Archer a free unit given to Honkai Star Rail as part of the Fate/ collab, but he might be one of the strongest in the game!
Archer is finally a playable character in Honkai Star Rail! As part of their collaboration with Fate/stay night, Archer is being given for free to all Trailblazers. For a free unit, he has the potential to take over most endgame content, especially those that value single-target damage. Here's a comprehensive Archer guide in Honkai Star Rail for his best teams, Relics, Traces, and more.
Best Archer build in HSR
Archer's damage output in Honkai Star Rail relies heavily on his Skill. As mentioned previously, you receive one copy of him for free, and some of his uncap materials are provided to you. This means you can focus on farming his Trace materials instead.
Enough investment can make Archer a top choice for endgame content. On top of this, he also has one of the highest single-target damage potential across the game's whole playable roster (as of version 3.4) — all in one free unit.
Archer Trace priority

Again, Archer is very reliant on his Skill, so this is the Trace you should prioritize first. Next, level up his Ultimate, followed by his Basic Attack and Talent.
Archer build: Relic and Planetary Sets

Genius of Brilliant Stars
This set is the best for Archer, especially if the enemies are weak to Quantum.
Rutilant Arena
Archer greatly benefits from the Skill DMG% bonus from this set.
Archer build: Relic Main and Sub stats
Main Stats
- Body: CRIT Rate
- Feet: ATK%
- Planar Sphere: Quantum DMG / ATK%
- Link Rope: ATK%
Substats
- CRIT Rate
- CRIT DMG
- ATK%
Related articles
Archer Light Cones

Best-in-slot and Signature Light Cone: The Hell Where Ideals Burn
This is Archer's Signature Light Cone, and of course, his best choice. Luckily, you can technically acquire this for free. This LC boosts Archer's ATK and CRIT RATE with a reliable uptime, further skyrocketing his damage potential.
Best F2P option: Cruising in the Stellar Sea
At S5, this Light Cone from Herta's Store is a competitive choice and is the best F2P option for Archer.
Best Archer teams in HSR
Archer's Skill takes two Skill Points. Due to this, he wants to be in parties that are SP-friendly and have mechanics that can restore SP. This limits his ideal teammates, especially for F2P players.
Due to his SP-hungry playstyle, you shouldn't aim to field Advance units on him.
Premium Archer team

- Archer
- Sparkle
- Silver Wolf / Cipher
- Silver Wolf if enemies aren't weak to Quantum. Cipher otherwise.
- Gallagher
Sparkle provides Archer with enough Skill Points, while Gallagher is quite an SP-friendly sustain unit. Archer works well with debuffs, so characters like Silver Wolf or Cipher can be used here. Otherwise, usual buffers will do.
F2P Archer team

- Archer
- Hanya
- Ruan Mei / Tingyun
- Gallagher
Hanya becomes the SP generator in place of Sparkle. Ruan Mei, who can be acquired for free via the anniversary exchange, or Tingyun can give Archer buffs. Gallagher maintains his spot as the best healer for this team.
For more Honkai Star Rail news and guides, stick around esports.gg.