Honkai: Star Rail - Step Into the Radiant Light

This guide explores the best Light Cones for The Herta in Honkai: Star Rail, a powerful 5-star Ice Erudition character. Her kit benefits greatly from CRIT Rate, CRIT DMG, ATK, and Skill/Ultimate DMG boosts. We'll analyze several options, comparing their strengths and weaknesses.

Quick Links

• The Seriousness of Breakfast (S5)
• The Day The Cosmos Fell (S5)
• Eternal Calculus (S5)
• Yet Hope Is Priceless (S1)
• Geniuses' Repose (S5)
• An Instant Before A Gaze (S1)
• Before Dawn (S1)
• Today Is Another Peaceful Day (S5)
• Night on the Milky Way (S1)
• Into the Unreachable Veil (S1)

The Herta Ice Erudition 5-Star

Guides: Build Guide, Level-Up Materials, Team Composition, Best Light Cone, Back to All Characters

The Herta excels as a 5-star Ice Erudition damage dealer. Optimal Light Cones prioritize CRIT Rate, CRIT DMG, ATK, and damage boosts. Her inherent 80% CRIT DMG buff makes CRIT Rate a higher priority.

While her signature Light Cone is best, many viable alternatives exist, both limited and free. Let's examine the top contenders:

The Seriousness of Breakfast (S5)

HP ATK DEF 846 476 396

S5 Passive: +24% DMG; +8% ATK per defeated enemy (stacks up to 3 times).

A readily available free Light Cone. Provides straightforward damage boosts, serving as a decent temporary option for new players.

The Day The Cosmos Fell (S5)

HP ATK DEF 953 476 331

S5 Passive: +24% ATK; +40% CRIT DMG for 2 turns after hitting ≥2 enemies with a Weakness.

Another free Light Cone, slightly better than The Seriousness of Breakfast, but its effectiveness hinges on consistently meeting its conditional buff.

Eternal Calculus (S5)

HP ATK DEF 1058 529 396

S5 Passive: +12% ATK; +8% ATK per enemy hit (stacks 5 times); +16% SPD for 1 turn if hitting ≥3 enemies.

A free 5-star Light Cone from Herta's Store. Strong ATK% boost, but performance fluctuates based on the number of enemies.

Yet Hope Is Priceless (S1)

HP ATK DEF 952 582 529

S1 Passive: +16% CRIT Rate; +12% Follow-up Attack DMG per 20% CRIT DMG above 120% (stacks 4 times); ignores 20% target DEF for 2 turns after Basic ATK/Ultimate.

While providing CRIT Rate, its Follow-up Attack buffs are not fully utilized by The Herta. Generally outperformed by free options.

Geniuses' Repose (S5)

HP ATK DEF 846 476 396

S5 Passive: +32% ATK; +48% CRIT DMG for 3 turns after defeating an enemy.

A strong 4-star option from standard banner. Provides substantial ATK and CRIT DMG boosts, but the CRIT DMG buff's duration depends on enemy defeats.

An Instant Before A Gaze (S1)

HP ATK DEF 1058 582 463

S1 Passive: +36% CRIT DMG; +0.36% Ultimate DMG per Energy point (up to 180 Energy).

Provides significant CRIT DMG and Ultimate DMG boosts, but The Herta benefits more from Skill DMG boosts.

Before Dawn (S1)

HP ATK DEF 1058 582 463

S1 Passive: +36% CRIT DMG; +18% Skill and Ultimate DMG; +48% Follow-up Attack DMG after Skill/Ultimate (with Somnus Corpus).

Excellent unconditional stats, boosting CRIT DMG and both Skill and Ultimate damage. The follow-up attack bonus is wasted on The Herta.

Today Is Another Peaceful Day (S5)

HP ATK DEF 846 529 330

S5 Passive: +0.4% DMG per Energy point (up to 160 Energy).

Exceptional 4-star Light Cone providing a substantial unconditional damage boost, easily maximized by The Herta's high Energy cost Ultimate.

Night on the Milky Way (S1)

HP ATK DEF 1164 582 396

S1 Passive: +9% ATK per enemy (up to 5 stacks); +30% DMG for 1 turn after Weakness Break.

A strong 5-star option; high ATK boost potential, but requires multiple enemies and Weakness Break application for maximum effect.

Into the Unreachable Veil (S1)

HP ATK DEF 953 635 463

S1 Passive: +12% CRIT Rate; +60% Skill and Ultimate DMG for 3 turns after Ultimate; recovers 1 Skill Point after Ultimate if consuming ≥140 Energy.

The Herta's signature Light Cone; best-in-slot due to its significant CRIT Rate and Skill/Ultimate DMG boosts, plus Skill Point recovery.