The upcoming version 2.4 of Honkai: Star Rail is set to introduce the highly anticipated five-star character Jiaoqiu, a Nihility path counselor who wields the power of Fire. Alongside the debut of Yunli in the first phase, Jiaoqiu is scheduled to arrive in the second phase, expected around late August 2025. Players will have the opportunity to unlock this foxian strategist through limited-time event warps using Special Rail Passes. Before his official release, leaks have provided a comprehensive look at his signature weapon, the five-star Light Cone "Those Many Springs," revealing its potent abilities and the materials required for its enhancement.

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The Light Cone "Those Many Springs" is not just a visually striking item featuring Jiaoqiu in his distinctive red dress, orange eyes, and caramel brown hair; it is a cornerstone of his combat effectiveness. Its primary passive ability grants a massive 60% increase to the equipping character's Effect Hit Rate. This stat is crucial for ensuring that debuffs and negative status effects reliably land on enemies, making it an ideal match for Jiaoqiu's Nihility role. The weapon's power extends further with a conditional effect tied to the "Unarmored" state. When attacking an enemy already under this debuff, they will suffer 10% additional damage. If the target is not Unarmored, the wearer's basic attack, skill, and ultimate each have a 60% fixed chance to inflict the Unarmored state, creating a powerful loop of vulnerability and punishment.

To fully ascend this powerful weapon, players will need to gather a variety of materials. The upgrade path requires:

  • Tatters of Thought

  • Fiery Spirit

  • Starfire Essence

  • Fragments of Impression

  • Shards of Desires

  • Heaven Incinerator

Pre-farming these materials will be essential for those aiming to maximize Jiaoqiu's potential immediately upon his release.

Jiaoqiu's own kit synergizes perfectly with his signature Light Cone. As a Nihility character dealing Fire damage, he scales with ATK and possesses abilities that debuff enemies while dealing Area of Effect (AoE) damage. A key part of his arsenal is the "Roast the Ash" effect, which he can inflict on foes. Furthermore, his talent allows him to create a special dimensional field, dealing Fire damage equal to 100% of his ATK to enemies within it. Perhaps most importantly, his unique talent provides a powerful team-wide damage amplification, increasing the damage enemies receive by at least 7.5%, a value that can potentially scale higher with traces and eidolons.

This combination of a high Effect Hit Rate from his Light Cone and his innate debuffing capabilities positions Jiaoqiu as a formidable offensive support unit. He can consistently weaken enemies, set them up for his own powerful attacks, and significantly boost the damage output of his entire team.

The version 2.4 update isn't only about five-star gear. Leaks also indicate the introduction of a new four-star Light Cone named "Poised to Bloom," which follows the Harmony path. Its passive ability is said to provide a significant boost to the wearer's ATK, offering a potent and more accessible option for support characters. Ascending this Harmony Light Cone will require different materials, including Dream Collection Component, Firmament Note, Celestial Section, and Dream Flow Valve. This addition ensures that players focusing on different team compositions will have new tools to explore.

Aspect Jiaoqiu Light Cone: Those Many Springs
Path Nihility Nihility
Damage Type Fire N/A
Key Stat Boost ATK Scaling / Damage Taken Debuff 60% Effect Hit Rate
Signature Mechanic "Roast the Ash" / Damage Field Inflicts/Exploits "Unarmored" State
Role Debuffer / Damage Amplifier Enabler for Debuff Consistency

With version 2.4 on the horizon, the community is abuzz with theorycrafting around Jiaoqiu's optimal builds and team placements. His ability to reliably debuff enemies thanks to "Those Many Springs," combined with his personal damage and team damage amplification, suggests he could become a meta-defining unit for challenging end-game content like Memory of Chaos and Pure Fiction. Players are advised to start planning their resource allocation now, whether they aim to secure the character, his powerful signature Light Cone, or both, to strengthen their roster in the ever-evolving world of the Astral Express.