Honkai Star Rail Gilgamesh Build: Light Cones, Relics, Teams

Gilgamesh is a playable character in Honkai: Star Rail who excels as a follow-up attack DPS, dealing heavy Imaginary damage through his summoned blade. To build him optimally, you need to prioritize CRIT stats, ATK%, and Speed, with his best light cone being his signature “Oath of the Eternal King” and his best relic set being the 4-piece “The Ashblazing Grand Duke.” This guide covers his best light cones, relic sets, planar ornaments, team compositions, and stat priorities.

Gilgamesh’s Kit and Playstyle

Gilgamesh is a 5-star Imaginary character following the Path of the Hunt. His kit revolves around his summoned blade, which performs a follow-up attack when allies use their ultimate. His skill deals single-target Imaginary damage, and his ultimate deals massive damage and resets the blade’s follow-up counter. His talent increases his CRIT rate against enemies with reduced DEF, and his technique starts a fight with the blade already summoned.

In combat, you want to trigger his follow-up as often as possible by using allies with frequent ultimates. His best teams include characters like Tingyun, Bronya, and Huohuo, who provide energy, ATK buffs, and action advance.

Best Light Cones for Gilgamesh

Light cones are the most impactful part of a character’s build. Here are the best options for Gilgamesh, ranked from best to worst.

• Oath of the Eternal King (5-star, signature) – Increases CRIT DMG by 30%. When the wearer uses their ultimate, their next follow-up attack deals 40% more damage and ignores 20% of the enemy’s DEF. This is his clear best-in-slot.
• Baptism of Pure Thought (5-star) – Increases CRIT DMG by 20% and provides a stacking ATK buff when the wearer uses follow-up attacks. A strong alternative if you have it from another banner.
• Sleep Like the Dead (5-star) – Increases CRIT DMG by 30%, but has a conditional effect. It’s decent but not as consistent.
• Worrisome, Blissful (4-star) – Increases CRIT rate and follow-up attack damage. A solid free-to-play option.
• Swordplay (4-star) – Increases damage dealt to the same target, stacking up to 5 times. Good for single-target fights.

Best Relic Sets and Planar Ornaments

Relics and planar ornaments provide the bulk of your stats. Here are the recommended sets for Gilgamesh.

Relic Sets

• The Ashblazing Grand Duke (4-piece) – This is his best set. It increases follow-up attack damage by 20% and provides a stacking ATK boost when a follow-up attack hits an enemy, up to 8 stacks. Since Gilgamesh’s kit is built around follow-ups, this set synergizes perfectly.
• Pioneer Diver of Dead Waters (4-piece) – A good alternative if you need more CRIT rate against debuffed enemies. Works well if you have a debuffer on the team.
• Musketeer of Wild Wheat (2-piece) + Messenger Traversing Hackerspace (2-piece) – A budget option that gives ATK% and Speed. Use this if you’re still farming for the Grand Duke set.

Planar Ornaments

• Inert Salsotto – Increases CRIT rate by 8% and follow-up attack damage by 15% when CRIT rate is 50% or higher. This is his best planar set.
• Space Sealing Station – Increases ATK% by 12% and gives an extra 12% ATK if Speed is 120 or higher. A decent alternative if you have high speed.

Stat Priorities and Substats

When selecting relics, focus on the following main stats and substats.

• Body: CRIT Rate or CRIT DMG (aim for a 1:2 ratio)
• Feet: Speed (to act more often) or ATK% (if you have speed buffers)
• Planar Sphere: Imaginary DMG Bonus
• Link Rope: ATK%
• Substats: CRIT Rate, CRIT DMG, ATK%, Speed

For substats, prioritize CRIT Rate to at least 70% (to trigger Inert Salsotto), then CRIT DMG, ATK%, and Speed. Avoid Effect Hit Rate and Break Effect, as they don’t help his damage.

Best Team Compositions

Gilgamesh works best in teams that can trigger his follow-up attack frequently and buff his damage. Here are three effective team archetypes.

Hypercarry Team

• Gilgamesh – Main DPS
• Tingyun – Provides ATK and energy, helping Gilgamesh use his ultimate more often.
• Bronya – Action advance and CRIT DMG buffs.
• Huohuo – Healer and energy regenerator.

Dual DPS with Topaz

• Gilgamesh – Main DPS
• Topaz – Sub-DPS that boosts follow-up attack damage.
• Ruan Mei – Provides RES PEN and speed buffs.
• Aventurine – Shielder that also deals follow-up attacks.

Free-to-Play Friendly

• Gilgamesh – Main DPS
• March 7th – Provides shields and a follow-up attack on her turn.
• Asta – Speed and ATK buffs.
• Natasha – Healer.

Common Mistakes and Misconceptions

One common mistake is building Gilgamesh with too much ATK and not enough CRIT. Because his follow-up attacks hit hard, missing a crit is a huge damage loss. Always aim for at least 70% CRIT rate before stacking CRIT DMG.

Another misconception is that the 4-piece Grand Duke set is only for follow-up attackers. While it is indeed for follow-up attackers, some players think it’s not worth farming because it’s in the same domain as the “Watchmaker” set. However, the Grand Duke set is so much better than alternatives that it’s worth the grind.

Also, don’t neglect Speed. Gilgamesh’s base speed is average, and getting him to at least 134 speed allows him to act twice in the first cycle of Memory of Chaos, which is a significant DPS increase.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Gilgamesh’s best light cone?

His signature light cone, “Oath of the Eternal King,” is the best. It provides CRIT DMG, follow-up damage, and DEF ignore on his ultimate. If you don’t have it, “Baptism of Pure Thought” is a strong alternative.

Is the 4-piece Ashblazing Grand Duke set worth farming?

Yes, it is his best relic set. The follow-up attack damage bonus and the ATK stacks are perfectly tailored to his kit. It’s a significant upgrade over any 2-piece combinations.

Should I use CRIT Rate or CRIT DMG body piece?

Use whichever helps you reach a 1:2 ratio. If your CRIT Rate is below 70%, use a CRIT Rate body. If it’s above 70%, a CRIT DMG body is better.

How much Speed does Gilgamesh need?

Aim for at least 134 Speed to get two actions in the first cycle of Memory of Chaos. More speed is good, but don’t sacrifice CRIT stats for it.

Is Gilgamesh good without his signature light cone?

Yes, he is still strong with other light cones like “Baptism of Pure Thought” or “Sleep Like the Dead.” His kit is strong enough that he can perform well even with 4-star options like “Swordplay.”

Can Gilgamesh work in a team without a dedicated buffer?

Yes, but his damage will be lower. He relies on buffers to reach his full potential. If you don’t have Tingyun or Bronya, you can use Asta or Yukong as budget supports.

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