Unleash the Ultimate Power: Honkai: Star Rail - The Ultimate Pull Guide for Blade or Kafka?
Confused between Blade and Kafka in Honkai: Star Rail? This comprehensive guide helps you make an informed choice by comparing their roles, builds, strengths, and weaknesses Get the verdict on whether to pull for Blade or Kafka!
In Honkai: Star Rail's version 1.2 update, two new members of the Stelleron Hunters are introduced, following the addition of Silver Wolf in version 1.1. Kafka, one of these characters, is encountered early on in the Trailblazers' journey and appears multiple times during story quests. As a result, fans are already familiar with her and she has gained popularity since the game's release. In contrast, Blade remains more mysterious to most players, with fewer mentions of him in the storyline.
While some fans may have already decided which character to choose next in Honkai: Star Rail, others who prioritize gameplay over appearance or lore may still be unsure which character would better suit their needs. They may also be focused on saving resources while enjoying the game. Deciding between these two characters involves considering several crucial factors, as they have both similarities and differences.
Blade Or Kafka In Honkai: Star Rail
Players will be thrilled to discover that this update introduces a substantial amount of Stellar Jade that can be obtained. With the accumulation of their previous patch savings, they will now have the opportunity to obtain at least one of these characters. However, several factors should be taken into account when determining which character to pull, such as their role, builds, strengths, and weaknesses. Ultimately, both characters possess a play style centered around inflicting damage, making it a challenging decision for many players, especially when compared to the distinct role variances seen in Silver Wolf and Luocha. Nevertheless, their methods of dealing damage vary significantly, providing players with a choice based on their preferred style.
Roles
Kafka and Blade are both powerful characters with different abilities and roles. While Kafka is considered a Nihility character with Lightning element and focuses on dealing Damage over Time (DoT), Blade is a Destruction character with Wind element who excels at dealing strong attacks. Although some players may associate Kafka with support abilities, she is more suited for dealing damage rather than weakening enemies. In fact, she can be compared to Sampo and is capable of being the primary DPS character in a team. With her Ascension 2 Trace unlocked, she can deal additional damage with all applied DoTs, not just the Shocked status inflicted by her Ultimate. Additionally, having multiple different DoTs applied enhances the effects of her skills and allows her to launch follow-up attacks using Basic ATK.
On the other hand, Blade is a straightforward DPS character, lacking sub-DPS abilities like Kafka. However, he compensates for that by delivering powerful attacks. As a Destruction character, he can deal both single-target and AoE damage. The majority of his damage comes from his Enhanced Basic Attack, which benefits from him losing HP. This can be achieved through his Skill and Ultimate. Players who enjoy sacrificing their own HP for increased damage output, similar to Hu Tao from Genshin Impact, may find Blade highly enjoyable. Moreover, considering the limited availability of Wind DPS characters, Blade stands out as a strong contender alongside the 4-star character, Dan Heng.
Builds
Optimizing builds for each character is predominantly dependent on luck, but players are encouraged to consider this aspect as soon as they obtain the character to unleash their true potential. Kafka's ideal build typically encompasses elements from both Jing Yuan and Welt, as she necessitates the Lightning element set, emphasizes Crit Stats and ATK, and also relies on other attributes like Effect Hit Rate to maintain a consistent application of the Shock DoT effect.
In addition, Patience Is All You Need, her signature 5-star light cone, is an excellent weapon for her and can be obtained during the Limited-time Light Cone Event Banner. However, she also has access to more budget-friendly options like Before The Tutorial Mission or Eyes of the Prey, which work well on her. This makes her a relatively easy-to-build character, especially if players have already collected the necessary materials and relics in advance.
On the other hand, Blade primarily needs to focus on increasing his HP stat, as his DPS scales mainly with HP. Players should also prioritize other stats such as Crit Rate, Crit DMG, and Speed. While there aren't many stats to focus on for Blade, many players may find him more difficult to build because it's not possible to pre-farm most of the required materials or relics before his release. This is because Blade requires a new character Ascension material that only becomes available with the 1.2 patch, which introduces a new boss. Additionally, his most optimal relic and planar ornament sets are obtained from a newly introduced Relic domain and the Simulated Universe world, as the existing HP set bonus or Wind Set bonus aren't as effective for him, as they are more suited for support characters like Bailu or Bronya. As a result, players may need to spend additional resources, such as Fuel, to quickly acquire his materials and gear, which may not be ideal for players who are also in the process of optimizing many other characters.
Furthermore, Blade also faces a similar situation when it comes to his ideal light cones. While his signature light cone, The Unreachable Side, is excellent for him, many of the other available options mainly focus on increasing ATK%, which may not be as attractive for Blade. Although he can perform well without any Eidolons, players may feel tempted to acquire his specific light cone, which may not be budget-friendly and is currently quite niche, as no other Destruction character benefits as much from its effect.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Consequently, Blade encounters a similar predicament in terms of his preferred light cones. Although The Unreachable Side, his distinctive light cone, suits him perfectly, the majority of other available choices primarily emphasize ATK% enhancements, which may not be as appealing to Blade. While he can still perform admirably without any Eidolons, players might be enticed to obtain his particular light cone, which may not be cost-effective and is presently rather exclusive, considering no other Destruction character benefits as significantly from its impact.
While both characters excel in their respective roles, it's important for players to consider their drawbacks when deciding which character to pull for.
Blade's Strengths and Weaknesses:
Strenghts | Weaknesses |
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Kafka's Strengths and Weaknesses:
Strenghts | Weaknesses |
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Verdict: Pulling Blade vs Kafka
Blade showcases a wide range of powerful abilities and excels in dealing high amounts of damage.
They have pulled for Luocha since these characters synergize exceptionally well.
They have not invested in Dan Heng and require a Wind DPS character to tackle challenging content.
They appreciate high-risk high-reward characters who inflict more damage by sacrificing their own health.
They seek a character who is not dependent on skill points or powerful abilities.
Players should pull for Kafka if:
They are looking for a DoT-focused character.
That have not pulled / built Jing Yuan and require a Lightning DPS character.
That have built Sampo and would like to use him in a team where he can synergize well.
Looking for a future-proof character within this version update.
Honkai: Star Rail is now available on Android, iOS, and PC. A PlayStation version is in development.
