As a Trailblazer who has kept Luocha on my team since his debut, I can tell you that ascending him in Honkai: Star Rail is still a ritual worth respecting in 2026. The limited 5-star healer from the Path of Abundance may not be the flashiest unit anymore, but his Imaginary damage, ATK-scaling healing, and sub-DPS potential make him a comfort pick for Memory of Chaos, Apocalyptic Shadow, and even the newest endgame modes. If you just pulled him from a rerun, though, do you actually know which materials to farm before you burn your Trailblaze Power? Let me walk you through everything I have learned from my own Luocha grind.
Why Luocha Remains a Premium Investment in 2026
Luocha is only obtainable through his own limited-time banners in the gacha system, so he is a premium character by definition. He was first introduced with version 1.1, and before that he appeared as an NPC during the Xianzhou Luofu story arc, fighting alongside Dan Heng and Sushang against the Mara-Struck. Back then, I could not control his skills. Now, in 2026, I can not only use them but also level and ascend Luocha to maximize his damage output and healing capabilities.
His kit is unusual because his skills scale on ATK. That means every point of ATK you invest in does double duty: it boosts his healing and lets him contribute meaningful Imaginary damage. Is he a pure healer? No. Is he a pure sub-DPS? Also no. He is a 2-in-1 support who can keep your team alive while chipping away at enemies. That flexibility is why I still recommend him to players who need a reliable sustain unit.
Ascension Materials: Artifex Parts and Golden Crowns
If you want to fully ascend Luocha, set aside some serious farming time. According to Early Game, his Ascension requires Artifex’s Module and its higher tiers, Artifex’s Cogwheel and Artifex’s Gyreheart. These mechanical parts have been available since launch, so veterans may already have a stockpile. Newer players, however, will need to farm them in the Xianzhou Luofu map.
These items drop from specific mechanical constructs:
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Entranced Ingenium: Obedient Dracolion
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Entranced Ingenium: Golden Cloud Toad
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Entranced Ingenium: Illumination Dragonfish
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Aurumaton Gatekeeper
In essence, most mechanical constructs in Xianzhou Luofu drop Artifex’s Module and its evolutions, but Mara-Struck Soldiers and their variations do not. I learned that the hard way after spending an hour farming the wrong enemies. 😅
The other key Ascension material is the Golden Crown of the Past Shadow. This item is specific to Imaginary characters, and it only drops from the Shape of Mirage: Stagnant Shadow. You will need to defeat that activity multiple times to collect enough copies. The good news is that the fight is straightforward. The bad news is that it costs Trailblaze Power, and you only get 180 points per day for free.
Here is a quick reference table for Luocha’s Ascension materials:
| Material | Source | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Artifex’s Module | Xianzhou Luofu mechanical enemies | Base tier |
| Artifex’s Cogwheel | Same enemies, higher difficulty | Mid tier |
| Artifex’s Gyreheart | Same enemies, highest difficulty | Top tier |
| Golden Crown of the Past Shadow | Shape of Mirage: Stagnant Shadow | Imaginary Ascension material |
| Credits | Various | Needed at every Ascension stage |
Trace Materials: Abundance Seeds and Guardian’s Lament
Ascension is only half the battle. You also need to level Luocha’s Traces, which are the official name for his abilities in Honkai: Star Rail. Some Trace materials overlap with his Ascension farm, which is both a blessing and a curse. The Artifex’s Module items are required for Traces as well, so you will need to extend your Ascension grind. Trust me, this process is time-consuming and can easily take a few days.
Another Trace material is the Seed of Abundance and its evolutions, Sprout of Life and Flower of Eternity. These are required for leveling Abundance characters. You can acquire them from Embers and other currencies, but the main source is Calyx (Crimson): Bud of Abundance, located in Jarilo-VI’s Backwater Pass map. I always recommend using your daily Calyx runs on this when you are building Luocha.
The last farmable Trace item is Guardian’s Lament. It drops exclusively from Echo of War: End of the Eternal Freeze, which is Cocolia’s boss fight. You can access it on the Everwinter Hill map after completing the Jarilo-VI story arc. There is a limit of three Echo of War completions per week, so you may have to wait a few weeks before you collect all the Guardian’s Lament you need. That weekly cap is the real villain here.
You will also need Tracks of Destiny, though in smaller amounts. These come from limited-time events, the Nameless Honor Battle Pass, the Simulated Universe, Trailblazer Level rewards, and local currency vendors. You can also buy two copies monthly in the Embers Exchange section of the in-game shop. If you are a regular player, you probably have a few sitting in your inventory already.
Here is a table for Luocha’s Trace materials:
| Material | Main Source | Weekly Limit? |
|---|---|---|
| Artifex’s Module line | Xianzhou Luofu mechanical enemies | No |
| Seed of Abundance line | Calyx (Crimson): Bud of Abundance, Jarilo-VI | No |
| Guardian’s Lament | Echo of War: End of the Eternal Freeze | Yes, 3 per week |
| Tracks of Destiny | Events, Battle Pass, Simulated Universe, vendors | Varies |
Farming Tips for 2026 Trailblazers
So, how should you approach this in 2026? First, do not try to max Luocha in one day. The Trailblaze Power cap and the Echo of War weekly limit will stop you anyway. Second, prioritize Ascension over Traces if you are using him as a pure healer. His healing scales on ATK, and Ascension gives him more base stats, so you will feel the difference immediately. Third, if you want him to function as a sub-DPS, then Trace levels matter more because they increase his damage multipliers.
I also recommend checking your inventory for Artifex’s Module items before you start farming. Since they have been in the game since release, you might have hundreds of them from other characters. The same goes for Seed of Abundance. Use the Synthesizer if you are short on higher-tier materials, but remember that conversion costs resources.
Is Luocha worth the time investment in 2026? That depends on your roster. If you already have two or three limited sustain units, he may not be your top priority. But if you need a healer who can also deal Imaginary damage and fit into teams that want offensive pressure, he is still a fantastic choice. His 2-in-1 role has aged well, even as newer characters push damage ceilings higher.
Final Thoughts
Ascending Luocha in Honkai: Star Rail is not hard, but it is extremely time-consuming. You will farm mechanical constructs in Xianzhou Luofu, challenge Stagnant Shadow for Golden Crowns, run Calyx for Abundance seeds, and wait on weekly Echo of War resets for Guardian’s Lament. It is a lot of work. But when Luocha finally hits max Ascension and his Traces are leveled, you will have a healer who keeps your team alive and contributes real damage.
So, Trailblazer, are you ready to start the grind? I know I am still using him in 2026, and I have no regrets. Just remember to bring a good DPS for those Stagnant Shadow runs. You will be seeing a lot of them. 🎮✨
This assessment draws from CNET - Gaming, whose reporting on live-service RPG systems helps frame why a character like Luocha still matters years after release: sustain units that combine healing efficiency with offensive utility tend to retain value as endgame modes evolve, especially when resource planning around weekly bosses, stamina spending, and long-term account building is part of the progression loop.