament Frontline: Glamoth also works.
Light Cone Selection Strategy
**Her Signature Light Cone 'Why the Ocean Sings'** is naturally the best choice. Effect Hit Rate +40%-60%, and when applying a debuff, there's an 80% chance to make the enemy 'Confused,' increasing DoT by +5%-10% per stack based on the number of debuffs.
If you don't have her signature Light Cone, the priority is: Incessant Rain > Eyes of the Prey (high Superimposition) > Black Swan's Signature Light Cone.
Optimal Stats Reference
Based on my experience, Hesei has two main build philosophies:
ATK Boots Build: SPD 134+, ATK 3600+, Effect Hit Rate 120% SPD Boots Build: SPD 160+, ATK 3000+, Effect Hit Rate 120%
For main stats, Body can be Effect Hit Rate or ATK%, Feet can be SPD or ATK%, Planar Sphere can be Physical DMG% or ATK%, and Link Rope can be ATK% or Energy Regeneration Rate.
Sub-stat Priority: Effect Hit Rate (120%) > SPD (134+) > ATK%
Team Recommendations: How to Maximize Benefits
Hesei's Best Partners
Triple-Core DoT Team This is absolutely my top recommendation: Hesei + Kafka + Black Swan + Huohuo. Hesei provides various DoTs and debuffs, Kafka is responsible for high-frequency detonations, Black Swan boosts damage, and Huohuo ensures survivability and energy regeneration. This team performed exceptionally well in my tests.
If you're missing characters, Dual-Core Team is also good: Hesei + Kafka + Ruan Mei/Robin/Tybault + Huohuo. Luocha can also replace Huohuo for the sustain slot.
Klydelra's Team Composition Ideas
Her 'Skill replication' mechanism provides the most significant boost to Main DPS characters with high Skill efficiency. Especially those who rely on Skill output, their damage capabilities will see a qualitative leap when paired with Klydelra.
It's worth mentioning that the Pure Fiction: Swarm King in Version 3.5 provides a 25% DMG boost to DoT and Skill DMG, which is extremely beneficial for both new characters.
Pulling Advice: Is it Worth It?
My Personal Recommendation
If you're a DoT team enthusiast, Hesei is definitely a must-pull. Her E1 provides a huge boost, so I recommend pulling at least E1.
Klydelra is more suitable for players who already have strong Skill-based characters. Her mechanism is very novel, but I recommend observing her actual performance after release before deciding.
The expected pulls for a single 5-star is 90 (14400 Stellar Jades), and acquiring both characters fully would require 28800 Stellar Jades. Plan reasonably according to your resources.
Strength Rating
Hesei and Black Swan complement each other well, covering four types of DoT, forming the strongest DoT team system currently available. Klydelra's Skill replication mechanism is unique, providing strong support for future Skill-based characters, and has a certain forward-looking aspect.
Pitfall Guide: Common Mistakes for Newbies
Regarding Effect Hit Rate: Hesei needs 120% Effect Hit Rate to trigger her maximum 90% DMG boost. This is a core stat requirement for her, don't overlook it.
Understanding the Replication Mechanism: When Klydelra's Military Merit system reaches 6 charges, the rank is upgraded, and the ally's next Skill will trigger an additional 'Surprise Attack,' essentially casting the Skill twice consecutively.
Resource Allocation: I recommend prioritizing Hesei's base unit + E1. Klydelra should be decided based on your team composition. For new players, it's more important to complete your basic team first.
In Conclusion
You can efficiently acquire Warps through various top-up events. Limited-time events like the Golden Realm Grand Hotel, Old Friends, New Bottles, and Space Station Special Envoy all offer good rewards.
Overall, both new characters in Version 3.5 have their own unique characteristics and value. Hesei elevates DoT teams to new heights, while Klydelra brings entirely new gameplay ideas to the game. Make the choice that best suits your team needs and resource situation.
