HSR Version 3.7 Apocalyptic Shadow: Full Guide

Hey, Trailblazers! Every time a new “Apocalyptic Shadow” stage drops in Honkai Star Rail, I can't wait to dive. In this guide, featuring the familiar face and introducing a new boss, LDshop will combine environmental buffs and enemy mechanics to share dozens of recommended team compositions. The goal is to help as many Trailblazers as possible achieve full-star rewards this cycle~

I've taken a deep dive into the mechanics, Toughness break timings, buff synergies, and team builds, and put everything together in this complete guide! 

HSR 3.7 Apocalyptic Shadow Buffs

Ruinous Ember: Instigation of the Locusts

When enemy targets with "Steadfast Safeguard" are Weakness Broken, dispels control states for all allies, and allies immediately take action and restore HP. All enemy targets take 15% more Memosprite Skill DMG, and 25% more Ultimate DMG.

Finality’s Axiom

Node 1

• Brand of Anamnesis: At the start of battle, when there are 2/3/4 Remembrance characters in the team, increases the DMG enemy targets received by 5% / 10% / 20% respectively. This effect also applies to all new enemies that enter combat.
• Hardened by Frost: Increases Ice DMG dealt by all ally targets by 50% and increases SPD by 10%.
• Heroic Vanguard: After the character in position 1 in the team uses Ultimate, increases their Weakness Break Efficiency by 50% and increases CRIT DMG by 50%, lasting for 1 turn(s).

Node 2

• Dire Straits: When ally targets deal DMG to enemy targets afflicted with 3 DoT states or more, increases Weakness Break Efficiency by 50%.
• Stunning Remark: Increases the Weakness Break DMG received by all enemies by 15%, and additionally increases Super Break DMG received by 20%.
• Sweeping Force: Increases CRIT DMG of all allies' Basic ATK and Ultimate DMG dealt by 30%, with an additional increase of 30% against enemy targets that are Weakness Broken.

In comprehensive consideration, the advantaged main DPS for this cycle are:

Node 1:

Evernight	Phainon		The Herta
Mydei		Castorice

 

Node 2:

Aglaea

Anaxa

Blade

Firefly

 

Node 1: Sky-Shrouding Stardevourer Swarm

Sky-Shrouding Stardevourer Swarm
Weaknesses: Quantum, Imaginary, Physical, Ice.	Resistances: Wind, Lightning, Fire.
Boss Trait
Insect Egg Fission: At the end of Boss Mirage's turn, Boss Mirage will gain a certain number of Insect Eggs. Boss Mirage can consume Insect Egg to enhance its Swarm summons and grant them 1 stack of "Growth Hormone."	Growth Hormones - Every stack of "Growth Hormones" increases ATK by a certain amount, stacking up to 3 times. When 3 stacks are reached, Swarm summons will unlock Bonus Abilities.
Hormone Secretion: Every time Boss Mirage summons a certain number of Swarm summons, the next summon it summons will come automatically with 1 stack of "Growth Hormone."	Egg Burst: At the end of Boss Mirage's turn, the number of Insect Eggs gained through "Nesting Incubation" increases.

Tips:

The Sky-Shrouding Stardevourer centers on a “hatch-and-swarm” cycle that quickly snowballs if you don’t clear fast. At the end of each turn, the boss gathers Insect Eggs, then uses them to spawn Swarm Summons (Gnaw Stings in Phase 1, Lesser Stings in Phase 2). Each consumes the eggs to gain Growth Hormone stacks, boosting damage and speed. If too many survive, the field becomes unmanageable—so focus on summon control: clear them quickly with AoE or multi-target attacks and time your breaks to stop their growth.

Ruinous Embers is your main opening. When the boss’s Steadfast Safeguard is broken, allies dispel control, act instantly, and recover HP. Time your Ultimates and burst skills right before that break for a full free-action round.

For Finality’s Axiom, your choice should match your team identity. DoT and Remembrance-path teams thrive on Brand of Anamnesis for steady, scaling pressure across waves; Ice-based squads prefer Hardened by Frost to speed up rotations; and single-target burst carries benefit most from Heroic Vanguard, which spikes Break efficiency and critical impact after their Ultimate.

Bring at least one AoE DPS, a cleanser or controller, and a support who can exploit the Safeguard window to keep the loop stable and the boss constantly on the back foot.

 

Recommended Teams

Brand of Anamnesis Teams

Evernight	Trailblazer (Remembrance)	Cyrene	Hyacine
Castorice	Tribbie

This team uses the Brand of Anamnesis buff to control and wear down the Stardevourer. Remembrance units like Trailblazer and Evernight keep the boss and its summons frozen, stopping Growth Hormone stacks. Cyrene and Hyacine sustain energy and healing, while Castorice and Tribbie add defense and support, turning the fight into a stable freeze-lock battle.

 

Heroic Vanguard Team

Phainon

Cerydra

Cyrene

Trailblazer (Remembrance)

This Heroic Vanguard lineup focuses on front-loaded burst and momentum chaining. Phainon serves as the main DPS, taking the first slot to trigger the Axiom effect after using his Ultimate, greatly boosting Break efficiency and CRIT damage for explosive turns. Cerydra supports with Ice Weakness breaks and follow-up pressure, while Cyrene keeps energy flowing and sustains the team. Trailblazer (Remembrance) adds crowd control and Toughness management, ensuring Phainon can repeatedly burst through Safeguard phases for smooth, high-tempo clears.

 

Hardened by Frost Team

The Herta

Herta

Tribbie

Hyacine

This Hardened by Frost team centers on stacking Ice DMG and speed for rapid Toughness breaks. The Herta and Herta form a double-AoE core that punishes swarms, perfectly syncing with the buff’s Ice and SPD boost. Tribbie accelerates rotations and provides extra damage support, while Hyacine keeps the team sustained. Together they maintain nonstop freezing pressure and clear Node 1’s summons efficiently.

 

Node 2: Opportunistic Provocateur

Opportunistic Provocateur
Weaknesses: Wind, Lightning, Imaginary, Fire.	Resistances: Quantum, Physical, Ice.
Boss Trait
Flower By Another name: When a new Lotus is summoned, Boss Mirage will enter the Toughness Protection state. Defeating any summon will dispel the Boss Mirage's Toughness Protection and deal additional Toughness Reduction to the Boss Mirage.	Toughness Protection: Toughness cannot be reduced.
Withered Tree's Revival: In Phase I, when Boss Mirage changes form, the summons will restore 25% HP.	Hollowflower Blaze: In Phase II, the summons' Max HP increases by 20%.

Tips:

The Opportunistic Provocateur fight hinges on which Lotus you burst first. Phantylia periodically summons Abundance (yellow) and Destruction (purple) Lotuses; defeating one dispels her Toughness Protection and applies extra Toughness Reduction, opening a clean break window. Crucially, the Lotus you prioritize determines the buff you’ll stack for the rest of the fight: Abundance → All-Type DMG boost (best for direct-damage teams), Destruction → Break Effect boost (ideal for Break comps). Secure the right buff early, then freely clear subsequent Lotuses to keep weakness unlocked and push breaks on rhythm.

In Node 2, the three Finality’s Axioms shape how you approach Phantylia’s mechanics. Dire Straits empowers DoT teams—when enemies suffer three or more DoTs, your Break Efficiency surges, letting lineups chain breaks effortlessly. Stunning Remark suits Break specialists, amplifying both Break and Super Break damage for explosive shield-shatter turns. Sweeping Force boosts crit-based carries, increasing their Basic ATK and Ultimate CRIT DMG—especially lethal against already broken foes. Pick the Axiom that matches your team’s damage rhythm: steady DoT pressure, sharp Break bursts, or pure critical offense.

 

Recommended Teams

Dire Straits Team

Anaxa

Cerydra

Cyrene

Dan Heng • Permansor Terrae

In Node 2, this Anaxa team focuses on precise breaks supported by coordinated sustain and control. Anaxa leads as the main breaker, consistently shattering Phantylia’s Toughness to open clean damage windows. Cerydra reinforces break pressure with Ice coverage and crowd control, keeping the Lotus summons from acting. Dan Heng • Permansor Terrae provides durable shields and Bondmate buffs, stabilizing the team so breakers can act freely. Cyrene maintains healing and energy flow to keep the rotation uninterrupted. Together they maintain tight break-and-burst pacing, holding Phantylia under constant pressure before new Lotuses emerge.

 

Stunning Remark Team

Firefly	Fugue	Ruan Mei	Lingsha
Rappa			Trailblazer (Harmony)

This Stunning Remark team fully commits to break-burst gameplay. Firefly and Rappa alternate heavy hits to shred Phantylia’s Toughness, triggering the Axiom’s amplified Break and Super Break DMG. Fugue stabilizes the rotation with follow-ups and AoE breaks, while Ruan Mei boosts Break Efficiency so every strike lands harder. Lingsha provides sustain and debuff control, and Trailblazer (Harmony) accelerates actions to chain back-to-back break phases. Once the first shield shatters, the whole lineup snowballs—maintaining constant break pressure until the boss collapses.

 

Sweeping Force Team

Aglaea	Cipher	Cyrene	Dan Heng • Permansor Terrae
	Trailblazer (Remembrance)

This Sweeping Force team thrives on constant crit pressure and synchronized burst timing. Aglaea leads as the main DPS, chaining empowered Basic and Ultimate attacks that fully exploit the Axiom’s CRIT DMG boost—especially against broken targets. Cipher supports her damage loop with speed and crit buffs, ensuring seamless turns and stable uptime.

Cyrene sustains the team with healing and energy flow, while Trailblazer (Remembrance) freezes or delays Lotuses to keep Phantylia exposed. Dan Heng • Permansor Terrae provides shields and stability, protecting the front line so Aglaea and Cipher can attack without interruption. The result is a clean, high-tempo offense that turns every Weakness Break into a decisive finisher.

 

Conclusion

The 3.7 Apocalyptic Shadow: Instigation of the Locusts cycle rewards precise break timing, fast rotations, and smart Axiom choices. Node 1 emphasizes controlling the Stardevourer’s hatch-and-swarm rhythm through AoE freeze and burst breaks, while Node 2 tests your adaptability with Phantylia’s Lotus mechanic and varying buff paths—Break, DoT, or Crit. Teams built around synergy and control outperform brute force, turning every Safeguard or Lotus phase into an opportunity for decisive momentum.

To stay ready for each rotation and keep your lineup powered, top up your Oneiric Shards safely at LDShop—where you get the fastest delivery and guaranteed security. Prepare your Trailblazer now and enter the next Apocalyptic Shadow fully charged!