In the ever-evolving cosmos of Honkai: Star Rail, certain adversaries stand as true tests of a Trailblazer's mettle. As of 2026, the Echo of War known as Borehole Planet's Old Crater, colloquially dubbed the Starcrusher Swarm King or the Propagation Clone, remains a formidable rite of passage. This colossal insectoid horror isn't just another bug to squash; it's a tactical puzzle that demands respect, preparation, and a solid understanding of its nasty bag of tricks. From entrapping characters in its web of Entanglement to hurling a devastating Ovum of Collapsed Star, this boss fight is a two-phase marathon that can leave unprepared teams feeling, well, swarmed.

Unlocking the Challenge

Before you can face this Propagation behemoth, you've got to earn the right. The gateway is the Crown of Mundane and Divine Trailblaze quest. But hey, don't think you can waltz in fresh off the express! You'll need to have first reached Trailblaze Level 24 and completed the main story mission on the frosty world of Jarilo-IV. Once those boxes are ticked, you can find this Echo of War waiting on the Seclusion Zone map of the Herta Space Station.

Know Your Enemy: Swarm King Mechanics

Alright, let's break down what you're up against. This fight is a classic two-act play, and each phase has its own special brand of chaos. First things first, know what hurts it and what doesn't:

• Weaknesses: 🥊 Physical, ❄️ Ice, and 🌀 Imaginary damage.

• Resistances: 💫 Quantum and its signature Entanglement effect.

Phase One: The Warm-Up (That's Still Pretty Hot)

The first phase introduces the boss's primary defensive gambit. Here’s the lowdown on its moves:

Move	Description	Counterplay
Swarm King Cannon	A single-target Quantum attack.	Standard procedure—tank it or heal through it.
Pyrolysis Death Beam	Deals Quantum damage to a target and adjacent allies.	Keep your team's HP topped up!
Carapace of Begotten Spawn	The Big One. Enters a damage-reducing shield state. Every hit it takes summons a Gnaw Sting (up to four). Breaking its Toughness in this state damages all existing Stings.	This is the key moment. Before it shields up, whittle down its Toughness as much as possible. Save Skill Points and Ultimates. When you trigger the Weakness Break, unleash everything you've got! Fewer hits mean fewer Stings, so make those hits count.

Phase Two: The Pressure Cooker

If Phase One was a test, Phase Two is the final exam with no mercy rule. The boss gets meaner, and the margin for error shrinks. You really need to know the mechanics here.

Move	Description	Counterplay
Ovum of Collapsed Star	Deals massive Quantum damage to your entire party. Ouch.	This move is a party-wiper. Absolutely ensure your healer's Ultimate is ready or they have SP to burst heal afterwards.
Swarm King Cannon	The single-target attack returns.	Less scary than the Ovum, but can finish off weakened characters. Maintain healthy HP pools.
Radiating Venom	Hits one target, may Entangle them, and summons a Gnaw Sting.	You MUST bring a character who can cleanse Entanglement, and fast. The new Sting will target the entangled ally, creating a deadly combo.
Carapace of Neutered Disaster	A stronger version of its Phase One shield. Summons Stings when hit. When it ends, it immediately uses Ovum of Collapsed Star. Weakness Break damages summoned Stings.	Priority #1: Break its Toughness fast to cancel the big AoE. If you can't break it in time, switch to damaging the adds and heal your team to survive the incoming Ovum.

Dealing with the Minions: Stings 101

The Swarm King doesn't fight fair; it brings friends. Knowing these adds is half the battle.

Gnaw Sting

Summoned during Carapace states in both phases.

• Weaknesses: 🥊 Physical, ❄️ Ice

• Resistance: 💫 Quantum

Its most annoying move, Horn Clash, deals damage and inflicts Entanglement, prioritizing already-entangled targets. This can completely lock down a character. A cleanser is non-negotiable. When defeated, they explode with Decay Eulogy, damaging and weakening nearby allies (including the boss)—sometimes a strategic sacrifice is worth it.

Lesser Sting

Exclusive to Phase Two's Carapace of Neutered Disaster.

• Weaknesses: 🥊 Physical, 🔥 Fire, 🌀 Imaginary

• Resistance: ❄️ Ice

These are living bombs. They use Prepare to Fight and then explode with Bursting Detonation, dealing Wind damage and potentially inflicting Outrage. Try to kill them before they detonate. Like Gnaw Stings, their death Entomon Eulogy weakens allies.

Building Your Dream Team (2026 Meta)

Your squad needs two core specialties: Cleansing Entanglement and inflicting Weakness Break. Here’s a breakdown of top-tier contenders for the job:

Character	Path & Type	Why They're Great Here
Dr. Ratio	🌀 Imaginary / Hunt	Weakness Break king, main DPS, inflicts Imprisonment.
Huohuo	🌪️ Wind / Abundance	Premier healer who can cleanse Entanglement from the whole team.
Lynx	💫 Quantum / Abundance	Reliable healer with single-target cleanse.
Ruan Mei	❄️ Ice / Harmony	Excellent support, boosts Break Efficiency, Ice damage.
Clara	🥊 Physical / Destruction	Can self-cleanse debuffs, counters attacks, great Physical DPS.
Misha	❄️ Ice / Destruction	Strong AoE Ice attacker, applies Freeze.
Sushang	🥊 Physical / Hunt	Excellent Physical DPS who excels against Broken foes.
Sparkle	💫 Quantum / Harmony	Powerful buffer, though the boss resists Quantum.

The Sweet Rewards

Why go through all this trouble? The loot, of course! Victory grants valuable resources that remain essential in 2026:

• Past Evils of the Borehole Planet Disaster: The key Trace material for several powerful characters.

• Relic Sets: Musketeer of Wild Wheat and Thief of Shooting Meteor.

• Lucent Afterglow, Light Cones, and Credits.

This Trace material is crucial for leveling the abilities of popular characters like:

• Black Swan

• Sparkle

• Ruan Mei

• Dr. Ratio

• Xueyi

• Misha

Facing the Starcrusher Swarm King is no walk in the park—it's a brutal, strategic showdown that punishes mistakes but richly rewards preparation and skill. Study its patterns, build your team wisely, and manage those pivotal Weakness Break windows. Good luck, Trailblazer. That crater isn't going to conquer itself.

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