The Apocalyptic Shadow: Dominance of Oblivion rotation rewards high Toughness depletion, clean Skill Point (SP) management, and precise team positioning. With Kafka, Ichor Memosprite: Judge of Oblivion, and Hoolay taking the field, clearing for a full 3600+ score on each node requires matching the right stage buffs to your core DPS engine.

Stage Buffs & Node Selection

Pick your node modifier based on your primary damage mechanism. Forcing a buff that doesn’t align with your DPS will cost you turns during vulnerability phases.

Node 1: Kafka Boss Fight

Key Mechanics & Weaknesses

• Weaknesses: Physical, Wind, Fire, Imaginary
• Primary Threat: Kafka’s Dominate (Mind Control) can redirect your primary DPS to attack allies and wreck your action turn order.
• Tactical Tip: Kafka’s damage mitigation drops drastically once her Toughness bar is depleted. Time your high-Toughness Ultimate hits right before her turn to lock her out of action.

Recommended Compositions

1. Premium Follow-Up (Feixiao Engine)
   Feixiao (DPS) | Robin (Support) | Topaz / March 7th (Hunt) | Aventurine (Sustain)
   Best Buff: Moment of Opportunity

• Execution: Aim for 134+ SPD across all supports. Save Robin’s Ultimate for immediately after breaking Kafka’s Toughness bar—this lets Feixiao squeeze in two full Ultimate skill stacks during the vulnerability window.
• Cleanse Priority: Aventurine’s Effect RES passive protects the party from Dominate; if using Fu Xuan or Huohuo instead, queue up Huohuo’s Skill before Kafka’s main phase attack to auto-cleanse the mind control.

2. Super Break Alternative (Firefly / Boothill)
   Firefly (DPS) | Harmony Trailblazer | Ruan Mei | Lingsha / Gallagher
   Best Buff: Collapse of Sight

• Execution: Focus directly on Kafka to melt her Toughness bar. Ruan Mei’s Weakness Break Efficiency passive plus Harmony Trailblazer’s Super Break triggers allow this team to ignore Kafka’s phase transitions almost entirely. Target at least 250% Break Effect on Firefly in battle.

Node 2: Ichor Memosprite: Judge of Oblivion

Key Mechanics & Weaknesses

• Weaknesses: Fire, Lightning, Imaginary, Physical
• Primary Threat: Spawns secondary adds that build boss shields and absorb targeted attacks.
• Tactical Tip: Do not dump single-target damage into the boss while adds are active. Wipe the side mobs first to lower the main boss’s damage resistance stack.

Recommended Compositions

1. Acheron Debuff Cleave
   Acheron (Slot 1 DPS) | Jiaoqiu (Debuffer) | Pela / Sparkle | Aventurine / Fu Xuan
   Best Buff: Exploit Opening or Land of Fertility

• Execution: Place Acheron in Slot 1 if running Land of Fertility. Ensure Jiaoqiu or Pela holds Before the Tutorial Mission Starts or Resolution Shines As Pearls of Sweat for maximum debuff uptime.
• SP Management: Keep Pela and your sustain unit SP-positive so Sparkle or Jiaoqiu can use Skills continuously to generate Acheron Ultimate charges before add spawns.

2. Free-to-Play Erudition Super Break
   Himeko (Slot 1 DPS) | Harmony Trailblazer | Ruan Mei | Gallagher
   Best Buff: Land of Fertility

• Execution: Himeko’s passive follow-up attack triggers every time an add’s weakness is broken, creating a continuous loop of Break damage across the board. Equip Gallagher with an Energy Regeneration Rate (ERR) rope to ensure consistent Ultimate availability for quick Fire Toughness depletion.

Node 3: Hoolay (Starward Mode)

Key Mechanics & Weaknesses

• Weaknesses: Quantum, Physical, Fire, Wind
• Primary Threat: Hoolay’s Moon Rage grants him extreme SPD and continuous action advances. If left unchecked, he can burst down squishy supports before you can set up buffs.
• Tactical Tip: Bring units with high single-target Toughness damage or counter mechanics to disrupt Hoolay’s turn cadence.

Recommended Compositions

1. Boothill Single-Target Break
   Boothill (DPS) | Bronya | Ruan Mei | Gallagher / Lingsha
   Best Buff: Heroic Vanguard

• Execution: Place Boothill in Slot 1 to maximize Heroic Vanguard. Use Bronya’s Skill to pull Boothill immediately after his turns, stacking his Pocket Trickshot charges in turn 1. Once fully stacked, Boothill can chunk 40–50% of Hoolay’s health bar per break trigger.
• Benchmark: Aim for 145+ SPD on Boothill (to trigger Talia: Kingdom of Banditry) and 160 SPD hyperspeed on Bronya.

2. Counter / Sustained Burst Setup
   Yunli / Clara (DPS) | Robin | Tingyun | Huohuo
   Best Buff: Moment of Opportunity

• Execution: Hoolay’s rapid multi-hit attacks feed Yunli and Clara infinite energy and counter triggers. Use Tingyun to battery Yunli’s Ultimate, ensuring you hold the Parry stance right before Hoolay unleashes his multi-slash combination.

Primary DPS Builds & Stat Benchmarks

To hit maximum score thresholds in Apocalyptic Shadow, ensure your primary DPS units meet these relic, Light Cone, and stat requirements before stepping into Node 1–3:

1. Feixiao (Wind / The Hunt)

• Best Light Cones:I Venture Forth to Hunt (Signature) > Baptism of Pure Thought > Cruising in the Stellar Sea (S5 F2P) > Swordplay (S5)
• Relics & Ornaments: 4pc The Wind-Soaring Valorous + 2pc Duran, Dynasty of Running Wolves (or Izumo Gensei)
• Main Stats: Body: CRIT Rate% | Feet: SPD (or ATK%) | Sphere: Wind DMG% / ATK% | Rope: ATK%
• Stat Thresholds:
  • CRIT Rate: 90%+ (Crucial—missing a crit on her multi-hit Ultimate kills cycle speed)
  • CRIT DMG: 130%+
  • SPD: 134+ (or run ATK boots with Hyperspeed Robin/March 7th)
  • ATK: 2,600+

2. Firefly (Fire / The Destruction)

• Best Light Cones:Whereabouts Should Dreams Rest (Signature) > On the Fall of an Aeon (S5 F2P) > Indelible Promise (S5)
• Relics & Ornaments: 4pc Iron Cavalry Against the Scourge + 2pc Forge of the Kalpagni Lantern
• Main Stats: Body: ATK% | Feet: SPD | Sphere: ATK% | Rope: Break Effect%
• Stat Thresholds:
  • Break Effect: 360%+ in-battle (Unlocks full 25% DEF ignore on 4pc Iron Cavalry)
  • Out-of-Battle SPD: 150+ (140+ if paired with Ruan Mei) to achieve 210 SPD in Complete Combustion state
  • CRIT Stats: Ignore completely

3. Acheron (Lightning / The Nihility)

• Best Light Cones:Along the Passing Shore (Signature) > Good Night and Sleep Well (S5) > Boundless Choreo (S5)
• Relics & Ornaments: 4pc Pioneer Diver of Dead Waters + 2pc Izumo Gensei and Takama Divine Realm
• Main Stats: Body: CRIT Rate% or CRIT DMG% | Feet: ATK% (or SPD 134) | Sphere: Lightning DMG% / ATK% | Rope: ATK%
• Stat Thresholds:
  • CRIT Rate: 70%+ out-of-battle (Reaches 90%+ in-battle via Pioneer & Izumo passives)
  • CRIT DMG: 160%+ (200%+ with Signature Light Cone)
  • ATK: 3,200+ (Use ATK boots if running Hyperspeed Sparkle or Bronya)

4. Boothill (Physical / The Hunt)

• Best Light Cones:Sailing Towards a Second Life (Signature) > Cruising in the Stellar Sea (S5) > Adversarial (S5 3-star budget SPD stick)
• Relics & Ornaments: 4pc Iron Cavalry Against the Scourge (or 4pc Thief of Shooting Meteor) + 2pc Talia: Kingdom of Banditry
• Main Stats: Body: CRIT Rate% / HP% | Feet: SPD | Sphere: Physical DMG% / HP% | Rope: Break Effect%
• Stat Thresholds:
  • Break Effect: 300%+ in-battle
  • SPD: 145+ minimum (160+ ideal for maximum turn frequency and Talia bonus)

5. Yunli (Physical / The Destruction)

• Best Light Cones:Dance at Sunset (Signature) > A Secret Vow (S5) > On the Fall of an Aeon (S5) > Something Irreplaceable
• Relics & Ornaments: 4pc The Wind-Soaring Valorous + 2pc Duran, Dynasty of Running Wolves
• Main Stats: Body: CRIT Rate% | Feet: ATK% | Sphere: Physical DMG% | Rope: ATK% or Energy Regeneration Rate
• Stat Thresholds:
  • CRIT Rate: 80%+
  • CRIT DMG: 120%+
  • SPD: Base SPD / Low SPD preferred (ATK boots ensure maximum hit weight during enemy counter-attacks)
  • ATK: 3,000+

6. Himeko (Fire / The Erudition)

• Best Light Cones:Night on the Milky Way > An Instant Before A Gaze > The Seriousness of Breakfast (S5 F2P) > Today Is Another Peaceful Day
• Relics & Ornaments: 4pc The Ashblazing Grand Duke (Crit build) or 4pc Iron Cavalry (Super Break build) + 2pc Duran / Forge of Kalpagni
• Main Stats: Body: CRIT Rate% (or ATK% in Super Break) | Feet: ATK% / SPD | Sphere: Fire DMG% / ATK% | Rope: ATK% / Break Effect%
• Stat Thresholds:
  • Crit Build: 70%+ CRIT Rate / 140%+ CRIT DMG
  • Super Break Build: 200%+ Break Effect in-battle