Honkai Star Rail: Best Kafka Build and Team Comp

As a seasoned Honkai: Star Rail player, I’ve seen my fair share of characters come and go, but none have left quite the impression that Kafka has. This electrifying DPS is not just a character, she’s a force to be reckoned with!


In the popular game, Honkai: Star Rail, one of the primary characters often referred to as a maternal figure (or simply a key character without a more fitting term) continues to be one of the top and most frequently utilized Nihility characters. Despite numerous new members joining the Path of Nihility, this character maintains her position as the reigning “Damage Over Time” (DoT) champion.

Kafka’s Playstyle Explained

Here’s an example of paraphrasing the given sentence in a more conversational and first-person style as a fan:

Instead of other characters who inflict massive damage in a single turn, Kafka prefers to savor her encounters with enemies. She delights in tormenting them and gradually whittling down their health over time, only to suddenly obliterate it at the end; quite a spectacle indeed. In essence, you’ll want to apply several Damage Over Time (DoT) effects on your enemies and then utilize Kafka’s ability to set them off instantly. Building a Kafka team can be tricky, but when done correctly, the outcome is truly captivating.

Best Light Cones

Honkai Star Rail: Best Kafka Build and Team Comp

Just like top-rated characters often favor specific abilities, Patience Is All You Need is Kafka’s preferred choice due to its suitability for her. This ability enhances Kafka’s Speed Power during attacks and imposes a damage over time effect on enemies, thereby boosting her overall performance. In case you don’t have this skill, we will discuss alternative options in the following paragraphs.

Light ConeExplanation
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

Honkai Star Rail: Best Kafka Build and Team Comp

It’s fortunate that compared to other Honkai: Star Rail characters, Kafka isn’t as complex to build, primarily focusing on her Attack (ATK) and a few additional aspects. You won’t need to worry too much about Relic Random Number Generation (RNG). Moreover, there is only one optimal relic set for her, making farming less of a hassle. The top-tier relic set for Kafka is the “Prisoner in Deep Confinement.” This relic set boosts Kafka’s ATK and ignores an enemy’s defense if they have Debuff Over Time (DoT) effects, which aligns perfectly with her playstyle. In terms of Planar Ornaments, “Firmamament Frontline: Glamoth” is beneficial as it increases the wearer’s ATK and enhances their damage once a certain Speed (SPD) threshold is reached. Keep in mind that ATK and these two sets are crucial for Kafka, so they should not be overlooked. Here are the required stats for specific pieces:

Relic/OrnamentStat
Body PieceATK – This is the key stat for Kafka, so use a Resin if needed.
Feet PieceSPD or ATK – SPD is much better, but if other relics give you SPD, go for ATK instead.
Planar SphereLightning Damage or ATK – I prefer ATK just to keep increasing Kafka’s overall DMG, but Lightning Damage works, too.
Link RopeATK – Yes, it’s a broken record, but ATK is all she needs.

Team Compositions

I’ll discuss two squads for Kafka, similar to the standard DoT setup in Honkai: Star Rail. Typically, there will be a premium and a free-to-play option available. It is crucial to note that the premium team significantly outperforms other free-to-play teams. However, if you’re financially constrained or unlucky, then by all means opt for the free-to-play squad.

TeamSustain/Healer/TankSupportSub-DPS or Second Support
Premium DoT TeamFu XuanBlack SwanAcheron
F2P TeamNatashaAstaSampo

In many places, particularly during MoC missions, you’ll often encounter an elite group known as the Premium Team. Acheron thrives with Nihility members, while Kafka gains strength from DoT. Black Swan offers assistance with both of these aspects. With Fu Xuan, a top-tier tank in the game, you’re all set. On the opposing side, we have Natasha, a skilled healer who can swiftly inflict bleed on enemies. Asta excels at amplifying the burning effect and boosting Kafka’s speed, while Sampo provides additional DoT effects. The latter team is decent, but the former is incredibly versatile and useful in virtually any scenario.

Closing Tips

As a dedicated gamer in Honkai: Star Rail, I can confidently say that Kafka reigns supreme as the top DPS in the game’s DoT (Damage over Time) department. With the proper build, she’s hard to beat and seems unlikely to lose her title anytime soon. She wears the crown of damage dealer proudly. However, it’s crucial to understand how to effectively utilize her abilities. Before we conclude, let me share a few tips:

  • 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.

If you come across a repeat performance of Kafka, give preference to characters who fit the playstyle, as she is worth investing in. Even if your team lacks DoT users, consider using her for a while, build her up, and you’ll appreciate it later when you can create effective compositions with her.

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2024-09-09 23:36