He’s the High Elder. He's a walking nuke. Honestly, if you’ve spent any time in the Honkai: Star Rail endgame, you know Dan Heng Imbibitor Lunae isn't just another DPS character. He’s an era-defining powerhouse.
When HoYoverse first dropped his banner during the 1.3 update, it felt like the game's power ceiling didn't just move; it shattered. People call him "DHIL" for short. It's easier than saying the full title every time you’re panicking in Memory of Chaos. But despite all the shiny new units coming out of Penacony and beyond, Dan Heng Imbibitor Lunae remains a benchmark for raw, unadulterated Imaginary damage. If a new character can't out-damage a well-built Imbibitor Lunae, are they even a top-tier carry?
The High Cost of Power
Most characters in Star Rail want to use one skill point. Some, like Blade, use one and then coast for a few turns. Dan Heng Imbibitor Lunae is different. He’s greedy. He wants everything. To get the most out of him, you’re looking at his "Fulgurant Leap" enhancement, which eats three skill points in a single go.
It sounds like a nightmare for team building. It kinda is, actually, if you don't know what you're doing. You can't just slap him into a random team and expect magic. If you pair him with other skill-point-heavy units, your rotation will fall apart by turn two. You'll be staring at your screen, stuck using basic attacks while the enemy shreds your health.
The trade-off is the math. A fully enhanced basic attack hits like an Ultimate. We're talking massive AOE (Area of Effect) damage that cleaves through adjacent targets while absolutely obliterating the primary enemy. He doesn't just chip away at toughness bars; he deletes them.
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Breaking Down the Vidyadhara Lore
Let’s be real: the Luofu arc was a bit of a mess for some players, but the "Scalegorge Waterscape" cinematic changed everything. Seeing Dan Heng part the sea? Chills. Pure hype. This isn't just a costume change. It’s a complete reclamation of his past life as Dan Feng.
The Vidyadhara are fascinating because of their "reincarnation" cycle. They don't die; they turn back into eggs and hatch again. But Dan Feng committed a "High Treason" that forced a permanent stain on his lineage. Even after being forced into a new body—the Dan Heng we know on the Astral Express—the power of the Azure Dragon remained locked away.
When he finally accepts the mantle of Dan Heng Imbibitor Lunae, it’s a moment of growth. He isn't becoming Dan Feng again. He's using Dan Feng's tools to protect his new family. That narrative weight is exactly why players are so attached to him. It’s the classic "reluctant hero" trope done right.
The Skill Point Economy
Managing his "Squama Sacrosancta" is the secret sauce. His Ultimate and his Technique both grant these stacks. They act as "free" skill points specifically for his enhancements.
- Use his Technique before a fight: You start with stacks.
- Time his Ultimate correctly: You refresh your ability to nuke without draining your pool.
If you play it smart, he’s actually surprisingly efficient. If you play it poorly, he’s a liability.
Building the Best Team for Imbibitor Lunae
You need "SP Positive" teammates. Basically, characters who generate more skill points than they use.
Sparkle is his best friend. Period. She doesn't just buff his CRIT DMG; she literally expands the skill point cap from five to seven. Before she arrived, DHIL felt a bit clunky. With her, he feels like he’s playing a different game.
Then there’s Tingyun. She’s the GOAT for a reason. Her energy recharge allows Dan Heng Imbibitor Lunae to Ult more often, which—as we discussed—gives him those precious free skill point stacks. It’s a perfect loop.
Luocha or Huohuo usually take the sustain slot. Luocha is great because he almost never needs to use his skill, leaving all those points for the dragon. Huohuo is hungrier for points, but the ATK buff and energy she provides can sometimes outweigh the cost. It’s a balancing act. You've got to feel out the rhythm of the fight.
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Light Cones and Relics: What Actually Works
Don't overcomplicate this. "Brighter Than the Sun" is his signature Light Cone, and it’s significantly better than most other options because it provides Energy Regeneration Rate and massive ATK buffs.
But if you’re F2P (Free to Play)? "On the Fall of an Aeon" from the Herta Shop is genuinely fantastic. At Superimposition 5, it rivals some signature cones. Don't feel pressured to pull on the weapon banner if you have Herta bonds saved up.
Relic-wise, the "Wastelander of Banditry Desert" set is the traditional go-to. It boosts Imaginary damage and gives you extra CRIT stats against debuffed or imprisoned enemies. However, many high-level players are shifting toward the "Musketeer of Wild Wheat." Why? Because the 10% Basic ATK damage boost and the SPD increase are incredibly consistent. You don't have to rely on an enemy being debuffed to get your value.
Stat Priority for the End Game
- CRIT Rate / CRIT DMG: You want a 1:2 ratio. Ideally, 70% CRIT Rate so you can trigger the "Rutilant Arena" Planar Ornament effect.
- Speed vs. Attack: This is the big debate. If you run him with Sparkle, you can actually go "Base Speed" (no speed boots) and just stack pure Attack. Sparkle will pull him forward anyway. If you don't have a dedicated "Advance Forward" support, you need 134-plus Speed to keep up with the turn cycle.
Common Misconceptions and Mistakes
People think he’s been powercrept by Acheron or Firefly. That's a misunderstanding of how Star Rail works. This game is about elemental weaknesses.
Against enemies with Imaginary weakness—like the annoying "Aventurine of Stratagems" boss or the "Swarm: True Sting"—Dan Heng Imbibitor Lunae is still the king. He breaks toughness faster than almost anyone else in that category.
Another mistake? Using his Skill 1 or Skill 2 enhancement. In 99% of scenarios, it’s Skill 3 (triple enhancement) or nothing. The scaling on the third hit is where all the value is hidden. If you can't afford the three points, it's often better to just use a regular Basic Attack and save the points for the next turn when you can go all out.
How He Fits into the 2026 Meta
Even as we see more "Break Effect" meta characters or "Follow-up Attack" specialists, "Hypercarry" setups involving Dan Heng Imbibitor Lunae remain viable. The game has introduced harder content like "Apocalyptic Shadow," which rewards specific mechanics, but pure damage will always have a place.
He’s a "brute force" character. If a stage is giving you trouble and you have a well-invested DHIL, you can usually just blast your way through it regardless of the gimmicks. That kind of reliability is rare.
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Actionable Steps for Your Account
If you're looking to maximize your Dan Heng Imbibitor Lunae right now, start with these specific moves:
- Farm Rutilant Arena: This Planar Ornament set (World 7) is non-negotiable. The 20% Basic ATK damage boost is exactly what he needs.
- Speed-Tune Your Supports: Ensure your Tingyun or Pela is faster than him. They need to move first to generate the points he’s about to consume.
- Save for Sparkle: If you don't have her, she is the single biggest upgrade for a DHIL account. More than his E1 or his signature weapon.
- Focus on Traces: His Basic Attack trace is his most important. Max it out before anything else. Then the Talent, then the Ultimate. You can actually leave his Skill trace for last since it only increases the CRIT DMG buff he gets during his own turn, not the base damage of the hit itself.
Managing the high-risk, high-reward nature of his kit is what makes him fun. He’s not a "brain-dead" character. You have to count. You have to plan. But when you see those six-figure damage numbers pop up across the entire enemy team, every bit of planning feels worth it.