If you've spent a lot of time playing Honkai Star Rail then you know that simply pulling a strong character does not necessarily guarantee you’re win. The difference between a unit that underperforms and one that conquers endgame content comes down to Relics.
Why? It’s the gear system that defines a character's stats. What stats? Critical Rate, Attack Power, Speed, and others as well that makes them arguably the most impactful progression system in the game.
If you want to understand the basics as newbie or a veteran who wants to optimize your farming strategy, this guide will help you with everything you need to know about obtaining and upgrading Relics in Honkai Star Rail. If you're looking to speed up your progression overall, LootBar is a trusted game top-up platform where you can recharge Oneiric Shards. If you want to make a fast and straightforward purchase quickly and affordably then check the HSR top up page as well!
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What Are Relics in Honkai Star Rail?
Relics
Relics are gear pieces that you equip to your characters that provide stat boosts. These gears can be equipped up to six Relic slots: Head, Hands, Body, Feet, Planar Sphere, and Link Rope. The first four slots are used for standard Relics from Caverns of Corrosion, while the Planar Sphere and Link Rope come from Simulated Universe and Divergent Universe content.
Relics come in rarities from 2-star to 5-star, although only 4-star and 5-star pieces are the ones worth investing for endgame. Each Relic has one Main Stat that is fixed based (cannot be replaced) on slot type, plus up to four Sub Stats that are randomly rolled when the piece drops.
Sets matters, equipping two or four pieces from the same Relic set activates set bonuses that’s tailored to specific playstyles. An example is a 4-piece set bonus for a DPS character increasing their critical damage that deals huge damage. Choosing the right set for the right character is just as important as getting good sub stats.
Where and How Do You Obtain Relics?
Caverns of Corrosion
Cavern of Corrosion
One way to farm your standard Relics is to enter the Caverns of Corrosion which are in the Simulated Universe menu. You will find that each cavern keeps throwing the same two specific Relic sets at you.
But to make a run here you have to spend 10 Trailblaze Power. This is the method you will rely on the most for farming and the place where most likely, your grinding for the endgame will take place.
Because Trailblaze Power is limited and regenerates a bit slow, you need to plan which cavern to run based on what your current characters need. Do not burn your stamina on a set your unit doesn't use.
Simulated Universe and Divergent Universe
Simulated Universe and Divergent Universe
Simulated Universe (SU) and the newer Divergent Universe are the only sources for Planar Ornaments via the Sphere and Rope slots. Running on World difficulty 3 and above starts yielding 5-star Ornaments, and you can also spend Cosmic Fragments (earned in SU) at the Immersifier to re-run worlds for more drops using Trailblaze Power.
Echo of War and Other Sources
Echo of War
Echo of War weekly bosses drop Relic sets tied to specific characters and story bosses. You get a limited number of rewards that drop per week, but these runs are highly efficient for targeting specific pieces. Additionally, the Embers Exchange shop occasionally offers Relic sets that can be purchased with Undying Embers, which you earn by pulling duplicate 4-star Light Cones.
How to Upgrade Relics the Right Way?
Leveling Up Relics
Leveled Up Relic
Relics are upgraded using Credits and other Relics as EXP material. You can level any Relic from +0 to +15. Every three levels, a new Sub Stat is either added (if the piece has fewer than four) or an existing one gets a random upgrade boost.
The key mechanic here is that higher-rarity Relics give better upgrade rolls. A 5-star Relic's Sub Stat upgrade values are significantly stronger than a 4-star piece's, which is why 5-star Relics are the endgame goal.
Should You Level Every Relic?
Nope, this is where many players waste resources. A common strategy you can do is to level a new Relic to +3 first.
At that point you see the first Sub Stat addition or upgrade. If the result is good (relevant stats like Crit Rate, Crit DMG, ATK%, or SPD), continue leveling to +6, then evaluate again. If the Sub Stats are trash like Effect RES or DEF% on a DPS, discard it to save your Credits.
Why Salvaging Unwanted Relics Matters?
Unwanted Relics can be used Relic EXP material. This is not a 1:1 return, but it does help recycle junk pieces. Prioritize salvaging 4-star Relics that roll bad Sub Stats over 3-star or 2-star pieces, since they return more materials.
Here are Tips to Farm Relics More Efficiently
Getting the right Relic can be hard because it runs on RNG, in other words Random. Always spend your daily Trailblaze Power because uncapped stamina is just a waste. Secondly, focus one or two characters at a time rather than spreading your resources across the entire roster.
And lastly use the Relic filter system in your inventory. Why? To quickly spot pieces that have relevant Sub Stats, this saves you the headache of manually reviewing dozens of items.
If by chance you need more Trailblaze Power to farm longer sessions, topping up Oneiric Shards via LootBar is one of the most cost-effective options available as it supports multiple payment methods and typically offers better rates than purchasing directly through the game store. If you're ready to do a Honkai Star Rail top up, LootBar makes the process fast and straightforward!
Conclusion
Relics are the long game or endgame in Honkai Star Rail, you won't get a perfect set overnight, because it’s intentional. Try to Understand how each farming method works, when to upgrade versus discard a piece, and how to prioritize your stamina makes the grind far less painful or time consuming.
Focus on getting your Main Stats right first, then worry about Sub Stats as you accumulate more pieces. Consistently farming the right caverns and using your weekly Echo of War clears efficiently gradually builds your characters into unstoppable powerhouses!
