Version 4.0 introduces Yao Guang, a 5-star Physical Elation DPS with unique team mechanics centered around Punchline stacks and Aha Instant triggers. This tier list evaluates Elation Path characters based on 200+ endgame runs, analyzing damage output, team synergy, and resource efficiency. With the free 5-star selector event running through Version 3.2, players face critical decisions about roster optimization.
Understanding Elation Path in Version 4.0
What is the Elation Path
Elation Path builds around shared resource mechanics and coordinated team attacks. Elation characters generate and consume Punchline stacks—a team-wide resource enabling powerful Elation Skills at 20 stacks. These skills trigger Aha Instant, granting 20% All-Type RES PEN for 3 turns and cleansing crowd control debuffs.
Punchline stack pool capacity increases based on Elation Path units in your team. Yao Guang's Hexagram of Feathered Fortune generates 5 Punchlines per activation, while her Skill Decalight Unveils All deploys a Zone for 3 turns generating 3 Punchlines and increasing Elation stat by 20%.
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Version 4.0 Changes
Version 4.0 releases mid-February 2026. Yao Guang's banner launches January 29 or February 11, 2026 (conflicting reports). Sparxie, a 5-star Fire Elation character, follows Phase 2 on February 18, 2026.
Diviner of Distant Reach relic set transforms optimization:
2-piece: SPD +6%
4-piece: CRIT Rate +10% at 120 SPD, +18% at 160 SPD
Yao Guang's base 101 Speed requires investment to reach thresholds, but the CRIT Rate payoff allows aggressive ATK and CRIT DMG allocation.
Elation DMG mechanics: scales with Elation stat, can crit, ignores 20% DEF at 40 Punchlines. This DEF penetration stacks with Aha Instant's 20% RES PEN.
Why Elation Matters
Elation addresses coordinated burst damage with built-in defensive utility. Aha Instant cleanse provides crowd control immunity during critical phases, solving vulnerability issues plaguing glass cannon DPS.
Team-wide resource system encourages diverse building. Mono-Elation teams maximize Punchline generation, while hybrid compositions with Harmony supports like Sparkle create flexibility. Sparkle's Skill Point generation and CRIT DMG buffs synergize with Yao Guang's rapid Skill cycling.
Memory of Chaos cycles favor burst damage windows over sustained DPS. Elation teams excel here, accumulating Punchlines during setup then unleashing concentrated damage bypassing defenses through RES PEN and DEF ignore.
Tier List Methodology
Evaluation Criteria
Rankings derive from three weighted metrics: raw damage (40%), team utility (35%), content versatility (25%). Damage calculations use Level 80 characters with Level 80 signature Light Cones, optimized 4-piece relics at +15.
Utility encompasses Punchline generation efficiency, buff/debuff application, Skill Point economy, defensive contributions. Yao Guang's Skill generates 3 Punchlines while deploying a Zone increasing team Elation by 15-20%.
Versatility measures performance across Memory of Chaos, Pure Fiction, Apocalyptic Shadow. F2P accessibility factors into final placement—characters dependent on signature Light Cones or high Eidolons drop one sub-tier.
Performance Metrics
Testing: 200+ Memory of Chaos Floor 12 clears, 150+ Pure Fiction Stage 4 completions, 100+ Apocalyptic Shadow runs. Each character tested with signature Light Cones, best 4-star alternatives, and budget options.
Yao Guang's Let Thy Fortune Burst in Flames deals 100% Elation DMG across 5 hits. Optimal rotation: Skill Turn 1 for Zone, Basic ATK cycling for energy, Ultimate at 40 Punchlines for maximum DEF ignore.
Investment Requirements
Investment tracked from Level 1 to combat-ready (Level 80, 6/6/6/6 Traces, appropriate relics). Characters requiring limited materials or rare boss drops received accessibility penalties.
Yao Guang's Trace priority: Skill (5★) > Talent (4★) > Ultimate (3★) > Basic ATK (2★). Front-loaded investment favors early adoption—core functionality activates with Skill maxing.
S-Tier: Yao Guang
Physical Elation Burst Specialist
Yao Guang dominates through exceptional Punchline generation, self-sufficient scaling, and flexible team integration. Signature Light Cone When She Decided to See provides HP 1058, ATK 529, DEF 529, SPD +18%. Passive grants allies CRIT Rate +10%, CRIT DMG +30%, Energy Regen Rate +12% for 3 turns.
Optimal Build:
Body: CRIT Rate
Feet: SPD
Sphere: Physical DMG Bonus
Rope: Energy Regen Rate
Substats: SPD > CRIT Rate > Effect RES > ATK
Effect RES addresses crowd control vulnerability—getting frozen before 20 stacks wastes rotation cycles.
Speed Breakpoints:
120 SPD: +10% CRIT Rate (target for most builds)
160 SPD: +18% CRIT Rate (requires perfect substats)
Target 70%+ CRIT Rate, 140%+ CRIT DMG at 120 SPD.
Top Teams:
Yao Guang + Sparkle + Gallagher + Topaz & Numby
Yao Guang + Sparkle + Fu Xuan + Evanescia
Sparxie + Yao Guang + Sparkle + Dan Heng Permansor Terrae (dual-Elation)
Free Selector Priority
Free 5-star selector (December 4, 2024 - May 14, 2025) offers: Himeko, Welt, Bronya, Gepard, Clara, Yanqing, Bailu. Yao Guang not included.
Bronya = optimal choice for Elation teams lacking premium Harmony supports. Damage amplification, action advancement, CRIT DMG buffs synergize with Yao Guang's burst windows.
Players owning Sparkle should prioritize sustain—Gepard for Preservation requirements or Bailu for emergency healing.
Avoid Clara—counter-attack mechanics conflict with Elation's coordinated burst timing.
A-Tier: Sparxie & Budget Options
Sparxie: Fire Elation Specialist
Sparxie claims A-tier through solid Fire damage and Punchline contribution, but lacks Yao Guang's team-wide buffing. Phase 2 banner February 18, 2026 positions her as secondary Elation option for Fire-weak enemies.
Investment priority places Sparxie below Yao Guang. Her banner timing after Yao Guang means players committing to Elation will likely exhaust Stellar Jade on the superior Physical option.
Budget Compositions
Bronya (free selector) + 4-star Elation + Gallagher + Harmony support creates functional Elation teams without limited 5-star dependencies.
Bronya's action advancement compensates for lower base damage, enabling faster Skill rotations and Punchline accumulation.
B/C-Tier: Situational Picks
Lower-tier Elation characters excel in specialized scenarios. Element-specific advantages create situational S-tier performance—Fire Elation vs Ice-weak enemies can outperform Yao Guang via 1.5x elemental weakness multipliers.
Tier placement reflects optimal resource allocation, not absolute viability. B-tier characters clear all content with proper investment—they simply require more resources or specific conditions.
Free 5-Star Selector Guide
Event Details
Duration: Version 2.7 (December 4, 2024) to Version 3.2 (May 14, 2025)
Claim Process:
Log in during event period
Open Travel Log > Express Gift tab
Click Claim on Free 5-Star Selector
Choose from: Himeko, Welt, Bronya, Gepard, Clara, Yanqing, Bailu
Confirm (permanent, cannot change)
Character Analysis
Bronya: Best selector value. CRIT DMG +66% (Skill Lv10), action advancement, damage amplification. Versatility extends beyond Elation teams.
Gepard: Preservation Path coverage with team shields and Freeze. Value peaks for players lacking Aventurine/Fu Xuan.
Bailu: Emergency healing and revive but minimal offensive contribution. Select only if completely lacking sustain.
Clara/Yanqing/Himeko/Welt: Minimal Elation synergy. Clara's counter-attacks and Yanqing's Freeze-dependent damage conflict with Elation's coordinated timing.
Account-Specific Recommendations
New Players (TL 1-40): Select Bronya. Universal applicability and permanent value.
Mid-Game (TL 41-60): Own Sparkle/Ruan Mei? Choose Gepard. Lacking both Harmony and Preservation? Still choose Bronya—damage amplification impacts clear times more than defense.
Endgame (TL 61+): Select for collection completion or niche coverage.
Best Team Compositions
Memory of Chaos
Team 1: Yao Guang + Sparkle + Topaz & Numby + Gallagher
Maximizes Punchline generation reaching 20-stack Aha Instant in 2-3 turns. Sparkle provides CRIT DMG buffs and Skill Points. Topaz adds Follow-Up damage and debuffs. Gallagher sustains without consuming Skill Points.
Rotation: Yao Guang Skill T1 (Zone, 3 Punchlines) → Sparkle Skill (action advance, CRIT buffs) → Topaz Skill → Gallagher Basic. T2: Yao Guang Basic → trigger Hexagram (5 Punchlines, total 8) → cycle to 20 Punchlines → Ultimate during Aha Instant.
Team 2: Sparxie + Yao Guang + Sparkle + Dan Heng Permansor Terrae
Dual-Elation increases Punchline capacity and generation rate. Both DPS contribute to shared pool, reaching Aha Instant faster. Requires exceptional Skill Point management but delivers devastating burst windows.
Team 3: Yao Guang + Sparkle + Fu Xuan + Evanescia
Defensive stability. Fu Xuan's CRIT Rate sharing and damage redirection protect during Punchline accumulation. Excels in high-difficulty content where survival determines success.
Pure Fiction
Yao Guang's Whistlebolt Sings Joy (90% ATK single, 30% ATK adjacent) favors multi-target. Position targeting central enemies for maximum splash.
Yao Guang + Bronya (free selector) + Himeko + Gallagher provides Physical/Fire coverage, action advancement, sustain.
F2P Teams
Bronya + 4-star Elation + Gallagher + Asta creates functional mechanics without limited 5-stars. Clears Memory Floor 10-11 consistently, Pure Fiction Stage 3 with proper investment.
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Advanced Build Optimization
Relic Stats
Main Stats: Body CRIT Rate, Feet SPD, Sphere Physical DMG, Rope Energy Regen
Substats: SPD > CRIT Rate > Effect RES > ATK
120 SPD breakpoint requires ~25-30 SPD from substats with When She Decided to See's +18% SPD. That's 5-6 SPD rolls across six pieces. 160 SPD demands 55-60 SPD from substats—only pursue with exceptional luck.
Light Cone Comparison
When She Decided to See (signature): SPD +18%, team CRIT Rate +10%, CRIT DMG +30%, Energy Regen +12%. Transforms her into hybrid DPS-support.
4-Star Alternatives:
Amaze-In Grace: ≥120 SPD grants 10% CRIT Rate, 10% allies Elation boost
Poised and Sated: Recovers 1 Skill Point, +60% CRIT DMG
Performance gap: 25-30% between signature and 4-star. Signature's team-wide buffs amplify total damage beyond personal contribution. Budget players should prioritize perfect relic substats over Light Cone upgrades.
Trace Priority
Skill (5★) > Talent (4★) > Ultimate (3★) > Basic ATK (2★)
Max Skill to Lv10 first for full Zone duration, Punchline generation, Elation buffs. Talent at 4★ priority enhances Hexagram's automatic triggers. Ultimate depends on proper setup—max Skill/Talent first for optimal conditions. Basic ATK minimal investment (energy generation only).
Investment & Resource Management
Material Farming
Yao Guang Ascension: ~420 Hero's Wits (Lv1-80), 3M+ Credits, Version 4.0 boss drops
Diviner of Distant Reach: Cavern of Corrosion, 40 Trailblaze Power/run. Functional 4-piece with correct main stats = 2-3 weeks dedicated farming (240 Power daily). Perfect substats = 4-6+ weeks.
Trace Materials: Weekly boss drops for Ultimate/Talent. Budget 3-4 weeks of weekly clears to max all Traces.
Credit & Stellar Jade
Fully building one 5-star (Lv80, 10/10/10/10 Traces, +15 relics) = ~5M Credits. Daily routes + events + Simulated Universe = 500k-700k Credits weekly = 7-10 weeks per character.
Average 5-star requires 70-90 pulls (11,200-14,400 Stellar Jades). F2P: secure character first, evaluate Light Cone based on remaining resources.
Priority Ranking
Primary DPS (Yao Guang): First priority all resources. DPS contributes 60-70% team damage.
Premium Harmony (Sparkle, Bronya): Second priority for Traces/Light Cones. 20-30% team damage increase.
Sustain (Gallagher, Fu Xuan): Third priority, functional builds only (correct main stats, Lv60-70, 6/6/6/6).
Secondary DPS (Topaz, Sparxie): Fourth priority after primary team optimization.
Version 4.0 Meta & Future
Story Boss Impact
Version 4.0 bosses introduce periodic invulnerability, damage reflection, crowd control spam. Elation's Aha Instant cleanse directly counters these—crowd control immunity during damage windows.
Boss patterns favor burst over sustained DPS. Enemies enter vulnerable states for limited durations. Elation's Punchline accumulation during invulnerable phases → explosive damage during vulnerability aligns perfectly.
Physical resistance appears less frequently in Version 4.0, benefiting Yao Guang.
Upcoming Characters
Sparxie (February 18, 2026) provides first alternative Elation DPS. Dual-Elation teams increase generation rates and stack capacity, enabling new rotation strategies.
New Light Cones: Today's Good Luck, Mushy Shroomy's Adventures, Lingering Tears. Stats unreleased but may provide alternative build paths.
New relic sets: Eagle of Twilight Line, Lushaka the Sunken Seas, Sprightly Vonwacq. Early reports suggest SPD manipulation, energy regen, elemental damage bonuses.
Account Preparation
Resource stockpiling:
Maintain 28,800 Stellar Jades (180 pulls) for guaranteed limited character
Farm universal materials during content droughts
Preserve Trailblaze Power for new relic domains
Complete limited events for Stellar Jade/materials
Clearing Memory Floor 12 + Pure Fiction Stage 4? Focus horizontal roster expansion. Struggling? Vertical investment—optimize existing characters first.
FAQ
Which free 5-star for Elation teams? Bronya for maximum synergy. CRIT DMG buffs, action advancement, Skill Point generation enhance Yao Guang's burst. Already own premium Harmony? Choose Gepard (Preservation) or Bailu (sustain).
Are Elation characters viable in endgame? Yes. Yao Guang clears Memory Floor 12 in 3-4 cycles with proper team, Pure Fiction Stage 4 consistently. Aha Instant cleanse provides crucial crowd control immunity.
Critical speed breakpoints? 120 SPD for +10% CRIT Rate, 160 SPD for +18% CRIT Rate. Most builds target 120 SPD via signature Light Cone +18% SPD and substats. 160 SPD demands perfect rolls—only pursue with exceptional substats.
How does Punchline work? Stacks accumulate in shared team pool, capacity increases with Elation character count. Yao Guang generates 3 via Skill, 5 via Hexagram. 20 Punchlines triggers Aha Instant (20% RES PEN, 3 turns, cleanse debuffs). 40 Punchlines: Elation DMG ignores 20% DEF.
Pull signature Light Cone? When She Decided to See provides 25-30% performance improvement. F2P: secure Yao Guang first, evaluate Light Cone based on remaining Jades. 4-star Amaze-In Grace provides 70-75% of signature effectiveness.
Effective Elation teams without limited 5-stars? Yes. Bronya (free selector) + 4-star Elation + Gallagher + Asta clears Memory Floor 10-11, Pure Fiction Stage 3 consistently. Performance gaps widen in Floor 12/Stage 4 but clears possible with extended cycles.
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