Play in Honkai: Star Trail was arguably the best debuff support in the game, despite only being 4 stars. However, like all good things in a gacha game, there are always dangers lurking in the shadows, known as power creeping. After over a year of glory, HoYoverse is releasing a new debuffer that is also Pela’s first ever competitor.

This new debuffer, Jiaoqiu, is a 5-star character with Fire Nihility. Unlike Pela, who reduces the opponent’s DEF, Jiaoqiu instead makes enemies take more damage from the team. Although their mechanics differ in damage calculation, at the end of the day Jiaoqiu’s debuffing is not as impressive, as it is roughly the same as Pela’s DEF reduction. However, one consolation for Jiaoqiu is the fact that it also causes enemies to suffer additional ult damage, which makes him perfect for Ult DPS like Acheron and Argenti. So when it comes to the best Jiaoqiu team competition in HSRPlayers should keep this ability in mind.

3 Jiaoqiu + Acheron + Pela + Aventurine

There is no doubt that Jiaoqiu is one of the best supports for Acheron in Honkai: Star Trail. One of the main reasons he’s so good with Acheron is his ability to act as her battery in battle. After using his ultimate, Jiaoqiu creates a field that deals a DoT to any enemy that becomes active, which in turn grants Acheron multiple Slashed Dream stacks per turn. The field also increases Acheron’s ultimate damage, as his debuffs increase the damage enemies take. In short, Jiaoqiu allows Acheron to use her ult more often while greatly increasing her damage.

Since Acheron is the main DPS in this Jiaoqiu team composition, she needs an additional Nihility unit in Honkai: Star Trail to take full advantage of her passive Ascension Power. If Pela continues to lower the opponents’ DEF, she maximizes the damage Acheron can do with her ults. Finally, Aventurine is a great sustain unit that can constantly weaken opponents and build Acheron’s ultimate with the team.

If Acheron is C2, you can replace Pela with a Harmony character like Sparkle, Robin, and Ruan Mei. Players without Aventurine, meanwhile, can use the 4-star alternative Gallagher.

Team roles

• Jiaoqiu: Sub-DPS, Battery, Debuffer
• Acheron: Main DPS, Debuffer
• From: buffer
• Aventurine: Shielding, debuffering

2 Jiaoqiu + Argenti + Jade + Huohuo

Since Jiaoqiu is the DMG and Ult DMG taken of enemies, it’s only fair to pair him with characters that rely heavily on their ultimate, like Argenti. To set up this Jiaoqiu team, you can include Huohuo so the team can use their ults frequently. Huohuo also acts as a sustain unit that can heal her allies when needed. Not to mention, she can also increase ATK% through her ultimate.

Jade also relies on her ultimate to deal damage, making her a good complement to Argenti and Jiaoqiu. Argenti’s ability to attack many times with his ultimate allows Jade to continue passively attacking enemies with her talent’s follow-up attacks, and both units will deal insane damage using Jiaoqiu’s debuffs.

Team roles

• Jiaoqiu: Sub DPS, Debuffer
• Silver: Main DPS
• Jade: Sub-DPS, buffer
• Hello! Healer, Buffer, Battery

1 Jiaoqiu + Kafka + Black Swan + Huohuo

As a DoT DPS, Jiaoqiu can work perfectly with Kafka in Honkai: Star Trail. With Jiaoqiu’s five burn stacks and the increasing damage taken by enemies, Kafka can hit hard every time she uses her skill or ultimate. And as for Black Swan, she is also one of Kafka’s best teammates and can greatly increase her DPS. Black Swan can also impose a DEF-shredding debuff on enemies, which further increases Jiaoqiu and Kafka’s damage. Unfortunately, however, Jiaoqiu cannot massively affect Black Swan’s stacks with his debuffs, as they mostly stick to enemies until they die without refreshing. Still, the trio makes a fantastic DoT team.

After all, all three units deal damage through their DoT, so it’s only fair to add Huohuo to increase her ATK% while also providing some sustainability and energy regeneration.

Team roles

• Jiaoqiu: Sub DPS, Debuffer
• Kafka: Sub DPS, Debuffer
• Black Swan: Sub DPS, Debuffer
• Hello! Healer, Buffer, Battery