Gilgamesh lands in Honkai: Star Rail Version 4.4 as a free 5-star Lightning/Destruction character through the Fate/Stay Night [Unlimited Blade Works] login event. His banner goes live on July 24, 2026, and you can claim him for free anytime between then and the end of Version 4.6 — no Stellar Jade required.
Free does not mean simple, though. His kit runs on a 600 Energy Ultimate and an “Interest” mechanic that only works if you build your team around it. Get that wrong and he will feel sluggish and underwhelming. Get it right and he pumps out some of the highest Lightning burst damage in the current meta while passively buffing every other character on your team.
This guide covers his full kit, the best Light Cones and Relics, the top team compositions, Eidolon value, stat targets, and a pre-farm checklist so you are ready the moment he drops.
Who Is Gilgamesh in Honkai Star Rail?
Gilgamesh is a 5-star Lightning character on the Path of Destruction. His job is AoE carry — he deals damage to all enemies, scales off ATK and CRIT DMG, and generates team-wide buffs through his passive trace. He fits naturally into Ultimate-centric teams because the more his allies cast Ultimates, the faster and harder he hits.
He also has a unique synergy with Saber, the other Fate collab character. Run them together and they trigger a joint follow-up attack that deals more damage than his Ultimate. That combo is his best case scenario, but he functions in plenty of lineups without her.
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Gilgamesh Kit Breakdown: How the Interest Mechanic Works in HSR 4.4
Everything in Gilgamesh’s kit connects back to two systems: the Interest gauge and his 600 Energy Ultimate. Understanding both is what separates a good Gilgamesh from a frustrating one.
The practical result: in a fast team where allies act often, Gilgamesh takes a lot of extra turns. In a slow team where allies are idle, he barely moves.
Each time an ally uses their Ultimate, Gilgamesh also gains a 40% Ultimate DMG buff for 3 turns. So the more your team casts, the stronger his next Enuma Elish hits.
Best Light Cones for Gilgamesh HSR — Ranked by Performance
| Priority | Light Cone | Stars | Key Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| BiS | I Am As You Behold (Signature) | 5 | +18% ATK, +10% ERR, Ult DMG scales with Energy spent (up to 60%), team +25% CRIT DMG |
| Alt 5 | A Thankless Coronation | 5 | +36% CRIT DMG, +80% ATK after Ult when Max Energy ≥ 300 |
| F2P | Destruction Herta Shop LC | 4 | Skill and Ult DMG bonus — exact values TBD at release |
I Am As You Behold is the obvious best-in-slot. Every Energy point he spends on his Ultimate increases its damage, and with 600 Energy to burn, that 60% cap is easy to hit. The 25% team CRIT DMG on top makes it genuinely useful beyond just his personal damage. The Energy Regeneration stat also smooths out his rotation in slower teams.
That said — his Eidolons change his kit more than this Light Cone does. If Stellar Jade is tight, pulling E1 or E2 will feel better than the signature LC.
A Thankless Coronation is a solid alternative for players who lost the 50/50 on his banner. The 80% ATK boost after his Ultimate is large, and the CRIT DMG stat helps with substats. It just lacks the team utility of the signature.
Rope note: If your team feeds him Energy consistently through frequent Ultimates, run ATK% Rope. If your supports have low-cost Ultimates or you find yourself just short of Enuma Elish each cycle, swap to Energy Regeneration Rope and test from there.
Best Relics for Gilgamesh in Honkai Star Rail 4.4
Cavern Relics
- Scholar Lost in Erudition (4pc) — Best-in-Slot
The 4-piece bonus increases Skill and Ultimate damage by 20%. After using his Ultimate, the next Skill gets an extra 25% DMG boost. This maps perfectly onto his natural rotation: cast Ultimate, then spam Skill on every Interest-triggered extra turn. The timing is not a coincidence. - Navigator of Eternal Deep Sea (4pc) — Strong Alternative
A new set from 4.4. Provides ATK and boosts Skill and Ultimate damage. It is a strong option if you farm it alongside the 4.4 Cavern content, but Scholar edges it out when tuned for Gilgamesh’s specific rotation.
Planar Ornaments
The new 4.4 Planar set built for both Gilgamesh and Saber gives up to 32% DMG Bonus based on Max Ultimate Energy — you need 360 Energy to hit the cap. Gilgamesh clears that easily. This is the clear pick for his Sphere and Rope.
Main Stats at a Glance
| Slot | Stat |
|---|---|
| Body | CRIT Rate |
| Feet | ATK% |
| Planar Sphere | Lightning DMG Boost |
| Link Rope | ATK% (or Energy Regen in slower teams) |
Substat Priority
- CRIT Rate and CRIT DMG (target roughly 1:2 ratio — aim for 70%+ CRIT Rate)
- ATK%
- SPD (useful but not a priority — Interest gives him extra turns without needing high Speed)
- Break Effect — ignore it entirely on this build
Best Teams for Gilgamesh in HSR 4.4
Team 1: Saber Premium (Recommended)
| Slot | Character | Role |
|---|---|---|
| DPS | Gilgamesh | Main carry, AoE damage |
| DPS/FUA | Saber | Joint follow-up trigger, Wind damage |
| Harmony | Flexible (Robin, Tingyun, etc.) | Speed, ATK, and action advance buffs |
| Sustain | Flexible (Huohuo, Aventurine, etc.) | Healing or shielding |
This is Gilgamesh’s best team. Saber triggers the joint follow-up every 3 of her attacks, each cycle dealing more damage than an Enuma Elish and resetting fast due to her 50% action advance. Gilgamesh picks up 3 Interest stacks from the combo each time, keeping his extra turns flowing. Robin’s action advance stacks particularly well here because every advance counts toward Interest.
Team 2: Ultimate-Centric Without Saber
| Slot | Character | Role |
|---|---|---|
| DPS | Gilgamesh | Main carry |
| DPS/FUA | Phainon or other high-Energy carry | Benefits from Gilgamesh's Hegemon's Strife passive |
| Harmony | Sparkle, Sunday, or Robin | Frequent Ultimate users preferred |
| Sustain | Flexible |
Characters with Max Energy above 100 — like Phainon — get the full double benefit from Hegemon’s Strife: the 30% base boost plus 1% per excess Energy point. Pair that with a Harmony support who casts Ultimate often, and Gilgamesh’s Energy bar fills up faster than expected. This team works well in Starward Mode where you need a dedicated Lightning slot.
Team 3: F2P-Friendly
For players on a budget, any team where your supports use their Ultimates regularly will work. The priority is action density — the more times your allies move per cycle, the more Interest Gilgamesh builds. Tingyun is one of the best free-to-pull options here because she buffs ATK and cycles her Ultimate at a low cost.
Gilgamesh Eidolons: Which Ones Are Actually Worth It?
| Eidolon | Effect | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| E1 | Gilgamesh also gains Interest stacks from his own actions | High — fundamentally changes his action frequency |
| E2 | Gilgamesh generates Energy from his own actions as well | High — completes the self-sustaining loop |
| E3 | Skill and Talent level boost | Medium |
| E4 | Additional effect on Ultimate | Medium |
| E5 | Ultimate and Talent level boost | Low |
| E6 | Significant damage multiplier upgrade | For whales only |
E0 is functional. He clears content, he buffs your team, and he does his job. But there is a real gap between E0 and E2. At E0, his Interest stacks come only from ally actions. At E1 and E2, he generates stacks and Energy from his own attacks too, which means he acts far more often per cycle and feels noticeably more fluid to play.
If you are going to invest beyond E0, stopping at E2 is the most efficient breakpoint.
Gilgamesh Stat Targets for Endgame Content
These are the numbers to aim for before pushing Memory of Chaos or Apocalyptic Shadow:
- CRIT Rate: 70% minimum, 75–80% preferred
- CRIT DMG: 140–160%+
- ATK: 3,000+ with buffs active
- SPD: No specific target — build for CRIT and ATK first
His multipliers are large enough that ATK% substats are almost as valuable as CRIT stats. Do not leave ATK completely off the table chasing perfect CRIT ratios.
Pre-Farm Checklist: What to Prepare Before July 24
If you plan to build Gilgamesh to full potential, start collecting these now:
- Ascension materials: Lightning-element boss drops from the relevant weekly boss (exact name TBD — will update at release)
- Trace materials: Three tiers of common enemy drops plus two types of weekly boss materials
- Credits: Fully tracing a character costs around 2.4–3M credits. Start stockpiling early
- Relics: Begin farming Scholar Lost in Erudition now if you run other characters who use it
- Planar Ornaments: Wait until 4.4 drops to farm the new Planar set — it is not available earlier
The credit cost is genuinely painful if you are not prepared. Prioritize getting Traces to level 6 first, then push to 10 for Skill, Ultimate, and Talent.
Should You Build Gilgamesh? Honest Verdict
He sits at solid A-tier as a carry. That means he clears Memory of Chaos, Pure Fiction, and Apocalyptic Shadow with the right supports, but he is not the highest-damage Lightning option if you already have premium carries built.
Build him if:
- You want a Lightning carry without spending Stellar Jade
- You need a third team for Starward Mode’s 3-team challenge
- You play with Saber or other high-Energy allies
- You are newer to the game and need an account anchor
Skip or deprioritize if:
- You already claimed Archer from the Fate event and are choosing between the two — you cannot claim both from the same login event
- Your Lightning slot is already filled by a higher-tier carry
- You lack the Relics and Trace materials to build him properly in the short term
The main reason to claim him is that free 5-stars with this level of team utility are rare. Hegemon’s Strife alone makes him worth the inventory slot — the ATK and CRIT DMG buffs help every high-Energy character you will ever pull. He is a floor raiser for your entire account, not just a personal damage dealer.
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