The Astral Express departed last week with the launch of HoYoverse’s newest game, the turn-based RPG Honkai: Star Rail. Over the last few days, Trailblazers could explore the Herta Space Station, Jarilo-VI and Xianzhou Luofu as well as partake in everything the game has to offer.
Speaking of the latter, much like its older siblings Star Rail offers a number of daily and weekly activities to keep you busy and earn some of the game’s special currencies and rewards, and we’re here to help you sort them out.
There are not going to be any spoilers to the main story. However, before proceeding, let’s note the following:
- All of the activities mentioned down below are linked with the Trailblaze levels (your account’s experience). You unlock or expand most of them by the time you hit Trailblaze Level 30;
- A number of daily/weekly activities require you to use Trailblaze Power, the game’s take on Genshin’s Original Resin. It is a resource that recovers automatically and can be replenished using Stellar Jade or Fuel;
- There will be comparisons with Genshin’s system to make it easier for those who have boarded the Astral Express straight from Teyvat.
Ready? Then let’s get going on this starward journey!
Honkai: Star Rail – Daily Activities
Assignments
- Genshin Impact analogue: Expeditions
Assignments system is a great way to passively earn some character materials, experience for heroes and Light Cones (weapons) alike, Synthesis materials and more. They open almost at the very beginning of the game as you progress through the main quest.
Unlike Genshin, Assignments require 2 characters at once and, if you want to earn some extra, you should make sure that your chosen assistants match the given Assignment’s requirements in Paths.
Players can choose to send their characters out for 4, 8, 12 or 20 hours, depending on your needs. At first, you will only have access to 2 Assignments at once, but that number will increase together with your Trailblaze Level.
Daily Training
- Genshin Impact analogue: Daily Commissions
Daily Training is your bread and butter when it comes to collecting Star Jade (the space Primogems), character materials, credits and more. The system is unlocked mid-Belobog so don’t worry if you didn’t get it yet!
Unlike Genshin Impact that gives you 4 dailies and requires you to finish all 4 to receive the extra reward, Star Rail offers a choice of 6 activities. Each activity rewards you a certain amount of points towards the total of 500. As long as you manage to reach that maximum amount of points, you will get your extra reward: Trailblaze experience, Stellar Jade and some Relic experience.
Calyx (Golden & Crimson)
- Genshin Impact analogue: Ley Line Blossoms (Blossoms of Revelation & Wealth)
The Golden Calyx flowers provide you with an opportunity to earn more Character & Light Cone experience as well as Credits in exchange for your Trailblaze Power. It is up to you how much Power you wish to spend on a particular run, affecting how many waves of enemies you will fight and the overall reward you will receive.
The Crimson Calyx gives you a chance to earn the more common materials to level up characters’ Traces (Talents). They are split based on the playable Aeon Paths, so there are 7 total.
Cavern of Corrosion
- Genshin Impact analogue: Artifact Domains
Missed your Artifact farm while traversing the universe? Worry not, it finds you even among the vastness of space. Star Rail’s take on Artifacts are called Relics, and this system allows you to farm for them. It is up to you just how strict with the stats of the required gear you are!
Unlike Genshin where a character can have 5 Artifacts equipped, allowing for an off-set one, Star Rail is pretty stingy and will require strict 4-piece sets or 2pc/2pc split with no wiggle room. The Planar Ornaments 2pc bonus counts separately from the Relics.
Stagnant Shadow
- Rough Genshin Analogue: Elemental Gems (Electro, Dendro, Pyro, etc.)
Unlocked after Trial of the Equilibrium Par II which will be available at Trailblaze Level 30, after finishing the first part and raising the level of your world. The Stagnant Shadows offer advanced Character Ascension Materials, based on character elemental type.
Weekly Activities
Simulated Universe
- Genshin Impact has no analogues, the closest would be Elysian Realm from Honkai Impact 3rd
The first weekly activity that you will be introduced to by Herta, Simulated Universe is an interesting roguelike mode that will test your party-building skills with some randomized blessings.
As you progress through the story and the Simulated Universe itself, you will unlock 6 worlds, each subsequent one harder than its predecessor. Farming the SU will net you Ability Points which, in turn, can be exchanged for SU-specific upgrades. Additionally, finishing the worlds will provide you with a special currency that can be spent on 5-star Light Cones, Superimposers and standard Star Rail passes.
There is a weekly reward that can be earned by farming a certain score. Don’t miss out on it!
At certain point you will also unlock the Planar Ornaments – an extra two equippable pieces of gear that serve as an extra set of Relics on their own, with unique bonuses to boot. The higher levels of Simulated Universe serve as a source of these, but they also require Immersifiers to run. One Immersifier = 40 Traiblaze Powers.
Echo of War
- Genshin Impact analogue: Trounce Domains
Much like the Trounce Domains in Genshin, the Echo of War allows you to face the echoes of the defeated bosses for a chance to earn advanced Trace/Light Cones’ Materials.
Note that Genshin features reduced price on claiming the reward from the first three Trounce Domains but doesn’t cap the overall number of attempts. In HSR, you have only 3 attempts a week – so make sure they count!
Repeatable Activities
Forgotten Hall
- Genshin Impact analogue: Spiral Abyss
The Forgotten Hall is a pretty straightforward activity that involves a number of difficult stages. You are required to defeat all enemies within each stage to complete the challenge and claim your rewards.
Additionally, extra rewards can be obtained by fulfilling specific stage bonus conditions – think of the “stars” in Genshin’s Abyss. Equilibrium Levels do not affect the difficulty and rewards of the Forgotten Hall.
Memory Stages 11 to 15 will require you to use two teams of characters simultaneously. Jokes about 45-starring Forgotten Hall incoming? Once you have finished the first 15 floors, you will unlock Memory of Chaos – extra floors that will be resetting every 2 weeks to keep the Stellar Jade flowing. Provided you can beat the challenge, of course.
Nameless Honor
- Genshin Impact analogue: Gnostic Hymn (Battle Pass)
Less an activity and more a list of activities to earn extra rewards, Battle Pass comes in the free edition (by default) as well as the paid edition that gives extra rewards and a 4-star Light Cone (weapon) of your choice among the given options.
Honkai Star Rail – One-Time Activities
Missions / Quests
Comes without saying, this is the game’s main source of lore and character interactions. The quests are split into a number of categories:
- Trailblaze Missions (main quest);
- Companion Missions;
- Adventure Missions;
- Daily Missions.
Operation Briefing
- Genshin Impact: Adventurer’s Handbook
The game’s way to guide your progression while offering a bunch of rewards, including the Trailblaze experience and even Star Rail passes. Pay attention to this one, it might help you earn those Trailblaze levels more easily to be able to unlock more content.
Chests, Puzzles, Collectibles & Achievements
While not a true open world like Genshin, Honkai Star Rail still has an impressive number of things you can encounter while traversing its locations. From a variety of chests, to puzzles and various collectibles (gotta read everything and touch all the trash cans, I don’t make the rules), the Herta Space Station, Jarilo-VI and Xianzhou Luofu can keep you entertained for a great while.
While at it, check the game’s list of achievements – it’s a great way to accumulate more Star Jade (the space Primogems) passively. While each particular achievement might not give a great reward, they still add up in the long run.
Warring Expeditions
Once you have progressed through a particular location’s main plot to a certain degree, it will unlock a new feature of the done-and-done variety. On the Herta Space Station, it is the Signs of Fragmentum. For Jarilo-VI (Belobog), it is An Eye for an Eye & Winter Soldiers’ March.
Coming in three different difficulties, it is a great way to earn some extra Stellar Jade, experience materials and credits.
Trial of the Equilibrium
- Genshin Impact: World Level challenges
When you reach a certain threshold, the game will offer you a way to increase the level of the world (and with it, the levels of monsters and the rewards) to match you in strength. To do so, you have to pass the so-called Trial of the Equilibrium challenge.
Make sure that you have a number of characters prepared – leveled up, with enhanced Light Cones and unlocked Traces – before doing so or you will be in for a miserable experience.
