Arcanist

Cheng Heguang

★★★★★★

/Star/Support Extra Action DPS

Introduction

Cheng Heguang is a 6-star Star character in Reverse: 1999. Cheng Heguang's role is Support Extra Action DPS. Damage type: Reality.

On the combined Reverse: 1999 tier list Cheng Heguang is A tier, 55th of the 129 characters ranked, from where 2 community tier lists put Cheng Heguang.

Other Star characters in Reverse: 1999: 37, aliEn T, APPLe, Baby Blue, Barcarola, Blonney and 19 more.

What Cheng Heguang does

A Reality DPS whose 1000% Ultimate counts as a follow-up attack and leaves Cheng Heguang with Continuous Action I and Lofty Ambitions for 2 rounds. Every action builds Trail of Steel, and at 3 stacks the whole team gets Metallic Trace while Cheng gains Moxie.

Profile

An arcanist's work. First exhibited in the early 17th century, later exhibited in the 1990s. On display for 22 years. Based on calculations, it was completed in summer on July 3rd. Originally exhibited in Anhui, China. Later transferred to the St. Pavlov Foundation.

Dimensions: 70 15/32×22 53/64×22 3/64 in.

Medium: Upright Heart and Integrity

Fragrance Note: Oriental Fougere, Grapefruit, Magnolia, Oud Wood, Cedar

Afflatus: Frosty Blade [Star], Ode to Gallantry

Cheng Heguang's birthday is July 3.

Stories

"Hissing Steel"

A roughly 5.5-foot-long blade with a handle of 1 foot and 6 inches. Weighs in at around 3.3 pounds, but it can be used to dole justice with much greater weight than that. The interviewee inherited it from his father. Thanks to his careful daily maintenance with deerskin and sheep oil, the blade still shines like snow.

Feather-Shaped Lamellae Pauldron

Forged from refined steel, the armor resembles goose feathers and can separate piece by piece under the interviewee's arcane skill. When spread, they become weapons; when closed, they provide strong protection. The surface bears many scratches. The interviewee can clearly recount the stories behind the deeper ones.

"The Untainted"

The interviewee's hometown is famous for inkstones made from locally quarried stone. Each child receives one when they begin their studies. These inkstones are finely made, with smooth surfaces and minute pores. No matter how long they're used, the ink never stains them black.

His Bright Future

In Huanzhou, there's an old tradition called the "one-year-old catch." When a baby turns one, the family elders spread objects across a bed: fruits and vegetables, gold and silver trinkets, a bow and a sword, a needle and thread, scales, and a ruler. Then they place the child before these items. This is considered a form of fortune-telling—whatever the baby grabs first reveals their future path. Naturally, the parents each have their hopes. Rich families wish for their child to reach for a silver ingot. Scholarly families hope for the scholar's tools. Of course, the children often surprise them. Cheng Heguang, however, lived up to expectations. The moment he was placed down, he grabbed the sheathed blade—a clear sign he would carry on the family tradition and pursue a military career.

As the child of a military official, Cheng Heguang had a clear and steady path laid out before him. In his youth, he would study classical literature, ethics and morality, archery and horsemanship, and military strategy. Later, he would take the military examination, which in recent years had become an important criterion for promotion among military officials. He would compete in trials of martial skills and write strategic essays. He would pass the exam and be ready to enter the bureaucratic system where, with luck, he might catch the eye of a high-ranking official and rise to the top. Naturally, he would one day inherit his father's position and bring glory to his family name.

His kin, subordinates, neighbors—countless people promised him this bright future. But as he grew older, he began to yearn for a different path: just him and his white horse, traveling wherever the road took them.

A Concerned Citizen

At 10:13 a.m. on the 7th, a violent criminal incident occurred on South Road in our city. Two masked criminals armed with knives broke into the Lucky Star convenience store, snatched a customer's handbag, and threatened the storekeeper to hand over the cash from the register. According to reports, a concerned citizen, Mr. Cheng, was perusing the soy sauce on a nearby shelf at the time. Upon seeing the assault, he struck the offenders on the head with several iron eggs. Both criminals immediately collapsed unconscious. Mr. Cheng restrained them with iron wire and handed them over to police who arrived at the scene shortly after. Several customers in the store were left frightened, but fortunately uninjured.

Afterwards, though the storekeeper refused to accept payment, Mr. Cheng insisted on paying for the soy sauce, eggs, wire, and a half-empty bag of noodles. He said, "The eggs will be fine for eating before long. I plan to make braised bass tonight. Stir-fried noodles with eggs will make for an excellent side dish."

Recently, the police and several customers presented Mr. Cheng with a banner inscribed with "Hero in Action, Justice Upheld" in recognition of his bravery. In front of the camera, Mr. Cheng shared some anti-theft tips with our reporter: store grain and money in a cellar; install broken tiles and porcelain shards on top of walls; have neighbors take turns keeping night watch; and keep a gong ready to sound the alarm.

"Of course, you should call the police immediately," he added.

What Changed and What Didn't

Pandora Wilson: Sorry to keep you waiting. They said you arrived an hour ago. Oh, you're still wearing traditional Eastern clothing.

Cheng Heguang: Yes. I'm more comfortable with the fabrics and cut.

Pandora Wilson: Our records show you were born four hundred years ago. How would someone from that era judge our time? Is this the best of times, or the worst of times?

Cheng Heguang: I am still growing used to things here, so it's hard to say. Everything is so different from Huanzhou.

Cheng Heguang: Suits, skyscrapers, the internet, houses on four wheels, black boxes that capture your image.

Cheng Heguang: There's so much to learn—including an entirely new language.

Pandora Wilson: Your English is very good.

Cheng Heguang: Thank you. There are people from my hometown in the Foundation. We practice English together when time allows.

Pandora Wilson: You've mentioned many ways modern society differs from the past. But I'm curious—after all these centuries, what things remain familiar to you?

Cheng Heguang: Times change, traditions shift, but some things are constant.

Cheng Heguang: On the BBS, there are people from all over the world. While some comments are nasty, many more are genuinely helpful and honest.

Cheng Heguang: Virtue hasn't disappeared. Neither has my commitment to justice.

Cheng Heguang: That is why I live a disciplined life, rising at dawn to sweep the floors and resting at dusk after properly locking the doors.

Cheng Heguang: Some of the others in the Suitcase have heard tell of my routine, which has led to some strange looks ... I'm not certain why.

Stats

HP45th of 1326,468
ATK11th of 1321,186
Reality DEF24th of 132554
Mental DEF26th of 132554
Technique10th of 132571
Crit Rate10th of 13219%
Crit DMG10th of 132158.6%

At Insight III level 60, before Psychube, Resonance and Euphoria. Each bar is measured against the highest value in the Reverse: 1999 roster, and the place is out of every character with that stat.

At each Insight's level cap

Insight and levelHPATKReality DEFMental DEFTechniqueCrit RateCrit DMG

Insight 0, level 30HP: 2,199ATK: 404Reality DEF: 189Mental DEF: 189Technique: 409Crit Rate: 13.6%Crit DMG: 150.4%
Insight I, level 40HP: 3,687ATK: 677Reality DEF: 316Mental DEF: 316Technique: 463Crit Rate: 15.4%Crit DMG: 153.1%
Insight II, level 50HP: 5,498ATK: 1,009Reality DEF: 471Mental DEF: 471Technique: 517Crit Rate: 17.2%Crit DMG: 155.9%
Insight III, level 60HP: 6,468ATK: 1,186Reality DEF: 554Mental DEF: 554Technique: 571Crit Rate: 19%Crit DMG: 158.6%

Base values before Psychube, Resonance and Euphoria. Each Insight also adds a share of the level 1 stats, which is counted here.

Recommended by the game

Teams

Psychubes

All Honor is but Dust6-star Psychube

The game's goals for Cheng Heguang: Insight I level 40, then Insight II level 50, then Insight III level 60, then Resonance 5, 10, 13 and 15.

Skills

Slicing Wind
Incantation 1
1-target attack. Deals 500% Reality DMG. After attacking, gains 3 stacks of [Feathered Blades].
Dark winds blow, yet I remain steadfast; evil shadows spread wide, but I stand firm; even beneath oppression's weight, I refuse to yield.
Stars
Just Pursuit
Incantation 2
Self buff. Gains 2 stacks of [Work as One] for 3 rounds.
Where order is present, I defend it; where evil hides, I chase it down; with justice in my heart, I uncover the truth.
Stars
Thus the Night Is Calm
Ultimate
1-target attack. Deals 1000% Reality DMG. Gains [Lofty Ambitions] and [Continuous Action I] for 2 rounds. After attacking, removes all stacks of [Feathered Blades], destroys all own incantations, gains Moxie +1, and gains 2 stacks of [Work as One] for 2 rounds. This attack counts as a follow-up attack.
If heaven has a will, let it behold my resolve; if heaven has no will, let it witness my actions.

Insight passives

On Night Patrol
Insight I
When taking an action, gains 1 stack of [Trail of Steel]. Upon reaching 3 stacks, grants [Metallic Trace] to all allies for 2 rounds, then removes all [Trail of Steel] from self to gain Moxie +1.
On Night Patrol II
Insight II
Critical Rate +10% when entering battle.
On Night Patrol III
Insight III
When entering battle, gains Moxie +2. Ultimate does not take up the allied Incantation Draw Limit.

Portraits

P1[Metallic Trace] now grants Critical DMG +25% and Incantation Might +50%. The [Lofty Ambitions], [Continuous Action I], and [Work as One] statuses granted by Thus the Night Is Calm now last 3 rounds.
P2[Work as One] now triggers [Piercing Strike] up to 4 times per round and grants Extra Action DMG Bonus +35%. On Night Patrol now grants Moxie +5 when entering battle.
P3For each stack of [Feathered Blades], Ultimate now deals an additional 200% Reality DMG. At 5 stacks, [Feathered Blades] now grants DMG Bonus +30%.
P4At rank 1/2/3, Slicing Wind now deals 240%/360%/600% Reality DMG and grants 2/4/6 stacks of [Feathered Blades]. [Piercing Strike] now deals 350% Reality DMG and grants 2 stacks of [Feathered Blades].
P5Thus the Night Is Calm now deals 1100% Reality DMG. Granting [Metallic Trace] now requires only 2 stacks of [Trail of Steel]. Removing [Trail of Steel] stacks now grants Moxie +2.

Each duplicate of Cheng Heguang gives one Artifice, and each Artifice unlocks the next Portrait, up to five.

Resonance patterns

Placidity: From the start · Default
Elucidation: Resonance 10 · Ultimate Might, DMG Bonus
Genuinity: Resonance 10 · Incantation Might, DMG Bonus
Mercy: Resonance 10 · DMG Heal, DMG Taken Reduction
Equanimity: Resonance 10 · HP, Reality DEF, Mental DEF
Equibalance: Resonance 10 · Generalized

Resonance goes up to level 15. Each pattern swaps some Ideas for tuned ones that favour the stats listed beside it. Lay out Cheng Heguang's board in the Resonance builder.

Terms in this kit

Work as One: [Force Field] effect: All allies gain Extra Action DMG Bonus +35% (stackable up to 2 times, each stack timed independently). After another ally attacks, Cheng Heguang additionally casts [Piercing Strike] on the main target as a follow-up attack 1 time, triggering up to 4 times per round.
Metallic Trace: Critical DMG +25%, Incantation Might +50%.
Lofty Ambitions: Allied Incantation Draw Limit -2. When drawing or refreshing incantations, the carrier's incantations will be changed to his allies'. While this status is active, [Piercing Strike] deals an additional 150% Reality DMG and gains Incantation Might +10%. At the start of the round, casts [Piercing Strike] once on a random enemy as a follow-up attack.
Piercing Strike: 1-target attack. Deals 350% Reality DMG. After attacking, gains 2 stacks of [Feathered Blades].
Feathered Blades: Ultimate deals an additional 200% Reality DMG (stackable up to 10 times). At 5 stacks of [Feathered Blades], DMG Bonus +30% and Ultimate Penetration Rate +30%. At 10 stacks of [Feathered Blades], Ultimate no longer costs AP and is guaranteed to crit.
Continuous Action I: AP +1.

Upgrade costs

Open in the planner

Insight

Insight ISharpodonty ×18,000Page of Starlit Ascent ×6Magnesia Crystal ×6Luminite Ore ×5
Insight IISharpodonty ×40,000Scroll of Starlit Ascent ×10Liquefied Terror ×5Holy Silver ×5
Insight IIISharpodonty ×200,000Tome of Starlit Ascent ×16Rhizobox Rabbit ×6Golden Fleece ×3