Sunday Light Cones in Honkai: Star Rail, Ranked

The best Light Cones for Sunday in Honkai: Star Rail are his signature “A Grounded Ascent”, followed by “Past and Future” and “But the Battle Isn’t Over”. This guide ranks every viable option, explains what makes each one work, and gives you a clear pick based on your budget and team.

Who Is Sunday and What Does He Need?

Sunday is a 5-star Harmony character who specializes in summoning teams. His kit focuses on advancing a single ally’s action, regenerating their energy, and boosting their damage based on his own Crit Rate and Crit Damage. Because his buffs scale with his own stats, his Light Cone choice matters more than for most Harmony units.

His ideal Light Cone should provide one or more of these:

• Energy Regeneration – Sunday’s Ultimate requires 130 Energy, so getting it faster means more turns and more buffs.
• Crit Damage – His Skill and Ultimate transfer a portion of his Crit DMG to the target ally, so stacking it directly increases your DPS.
• Skill Point economy – Sunday is Skill Point hungry; a cone that refunds points or reduces costs helps sustain long fights.
• Action Advance synergy – Some cones buff the wearer after using their Skill, which pairs perfectly with his kit.

Top Tier: A Grounded Ascent (Signature)

Sunday’s signature Light Cone, A Grounded Ascent, is tailor-made for him. At Superimposition 1, it provides:

• +12% Energy Regeneration Rate
• When the wearer uses Skill on an ally, that ally’s next action’s DMG increases by 18% (stacking up to 2 times).
• When the wearer uses Ultimate, restores 1 Skill Point and increases the wearer’s Crit DMG by 30% for 2 turns.

This cone solves his Energy issues, gives back Skill Points, and adds a massive Crit DMG boost that directly feeds into his buff transfer. If you plan to main Sunday, this is his best-in-slot by a clear margin.

Strong 5-Star Alternatives

If you missed the signature banner, these 5-star Harmony cones are excellent substitutes:

• But the Battle Isn’t Over (Bronya’s signature): Provides Energy Regen, restores a Skill Point when the wearer uses Ultimate, and increases the next ally’s DMG by 30% after the wearer uses Skill. The DMG buff is slightly lower than Sunday’s signature, but the Skill Point refund is very valuable.
• Earthly Escapade (Sparkle’s signature): Gives Crit DMG to the wearer and a team-wide Crit DMG buff at the start of battle. It lacks Energy Regen, so you’ll need an Energy Rope or extra hits to keep Sunday’s Ultimate uptime.

Both are viable, but But the Battle Isn’t Over is generally the stronger pick because it covers Sunday’s Energy needs and provides a similar buff to his skill.

Best 4-Star Options

For F2P players, these 4-star cones are surprisingly competitive:

• Past and Future: After the wearer uses Skill, the next ally’s action deals 32% more DMG (at S5). This is a direct damage buff that works perfectly with Sunday’s single-target Skill. It has no Energy Regen, so you’ll need an Energy Regen Rope.
• Carve the Moon, Weave the Clouds: At S5, it grants a random buff each turn: ATK%, DMG%, or Energy Regen. The randomness is a downside, but the Energy Regen buff can be clutch.
• Memories of the Past: Provides Energy Regen and boosts the wearer’s Break Effect. The Break Effect is wasted on Sunday, but the Energy Regen is useful.

Among these, Past and Future is the clear winner for raw damage. It’s also available in the Forgotten Hall shop, so you can max it out for free.

3-Star and Niche Options

If you’re truly out of options, these can work in a pinch:

• Meshing Cogs: Grants Energy Regen and deals a small amount of damage when the wearer attacks. It’s a budget Energy cone that helps Sunday get his Ultimate faster, but the damage is negligible.
• Chorus: Increases the wearer’s ATK and gives a team ATK buff at the start of battle. ATK is useless for Sunday’s buffs, so this is a last resort.

Avoid any cone that focuses on ATK% or Break Effect, as Sunday’s kit does not scale with those stats.

How to Choose: A Practical Guide

Your choice depends on your team composition and how much you’re willing to invest:

• If you have the signature – Use it. It’s the best in every scenario.
• If you have Bronya’s cone – Use it over any 4-star. The Skill Point refund is too valuable.
• If you’re F2P – Max out Past and Future and pair it with an Energy Regen Rope. You’ll lose a bit of damage compared to 5-stars, but the rotation stays smooth.
• If your team has energy issues – Prioritize Energy Regen over Crit DMG. A slower Ultimate means less uptime on his buffs, which hurts more than a few percent of Crit DMG.

Common Misconceptions

One frequent mistake is assuming that Dance! Dance! Dance! is good on Sunday. While it provides Action Advance, it advances the whole team, not a single ally, and it doesn’t give any Crit DMG or Energy. Sunday’s kit is designed for single-target support, so team-wide advance is less effective.

Another misconception is that Sunday needs a Crit Rate body piece. His buffs scale with Crit DMG, but his own Crit Rate is only used for his trace that converts a percentage of Crit Rate to Crit DMG. You should still build Crit DMG on his relics, but a Crit Rate chest piece can help you reach the threshold for that trace. Check your total Crit Rate and Crit DMG to balance them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Sunday’s signature Light Cone worth pulling?

Yes, if you plan to use Sunday as a main support for a summon team. The combination of Energy Regen, Skill Point refund, and Crit DMG buff is unmatched. If you’re on a tight budget, Past and Future at S5 is a solid free alternative.

Can Sunday use Bronya’s Light Cone?

Yes, But the Battle Isn’t Over is his second-best option. It provides Energy Regen and a Skill Point refund, which are both crucial. The DMG buff is slightly lower than his signature, but it’s still excellent.

Does Sunday need an Energy Regen Rope?

Unless you have his signature or Bronya’s cone, yes. Without an Energy Regen Rope, Sunday’s Ultimate will be delayed, reducing his buff uptime. With the signature, you can use a Crit DMG rope if you have enough Energy from other sources.

Is the free Light Cone from the Battle Pass good for Sunday?

The Battle Pass cone Carve the Moon, Weave the Clouds is okay, but not ideal. The random buff can give Energy Regen, but the inconsistency makes it less reliable than Past and Future.

What stats should I prioritize on Sunday’s relics?

Focus on Crit DMG (body and rope) and Speed (boots). Aim for 134+ Speed to get more turns, and stack Crit DMG as high as possible. Energy Regen is a secondary priority unless you’re not using a 5-star cone.

Can Sunday work without a summon team?

Yes, but he’s less effective. His kit is designed to support a single ally with high Crit DMG, so he works with any hypercarry. However, his extra summon-related buffs will be wasted.

Related

• Space-Made Medicines: Can They Become Affordable?
• How Long Do TV Warranties Last?
• Can a Rollerball Pen Draw Electronic Circuits?