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Honkai: Star Rail‘s mother figure (for the lack of another appropriate word) remains one of the best and most used Nihility characters in the game. After so many new Path of Nihility members joining the roster, the DoT queen still holds the crown. However, the big difference is that she can now fit better team compositions and shine even more with certain gameplay mechanics. So, whether you pulled for this lady back when she debuted or are eagerly waiting for a re-run, we have the best build for Kafka in Honkai: Star Rail.
Kafka’s Playstyle Explained
[Updated on September 9, 2024 – Updated the guide’s information to line up with the game’s latest updates and updated links and images]
Contrary to other characters who just dish out a lot of damage in one turn, Kafka is all about taking her sweet time with her enemies. She toys with them, slaps them for a while, and then burns their HP down in a second; it’s quite the sight. In short, you need to have a few DoT effects on enemies and then use Kafka’s skill to trigger them instantly. The setup for any Kafka team is a bit challenging, but once you have the right one, the result is a marvel to watch.
Best Light Cones
Like other 5-star characters, Kafka has her featured Light Cones, which means that’s the go-to option for her. Patience Is All You Need is the best option because it is tailored for her. It increases Kafka’s SPD as she attacks and even places a debuff on enemies that count as a DoT, making her kit perform even better. However, if you don’t have it, there are a few other options we’ll mention below.
| Light Cone | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Patience Is All You Need (Best/5-Star) | We need Kafka to burst those DoT effects on enemies as fast as possible, and this LC helps with that. More SPD means faster acting time and, in turn, more DMG by bursting those DoTs. |
| Good Night and Sleep Well (Cheapest and second best alternative/4-Star) | It’s great to see Kafka’s second-best Light Cone as a 4-star one. This one increases damage depending on the debuffs an enemy has, and yes, DoTs count, too. However, if you’re not good at applying debuffs/DoTs, your DPS will take a hit. |
| Eyes of the Prey (Only good if you need higher Effect Hit Rate/4-Star) | Not a lot to say about this LC other than it is great for the Effect Hit Rate boost. You should only use it if you don’t have the above one, otherwise, avoid it. |
Best Relics & Stat Priority
Luckily enough, at least in terms of stats, Kafka is not as challenging to build as other Honkai: Star Rail characters. You only need to focus mainly on her ATK and a few other things, but you won’t have to struggle with the relic RNG much. Furthermore, there is only one good relic set for her, so farming won’t be that daunting. The best and only relic set for Kafka is Prisoner in Deep Confinement. This will increase Kafka’s ATK while also ignoring a foe’s defense if there are DoTs on them, which, again, fit Kafka’s playstyle perfectly. In terms of Planar Ornaments, you Firmamament Frontline: Glamoth, as it increases the wearer’s ATK and furthermore improves their damage after reaching a certain SPD threshold. Remember, those two stats are essential for Kafka, so these sets are a must. Below are the stats you need on certain pieces:
| Relic/Ornament | Stat |
|---|---|
| Body Piece | ATK – This is the key stat for Kafka, so use a Resin if needed. |
| Feet Piece | SPD or ATK – SPD is much better, but if other relics give you SPD, go for ATK instead. |
| Planar Sphere | Lightning Damage or ATK – I prefer ATK just to keep increasing Kafka’s overall DMG, but Lightning Damage works, too. |
| Link Rope | ATK – Yes, it’s a broken record, but ATK is all she needs. |
Team Compositions
I’ll go over two teams for Kafka, which work as the usual DoT build in Honkai: Star Rail. As always, there will be a premium and a F2P one. However, and I can’t stress this enough, the premium one is much better compared to other F2P teams. But if you’re broke or unlucky, then go for the free-to-play one by all means.
| Team | Sustain/Healer/Tank | Support | Sub-DPS or Second Support |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premium DoT Team | Fu Xuan | Black Swan | Acheron |
| F2P Team | Natasha | Asta | Sampo |
The premium team is one that you’ll find anywhere, especially in MoC runs. Acheron benefits from Nihility members and Kafka from DoT. Black Swan can help with these two things. Add Fu Xuan as the top-notch tank in the game, and you’re set. On the other side of the pulls, we have Natasha as a healer who, if she breaks an enemy, can apply a quick bleed. Asta, who is great at stacking the burning effect and increasing Kafka’s speed, and Sampo for more DoT effects. The latter team isn’t bad, but the former is extremely useful in any situation.
Closing Tips
Overall, Kafka is the best DoT DPS in Honkai: Star Rail, with the right build, of course, and I don’t see her getting replaced soon. She holds that crown high and does so by bringing a lot of damage. However, it is important to know how to use her. For that, here are a few tips before we wrap things up:
- When building her, don’t stress too much about CRIT stats. ATK, SPD, Effect Hit Rate, and Lighting Damage are more than enough. Thankfully, the RNG usually hands out these stats, so building her shouldn’t be too challenging.
- If you don’t have teammates to add DoT effects, don’t bother using Kafka; she won’t do a lot without a proper DoT build-up.
- While her build isn’t too challenging, building the right composition is expensive, and she might be benched until you have characters like Black Swan or Acheron.
- When lacking a good buffer, throw Silver Wolf or Pela into the equation. Both of these characters can increase Kafka’s DPS potential.
- During a fight, it is important to have her apply as many DoTs as possible, hence the importance of someone like Asta for F2P members. The faster Kafka goes in a turn, the more damage she can dish out.
Also, if you see a re-run of Kafka and have characters that fit the playstyle, make pulling for her a priority. And even if you don’t have DoT users, bench her a bit, build her, and you won’t regret it down the line when you can make a proper composition.
