Cerydra — Honkai Star Rail Character Guide

Overview

Skill-DMG specialist who duplicates ally Skills at full power with massive CRIT DMG and RES PEN buffs. Designed specifically for Skill-focused DPS like Phainon and Anaxa, but falls off sharply for DPS who don't deal primarily Skill DMG.

Harmony support who grants an ally "Military Merit," a charging buff that upgrades to "Peerage" at 6 Charge, enabling Coup de Main — a free duplicate of the ally's Skill at full power. Peerage grants 72% Skill CRIT DMG and 10% All-Type RES PEN. Cerydra passively provides ATK equal to 24% of her own ATK via Military Merit, deals Wind Additional DMG on every ally attack, and grants flat SPD to herself and the buffed ally. Designed for Skill-DMG-focused DPS like Phainon and Anaxa.

Key Mechanics

• Peerage requires 6 Charge to activate. Charge sources: Skill (+1), Ultimate (+2), ally Basic ATK/Skill (+1 each via Talent), ally Ultimate (+1 once per battle via A4). Fastest path is Technique (auto-Skill) → ally actions → Cerydra Skill → ally actions to reach 6.
• Coup de Main copies the ally's Skill at full power without consuming SP or resources. The copy executes before the actual Skill, so both benefit from Peerage's 72% CRIT DMG and 10% RES PEN. After Coup de Main, 6 Charge is consumed and Peerage reverts to Military Merit.
• Military Merit target cannot be switched without resetting Charge to 0. Commit to one DPS for the entire fight. If the target is defeated, Military Merit and all Charge are lost.
• ATK is the primary stat priority — 24% of Cerydra's ATK transfers to the ally via Military Merit, and her Additional DMG scales with ATK. The A2 trace also converts excess ATK into personal CRIT DMG.
• A6 provides flat +20 SPD to both Cerydra and the buffed ally on Skill use, lasting 3 turns. This allows the DPS to run lower base SPD (e.g., 140 pre-buff to hit 160 in-combat).

Best Cerydra DPS Pairings

Anaxa (S), Phainon (S), Seele (S), Mydei (A), Welt (A)

Cerydra Investment Priority

1. E1 — Transformative for Phainon specifically — 36% total DEF ignore plus 2 Coreflames per Skill instead of 1, vastly accelerating his Ultimate rotation. First priority for Phainon owners.
2. LC S1 — Signature provides 54% Skill DMG buff to the target, massive ATK for Military Merit scaling, and an SP refund on Ultimate that partially offsets her SP-negative playstyle.
3. E2 — 40% DMG increase for the buffed target is a solid power boost. Mostly a stepping stone toward E6, not a standalone stopping point.

Cerydra Relics and Stat Targets

Recommended: Sacerdos' Relived Ordeal with Lushaka, the Sunken Seas

Stat targets: ATK 4000+, SPD 140 pre-buff (160+ in-combat)

Main stats: Body: ATK% · Feet: SPD · Sphere: ATK% · Rope: Energy Regen > ATK%

Best Cerydra Light Cones

• Epoch Etched in Golden Blood (Best in Slot): Signature and best option. Highest ATK amplifies Military Merit's ATK-scaling buff (24% of Cerydra's ATK passed to ally). Grants 54% Skill DMG to the target of her Skill for 3 turns. Ultimate refunds 1 Skill Point, providing critical relief for her SP-negative playstyle. Best-in-slot by a meaningful margin due to the triple synergy: ATK, Skill DMG buff, and SP recovery.
• A Grounded Ascent: Sunday's signature but strong on Cerydra. Provides Energy regeneration (6–8 per Skill/Ultimate use) helping reach her 130-cost Ultimate faster, and stacks DMG Hymn buffs on the target (up to 72% DMG at S1). Recovers 1 SP every 2 Skill/Ultimate uses, providing partial SP economy relief. Slightly behind signature due to no direct Skill DMG buff, but competes on resource generation.
• Flowing Nightglow: Robin's signature. High ATK and Energy Regen from Cantillation stacks help Cerydra access her Ultimate faster, optionally swapping the ER rope for ATK%. Grants 24% team-wide DMG for 1 turn after Ultimate — in Phainon teams, timing it so Cerydra does not take a turn after using Ultimate keeps this buff active for his entire transformation. Requires coordination to maximize.
• The Forever Victual: Free event LC released alongside Cerydra. Grants up to 60% ramping ATK% at S5 (3 stacks from Skill use), significantly amplifying the ATK-scaling portion of her kit. Takes 3 Skills to fully ramp and provides no additional utility beyond raw ATK. Best F2P option and the minimum viable budget choice.

Cerydra FAQ

Who works best with Cerydra in HSR?

Cerydra's best team options include Anaxa, Phainon, Seele. StarGuide rates teammates by role and composition fit so the recommendation reflects how the character is actually played.

What relics should Cerydra use?

Cerydra's recommended relic setup is Sacerdos' Relived Ordeal with Lushaka, the Sunken Seas, with stat targets around ATK 4000+, SPD 140 pre-buff (160+ in-combat).

What is the best light cone for Cerydra?

Epoch Etched in Golden Blood is the top listed light cone for Cerydra. Signature and best option. Highest ATK amplifies Military Merit's ATK-scaling buff (24% of Cerydra's ATK passed to ally). Grants 54% Skill DMG to the target of her Skill for 3 turns. Ultimate refunds 1 Skill Point, providing critical relief for her SP-negative playstyle. Best-in-slot by a meaningful margin due to the triple synergy: ATK, Skill DMG buff, and SP recovery.

How should I invest in Cerydra?

Cerydra's first listed investment priority is E1. Transformative for Phainon specifically — 36% total DEF ignore plus 2 Coreflames per Skill instead of 1, vastly accelerating his Ultimate rotation. First priority for Phainon owners.

Important Notes

• E1 is transformative specifically for Phainon teams — 36% DEF ignore and doubled Coreflame generation. Strongly recommended before pulling signature for Phainon owners.
• Fully SP-negative playstyle — requires SP-positive teammates or careful rotation planning for long encounters without Cerydra signature.
• Peerage buffs (72% CRIT DMG, 10% RES PEN) are consumed after each Coup de Main, requiring 6 Charge to rebuild. Uptime is inherently intermittent.
• Best with Skill-heavy DPS only — characters who deal damage primarily via Basic ATK, Ultimate, or follow-ups gain minimal value from Cerydra.