Dr. Ratio in Honkai Star Rail is one of the strongest DPS units. Both his Eidolons and the signature Light Cone (S1) promise power boosts. However, to choose between them is not that straightforward. While E1 refines Dr. Ratio’s CRIT stats , S1 (Baptism of Pure Thought) delivers the raw damage and the defense shred. For the players who debate where to invest in Stellar Jades, the detailed breakdown will help them decide. Let us dive into which upgrade will offer Dr. Ratio much better value.
E1 vs S1, which pull offers more value to Dr. Ratio?
E1, Pride Comes Before a Fall grants immediate crit buffs, boosting Dr. Ratio’s Summation Stacks. It eases up his relic pressure, allowing him to hit CRIT benchmarks faster. With the 10% extra CRIT rate and the 20% CRIT damage upfront, E1 further smooths out the early rotations. But the impact of it plateaus once the build hits the optimal CRIT ratios. It is the comfort pick or a quality-of-life upgrade and not the game-changer. It only results in an 11% damage increase in the testing.
S1 Light Cone, on the other hand, is the damage powerhouse. Beyond the 44% CRIT damage boost, at the max stacks, it also adds 36% of the damage and the 24% defense ignore after the use of his Ultimate. In testing, S1 boosts the 4-turn damage of Dr. Ratio by 53%, as compared to his free-to-play Light Cone. The Defense ignore (on follow-up attacks) is invaluable and rare against the endgame bosses. It makes S1 the long-term meta asset.
Team synergy and resource priorities— E1 vs S1
E1 shines in teams lacking CRIT support. If you pair Dr. Ratio with buffers like Bronya or Sparkle, his E1 will become less critical. S1 defense ignores synergizes universally. It amplifies the debuff-heavy squads (like Silver Wolf, Pela, and more) and hypercarry setups, too. The versatility of Light Cone makes it the safer pull if you value the flexibility across the team comps.
For players with limited resources, giving priority is important. E1 will cost fewer pulls (75 Jades) and will help in the mid-investment builds. However, the sheer damage leap of S1 will justify the cost if you are all in on Dr. Ratio. Some F2P alternatives like Cruising in the Stellar Sea and others work, but they lack the defense-shredding edge of S1. Ultimately, it future-proofs Dr. Ratio’s role as the premier single-target nuker.
Why is S1 a clear winner?
Light Cone’s additional effects, especially the Defense Ignore, make it irreplaceable, but the benefits of E1 can be replicated with the proper team building and the relic stats. So, if you are only pulling for 1 upgrade, S1 will be the smarter choice as it will improve the performance of Dr. Ratio for both the short and the extended fights.
E1 will still remain useful for easier CRIT balancing, but it is not important. The players with strong support, like Ruan Mei or Silver Wolf, can compensate for the missing stats, while the unique buffs of S1 cannot be replicated by the other Light Cone.
Unless you are aiming for either E2 or even higher, the signature Light Cone of Dr. Ratio is a better pull. It offers a bigger boost to damage and much more versatility in the team compositions. But if you are a F2P player, the free 4-star Light Cone options still work best. So, go for S1 only if you are committed to maximizing the potential of Dr. Ratio.
For most of the players, skipping E1 and saving for S1 is the optimal choice. However, if you love Dr. Ratio and wish for both, the E1+S1 combo will make him the absolute monster in combat.
E1 vs S1, which pull offers more value to Dr. Ratio?
E1, Pride Comes Before a Fall grants immediate crit buffs, boosting Dr. Ratio’s Summation Stacks. It eases up his relic pressure, allowing him to hit CRIT benchmarks faster. With the 10% extra CRIT rate and the 20% CRIT damage upfront, E1 further smooths out the early rotations. But the impact of it plateaus once the build hits the optimal CRIT ratios. It is the comfort pick or a quality-of-life upgrade and not the game-changer. It only results in an 11% damage increase in the testing.
S1 Light Cone, on the other hand, is the damage powerhouse. Beyond the 44% CRIT damage boost, at the max stacks, it also adds 36% of the damage and the 24% defense ignore after the use of his Ultimate. In testing, S1 boosts the 4-turn damage of Dr. Ratio by 53%, as compared to his free-to-play Light Cone. The Defense ignore (on follow-up attacks) is invaluable and rare against the endgame bosses. It makes S1 the long-term meta asset.
Team synergy and resource priorities— E1 vs S1
E1 shines in teams lacking CRIT support. If you pair Dr. Ratio with buffers like Bronya or Sparkle, his E1 will become less critical. S1 defense ignores synergizes universally. It amplifies the debuff-heavy squads (like Silver Wolf, Pela, and more) and hypercarry setups, too. The versatility of Light Cone makes it the safer pull if you value the flexibility across the team comps.
For players with limited resources, giving priority is important. E1 will cost fewer pulls (75 Jades) and will help in the mid-investment builds. However, the sheer damage leap of S1 will justify the cost if you are all in on Dr. Ratio. Some F2P alternatives like Cruising in the Stellar Sea and others work, but they lack the defense-shredding edge of S1. Ultimately, it future-proofs Dr. Ratio’s role as the premier single-target nuker.
Why is S1 a clear winner?
Light Cone’s additional effects, especially the Defense Ignore, make it irreplaceable, but the benefits of E1 can be replicated with the proper team building and the relic stats. So, if you are only pulling for 1 upgrade, S1 will be the smarter choice as it will improve the performance of Dr. Ratio for both the short and the extended fights.
E1 will still remain useful for easier CRIT balancing, but it is not important. The players with strong support, like Ruan Mei or Silver Wolf, can compensate for the missing stats, while the unique buffs of S1 cannot be replicated by the other Light Cone.
Unless you are aiming for either E2 or even higher, the signature Light Cone of Dr. Ratio is a better pull. It offers a bigger boost to damage and much more versatility in the team compositions. But if you are a F2P player, the free 4-star Light Cone options still work best. So, go for S1 only if you are committed to maximizing the potential of Dr. Ratio.
For most of the players, skipping E1 and saving for S1 is the optimal choice. However, if you love Dr. Ratio and wish for both, the E1+S1 combo will make him the absolute monster in combat.
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