FAQ

The guide originally existed as a Google Sheet, but as the amount of Honkai: Star Rail build information grew, a website became a better way to organize and present it. The website makes it easier to browse characters, search and filter Light Cones and Relics, view detailed set and Light Cone information, manage multiple builds for a character, and expand the guide with new features without overcrowding a spreadsheet.

The website is the continuation of the original Honkai: Star Rail build guide that was maintained in Google Sheets. The move to a website allows the guide to present the same kind of build information in a more organized and interactive format while making future updates and new features easier to manage.

Each character guide can include recommended Light Cones, Cavern Relics, Planar Ornaments, Relic Main Stats, substat priorities, and Trace priorities. Some characters may also have multiple builds when they have meaningfully different playstyles or roles.

The guide is primarily intended for players who are actively building characters and have access to normal endgame gearing options, including 5★ Relics. Newer players can still use the recommendations, but they may not yet have access to every Light Cone, Relic set, or stat combination shown.

Light Cones are ranked based on how well they perform for the specific character and build being shown. Rankings may account for damage, support value, utility, consistency, and other effects relevant to that character. A Light Cone being strong in general does not necessarily mean it will rank highly for every character.

S refers to a Light Cone's Superimposition level. For example, S1 means Superimposition 1 and S5 means Superimposition 5. Unless otherwise stated, limited 5★ Light Cones are generally compared at S1, while some accessible Light Cones may be shown at higher Superimposition levels when appropriate.

Highlighted Light Cones represent free or especially accessible options according to the site's Light Cone data. They are included to make sure players can identify useful alternatives even when they do not own the higher-ranked limited options. A highlighted option is not necessarily the character's strongest option.

Relic recommendations are based on the value of their set effects for the character's intended build. Cavern Relics can be recommended as 2-Pc or 4-Pc sets, while Planar Ornaments are 2-Pc sets. Rankings may change depending on team composition, Speed tuning, Eidolons, Light Cones, or other assumptions mentioned in the guide.

Some characters do not gain enough from a specific 4-Pc set to justify forcing it. In those cases, combining two useful 2-Pc bonuses can perform similarly or better while also making Relic farming and substat optimization easier.

The guide separately lists recommended Main Stats for Body, Feet, Planar Sphere, and Link Rope. When multiple stats are listed for one slot, the best choice may depend on your build, team, Light Cone, or existing stats. Check the character's notes when additional context is provided.

Substats are listed in their general order of value for the build. This does not mean that every roll into the first-listed stat is always better than every roll into the next stat. Stat thresholds, Speed tuning, Crit balance, Effect Hit Rate requirements, and other character-specific mechanics can change the relative value of individual rolls.

Exact stat goals can vary substantially between accounts. Team composition, Light Cones, Relic sets, external buffs, Eidolons, enemy mechanics, and the content being played can all change how much of a stat is needed. When a character has an important threshold, such as a Speed or Effect Hit Rate requirement, it may be mentioned directly in the guide or its notes.

Trace priority shows the relative importance of leveling a character's Basic ATK, Skill, Ultimate, and Talent for the selected build. The recommended levels can be adjusted using the Trace sliders on the character page so you can see how the ability values change at different levels.

No. Some characters gain little or no practical benefit from leveling certain abilities. The Trace priority is intended to show where your materials provide the most value. Major Traces and useful stat nodes should generally be unlocked as appropriate for the character.

Unless a guide specifically says otherwise, limited 5★ characters should generally be interpreted from an E0 baseline. Recommendations may change at higher Eidolons, and particularly important Eidolon-dependent differences can be mentioned in the build notes.

New character guides take time to research, calculate, test, write, and review. A character may appear as WIP while their guide is still being completed. We would rather take additional time to publish useful recommendations than rush a guide immediately after release.

Character builds can change when new Light Cones, Relic sets, teammates, enemies, or game modes are released. Maintaining every character at once takes time, so updates may be prioritized based on how significantly a character's recommendations have changed. Check the character's displayed update version to see when their guide was last reviewed.

Recommendations are based on the assumptions and calculations used for that specific build. Some options may be very close in performance, highly situational, dependent on specific teams, or simply worse under the guide's assumptions. Rankings can also change as new characters, Light Cones, and Relics are released.

The guide focuses primarily on builds that make effective use of a character's intended kit and practical playstyles. A genuinely useful alternative playstyle may receive its own build, but extremely niche or novelty setups generally will not be prioritized.

Energy requirements depend heavily on team composition, enemy behavior, rotations, how often characters are hit or defeat enemies, and the Energy generated by teammates. Because of this, a single Energy Regeneration Rate value is not always accurate for every team or encounter. Important Energy considerations can instead be explained in the character's notes.

Where appropriate, recommendations are informed by theorycrafting, calculations, testing, and the mechanics relevant to each character. The goal is for rankings to have a practical or mathematical basis rather than simply being based on preference. When detailed calculations are available, the site may provide a link to them.

No. The public build guide is intended to be based on officially released Honkai: Star Rail content. Unreleased content is not used as the basis for published build recommendations.

The site primarily focuses on building individual characters, rather than providing a complete team database. Important teammates, synergies, or team-dependent assumptions may still be mentioned when they materially affect a character's build.

Some characters can be built for meaningfully different roles or playstyles. Separate builds allow the Light Cone, Relic, stat, and Trace recommendations to change without trying to force every possible setup into one ranking.

The number indicates how many pieces of that set are being recommended. For example, Eagle of Twilight Line (4) means a 4-Pc Eagle of Twilight Line setup, while a Planar Ornament shown as (2) means its full 2-Pc set bonus is being used.

Honkai: Star Rail regularly introduces new characters, Light Cones, Relic sets, enemies, and game mechanics. Any of these can affect the relative value of existing options. Rankings should therefore be treated as recommendations based on the current state of the game rather than permanent placements.