The guide for beginners in Honkai: Star Rail. Learn what to do first, mission goals, priority, gacha banner, best characters, solutions if you get stuck, tips, and tricks.
Table of Contents
How To Progress In Early Game?
No Need To Reroll
Honkai: Star Rail requires either an SNS or a HoYoverse account to start the game, so you must create a new account each time you reroll.
Also, if you are playing other HoYoverse games (Genshin or Honkai Impact 3rd), switching between different accounts can be a nuisance. Considering the time and convenience, continuing without rerolling the game is generally advised.
One 5-Star Character Is Guaranteed
If you pull the "Departure Warp" beginner's gacha, you will receive a 5-Star character within 50 Warps at a 20% discount. Starting early will make progress in the game easier, as you will have a reliable and powerful character.
| Point‼ | You can obtain a 5-Star character of your choice from the lineup by pulling the Regular Warp 300 times. This is a one-time offer, so if you're after a particular character, this is your chance to get them. |
5-Star Signature Light Cone Can Be Exchanged With Warp Bonus
Each Regular 5-Star character has a compatible Signature Light Cone. Collect "Undying Starlight," the extra items from Warps, to exchange for the Light Cone of your choice.
"Undying Starlight" can be exchanged for 4-Star characters or Banner Tickets efficiently. This is a useful option if there is no Light Cone you desire.
Read The Tutorial As You Progress
In the prologue, "Space Station," tutorials are displayed to explain combat basics and techniques in an easy-to-understand manner. Skipping the tutorial may cause you to miss important features, so read it carefully.
Complete The Trailblaze Missions
"Trailblaze Mission," marked in yellow, is the game's main storyline. As you progress through it, various contents and features are unlocked.
As you progress, if you get stuck, you may need to raise your Trailblaze Level. To earn EXP, try farming Calyx or completing Daily/Sub-Missions by consuming "Trailblaze Power".
The Goal In Early Game Is To Unlock "Calyx"
After completing the "Blue" chapter in the Prologue, you can unlock the first Calyx to collect the required materials to enhance your characters.
Raise Trailblaze Level To Unlock Types & Difficulties
The types and difficulty levels unlock as the Trailblaze Level (Player Rank) increases, which is raised by consuming Trailblaze Power (Stamina). To avoid wasting Stamina, be sure to consume it.
Rewards and Requirements of Calyx
| Type | Reward | How To Unlock |
| Calyx (Golden) |    Character EXPLight Cone EXPCredits | Arrive at Jarilo-VI |
| Calyx (Golden) |  Trace Upgrade Material | Equilibrium Level 1 (Trailblaze Level 20) |
Recommended Characters In Early Game
Best DPS For Early Game
 Physical Trailblazer |  Dan Heng |  Serval |  Herta |
| Tutorial | From Prologue | Pre-Registration Reward | From Simulated Universe |
*The characters above, except Trailblazer, are also available in Warps (Gacha).
Physical Trailblazer
This DPS is easy to use with his Ultimate, which can be chosen to attack a single target/multiple targets, and his Skill, which can inflict AoE damage. His high durability makes him difficult to knock down, and his performance is reliable from the beginning to the end of the game.
Additionally, as the story progresses, the character's level carries over to different Combat Types/Paths, and upgrade materials are easily obtainable.
Dan Heng
DPS specializing in single-target attacks can also assist teammates by delaying enemy actions. He can deal damage comparable to 5-Star characters, and his Combat Type, Wind, is rare for a free character. It is recommended to prioritize raising him.
Serval
DPS that inflicts a DoT debuff with AoE. Although her DMG output is not high, she is a valuable addition to your team if you lack other Lightning DPS. Certain enemies can be challenging to defeat without exploiting their Lightning weakness.
Herta
DPS with strong AoE attacks, whose follow-up attack activates automatically when the enemy's HP falls below half. Although not as effective against bosses, she is well-suited for Farming and can easily trigger Ice-type Weakness Break, making her a valuable character.
Best Supporters
*The characters above, except Trailblazer, are also available in Warps (Gacha).
Natasha
Although recovery is crucial in battles, Natasha is the only 4-Star healer available. She can be obtained in the middle of Chapter 1 and the Gacha, and it is best to enhance her and add her to your team as soon as possible.
Asta
Supporter who can boost allies' ATK and deal multiple damages to trigger Fire-type Weakness Break. She is practical for her powerful buff, useful in high-difficulty battles, and easy to exploit Fire-type Weakness.
March 7th
A valuable character who provides a Shield to a single ally that can absorb damage. Additionally, she has the ability to remove debuffs.
There are many opportunities to use her as a Supporter for inflicting Frozen and Counter after the middle game, so enhancing her would be beneficial.
Things To Do When You Get Stuck
Level Up/Enhance The Characters
Enhancing Characters Will Greatly Reduce The Difficulty Level
At the start, it's okay to simply level up characters despite various enhancements available.
After the various enhancement features are unlocked, strengthen Trace, Light Cone, and Relic. Enhancing your team members will prevent being stuck in the storyline progression.
Reconsider Your Strategy
Check The Weakness Type
The key to winning a battle is to exploit the enemy's weakness. By attacking with their Weakness Type and reducing their "toughness", you can trigger a "Weakness Break" which allows you to inflict heavy damage and delay the enemy's actions.
The Weakness Type displayed above an enemy's head on the field is not universal. Check above each enemy's head during battle and attack with the appropriate DPS.
Utilize The Healers
If you struggle to defend against enemy attacks, consider teaming up with a Healer or Shielder. You can use the "Abundance" path characters like Natasha, who joins in Chapter 1, or utilize the March 7th Skill if Natasha has not joined yet.
Also, if your team members' HP is low, approach the "Space Anchor" to recover before challenging stronger enemies.
Observe Enemies' Actions
Bosses and other powerful enemies may act differently, summon minor enemies, apply debuffs to allies, or use powerful AoE attacks.
If you are struggling to defeat the enemy, monitor their status in the battle and analyze the effect of their actions.
Use Consumable To Boost Stats
▲Consumables can be purchased from vending machines around town.
If you face a stronger enemy, use "Consumable" items to gain a temporary advantage. These items can boost your ATK, HP, or other stats during the next battle. Access your Inventory (B key) to use them.
Consumables can be obtained through quests, Synthesize, or vending machines, so there's no problem using them sparingly.
When You Get Stuck In Exploration
Open The Map And Find The Icon
The map indicates the objectives for each quest. Open the map with the map button (M key) and head to the ◆ -marked locations.
Sometimes, the object is indicated by a colored circle rather than a mark. Explore the area within the circle to find the object.
Read The Walkthrough Guides
It can be challenging to locate the next objective during the main storyline. While exploring on your own is enjoyable, consulting a game guide is an option when you cannot locate it.
Honkai: Star Rail Related Guides
Recommended For Beginners
Early Game Tips
 Early Game Guide | |
 Daily To Do's |  Reroll Tier List |
Character Builds And Leveling Up
 Character Build Guide | |
 Level Up Guide |  Ascension Guide And Materials |
 How To Reroll Relics |  Upgrade Light Cones |
Game Mechanics
 Trailblaze Level Guide |  Best Team Comps |
| Settings Guide | Consumables Guide |
| How To Change Profile | How To Add Friends |
| Data Bank Explained | Messages Guide |
Database
| Characters & Equipment | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 All Characters List | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 All Light Cones |  Relic Sets List |  Max Stats List | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Character Tier List |  Best Relics For Character |  Upgrade Materials List | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Voice Actors List | Characters By Rarity | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5-Star | 4-Star | Characters By Combat Type | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Physical |  Fire |  Ice |  Lightning |  Wind |  Quantum |  Imaginary | Characters By Path | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Destruction |  Hunt |  Erudition |  Harmony |  Nihility |  Preservation |  Abundance | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
