The Honkai: Star Rail weekly boss known as the Bug Lord Starbreaker, or Skarakabaz, appears in the Crown of Mortal and Divine Mastery mission. It is an artificially bred clone of the Propagation Emanator, created by Ruan Mei and left at Hertha Station. This guide explains how to reach Skarakabaz and defeat the boss efficiently within the game’s Mastery content.
Honkai: Star Rail Guides
How to unlock the Bug Lord
The Star Destroyer can be challenged for the first time after completing the quest Sparkle, burn my brilliant star. In the isolated zone, the Pathfinder witnesses Ruan Mei’s predicament. Defeating the enemy unlocks the dungeon Echoes of War: Old Wormhole Crater, where players can again face Skarakabaz and earn materials for character enhancement, alongside other rewards.
Skarakabaz’s attacks
The battle against the Star Destroyer unfolds in two phases. Throughout the fight, Skarakabaz delivers powerful strikes and relentlessly summons Stingbugs that steadily drain the team’s HP. The following sections break down each attack type, noting weaknesses and how to counter them.
Vulnerabilities and resistances of the boss
Like other foes in the game, Skarakabaz has specific weak points. Its shield can be penetrated by physical, imaginary, and ice damage. The Bug Lord shows resistance to one path type: Quantum.
First phase attacks
During the initial half of the fight, Skarakabaz employs four attack patterns:
- Bug Lord Cannon – Quantum damage targeted at a single hero.
- Radiation poison – Quantum damage to one hero with a high chance to apply Bound and the summon of one Corrosive Stingbug.
- Pyrolysis Death Ray – Quantum damage to one hero and to nearby allies.
- The shell of Bread brought forth – Enters a Reproduction state that lasts until the next turn. In this state, damage to Skarakabaz is greatly reduced, and every attack summons a Corrosive Stingbug. Breaking the vulnerability during Reproduction damages all party members equal to the attacked enemy’s maximum durability.
Second phase attacks
- Bug Lord Cannon – Quantum damage to a single target.
- Radiation poison – Quantum damage to one target with a strong chance to apply Bound and an additional Stingbug summon.
- Egg from a broken star – Massive quantum damage to all heroes.
- Shell of a born catastrophe – Recharges and re-enters Reproduction state, followed by using Egg of a Broken Star on all fighters. In this phase, damage to the boss is reduced, and it may summon Corrosive Stingbug or Young Stingbug after attacks. Breaking the vulnerability in this state also deals durability damage to all opponents equal to the maximum durability of Skarakabaz.
How to defeat the Bug Lord
The new weekly boss can feel challenging, especially during early playthroughs. Success comes from careful tactics and a roster that balances high damage with solid survivability.
Best battle tactics
- Focus on breaking Skarakabaz’s vulnerability during normal attacks. Fighters with physical, imaginary, or ice paths are well suited to this, but it is wise to reserve some skill points for healing and shielding actions.
- When Stingbugs appear, target them first. The goal is to reduce all enemies’ HP evenly rather than finishing a single bug. Defeating the unit triggers a chain reaction that weakens Skarakabaz significantly.
- Constantly monitor control effects. Skarakabaz can apply crowd control, so bring characters who can cleanse or neutralize these effects and keep the team active.
- Because some moves deal heavy AOE damage, prioritize survivability. Healers and shielders can keep the squad intact as the boss cycles through powerful attacks.
Featured characters
Strategic team composition matters for defeating Skarakabaz quickly and with minimal losses. Some heroes excel at enabling bursts, sustaining the party, or neutralizing the boss’s defenses.
Moon Eater excels at targeting both a single foe and nearby targets, though its skill usage consumes many points. Allies such as Hanyu, Yukun, and Locha complement Moon Eater well.
Jing Liu, a Destruction Path heroine, can unleash massive damage on Skarakabaz and its minions. She requires a healer who can prevent collateral damage to teammates, with possible pairing options including Cheetah, Ruan Mei, and Abundance Path members like Natasha, Lynx, Hoho, and Locha.
Ruan Mei is a flexible option with strong breach capabilities and a ban on Skarakabaz’s defensive restoration when her ultimate is active. She fits best when paired with other damage dealers such as Pelu, Cheetah, or Jing Liu.
Argentina, the Knight of Beauty, can hit both Skarakabaz and Stingbugs, providing energy restoration as new monsters appear. She synergizes with Hoho and Tingyun and benefits from Armor enhancing stamina for mobility.
Clara uses Svarog-inspired protection and counterattacks to erase Stingbugs quickly. While counterattacks aren’t always enough on their own, pairing Clara with Lynx or March 7 provides a strong defense and consistent damage.
Welt slows enemies and spreads damage across multiple targets, helping to break a boss vulnerability while thinning smaller threats. He works well with a party including Natasha, Luka, or other front-line options, with a drive towards balanced damage distribution.
Lucas can strip vulnerability and focus damage on Skarakabaz with precise attacks, making him a budget-friendly damage dealer. Good partners include Susan, Natasha, Hanya, and Fu Xuan.
March 7 increases squad survivability by applying shields and removes debuffs from teammates targeted by the Bug Lord. Builders can reserve some skill points for March 7 and pair her with Yukun, Gerta, or Hanyu for added resilience.
Lynx primarily serves as a healer and cleanser, removing weaknesses and debuffs that could hinder the squad. Her presence improves overall team durability, especially when paired with Clara, March 7, Susan, Pelu, or Yanqing.
Natasha stands out as a top healer for this encounter. Her kit not only restores health but also removes debuffs, and her basic attacks can pierce through small vulnerability windows. Best synergy exists with units like Welt, Doctor Ratio, and Luka.
Chania is valued for restoring skill points, breaking boss vulnerability, and boosting attack power and speed for allies. This helps key damage dealers keep up momentum, especially against Stingbugs. Allies such as Welt, Moon Eater, Locha, or Luka pair nicely with Chania.
Rewards for beating the boss
- Previous wormhole disasters serve to improve character talents, with Ruan Mei playing a more prominent role.
- Light cones drop at random. Available options include Equal Exchange, Fermata, We are Wildfire, Spring flows of rivers, Past and Future, Woof! Walking time!, and The Importance of Breakfast.
- Remains from the sets Wild Wheat Shooter and The Thief of the Falling Meteor can be earned.