Character guide

Best Trailblazer Path in Honkai: Star Rail

The Trailblazer now has five Paths, each with its own Type and role. This guide shows where each Path shines, which teams it fits, how to unlock and switch between them, where the Eidolons come from, and which one deserves your materials first.

Version 4.6Updated October 7, 2026

In This Guide

The 5 Trailblazer Paths at a Glance
How to Unlock and Switch Paths
Destruction and Preservation: Fine Early, Don’t Overinvest
Remembrance: The Flexible Support to Build First
Elation: The Missing Piece of Elation Teams
Harmony: The Key to Super Break Teams
Quick Builds and Eidolons Worth Having
Which Path to Invest in First
Frequently Asked Questions

The 5 Trailblazer Paths at a Glance

The Trailblazer is a free 5-star that every player gets, no Warps needed. You can switch their Path, and each Path brings its own Type and kit, so it plays like a different character. There are five right now:

Path	Type	Role	How to unlock
Destruction	Physical	AoE DPS that does fine in the early game	Available from the start
Preservation	Fire	Tank: Taunts enemies and gives the whole team small Shields	Final boss fight on Jarilo-VI
Harmony	Imaginary	Break support that lets the whole team deal Super Break DMG	Main story on Penacony
Remembrance	Ice	Support with a Memosprite named Mem: CRIT DMG buff and turn advance	Story mission on Amphoreus
Elation	Lightning	Elation team support that lets an ally use their Elation Skill on the spot	Switch Paths menu (added in version 4.2)

Here’s where each one sits on the site’s tier list for version 4.6:

Trailblazer	Overall	Memory of Chaos	Pure Fiction	Apocalyptic Shadow
Trailblazer (Remembrance)	S+	S+	S+	S+
Trailblazer (Elation)	S+	S+	S	SS
Trailblazer (Harmony)	S	S+	S+	S+
Trailblazer (Preservation)	B	B	A	B
Trailblazer (Destruction)	C	C	C	C

The three support Paths (Remembrance, Elation and Harmony) are the ones worth long-term investment. The two original Paths, Destruction and Preservation, mostly carry you through the early game.

How to Unlock and Switch Paths

Most Paths unlock through the story, in this order:

Destruction: from the startYou begin the game on this Physical Path. It’s your first DPS.
Preservation: end of Jarilo-VIThe Fire version unlocks during the final boss fight on Jarilo-VI. After that, you can swap freely between the two.
Harmony: Penacony storyThe Imaginary version unlocks after “Then Wake to Weep” in the In Our Time Trailblaze Missions on Penacony.
Remembrance: Amphoreus storyThe Ice version unlocks during “Night Veil, Shroud the Silent Past” on Amphoreus. Its Enhanced Basic ATK comes from a separate story mission, “Fallen Petals, Leave Fading Traces of Fragrance”, so don’t worry if it’s missing at first.
Elation: no quest neededAdded in version 4.2. Select the Trailblazer on the character screen and unlock it from the Switch Paths menu.

To switch, go to the character screen, select the Trailblazer, open Switch Paths and pick one. Check which Path is active before a hard fight.

Each Path Has Its Own MaterialsEvery Path uses different Trace materials, so leveling several eats a lot of Trailblaze Power and Credits. Plan ahead with the Ascension Planner and find farming spots on the materials page.

Destruction and Preservation: Fine Early, Don’t Overinvest

Destruction

Physical, C tier

The Skill hits one enemy plus its neighbors, the Ultimate lets you choose a single-target or a spread version, and the Talent raises ATK after each Weakness Break. Fine early on, but the damage drops off later because the kit has few ways to buff itself. Easy team: Asta, March 7th and Natasha.

Preservation

Fire, B tier (A in Pure Fiction)

The Skill Taunts all enemies, and every action gives the whole team a small Shield. Those Shields get thin in late-game content, so pair this Path with a healer. Sample team: Dan Heng, Asta and Lynx. It also suits Yanqing, who needs someone else to draw enemy attacks.

Don’t Pour Resources Into TheseThey don’t cost a Warp, but they still cost materials. Once you have a better DPS or tank, or you’ve unlocked the support Paths, save your materials for those.

Remembrance: The Flexible Support to Build First

Trailblazer (Remembrance) uses their Skill to summon Mem, a Memosprite that fights as a separate unit. Mem raises CRIT DMG for the whole team, attacks all enemies independently, and at 100% Charge advances one ally’s action by 100% and gives them Mem’s Support. With Mem’s Support, every instance of damage that ally deals adds one instance of True DMG, which no buff or debuff can change.

Charge fills as your whole team regenerates Energy, 1% per 10 Energy. This Path pairs best with DPS whose Ultimates cost a lot of Energy, like The Herta or Argenti, because the Trace Magnets and Long Chains boosts the True DMG when the chosen ally’s Max Energy is above 100.

Stack CRIT DMG: Mem’s team CRIT DMG buff scales with Mem’s own CRIT DMG, and Mem’s stats come from the Trailblazer. Aim for around 200% or more.
Aim for about 160 SPD: the Trailblazer then summons Mem before enemies act, so Mem also builds Charge while enemies attack your team.
Time the turn advance: ideally your DPS attacks, Mem pulls them forward right away, and they attack again. Mistime it and the extra turn can go to waste.

Built around	Teammates	Why it works
Evernight (or Castorice, Aglaea)	Trailblazer (Remembrance), Cyrene (or Tribbie, Sunday), Hyacine	Best once the Trailblazer has E2. Evernight generates extra Skill Points, so the Trailblazer can use their Skill every turn. With Castorice, bring an Abundance character to keep the team alive.
The Herta	Trailblazer (Remembrance), Anaxa, Lingsha	Her Ultimate costs a lot of Energy, so she gets the full Magnets and Long Chains bonus. Mem’s AoE helps her regenerate Energy, and her Energy fills Mem’s Charge faster in return.
Himeko • Nova	Trailblazer (Remembrance), Sparkle (or Sunday, Robin • Summeretto), Dan Heng • Permansor Terrae	Mem gives her a True DMG buff that lasts several turns. Time Mem’s turn advance carefully, because giving her two turns in a row at the wrong moment is a waste.

Elation: The Missing Piece of Elation Teams

Trailblazer (Elation) is a Lightning support built for Elation teams. The key part is the Ultimate: pick one ally and raise their CRIT DMG. If they have an Elation Skill, they also gain Certified Banger and use that Elation Skill once on the spot. If not, they get a 50% Action Advance instead. The Ultimate also recovers 1 Skill Point for the team.

Each attack also regenerates the Trailblazer’s Energy and adds Punchline for the team. The Trace On Cloud Nine turns ATK above 1000 into Elation (up to +60%), so this Path wants around 2000 ATK, plus 160 SPD or more for enough turns to keep buffing.

Built around	Teammates	Why it works
Silver Wolf LV.999 (or Evanescia, Aventurine • Waveflair)	Trailblazer (Elation), Yao Guang (or Tribbie), Huohuo (or Dan Heng • Permansor Terrae)	Give her the Ultimate: she gets the buff, fires her Elation Skill right away and gains Certified Banger, so she doesn’t run out of it before her enhanced Basic ATKs. Yao Guang adds RES PEN and more Punchline.
Sparxie	Trailblazer (Elation), Yao Guang (or Sparkle, Tribbie, Cipher, Hanya), Dan Heng • Permansor Terrae (or Huohuo, Gallagher)	The Ultimate lets Sparxie fire her high-multiplier Elation Skill right away. Dan Heng • Permansor Terrae shields the team and raises her ATK.
Herta (stopgap)	Trailblazer (Elation), Asta, Dan Heng • Permansor Terrae	For when you have no Elation carry yet. Herta has no Elation Skill, so the Ultimate gives her a 50% Action Advance with the buff. Asta adds SPD and ATK.

Strongest in Apocalyptic ShadowThis Path is SS in Apocalyptic Shadow because its single-target buff goes entirely to your main DPS. In Pure Fiction it drops to S. For more on this playstyle, read the Elation Path guide.

Harmony: The Key to Super Break Teams

Trailblazer (Harmony) uses their Ultimate to give the whole team Backup Dancer. Allies with it gain Break Effect, and when they hit a Weakness Broken enemy, that attack’s Toughness Reduction turns into Super Break DMG. In short, this Path lets your whole team deal Super Break.

Dance With the One: fewer enemies means bigger Super Break DMG from Backup Dancer, from +60% against one enemy down to +20% against 5 or more.
Hat of the Theater: each time your team breaks a Weakness, that enemy’s action is delayed by an extra 30%, giving you more time to deal damage.
Skill: hits one target, then bounces 4 times onto random enemies. The Trace Shuffle Along raises the first hit’s Toughness Reduction by 100%, so it breaks Toughness fast against few targets.

Build it with Break Effect and SPD. It only really shines next to Break Effect scalers like Firefly, Boothill or Rappa, so if you don’t have one yet, there’s no rush.

Built around	Teammates	Why it works
Firefly (or Boothill, Rappa, March 7th (The Hunt), Xueyi)	Trailblazer (Harmony), Ruan Mei (or The Dahlia, Sparkle, Bronya, Pela), Lingsha (or Gallagher, Huohuo)	Firefly has very high Break Effect, so she deals huge Super Break DMG. Swap in Boothill against Elite enemies, or Rappa when there are more than 3 enemies.
Firefly	Fugue, Trailblazer (Harmony), The Dahlia	The most-used Trailblazer team in endgame content. The Dahlia helps the team deal Break DMG to enemies whose Weakness isn’t broken yet.
March 7th (The Hunt)	Trailblazer (Harmony), Asta, Gallagher	Budget team: everyone besides the Trailblazer is a 4-star. March 7th (The Hunt) uses her Skill on Gallagher to deal more Toughness Reduction, and Gallagher heals based on Break Effect.

For the full mechanic, read the Weakness Break and Super Break guide. On a budget? The F2P 4-star teams guide covers budget teams with the Trailblazer.

Quick Builds and Eidolons Worth Having

The best gear for each Path, with an easier-to-get option:

Path	Light Cone	4-piece Relic set	Planar Ornament	Stats to prioritize
Remembrance	Long May Rainbows Adorn the Sky Free option: Fly Into a Pink Tomorrow	World-Remaking Deliverer	Sprightly Vonwacq	CRIT DMG, SPD, Energy Regeneration Rate
Elation	Elation Brimming With Blessings F2P option: Tomorrow, Together	Diviner of Distant Reach	Lushaka, the Sunken Seas	SPD, ATK, Energy Regeneration Rate
Harmony	Past Self in Mirror 4-star option: Dance! Dance! Dance!	Watchmaker, Master of Dream Machinations	Talia: Kingdom of Banditry (extra bonus at 145 SPD)	Break Effect, SPD
Preservation	Moment of Victory 4-star option: Landau’s Choice	Self-Enshrouded Recluse	Broken Keel (extra bonus at 30% Effect RES)	DEF, SPD
Destruction	On the Fall of an Aeon 4-star option: Under the Blue Sky	Scholar Lost in Erudition	Rutilant Arena (extra bonus at 70% CRIT Rate)	CRIT Rate, CRIT DMG, ATK

Where the Eidolons Come From

The Trailblazer never appears on a Warp, so you can’t pull their Eidolons. You earn them in-game instead. Here’s how Harmony and Remembrance get theirs:

Harmony: 1 Eidolon for finishing the In Our Time Trailblaze Missions on Penacony, plus more from the Clockie Statue rewards at levels 40, 45 and 50.
Remembrance: all 6 come from the Heroic Saga of Flame-Chase story on Amphoreus plus two related missions, “Tidal Bounty” and “As I’ve Written”.

Eidolons Worth Having

Remembrance E1 and E2: E1 extends Mem’s Support to the chosen ally’s Memosprite and gives that ally +10% CRIT Rate. E2 restores 8 Energy to the Trailblazer when an ally’s Memosprite (not Mem) acts, once per turn.
Harmony E4: teammates gain Break Effect equal to 15% of the Trailblazer’s. The most valuable Eidolon for this Path.
Elation E2: the Ultimate also gives the chosen ally +12% Elation for 2 turns. E1, E4 and E6 are good too.
Preservation E1 and E6: E1 adds DEF-based damage to Basic ATK, and E6 raises DEF by up to 30% for thicker Shields.

Which Path to Invest in First

Materials are limited, so here’s a sensible order:

Remembrance firstS+ in all three endgame modes and fits a lot of different teams. Short on supports? Build this one first.
Elation if you have an Elation carryBuild it if you own, or plan to pull, an Elation DPS like Silver Wolf LV.999, Sparxie or Evanescia. It’s SS in Apocalyptic Shadow and S+ in Memory of Chaos.
Harmony if you play BreakBuild it if you have Firefly, Boothill or Rappa, or run the budget team with March 7th (The Hunt). It’s S+ in all three endgame modes, but only pays off inside a Break team.
Preservation and Destruction: just enoughLevel them only as far as the early game needs. Once you have a better tank and DPS, invest in those instead.

The Trailblazer Only Fits in One TeamIn endgame, the Trailblazer can only join one of your teams, however many Paths you’ve built. If Remembrance is in your main team, think twice before building Elation too, because your other team still needs a different support. With tight materials, one well-built Path is enough.

New to the game? Read the beginner guide and check strong lineups on the teams page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best Trailblazer Path in Honkai: Star Rail?

On the current tier list, Remembrance is S+ in all three endgame modes and fits a lot of different teams, which makes it the safest pick. Elation is strongest in Apocalyptic Shadow (SS) but needs an Elation team, while Harmony is S+ in all three modes and is built for Break teams.

How do you switch the Trailblazer’s Path?

Go to the character screen, select the Trailblazer and open the Switch Paths menu. You can swap freely between any Paths you’ve unlocked. Elation unlocks directly from this menu (it was added in version 4.2), with no quest needed.

Can you get Trailblazer Eidolons from Warps?

No. The Trailblazer isn’t on any Warp, so their Eidolons have to be earned in-game. For example, Remembrance gets all 6 from the Heroic Saga of Flame-Chase story on Amphoreus plus two related missions, while Harmony’s come from the Penacony story and the Clockie Statue rewards.

Should you build both Remembrance and Elation?

Only if you have spare materials. In endgame the Trailblazer can only join one team, so even with both built you can only use one at a time. If you have an Elation carry, give Elation priority for that team. If you don’t, Remembrance is the more flexible choice.

Can you use Trailblazer (Elation) without Elation characters?

Yes, as a stopgap. On an ally without an Elation Skill, the Ultimate gives a 50% Action Advance plus the CRIT DMG buff, as in the Herta, Asta and Dan Heng • Permansor Terrae team. Still, this Path is at its best next to other Elation characters.

Is Trailblazer (Destruction) worth building?

Only enough to get through the early game. It’s C tier in every mode because its damage falls off in late-game content and its kit has few ways to buff itself. Save your materials for the support Paths or a different DPS.

Updated October 7, 2026 (version 4.6). See also all guides, the tier list and the best teams.