Honkai Star Rail: Kafka Best Build Guide, Kit & Teams

In this article we'll go over Kafka's best builds, skills and teams. Stay with us to learn how to build Kafka right in Honkai: Star Rail!

Honkai Star Rail: Kafka Best Build Guide, Kit & Teams
HoYoverse

Kafka is one of the older Honkai: Star Rail and she is getting a re-run this time alongside the newest Honkai: Star Rail character Dr. Ratio. Kafka is a Lightning Character following the Path of Nihility and does great when facing multiple enemies. 

Kafka can be said to be the best enabler, or even the only enabler for DoT teams, so if you want to spice up your Honkai: Star Rail account then this is a great time to do so!

List of Contents:

Who is Kafka

Kafka's Abilities and Kit

Kafka Best Light Cones

Kafka Best Relics

Kafka Best Teams

Is Kafka Worth Pulling For

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Who is Kafka


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Kafka Best Build Guide

Kafka is a member of the Stellaron Hunters and is the first character we get introduced to in the Honkai: Star Rail story.

As a character Kafka is a Lightning element unit that follows the Path of Nihility and her kit revolves around applying DoT (Damage Over Time) to enemies and triggering already applied DoT

She is the [mother] of Honkai: Star Rail and a character that most fans of the game adore.

Here is how you build her right so that she can find a place in all of your DoT teams!

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Kafka's Abilities and Kit


As already mentioned numerous times, Kafka's kit and skills revolve around applying DoT to enemies and then triggering those DoTs so that she can deal ridiculous damage to her foes. Here is the full breakdown of her skills and traces.

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Kafka Skills

Below you can see all of Kafka's skills and their multipliers for Levels 1 and 10

Midnight Tumult - Basic ATK.webp

ATK

Midnight Tumult

  • Deals Lightning DMG equal to 50% (100%) of Kafka's ATK to a single enemy.
Caressing Moonlight - Skill.webp

skill

Caressing Moonlight

  • Deals Lightning DMG equal to 80% (160%) of Kafka's ATK to a target enemy and Lightning DMG equal to 30% (60%) of Kafka's ATK to enemies adjacent to it. If the target enemy is currently receiving DoT, all DoTs currently placed on that enemy immediately produce DMG equal to 60% (75%) of their original DMG.
Twilight Trill - Ultimate.webp

ULT

Twilight Trill

  • Deals Lightning DMG equal to 48% (80%) of Kafka's ATK to all enemies, with a 100% base chance for enemies hit to become Shocked and immediately take DMG from their current Shock state, equal to 80% (100%) of the DoT. Shock lasts for 2 turn(s). While Shocked, enemies receive Lightning DoT equal to 116% (290%) of Kafka's ATK at the beginning of each turn.
Mercy Is Not Forgiveness.webp

TECH

Mercy Is Not Forgiveness

  • Immediately attacks all enemies within a set range. After entering battle, deals Lightning DMG equal to 50% of Kafka's ATK to all enemies, with a 100% base chance to inflict Shock equivalent to that applied by her Ultimate on every enemy target for 2 turn(s).
Gentle but Cruel - Talent.webp

talent

Gentle but Cruel

  • After an ally of Kafka's uses Basic ATK on an enemy target, Kafka immediately launches 1 follow-up attack and deals Lightning DMG equal to 42% (140%) of her ATK to that target, with a 100% base chance to inflict Shock equivalent to that applied by her Ultimate to the attacked enemy target for 2 turns. This effect can only be triggered 1 time per turn.

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Kafka's Traces

Below you can find all three of Kafka's Major Traces and their effects

Torture.webp

trace 1

Torture

  • When the Ultimate is used, enemy targets will now receive DMG immediately from all currently applied DoT sources instead of just receiving DMG immediately from the currently applied Shock state.
Plunder.webp

trace 2

Plunder

  • If an enemy is defeated while Shocked, Kafka additionally regenerates 5 Energy.
Thorns.webp

trace 3

Thorns

  • The base chance for Ultimate, Technique, or the follow-up attack triggered by the Talent to inflict Shock increases by 30%.

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Kafka Best Light Cones


When it comes to Light Cones then Kafka is a joy to build and has some good F2P options.

However, it is worth noting that her best Light Cone by far is her signature one, so if you do happen to have the wishes you might consider giving it a shot! Below is a table with all of the best Light Cones for Kafka!

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Kafka Best Light Cones

Below you can see all of Kafka's Best Light Cones from premium to F2P:

Best in Slot:

Patience is All You Need.png

Patience is All You Need

  • Increases DMG dealt by the wearer by 24%. After every attack launched by wearer, their SPD increases by 4.8%, stacking up to 3 times. If the wearer hits an enemy target that is not afflicted by Erode, there is a 100% base chance to inflict Erode to the target. Enemies afflicted with Erode are also considered to be Shocked and will receive Lightning DoT at the start of each turn equal to 60% of the wearer's ATK, lasting for 1 turn(s).

Alternative:

Good Night and Sleep Well.png

Good Night and Sleep Well

  • For every debuff the target enemy has, the DMG dealt by the wearer increases by 12%, stacking up to 3 time(s). This effect also applies to DoT.
    • Best option after Kafka's Signature. A solid boost in DMG given that she often applies DoTs. However, to get the most out of it you need to have more copies. This Light Cone shines if you have it at S5.

Best F2P:

Fermata.png

Fermata

  • Increases the Break Effect dealt by the wearer by 16%, and increases their DMG to enemies afflicted with Shock or Wind Shear by 16%. This also applies to DoT.
Solitary Healing.png

Solitary Healing

  • Increases the wearer's Break Effect by 20%. When the wearer unleashes their Ultimate, increases DoT dealt by the wearer by 24% for 2 turn(s). Defeating the target suffering from the wearer's DoT allows the wearer to regenerate 4 Energy.

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Kafka Best Relics


Before the release of Version 1.5 DoT characters didn't have a dedicated set and Kafka had to make do with the lightning relic set.

However, after the release of Version 1.5 the new set [Prisoner in Deep Confinement] was added to Honkai: Star Rail and opened new doors for DoT characters. Here is a full breakdown of Kafka's best relics as of Version 1.6.

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Relics and Ornaments

Below are all the great choices that Kafka can use for her Relics and Ornaments:

Best Relic Set:

Prisoner in Deep Confinement.png

Prisoner in Deep Confinement

  • 2-Piece: Increases ATK by 12%.
  • 4-Piece: For every DoT the target enemy is afflicted with, the wearer will ignore 6% of target's DEF when dealing DMG to them. This effect is valid for a max of 3 DoTs.

Alternatives:

Band of Sizzling Thunder.png

Band of Sizzling Thunder

  • 2-Piece: Increases Lightning DMG by 10%.
  • 4-Piece: When the wearer uses Skill, increases the wearer's ATK by 20% for 1 turn(s).
 

Planar Ornaments:

Best Planar Set:

Firmament Frontline Glamoth.png

Firmament Frontline Glamoth

  • 2-Piece: Increases the wearer's ATK by 12%. When the wearer's SPD is equal to or higher than 135/160, the wearer deals 12%/18% more DMG.

Alternatives:

Space Sealing Station.png

Space Sealing Station

  • 2-Piece: Increases the wearer's ATK by 12%. When the wearer's SPD reaches 120 or higher, the wearer's ATK increases by an extra 12%.

Main Stats:

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ATK% SPEED Lightning DMG ATK%

Sub Stats:
SPD (until 134) > ATK > Effect Hit Rate (until 28%) > Break Effect / Crit SUB / DEF%

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Kafka Best Teams


Given that Kafka is the best and only enable of DoT teams in the game, it is only natural that she'd be best paired with other DoT characters. Here are some sample teams for her ranging from premium to free to play!

Best Kafka Team:

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Kafka Sampo Ruan Mei HuoHuo

 

Alternative Team:

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Kafka Sampo Tingyun HuoHuo

 

F2P Kafka Team:

a27a7f23e023aeea841d151ca864f6d7_8275876235530321253.png 8bec1b8404758c78c799ae109e97ba68_9077892686689126095.png 5a5179d65cfb06d1d015c87799e2e740_8514351923560523609.png e9691b64bd3a0449d12265a659d5b301_2800750704985905201.png
Kafka Sampo Tingyun Natasha

Note that the teams above are only suggestions and you can always mix and match to play the characters you want!

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Is Kafka Worth Pulling For


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Kafka Best Build Guide

As with any gacha game the question of whether a character is worth pulling for is bound to come up, and Kafka is no exception. 

Kafka is certainly strong and being the only DoT enabler as of Honkai: Star Rail Version 1.6 she is undoubtedly a character that you must have if you want to play DoT teams. 

However, if we put DoT teams aside she is not all that spectacular. Yes, she can deal good personal damage, however, it lacks compared to some of the Destruction units. And although you can manage her as a sole DPS you would be losing out on a lot of her potential. 

Overall, Kafka is a solid pick and her character design, DoT enabling feature and overall ease of building make her a good pick for a lot of players, and you are sure not to go wrong with getting and building her!

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For more Honkai: Star Rail news and guides feel free to browse the links below:

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Honkai Star Rail

Honkai Star Rail

Honkai Star Rail is a turn-based strategy game developed and published by miHoYo. Set in the Honkai Impact universe, the game features a rich narrative, strategic combat, and a diverse cast of characters. Players can explore various locations, build teams of unique characters, and engage in tactical battles against powerful enemies. Honkai Star Rail emphasizes storytelling, character development, and strategic planning, offering a deep and immersive experience. The game includes regular updates and events, providing a dynamic and evolving world for players to explore and enjoy.

Genres
Role-Playing Game (RPG), Gacha Game, Japanese RPG (JRPG)
Platform(s)
PC, iOS, Android
Release Date
Apr 26, 2023
Price
Free
Developer(s)
miHoYo
Publisher(s)
miHoYo
ESRB Rating
T