Guide
How the kit works
Before battle, use First-Move Advantage and make your intended recipient the active character. Military Merit follows the active character, and Cerydra automatically uses Pawn's Promotion on them at the start of the next battle without spending a Skill Point. In battle, use the Skill to give one ally Military Merit and gain 1 Charge.
Ave Imperator gives the Military Merit holder ATK equal to 24% of Cerydra's ATK. Their Basic ATK or Skill gives her 1 Charge, and their attacks trigger Wind Additional DMG equal to 60% of her ATK. This damage can trigger 20 times; using Scholar's Mate resets the count. The Ultimate also grants 2 Charge and attacks all enemies. If nobody has Military Merit, it gives the status to the first character in the team lineup.
At 6 Charge, Military Merit becomes Peerage and the ally's Crowd Control debuffs are dispelled. Peerage gives them 72% CRIT DMG for Skill DMG and 10% All-Type RES PEN. Their Skill against enemies triggers Coup de Main. When it ends, Cerydra spends 6 Charge and Peerage returns to Military Merit. She cannot gain Charge during Coup de Main, and changing the Military Merit recipient resets her Charge to zero.
Vidi gives Cerydra 100% CRIT Rate and lets the marked ally's Ultimate grant her 1 Charge once per battle while she is below maximum Charge. Vici gives Cerydra and the marked ally 20 SPD for 3 turns when she uses her Skill. The ally's Basic ATK or Skill also restores 5 Energy to Cerydra.
Build and why
Use four pieces of Sacerdos' Relived Ordeal. Its SPD helps Cerydra act, and using her Skill on an ally gives that target 18% CRIT DMG for 2 turns, stacking twice. Eagle of Twilight Line is an alternative: it gives Wind DMG and advances Cerydra's action by 25% after her Ultimate.
For the planar set, use Lushaka, the Sunken Seas for 5% Energy Regeneration Rate and 12% ATK for the first character in the lineup, provided Cerydra is not in that slot. Put her intended Military Merit recipient first to match that ATK buff with her Ultimate's fallback target. Penacony, Land of the Dreams is an option with another Wind damage dealer.
Choose ATK Percentage on the body and sphere. Feet can have SPD or ATK Percentage; the rope can have Energy Regeneration Rate or ATK Percentage. Look for ATK Percentage, SPD and CRIT DMG in substats. ATK strengthens the Talent's ally buff and Cerydra's damage. Through Veni, every 100 ATK above 2000 also gives her 18% CRIT DMG, up to 360%.
Epoch Etched in Golden Blood is the leading Light Cone: it gives ATK, restores a Skill Point after her attacking Ultimate and raises the Skill DMG of her Skill target. Flowing Nightglow is another option, giving Energy Regeneration Rate from ally attacks and a temporary ATK and team DMG boost after her Ultimate. A Grounded Ascent gives Energy and stacks DMG on her Skill target, with Skill Point recovery after every two qualifying uses.
Leveling priority
Follow the game's order: level Ave Imperator first for the ally's ATK increase and Cerydra's Additional DMG. Next is Pawn's Promotion, which supplies the Peerage bonuses. Then level Scholar's Mate for its damage, followed by King's Castling.
For full ascension, you need 308,000 Credit, 65 Charred Bud of Twilight and 15 each of Ethereal Omen, Echoing Wail and Eternal Lament. Fully leveling all skills takes 3,000,000 Credit, 8 Tracks of Destiny, 18 Firmament Note, 69 Celestial Section, 139 Heavenly Melody and 12 Daythunder Anamnesis. It also takes 41 Ethereal Omen, 56 Echoing Wail and 58 Eternal Lament.
Eidolons worth it
Seize the Crowns of All is the standout upgrade. The Military Merit holder ignores 16% of targets' DEF when dealing damage. Under Peerage, their Skill DMG ignores another 20% DEF. Cerydra's Skill also restores 2 Energy to its target.
Forge the Dreams of Many is a good further option: the marked ally deals 40% more DMG, and Cerydra deals 160% more DMG while a teammate has Military Merit. A Journey Set Starward is another option farther along the chain, adding All-Type RES PEN for the marked ally and Cerydra and increasing the Additional DMG multiplier.
If you want an earlier stopping point, E1 is a sensible place to stop. You can leave E3 through E6 for later rather than treating them as necessary for the base kit.
Teams
Sunday or Bronya can occupy another support slot, while Huohuo or Lynx can cover sustain. Keep the lineup in mind if you use Lushaka, the Sunken Seas: its ATK bonus goes to the first slot, not automatically to whoever has Military Merit. Cerydra's All-Type RES PEN under Peerage does not require the recipient to share her Wind type.
Common mistakes
Do not move Military Merit between allies without a reason. The status only works on its most recent target, and changing that target resets Cerydra's Charge. Choose the recipient before battle when possible, and watch the first lineup slot if you expect the Ultimate to assign the status.
Do not expect Charge to build during Coup de Main, or mistake the Peerage bonuses for permanent Military Merit effects. Peerage returns to Military Merit after Coup de Main ends. Use the marked ally's Skill against enemies to trigger it when Peerage is active.
Do not build extra CRIT Rate without checking Vidi, which already gives Cerydra 100%. Also remember that her Additional DMG has a 20-trigger limit until she uses her Ultimate again.
