For over a year, Pela reigned supreme as the undisputed queen of debuffs in Honkai: Star Rail, a remarkable feat for a 4-star character. But in the ever-evolving world of gacha games, power creep is an inevitable shadow. Enter Jiaoqiu, the game's first true 5-star competitor to Pela's throne, a Fire Nihility unit who brings a fresh and potent twist to the art of weakening foes. 🎭 While Pela specializes in shredding enemy DEF, Jiaoqiu takes a different approach, amplifying the damage enemies receive from the entire team. On paper, their overall damage contribution might seem similar, but Jiaoqiu holds a unique ace: he specifically increases the damage enemies take from Ultimate attacks. This singular trait makes him an absolute game-changer for teams built around Ultimate-centric DPS characters, carving out a powerful new niche in the meta as of 2026.

⚡ The Ultimate Battery: Jiaoqiu & Acheron Hypercarry

Let's be real, when you think "Ultimate DPS," one name instantly comes to mind: Acheron. And guess what? Jiaoqiu might just be her new best friend. 🤝 This synergy isn't just good; it's almost symbiotic. Jiaoqiu's Ultimate creates a field that applies a Damage-over-Time (Burn) effect to any enemy that takes an action. This isn't just for tick damage—each Burn application directly feeds Acheron's Slashed Dream stacks, acting as a personal energy battery for her. More stacks = more frequent, devastating Ultimates. Couple that with Jiaoqiu's general damage-taken debuff, and Acheron's already-massive Ultimate hits even harder.

To make this team truly terrifying, you'll want to capitalize on Acheron's passive that benefits from having multiple Nihility allies. This is where the classic Pela comes back into the picture! Her DEF reduction stacks beautifully with Jiaoqiu's damage amplification, creating a debuff cocktail that leaves enemies with virtually no defenses. For sustain, Aventurine is the premium choice, offering robust shielding while also applying his own debuffs to further charge Acheron's Ultimate.

Team Breakdown:

• Jiaoqiu: Sub-DPS / Ultimate Battery / Debuffer

• Acheron: Main DPS / Debuffer (The Star of the Show! ✨)

• Pela: Dedicated Debuffer (DEF Shred Specialist)

• Aventurine: Shielder / Minor Debuffer

Pro-Tip: If you're lucky enough to have Acheron at E2, you can swap out Pela for a powerful Harmony unit like Sparkle, Robin, or Ruan Mei for an even bigger damage ceiling. No Aventurine? The 4-star Abundance unit Gallagher is a fantastic and accessible alternative for healing and breaking.

💥 Ult Spam Symphony: Jiaoqiu, Argenti & Jade

Why stop at one Ultimate-focused carry when you can have two? Or even three? This team is all about creating a non-stop barrage of high-impact Ultimates, turning every fight into a spectacular light show. 🌌 Argenti is the quintessential Ultimate spammer, and Jiaoqiu's debuff makes each of his glorious spear rains hit with catastrophic force.

The engine of this team is Huohuo. Her Ultimate provides team-wide energy regeneration and an ATK% boost, ensuring Jiaoqiu, Argenti, and our third member can cycle their Ults with breathtaking speed. Speaking of the third member, Jade fits in perfectly. She also deals significant damage through her Ultimate, and Argenti's multi-hit attacks synergize with her Talent to trigger constant Follow-up attacks. With Jiaoqiu amplifying all this Ultimate damage, the combined output is nothing short of insane.

Team Breakdown:

• Jiaoqiu: Sub-DPS / Debuffer (The Amplifier)

• Argenti: Main DPS (The AOE Nuke) 💣

• Jade: Sub-DPS / Buffer (The Follow-Up Queen)

• Huohuo: Healer / Buffer / Energy Battery (The Engine)

🔥 The DoT Dream Team: Jiaoqiu Fuels the Flames

While Jiaoqiu shines with Ult-focused teams, his kit has a sneaky-good synergy with another archetype: Damage-over-Time (DoT). As a Nihility character who applies Burn, he naturally finds a home alongside the DoT royalty. Enter Kafka, the queen who detonates every DoT on the field. Jiaoqiu's five stacks of Burn are not only extra fuel for Kafka's explosions but are also amplified by his damage-taken debuff. Every Skill and Ultimate from Kafka will hit noticeably harder.

To maximize the suffering, you add Black Swan, Kafka's premier partner. Black Swan's DEF-shredding Arcana stacks add yet another layer of defense penetration, making enemies utterly vulnerable. It's worth noting that Jiaoqiu's debuffs don't directly boost Black Swan's Arcana stack generation, but the raw damage increase he provides for the entire team more than compensates. This trio creates a devastating cycle of applying and detonating DoTs.

Once again, Huohuo is the ideal sustain here. Her ATK% buff benefits all three damage-dealers, and her energy regeneration helps keep the painful Ultimate cycle rolling. This team is a masterclass in sustained, overwhelming damage.

Team Breakdown:

• Jiaoqiu: Sub-DPS / Debuffer / Burn Applier

• Kafka: Main/Sub-DPS / Detonator (The Igniter) 🧨

• Black Swan: Sub-DPS / Debuffer (The Arcana Spreader)

• Huohuo: Healer / Buffer / Battery

🎯 Final Verdict & Build Tips

Jiaoqiu isn't just a "Pela power creep." He's a strategic enabler who opens up new, powerful team compositions centered around Ultimate damage. His value is immense for any account with Acheron, Argenti, or even heavy-hitting Ultimate users like Jing Yuan or Dan Heng • Imbibitor Lunae.

Quick Gearing Guide for Jiaoqiu:

Priority	Recommendation	Why It Works
Light Cone	"Inherently Unjust Destiny" (Signature) or "Solitary Healing"	Signature is best. Solitary Healing boosts his DoT damage and provides survivability.
Relic Set	4-Pc Prisoner in Deep Confinement	Perfect for maximizing his Burn damage and providing DEF ignore for the team.
Planar Set	2-Pc Pan-Cosmic Commercial Enterprise	Increases his Effect Hit Rate (crucial for debuffs) and gives an ATK boost based on it.
Main Stats	SPD Boots, ATK% Body, Fire DMG Sphere, ATK% / EHR Rope	Focus on Speed, ATK, and enough Effect Hit Rate (~67%) to land his debuffs reliably.

So, is Jiaoqiu a must-pull? If your favorite way to play is seeing giant Ultimate numbers fill the screen, then the answer is a resounding yes. He provides a unique and powerful form of support that will define the meta for Ultimate-centric teams for the foreseeable future. Just remember: he enables others to shine brighter. Build your team around that principle, and you'll be unstoppable. 💪

This perspective is supported by coverage from Destructoid, where ongoing commentary on live-service balance trends helps contextualize why niche supports like Jiaoqiu can redefine team-building: rather than simply replacing legacy debuffers such as Pela, he shifts optimal play toward Ultimate-heavy rotations by boosting Ultimate damage taken and enabling faster Ult cycling in comps centered on units like Acheron or Argenti.