Revision 6

Overview

Dongfang Yao (东方曜) is a Resonance (共鸣) in Honor of Kings: World, confirmed in the S0 Season launch roster on April 10, 2026. He is a sword-wielding member of Jixia Academy and captain of the Star Team (星之队). His S0 tagline is "稷下多才俊，锋芒独我尊" ("Jixia has many talents, but the edge belongs to me alone"). He functions as a 强攻 (Offensive) Resonance and is the player's initial in-world guide during the early main story. launch coverage, Dongfang Yao introduces the player to Jixia Academy and acts as a mentor figure in the opening chapters.

Return to Dust Mid-Air Release

Dongfang Yao's signature HoKW innovation is the mid-air release of his 归尘 (Return to Dust) marker ability. 's April 2026 combat mechanics feature explicitly describes this adaptation: "东方曜…闪回标记点可在半空释放" ("Dongfang Yao's flashback-to-marker can be released in mid-air"). In the MOBA version, this ability returned him to his position from several seconds earlier but was ground-bound. The HoKW version opens up vertical and aerial combat possibilities that did not exist in the MOBA, letting him dive into enemies from above and snap back to a safer aerial position.

Verified HoKW Kit

Skill names below are taken official HoKW hero compendium, which carries Tencent-sourced skill text verbatim.

Radiance (辉光) Stack System

Dongfang Yao's kit uses a 辉光 (Radiance) stack system. Radiance accumulates through combat actions and enables enhanced states like 碎星式 and 飞星式. When Radiance is active, 逐星 grants a double-dash and the next basic attack is empowered. Managing Radiance accumulation is central to high-level Dongfang Yao play, and skilled players weave basic attack strings into skill uses to keep Radiance up for as long as possible.

Story Role

Dongfang Yao is one of the most narratively significant characters in the S0 launch content. launch coverage, he is the player's initial in-world guide at Jixia Academy, and his personal story arc runs through the "Cloud Fall Anomaly" (云落异动) and "Stellar Awakening" (星辰觉醒) chapters where he confronts his rival/inner demon 云狌 (Yunsheng, sometimes rendered 云牲). The 星辰觉醒 chapter features 神纹云狌 as the boss encounter, and Dongfang Yao's arc culminates in "awakening his complete stellar power."

He also appears in the "Yao Series" (曜系列) meta-storybook chapters (21, 23, 25), which are framed as fiction-within-fiction involving Dongfang Yao as the central character.

Playstyle Tips

• Learn the timing on 归尘 mid-air release; it opens combo routes that no other S0 hero has access to

• Keep Radiance (辉光) active by weaving basic attacks between skill uses

• Use 逐星 double-dash in Radiance state to chase priority targets or escape boss AoE

• Against bosses, drop a 归尘 marker in safe position, dive in for burst damage, and flash back

• 星河破裂 ultimate is strongest against single high-value targets during break windows