Honkai: Star Rail Kafka Character Guide

Kafka is a Lightning-Type character following the Path of Nihility. She can Shock enemies and deal additional DoT to enemies already inflicted with DoT.

Introduction

Kafka is a Lightning-Type character following the Path of Nihility. She can Shock enemies and deal additional DoT to enemies already inflicted with DoT.
Her Talent and Ultimate have chances of inflicting enemies with Shock. In addition, her Skill and Ultimate can cause all DoT effects currently applied to the enemies to deal additional DoT DMG equal to a certain percentage of the original DMG.


Skills Overview

Basic Attack - Midnight Tumult

[Single Target]

Deals Lightning DMG equal to 50%-100% of Kafka's ATK to a single enemy.


Skill - Caressing Moonlight

[Blast]

Deals Lightning DMG equal to 80%-176% of Kafka's ATK to a target enemy and Lightning DMG equal to 30%-66% 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%-78% of their original DMG.


Ultimate - Twilight Trill

[AoE]

Deals Lightning DMG equal to 48%-86.4% 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%-104% of the DoT. Shock lasts for 2 turn(s).
While Shocked, enemies receive Lightning DoT equal to 116%-318.275% of Kafka's ATK at the beginning of each turn.


Talent - Gentle but Cruel

[Single Target]

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%-159.6% 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.


Technique - 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).


Ascension 2 - 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.

Ascension 4 - Plunder

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

Ascension 6 - Thorns

The base chance for target enemies to get Shocked by the Ultimate, the Technique, or the Talent-triggered follow-up attack increases by 30%.

Skill Priorities

Ultimate = Skill > Talent > Basic


Recommended Light Cones

  1. Patience is All You Need (5✩)
  2. In the Name of the World (5✩)
  3. Good Night and Sleep Well (4✩)
  4. Solitary Healing (5✩)
  5. Fermata (4✩)
  6. Eyes of the Prey (4✩)

1) Patience is All You Need

Effects: Increases DMG dealt by the wearer by 24%. After every attack unleashed by the wearer, the wearer's 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 on 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.
Notes: Kafka's BiS Lightcone. Increase her overall damage and speed, inflicting enemies with Erode/Shock and giving her a chance to deal additional damage from the Lightning DoT.

2) In the Name of the World

Effects: Increases the wearer's DMG to debuffed enemies by 24%. When the wearer uses their Skill, the Effect Hit Rate for this attack increases by 18%, and ATK increases by 24%.
Notes: Similar to the BiS LC above, the first effect increases Kafka's overall damage but only to debuffed enemies. The Effect Hit Rate in the second effect is not useful for her, but the ATK bonus is.

3) Good Night and Sleep Well

Effects: 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.
Notes: At the highest Superimpose, this LC could rival Kafka's BiS Light Cone.

4) Solitary Healing

Effects: Increases the wearer's Break Effect by 20~40%. When the wearer unleashes their Ultimate, increases DoT dealt by the wearer by 24~48% for 2 turns. When the target suffering from the wearer's DoT is defeated, regenerates 4~6 Energy.

5) Fermata

Effects: 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.
Notes: Best F2P LC for Kafka and can easily be Superimposed to S5, increasing her Break Effect and Shock DMG.

6) Eyes of the Prey

Effects: Increases Effect Hit Rate of its wearer by 20% and increases DoT by 24%.
Notes: Light Cone that helps Kafka with her Effect Hit Rate while also increasing her DoT damage. But if you add Sampo to Kafka's team, it's better to use this LC on him instead.


Recommended Relics

  1. 4-Pc Prisoner in Deep Confinement + 2-Pc Firmament Frontline: Glamoth
  2. 4-Pc Band of Sizzling Thunder + 2-Pc Space Sealing Station

Relic Set (Prisoner in Deep Confinement)

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

Planetary Set (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.

Relic Set (4-Pc Band of Sizzling Thunder)

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

Planetary Set (Space Sealing Station)

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

Main & Sub Stats Priority

Main Stat PrioritySub Stats Priority
Body: ATK%
Feet: SPD/ATK%
Planar Sphere: Lightning DMG Bonus
Link Rope: ATK%/Energy Regeneration Rate
SPD = ATK%

Team Recommendations

It is highly recommended to bring along at least another Sub-DPS character that can apply DoT on enemies in the party so Kafka can take advantage of all the DoTs placed on that enemy and deal more damage.
For Buff or Debuffer, Asta is by far one of the best characters to be put in Kafka's team (as she can provide both ATK and SPD), but others that are recommended are not far behind, especially considering each character is specialized in their own specific scenarios.
Lastly is a healer or a shielder, which is an obvious choice so your team is in their tip-top condition.

Main DPS: Kafka
Sub-DPS/DoT Enabler: Sampo/Serval/Luka
Buff/Debuff: Asta/Tingyun/Bronya/Pela/Silver Wolf
Healer/Defender: Luocha/Bailu/Natasha


Eidolons

Best Eidolons: C1, C2 & C6

E1: Da Capo (Good!)
When the Talent triggers a follow-up attack, there is a 100% base chance to increase the DoT received by the target by 30% for 2 turn(s).

E2: Fortississimo (Great!)
While Kafka is on the field, DoT dealt by all allies increases by 25%.

E3: Capriccio
Skill Lv. +2, up to a maximum of Lv. 15.
Basic ATK Lv. +1, up to a maximum of Lv. 10.

E4: Recitativo
When an enemy target takes DMG from the Shock status inflicted by Kafka, Kafka additionally regenerates 2 Energy.

E5: Doloroso
Ultimate Lv. +2, up to a maximum of Lv. 15.
Talent Lv. +2, up to a maximum of Lv. 15.

E6: Leggiero (Awesome!)
The Shock inflicted on the enemy target by the Ultimate, the Technique, or the Talent-triggered follow-up attack has a DMG multiplier increase of 156% and lasts 1 turn(s) longer.

SoraHoshina
SoraHoshina

A content creator for HoYoverse games, focusing on Genshin Impact and Honkai Star: Rail.

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