Ann is one of the most flexible ★5 Versatile Trekkers in Stella Sora, and the Version 2.0 / 1st Anniversary update on the Steam build has shifted her from a niche support pick into a centerpiece of several top-tier Ventus squad rotations. This guide breaks down her best Runic Discs, her weapon matchups in the Auto Attack / Main Skill / Support Skill framework, and the three team comps that community testing on the SUNTIDE WILLOW IS BROKEN!? BEST BUILDS, TEAMS & PRESETS! | Stella Sora by GuitarRock First keeps flagging as her strongest pairings. If you pulled Ann from a limited banner and want to know exactly what to slot around her in the current Monolith cycle, the rest of this page is built for that.
Ann at a Glance: Role, Element, and Kit Identity
Ann ships as a ★5 Versatile Trekker on the official 29-character roster, slotted into the Ventus element. Versatile, in the official Stella Sora taxonomy, is one of the only two published role labels (the other being Vanguard), and it specifically describes Trekkers who can serve as the main attacker, the sub attacker, or the skill support of a three-Trekker squad depending on how you build them. That is the single most important fact about Ann: her ceiling depends almost entirely on which role you assign her, because each role reads a different part of her kit.
Her Ventus tag also matters for team-building. The official sources describe same-element squad building (no cross-element reaction table is published), which means Ann's strongest comps stack other Ventus Trekkers — primarily Suntide Willow, Snowish Laru, Tilia, and the more conditional Springseek Coronis slot. Stacking Ventus in a Monolith encounter is how you unlock the Enemy Vulnerability windows that the official per-activity notes publish, and Ann's kit is designed to live inside those windows rather than force them open by herself.
| Attribute | Official Detail | Practical Read |
|---|---|---|
| Rarity | ★5 | Top-band, eligible for Emblem Tempering and full Potential unlock |
| Role | Versatile | Can flex Main / Sub / Support; ceiling shifts with role choice |
| Element | Ventus | Synergizes with Suntide Willow, Snowish Laru, Tilia, Coronis |
| Combat kit | Auto Attack + Main Skill + Support Skill + Ultimate | Reads differently in each role; Main Skill is the build-defining piece |
| Position in squad | Mid or off, role-dependent | Slot behind a Vanguard tank when played as Sub or Support |
A common rookie mistake is treating Ann as a generic skill-support bot. Her Main Skill scales with both her own Potential and the squad's Harmony Skill uptime, so dropping her into a team that cannot feed her Harmony windows is the fastest way to make her feel underwhelming. Build the squad first, then assign her role — that is the order this guide will keep repeating.
Best Runic Discs for Ann
The Runic Disc system is the closest thing Stella Sora has to a gear set, and Ann interacts with several officially named discs in measurably different ways. The discs listed below are all on the published disc list and are the picks community data keeps surfacing for Ventus squads. The official sources do not publish numeric damage multipliers per disc, so the table below describes the interaction, not a percentile ranking.
| Runic Disc | Element Fit | Why Ann Likes It | Caveat |
|---|---|---|---|
| My Guiding Star | Ventus | Buffs the squad's Main Skill cooldown reduction; lets Ann cycle her Main Skill faster in Main-attacker role | Best in slot for pure Main-attacker Ann |
| Eternal Brilliance | Ventus | Multiplies Ultimate gauge gain when Ventus units chain Harmony Skills | Needs a Harmony battery like Suntide Willow to feel |
| Bedtime Story | Ventus | Heals the squad on Harmony Skill triggers, freeing Ann to play aggressive | Heals scale with the squad's max HP, not Ann's |
| Wisteria Dream | Ventus | Extends Enemy Vulnerability windows by a small flat amount per stack | Stacking requires repeated Ventus skill casts |
| Traces of Starlight | Universal | Adds flat Main Skill damage when Ann is the only Ventus on the squad | Falls off the moment you add a second Ventus |
| Fireworks | Universal | Boosts the Ultimate damage of whoever triggers it last in the chain | Best as a finisher disc, not a main pick |
My Guiding Star is the default recommendation for most players because the cooldown reduction compounds with Ann's Main Skill design — every extra cast inside a Monolith encounter translates into more Ultimate gauge for the squad. If you have Eternal Brilliance leveled, swap in for Monolith runs where you already have a Harmony battery on the team, because the Ultimate multiplier will outperform the cooldown reduction once the chain is rolling.
For a sub-attacker Ann — meaning Ann is the second damage source behind a main attacker like Suntide Willow — the right call is usually Bedtime Story or Wisteria Dream. The heal from Bedtime Story lets the squad stay on the field longer, and the Vulnerability extension from Wisteria Dream directly amplifies whatever Suntide Willow is already doing. The choice between them is mostly a comfort pick unless your squad is already capped on healing; in that case Wisteria Dream pulls ahead because it does not compete with another healer's value.
If you are building Ann as a pure support (rare, but valid in the right squad), Traces of Starlight is the cleanest option. It only shines when Ann is the lone Ventus, which is the opposite of how most players want to run her, so this disc is more of a niche swap than a mainline recommendation.
Weapon Matchups and the Auto Attack / Main Skill Split
Stella Sora does not use a Weapon / Equipment system in the Genshin Impact sense, but the official combat framework still resolves Ann's damage through her Auto Attack, her Main Skill, and her Support Skill, with Ultimate as the payoff window. Each of those channels reads a different part of her Potential tree, which is why the same build can feel wildly different from one role to the next.
| Combat Channel | What It Reads | How Ann Uses It | Best Mode |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auto Attack | Common Potential nodes; flat ATK from Note Adjustment | Light filler damage between skill windows; never the build's center | Sub-attacker only |
| Main Skill | Core Potential + Emblem Tempering; the build-defining channel | Bursts during Enemy Vulnerability windows; the primary scaling path | Main-attacker Ann |
| Support Skill | Harmony Skill uptime; squad-wide buffs | Amplifies the main attacker; rarely the damage source | Support Ann |
| Ultimate | All four channels above; scales with Note cap | The payoff that ends a Monolith phase | Any role |
The Ventus element is the bridge that ties this together. Ventus units generate Elemental Notes faster when chained with another Ventus user, and Elemental Notes are the resource that feeds the Note Adjustment system. Ann's Main Skill is the most expensive Note consumer in her kit, so a Ventus-stacked squad is what keeps her casting cycle from stalling. Community testing on the 2026 Updated Stella Sora Tierlist by KindCruelty keeps ranking Ann inside the top half of Versatile Trekkers specifically when she is paired with another Ventus user, and she slides down the tier list the moment she is dropped into a mixed-element squad without a Harmony battery.
Emblem Tempering is the upgrade path most players under-invest in. Each temper level adds Affix rolls to the equipped Emblem, and the rolls that interact with Ventus Harmony uptime scale multiplicatively with the squad's skill chain. For Ann, the priority temper target is any Affix that boosts Main Skill or Ultimate damage on a Ventus trigger — those two channels are where her entire build resolves.
Best Ventus Team Comps Featuring Ann
This is the part of the guide most players actually want. The three comps below are built around Ann as the Main attacker, the Sub attacker, and the Support, and each one names the second Ventus user that the official sources and community data keep pointing to. None of these are the only valid option, but they are the ones that consistently show up in Monolith clears and Menace Arena runs.
Comp 1 — Ann Main, Suntide Willow Sub, Tilia Support
| Slot | Trekker | Element | Role | Job in Squad |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (Main) | Ann | Ventus | Versatile | Main Skill spammer, Ultimate trigger |
| 2 (Sub) | Suntide Willow | Ventus | Versatile | Harmony battery, off-field damage |
| 3 (Support) | Tilia | Ventus | Versatile | Vulnerability extender, squad buff |
This is the most popular Ann comp on the Global server right now, and for good reason. Suntide Willow's Support Skill feeds Ann's Main Skill cycle, Tilia's Harmony Skill extends the Vulnerability window that Ann wants to burst inside, and all three characters share a Ventus tag so the squad's Elemental Note generation stays high. Build Ann with My Guiding Star in this comp, Suntide Willow with Eternal Brilliance, and Tilia with Wisteria Dream if you have the disc pieces to spare.
The rotation is straightforward: open with Tilia's Support Skill to lay the Vulnerability window, swap to Suntide Willow to dump her Harmony Skill and build the Ultimate gauge, then swap to Ann and spam Main Skill until the chain breaks or the enemy phases. Repeat the cycle off cooldown. If you want a deeper look at how this three-Trekker rotation actually plays out, the team build hub covers the same scaffolding for other elements.
Comp 2 — Suntide Willow Main, Ann Sub, Snowish Laru Support
| Slot | Trekker | Element | Role | Job in Squad |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (Main) | Suntide Willow | Ventus | Versatile | Hyper-carry, Ultimate trigger |
| 2 (Sub) | Ann | Ventus | Versatile | Burst damage during Vulnerability windows |
| 3 (Support) | Snowish Laru | Ventus | Vanguard | Frontline, Vulnerability setup |
This comp flips the script. Suntide Willow is the hyper-carry, Ann is the burst damage that lands inside the Vulnerability window Snowish Laru sets up, and Snowish Laru's Vanguard role means she actually tanks the hits that Ann would otherwise eat. Run Bedtime Story on Ann here so the squad's healing is not a liability when Snowish Laru's shield breaks, and let Suntide Willow carry the offensive disc investment.
This is the safer comp for harder Monolith floors where the enemy damage output starts to threaten your backline. Snowish Laru as a Vanguard gives Ann room to play aggressive, and the Ventus triple-stack still keeps the Note generation healthy. If you want the full Snowish Laru build context, the Snowish Laru-focused writeup on the trekker list page has the disc and emblem picks the community is currently running.
Comp 3 — Ann Support, Suntide Willow Main, Springseek Coronis Sub
| Slot | Trekker | Element | Role | Job in Squad |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (Main) | Suntide Willow | Ventus | Versatile | Hyper-carry |
| 2 (Sub) | Springseek Coronis | Ventus | Versatile | Off-field DPS, Harmony trigger |
| 3 (Support) | Ann | Ventus | Versatile | Skill haste, Ultimate multiplier |
This is the experimental comp. Ann as a pure support is not how most players build her, but the squad's Ultimate multiplier from Eternal Brilliance stacks additively across Ventus chain casts, and Ann's Support Skill is the cleanest source of skill haste in the element. The catch is that Ann's personal damage output drops to near zero in this comp, so it only works if you have already built Suntide Willow and Coronis to a point where they can carry the clear on their own.
Run this comp when you have already cleared a Monolith floor with Comp 1 or 2 and you want to push the timer down for a Menace Arena leaderboard run. It is not a beginner-friendly comp, and the versatile role framework explains why Ann in particular is the one Versatile Trekker who can swap into a pure support slot without losing squad value.
Talent Upgrades, Heartlink, and Trekker Voice Actors
There is no Talent tree in Stella Sora; the equivalent upgrade layers are split across Potential (Common and Core), Emblem, and Emblem Tempering. Each layer feeds a different part of the kit: Common Potential scales the Auto Attack, Core Potential scales the Main Skill and Ultimate, and Emblem rolls add Affixes that interact with squad-wide Harmony. The official sources do not publish a level cap or a damage multiplier for any of these, so the upgrade priority below is community consensus rather than an officially published stat table.
| Upgrade Layer | What It Powers | Priority for Ann | Resource Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common Potential | Auto Attack, Support Skill | Low for Main Ann, medium for Sub Ann | Stellanite Dust, Dorra |
| Core Potential | Main Skill, Ultimate | Always high, regardless of role | Stellanite Dust, Resonant Chorus |
| Emblem | Affix rolls, squad-wide buffs | High after Core Potential is capped | Star Emblem Polisher, Vintage Reserve |
| Emblem Tempering | Refines the rolled Affixes | High only when you have a good Affix to refine | Antique Bronze Coin |
Heartlink is the other system players forget. It is the relationship progression between Ann and a small set of named Trekkers, and unlocking it grants passive squad bonuses when Ann is on the field with the linked partner. The community keeps flagging Suntide Willow as Ann's strongest Heartlink partner by a comfortable margin, with Tilia as the secondary option. The full unlock conditions and the linked Trekker list are covered in the Trekker upgrade guide.
Voice acting is a small but real reason to pull for a favorite character, and Ann's official JP and EN casts are both published on the character page. The EN voice line set leans into a calm, slightly sardonic delivery that matches her Versatile role, and the JP set is the more widely circulated one among fan channels. The community wiki on voice actors covers every released Trekker if you want a side-by-side, and the Trekker list page links out to the official roster for the full voice credit per language.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ann worth pulling from the limited banner in Version 2.0?
Yes, if you do not already own Suntide Willow or Snowish Laru. Ann's value is heavily tied to her Ventus partners, so pulling her before you have at least one other Ventus ★5 leaves a lot of her ceiling on the table. With one Ventus partner, she slots cleanly into the Main-attacker role in Comp 1 and pulls her weight in Monolith clears.
What is the best Runic Disc for Ann in 2026?
My Guiding Star for Main-attacker Ann, Bedtime Story for Sub-attacker Ann, and Traces of Starlight only when you are forced to run her as a lone Ventus. The official sources do not publish a numeric ranking, so this is community consensus based on Monolith clear times.
Can Ann work as a non-Ventus squad member?
Technically yes, but the official sources describe same-element squad building, and Ann's Main Skill scales hardest when other Ventus units are feeding her Harmony. Dropping her into a mixed-element squad is the fastest way to make her feel underwhelming, and the community tier lists reflect that drop consistently.
How do I unlock Heartlink with Ann?
You need to raise Ann's Affinity to the named threshold with a linked partner through the standard gacha progression, then complete the Heartlink trial that the in-game notice unlocks. The Trekker upgrade guide walks through the unlock steps for any Trekker, not just Ann. The strongest Ann partner is Suntide Willow, with Tilia as a secondary option.
Who voices Ann in the EN and JP dubs?
The official character page lists both casts, and community fan channels have full line compilations for each. The EN cast leans into a calm, sardonic tone that fits her Versatile role, while the JP set is the more widely circulated one among overseas fan channels. The full EN and JP credit per Trekker lives on the Trekker list page.