Honkai: Star Rail, 2 months later

 Did you think that you would get so far?  Did you find the right combination to get what you wanted?

I have a co-worker, who is at a low level, asking me again if I got Silver Wolf.  I haven't.  I don't believe that I need her.  (I now have Welt, and his 5-star Light Cone, on one account!)

I've learnt plenty about my characters and in the Trial of Equilibrium, Part Four, I found that two 4-star characters work just fine.  Properly fitted, a 5-star character can do better, but that isn't necessary.  Bailu can revive "the dead", unlike Natasha, but Natasha has done just fine where I didn't have Bailu.  (However, I have a 5-star Light Cone that I want Natasha to use, but I don't have another Abundance character to host it until it's at maximum level. Having two doctors on the other account works wonders.)

Finding the right combination for a character is important.  After Trial of the Equilibrium, Part Four, I removed the relics of all important characters and used recommended sets.  This provided a much bigger upswing in the statistics than guessing which ones would work well.

As well, I found two 5-star Light Cones for the main character in Herta's Store.  This not only makes a difference for the main character, but allows another character to use a powerful Light Cone.  Destruction Light Cones have been in short supply for me.  On the other account where I switched the main character to Preservation, this still helped to bring March 7th up a notch.

I've chosen to raise the level of Qingque just after the main character, because of the Quantum damage.  This has resulted in easier victories against Arumaton Gatekeepers.

Getting supplies to push characters to level 70 is difficult.  I need loads of credits and loads of materials for the Synthesizer.  This will take time.  I can only imagine that pushing them to level 80 will be almost impossible and require loads of time.  Still, I'm not paying real money.

Update 2023.07.09: This really is taking time.  I find the materials to update a Light Cone on one character and run out of money.  Then, I can't seem to get enough Trailblaze power to complete Calyx runs.  Version 1.2 is arriving shortly.  I guess it won't be much different, since I'm already everywhere, trying to accomplish everything.

Those Traces on the edges need to be in use.  You need to complete Echo of War battles to complete the two that are keeping those from being used.

Complete the two toward the bottom and work your way up each line to increase abilities.

Honkai: Star Rail, One Month Later

Isn't it amazing how far we've come since May 1st?

I had no real clue what this game would be but I knew that I had no luck with Genshin Impact and would try anyway.  I didn't want to spend real money.  That would probably limit things more than I would hope.

I have two accounts.  I started one on May 1st and hit a road block quickly, and I used another account that was also connected to Genshin Impact.

One account has Yanqing, Bailu, Bronya, and Gepard, while the other has Himeko, Seele, and Clara.  It's good to have such characters for the sake of progress.  The set of four have been able to take on level 53 characters and win.

 I've seen some lists that say some of the characters I have aren't the best.  Still, they're 5-star characters and are more capable than 4-star characters, in general.  It's odd to think that I have all of these characters at level 50 or more.  They'll be at level 60 within a day or two.  I noticed the Aptitude Showcase has characters at level 80.

Yanqing seems to do most of the work for Bronya, while she increases damage potential.  Bailu is a more versatile doctor than Natasha but either will do.  Gepard, being a Preservation character is an interesting mix of attacking enemies and keeping allies safe.

Himeko is useful but falls too easily, similar to Serval.  They can both deal a lot of damage but they'll be out of the battle sooner than others.  Seele is holy-shit amazing but she leaves the battle too quickly.  Clara is a strange mix of her and Mister Svarog.

IMHO, some of the characters like Dan Heng are much more than 4-star characters and some of the 5-star characters aren't as good as they could be.  I guess that they can't have 4.5-star characters, though.  It's interesting to use Dan Heng and Yanqing on the same team.  Much more is accomplished quickly.

There are so many little things to do to make these characters do their best.  Changing things once you think it's finished is difficult, but it works in the end.  I've switched Light Cones at fairly critical times simply because a 5-star Light Cone arrived.

The good thing in all of this is that I'm not spending money and I'm giving Honkai: Star Rail the attention it needs without making it an obsession.  I've seen loads of people spend hundreds of dollars on Genshin Impact.  I wouldn't, which is partly why I'm only at level 8 and you have to be at level 15 for anything interesting to happen.  On Honkai: Star Rail, one account is at Trailblaze level 44 and the other is at level 42.  That's pretty good, especially since no real money has been involved.

Of course, you need to get your character's level and Light Cone level as high as possible, but make sure all Traces are complete and buy 4-star Relics when possible.  Switch when necessary.  You can always build them on one character and switch them later.  Enhancing Relics is something I haven't found straightfoward.

Update 2023.06.13: Most of the 5-star characters are at level 60 and many 4-star characters are at level 60, as well.  I'm working on finishing traces for level 60.  The account with Himeko is at level 45 and is facing the Ebon Deer, without much success so far.  I've removed Himeko for the moment, as she isn't effective.  Qingque is probably more important, given the Quantum DMG, along with Seele.

Special Rail Passes did not get me a new character but Serval on each side, turning into an Eidolon, which boosted her.

Update 2023.06.16: Still feel the need for one Abundance character and one Preservation character to keep the team going.  Attempting to upgrade March 7th on the account that doesn't have Gepard.

Trial of the Equilibrium, Part Four is upon me, on one account.  One is at level 50, and the other is at level 48.  Most important characters are at level 60.  Is that enough?  I have no choice.  They can't be upgraded until the test is complete.  What combination will work?  Quantum DMG is probably a wise option, but Qingque is a four-star character and isn't strong.  Then again, Seele, on the other account, is a 5-star character who falls too easily.

Update 2023.06.18: Arumaton (Gatekeeper) is in the fourth Trial of the Equilibrium and is a pain, defeating every team quickly.  I finally finished one of the other missions where an Arumaton was involved.  Of course, it wasn't level 60 and the one in the trial is at level 60.

I've upgraded Herta on both accounts.  She and Qingque make it difficult for the Arumaton.

Update 2023.06.20: Both of my accounts are at level 50.  I continue to receive the "relic levels are low" message but I can't go get better relics because I get the "underpowered" message when I try Cavern of Corrosion or other bits where I could receive better relics.

Oh, and on the account with fewer 5-star characters, I changed the main character to Preservation.  This means that the character uses fire and needs to have his Light Cone replaced with one from Preservation.  It also means that all of the Eidolons that were already there (all six) did not apply.  I wonder if they're waiting, so if I switch the character back to Destruction, they'll be there.  He's weaker and stronger, at the same time.

Update 2023.06.25: Trail of Equilibrium, Part 4 has been succeeded on both accounts.  This took a lot of relic enhancing, a Kinetic Cannon, some Cosmic Fried Rice, and a disposable shield.  Accounts are at level 53 and level 52.