He’s thirsty. That’s basically the long and short of it. If you’ve spent any time playing Honkai: Star Rail, you know that Dan Heng Imbibitor Lunae (often called DHIL or Permansor Terrae in certain localized contexts or lore deep-dives) isn't just another DPS. He is a resource hog. But honestly? He earns every single Skill Point he devours.
People get intimidated by the math. They see the three-stage enhancement on his basic attack and panic about their rotation. Don't. Building a solid Dan Heng Imbibitor Lunae build is actually more straightforward than people make it out to be, provided you understand that he doesn't play by the same rules as Seele or Jing Liu. You aren't just building a character; you're building an entire economy around his thirst for points.
The Light Cone Trap: Brighter Than the Sun vs. The Rest
Most players think they can just slap a generic Destruction cone on him and call it a day. You can, sure, but you’ll feel the drag. His signature, Brighter Than the Sun, is frankly ridiculous. It gives him Crit Rate, which is nice, but the real kicker is the "Dragon's Call" effect that regenerates Energy and boosts ATK.
If you're F2P, you're likely looking at On the Fall of an Aeon from the Herta Shop. It’s the "old reliable" of the Destruction path. At Superimposition 5, it keeps pace surprisingly well, though you’ll have to work harder on your Relic substats to make up for the missing Crit. Some people swear by Under the Blue Sky for the Crit Rate boost after a kill, but in high-level Memory of Chaos (MoC) or Simulated Universe: Gold and Gears, those kills don't always come fast enough to maintain the buff.
I’ve seen builds try to use A Secret Vow, but unless you're intentionally keeping Dan Heng at low HP—which is a terrifying way to live given how squishy he can be—it’s suboptimal. Stick to the Herta Shop cone if you aren't pulling for the signature. It's free. It works.
Relic Choices: Why Wastelander Isn't Always the Winner
Here is where the debate gets spicy. For the longest time, the Wastelander of Banditry Desert was the undisputed king. Why wouldn't it be? It gives Imaginary DMG and rewards you for hitting debuffed or imprisoned enemies.
But let’s be real for a second.
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How often is the enemy actually imprisoned? Unless you're running him with Welt, that 20% Crit DMG bonus is about as consistent as a weather forecast. That’s why many high-end players have pivoted to the Musketeer of Wild Wheat. It sounds basic. It feels like "starter gear." Yet, that 10% Basic ATK DMG boost and the SPD increase are terrifyingly effective on DHIL because all his damage comes from that enhanced basic.
The Planar Ornament Problem
You need the Rutilant Arena. Period.
The 70% Crit Rate requirement is a steep hill to climb, but the 20% boost to Basic ATK damage is non-negotiable. If you can't hit that 70% mark, your Dan Heng Imbibitor Lunae build is basically idling in second gear. I’ve tried running Inert Salsotto for the Ultimate buff, but it just doesn't compare. His Ult is mainly there to give him "Squama Sacrosancta" (those free skill points), not to be his primary nuke.
Speed Tuning or "The Slow Bro" Strategy
Speed is a trap for Dan Heng.
If he’s too fast, he laps his supports. If he laps his supports, he runs out of Skill Points. If he runs out of Skill Points, he hits like a wet noodle.
Most veteran players actually prefer a "Slow Dan" build. We're talking base speed or maybe 121 if you really feel the need to move. You want your supports—Sparkle, Tingyun, or Ruan Mei—to be blistering fast. Ideally, they should be hitting 160+ Speed. They generate the points; Dan Heng spends them. It’s a parasitic relationship that works beautifully.
If you’re lucky enough to have Sparkle, the rules change. She fixes his speed issues by pulling him forward. In that specific team comp, you can go full "ATK Boots" and let Sparkle handle the momentum. Without her, you’re playing a dangerous game of resource management that usually ends with you basic-attacking for zero damage while your buffs expire.
Team Comps That Actually Work
You can't just throw him in a "good stuff" pile. He needs babysitters.
The Premium Engine: DHIL, Sparkle, Tingyun, Huohuo.
This is the gold standard. Sparkle provides the points and Crit DMG. Tingyun provides the energy (crucial for getting those free stacks). Huohuo keeps everyone alive and provides a secondary ATK buff.The F2P Hustle: DHIL, Yukong (E6 is almost mandatory here), Pela, Lynx.
Pela is the MVP here because she’s "Skill Point Positive." She never needs to use her skill to be effective, leaving all the resources for Dan. Yukong is tricky; if she isn't E6, timing her buff to land on Dan’s turn is a nightmare that will make you want to throw your phone.The Double-Sustain Safety Net: DHIL, Tingyun, Fu Xuan, Gepard.
Only do this if you’re struggling to survive in high-difficulty Swarm Disaster. It’s slow. It’s boring. But you won't die.
Trace Priority and the Hidden Costs
Max the Basic Attack first. It sounds obvious, but I've seen people dumping materials into his Talent or Skill before touching the Basic. The Skill actually only increases the Crit DMG of the hits during the attack; the raw scaling is all in the Basic Attack trace.
After that, hit the Ultimate. The damage is decent, but the scaling on the "Squama Sacrosancta" stacks is what keeps your rotation fluid. The Talent (Righteous Heart) is secondary. It’s a nice ramping buff, but it’s not the core of his identity.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Don't ignore Effect Res. Dan Heng has a trace that gives him some inherent resistance, but getting CC’d (crowd controlled) is the death of a DHIL run. If he’s frozen or imprisoned and misses his turn, your Skill Point economy overflows, and you lose all your momentum. It’s better to have slightly lower Crit DMG and actually get to take your turn than to have "God Tier" stats on a character who spends the whole fight sleeping.
Also, stop overvaluing his Technique. Yes, it looks cool to dash around the map. Yes, it starts the fight with a stack. But in long fights, that one initial stack doesn't mean much compared to a well-timed Tingyun Ultimate.
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Actionable Build Strategy
If you're starting today, focus on these specific steps to get the most out of your Dan Heng:
- Crit Rate is King: Aim for 70% exactly to proc Rutilant Arena. Anything less and the build falls apart. Use a Crit Rate body piece if you have to; a Crit DMG body is useless if you never crit.
- The 134/160 Split: If you aren't using Sparkle, keep Dan Heng at base speed and get your Tingyun/Pela to 134 or 160 Speed. This ensures they generate 2 points before he even breathes.
- Attack over everything else: Once your Crit is settled, ignore Speed and Break Effect. Stack ATK%. His base ATK is incredibly high, so percentage gains go a long way.
- Energy Regeneration Rope: Unless you have his signature Light Cone AND Tingyun on the team, an Energy Regeneration Rate (ERR) rope can sometimes be better than an ATK rope. Testing this depends on your specific rotation, but being able to Ult every two turns is a massive quality-of-life upgrade.
The Dan Heng Imbibitor Lunae build remains a powerhouse because it scales so well with the right supports. He isn't a "plug and play" unit, and that’s fine. He’s a centerpiece. Build the team around him, respect the Skill Point economy, and he will delete basically any boss in the game.