Honkai: Star Rail has built a reputation for dropping fresh content every six weeks, which means Trailblazers are perpetually chasing the next shiny upgrade. Sometimes a patch brings a gripping story quest, and other times it feels like a glorified event filler. Version 1.6 fell firmly into the exciting camp, introducing Ruan Mei alongside a brand-new weekly boss. As an elegant Ice support who can supercharge break teams, Ruan Mei quickly became a darling of the meta. But before she can grace the battlefield with her effortless poise, players need to gather a mountain of materials. The good news? Most of her Ascension and Trace items are readily available, even if some weekly boss drops sit behind a quest wall.

To keep things simple, here is the complete shopping list for Ruan Mei materials in Honkai: Star Rail:

• Enemy drop: Immortal Scionette / Immortal Aeroblossom / Immortal Lumintwig

• Boss drop: Gelid Chitin

• Trace materials: Harmonic Tune / Ancestral Hymn / Stellaris Symphony

• Weekly boss drop: Past Evils of the Borehole Planet Disaster

🧊 Enemy Drop: Immortal Scionette Family

Nobody loves farming enemy drops, but at least Ruan Mei keeps it predictable. Her Ascension and Trace needs are tied to the Immortal Scionette line, which comes from those ghostly, immortal-adjacent foes scattered around the Xianzhou Luofu. Players will need a steady supply of Immortal Scionette, Immortal Aeroblossom, and Immortal Lumintwig. Lower-tier materials can be upgraded via the Synthesis menu, so hoarding the basic drops is never a bad idea. If the auto-battle grind starts feeling tedious, just remember that Ruan Mei\u2019s serene face is waiting at the end of it.

❄️ Boss Drop: Gelid Chitin

Here is a pleasant surprise for veteran players: Gelid Chitin is not a new item. It has been available since Honkai: Star Rail launched in version 1.0. That means long-time Trailblazers may already have a fat stack of this icy boss drop sitting in their inventory. Newer players, on the other hand, will need to track down the appropriate boss and spend some Trailblaze Power. The fact that Ruan Mei uses an older boss material is genuinely refreshing\u2014no new boss to unlock, no fresh pressure to speed-run the story. Just good old-fashioned farming with a familiar face.

🎵 Trace Materials: Harmonic Tune Series

When it comes to leveling Ruan Mei\u2019s abilities, the required Trace materials follow a musical theme: Harmonic Tune, Ancestral Hymn, and Stellaris Symphony. These are the standard Harmony-path Trace items, so anyone who has built another Harmony character will recognize the grind. Players should prioritize their farming based on the Calyx schedule to avoid wasting stamina. It is also worth noting that Ruan Mei\u2019s Basic Attack is not a high priority. As a support, her normal attacks hit about as hard as a polite tap on the shoulder, so most players can leave that level low and focus their Harmonic Tune stash on the abilities that actually matter.

🌌 Weekly Boss Drop: Past Evils of the Borehole Planet Disaster

The least accessible item on Ruan Mei\u2019s list is the weekly boss drop, Past Evils of the Borehole Planet Disaster. This material comes from a new weekly boss introduced in version 1.6, which means players must progress through the related Trailblaze mission before they can claim it. Weekly boss drops are limited to a few clears per week, so patience is the real endgame here. Players who start farming early will have enough copies to max out Ruan Mei\u2019s major Traces without waiting an eternity. Those who procrastinate, however, will learn a painful lesson about weekly reset timers.

📜 Skill Priorities and Tree Trace Tips

Ruan Mei\u2019s kit revolves around buffing allies, boosting Break Effect, and making enemies regret their elemental weaknesses. Her Skill, Talent, and Ultimate all contribute to that supportive role, so they should all be leveled as high as possible. Ignoring one ability means leaving free damage and utility on the table, which is basically a crime in team-building circles. Her Tree Trace, meanwhile, grants bonus DEF, Break Effect, and SPD\u2014three stats that any self-respecting support would happily accept. Her A2 and A6 passives also add meaningful buffing power, making those extra nodes well worth the materials.

The bottom line? Ruan Mei is an elegantly efficient support who deserves a fully stocked build. Gather those Immortal drops, chip away at the old Gelid Chitin boss, and plan weekly boss clears ahead of time. With a little patience and a lot of auto-battle, any Trailblazer can turn this refined researcher into a top-tier team asset before the next content update arrives.