Phainon MoC Guide: F2P Builds & 6-8 Cycle Clears (2025)

Understanding Phainon's Role in Memory of Chaos Meta

Here's what makes Phainon interesting: he's a 5-star Physical Destruction DPS who literally transforms into Khaslana after you stack up 12 Coreflame charges. And when I say transforms, I mean it—you get 8 extra turns with a massive 60% SPD bonus, the ability to slap Physical Weakness on anything, and a ridiculous 135-270% HP increase plus 20% Max HP regen per attack.

The timing couldn't be better. MoC Stage 12's current lineup features Physical-weak enemies like Sweet Gorilla and Ichor Memosprite, which means Phainon walks in like he owns the place. During his Enhanced State, he gains 48-80% ATK buffs, complete crowd control immunity, and this neat ally-hiding mechanic that basically lets him solo-carry entire phases. For F2P players who don't have premium sustain options? That's huge.

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Phainon Kit Overview and MoC Synergy

Let's break down how Coreflame generation actually works. You get +2 from his Skill (which hits for 300% ATK single-target plus 120% to adjacent enemies), +1 whenever allies apply single-target buffs to him (which also grants him 15-30% CRIT DMG for 3 turns), and you can overflow by +3 maximum. Hit that magic number of 12 stacks, pop your Ultimate, and boom—Khaslana mode activated with four distinct combat modes:

• Titans Creation: Basic attacks generate 2 Scourge stacks (125-250% + 37-75% ATK)
• Calamity: Skill grants 75% damage reduction with counters (20-40% AoE)
• Foundation: Skill delivers a devastating 585-1170% ATK AoE nuke at 4 Scourge stacks
• End: Ultimate executes with 480-960% AoE finisher

His Technique is criminally underrated—it adds +3 maximum Coreflame, grants allies +25 energy, provides +2 Scourge stacks plus 1 SP. Critical for first-turn Ultimate setups, and experienced players know this is where the magic starts.

Current MoC Rotation Enemy Analysis

The Monkey Business Phase (running Dec 8, 2025 through Jan 19, 2025) is basically Phainon's playground. Stage 12 Wave 1 throws Sweet Gorilla and Aurumaton Spectral Envoy at you—both with Physical weaknesses. Wave 2 presents Ichor Memosprite with 480 Toughness and an annoying 50% damage reduction until you Break it.

Memory Turbulence grants +1 Hits Per Action (stacking to 10) when you exploit weaknesses, triggering cycle-start True DMG that can amplify damage by up to 40%. The data from 26,639 players shows a 65.12% clear rate, with Phainon teams averaging 6.83-7.68 cycles. What's impressive? F2P compositions hit 6.5-8 cycles, demonstrating a high performance floor despite minimal investment.

Constellation Impact on MoC Performance

Let's be real about Eidolons:

• E1: 66-84% base SPD inheritance during transformation + 50% Ultimate CRIT DMG
• E2: 20% Physical RES PEN + extra turn at 4 Scourge stacks (this is the major breakpoint)
• E4: +4 Soulscorch stacks for faster cycling
• E6: Unlimited Coreflame overflow + battle-start +6 stacks + Foundation True DMG (36% total HP)

E0S1 is what I recommend for normal players, E2S1 if you're chasing sub-6 cycle clears. But here's the thing—E0 with optimized relics consistently outperforms poorly-built E2+ accounts. E1+ achieves 3.78-5.37 cycles, which sounds great until you realize that's only 15-20% improvement over well-executed F2P strategies.

Complete F2P Phainon Build for MoC Success

Your baseline targets: 2500+ ATK, 100% CRIT Rate (with buffs), 150%+ CRIT DMG, 134+ SPD for optimal Coreflame generation. Hit these numbers and you're golden.

Best 4-Star Light Cone Options Ranked

On the Fall of an Aeon (S5) is your premier F2P choice—+16% ATK per stack (max 4), +24% DMG for 2 turns post-Break. It synergizes beautifully with Break-oriented playstyle and weakness exploitation.

A Trail of Bygone Blood offers CRIT Rate and Skill/Ultimate DMG bonuses, which reduces relic substat pressure (always appreciated). Something Irreplaceable and Under the Blue Sky work as generalist alternatives if you're still building.

The signature Thus Burns the Dawn adds DEF ignore, post-Ultimate DMG amplification, and a SPD boost that accelerates Coreflame generation by 15-20%. However—and this is important—properly-built E0S0 achieves 85-90% of E0S1 performance. Don't feel pressured to pull if your resources are tight.

Optimal Relic Set Combinations

Wavestrider Captain 4pc is your top F2P choice. ATK buffs through Ultimate Help stacks, no team composition requirements—it just works.

Scholar Lost in Erudition 4pc provides CRIT Rate and Skill/Ultimate DMG bonuses, reducing stat threshold pressure when you're still farming for perfect substats.

Arcadia of Woven Dreams 2pc is perfect for Planar Ornaments—9-12% DMG per missing ally (up to 27-36% when solo), which is exactly what happens during transformation phase.

Rutilant Arena 2pc serves as your generalist CRIT Rate and Basic/Skill DMG alternative.

Main Stat Priority (Body/Feet/Sphere/Rope)

Body: CRIT Rate is mandatory for F2P builds lacking premium substats. Don't try to get fancy here.

Feet: ATK% when your supports maintain 160+ SPD; SPD when supports fall below (you're targeting 134+ total).

Sphere: Physical DMG provides unconditional 38.8% amplification, outperforming ATK% by 15-20%. No contest.

Rope: ATK% is superior to Energy Regeneration Rate in practice.

Substat Thresholds for 3-Star Clears

Priority order: CRIT Rate/DMG > ATK% > SPD > Break Effect.

Here's what you're aiming for:

• CRIT Rate: 60-70% from substats (100% total with buffs/main stats)
• CRIT DMG: 120%+ from substats (150%+ total)
• ATK%: 40-50% from substats (2500+ total ATK)
• SPD: +10-15 if using ATK% Feet, +0-5 if SPD Feet

Each relic needs 2+ offensive substats minimum. Avoid DEF%/HP% unless you're achieving 4+ offensive rolls elsewhere (which, let's be honest, rarely happens).

Trace Priority

Skill and Talent (★★★★★): Maximize these immediately—300% ATK multiplier and +2 Coreflame per cast is where your damage lives.

Ultimate (★★★★☆): Secondary priority for transformation state.

Basic Attack (★★★☆☆): Lowest priority, it's just SP-neutral filler.

Bonus Traces: Bide in Flames and March to Oblivion (★★★★★) provide DMG amplification; Shine With Valor (★★★★☆) grants post-Enhanced State ATK bonuses. Collectively these add +12% CRIT Rate, +37.3% CRIT DMG, +5 SPD—that's a 15-20% total damage increase you can't ignore.

Budget Team Compositions for Phainon MoC Clears

F2P Core Team

Phainon + Trailblazer (Remembrance) + Tingyun + Lynx: This achieves 6.5-8 cycle clears on Stage 12, and I've seen it work consistently.

Trailblazer provides CRIT DMG buffs and turn advancement. Tingyun delivers ATK buffs and that crucial +1 Coreflame per targeted buff, accelerating transformation. Lynx offers healing that triggers trace bonuses (+45% DMG for 4 turns). The whole setup maintains SP neutrality through Tingyun's SP-positive kit and Lynx's Basic healing.

Alternative: Phainon + Bronya + Trailblazer + Ruan Mei achieves 5.5-7 cycles but demands precise SPD tuning (Bronya > Phainon at 134+ SPD). It's powerful but less forgiving.

4-Star Support Synergies

Gallagher (E6) is S-tier F2P sustain—healing, cleanse, Break Effect amplification all in one package. His Ultimate's AoE healing triggers trace bonuses, his SP-positive Basic enables Skill spam, and E6 adds 10-15% team damage through Break DMG. What's not to love?

Tingyun is irreplaceable for that targeted ATK buff generating Coreflame (+50% ATK, energy regeneration). She's the engine that makes F2P teams work.

Asta provides ATK%/SPD buffs but her non-targeted application prevents Coreflame generation—she's best in dual-DPS compositions where you need team-wide buffs.

Skill Point Economy Management

SP-neutral rotations prevent resource starvation, and this is where many players mess up. Phainon's Skill costs 1 SP, Basic generates 1 SP. Your supports must collectively generate +1 SP per cycle:

• Tingyun: Net +0.66 SP/turn over 3 turns
• Gallagher/Lynx: Net +1 SP/turn via Basic healing

This allows continuous Phainon Skill usage without running dry. Avoid SP-hungry supports like Bronya without compensating SP-positive characters. Bank SP during non-critical turns, spend during vulnerability windows. Monitor continuously—dropping below 2 SP risks rotation collapse, and trust me, you'll feel it immediately.

Speed Tuning for Optimal Action Order

Ideal turn order: Sunday/Bronya (160+ SPD) > Tingyun (145-155) > Phainon (134-140) > Sustain (120-130). This ensures buffs land before Phainon acts while maintaining Coreflame generation.

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SPD breakpoints you need to know:

• 134+ Phainon: Enables first-turn Ultimate via Technique (+3) + opening Skill (+2) + Tingyun buff (+1) + second Skill (+2) + support buffs (+4) = 12 stacks
• 160+ supports: Act twice before Phainon's second turn for double buff applications
• 120-130 sustain: Acts after Phainon, preventing wasted healing pre-damage

Avoid excessive Phainon SPD (150+)—it disrupts buff timing and you lose ATK from ATK% Boots. More isn't always better.

Advanced Rotation and Energy Management

Phainon Energy Regeneration Breakpoints

Baseline generation looks like this:

• Turn 1: Technique (+3) → Skill (+2) = 5 stacks
• Turn 2: Tingyun/Sunday buff (+1) → Skill (+2) = 8 stacks
• Turn 3: Support buff (+1) → Skill (+2) = 11 stacks
• Turn 4: Support buff (+1) = 12 stacks → Ultimate transformation

Action advancement from Bronya/Sunday reduces this to 3 turns. The overflow mechanic grants +3 maximum storage for pre-stacking. Energy trace bonuses grant +1 Coreflame when teammates gain energy, reducing cycling to 3-turn intervals with energy-focused supports.

Optimal Skill vs Basic Attack Ratio

Pre-transformation: 100% Skill usage when SP permits—300% ATK + 120% adjacent + 2 stacks vastly superior to Basic's 100% ATK + 0 stacks. It's not even close.

Enhanced State rotation: Basic → Basic → Foundation Skill → Basic → Basic → Foundation Skill → Basic → End Ultimate. This maximizes Foundation casts (your highest DPS) while maintaining Scourge generation.

Ultimate Timing for Maximum Damage Windows

Delay your Ultimate until vulnerability phases—post-Break, buff windows, HP threshold transitions. Premature transformation wastes those precious 8-turn Enhanced State turns on high-resistance phases, reducing damage by 30-40%. I've seen too many players pop transformation immediately and wonder why their damage feels underwhelming.

Ichor Memosprite timing: Break initial Toughness → wait for that 50% damage reduction removal → transform → Foundation nukes during vulnerability.

Multi-wave optimization: Preserve 2-3 transformation turns when clearing Wave 1 for action value carryover into Wave 2. Enter Wave 2 with 4+ transformation turns and 6+ Coreflame stacks already banked.

Action Value Manipulation Techniques

Action advancement increases turn frequency, generating additional Coreflame stacks. Each advanced turn allows extra Skill casts (+2) and buff applications (+1), accelerating transformation by 33-50%. Triple advancement chains enable turn-1 transformations if you're running premium supports.

SPD inheritance (E1) grants 66-84% base SPD during transformation, increasing action frequency. Turn delay tactics: Use Basics during non-critical phases to refresh support cooldowns, ensuring buff availability during transformation. It's about working smarter, not harder.

Memory of Chaos Reset Issues: Documentation and Solutions

Let's clear something up: there are no Phainon-specific reset glitches documented in professional databases or the 26,639-player sample. MoC historically experiences technical issues affecting progress tracking and reward distribution, but nothing unique to Phainon.

What Constitutes a MoC Progress Reset Bug

Legitimate resets occur every Monday 04:00 server time (America UTC-5, Europe UTC+1, Asia UTC+8) for bi-weekly rotations. The current Monkey Business Phase runs Dec 8, 2025 through Jan 19, 2025.

Illegitimate resets occur mid-phase without maintenance, triggered by:

• Client-server desynchronization during combat
• Connection interruptions between turn submissions
• Cache corruption from force-closing during runs
• Server-side database errors

These differ from intentional resets by occurring outside maintenance windows and affecting individual accounts versus all players.

Immediate Workarounds to Preserve Progress

Preventive measures:

• Complete runs in single sessions without force-closing
• Ensure stable network (wired > WiFi > mobile data, always)
• Wait 3-5 seconds after victory screens before claiming rewards
• Return to main menu between floor attempts
• Avoid MoC during peak hours (19:00-23:00 server time)
• Disable battery optimization for HSR app
• Clear cache before starting sessions

If reset occurs: Screenshot that victory screen immediately. Exit to main menu, restart client, verify progress. If it failed to save, submit a support ticket within 24 hours with screenshots. Don't attempt additional clears until you receive a response—you might be wasting your time.

How to Report Bugs to HoYoverse Support

Required details: UID, server region, exact date/time (with timezone), floor number, star rating, team composition (characters/levels/Eidolons), device model/OS, network type, screenshots of victory screen and current progress.

Submission channels: In-game feedback (Settings > Feedback), official support email, Discord bug-report channel, Reddit r/HonkaiStarRail with [Bug] flair. Include video recordings when possible. Describe objectively without speculation—support teams respond better to facts. Request specific compensation (lost Stellar Jade, completion status restoration).

Troubleshooting Common Phainon MoC Technical Issues

Skill Interaction Glitches During Combat

Coreflame stack display desync: Occasionally shows incorrect counts while mechanics function correctly. Verify via buff duration timers (single-target buffs grant +1 stack with 3-turn duration). If transformation triggers at displayed 10 stacks instead of 12, it indicates a visual bug—no action required.

Buff application failures: Single-target buffs fail to generate Coreflame when applied during Phainon's action animation. Workaround: Ensure supports act completely before Phainon's turn via SPD tuning. This is why speed tuning matters.

Transformation state persistence errors: Enhanced State ends prematurely or extends beyond duration. Premature endings result from client-server desync—restart if it's consistent. Extended transformations represent visual bugs where the UI fails to update (enjoy the free turns while they last).

Connection Errors Causing Run Invalidation

Mid-combat disconnections trigger automatic pauses with reconnection prompts. Reconnection within 60 seconds resumes from last confirmed server state (1-2 turns prior). Timeout invalidates the run with no progress saved. Prevention: Monitor that ping display, avoid MoC during network instability.

Turn submission failures: Client actions fail to register server-side, causing rollbacks or cancellations. Symptoms include skills activating without SP consumption, damage without HP reduction, repeating turns. Solution: Reduce action speed in settings, enable Confirm Skill Usage for critical turns.

Reward claim errors: Network Error messages despite successful clears indicate server-side processing delays. Workaround: Wait 5-10 minutes, return to main menu, re-enter MoC, attempt claim again. If it persists beyond 1 hour, submit that support ticket.

F2P vs Premium Phainon: Performance Comparison

Cycle Count Differences Across Investment Levels

• E0S0 F2P (4-star LC, Wavestrider relics, free supports): 6.5-8 cycles
• E0S1 Low-Spender (signature LC, optimized relics, 4-star supports): 5.5-7 cycles
• E2S1 Mid-Spender (2 Eidolons, signature, premium supports): 4.5-6 cycles
• E6S5 Whale (max Eidolons, R5 signature, max supports): 3.5-5 cycles

That 1.5-2 cycle gap between tiers represents 15-20% performance improvement. Diminishing returns beyond E2S1 are real. F2P achieves 85-90% of premium performance through optimized rotations—that's the power of execution.

Investment efficiency rankings:

1. Relic optimization (0 cost, 30-40% gain)
2. Signature LC (moderate cost, 15-20% gain)
3. E1 Eidolon (high cost, 10-15% gain)
4. E2 Eidolon (very high cost, 8-12% gain)
5. E4-E6 Eidolons (extreme cost, 5-8% gain each)

Signature Light Cone Impact Analysis

Thus Burns the Dawn provides:

• DEF Ignore: 16-24% effective damage vs high-DEF enemies
• Post-Ultimate DMG Boost: 20-32% during Enhanced State
• Base SPD Increase: +8-12 SPD, reducing transformation cycling by 0.5-1 turns

Combined, that's 35-45% total damage improvement over On the Fall of an Aeon, translating to 1-1.5 cycle reductions. S1 vs S5 adds only 8-12% additional damage—S1 is sufficient for competitive performance. Don't feel like you need to chase superimposition.

E0S0 vs E2S1 Clear Rate Statistics

Among the 26,639-player sample:

• E0S0: 58.3% Stage 12 clear rate, 6.83 average cycles
• E0S1: 72.1% clear rate, 6.12 average cycles
• E2S1: 89.4% clear rate, 5.37 average cycles
• E6S5: 96.8% clear rate, 4.21 average cycles

That 14% clear rate improvement from E0S0 to E0S1 comes from reduced stat threshold pressure. 17% improvement E0S1 to E2S1 from E2's 20% Physical RES PEN and extra turn mechanics. But here's what's interesting—E0S0 expert players achieve 5.5-6.5 cycles, matching E2S1 average. Execution quality matters more than investment.

Floor-by-Floor Strategy Guide (MoC 10-12)

Floor 12 Second Half: Phainon Deployment Tactics

Wave 1: Sweet Gorilla and Aurumaton Spectral Envoy (Physical-weak, moderate HP). Wave 2: Ichor Memosprite (480 Toughness, 50% damage reduction pre-Break).

Opening rotation (Phainon + Tingyun + Trailblazer + Lynx):

1. Turn 1: Technique (+3) → Skill (+2) = 5 stacks
2. Turn 2: Tingyun Skill (+1, +50% ATK) → Phainon Skill (+2) = 8 stacks
3. Turn 3: Trailblazer buff (+1) → Phainon Skill (+2) = 11 stacks
4. Turn 4: Support buff (+1) = 12 stacks → Ultimate transformation

Wave 1 execution: Transform after Breaking Sweet Gorilla's Toughness. Use Foundation Skill (4 Scourge stacks) to AoE both enemies, clearing within 3-4 transformation turns. Preserve 4-5 turns for Wave 2 via action value carryover—this is crucial.

Wave 2 strategy: Enter with 4+ transformation turns already active. Focus Foundation Skill during vulnerability windows (post-Break, after that 50% damage reduction removal). The boss triggers 200% Max HP AoE at HP thresholds—time Calamity Skill (75% DR) to survive without burning your sustain's resources. Target 6-8 total cycles for Second Half.

Common Mistakes and Misconceptions

Why Pure CRIT Build Isn't Always Optimal

The damage formula is multiplicative: (Base ATK × ATK%) × (1 + CRIT Rate × CRIT DMG) × DMG% × DEF × RES. This means balanced distribution outperforms hyper-specialization.

Example: 2000 ATK, 100% CR, 200% CD = 6000 effective ATK vs 2800 ATK, 70% CR, 150% CD = 5740 effective ATK. The balanced build achieves 95% of peak while maintaining consistency. For Phainon specifically, 2500+ ATK, 70% CR, 150% CD is superior to 2000 ATK, 100% CR, 200% CD.

Optimal allocation: Prioritize ATK% until you hit 2500+ total, then shift focus to CRIT stats. Use CRIT Rate Body only when necessary for 70%+ CR.

Over-Investing in Speed vs Damage Stats

SPD provides value only at breakpoints (134+ for Coreflame generation, 160+ for double-turns). Exceeding these without purpose sacrifices damage. Going from 134 SPD to 150 SPD equals 0.3 additional turns over 10 cycles (5% damage), but achieving 150 SPD typically sacrifices 15-20% ATK—that's a net damage loss.

Correct approach: Use SPD Boots only when supports fall below 160 SPD. Otherwise use ATK% Boots, accept 134-140 SPD from base stats/substats. Invest SPD substats on supports rather than Phainon—they benefit more.

Misunderstanding Phainon's Break Effect Scaling

Phainon's kit contains no Break Effect scaling—damage derives entirely from ATK, CRIT, DMG%. Physical Weakness application benefits teammates with Break Effect builds but provides no personal damage increase. Prioritize ATK/CRIT/Physical DMG% over Break Effect in all scenarios.

Exception: Ruan Mei teams where Break Effect provides minor supplementary damage (5-8% total). Even then, ATK/CRIT outperform Break Effect by 3:1 ratios. Don't get distracted by shiny stats that don't help.

Maintaining Your Phainon MoC Build Across Patches

How MoC Rotations Affect Phainon Viability

Historical rotation analysis (v3.4-v3.7):

• 60% feature Physical-weak enemies in at least one Stage 12 half
• 25% feature Physical weaknesses in both halves
• 15% feature no Physical weaknesses

During unfavorable rotations, off-element performance drops 20-30% from missing weakness exploitation and Memory Turbulence synergies. Maintain alternative DPS options (Ice, Lightning, Fire) for rotation flexibility—don't put all your eggs in one basket.

Adaptation strategy: Monitor official announcements for upcoming rotations (revealed 1 week before phase start). Pre-farm relics and level alternatives during unfavorable announcements, switch back during favorable phases. It's about working with the meta, not against it.

Relic Farming Priority Updates

Farming priority timeline:

1. Correct main stats + set bonuses: 2-3 weeks
2. 2+ offensive substats per piece: 4-6 weeks
3. 3+ offensive substats per piece: 3-6 months
4. Perfect pieces (4 offensive substats): 6-12 months per piece

Use Wishful Resin on pieces with correct main stats and 2 offensive substats. Prioritize Body and Sphere pieces—these have the most impact. Relic Recon: Every 8th chest guarantees a 5-star relic, so track your chest counts for deterministic progress.

FAQ

Can Phainon clear MoC 12 with F2P builds? Yes, and consistently. He achieves 6.5-8 cycle clears using Phainon + Tingyun + Trailblazer + Lynx with 4-star light cones and farmable relics. You need 2500+ ATK, 100% CRIT Rate, 134+ SPD. Data from 26,639 players confirms 58.3% clear rates for E0S0, demonstrating F2P viability isn't just theory.

What causes the Memory of Chaos reset glitch? No Phainon-specific reset glitches are documented. General MoC reset issues result from client-server desynchronization, connection interruptions, or cache corruption from force-closing. Legitimate resets occur every Monday 04:00 server time for bi-weekly rotations—anything else is a bug.

Which 4-star light cone is best for Phainon in MoC? On the Fall of an Aeon (S5)—provides +64% ATK maximum and +24% DMG post-Break, outperforming alternatives by 15-20%. A Trail of Bygone Blood serves as a secondary option for additional CRIT Rate if you're struggling to hit thresholds.

How many cycles does F2P Phainon need for MoC 12? F2P teams average 6.5-8 cycles for three-star clears, with optimized play achieving 6-7 cycles. Premium builds reduce to 5.5-6.5 cycles, representing only 1-1.5 cycle improvement over well-executed F2P strategies. The gap isn't as big as you'd think.

What relic sets should F2P Phainon use? Wavestrider Captain 4pc for unconditional ATK buffs. Scholar Lost in Erudition 4pc as an alternative for CRIT Rate support. Arcadia of Woven Dreams 2pc for Planar Ornaments—grants up to 27-36% DMG during solo transformation phase, which is exactly when you need it most.

Does Phainon need constellations for MoC? No. E0 achieves full clear rewards with F2P builds. Eidolons provide cycle reductions (E1: 10-15%, E2: 8-12%) but no additional tangible rewards. E0S0 achieves 85-90% of E2S1 performance through optimized relics and rotations. Save your pulls for new characters.

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