Honkai Star Rail Kafka Build: Teams, Light Cones, Traces, Relics

Kafka is an upcoming character in Honkai Star Rail patch 1.2. She is a Lightning damage wielder with the ability to apply DoT (damage over time) effects on enemies. She treads on the Path of Nihility and synergizes well with other characters that can apply Shock as well, with Serval being a highly synergistic unit to put on your team if you are using Kafka. If you are planning to pull for Kafka in Honkai Star Rail patch 1.2, here is our recommended build for her.

Honkai Star Rail 1.2 Kafka Build: Best teams

Currently the best Kafka team that players have theorycrafted include:

Luka: He is a Physical Nihility character who can apply DoT effects (Bleed) on enemies.

Sampo: He is a Wind Nihility character who can apply Dot effects (Wind Shear) on enemies.

Defensive Support: You can use characters like Natasha, Lynx, Luocha, Gepard or Bailu for defensive utility.

If you do not want to use either Luka or Sampo, Serval is a decent option but she is not as effective as the DoT Nihility characters.

Honkai Star Rail 1.2 Kafka Build: Best light cone

Kafka’s signature light cone is “Patience is All You Need”. The weapon can be obtained from the weapon Warp banner when she will be available in patch 1.2. The effect of the weapon (at Superimposition 1) states that the wearer deals 16% more DMG to enemies inflicted with DoT. For every attack, increases the wearer’s SPD by 4%, up to 5 time(s). Meanwhile, enemies receiving attacks take 20% more DoT for 1 turn.  

If you are not planning to pull the light cone from the weapon Warp banner, you can use any popular Nihility light cone like Good Night and Sleep Well, Fermata, In The Name of the World or Eyes of the Prey. Good Night and Sleep Well is the best 4-star option

Honkai Star Rail 1.2 Kafka Build: Best relic set

Band of Sizzling Thunder

2-Piece Bonus: Increases Lightning DMG by 10%.

4-Piece Bonus: When the wearer uses Skill, increases the wearer’s ATK by 25% for 1 turn(s).

The Band of Sizzling Thunder relic set is Kafka’s go-to set and you should focus on building ATK%, Effect Hit Rate and Speed. You ideally want around 12% Effect Hit Rate from substats and 134 Speed. You DO NOT need to build Crit Rate or Crit Damage, and you should try and maximize your ATK instead.

Planar Ornament: Space Sealing Station

You want a Lightning Damage Boost Orb and a ATK% Rope from the Space Sealing Station set.

Honkai Star Rail 1.2 Kafka Build: Best traces to level

Basic Attack: Deals Lightning DMG equal to 50% of Kafka’s ATK to a single enemy.

Skill: Deals Lightning DMG equal to 70% of Kafka’s ATK to a single enemy and Lightning DMG equal to 25% of Kafka’s ATK to any adjacent enemies. If the main target enemy is currently receiving DoT, all DoTs currently on that enemy will immediately apply DMG equal to 100% of their DoT DMG Multiplier.

Ultimate: Deals Lightning DMG equal to 36% of Kafka’s ATK to all enemies, with a 100% base chance for enemies hit to become Shocked and immediately take DMG equal to 80% of the original DMG received. Shock lasts for 3 turn(s). When Shocked, enemies receive Lightning DoT equal to 60% of Kafka’s ATK at the beginning of each turn.

Talent: After an ally uses Basic ATK on a Shocked enemy, Kafka immediately deals Lightning DMG equal to 75% of her ATK to that enemy. This effect can only be triggered once per turn.

Technique: When using a Technique to enter battle, deals 50% of Kafka’s ATK as Lightning DMG to a random enemy. At the same time, all enemies have a 100% base chance to be Shocked for 3 turn(s). While Shocked, enemies will take 50% of Kafka’s ATK as Lightning DoT at the start of each turn.

Trace 1: When Kafka uses her Basic ATK on a Shocked enemy, the Shocked state immediately deals DMG equal to 40% of Kafka’s ATK.

Trace 2: If an enemy is defeated while Shocked, Kafka additionally regenerates 10 Energy.

Trace 3: Shocked enemies deal 20% less DMG to Kafka.

That is all you need to know about Kafka’s build in Honkai Star Rail. For more content, check out our Silver Wolf build. If you are new to the game and wondering which characters are worth rerolling for, check out our Honkai Star Rail reroll guide.