Honkai Star Rail 3.8 Phase 2 (Jan 7-28, 2026) forces a critical choice: Fugue, the Fire Nihility Super Break enabler, or Lingsha, the Fire Abundance sustain who amplifies Break damage. This guide breaks down who benefits, who skips, and optimal resource allocation.
Phase 2 Banner Overview
Duration: Jan 7, 2026 12:00 PM to Jan 28, 2026 11:59 AM (all servers)
Fugue (Fire Nihility): 1125 HP, 582 ATK, 557 DEF, 102 SPD at Lv80. Enables Super Break for any ally, ignores weakness types, grants 30% Break Effect.
Lingsha (Fire Abundance): 1358 HP, 679 ATK, 436 DEF, 98 SPD at Lv80. Heals while dealing Break damage, applies 25% Break damage vulnerability via Befog debuff.
4-Stars: Natasha, Sampo, Arlan
Rates: 0.6% base 5-star, 50/50 first pull, hard pity at 90, soft pity ~74. Worst case: 28,800 Stellar Jade per character (180 pulls).
For efficient pulls: HSR Oneiric Shards top up via BitTopup.
Why This Matters
Both characters synergize in Break teams but require 54,400 Jade for guaranteed copies. Break teams dominate Memory of Chaos, Pure Fiction, Apocalyptic Shadow—Fugue expands viable DPS options beyond Harmony Trailblazer, Lingsha maintains damage without sacrificing sustain.
Fugue Kit Analysis
Skill: Applies Foxian Prayer (3 turns) - 30% Break Effect, 50% Toughness Reduction ignoring weakness types.
Ultimate (130 Energy): 200% ATK AoE Fire damage, ignores weakness.
Talent: When Foxian Prayer ally breaks enemy, adds 40% max Toughness as exo-toughness. While active, ally deals 100% Super Break damage.
Technique: Applies Daze, 40% action advance, DEF reduction.
Build Priority
Traces: Skill/Talent > Ultimate > Basic Attack
Stats: 220%+ Break Effect, 67% Effect Hit Rate, 145+ SPD
Relics: 2pc Thief of Shooting Meteor + 2pc Iron Cavalry / Talia Kingdom ornament
Light Cone: Signature Long Road Leads Home (60% Break Effect, 18% Break damage debuff) or F2P Memories of the Past
Eidolons
E1: +50% Break Efficiency for Foxian Prayer allies. Meaningful upgrade but E0 fully functional. Skip unless Break-focused account.
Lingsha Kit Analysis
Skill: 80% ATK AoE Fire damage, heals all allies 14% ATK + 420, advances Fuyuan 20%.
Ultimate: 150% ATK AoE Fire damage, heals 12% ATK + 360, applies Befog (25% increased Break damage, 2 turns), advances Fuyuan 100%.
Talent: Summons Fuyuan (90 SPD, max 5 actions). Each action: 75% ATK AoE damage, dispels 1 debuff from all allies, heals 12% ATK + 360.
Technique: Summons Fuyuan pre-combat, applies Befog.
Build Priority
Traces: Ultimate/Talent > Skill > Basic Attack
Stats: 200%+ Break Effect, 134+ SPD, sufficient ATK for healing
Relics: 2pc Iron Cavalry + 2pc Messenger Traversing Hackerspace / Forge of Kalpagni Lantern ornament
Light Cone: Signature Scent Alone Stays True (60% Break Effect, 18% damage debuff at 150% Break Effect) or F2P Post-Op Conversation
Eidolons
E1: +50% Break Efficiency, 20% DEF reduction during Weakness Break. Enhances offense but E0 sustains fully. Skip for most players.
Fugue Synergies
Top Tier:
Firefly: Extends Super Break windows via exo-toughness, stacks Break Effect buffs, compounds DEF shred
Boothill: Enables non-Physical content viability, extends single-target damage windows
Rappa: Multi-target exo-toughness for Pure Fiction dominance
Mid Tier:
Xueyi: F2P Break DPS option with Super Break enablement
Harmony Trailblazer: Stacks additively for max Super Break ceiling
vs Ruan Mei vs Harmony TB
Ruan Mei: Universal RES PEN/DMG%/Break Efficiency, works in all teams. More versatile.
Harmony TB: Free Super Break but lower multipliers, no DEF shred/Break Effect buffs. Functional F2P option.
Verdict: Fugue if you have Break DPS but no enabler. Ruan Mei if you lack both for versatility. Skip Fugue if Harmony TB suffices.
Team Examples
Premium: Firefly + Fugue + Ruan Mei + Lingsha (highest Break ceiling)
F2P: Fugue + Xueyi + Asta + Gallagher (accessible, adequate performance)
Lingsha Synergies
Top Tier: All Break DPS (Firefly, Boothill, Rappa) - 25% Befog multiplies all Break damage, off-turn sustain preserves offensive tempo.
Mid Tier: Non-Break teams can use her for sustain but waste Befog/Break Effect scaling.
vs Aventurine vs Gallagher vs Huohuo
Aventurine: Superior for follow-up teams (shields, FUA synergy). Lacks Break amplification.
Gallagher: 4-star accessibility, adequate Break sustain. Lower healing, weaker debuff, no cleansing. Lingsha is premium upgrade.
Huohuo: Energy regen specialist for Ultimate-reliant teams. No Break contribution.
Verdict: Lingsha for Break teams, Aventurine for FUA, Huohuo for energy-hungry, Gallagher for F2P Break.
Team Examples
Optimized: Firefly + Fugue + Ruan Mei + Lingsha (sub-5-cycle MoC clears)
Boss Focus: Boothill + Fugue + Bronya + Lingsha (single-target Break)
Pull Fugue If:
✅ Own Firefly/Boothill/Rappa and lack/want to upgrade from Harmony TB ✅ Plan to pull future Break DPS, want infrastructure now ✅ Struggle with MoC/Pure Fiction, Break damage is bottleneck
Skip Fugue If:
❌ Lack Break DPS, don't plan to pull them ❌ Harmony TB meets needs, saving Jade for future banners ❌ Missing Ruan Mei - prioritize her first for versatility
Investment: 28,800 Jade worst case, 3-4 weeks materials/relics. F2P Light Cones viable.
Pull Lingsha If:
✅ Run Break teams, lack premium sustain or want Gallagher upgrade ✅ Need cleansing for debuff-heavy content ✅ Value action-efficient off-turn sustain
Skip Lingsha If:
❌ Own Aventurine/Huohuo/Gallagher meeting sustain needs ❌ Don't run Break teams, no Break investment plans ❌ Gallagher functions adequately, need resources elsewhere
Investment: 28,800 Jade worst case, 3-4 weeks materials/relics. F2P Light Cones viable.
Resource Management
Phase 2 Duration: 3 weeks = ~2,000-2,500 free Jade from events/dailies
Calculate: Current Jade + event rewards + pity status (pulls since last 5-star)
Both Characters: 54,400 Jade required (worst case). Pre-farm shared materials: Immortal Scionette, Aeroblossom, Lumintwig.
Top-Up: Consider only when close to guarantee (within 20-30 pulls) and character fills critical gap. Buy Honkai Star Rail recharge via BitTopup for competitive rates.
Common Myths
Myth: Fugue mandatory for Break teams. Reality: Harmony TB provides functional F2P enablement. Fugue optimizes but isn't required.
Myth: Lingsha replaces all sustain. Reality: She optimizes Break teams specifically. Aventurine/Huohuo better for other archetypes.
Myth: Need signature Light Cones. Reality: F2P alternatives work with proper relics. Signatures optimize, don't unlock viability.
Eidolons: E0 provides full functionality. E1 improves performance but skip unless roster complete.
Account Stage Recommendations
Early-game (TL 30-50): Prioritize limited 5-star DPS before specialized supports.
Mid-game (TL 50-65): Pull Fugue if you own Break DPS. Consider Lingsha if running Break teams with Gallagher.
Endgame (TL 65+): Target specific performance bottlenecks in MoC/Pure Fiction/Apocalyptic Shadow.
Future-Proofing
Break teams show consistent viability across versions. Fugue/Lingsha retain long-term value for Break-invested accounts.
Reruns: Expect 6-9 months post-release (late 2026/early 2027). Skip now, pull later with updated roster context.
FAQ
Is Fugue worth pulling? Yes if you own Firefly/Boothill/Rappa. Skip if you lack Break DPS or Harmony TB suffices.
Is Lingsha worth pulling? Yes for Break teams needing sustain upgrade. Skip if Gallagher/Aventurine/Huohuo meet needs.
Pull Fugue with Ruan Mei? They stack in same team. If choosing, prioritize Ruan Mei for versatility, then Fugue.
Can Lingsha replace Gallagher? Yes - superior healing, cleansing, stronger Befog. But Gallagher adequate for F2P.
Need signature Light Cones? No. F2P alternatives maintain functionality. Invest Jade in more characters instead.
Pull one - which? Fugue if you have Break DPS but no enabler. Lingsha if you run Break teams needing sustain. Skip both if lacking Break DPS and adequate sustain.