Lightning Empress build — Best weapons, sets & teams | Honkai Impact 3rd

Weapons

MAG-Typhoon BiS

S

Her PRI-ARM and the pick of both HoYoverse's guide and the BBS: a free 3-hit active that paralyzes, gives +25% Lightning DMG taken, applies Soul Razor and chains into her Combo ATK. Forged in the Foundry from MagStorm.

PRI-ARM of MagStorm: a free 3-hit active (up to 600% ATK of Lightning DMG, 6 Paralyze Trauma, enemies take 25% more Lightning DMG for 12s), +50% Lightning DMG and Heaven's Thunder on paralyzed enemies; on Lightning Empress the active applies Soul Razor's conductive debuff and chains into her Combo ATK.

MagStorm

A

Her original signature katana (+40% Lightning DMG, paralyzing dash). Foundry, Supply or Reserve Works.

Lightning Empress's original katana: the active dashes through enemies with 2 Magstorm waves (Lightning DMG and 5 Paralyze Trauma each), and +40% Lightning DMG.

Lightning Soul

B

HoYoverse's beginner pick: a cheap Foundry katana with +15% Lightning DMG.

Basic katana craftable in the Foundry: every hit deals 43 bonus Lightning DMG, and +15% Lightning DMG.

Stigmata

Monet T Top

Monet M Middle

Monet B Bottom

HoYoverse's DPS set: the B piece's slow reliably triggers Dragon's Aura (+100% Total DMG), and the set adds Lightning DMG and a lightning barrier.

Set effects

2pA lightning barrier gives 30% Lightning DMG while it lasts and negates one Physical hit (regenerates after 15s). T piece: +30% Lightning DMG and up to +15% Total DMG with the combo counter.

3pThe B piece's slow spreads to nearby enemies, and the wearer heals 8% HP.

Wang Zhenyi T Top

Moon Dragon M Middle

Wang Zhenyi B Bottom

BBS recommendation: Wang Zhenyi's 2-piece (+25% Total DMG and +30% Lightning DMG after entry) with Benares: Awakening (M) for more Lightning and Total DMG.

Set effects

2pMoonwatcher set. Total DMG +25%, and +30% Lightning DMG for 12s after entering the field.

3pWeapon skills and Ultimate deal 25% more Lightning DMG; on Fischl, a QTE during Mitternacht gives the team and summons +45% Total DMG for 20s.

2pBenares: Awakening set. +20% Total DMG; in Herrscher Form, attacks inflict Thunderblitz (bonus Lightning DMG on each hit) (M piece: up to +25% Lightning DMG and +15% Total DMG for 9s after entry or a weapon active).

3p+20% Lightning DMG and 15% less Total DMG taken; enemies in Thunderblitz take 15% more Lightning DMG.

Edison T Top

Edison M Middle

Edison B Bottom

HoYoverse's beginner set (3★): permanent Lightning DMG, and its periodic slow also triggers Dragon's Aura.

Set effects

2pEvery 12s, the next Basic ATK gains 50% Total DMG and the wearer gains 15% Total DMG for 6s.

3p+25% Lightning DMG.

Stat targets

Keep enemies slowed or frozen for Dragon's Aura (+100% Total DMG)
Fire Dragon May Cry at a high Combo Hit Count (up to 100 hits)
SS rank: bigger team SP bonus and a third Gigavolt Spin

Talent priority

Special ATK

Basic ATK

Ultimate

Passive

Evasion

Leader

Superseded: if you own Herrscher of Thunder, Herrscher of Origin or Lunar Vow: Crimson Love, invest in them instead. Lightning Empress and Herrscher of Thunder are both in the Dorm Supply pool.

Weapons

MAG-Typhoon BiS

S

HoYoverse's support pick: its free active paralyzes, makes enemies conductive and triggers the stigmata below at once.

PRI-ARM of MagStorm: a free 3-hit active (up to 600% ATK of Lightning DMG, 6 Paralyze Trauma, enemies take 25% more Lightning DMG for 12s), +50% Lightning DMG and Heaven's Thunder on paralyzed enemies; on Lightning Empress the active applies Soul Razor's conductive debuff and chains into her Combo ATK.

Pulse Katana Type-17

B

HoYoverse's suggested swap: its blades hit late, so the stigmata buffs start later and last longer for the incoming DPS; the 70% slow also triggers Dragon's Aura.

Basic katana: the active launches 6 ethereal blades that deal Ice DMG and slow enemies' Move and ATK Speed by 70%.

MagStorm

A

Fallback if you have not forged the PRI-ARM yet.

Lightning Empress's original katana: the active dashes through enemies with 2 Magstorm waves (Lightning DMG and 5 Paralyze Trauma each), and +40% Lightning DMG.

Stigmata

Critic T Top

Critic M Middle

Isaac Newton B Bottom

HoYoverse's and the BBS's support mix: Jin Shengtan (T/M) creates the Blue Phoenix field (+30% Elemental DMG for allies, +10% Elemental DMG taken), and Isaac Newton (B) makes a single enemy take more damage.

Set effects

2pJin Shengtan set. Attacks create a Blue Phoenix field (6s, CD: 9s): allies inside deal 30% more Elemental DMG and enemies inside take 10% more Elemental DMG.

3pThe field lasts 3s longer and protects allies against Ice; weak hits no longer interrupt the wearer.

2pLaws of Motion set. Total DMG +10%; Basic, Combo and Charged ATKs have a 10% chance to slow, impair or weaken enemies for 10s, or to inflict 3 Trauma (CD: 2s).

3pEvery second, Basic ATKs (Combo and Charged ATKs included) gain a 20% Total DMG Multiplier (5 stacks max); attacking consumes the buff and starts a 7s cooldown.

Gustav Klimt T Top

Gustav Klimt M Middle

Isaac Newton B Bottom

BBS alternative for Physical teams: Gustav Klimt (T/M) curses enemies (+10% Physical DMG taken) and buffs the team's Physical DMG after the weapon active.

Set effects

2pAccursed Shadows set. The weapon active (CD: 16s) puts an 8s Hematic Curse on enemies within 6m: they take 10% more Physical DMG (the M piece also gives the team +20% Physical DMG for 8s after a weapon active).

3pThe wearer takes 50% less Indirect DMG, and Hematic Curse lasts 2s longer.

2pLaws of Motion set. Total DMG +10%; Basic, Combo and Charged ATKs have a 10% chance to slow, impair or weaken enemies for 10s, or to inflict 3 Trauma (CD: 2s).

3pEvery second, Basic ATKs (Combo and Charged ATKs included) gain a 20% Total DMG Multiplier (5 stacks max); attacking consumes the buff and starts a 7s cooldown.

Stat targets

Swap in, cast the weapon active, swap out
Lead the team for +50 SP on every entry

Talent priority

Leader

Special ATK

Passive

Basic ATK

Ultimate

Evasion

HoYoverse's guide built this for elemental teams against a single boss; it is only relevant in older content today.

Teams

Recommended teams

HoYoverse guide line-up

Lightning Empress

Divine Prayer

Shadow Knight

The line-up from HoYoverse's official guide: Lightning Empress leads for the SP bonus and conductive debuff, with Divine Prayer and Shadow Knight. A Part 1 team for older content only.

All-PSY Lightning trio

Lightning Empress

Valkyrie Pledge

Divine Prayer

Three PSY-type battlesuits unlock the second half of her leader skill (+20% Total DMG, +26% at SS) on top of the +50 SP on entry; Valkyrie Pledge adds Lightning DMG. A budget option for Part 1 content, not for current endgame.

Guide

How to play

Core kit

Basic ATK (Gotamashiki): a 5-hit Physical combo. With Soul Razor, hits have a 40% chance to make enemies conductive for 6s (they take 70% more Lightning DMG), and the 5th hit always makes the first non-conductive enemy conductive. Thunder Edge adds Lightning DMG to every hit.
Special ATK (Gigavolt Spin): tap [ATK] once, then hold [ATK] for a spinning Lightning slash (Fulminating Zone). After an Ultimate Evasion, tap [ATK] to cast it directly, and it can chain one more time (twice from SS rank).
Ultimate (Dragon May Cry): 125 SP, a huge area slash (900% ATK Physical + 900% ATK Lightning). Its last strike adds Lightning DMG per Combo Hit Count (up to 100 hits), so fire it at a high combo.
Evasion (Lightning Speed): Ultimate Evasion gives Ignore Interrupt, less DMG taken and a Lightning field (Thunderclap), and inflicts Paralyze Trauma.

Key mechanics

Dragon's Aura: +100% Total DMG multiplier against frozen or slowed enemies. That is why HoYoverse's guide pairs her with the Monet set (its B piece slows) and why a slowing weapon such as Pulse Katana Type-17 works on her.
Switch entry casts Falling Thunder; her QTE Sakura Vortex triggers when an enemy is knocked airborne.
Leader skill (Haunted Night): every battlesuit (except Herrscher of Thunder) enters with +50 SP (+70 at SS), and a team of 3 PSY-type battlesuits deals 20% more Total DMG (26% at SS).

Rotation (old content)

Open with the weapon active (with MAG-Typhoon, tap [ATK] right after it to go straight into Gigavolt Spin).
Basic ATK to build conductive and combo, Gigavolt Spin on grouped enemies, Ultimate Evasion whenever possible.
Fire Dragon May Cry at a high Combo Hit Count on conductive, slowed enemies.

In the Elysian Realm, calling her as a Support Valkyrie instantly restores 50 SP to the deployed Valkyrie (CD: 40s): a handy way to cast an Ultimate early.

Strengths

Her leader skill gives every teammate +50 SP on entry (+70 at SS), plus 20% Total DMG in all-PSY teams.
Conductive debuff (+70% Lightning DMG taken) and +100% Total DMG against frozen or slowed enemies.
Elysian Realm Support Valkyrie: +50 SP for the deployed Valkyrie on call.
Standard S-rank from the Dorm Supply, and her gear is craftable in the Foundry.

Weaknesses

Obsolete in 9.0: no Astral Ring, so she has no place in current Memorial Arena or Superstring Abyss teams.
Superseded by Mei's later battlesuits (Herrscher of Thunder, Herrscher of Origin) and by later Lightning DPS such as Theresa's Lunar Vow: Crimson Love.
Her damage depends on RNG conductive procs and on keeping enemies slowed.
Her team SP bonus does not apply to Herrscher of Thunder.

Notable dupes · Rank

SS

Solid upgrade

Leader skill upgrade (+70 SP on entry, +26% Total DMG for all-PSY teams), a third Gigavolt Spin, Thunder Cloud (20% chance to paralyze attackers) and Combo ATKs that can apply the conductive debuff.

SSS

Optional

I'm Mei: the Ultimate's last hit inflicts 5 Paralyze Trauma on all enemies and grants +40% Lightning DMG for 7s.

Community

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