Blade Guide
Blade Guide by Blade Mains
Index
Foreword
Welcome to Blade Mains' guide for the mysterious swordsman Blade. This guide was made by our Discord Server's Theorycrafting Team, with additional assistance from other members of our Staff, as well as external contributors. You can see a full list of credits at the end of this page.
We aim for this guide to be a helpful resource for the community, and to provide both essential and in depth information for those who play Blade, or plan to do so in the future. On this page you will find the main sections of our guide, you can check the Index to jump between them. Do not miss the extra pages as well, with a Bronya dedicated section and a Glossary for those who are new to certain in game or theorycrafting terms.
This guide currently covers up to version 1.6. As new content relevant to Blade releases, we will continue to update the guide with new findings and calculations.
We are open to feedback that can help us improve our guide. If you want to share any opinions or contributions with us, feel free to join our Discord Server and visit our Theorycrafting Section.
Note: This site is best seen on PC.
Extra Sections
Community Links
1. Introduction
"When will death come for me?
My patience is wearing thin".
Blade is a 5 Star Wind DPS on the path of Destruction. He's a unit that specializes in Blast DMG and that can shine in any situation he finds himself in, be it as the main star of his own team, or as someone else's teammate.
His damaged sword and bandaged body aren't just for show ─ as his main mechanic is that he sacrifices his own HP in order to deal more damage. That however does not mean that he is easy to kill.
As his title of immortal might be an indication of, Blade is rather difficult to be brought down, and has a unique and interesting playstyle for those looking for a unit that can do damage, tank, and sustain itself in one go.
So, how do you use this mysterious swordsman? This guide serves to shine a light on this immortal.
2. Infographic
Infographic by aurie.m
3.2. Gameplay Mechanics
In combat, Blade has a simple game plan consistent with his role as a DPS, that focuses on maximizing his damage output. To achieve this, Blade benefits from taking damage himself, be it either caused by the enemy, his allies, or self-inflicted.
When using his Skill, Hellscape, Blade will consume his own HP, and then undergo two changes: he will gain a DMG% increase, and his Basic Attacks will be enhanced. Making sure you keep Hellscape always active should be your main goal.
While under the effect of Hellscape, Blade’s enhanced Basic Attack Forest of Swords will consume his own HP upon use and cost no SP - but do note that this attack won't generate any SP either.
Using Hellscape will not end Blade's turn. This means you are still able to use Forest of Swords during the same turn.
Since Hellscape and Forest of Swords both reduce Blade's HP, they will help him earn stacks for his passive Talent, Shuhu's Gift (if both are used, they are counted separately). Getting 5 stacks will unleash Blade's powerful AOE follow-up attack.
Blade's Ultimate, Death Sentence, will store damage taken during the battle and turn it into extra damage dealt when using it. As such, unleasing his Ultimate once you have taken significant damage is recommended. Ensuring Hellscape is active at this time will also offer its DMG% buff increase to the damage dealt by the Ultimate.
Death Sentence will also set Blade's HP at 50%. This will open new possibilities on how to use his Ultimate, since it produces different results depending on the amount of HP he has when using it. If above 50%, Death Sentence will reduce his HP, contributing a stack to his Talent. If under 50%, it will heal him, so it can be used as an emergency heal situationally.
3.3. Skills
Shard Sword - Basic ATK
Single Target
Numbers reflect lvl. 6 values.
─ Energy Regeneration : 20
─ Weakness Break : 30
─ Deals 100% of Blade's ATK as Wind DMG to a target enemy.
Deals minor Wind DMG to an enemy.
This is Blade's unenhanced normal attack. It is advised not to use this, and instead focus on using Forest of Swords through his skill enhancement - it will deal more damage.
Since Shard Sword does not scale on HP, it will do significantly worse than his HP scaling enhanced version on HP builds (which are the recommended for him).
You should, however, still level it as it increases Forest of Swords' damage.
Hellscape - Skill
Enhance
Numbers reflect lvl. 10 values.
─ Energy Regeneration : 0
─ Weakness Break : 0
─ Consumes HP equal to 30% of Blade's Max HP to enter "Hellscape."
When "Hellscape" is active, his Skill cannot be used. Increases his DMG dealt by 40% and enhances his Basic ATK "Shard Sword" to "Forest of Swords" for 3 turn(s). If Blade's current HP is insufficient, his HP will be reduced to 1 after using this Skill. This Skill does not regenerate Energy. Using this Skill does not end the turn.
Consumes HP to receive Enhanced Basic ATK. The current turn does not end after using Skill.
Blade's Enhancing Skill. Not only does it enhance his Normal Attack into Forest of Swords, but it also gives a total DMG% dealt buff.
It is recommended to maintain the uptime of Forest of Swords through using this skill when the 3 turn enhancement expires.
Forest of Swords - Enhanced Basic ATK
─ Energy Regeneration : 30
─ Weakness Break : 60
─ Consumes HP equal to 10% of Blade's Max HP and deals 40% of Blade's ATK plus 100% of his Max HP as Wind DMG to a single enemy. In addition, deals 16% of Blade's ATK plus 40% of his Max HP as Wind DMG to adjacent targets. If Blade's current HP is insufficient, his HP will be reduced to 1 after using Forest of Swords. "Forest of Swords" cannot regenerate Skill Points.
Consumes HP and deals Wind DMG to an enemy, as well as minor Wind DMG to adjacent targets.
Activated by using his Skill Hellscape, Forest of Swords is Blade's main attack and the one you will use the most. It's recommended to use it as much as you can instead of Shard Sword.
Death Sentence - Ultimate
Blast
Numbers reflect lvl. 10 values.
─ Energy Regeneration : 5
─ Weakness Break : 60
─ Sets Blade's current HP to 50% of his Max HP and deals to a single enemy Wind DMG equal to the sum of 40% of his ATK, 100% of his Max HP, and 100% of the total HP he had lost in the current battle. ▷・At the same time, deals Wind DMG to adjacent targets equal to the sum of 16% of his ATK, 40% of his Max HP, and 40% of the total HP he has lost in the current battle. After using his Ultimate, the total HP Blade had lost in the current battle will be reset and re-accumulated. This lost HP value is capped at 90% of his Max HP.
Sets current HP to 50% of Max HP, and deals massive Wind DMG to a single enemy and Wind DMG to adjacent enemies.
Blade's iconic burst. It's heavily based on Blade's Max HP, so high investment on this stat is recommended for better results.
If Blade's current HP is above 50%, using Ultimate will cause him to self inflict damage, while earning him a stack of his passive. If Blade's HP is below 50%, then using Ultimate will restore HP until reaching 50%, and grant no stacks.
Shuhu's Gift - Talent
Numbers reflect lvl. 10 values.
─ Energy Regeneration : 10
─ Weakness Break : 30
─ When Blade's HP is lowered, he gains 1 stack of Charge for 3 turn(s), stacking up to 5 times. The maximum stack he gains for each ATK is 1. When the maximum Charge stacks is reached, immediately unleash a follow-up attack on all enemies, dealing Wind DMG equal to 44% of Blade's ATK plus 110% of Max HP. Then, restore Blade's HP by 25% of his Max HP. All Charges are consumed after unleashing the follow-up attack.
When Blade's HP is lowered, he gains 1 stack of Charge. When Charge is stacked to its max limit, Blade immediately deals Wind DMG to all enemies and recovers HP, afterwards all Charges are consumed.
An important distinction must be made here: Blade doesn't need to be hit to gain a stack of his talent, he just needs his HP to be lowered.
This means that if Blade has a shield on and it doesn't break after an enemy's attack (aka his HP remains the same) you will NOT gain a stack. For the same reason, enemy DoTs will also give you a stack as long as Blade's HP gets lowered.
Karma Wind - Technique
─ Energy Regeneration : 0
─ Weakness Break : 60
─ Immediately attacks the enemy. After entering battle, consumes 20% of Blade's Max HP while also dealing Wind DMG equal to 40% of his Max HP to all enemies. If Blade's current HP is insufficient, his HP will be reduced to 1 after using this Skill.
Attacks the enemy. After entering battle, consumes own health, dealing Wind DMG to all enemies.
The consumed HP will enable you to enter the fight with 1 stack as well as count towards the HP lost for Ultimate - this will reduce the time needed to launch the follow up attack. It is also a nice DPS bonus and will help further weaken the toughness bar of any wind-vulnerable enemy to start the fight. It will make it possible to get to 50% HP without the need to use Ultimate at turn one as well.
3.3.1. Skills Priority
Basic ATK
>
Ultimate
=
Talent
>
Skill
EBAs will be your main source of damage, and so it is recommended to upgrade Basic Attack first. It is also the cheapest of them as well, which makes it easier to get out of the way before investing in the most expensive ones.
After that, it is good to focus on increasing Ultimate and Talent, followed by Skill. However, regardless of the order, it is recommended to max all of Blade's Skills, as every bit will count on maximizing his damage, which is his goal as a DPS.
3.4. Traces
Vita Infinita
When Blade's current HP is 50% of Max HP or lower, Incoming Healing increases by 20%.
Crit Rate +2,7%
—
HP +4%
—
Effect RES +4%
This is a great trace for Blade. Every heal he receives while being below 50% will be boosted. This is especially relevant as it applies to any heal, be it from his Talent, the Trace Neverending Deaths, buffs from Memory of Chaos or Simulated Universe and, of course, healing from other units.
Cyclone of Destruction
DMG dealt by Talent's follow-up attack increases by 20%.
Effect RES +6%
—
Crit Rate +5,3%
—
HP +8%
Simple but effective. A big power up for Blade's Talent Shuhu's Gift.
Neverending Deaths
If Blade hits an enemy with Weakness Break after using "Forest of Swords," he will restore 5% of his max HP plus 100.
HP +6%
—
Crit Rate +4%
—
HP +6%
HP +4%
Enemies with their toughness depleted will heal Blade when they are hit by his enhanced Basic ATK. Good for Blade’s self sustain, but not impressive by any means.
3.4.1. Traces Priority
A6
>
A2
>
A4
You should unlock all skill traces, but Cyclone of Destruction is the most important for damage output, so it should be the one you should be aiming to get as soon as possible. The least important one is Neverending Deaths, and it should only be unlocked after you get a few levels into your Talent, Burst, Skill and Basic Attack.
3.5. Eidolons
E1 - Blade Cuts the Deepest in Hell
Blade's Ultimate deals additionally increased DMG to a single enemy target, with the increased amount equal to 150% of Blade's total HP loss in the current battle.
The total HP Blade has lost in the current battle is capped at 90% of his Max HP. This value will be reset and re-accumulated after his Ultimate has been used.
A direct upgrade for Blade's Ultimate, which adds even more DMG proportional to lost HP in the battle. It offers a nice damage increase that shouldn't be overlooked.
E2 - Ten Thousand Sorrows for One Broken Dream
When Blade is in the Hellscape state, his CRIT Rate increases by 15%.
A decent Stat upgrade when buffed by Blade's Skill, that makes building him a little easier.
E3 - Hardened Blade Bleeds Coldest Shade
Ultimate Lv. +2, up to a maximum of Lv. 15.
Talent Lv. +2, up to a maximum of Lv. 15.
Self-explanatory: an upgrade for Blade's Ultimate and Talent that further boosts Blade’s damage.
E4 - Rejected by Death, Infected With Life
When Blade's current HP drops to 50% or lower of his Max HP, increases his Max HP by 20%. Stacks up to 2 time(s).
An good Stat upgrade for Blade, giving him up to +40% permanent Max HP. This Eidolon has a great value and makes Blade not only stronger, but tankier too.
E5 - Death By Ten Lords' Gaze
Skill Lv. +2, up to a maximum of Lv. 15.
Basic ATK Lv. +1, up to a maximum of Lv. 10.
Also self explanatory: Increases Blade's Damage by buffing Blade's Skill and Basic Attack. Since Blade's Skill also enhances all of his damage, this eidolon upgrade brings that even further.
E6 - Reborn Into an Empty Husk
The maximum number of Charge stacks is reduced to 4. The DMG of the follow-up attack triggered by Blade's Talent additionally increases by 50% of his Max HP.
Blade's strongest Eidolon, which is focused on his Talent. A huge DPS increase, and considered to be his best eidolon.
New players that don't have any of the options above yet can ignore specific sets and just use random relics with good stats until they're able to farm the recommended sets.
At E0, Salsotto and Rutilant perform very similarly, with Rutilant being slightly better if conditions are met. Because of this, you can go with the one with better substats. However Salsotto will pull ahead from E1 and above.
Other sets like Celestial Differentiator or Fleet of the Ageless may give you a slight advantage, however they still don't come close to what Inert Salsotto or Rutilant Arena can offer. As previously mentioned, the "no set" rule is also valid when you're starting out.
5.3. Main Stats
Body
Crit DMG/Crit Rate
The choice between Crit Damage and Crit Rate will depend on which stat do you need the most of, considering the rest of your build, and while trying to keep the 1:2 ratio.
Since the recommended build of Signature LC + Longevous Disciple + Inert Salsotto already gives a lot of Crit Rate, CRIT DMG will be usually preferred here.
Feet
HP%/SPD
The difference between HP% boots and SPD boots is typically minimal and often better substats will determine which is ideal.
If Bronya is in your team, in some cases HP boots will be preferred if you don't have to prioritize SPD anymore. However this will vary depending on which variant of Bronya playstyle you go for, as in some instances Blade will need to reach 134 SPD, in which case SPD boots would be the favored choice. For more information about this, see our extra section How to Play Bronya with Blade.
When using Blade's signature Lightcone, HP boots may be preferred as well since they will provide more survivability and slightly more damage than untuned SPD boots.
Planar Sphere
Wind DMG Boost% > HP%
Equipping a Wind Sphere is is the most optimal choice, however, HP% is also a viable option that might be as good depending on the team composition. In conclusion, use whatever has the best subs for your build.
Link Rope
HP%
While Energy Regeneration Rate can be tempting, HP% is more efficient on Blade.
5.4. Sub-Stats
Sub Stat Priority
CRIT > HP% > SPD
HP% is prioritized over SPD unless playing any of the Bronya playsyles that requires Blade to reach 134+ SPD requirements, in which case reaching those first should be the priority, and then investing the rest in HP% after that.
HP% vs ATK%
Both stats increase Blade's DMG, but HP% is way more important than ATK% for him, as his kit is centralized around it,
For this reason, HP% is a better choice. This does not mean you should avoid ATK% as a stat by any means, it is just not worth rolling for it compared to HP%.
Honorable Mentions
Effect RES% > DEF% - Also not worth rolling for, but somewhat useful if you get them.
Art by ambopteryx
6. Team Building
6.1. Synergies
6.1.1. Sustain
Luocha
The most potent healer in the game as of this writing, Luocha is also the one of the rarest due to being a limited 5* character.
Luocha’s Skill allows him to heal allies when their HP drops to 50% or lower without using SP. When paired with Blade and his self-damaging abilities, this effect will be often triggered, automatically restoring Blade's HP. This will also allow Blade to start the fight with his Ultimate, and then be healed all the way back up.
The field casted by Luocha's Talent will also restore Blade's HP automatically whenever he attacks inside this field, which will provide an additional source of healing.
When Blade and Luocha are paired together, team survival is practically guaranteed. In situations where there is a great need for healing, such as fighting against the strongest enemies, or when paired with Bronya with Slowya/Hyperslowya builds, Luocha will be your best choice for team sustain.
Luocha is also a good option in teams with high SP requirements, due to his own low SP needs. And in Simulated Universe modes (especially Abundance path) he will pull ahead any other healers due to the many gained buffs caused by his ample healing.
Although he may be an expensive option, Luocha is nonetheless still a great investment for Blade teams.
Lynx
Lynx presents great synergy with Blade due to being a sustain option that also provides useful buffs.
Lynx’s Skill heals an ally and grants them an HP% buff based on her Max HP, which Blade welcomes not only due to the healing aspect, but because this will also increase his damage as he greatly benefits from HP% buffs.
On top of that, if the ally is a Preservation or Destruction character, Lynx's Skill also increases their chance to be hit. This will help Blade gain stacks for his Talent. As an added bonus, being hit after Lynx's skill is casted on an ally also helps them recover energy.
Lynx's Ultimate will heal the full party, and cleanse one debuff from all party members.
Additionally, she provides further healing through her Talent, which causes the target of her Skill or Ultimate to receive continuous healing for 3 turns.
Although Lynx's healing potency is inferior to Luocha's, she may still be preferred over him in certain scenarios, such as where the need for healing isn’t that high and the damage increase caused by her useful buffs may be more appreciated. When great amounts of healing are needed, however, Luocha may be considered a better choice. Your other teammates' SP usage is also important to have into account when choosing which of the two may be better to use in your team.
Lynx is a great sustain choice for Blade with added support capabilities that can also be cheaper than other alternatives due to her status as a 4 star. And even though she reaches her max support potential at E6, she’s totally viable at E0, which makes pairing Blade and Lynx very affordable.
Huohuo
As the second strongest healer in the game after Luocha, Huohuo has amazing healing and cleansing capabilities that will easily guarantee your team's survival.
Huohuo's Skill dispels 1 debuff from an ally and heals them, as well as healing adjacent allies at the same time.
Her Talent also allows her to heal her teammates every time someone gets a turn, as long as she has enough passive stacks, which she will obtain by using her Skill.
Huohuo's Ultimate regenerates energy for the whole team (except herself) and will buff the team's ATK.
Having to maintain her passive stacks by using her Skill often makes Huohuo a bit more SP intensive than other sustain options such as Luocha, but she provides great utility in exchange. Her Ultimate's buff is not that useful for Blade either (although not completely useless), as he does not benefit from attack buffs that much.
For these reasons, Huohuo may be less of an attractive option in comparison to Luocha or Lynx. However, she is still a perfectly capable healer that will work well in Blade teams, and if you don't have the previous two options but have Huohuo, she may be your best choice.
Bailu
Bailu is another good sustain option, and more accessible than other 5 star characters like Luocha or Huohuo, since she is available as a Standard 5 star character.
Bailu's skill heals a single ally, and then heals random allies 2 times. Her Ultimate heals the party and also applies Invigoration.
Her Talent will restore extra HP to Invigorated allies, as well as prevent an ally from dying when their HP is fully depleted (although only once per battle) which extra contributes to her sustain capabilities. In her Talent Blade can also find an useful max HP buff granted when overhealing, as well as damage reduction when Invigorated.
Although Bailu's healing power is inferior to Luocha's or Huohuo's, she can still contribute enough healing in most situations, as well as provide some appreciated damage reduction. She will be useful as well by providing HP buffs to boost Blade's damage. Although there are other healers better than her to pair with Blade, Bailu is still competent and can be used in Blade teams effectively.
Natasha
Natasha is the most widely available healer due to being a 4 star character that is given for free, and in some cases the only option some players may have for the sustain slot, especially for those new to the game.
Her Skill removes 1 debuff from an ally and heals them once, and then heals them again at the beginning of the next two turns. Her Ultimate also heals the whole party. Her Talent will boost her healing power.
Of all the healers in the game, Natasha is by far the weakest in terms of healing potency, which makes a Blade team with her a bit more dangerous. Nevertheless, she is viable and does the job well enough.
6.1.2. Support
Bronya
Bronya is one of the best offensive buffers in the game, so it’s not a surprise that she'd be welcome here. She is considered to be Blade's best Harmony teammate.
She enhances Total DMG% and Crit DMG% for the party with her Ultimate, as well as extra DMG with her Skill, which also dispels debuffs from her allies and inmediately allows them to take action. Blade can greatly benefit from her CRIT and DMG buffs (and the ATK one, although not optimal, is also good to have), but also enables multiple possibilities on how to play them together depending on how you build them. You can see more about this in our Bronya and Blade extra section.
If you're unlucky, she can be an expensive option, but she is still highly recommended due to how great she is, and worth using your standard banner guarantee on her.
Ruan Mei
As the first limited 5 star Harmony character, Ruan Mei is a great support that works well with many characters, and that includes Blade.
She provides DMG% and Break Efficiency to the party with her Skill (which she can keep up with full uptime), and creates a field with her Ultimate that increases all allies' Resistance Penetration. Her universal buffs benefit Blade (who usually has few harmony options, due to most of them being ATK oriented) and opens new team possibilities for him including very competitive double Harmony comps (along with Bronya).
Ruan Mei's buffs being party wide, also mean she shines best in Double DPS comps, as she will enhance both of your DPS' damage, and for those that usually play Blade with another damage dealer (such as Jingliu) Ruan Mei will be a great asset.
In general, she is a great unit worth pulling for, be it for Blade specifically, or to improve any of your other teams.
Silver Wolf
Silver Wolf is a potent debuffer who is able to apply a DEF shred debuff through her Ultimate and the unique ability to create a new elemental weakness upon an enemy through her Skill. Through her Talent she also applies various debuffs to the enemy that further help the team.
Her synergy with Blade is not a ‘direct’ one, but rather as a universal debuffer, but her excellent performance makes her a very desired teammate in some of the best Blade comps.
Although she is an expensive option due to being limited 5* character, she is a great investment not only for Blade Mains, but for any account in general, as there are no similar alternatives to her weakness implant currently in the game.
Pela
Pela is a good F2P alternative to Silver Wolf, and while she isn't as efficient as her, she still works great by shredding the enemies’ DEF. She also can remove enemy buffs, something that Silver Wolf can not do.
She can shine in AOE situations, is valuable in Double DPS comps due to her debuffs benefitting both of the carries, and if E4, she will be a great ally when supporting an Ice second DPS (such as Jingliu).
Pela is a great unit that can stand on her own as a good debuffer that's accesible to most players. and can greatly benefit those who don't have access to other premium options.
Fu Xuan
Fu Xuan is a sustain & support option for Blade worth mentioning, offering nice HP and Crit Rate boosts plus a comfy DMG reduction.
Preservation characters are usually anti-synergistic with Blade for various reasons, such as applying shields, or due to their high Taunt Value. However since Fu Xuan's kit is oriented around damage reduction rather than shielding, this won't be a problem with her. Her Taunt Value also becomes irrelevant when pairing Fu Xuan along with Lynx, as Lynx will boost Blade's own TV.
She's mostly recommended for players who do not own Blade's Signature LC, as they will be less likely to overcap on Crit Rate
She is a good option to use along with Blade. However if you're aiming to roll for or invest on best supports for Blade specifically, your resources may be more efficiently spent on one the other 5 star supports above.
6.1.3. Second DPS
Jingliu
While there are a few other DPS characters that can work well in a team along with Blade, Jingliu is the only one who has any relevant synergy with him so far.
Thanks to her Talent, Jingliu gains 1 stack of Syzygy when using her Skill or Ultimate. When Jingliu has accumulated 2 of these stacks, she enters the Spectral Transmigration state. When in this state, her attacks will drain HP from her allies. This HP drain will lower Blade's HP, and trigger his follow-up attacks more often.
Although not a direct synergy, it is worth noting that both Blade and Jingliu are compatible in several ways. They both benefit from HP buffers and are usually in need of strong heals, which makes their individual synergies with other characters align, and choosing their teammates an easier task. Blade and Jingliu are both SP efficient characters as well, which helps by making their choice or teammates more flexible, and eliminates the common SP management issues other Double DPS comps may usually face.
Jingliu is a great damage dealer in her own right, and currently your best choice if you are looking for a second DPS unit which to pair with your Blade to create a powerful dual carry team.
6.1.4. Honorable Mentions
Welt
Welt is a Sub-DPS/Support that has two main things to offer, damage and turn control. While the damage part of his kit is very straight-forward, his turn control needs more thought put into it, as he slows down enemies with his Skill but, most importantly, his Ult imprisons enemies, making them lose a turn with the press of a button. While for most units this is a good thing, as it aids team survivability, for Blade, having the enemy not attacking can be of detriment to Blade himself.
That, however, doesn’t mean that Welt’s ult shouldn’t be used, as, depending on how well your Welt is built, the damage he provides can be more than enough to make up for the lost talent trigger that Blade could get.
Yukong
One of the cheapest offensive supports for Blade, along with Tingyun. The ATK buff has a lower priority but still helps deal greater damage, and the Crit Buffs from Yukong’s Ultimate are something that Blade can fully benefit from.
The downside of this is that her Skill and Ultimate have to be timed correctly, or the buffs will be wasted instead.
Tingyun
Like Yukong, the ATK buff doesn't have a huge impact on Blade's performance, but the Total DMG% buff from her Ultimate (+Energy Regeneration) can be quite useful.
Still, she should only be used when there’s another DPS on the team that can fully make use of her buff, otherwise, she would be better used on another team entirely.
Hanya
Hanya enhances her allies' DMG% and some ATK% through her Talent, but her main job is to provide SP benefits that are mostly wasted on Blade. She still can be played along with him, and she has some use in very specific situations (such as if you really wanted to play Blade on a dual carry team with another DPS that has high SP needs, for example). She can also be used by those starting out and that don't have many other supports yet.
However in both of these cases, there are better options for Blade than her, so she should only be used if nothing else is available, and fully investing in her with the only purpose of using her on a Blade team is not recommended, as she will be replaced eventually as your roster grows.
6.2. Antisynergies
Preservation Characters
Most preservation characters don't pair well with Blade, for several reasons.
Blade prefers to take damage so his Talent can be activated and gain stacks from it. But Preservation characters have a higher Taunt Value, so they are more prone to getting hit than Blade is.
Most of them also offer shields, and shields prevent Blade from getting hit and gaining stacks if they are not broken when hit.
However this does not mean that no Preservation character can be paired with Blade (Fu Xuan can be an option as explained above), but in general, most of them aren’t recommended.
Clara
As a unit, Clara is centered around her counter, and as such, she wants to get as many hits on herself as possible. Blade is not dissimilar to her in this regard, so there's a conflict between the two of them when on the same team that leads to neither one getting their maximum DPS output.
6.3. Team Compositions
6.3.1. Hypercarry
Hypercarry Teams Structure
DPS
Sustain
Support
Support
Hypercarry teams are based on a single strong DPS who will deal most of the damage, and two other members whose objective is to buff him and/or debuff the enemies to maximize the main DPS’ damage output, with a last unit whose job is to keep the team alive and healthy.
In a Hypercarry team, Blade will be focused upon as the main source of damage, and the team composition will be centered about providing him with supports focused on either buffing him directly (such as Harmony units), enhancing his damage output externally (such as Nihility units), and offering healing (such as Abundance units).
Hypercarry Example 1
Blade - Luocha - Silver Wolf - Bronya
DPS
Sustain
Support
Support
Although expensive, this is one of the best Hyper Blade teams. Luocha will take care of the whole team’s healing, Silver Wolf will offer weakness implant and debuffs on the enemy, and Bronya will boost Blade’s turns constantly while also increasing his damage. Both Luocha and Silver Wolf can help recover lost Skill Points if needed, making this team also SP efficient.
Lynx is also a great sustain option, and as explained earlier, your choice between Luocha and her will depend on the difficulty of the enemies you’re facing, and how much healing you will need. When high amounts of healing are needed, Luocha will be better, but when this isn’t a problem, then Lynx’s buffs will be more useful.
Do note that besides Luocha and Lynx, Huohuo and Bailu will also work on this team, (as well as Natasha, if you have nothing else). When considering who to choose from your available options, what may determine which one you should go for will depend on the enemies’ weaknesses.
For the debuff slot, a budget option that could fit on this team structure is Pela, who offers DEF shred and removes enemies' buffs. She is a good replacement for Silver Wolf if you don’t have her, and she may even be a preferable choice in certain situations.
Regarding buffers, Bronya is harder to replace with a budget option, as there is no equivalent for her in any current 4 star character. Due to this, most Blade Hypercarry team compositions will still include her. If you are one of the unlucky ones who still don't have a Bronya for your Blade, but are looking to build a F2P Hypercarry team, then you could try replacing her with Yukong or Hanya. Although it will perform worse, it will get the job done.
Hypercarry Example 2
Blade - Luocha - Ruan Mei - Bronya
DPS
Sustain
Support
Support
With the release of Ruan Mei in 1.6, a team consisting of two Harmony units in the support slots becomes one of the strongest Blade Hypercarry team as of yet.
Bronya continues to be an essential teammate for Blade, so keeping her on the team while also being able to benefit from Ruan Mei's incredible support capabilities makes this team's damage very competitive.
Luocha continues to be the most potent healer, also making this team very durable, but as always he can be replaced with other sustain options with no inconvenience as long as they keep you alive and give you an advantage against enemies' weaknesses.
Other Hypercarry Examples
Blade - Luocha - Pela - Bronya
Pela replaces Silver Wolf in the debuff role. Useful in AOE and against Ice weakness.
Blade - Lynx - Silver Wolf - Bronya
Lynx will provide sustain and HP Buffs. Double Wind + Double Quantum is great for Silver Wolf's weakness implant.
Blade - Huohuo - SIlver Wolf - Ruan Mei
For those who don't have Bronya yet, but were able to get strong limited characters. Huohuo synergizes with Ruan Mei well.
Blade - Bailu - Silver Wolf - Pela
If your support choices are limited, but have both Silver Wolf and Pela at hand, they can be paired together and stack their DEF shred. However, it probably will be more optimal to separate them and use one of them in a second team in the long run.
Blade - Lynx - Pela - Yukong
With all teammates being 4 stars, this is a very affordable team for those with no access to expensive units. Natasha can keep up with the team's healing needs if properly invested. Yukong works if managing her skill/ultimate properly to receive her CRIT buffs.
6.3.2. Double DPS
Double DPS Team Structure
DPS
Sustain
Support
DPS
On this team archetype, Blade won't be the only DPS in the team anymore, as he will be supported by another character focused on dealing damage alongside him. The other two slots will focus on buffing/debuffing, and sustain.
Blade's role as a DPS does not shift in Double DPS teams, but rather his teammates will. The team will revolve around one support and one healer enabling your two DPS units to deal out damage. In such teams, choosing a support who can enable both DPS units is important. Additionally, ensuring that both your DPS units both have enough SP to be effective is an important consideration.
Choosing a second DPS of a different element can also help offer you elemental coverage. However, this changes when using Silver Wolf. In a SW team, the Sub-DPS needs to either be the same element as your healer, or an element the current enemy is vulnerable to.
Double DPS Example 1
Blade - Luocha - Pela - Jingliu.
DPS
Sustain
Support
DPS
While any second DPS could work well in a Double DPS Blade team with the correct configuration, Jingliu is the best option to pair with him due to being a damage dealer that synergizes well with Blade.
Luocha is quite useful in this team for survival, although depending on your healing needs, any of the other available healers will do the job just fine.
Pela is one of the most optimal support choices for this comp, as her DEF Shred will boost both DPS' damage, so both Blade and Jingliu will benefit from it. Additionally, if having E4 Pela (which can be easily achievable as she is a 4 star character), she will reduce the enemies' Ice RES, helping increase Jingliu's damage output even further, and so the team performance as a whole.
Fu Xuan is also a good alternative for sustain/support. She will help with team's survival as well as provide helpful buffs that will benefit both your DPS. If you have Fu Xuan's E1, the team damage will be even more competitive. However, do note that it is not recommended to aim for Fu Xuan specifically as a Blade support (see her honorable mentions analysis). But if you like her and have her already, and want to use her in your Blade team, she can be a great choice with the proper setup.
Double DPS Example 2
Blade - Huohuo - Ruan Mei - Jingliu.
DPS
Sustain
Support
DPS
Ruan Mei is an excellent support in Double DPS teams, as she will increase everyone's damage with her strong, unconditional buffs. This will make the Blade + Jingliu team one of the strongest dual carry teams in the game.
Any healer with enough potency to keep this team alive will be able to fill the sustain slot, such as Luocha like in the previous example, but Huohuo works exceptionally well here due to her synergy with Ruan Mei. Huohuo will provide extra energy regeneration to the team, which Ruan Mei will appreciate as it will help her release her RES PEN field more consistently.
Other Double DPS Examples
Blade - Luocha - Ruan Mei - Jingliu
Although quite similar as the previous example, using Luocha instead of Huohuo will make it more convenient depending on the enemies weaknesses, and may be recommended for high risk situations.
Blade - Luocha - Bronya - Jingliu
The best supports for Double DPS comps are those that maximize their buffs/debuffs by affecting both DPS units. Although Bronya's Ult qualifies, she will have to make a choice between the two of them with her skill. Even so, this is a very strong team regardless.
Blade - Lynx - Fu Xuan - Jingliu
A great defensive team that provides HP and CRIT buffs that benefit both Blade and Jingliu. Lynx's skill guarantees that Fu Xuan won't steal aggro.
Blade - Natasha - Pela - Dan Heng
Another accessible comp with easily obtainable characters (with two of them being free) that can work well as a starter team.
7. Simulated Universe
In SU, Blade can use a variety of buffs. Being a main DPS, The Hunt works well with him, being a unit with a follow-up, so does The Elation; however, The Destruction and The Abundance are the two main paths for him.
The Destruction is pretty obvious, as it is his path, but The Abundance might be a surprise for some. As a unit that scales of HP, that needs healing, and that has some self heal, a path that boosts dmg based on how much HP and healing is going around is pretty good for Blade.
7.1. The Destruction
When going for The Destruction, try to get Event Horizon as the first path resonance followed by Extreme Helium Flash, and try to not get any buffs that would give you a shield, as they are anti-synergistic with him.
Path Resonance
Recommended Resonance Formations
Destruction
Spend 100 points of Energy to use this ability and resonate with the Path of Destruction, dealing Fire DMG to all enemies based on the current HP difference between Max HP and current HP for all allies combined.
Event Horizon
When an ally whose current HP is below 35% gets attacked, automatically releases 1 Path Resonance without consuming Energy. This effect can be triggered up to a max of 2 time(s) in a single battle and cannot be triggered multiple times by the same attack.
Extreme Helium Flash
The attacks of Path Resonance: Destruction have a 150% base chance to inflict Entropic Retribution on the enemy target for 2 turn(s).
Recommended Blessings of Destruction
Universal Death Heat Charac.
Effect
When characters are hit or consume their own HP, they gain 4 stack(s) of Fighting Spirit. When the turn ends, the character loses 4 stack(s) of Fighting Spirit.
Enhanced Effect
When being hit or losing HP, the character gains 4 stacks of Fighting Spirit, and adjacent allies gain 1 stacks of Fighting Spirit. When the turn ends, the character loses 4 stacks of Fighting Spirit.
Non-Inverse Antimatter Equation
Effect
If a character's current HP is below 50%, they are considered to have 16 extra stacks of Fighting Spirit.
Enhanced Effect
If a character's current HP is below 50%, they are considered to have 20 extra stacks of Fighting Spirit. For every 10% further HP lost, gains 2 extra stack(s) of Fighting Spirit.
Disciplinary Flicker
Effect
If a character's HP is lower than 35% when being attacked or losing HP, restores their HP by 12% of their Max HP.
Enhanced Effect
If a character's HP is lower than 35% when being attacked or losing HP, restores their HP by 12% of their Max HP. The lower the current HP is, the more HP will be restored this way, but no more than 20%.
Catastrophic Resonance
Effect
If a character attacks while under Fighting Spirit, consumes HP equal to 10% of current HP and deals Additional DMG equal to 60% of the HP lost.
Enhanced Effect
If a character attacks while under Fighting Spirit, consumes HP equal to 10% of current HP and deals Additional DMG equal to 60% of the HP lost. For each stack of Fighting Spirit, deals Additional DMG equal to 1% of the HP lost.
Destructive Flare
Effect
When a character's HP is lower than 50%, deals 40% increased DMG.
Enhanced Effect
When a character's HP is lower than 50%, deals 50% increased DMG. When HP is lower than 35%, DMG dealt is further increases by 20%.
Increments Doomsday
Effect
After being hit, for each stack of Fighting Spirit the character has, the character deals Additional DMG equal to 4% of their ATK to the attacker. This DMG will not be enough to finalize the defeat of the enemy target.
Enhanced Effect
After being hit, for each stack of Fighting Spirit the character has, the character deals Additional DMG equal to 4% of their ATK plus 2% of the current HP loss to the attacker. This DMG will not be enough to finalize the defeat of the enemy target.
Instability Strip
Effect
When characters are hit or consume their own HP, regenerate 4 Energy.
Enhanced Effect
When characters are hit or consume their own HP, regenerate 6 Energy.
Orbital Redshift
Effect
Increases Max HP by 16%.
Enhanced Effect
Increases Max HP by 24%.
7.2. The Abundance
When going for abundance, Anatta is the first and only path resonance you want. After getting Anatta, you should try to fish for Hunt or Destruction buffs. However, if you get more Abundance buffs, get Terminal Nirvana if you feel like you need the extra survivability, or Anicca if you don't.
Path Resonance
Recommended Resonance Formations
Abundance
Spend 100 points of Energy to use this ability and resonate with the Path of Abundance, restore HP for all allies by 50% of their respective Max HP, and increases their respective Max HP by 15% for 2 turn(s).
Anatta
After Path Resonance Energy is consumed for the first time in battle for the use of Path Resonance, the Path Resonance for the Abundance will appear on the action order The Outgoing Healing provided by This Resonance decreases by 30%. When this Resonance takes action, it will automatically release Path Resonance to heal allies.
Anicca
After releasing a Path Resonance, removes all characters' debuffs and applies 1 stack(s) of Subduing Evils for 1 turn(s).
Terminal Nirvana
When any ally receives lethal DMG, the Resonance of Path of Abundance prevents them from being knocked down and automatically consumes all Energy to release Path Resonance. This effect can trigger up to 1 time(s) per battle.
Recommended Blessings of the Abundance
Aversion to Suffering
Effect
After launching attacks, characters deal Additional DMG equal to 36% of their current HP.
Enhanced Effect
After launching attacks, characters deal Additional DMG equal to 42% of the character's Max HP.
Prajna Boat
Effect
When being healed by an ally, characters restore extra HP equal to 30% of the amount HP healed.
Enhanced Effect
When being healed by an ally, characters restore extra HP equal to 45% of the amount HP healed.
Mudra of Blessing
Effect
Charges Dewdrop at the beginning of a character's turn. The Charge value is equal to 60% of their current HP. Charges Dewdrop at the beginning of a character's turn.
Enhanced Effect
The Charge value is equal to 70% of their Max HP.
Prosperity, Longevity
Effect
Charges Dewdrop when a character's HP is restored. The Charge value is equal to 100% of the amount of healing received.
Enhanced Effect
Charges Dewdrop when a character's HP is restored. The Charge value is equal to 100% of the amount of healing received, and increases the DMG of Dewdrop by 40%.
Victorious Force
Effect
After a character is healed, increases their SPD by 10% for 1 turn(s).
Enhanced Effect
After a character is healed, increases their SPD by 15% for 1 turn.
Rain of Truth
Effect
For each Abundance Blessing, increase allies' respective Max HP by 5%. This effect can stack up to a max of 6 time(s).
Enhanced Effect
For each Abundance Blessing, increase allies' respective Max HP by 7%. This effect can stack up to a max of 9 time(s).
Afterword
You have reached the end of our guide! We hope the information collected here is helpful for you playing Blade.
This guide was possible thanks to the collective effort between multiple of our Staff Teams, as well as external contributors and guests. We want to take a moment to thank all of them for their help.
Our humble Theorycrafting Team at Blade Mains dedicated a great deal of their time in the creation of this guide, from researching and collecting information, creating calculations, conducting tests, and writing down their conclusions in an easily readable and understandable manner, to create a helpful and accurate guide.
Theorycrafting Contributors also offered us access to and gave us permission to use their calculations within our guide, as well as invaluable advice - with their help, we are able to provide more in depth information and resources to our readers.
Our Art Team at Blade Mains also did an amazing job at creating our site graphics and visual assets, giving the guide a better presentation and making it visually appealing. They also contributed wonderful art pieces to be showcased on our site.
Guest artists granted us permission to share their stunning art pieces in our guide as well, making it look more lively and pleasing to the eye.
Additionally, our proof-readers helped us catch any mistakes and ensured the final guide's quality.
On behalf of Blade Mains, we want to thank all of them. Whether you were already a part of our team, generously offered your help to us, or granted us permission to share your work here: it's thanks to all of you that this guide came to see the light of day.
You can find more details on all of them on the Credits section below.
And finally, we also want to thank our readers for using this guide! We hope it was useful to you, and that everyone’s efforts can provide a streamlined experience on how to build your Blade.
Credits
Below you can see the list of people who worked on this guide and contributed to it.
Names under each subsection are listed in alphabetical order.
All artworks and calculations showcased in the guide are shared with permission from their respective owners.
Guide Creation
Main Writers: arthrax_, aurie.m, lucase2767, spideytdp
Proofreaders: ambopteryx.
Guide Organization: aurie.m
Theorycrafters: arthrax_, lucase2767, spideytdp.
Calculations:
arthrax_, for Blade Damage Calcs.
suskedoesstuff for Balde Salsa Toes vs Rutilant Arena.
Site Graphics: ambopteryx, aurie.m, laweeeeen.
Charts and Infographics: ambopteryx, aurie.m, laweeeeen.
Site Building: aurie.m
Artworks
Foreword Section: Necrophallicus
Introduction Section: Art by: jwijaya_art
Gameplay Mechanics Section: zeiio.zeal
Substats Section: ambopteryx
Glossary: Yoruhimeo