Yao Guang Best Teams Guide: Top Comps & Builds 2026

Understanding Yao Guang's Role

Yao Guang functions as a Physical hypercarry generating Punchline stacks through Basic Attack, Skill, and Ultimate to trigger Aha Instant—an extra turn mechanic dramatically increasing damage output. Her kit revolves around accumulating 20 Punchlines to activate Ultimate's 20% All-Type RES PEN buff for 3 turns, exceptional against heavily armored enemies.

Base SPD of 101 positions her as moderately fast DPS benefiting from speed buffs. Elation Skill Let Thy Fortune Burst in Flames delivers 100% Physical Elation DMG across 5 hits while applying Woe's Whisper (16% increased Elation DMG taken for 3 turns). This debuff creates damage amplification when paired with Elation characters or CRIT buffers.

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Core Kit Mechanics

Talent Behold Wherever Light Unfolds Certified Banger triggers Great Boon, stacking 3× for 24% Elation DMG per stack. This multiplicative scaling demands frequent Elation Skill usage.

Skill Decalight Unveils All deploys Zone lasting 3 turns, generating 3 Punchlines and increasing allies' Elation by 15-20%.

Technique Untethered Glimmer Sails Far auto-casts Skill at battle start without consuming SP (8 uses per Earth Week), enabling aggressive first-turn setups.

Ultimate Hexagram of Feathered Fortune generates 5 Punchlines and triggers Aha Instant at 20 Punchlines (immediate extra turn). Max Energy 180 requires ERR substats and rope for Ultimate every 4-5 turns.

Hypercarry vs Enabler

Yao Guang performs optimally as primary DPS, not enabler. Kit lacks team-wide buffing beyond Zone's Elation increase. Damage ceiling scales exponentially with CRIT stats, speed breakpoints, and signature equipment.

Hypercarry teams maximize personal damage through dedicated buffers like Sparkle (CRIT DMG + SP generation). Sparxie duo core forms S-tier foundation.

Dual DPS compositions underperform due to SP competition and diluted buffing. Her Skill costs create SP-negative pressure conflicting with second carry.

Skill Point Economy

Operates SP-neutral to SP-negative depending on rotation intensity. Basic Attack Whistlebolt Sings Joy generates 3 Punchlines (90% ATK single-target, 30% ATK adjacent), providing low-cost Punchline accumulation.

Optimal rotation:

1. Technique → auto-Skill (0 SP)
2. Basic Attack turns 1-3 → build Punchlines
3. Skill turn 4 → refresh Zone
4. Ultimate at 20 Punchlines → Aha Instant

Teams need ≥1 SP-positive support. Sparkle's SP generation ideal; SP-hungry sustain like Luocha creates conflicts.

Tier List Methodology

Evaluates teams across: raw damage output, consistency across enemy types, accessibility for investment levels, flexibility for endgame challenges.

Performance Metrics

Memory of Chaos primary benchmark. Pure Fiction weighs AOE efficiency. Apocalyptic Shadow evaluates sustained single-target damage.

Cycle benchmarks:

• S-tier: 3-4 cycle MoC, 36,000+ PF
• A-tier: 5-6 cycle MoC, 30,000+ PF
• B-tier: 7-8 cycle MoC, 24,000+ PF

Investment Requirements

S-tier: Signature LC When She Decided to See (SPD +18%, allies' CRIT Rate +10%, CRIT DMG +30%, Energy Regen +12% for 3 turns) + ≥1 premium 5-star support E0.

A-tier: 4-star LC alternatives, mixed rarity supports (15-20% damage reduction vs optimal).

B-tier: F2P characters, event LCs.

Eidolon impact:

• E1: Reduces Aha Instant to 30-40 Punchlines, +140% Elation Skill DMG, ignores 20% DEF
• E2: Zone allies SPD +12%, Elation +16%
• E6: Allies Elation DMG +20-25%, Elation Skill multiplier +60-200%

Testing Standards

Yao Guang Lv80, signature LC, 4pc Diviner of Distant Reach, optimal main stats (body CRIT Rate, feet SPD, sphere Physical DMG, rope ERR), target 70%+ CRIT Rate, 140%+ CRIT DMG, 160+ SPD.

Supports E0 with best 4-star LCs baseline. Testing includes current MoC Phase 12, PF multi-wave (5+ elites), Apocalyptic Shadow multi-phase bosses.

S-Tier Teams: Premium Meta

Team 1: Yao Guang + Sparkle + Gallagher + Topaz

Maximizes hypercarry potential through Sparkle's CRIT buffs + SP generation, Gallagher's SP-positive sustain + Break damage, Topaz's Proof of Debt + Follow-Up Attacks.

Rotation:

1. Yao Guang Technique → auto-Skill (0 SP)
2. Sparkle Skill on Yao Guang → action advance
3. Yao Guang Basic × 2-3 → Punchlines
4. Topaz Skill → Proof of Debt
5. Yao Guang Skill → refresh Zone turn 4
6. Yao Guang Ultimate at 20 Punchlines → Aha Instant
7. Gallagher Basic/Skill for healing

Achieves 3-4 cycle MoC clears. SP economy positive via Sparkle generation + Gallagher Basic sustain.

Team 2: Yao Guang + Sparkle + Fu Xuan + Evanescia

Premium survivability through Fu Xuan's 65% damage reduction + CRIT Rate sharing. Evanescia adds damage amplification + elemental coverage.

Fu Xuan's CRIT sharing reduces relic requirements, reallocating substats to CRIT DMG + SPD. Damage reduction enables aggressive rotations.

Benchmarks: 4-cycle MoC average, 34,000+ PF, sub-5 cycle Apocalyptic Shadow.

Team 3: Sparxie Duo (Yao Guang + Sparkle + Dan Heng IL)

Dual-carry alternating Sparkle buffs between Yao Guang burst windows and Dan Heng during Punchline accumulation. Requires precise speed tuning.

Sustain options:

• Huohuo: +12% Energy for all allies, ATK% buff
• Gallagher: SP-positive for dual carries

Highest total team damage but demands higher investment in both carries.

Speed Tuning

Optimal SPD targets:

• Sparkle: 160+ (acts first)
• Yao Guang: 143-152 (after Sparkle advance)
• Sustain: 120-134
• Sub-DPS: 140+ (Topaz for Follow-Ups)

ERR rope (+19.4%) + signature LC (+12% Energy Regen) = Ultimate every 4-5 turns without Huohuo.

Why S-Tier Dominates MoC

Concentrated burst damage aligns with boss vulnerability phases. Punchline mechanic's frontloaded damage suits cycle-based scoring. Ultimate's 20% All-Type RES PEN benefits all team damage for 3 turns.

Physical typing provides neutral coverage. RES PEN mitigates Physical-resistant encounters.

A-Tier Teams: Competitive Alternatives

Sacrifice 15-25% damage vs S-tier but offer improved accessibility or specialized advantages.

Mixed Rarity: Yao Guang + Sparkle + Gallagher + 4-Star Sub-DPS

4-star options:

• March 7th (Hunt): Follow-Ups + CRIT DMG buff
• Moze: Single-target amplification via mark
• Pela: DEF reduction amplifying all damage

Achieves 5-6 cycle MoC, ~1 cycle slower than S-tier but lower investment.

Alternative Supports

Budget buffers (when Sparkle unavailable):

• Asta: SPD buffs, Fire breaking (lacks CRIT)
• Tingyun: ATK% + Energy regen (no CRIT)
• Bronya: Action advance + CRIT DMG (SP-negative)

Sustain alternatives:

• Lynx: Budget healer, cleanse, aggro manipulation
• Natasha: F2P healer, team healing only
• Bailu: Resurrection mechanic vs one-shots

Performance Gap

A-tier requires 1-2 extra cycles (20-30% longer clears) due to:

• Reduced CRIT buffs
• Lower damage amplification
• Suboptimal Energy generation (6-7 turn Ultimates vs 4-5)

Still achieves 36-star MoC with proper execution.

B-Tier: Budget F2P Teams

F2P: Yao Guang + Asta + Gallagher + Pela

Fully accessible 4-star supports:

• Asta: SPD buffer, Fire breaking
• Gallagher: SP-positive sustain, Break damage
• Pela: DEF reduction

Rotation:

1. Yao Guang Technique → auto-Skill
2. Pela Skill → DEF reduction
3. Asta Skill → SPD buff
4. Yao Guang Basic × 2-3 → Punchlines
5. Gallagher Basic → healing
6. Yao Guang Ultimate → burst

Achieves 7-8 cycle MoC, sufficient for 33-36 stars.

Starter Strategy

Priority:

1. Secure signature LC (SPD +18%, team CRIT buffs)
2. Build Gallagher (universal sustain)
3. Invest in Pela (DEF reduction for all DPS)
4. Farm 4pc Diviner of Distant Reach

Cheap Oneiric Shards HSR via BitTopup enables faster LC/Eidolon acquisition.

When B-Tier Suffices

• MoC floors 1-11
• PF standard difficulty (non-max scores)
• Story content, events
• Early Apocalyptic Shadow phases

Upgrade to A/S-tier when failing 36-star MoC or PF scores <30,000.

Best Teammates: Synergy Deep Dive

Top 5 Supports Ranked

1. Sparkle (10/10)

• CRIT DMG scaling with Yao Guang's high CRIT Rate
• Action advance accelerating Punchline cycles
• SP generation enabling frequent Skills
• Quantum coverage

2. Topaz (9/10)

• Proof of Debt damage amplification
• Follow-Up supplementary damage
• Fire coverage
• SP-neutral

3. Pela (8/10)

• DEF reduction amplifying all damage
• Ice coverage
• SP-positive
• Accessible 4-star

4. Asta (7/10)

• SPD buffing for breakpoints (160+ SPD)
• Fire breaking
• ATK% buff
• SP-neutral to positive

5. Tingyun (6/10)

• ATK% buff
• Energy regen
• Lightning coverage
• SP-positive

Sustain Comparison

Fu Xuan (S-tier)

• 65% damage reduction
• CRIT Rate sharing (reduces relic requirements)
• Team HP shields
• SP-neutral
• Best for: Max survivability + CRIT optimization

Huohuo (A-tier)

• +12% Energy for all allies
• ATK% buff
• Cleanse
• SP-neutral
• Best for: Accelerating Ultimates, dual-carry

Gallagher (A-tier)

• SP-positive sustain
• Break damage
• Cleanse
• 4-star accessible
• Best for: Budget builds, SP-hungry comps

Lynx (B-tier)

• Basic healing
• Aggro manipulation
• Cleanse
• Best for: Early-game

Natasha (C-tier)

• Team healing only
• SP-neutral
• Best for: Absolute F2P minimum

Buffer Damage Ranking

1. Sparkle: 50-70% increase (CRIT DMG + action advance)
2. Topaz: 30-40% (Proof of Debt + Follow-Ups)
3. Pela: 25-35% (DEF reduction)
4. Asta: 15-25% (SPD + ATK%)
5. Tingyun: 15-20% (ATK% + Energy)

Investment priority:

1. Sparkle (transformative)
2. Gallagher (universal sustain)
3. Pela (accessible amplifier)
4. Topaz (premium sub-DPS)

Debuffers & RES Considerations

DEF reduction:

• Pela: 40% DEF reduction max Skill
• Silver Wolf: 42% DEF + elemental RES (less synergy mono-Physical)

RES reduction:

• Yao Guang Ultimate: 20% All-Type RES PEN
• Pearls of Sweat LC: 12% DEF reduction (budget Pela option)

Stacking DEF + RES creates multiplicative scaling. Optimal: Yao Guang Ultimate RES PEN + Pela DEF reduction during burst.

Endgame Performance

Memory of Chaos

S-tier (3-4 cycles): Frontloaded burst, Ultimate every 4-5 turns, multiplicative buffs (Sparkle + Topaz/Pela), sufficient survivability.

Optimal matchups: Single-target elites (Cocolia, Svarog), Physical-neutral/weak, predictable damage patterns.

Challenging: Physical-resistant, heavy AOE, frequent invulnerability phases.

A-tier (5-6 cycles): Lower CRIT buffs, missing premium sub-DPS, 6-7 turn Ultimates.

B-tier (7-8 cycles): Extended rotations, minimal team amplification, conservative playstyle.

Pure Fiction

Single-target focus challenges multi-enemy waves. Basic Attack AOE splash (30% ATK adjacent) insufficient without support.

Optimization:

1. Prioritize elite targets
2. Leverage Zone buff for AOE dealers
3. Build extra SPD for wave transitions

Team adjustments: Replace Topaz with AOE (Herta, Serval, Himeko).

Score expectations:

• S-tier: 32,000-36,000
• A-tier: 28,000-32,000
• B-tier: 24,000-28,000

Apocalyptic Shadow

Single-boss endurance favors sustained damage. Extended encounters enable multiple Ultimate cycles.

Phase management: Punchline stacks persist across phases—pre-stack before transitions for immediate Ultimate activation.

Optimal sustain:

• Fu Xuan: Damage reduction vs percentage HP damage
• Huohuo: Energy regen for defensive Ultimates
• Gallagher: Break damage for phase triggers

Rotation: Conservative SP management, align Ultimates with vulnerability windows, maintain Zone uptime.

Boss-Specific Adjustments

Physical-resistant: Maximize RES PEN stacking (Ultimate + Pela), include elemental sub-DPS, accept longer clears.

High-mobility: Prioritize 160+ SPD, use action advance (Sparkle/Bronya), focus single-target.

Multi-phase: Manage Energy for phase-start Ultimates, pre-stack Punchlines, maintain Zone across phases.

Advanced Strategies

Speed Tuning

Critical breakpoints:

• 120 SPD: Amaze-In Grace bonus (30% Elation + 1% per excess SPD)
• 134 SPD: 2 actions/cycle
• 143 SPD: Optimal Sparkle synergy
• 152 SPD: 3 actions/2 cycles
• 160 SPD: Max Diviner 4pc bonus (18% CRIT Rate)

Team hierarchy:

1. Buffer (Sparkle): 160+ SPD
2. Yao Guang: 143-152 SPD
3. Debuffer (Pela): 140-145 SPD
4. Sustain: 120-134 SPD
5. Sub-DPS: Flexible

Maintain 5-10 SPD gaps. Account for Asta buffs (+50 SPD max), Sparkle advance (40% forward).

Energy Management

Generation sources:

• Basic: 20 Energy
• Skill: 30 Energy
• Hit: 10 Energy
• Kill: 10 Energy
• ERR rope: +19.4%
• Signature LC: +12%
• Huohuo: +12%

Breakpoints:

• Base: Ultimate every 7-8 turns
• ERR rope: 5-6 turns
• ERR rope + Signature LC: 4-5 turns (optimal)
• • Huohuo: 3-4 turns (excessive)

Target 4-5 turn cycles via ERR rope + signature LC. Huohuo only valuable for dual-carry.

SP Distribution

Rates:

• Yao Guang Skill: -1 SP
• Yao Guang Basic: +1 SP
• Sparkle Skill: -1 SP (refunds 1 after 2 uses)
• Gallagher Basic: +1 SP
• Pela Basic: +1 SP

Sustainable pattern:

• Turn 1: Technique (0) → Sparkle Skill (-1) → Pela Skill (-1) → Gallagher Basic (+1)
• Turns 2-3: Yao Guang Basic (+2) → Sparkle Basic (+1) → Pela Basic (+1) → Gallagher Basic (+1)
• Turn 4: Yao Guang Skill (-1) → Sparkle Skill (-1) → Pela Skill (-1) → Gallagher Basic (+1)
• Repeat

Maintains 3-5 SP reserves.

Element & Path Synergy

Elemental coverage:

• Fire (Topaz, Gallagher, Asta): Most common weakness
• Quantum (Sparkle): Second most common
• Lightning (Tingyun): Moderate
• Ice (Pela): Moderate

Optimal teams: 2-3 elements for max flexibility.

Path synergy: Elation characters benefit from Zone (+15-20% Elation). Limited availability restricts stacking. Current: Yao Guang (Physical), Sparxie (Fire, Feb 18 2026).

Common Mistakes

Overinvesting Suboptimal Combos

Mistake: Dual-carry without SP generation (pairing with Seele, Jingliu, Blade).

Solution: Commit to hypercarry with SP-positive supports or ensure dual-carry includes Sparkle.

Mistake: Prioritizing ATK% over CRIT buffers.

Solution: Choose Sparkle's CRIT DMG over Tingyun's ATK%.

Neglecting SP Economy

Mistake: Skill every turn for max Zone uptime.

Solution: Follow rotation (Technique → Basic × 2-3 → Skill), refresh Zone only when expired.

Mistake: SP-hungry sustain (Luocha, Bailu).

Solution: Use SP-positive (Gallagher, Lynx) or neutral (Fu Xuan, Huohuo).

Misunderstanding Scaling

Mistake: Prioritizing SPD over CRIT.

Solution: Target 160 SPD via boots + 2-3 substats, then prioritize CRIT Rate/DMG.

Mistake: Undervaluing ERR.

Solution: Always use ERR rope unless using Huohuo.

Ignoring Speed/Turn Order

Mistake: Random speed without tuning.

Solution: Follow hierarchy (Buffer > Yao Guang > Debuffer > Sustain > Sub-DPS) with 5-10 SPD gaps.

Mistake: Below 120 SPD.

Solution: 120 SPD minimum (Amaze-In Grace), 160 SPD optimal.

Future-Proofing

Upcoming Synergies

Sparxie (5-star Fire Elation) - Feb 18 2026: Overlapping hypercarry roles limit same-team use. Valuable as alternative Elation carry for second MoC team.

Future Elation supports: Path lacks dedicated supports. Potential releases could provide Elation-specific buffs, Punchline assistance, path resonance. Maintain reserves for potential support releases.

Meta Predictions

Physical damage trends: Periodic buffs via Physical-weak bosses, new relic sets, LC additions. Yao Guang's premium Physical position ensures long-term viability.

Speed meta evolution: Recent content rewards high-SPD through action manipulation, speed-scaling bonuses, turn-count scoring. Yao Guang's SPD-scaling passives position favorably.

Hypercarry vs dual-carry: Current content favors hypercarry (concentrated buffs, simplified execution, lower SP pressure). Benefits Yao Guang's optimal archetypes.

Investment Priority

Essential (highest):

1. Yao Guang E0 + Signature LC (80% performance ceiling)
2. Sparkle E0 (transformative, multi-team applicable)
3. Gallagher E6 (universal sustain)
4. Diviner 4pc (70% CRIT Rate, 140% CRIT DMG, 160 SPD)

High-value (medium):

1. Fu Xuan E0 (premium sustain, CRIT optimization)
2. Topaz E0 (best sub-DPS)
3. Pela E6 (accessible amplifier)
4. Yao Guang E1 (damage spike, reduced Aha threshold)

Luxury (low):

1. Yao Guang E2-E6 (diminishing returns)
2. Premium support LCs (marginal vs 4-star)
3. Alternative 5-star sustain (redundant)

Strategy: Prioritize horizontal (complete teams) over vertical (high Eidolons). Complete S-tier E0 team > single E6 with suboptimal teammates.

FAQ

What's the best Yao Guang team?

Yao Guang + Sparkle + Gallagher + Topaz. Combines Sparkle's CRIT buffs + action advance, Gallagher's SP-positive sustain, Topaz's Proof of Debt. Achieves 3-4 cycle MoC through burst during Ultimate's 20% RES PEN window.

Which supports work best?

Sparkle ranks #1: CRIT DMG buffs, action advance, SP generation perfectly synergize hypercarry playstyle. Secondary: Pela (DEF reduction, 4-star), Asta (SPD buff), Tingyun (ATK% + Energy). Sparkle's multiplicative scaling + SP generation irreplaceable.

Hypercarry or dual DPS?

Hypercarry significantly better. Kit lacks team buffs, operates SP-negatively with frequent Skills, creating dual-carry conflicts. Hypercarry concentrates buffs, maximizing Punchline generation + Aha Instant. Dual-carry sacrifices 20-30% damage via diluted buffs + SP competition.

Best F2P team?

Yao Guang + Asta + Gallagher + Pela (4-star supports only). Provides SPD buff (Asta), DEF reduction (Pela), SP-positive sustain (Gallagher). Achieves 7-8 cycle MoC vs S-tier's 3-4, but capable of 36-star with proper execution + investment.

MoC performance?

Excels via frontloaded burst + consistent Ultimate uptime. S-tier: 3-4 cycles, A-tier: 5-6 cycles. Physical typing provides neutral coverage; Ultimate's 20% RES PEN mitigates resistant encounters. Performance heavily depends on team quality—Sparkle-based significantly outperforms budget.

Optimal sustain?

Fu Xuan highest value: 65% damage reduction + CRIT Rate sharing (reduces relic requirements). Gallagher best balance: 4-star, SP-positive, Break damage. Huohuo for dual-carry (Energy regen). Budget: Gallagher optimal. Premium: Fu Xuan for CRIT optimization.