Best Light Cones for Herta in Honkai: Star Rail

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Herta, a formidable 5-star Ice Erudition character in Honkai: Star Rail, excels with potent self-buffs and damage multipliers. As a damage dealer, she prioritizes CRIT Rate, CRIT DMG, and ATK, alongside general damage enhancements from her Light Cones. Her kit includes an 80% CRIT DMG boost, making Light Cones that increase CRIT Rate particularly valuable. Skill and Ultimate damage boosts also enhance her performance, especially for her Skill due to her Interpretation mechanic.

While CRIT Rate and Skill DMG boosts are rare outside her signature Light Cone, Herta has several effective Erudition Path options. Both limited and free Light Cones provide competitive stats, performing similarly in most scenarios. Below are the top Light Cone choices for Herta in Honkai: Star Rail.

The Seriousness of Breakfast (S5)

HP

ATK

DEF

846

476

396

S5 Passive

Boosts the wearer's DMG by 24%. For each enemy defeated, the wearer's ATK rises by 8%, stacking up to 3 times.

The Seriousness of Breakfast, a free Light Cone obtainable via Lucent Afterglow or Echo of War drops, can also be earned by completing a hidden task on the Herta Space Station. Though not Herta’s top pick, it’s a decent choice for new players lacking alternatives, offering reliable damage boosts as a temporary option until a superior Light Cone is acquired.

The Day The Cosmos Fell (S5)

HP

ATK

DEF

953

476

331

S5 Passive

Increases the wearer's ATK by 24%. When an attack hits at least 2 enemies with a corresponding Weakness, the wearer's CRIT DMG rises by 40% for 2 turns.

The Day The Cosmos Fell, another free Light Cone available through Lucent Afterglow or Echo of War drops, can also be obtained by finding all Origami Birds in Golden Hour. It outperforms The Seriousness of Breakfast slightly but relies on maintaining its conditional CRIT DMG buff. If conditions aren’t consistently met, its effectiveness drops. Still, it’s a solid temporary choice for Herta until a better Light Cone is secured.

Eternal Calculus (S5)

HP

ATK

DEF

1058

529

396

S5 Passive

Boosts the wearer's ATK by 12%. After an attack, each enemy hit further increases ATK by 8%, stacking up to 5 times until the next attack. Hitting 3 or more enemies increases SPD by 16% for 1 turn.

Eternal Calculus, a free 5-star Light Cone purchasable with Herta Bonds from Herta’s Store, delivers a strong ATK boost but varies in effectiveness based on enemy count. It’s less reliable in single-target scenarios, yet its 16% SPD boost at S5 helps hit key SPD thresholds. This makes it a dependable option for Herta until a more optimal Light Cone is obtained.

Yet Hope Is Priceless (S1)

HP

ATK

DEF

952

582

529

S1 Passive

Boosts the wearer's CRIT Rate by 16%. For every 20% CRIT DMG above 120%, follow-up attack DMG increases by 12%, stacking up to 4 times. At battle start or after a Basic ATK, the Ultimate or follow-up attack DMG ignores 20% of the target's DEF for 2 turns.

Jade’s signature Light Cone, Yet Hope Is Priceless, is a viable choice for Herta, providing a 16% CRIT Rate boost at S1. While Herta can’t leverage the follow-up buffs, the DEF penetration for her Ultimate is useful early in battle, though less reliable due to her minimal Basic ATK usage. Players should avoid pulling this Light Cone specifically for Herta, as free alternatives perform comparably and may be better suited for other units.

Geniuses' Repose (S5)

HP

ATK

DEF

846

476

396

S5 Passive

Increases the wearer's ATK by 32%. Defeating an enemy boosts CRIT DMG by 48% for 3 turns.

Geniuses’ Repose, a 4-star Light Cone from the standard Stellar Warp, offers a robust 32% ATK boost and a 48% CRIT DMG increase at S5 when Herta defeats an enemy. The buff is easy to maintain in most scenarios due to its three-turn duration but falters in prolonged single-target fights, like against Hoolay, where summons are absent.

An Instant Before A Gaze (S1)

HP

ATK

DEF

1058

582

463

S1 Passive

Boosts the wearer's CRIT DMG by 36%. Using the Ultimate increases Ultimate DMG by 0.36% per point of Max Energy, up to 180 Energy.

Argenti’s signature Light Cone, An Instant Before A Gaze, is a strong choice for Herta, offering a 36% CRIT DMG boost and a 64.8% Ultimate DMG increase at S1. While Herta would benefit more from Skill DMG or general DMG boosts, this Light Cone remains effective. Players should only use it if already owned, as pulling it specifically for Herta is not recommended.

Before Dawn (S1)

HP

ATK

DEF

1058

582

463

S1 Passive

Increases the wearer's CRIT DMG by 36%. Boosts Skill and Ultimate DMG by 18%. After using Skill or Ultimate, the wearer gains Somnus Corpus, which, upon triggering a follow-up attack, boosts follow-up attack DMG by 48%.

Jing Yuan’s signature Light Cone, Before Dawn, is a powerful option for Herta. Although she can’t utilize the follow-up attack buff, it provides a 36% CRIT DMG boost and an 18% increase to Skill and Ultimate DMG at S1. Despite Herta’s preference for CRIT Rate due to her A4 Trace, the additional CRIT DMG makes this Light Cone highly effective.

Today Is Another Peaceful Day (S5)

HP

ATK

DEF

846

529

330

S5 Passive

Upon entering battle, boosts the wearer's DMG based on Max Energy, increasing by 0.4% per point, up to 160 Energy.

Today Is Another Peaceful Day, a stellar 4-star Light Cone, delivers a massive 64% DMG boost at S5 due to Herta’s 220 Energy Ultimate cost. With the highest base ATK among 4-star Erudition Light Cones, matching the 5-star Eternal Calculus, it’s an exceptional choice for F2P and low-spending players, offering consistent performance that rivals premium options.

Night on the Milky Way (S1)

HP

ATK

DEF

1164

582

396

S1 Passive

For each enemy on the field, boosts the wearer's ATK by 9%, up to 5 stacks. When an enemy suffers Weakness Break, the wearer’s DMG increases by 30% for 1 turn.

Night on the Milky Way, a 5-star Light Cone from the standard Stellar Warp, excels for Herta when its effects are fully active. Offering up to a 45% ATK boost with five enemies, its performance drops with fewer targets. The 30% DMG boost on Weakness Break requires consistent enemy breaks. While less reliable than some alternatives, it shines in Pure Fiction scenarios.

Into the Unreachable Veil (S1)

HP

ATK

DEF

953

635

463

S1 Passive

Boosts the wearer's CRIT Rate by 12%. After using their Ultimate, increases Skill and Ultimate DMG by 60% for 3 turns. If the Ultimate consumes 140 or more Energy, recovers 1 Skill Point.

Herta’s signature Light Cone, Into the Unreachable Veil, is her premier choice, offering unmatched CRIT Rate and substantial Skill and Ultimate DMG boosts. Its Skill Point recovery on Ultimate use enhances SP-heavy team synergy, and its 635 base ATK is the highest among Erudition Light Cones. This Light Cone also benefits other Erudition characters, even those not meeting the Energy threshold.

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