u/Rhyoth

I know this isn't the first equipment Tier List you've seen. But i wasn't satisfied with most of them, so i decided to make my own.

Here, equipments are mainly rated depending on 2 factors : peak performance, and then ubiquity.

So remember, a bad rating doesn't necessary means an item is bad : (almost) any item can be worth crrafting, depending on the circumstances.
But you'll find yourself crafting certain items more often than others : that's what i tried to represent with this list.

ex: Wormhole Drill is essential in a Break team. But since you almost never craft it for other teams, it cannot get higher than a B rating.

Now, i'm wondering what you think about it : what item would you rank higher or lower ?

Or should maybe another factor be taken into consideration for the rating ?

If you like a team that never stops attacking, this is for you.

I like to call it "Unlimited Yanqing" : it is specifically designed to have everyone inflict a debuff, to battery him.

(that's the purpose of Hysilens, and also why i use Ashveil on-field, here)

I even managed to 0 cycle the final boss, without Welt. (sure, it was only Nikador, but still)

_____

Only noteworthy investment is Black Swan E1. (well, i have Hysilens E1 too, but it's kind of a liability here)

Also, i do own E0S0 Fei Xiao and Aventurine, who have notoriously terrible trial builds...

Robin has a CW specific build. (Space Sealing Station, Atk rope, Spd boots)

In the Moonlit Tale "Do Aeon Weep for Time" (from the new DU), we are told the story of a fight between Oroboros and "Knights from the Kingdom of Stars", on a very ancient Planarcadia.

(it seems clear those "Knights" were Aeons ; and that fight probably took place at the end of the Dusk War, if you ask me)

The most prominent Knight (Aeon) in that tale was the Lunar Knight. Most people seem to think that Lunar Knight refers to Aha.

But i... well, i kinda agree.

That's it, case closed then ! But why is there still so much text below ? Please, just bear with me for a bit.

---

AFTER the fight against Oroboros, the Lunar Knight fell into madness, because of its injuries, and Oroboros' venom.
Aha certainly fit this description of a mad god, now full of laughters.

But that also means the Lunar Knight / Aha used to be a very different entity, before being struck with madness.
You could even say Aha is just a mad and twisted version of the Lunar Knight.

But have you ever wondered: what was the Lunar Knight like, BEFORE the fight with Oroboros ?
What would a sane, "un-twisted" version of Aha be like ?

More importantly, would that "un-twisted" Aha still qualify as Aeon of Elation ?
Madness seems like a core feature of the Path of Elation. Without it, this Path simply wouldn't be what it is today.

---

Now, before we continue, let's make a detour, and re-watch the promotional material "Aha's Favorites: Phantasmoon Games Winners Compilation".
More specifically, let's focus on the fourth part ("Phantom of Adlivun") :

https://youtu.be/saTCKwpVewk?t=89

In that segment, we are told phantoms of the past invaded one of Planarcadia's neighbouring system : Lafcadio.

Now, if you're wondering "Lafcadio ? Didn't i hear that name before ?"... that's because you did.

In the Curio "Road of Prayers". It countains memories of a Mirror Holder called Talorensky. In particular, he noted in it his final destination :

> where Idrila, the Aeon of Beauty fell: The Consternation Starzone, Lafcadio.

So, Idrila died, basically on the world next door to Planarcadia ? That's not suspicious at all !

---

Now, there is one major player who disagree with the Mirror Holders, and doesn't believe Idrila died.

No, i'm not talking about the Knights of Beauty. I'm refering to a more reputable source: Adrian Spencer Smith.
In his "Fable about the Stars", here is what he had to say about the Mirror Holders :

> The mirror-holder gazes into the mirror, but recognizes not the face staring back.

This quote clearly indicates that Idrila is still alive, but in a form so twisted THEY have become unrecognizeable.

Now, let's push this idea further. If we assume this "transformation" hasn't changed Idrila's "power level", then it can only mean one thing : the entity formerly known as Idrila is now another Aeon.

Which begs the question : among the currently active Aeons, which one is the entity formerly known as Idrila ?

---

So, to sum it up, :

• on one hand, we have Aha, who used to be a very different entity, before THEY fell into madness, after THEIR fight against Oroboros.
• on the other hand, we have Idrila, who transformed into a completely unrecognizeable entity.
• and both of these transformations happened basically at the same place ! (on a Galactic scale)

What are the odds ?

---

When you think about it, Idrila and Aha are pretty similar.

Both are very emotional Aeons, with a strong sense of passion (which sometimes lead THEIR followers to push things too far), and a special relationship with arts.

Speaking of Arts, it seems like a major theme of Planarcadia. The "nature and purpose of arts" is main part of Pearl's arc, and also plays a major role in Himeko's and her family's story.

Yet, with despite so much emphasis on Arts, there hasn't been a single mention of Idrila so far in Planarcadia !
Don't you find this really strange ?

Or maybe THEY have been mentionned all along, just in a form we couldn't recognize...
(i guess we're no different than the Mirror Holders, in that matter)

---

To continue on the topic of Arts : let's play a game, and try to imagine yourself 6 months ago, before you knew anything about Planarcadia.

Now, imagine someone described you the power of Imagenesis, and asked you: "To which Aeon is this power associated ?"

Would Aha really be your first answer ? I'm pretty sure i would have answered Idrila instead... like many of you.

---

Now, let's look at some other evidences :

We have another version of the fight between the Lunar Knight and Oroboros, in Aha's Fables (readable, found in the Tavern).
https://honkai-star-rail.fandom.com/wiki/Aha's_Fables

In that Tale, Aha fought a giant serpent, and that serpent ended up swallowing Aha's head, in one gulp.
(i guess that explains why Aha only has masks, but no head)

Now, i want you to pay extra attention to Argenti's splash art :
https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/houkai-star-rail/images/9/90/Character_Argenti_Splash_Art.png/revision/latest?cb=20231206232011

How is The Beauty represented here ? By a statute of a Goddess... with the top of her head missing !

Could it be that... a snake ate it ?

---

CONCLUSION:

Idrila The Beauty used to be the entity referred to as the "Lunar Knight".

But because of the injuries THEY sustained in the fight against Oroboros (including the loss of THEIR head), THEY fell into madness, and became an entity so twisted, THEY are now completely unrecognizeable.
(Adrian Spencer Smith's own words)

Today, that twisted entity goes by a different name : Aha.