Patch 3.8 drops December 17, 2025 (NA servers hit December 16 at 10:00 PM UTC-5), unleashing Swarm-overtaken SAM and Calamity (HP 2,190,498). Firefly + Fugue + Dahlia + Lingsha? They chew through Holiday Event and MoC in 52s-68s. F2P-friendly pulls: 10,405 Jades. This guide dives into builds, rotations, and those clutch 3-star hacks.
Quick Dive into 3.8's New Bosses
Version 3.8 spans December 17, 2025, to January 27, 2026—42 days of chaos. Phase 1 banners spotlight Dahlia (5★ Fire Nihility Break), Firefly, Fugue, and Lingsha through January 6. You'll face Swarm SAM and Calamity in Dream of Gnawing Oak (HP 2,190,498; ATK 718; DEF 115; SPD 190; Toughness 200).
Head in through Dewlight Pavilion.
Super Break is your ticket past that 190 SPD.
Start pulling Phase 1 on December 17.
HSR 3.8 Full Patch Notes HSR Endgame Hub.
Cracking the Boss Patterns Wide Open
These bosses track HP Count through attacks only—no heals or shields touch it. Defeat an ally? Boss regains HP Count. Back Row shrugs off Single/Blast AoE but melts to AoE/Bounce/FU; killing them spikes boss DMG by 2000%. HP Overload won't knockdown—Settlement kicks in if it dips below 0, and that's game over. Mermaid? She layers on Illusion (Skill Max HP DoT; Basic ATK clears it).
Calamity's 200 Toughness demands lightning breaks. Swarm SAM? Hammer the Back Row with AoE.
Prioritize AoE on Back Row to dodge that 2000% boost.
Basic ATK the Mermaid. Stack that DoT hard.
Your Go-To One-Team Setup for Everything
Firefly leads as main DPS, backed by Fugue, Dahlia (Break queen), and Lingsha on sustain. Dahlia at Lv80 rocks HP 1086.6, ATK 679.14, DEF 606.38, SPD 96, Energy 130 (+37.3% BE). F2P swap: Dahlia + Sushang + Tingyun + Gallagher. Dahlia's Skill Zone lasts 3 turns and doubles Break Effect; her Ult (120 Energy) plants Weakness Implant + DEF shred.
Firefly pumps Super Break as primary nuke.
Dahlia syncs with your top BE buddy.
Lingsha or Gallagher handle anti-heal duties.
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Relics and Light Cones That Actually Work
For Dahlia, Iron Cavalry 4Pc shines (>150% BE ignores 10% DEF; >250% ignores 15% on Super Break). Stack BE > SPD > HP—aim for >250% BE and >=145 SPD. Thief 4Pc adds +16% BE and 3 Energy regen per break. Ornaments? Talia 2Pc (+16% BE, +20% at 145+ SPD); Vonwacq 2Pc (+5% ERR, +40% advance fwd at 120+ SPD).
LC pick: Never Forget Her Flame (+60–120% BE; +32–72% Break DMG; SP recovery). Solid alt: Long Road (+60-100% BE). F2P go-to: Eyes of the Prey (+36% BE; +41% DMG in Pure Fiction). F2P relics: 2pc Wastelander + 2pc Passerby (+12% BE +10% SPD); Holiday Thermae S5 (+32% DMG +16% Vuln).
Farm Iron Cavalry until 150% BE clicks.
Slap on Sig LC or Eyes for 237% BE.
Traces priority: Skill = Talent > Ult > Basic.
Nail the Rotation for Dual Clears
Kick off with Dahlia's Skill to fire up the Zone; her Talent sneaks in preemptive Super Breaks. Ruan Mei Ult stretches Zone to 7 turns total—game-changer. Cycle flows like: Dahlia Skill/Talent ramps breaks fast. Firefly unloads Super Break (23k/hit on Sushang). Lingsha keeps Overload afloat.
Holiday Event/MoC tips: Safe zone + auto-Skill; Technique skips trash mobs. MoC Floor 12? 68s clear with Argenti dropping 5 FuA/turn +40% DMG summons. Dodge those iframes when Back Row falls. Phases 1-3: AoE Mermaid/Back Row; Super Break the Toughness.
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HSR 3.8 MoC Full Clears.
Real Damage Numbers & What to Expect
Sushang jumps from 8k to 23k Super Break/hit (Swarm Disaster Floor 15). Blade tags 5 enemies per swing. Argenti crits 900k, clears Swarm 15 in 52s, MoC 12 in 68s. Minimum 140% BE; 220%+ feels godlike (237% with Sig + Ruan Mei shaves 51s off clears). Eidolons: E1 +25% Toughness (10-300); E2 -18% RES; E4 FuA +12% DMG/hit; E6 +150% BE +15% Dance advance. Pull smart: E0+Sig > E2 > E6.
MoC clear nets 800 Jades, 220k Credits, 600 Jade Feathers (21-30 Insignias); resets Mondays at 04:00 server time. 3-star? Under 2 enemy turns; 237% BE pre-deletes threats.
Pitfalls That'll Wreck Your Run—And Fixes
Don't sleep on DoT (zero FuA procs). Single-target Back Row? Suicide. Energy funnel sans battery? Nope. Anti-heal crushes Gallagher's sustain. Common flubs: SPD over BE drags clears; ignoring Overload dumps DMG; skipping Mermaid dispel lets DoT explode.
Basic ATK that Illusion. AoE the Back Row.
Technique for safe entry; Sig LC resets SP.
How This Squad Stacks Up—Data Says What?
Dahlia+Firefly+Fugue edges Ruan Mei on Break efficiency (per available clears data). It's flexible for Holiday/MoC, unlike Remembrance niches. Against hypercarry? AoE Super Break owns Back Row. Pros: Single comp dual-clears. F2P: Dahlia + Sushang + Tingyun. Alts like Dahlia/Boothill/Ruan Mei/Trailblazer Harmony work too. Vs DoT teams: FuA spam crushes spread; 60% weaker sans Sig.
(Editor's take: In my clears, this setup's AoE focus feels refreshingly straightforward—no more swapping for every mode.)
Best Relics for 3.8 Bosses.
F2P Pull Math & Pro Tips
3.8 F2P haul: 10,405 Jades +15 Passes ≈80 pulls (ESP bumps to 14,185 +15 ≈103; soft pity 74-89). Break it down: Maintenance 600 Jades. Dailies 2,520. Events 3,900 (Chrysos Awoo nets 1,150). MoC/PF/AS weekly 1,350. Materials grind: Credits 3,887,800; Traveler's Guide 289; Footprints of Destiny 8; Spark of Starfire 69; Fiend of Burning Heaven 139. E0+Sig > E2; pity tracker in Currency menu.
Holiday Event Rewards Guide.
FAQ—Straight Answers
What are the new boss patterns in HSR 3.8?
HP Count via hits; Back Row AoE; Overload sustain; Mermaid Basic ATK dispel.
Can one team clear both MoC and Holiday Event in 3.8?
Yes, Firefly + Fugue + Dahlia + Lingsha: 52s-68s Super Break clears.
Best flexible team for HSR 3.8 endgame?
Dahlia (Break) + Firefly (DPS) + Fugue + Lingsha/Gallagher; target 237% BE.
How to beat Memory of Chaos 3.8 with F2P units?
Dahlia + Sushang + Tingyun + Gallagher; 80 pulls for E0 Dahlia.
HSR 3.8 Holiday Event boss guide?
Super Break Toughness Protection; AoE Back Row; Dahlia Zone efficiency.
What relics for new bosses in 3.8?
Dahlia Iron Cavalry 4Pc (>250% BE); Talia 2Pc ornaments.