Jiaoqiu is the latest 5-star character in Honkai Star Rail and he is probably the most unnecessary 5-star character in the game. With Honkai Star Rail always adding unique characters with different quirks to their kits, Jiaoqiu also initially appeared to be a great addition as a DoT character, as there are very good DoT team comps at the moment. Sadly, the character’s launch has not been as expected, with the character being useful only in very specific scenarios, otherwise being outshone by 4-star characters. Here is why I think Jiaoqiu is one 5-star character in Honkai Star Rail you should definitely skip.
Jiaoqiu Is a Lost Opportunity as a Nihility Sustain
When Jiaoqiu was initially announced by Hoyoverse, he was dubbed as a healer. This got me very excited as it meant that my DoT team of Kafka, Black Swan, and Sampo, would finally get a Nihility healer. Sadly, Honkai Star Rail did a 180 on us, turning Jiaoqiu into a debuffer instead of a healer/sustain.
This was a mistake in my opinion, as a Nihility healer would add a new dynamic to DoT teams, which I consider the most fun to play teams comps in the game. A Nihility healer would also draw attention from players and increase the number of pulls. Sadly, Honkai Star Rail went against that idea and turned him into a debuffer/support unit. Even that would have been fine, only if Jiaoqiu’s kit wasn’t outshone by almost every other 5-star and even some 4-star support in the game.
Jiaoqiu Only Stands Out in Acheron Teams
Jiaoqiu is the perfect Support for Acheron teams, so if you are an Acheron main then you should not miss pulling him. For every other team, however, Jiaoqiu can be easily replaced by other 5-star and even 4-star supports. Jiaoqiu’s skill applies debuffs on enemies, increasing the damage taken by them. The applied debuffs allow Acheron to quickly get her stacks to unlock her Ultimate.
But in teams without Acheron, Jiaoqiu’s importance takes a massive plunge. Every 5-star Harmony unit in the game comes above Jiaoqiu and even the 5-star Debuffing supports like Silver Wolf have better quirks. 4-star supports like Pela and Tingyun are also better than the Jiaoqiu in most scenarios, especially in terms of the investment required. Even Guinaifen comes close to Jiaoqiu, in most cases, with her E6 while being a 4-star character.
Jiaoqiu only stands out in Acheron teams and Pure Fiction, which is another reason to skip him. In Pure Fiction, his kit can constantly apply debuffs on new enemies without using a turn, which is quite useful. However, you do not really need a 5-star character for just applying debuffs in Pure Fiction, as there are a ton of other good 5-star and 4-star characters built to destroy Pure Fiction without breaking a sweat, like Argenti, Jade, Himeko, and Herta.
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Feixiao is Releasing in the Next Version
Another major reason to skip Jiaoqiu is Feixiao, who is releasing in version 2.5. Feixiao is expected to be one of the strongest DPS units in the game, right up there with Acheron and Firefly, so missing out on her would be a mistake. It’s best to save your Stellar Jades in version 2.4 and go all in version 2.5 for Feixiao.
Even if you don’t want Feixiao, then you can also invest in Lingsha who is expected to be an offensive Sustain with additional supporting abilities. And if you don’t want Lingsha as well, then Sparkle is currently running alongside Jiaoqiu and she is one of the best Support units in the game at the moment.
In the end, it all comes down to your preference. If you like Jiaoqiu’s kit and style then don’t stop yourself from going for him. But I am keeping my Stellar Jades saved for Feixiao and Lingsha in 2.5. So, share your opinion on Jiaoqiu in the comment section and also tell me whether you agree with me or not.
Sanmay Chakrabarti
An old soul who loves CRPGs and Souls-Like to death. Takes pleasure in simplifying "Complex and Hard" games for casual players with tailored guides and videos. He loves to explore new places, read fantasy fiction, watch anime, and create wacky character builds in his off time.
