Best Kafka Honkai Star Rail build: Light Cone, Relics, teams, more

❘ Published: 2024-01-16T16:40:56

HoYoverse

Honkai Star Rail is hosting a re-run of Kafka’s banner in the second phase of the 1.6 update, so here’s how to build Kafka with the best Light Cone, Relics, Planar Ornament, and more.

Honkai Star Rail players met Kafka at the beginning of the game, but they can also add her to their team thanks to a new banner re-run. The five-star character is one of the most sought-after units in HoYoverse’s RPG, and if you were lucky enough to pull her in the 1.6 update, you’ll need to build her properly for battle.

We’ll cover everything you need to know to build Kafka in Honkai Star Rail, including the best Light Cones, Relic sets, teammates, and more.

Kafka’s abilities in Honkai Star Rail explained
Best Relics for Kafka in Honkai Star Rail
Best Planar Ornament for Kafka
Best Light Cone for Kafka in Honkai Star Rail
Best Honkai Star Rail teams for Kafka

Players begin Honkai Star Rail playing as Kafka.

Kafka’s abilities in Honkai Star Rail explained

In Honkai Star Rail, Kafka is a five-star Lightning element character in the Path of The Nihility, which means she specializes in debuffing and weakening opponents. She’s featured in the second phase of update 1.6, alongside Dr. Ratio’s banner.

Kafka has the following abilities in Honkai Star Rail:

Midnight Tumult (Basic attack) – Deals half of Kafka’s ATK as Lightning DMG to a single enemy.
Caressing Moonlight (Skill) – Deals 70% of Kafka’s ATK as Lightning DMG to the targeted enemy and an additional 25% to adjacent enemies. Moreover, if the targeted enemy is taking DoT, it also deals damage equal to 100% of all current DoT effect the enemy has.
Twilight Trill (Ultimate) – Deals 38% of Kafka’s ATK as Lightning DMG to all enemies. While it doesn’t sound like much, enemies are also Shocked and immediately take DMG equal to 82% of received DMG. This makes enemies receive additional DoT at the start of their turn.
Gentle But Cruel (Talent) – After an ally uses their Basic ATK on a Shocked enemy, Kafka immediately deals Lightning DMG to that enemy. This can only be triggered once per turn.
Mercy Is Not Forgiveness (Technique) – Immediately attacks the enemy. After entering battle, deals 50% of Kafka’s ATK as Lightning DMG to a random enemy. With this, all enemies have a chance of being Shocked for 3 turns, thus taking Lightning DoT at the start of each turn.

As you can see, Kafka should be your go-to crowd-control character if you get her. She can deal a lot of damage on her own, but shocking enemies for a couple of turns can also help your team a great deal. That’s why you should try to improve her ATK alongside her CRIT DMG, CRIT Rate, and Break Effect for better results.

Best Relics for Kafka in Honkai Star Rail

Band of Sizzling Thunder

Two-piece bonus: Increases Lightning DMG by 10%.
Four-piece bonus: When the wearer uses their Skill, increases the wearer’s ATK by 20% for one turn.

Band of Sizzling Thunder is ideal for characters of the Lightning element in Honkai Star Rail. Since Kafka’s damage output isn’t too big, this can help her deal with enemies faster while also giving her a chance to shock enemies more often.

Thief of Shooting Meteor

Two-piece bonus: Increases Break Effect by 20%.
Four-piece bonus: Increases the wearer’s Break Effect by 20%. The wearer generates 3 Energy after applying the Break Effect to an enemy.

Thief of Shooting Meteor is another great alternative for Kafka. On one hand, it will increase her Break Effect to deal more shocking damage to weak enemies. On the other hand, the four-piece set can help Kafka regenerate energy quickly to spam her powerful Ultimate.

Musketeer of Wild Wheat

Two-piece bonus: ATK increases by 10%.
Four-piece bonus: The wearer’s SPD increases by 6% and Basic ATK DMG increases by 10%.

Last but not least, the easiest Relic set to get in the game, Musketeer of Wild Wheat, can also improve some of Kafka’s capabilities in battle.

Kafka playing air violin in Honkai Star Rail

Kafka is one of the most powerful characters of the Lightning element.

Best Planar Ornament for Kafka

Inert Salsotto is probably the best Planar Ornament for Kafka in Honkai Star Rail. This two-piece Planar Ornament increases the wearer’s CRIT Rate by 8%, but that’s not all. When the wearer’s current CRIT Rate reaches 50% or higher, their Ultimate and follow-up attack DMG increases by 15%, which is great considering Kafka’s abilities.

Space Sealing Station is a pretty straightforward alternative that increases Kafka’s ATK by 12%. If her SPD reaches 120 or higher, this Planar Ornament increases her ATK an additional 12%, making her a force to be reckoned with.

Pan-Galactic Commercial Enterprise can also work very well for Kafka’s build. It increases the wearer’s Effect Hit Rate by 10% for starters. What’s more, the wearer’s ATK also increases by an amount that is equal to 25% of Effect Hit Rate.

The truth is that most Planar Ornaments will improve Kafka’s capabilities. So, if you have the Celestial Differentiator, Talia: Kingdom of Banditry, or Sprightly Vonwacq Planar Ornaments, you can equip those as well.

Best Light Cone for Kafka in Honkai Star Rail

Patience is all you need

Kafka’s signature Ligh Cone in Honkai Star Rail helps her deal more DMG to enemies inflicted with DoT, so it should be your first option if you have the chance. Additionally, for every attack, this five-star Light Cone increases Kafka’s SPD up to five times. What’s more, enemies attacked by her take even more DoT for one turn.

Before the Tutorial Mission Starts

Before the Tutorial Mission Starts features Kafka as well, so it’s another great option for the character. It increases Kafka’s Effect Hit Rate by 20% and, when she attacks enemies that have reduced DEF, she regenerates up to 8 Energy. Again, this is very useful if you want to rely on her Ultimate.

Fermata

This four-star signature Light Cone increases Kafka’s Break Effect and her DMG to enemies afflicted with Shock or Wind Shear. Since these effects also apply to DoT, it’s ideal considering her different abilities.

Of course, if you can’t get your hands on any of these Light Cones, other Nihility Light Cones will also improve Kafka’s abilities and stats somehow.

Kafka is part of the Stellaron Hunters.

Best Honkai Star Rail teams for Kafka

If you pulled Kafka in Honkai Star Rail, you probably want her on your main team, so you should pair her with at least a healer. Kafka can work as your main DPS, but you’ll need another one if you want to deal decent amounts of damage overall.

For the role of healer, HuoHuo and Luocha are your safest bets, but Natasha can be very helpful as well. Sampo, Luka, or Guinaifen can be great sub-DPS in Kafka’s team. Sampo’s Ultimate increases the enemies’ DoT taken for two turns, which can be extremely powerful combined with Kafka’s abilities.

Lastly, you can complete your team composition with either a support character or a tank. March 7th, Gepard, or Fu Xuan can provide shields to allies so they stay in battle until the end, while support characters like Bronya or Pela will either enhance your team’s abilities or debuff enemies to deal massive amounts of damage.

For more Honkai Star Rail content, you can check out plenty of useful guides: