Luocha is a character added during the version 1.1 update of Honkai: Star Rail. As a Path of Abundance character, he keeps the team alive and well to fight. Here are ways to make him an effective healer and what kind of equipment to give him.
To learn that, we must first look at his abilities.
Ability and Trace Overview
Prayer of Abyss Flower, his Skill, heals the targeted ally by a percentage based on his ATK. Unlocking a major node allows the Skill to clear one debuff from the healed character. It also has a passive effect of automatically triggering when an ally's health drops to 50% or lower after a hit. This will not use a Skill Point and only activates every two turns.
Death Wish, his Ultimate, clears 1 buff(s) from all enemies and deals Imaginary DMG for a percentage of his ATK.
Cycle of Life, his Talent, triggers when he gains two Abyss Flowers. He then consumes it to create a field where damaging the enemy heals the attacking character. The amount recovered is based on a percentage of his ATK as well. The effects last for 2 turns. Luocha gains one Abyss Flower when using his Skill or Ultimate.
Mercy of a Fool, his Technique, activates a field upon entering battle without having to gather Flowers.
As an Imaginary character, when he inflicts Weakness Break on an enemy, the latter gets Imprisoned, delaying their turn.
Strategy and Use
Luocha provides startlingly high HP recovery. The stat he uses as a basis is ATK, which means he can be an excellent attacker. The only thing you have to watch out for is avoiding using his Skill when the field is active. Any attack will recover HP, so take the chance to regenerate some Skill Points for later use.
Those are his two primary roles, and the equipment you give him will change the one he'll focus on.
Luocha Builds
Relics
As mentioned above, the recommended equipment changes depending on which role you want him to play.
For a healer, the best you can give him is the Passerby of Wandering Cloud. Not only will it increase Outgoing Healing, but it also lets you have 4 SP at the beginning of the battle. That's added utility for an otherwise superb healer. You can also use half Passerby and half Musketeer of Wild Wheat for that ATK bonus, though you'll lose the extra SP.
As a DPS, you'll want to give him the Wastelander of Banditry Desert set. Another requirement would be an excellent debuffer to accompany him, so he can use the 4-set effects.
With Planar Ornaments, you have a variety to choose from. Fleet of the Ageless is a classic supportive set, while Space Sealing Station provides an extra ATK boost. You can also use Talia: Kingdom of Banditry if you want him as a Toughness breaker instead.
Main Stats: Outgoing Healing/ATK%, SPD, ATK%/Imaginary DMG Bonus, Energy Regen/ATK%
Substats: SPD, ATK, Effect RES
Light Cones
Of course, the best one he can use is his signature one, Echoes of the Coffin. Still, if you don't have Stellar Jades to spare, here are others he can use:
- Time Waits for No One
- Post-Op Conversation
- Shared Feeling
- Quid Pro Quo
- Perfect Timing
- Cornucopia
- Fine Fruit
Character Backstory
(Spoiler alert for Luocha's Companion Mission, 'A Knight Stranger')
His character stories are vague. They're snippets of conversations from his entrance to the Xianzhou Luofu, citizens somewhat gossiping about him, and a curious mention of a promise. There's also a tiny glimpse at the world he came from and a hint at the origins of the coffin he carries around.
During the interview, he paused suspiciously when the interviewer wanted him to promise not to research immortality. It could be a deflection, as he could be searching for a way to revive whoever is in the coffin and not looking for everlasting life, per se. He says, "Eternal sleep is not the end," and "The dead will return," when he uses his Ultimate. This would make him more similar to Otto, though it's only conjecture for now.
In the third story, he calls the coffin' his tool of the trade.' If his job title is 'traveling merchant' and his coffin is a 'tool,' what is he selling?
Luocha's second story reveals a morsel of information about his home world. It seems to be religious, as he talked of devils and churches. However, some kind of disaster occurred, likely making the people insane, as he also mentioned it. His clothing (what he wore in his home world) is something he wears to remind himself of the path he's taken.
There's also some additional info in the fourth story, which reveals that Luocha is guilty about something. Moreover, there's a conversation with someone who gave him a coffin, urging him to keep a promise. He affirms it but adds a personal vow to himself.
At this point, he's vague and mysterious. In his companion quest, Welt was worried because he looked like Otto Apocalypse from his home world. There, the latter was a single-minded man who wanted to succeed at his goal of reviving his lover at any cost. That led him down a dark path despite the personable facade he puts on.
Welt explains that his suspicions could be wrong due to different circumstances in parallel worlds. However, the extremes that the 'Luocha' he knew went to should be avoided, and so he was willing to investigate this one to make sure.
Fortunately, the Realm-Keeping Commission asked them for help, providing a way to do so. The commission was short-staffed due to the chaos caused by the Stellaron previously smuggled into the ship. Therefore, they asked three idle but able hands to help them sort out who could have brought the calamity-causing item to the Luofu.
March is all smiles, wanting to try being a detective from her favorite book series. The trio examines footage, talks to witnesses, and concludes that everything was misunderstood.
He's pleasant and easygoing as he accompanies Dan Heng and Sushang through Cloudford, despite lugging around an unwieldy coffin. Still, Otto Apocalypse was the same way. He's all smiles until you betray him and get killed over it.
While Luocha hasn't exhibited that behavior yet, it could lurk under the smiles and friendliness.
Fun Facts About Luocha
It has been mentioned that he looks like Otto Apocalypse. This has the consequence of making him look like the Void Archives, the latter of whom accompanied Welt to HSR's universe. More than that, they share the same Chinese and Japanese VAs.
For now, he is his own character, separate from the Void Archives and Otto. While the ending of his Companion Mission makes him seem more agreeable than his look-alike, we still don't know his objective. Why did he come to the Luofu just in time for the Stellaron crisis? What or who is in the coffin? There are still many questions about him, still awaiting answers.
Luocha is the Chinese pronunciation of the Rakshasas, evil spirits in Hindu mythology. They disrupted rituals or ate humans with their powers, sowing chaos. 'Raksha' is also one alias of Otto Apocalypse used in HI3. What this means for the character is still unclear.
The individual symbols in his name mean net or gauze (luo) and temple, shrine, or monastery (cha).
Have Fun With Luocha!
He's currently the best healer in the game (barring Bailu, who has limited 'revives'). He's also the only one who uses ATK as a basis for healing and one of (currently) three Imaginary element characters available. There's no reason for you not to pull other than saving for another character. Still, you won't regret having him as an alternate healer.
Enjoy Honkai: Star Rail!
