Classes in Honkai: StarRail represented by Paths - this is another way of classifying characters, which determines the main role of the hero, and also has a direct impact on the combat strength and effectiveness of the entire squad. For these reasons, understanding the key principles of the class system is an important part of the gameplay.
Each game character in the Honkai universe not only has a rich lore, but also a unique set of abilities that distinguishes them from others. In this article, we will analyze in detail what Paths are in HSR, what they affect and how they work. In addition, we will provide examples of heroes for each role.
What is the Path in Honkai: Star Rail
Path is a predefined class that gives general information about the tasks that the character performs in the team: buffer, healer, damage dealer, and so on.
If in terms of gameplay Path represent the functions implemented by the hero during the battle, then in the lore of the game they are called Aeons and are the embodiment of the Highest deities, capable of creating and destroying entire universes (like Archons в Genshin impact). It is they who pave the Ways and identify them.
What does the Path affect?
The path affects role и abilities character - will he deal damage or buff, heal allies or weaken enemies. It also depends on the choice light cone (weapon), since the passive effect can only be activated by members of a certain class. For example, if a hero of the Path of Destruction equips the Light Cone of the Path of Erudition, the weapon's passive bonuses simply won't work.
Although the game does not impose a certain path and even a healer can be collected in damage, if you try to deviate from the assigned class, you may experience problems with a lack of damage due to the weapon's passive effects not working. In other words, the developers predetermine how the players should use this or that hero.
Total in Honkai Star Rail 15 Paths. However, only 8 are currently playable. These include:
- Destruction.
- Hunting.
- Erudition.
- Memory.
- Harmony.
- Non-existence.
- Save.
- Abundance.
Paths to which no hero is bound yet:
- Development.
- Gluttony.
- Joy.
- Beauty.
- Spread.
- Enigmata.
- Completeness.
All Paths in Honkai: Star Rail and the characters that belong to them
The following is a list of all Paths, as well as their description, combat role and characters that are included there.
Path of Destruction
Role in the team: major/minor DD.
Destruction characters focus on dealing damage to single targets and their closest opponents. In addition, they can have skills of other classes: Pathfinder, is able to heal allies with equipment, Clara - tank, and Arlan strengthens himself at the expense of losing health. Heroes of this path are universal fighters who effectively show themselves in any situation. For example, in simulated universe thanks to their variability and survivability, they deal with waves of opponents and elite enemies without any problems. Like any DD, parameters are important to them Crit damage и Crit chance.
Characters:
- Nameless Pioneer (5☆, physical damage);
- tramp girl Clara (5☆, physical damage);
- Stellaron Hunter Blade (5☆, wind damage);
- Sword Master Luofu Jingliu (5☆, ice damage);
- incarnation of the past Moon Eater (5☆, imaginary damage);
- swordswoman with Zhuming Yunli (5☆, physical damage);
- Stellaron Hunter Firefly (5☆, fire damage);
- the storm of discord and wars Midea (5☆, imaginary damage);
- Maiden Knight Saber (5☆, wind damage);
- savior of Amphoreus Phaenon (5☆, physical damage);
- Mole Squad Boss Hook (4☆, fire damage);
- Head of the "Security Department" Arlan (4☆, electric damage);
- Judge of the Ten Lords Commission Xueyi (4☆, quantum damage);
- Hotel "Dream World" bellhop Misha (4☆, ice damage).
Path of the Hunt
Role in the team: major/minor DD.
Hunt characters are good at boss fights as they deal huge damage for single targets. Of all the classes, they often have the highest built-in value speed, which is why they often go first in battle. At the same time, they have problems with survivability, which is why it is advisable to put healers in their team. Another feature is the ability to apply buffs to themselves. For example, Zele is able to make an extra move and increase her damage. When pumping, it is recommended to focus on CRIT DMG, CRIT Rate и attack power will be useful.
Characters:
- gifted swordsman Yanqing (5☆, ice damage);
- "Butterfly" by Zele (5☆, quantum damage);
- Staff member of KMM Topaz (5☆, fire damage);
- Arbiter General Feixiao (5☆, wind damage);
- the polymath Dr. Razio (5☆, imaginary damage);
- Galactic Ranger Boothill (5☆, physical damage);
- Archer, an archer from another world (5☆, quantum damage);
- Nameless Dan Heng (4☆, wind damage);
- Cloud Knight Sushan (4☆, physical damage);
- Nameless March 7 (4☆, imaginary damage);
- Shadow Guardian from Yaoqing Moze (4☆, electrical damage).
Path of Erudition
Role in the team: major/minor DD.
Erudite characters focus on destruction of a group of opponents. Their base health and defenses are high, but in return they sacrifice speed and often go last. For this reason, they need to compensate for this characteristic relics or other characters' skills. Certain Erudite fighters give themselves buffs or weaken enemies (for example, Serval can inflict the Shock status). They are most often used in situations where multiple waves of enemies must be defeated, such as when completing Pure Fiction.
Characters:
- Unnamed Himeko (5☆, fire damage);
- General Luofu Jing Yuan (5☆, electric damage);
- Knight of Beauty Argenti (5☆, physical damage);
- representative of KMM Yashma (5☆, quantum damage);
- Rappa Ninja Ranger (5☆, imaginary damage);
- scholar-erudite Greater Hertha (5☆, ice damage);
- scholar zlatius anax (5☆, wind damage);
- mechanic from Belobog Serval (4☆, electric damage);
- Space Station Owner Herta Doll (4☆, ice damage);
- Fortune teller of the "Prediction Commission" Qingque (4☆, quantum damage).
Path of Memory
Role in the team: depends on the character.
Heroes of Memory have a unique opportunity summon a creature to the battlefield, also called the spirit of memory. It gets a personal action in the battle cycle, can take damage, use positive effects of supports and deal good damage, or perform other functions, such as healing allies. In general, the characters of this Path are extremely versatile in their mechanics: they can be both buffers/debuffers and primary/secondary damage dealers. Roughly speaking, the overall gameplay functionality depends entirely on the hero.
Characters:
- Nameless Pioneer (5☆, ice damage);
- demigoddess-zlatius Aglaya (5☆, electric damage);
- Servant of Death Kastoria (5☆, quantum damage);
- servant of the Twilight Court Hyacin (5☆, wind damage);
- Fuli's alter ego Darkness (5☆, ice damage).
- Amphoraeus' true savior, Cyrene (5☆, ice damage).
Path of Harmony
Role in the team: support buffers.
Harmony characters are buffers who impose buffs on themselves and allies with the help of skills. They have good survivability. Due to their class, they are in dire need of pumping speed, to go first more often, maintain buffs, and accumulate energy faster to activate superpowers. Heroes of this Path are indispensable allies in battles against high-level opponents, especially if the squad lacks its own combat power.
Characters:
- Supreme Guardian of Belobog Bronya (5☆, wind damage);
- Biological science expert Ruan Mei (5☆, ice damage);
- Nameless Pioneer (5☆, imaginary damage);
- the klutz in the Sparkle mask (5☆, quantum damage);
- singer Penakonia Zaryanka (5☆, physical damage);
- wanderer with broken wings sunday (5☆, imaginary damage);
- Maiden of Janusopolis Tribby (5☆, quantum damage);
- Caesar Keridra (5☆, wind damage);
- Envoy of the "Flight Commission" Tingyun (4☆, electric damage);
- Lead researcher of the Asta space station (4☆, fire damage);
- Head of the Flight Commission Yukun (4☆, imaginary damage);
- Judge of the Ten Lords Commission Hania (4☆, physical damage).
Path of Nothingness
Role in the team: primary/secondary DDs or support-debuffers.
The characters of the Void, with some exceptions, are debuffers who weaken opponents, reduce their defense, apply resistances or slow them down. In addition to using skills with negative effects, they are able to deal periodic damage outside the battlefield, such as Kafka, Sampo and Guinaifen. Requires stat development survival (health, protection) and especially effect hit chance. Considering that they can deal damage and must move first, it requires developing attack power and speed. The heroes themselves are useful and versatile, but quite demanding in terms of pumping up their characteristics.
Characters:
- Nameless Welt (5☆, imaginary damage);
- Stellaron Hunter Silver Wolf (5☆, quantum damage);
- Stellaron Hunter Kafka (5☆, electric damage);
- Keeper of Memories Black Swan (5☆, wind damage);
- galactic ranger acheron (5☆, electric damage);
- Healer from Yaoqing Jiaoqiu (5☆, fire damage);
- the risen incarnation of the messenger Fugue (5☆, fire damage);
- cat thief Tsifer (5☆, quantum damage);
- siren warrior Gisilensa (5☆, physical damage);
- a klutz in a Sampo mask (4☆, wind damage);
- Silvermane Guard Intelligence Officer Pela (4☆, ice damage);
- Belobog's best fighter Luka (4☆, physical damage);
- Guinaifen artist (4☆, fire damage).
Path of Preservation
Role in the team: shield supports.
Save characters have powerful defensive abilitiesthat increase team survivability. Have a high score defense, which determines the strength of the shield and personal survivability, and sometimes the damage of attacking abilities, although the latter are rarely used. For excellent survivability, they sacrifice speed, but this can be compensated relics or buffs of Harmony heroes. They are the easiest characters in terms of stat selection, especially useful in the late and mid stages of the game.
Characters:
- Nameless Pioneer (5☆, fire damage);
- Commander of the Silvermane Guards Cheetah (5☆, ice damage);
- Head of the Prediction Commission Fu Xuan (5☆, quantum damage);
- full-time employee of KMM Aventurine (5☆, imaginary damage);
- Zlatius Liberator of the Wasteland (5☆, physical damage);
- Nameless March 7 (4☆, ice damage).
Path of Abundance
Role in the team: healers.
Abundance characters are healers who restore health to allies, preventing them from falling during battle. Some also have resurrection abilities like Bailu, which can be crucial in particularly difficult fights. The stats these heroes require are primarily HP (health) и speed. The only problem is the low damage, but they don't need it, since Abundance's main task is to support and heal the squad.
Characters:
- the dragon maiden Bailu (5☆, electric damage);
- Locha the Traveling Merchant (5☆, imaginary damage);
- trainee judge Hoho (5☆, wind damage);
- healer from the Vidyadhara Linsha (5☆, fire damage);
- Natasha (4☆, physical damage);
- Lynx (4☆, quantum damage);
- Gallagher (4☆, fire damage).
We hope our guide helped you learn more about the Routes in Honkai: Star Rail so you can create the best party for yourself. If anything remains unclear or you have any questions, please write about it in the comments, we will be happy to help.
