Cipher has two notable qualities that make her an important choice for every team in Honkai: Star Rail. She has a universal debuff that works as long as she’s on the field, and the ability to record and unleash True DMG. These qualities allow Cipher to fit into most teams, although she still doesn’t outperform the best-in-slot support; rather, she’ll be the second-best option. Therefore, it’s recommended to get Cipher if players are lacking buffers and debuffers and are looking for a universal support. Here are some examples of the best Cipher team comps in HSR.

2

Cipher + Tribbie + Mydei + Hyacine

Since Cipher records a portion of the DMG done to enemies, what better than to team her with broken AoE characters that never stop attacking. Mydei just passively plays and punishes every enemy that dares to land a hit on him. This playstyle works with Cipher as Mydei will attract most of the attacks while she debuffs enemies for him to deal even more DMG.

On the other hand, Tribbie and Hyacine are both support units who will keep sending AoE attacks on enemies that, surprisingly, deal a lot of DMG. Tribbie can buff her team’s DMG against all enemies, while Hyacine has incredible sustain and healing abilities. All three units will significantly build up Cipher’s recorded True DMG and get her ready to delete an enemy every few turns. Additionally, Mydei, Tribbie, and Hyacine can easily carry themselves and clear stages, especially with the buff Cipher grants them.

As long as Tribbie and Hyacine are in this Cipher team, players can replace Mydei with some DPS units that may be slightly better or worse. It all comes down to the characters’ builds. Castorice and Aglaea are both strong DPS units who can constantly deal a lot of AoE DMG and can take Mydei’s place.

1

Cipher + Acheron + Jiaoqiu + Aventurine

Since E0 Acheron needs two Nihility characters in her team, Cipher and Jiaoqiu can take this task. Both of them greatly increase her DMG while they act as a battery for her Ultimate. Cipher can’t 100% apply a debuff on each attack, but with the right Light Cone, she can. As for Jiaoqiu, it’s the easiest job for him as he DoT enemies whatever he does.

This synergy helps Cipher record a lot of True DMG, getting ready for her Ultimate. Once the team clears all the monsters and minions around the boss, players can unleash Cipher’s recorded True DMG and delete the HSR boss. If Acheron is on her E2, it’s better to build the team with a Harmony unit like Sparkle. Cipher can still work, but not as effectively as some other characters, and she can’t do for Acheron what Jiaoqiu does. She’s only viable if players don’t have a replacement. As for Aventurine, this team still needs a sustain that can debuff enemies. So, adding Aventurine or Gallagher is necessary.