Optimizing Castorice Builds in Honkai Star Rail 2025

As a formidable 5-star Quantum character on the Path of Remembrance, Castorice has carved her niche in Honkai Star Rail since becoming playable in Version 3.2. Originally introduced as an NPC in Version 3.0, this dragon-summoning warrior operates through a unique HP-draining mechanic where she channels allies' vitality to unleash her ultimate ability. When activated, she summons Netherwing – a spectral dragon that sacrifices its own HP to amplify attack potency while enabling devastating joint assaults with its master. Beyond raw damage output, Castorice offers unparalleled utility: Netherwing can absorb lethal blows for teammates, and remarkably, Castorice can resurrect fallen comrades even when benched. This dual-threat capacity makes her indispensable for challenging content, though maximizing her potential requires meticulous gear optimization and team synergy.

🔍 Best Light Cones For Castorice

The scarcity of viable options makes Light Cone selection crucial for quantum-focused combatants like Castorice. Her signature 5-star weapon, Make Farewells More Beautiful, stands unmatched. It elevates Max HP by 30% and activates Death Flower whenever Castorice or Netherwing lose HP during their turn – ignoring 30% of enemy DEF for two turns. Netherwing's disappearance also advances her action by 12%, creating devastating damage windows. This synergizes perfectly with her core mechanics since HP drainage occurs constantly during rotations.

For those lacking her signature weapon, the battle-pass reward Sweat Now, Cry Less (4-star) becomes the sole alternative, boosting CRIT Rate by 12% and increasing joint attack damage by 24% while Netherwing is active. ⚠️ Critical caveat: Most Remembrance Path Light Cones prove counterproductive for Castorice – particularly those enhancing SPD like Time Woven Into Gold or Memory’s Curtain Never Falls, as they disrupt her ideal relic configurations.

People Also Ask: Why avoid SPD-boosting Light Cones? Castorice's peak performance relies on maintaining low speed thresholds to activate massive CRIT Rate bonuses from her relic set – a balance shattered by incidental SPD increments.

⚔️ Best Relics, Ornaments & Stats For Castorice

Four pieces of the Poet of Mourning Collapse relic set form her non-negotiable foundation. The two-piece bonus grants 10% Quantum DMG, while the four-piece effect reduces SPD by 8% – crucially enabling up to 32% CRIT Rate when her SPD stays below 95. This transforms apparent weakness into overwhelming offensive advantage.

For planar ornaments, Bone Collection’s Serene Demesne dominates: its two-piece boosts Max HP by 12%, and exceeding 5,000 HP activates a 28% CRIT DMG buff for both Castorice and Netherwing. Stat prioritization follows a strict hierarchy:

• Chest: CRIT DMG (primary) 💥

• Boots: HP% 🩸

• Sphere: Quantum DMG or HP%

• Rope: HP%

• Substats: CRIT Rate > CRIT DMG > HP%

Target at least 150% CRIT DMG while balancing CRIT Rate through substats and passive traces. HP stacking remains essential since all her damage scales with maximum health reserves.

👥 Best Team Comps For Castorice

Castorice thrives in hypercarry or dual-DPS formations. Hypercarry comps leverage Tribbie’s All-Type RES PEN debuff alongside buffers like Remembrance Trailblazer. Avoid Sunday despite his Remembrance synergy – his Energy Regeneration buffs waste potential since Castorice fuels her ultimate through HP mechanics rather than energy.

For dual-DPS setups, pair her with fellow HP-scaling attackers:

Team Archetype	Core Members	Healer Options
Quantum Focus	Castorice + Tribbie	Luocha / Gallagher
HP-Scaler Synergy	Castorice + Mydei/Blade	Gallagher / Huohuo
Flex Sustain	Castorice + Silver Wolf	Lynx / Fu Xuan

Mydei deserves special mention: her rapid HP consumption accelerates Castorice’s ultimate charging, enabling earlier Netherwing deployment. Regardless of composition, robust healers like Luocha or Gallagher prove mandatory to offset constant HP drainage.

People Also Ask: Can Castorice function without dedicated healers? Absolutely not – her HP-taxing playstyle demands relentless recovery support to prevent team collapse.

🎯 Skill (Trace) Priority For Castorice

Trace investment follows a clear roadmap centered on Netherwing’s dominance:

1️⃣ Memo Sprite Skills: Maximize first – they govern 70% of her DPS output

2️⃣ Ultimate & Skill: Level together; Ultimate dictates Netherwing’s RES shred while Skill delivers personal damage bursts

3️⃣ Talent: Upgrade next for supplemental damage amplification

4️⃣ Basic Attack: Lowest priority – rarely used in rotations

This sequence ensures Netherwing achieves peak destructive potential before enhancing secondary capabilities. Remember: Her memosprite isn’t merely an summon – it’s the core engine of her combat identity.

🔮 Future Outlook

While Castorice currently suffers from limited Light Cone options, future updates could revolutionize her viability. I anticipate HoYoverse introducing F2P-friendly Remembrance weapons in Version 4.1+ specifically designed for HP-scaling carries – potentially featuring CRIT or direct HP-to-DMG conversion mechanics. Furthermore, upcoming characters like the leaked hydro healer Callisto might offer HP-drain synergies that amplify Castorice’s ultimate frequency while mitigating team sustain pressures. For now, she remains a high-investment but phenomenally rewarding unit whose resurrection utility alone justifies roster inclusion – a quantum queen demanding precise building but delivering sovereign battlefield control.