Honkai: Star Rail Endgame Guide โ Memory of Chaos, Pure Fiction, and Apocalyptic Shadow
Honkai: Star Rail's endgame consists of three rotating permanent modes that refresh every three weeks and reward up to 800 Stellar Jade each per cycle. Version 4.3 added Starward Mode, a harder variant requiring three separate teams per mode. Mastering all three modes not only maximizes your free currency income but defines what characters and builds your account truly needs.
Memory of Chaos: Speed and Rotation Management
Memory of Chaos (MoC) divides you into two teams across two floors, each facing progressively harder enemy compositions. You must manage two separate rosters, each needing their own sustain unit. The mode rewards players who can manage Ultimate timing and action value efficiently. Key tips: use Ultimates during Chaos Memory buffs (the rotating bonus printed on each stage), always bring at least one AoE character per team for multi-target floors, and ensure each team's speed is tuned so supports always act before damage dealers in the same cycle.
Pure Fiction: AoE Champions and Wave Management
Pure Fiction scores Stellar Jade based on points accumulated by hitting multiple enemies in one action. Scoring high requires AoE-focused characters who can chain damage across groups. The Herta, Jade, Himeko, and Argenti are among the top performers. Save your AoE Ultimate abilities for the moment a new wave of enemies appears and are grouped together. Applying a DoT (damage-over-time) like Kafka or Black Swan in the first cycle dramatically boosts score since DoTs tick on each enemy per round. Budget players can lean on Himeko (standard 5-star) paired with Herta (4-star) for respectable scores.
Apocalyptic Shadow: Boss Vulnerability and Break Timing
Apocalyptic Shadow (AS) features powerful boss enemies with massive HP pools and mechanics that limit your ability to deal damage outside of vulnerability windows. Damage scaled off maximum HP percentage (like Acheron's) performs exceptionally well here. Break and Super Break teams also excel because breaking the boss's toughness bar during a Vulnerability phase multiplies the Break damage enormously. The key mistake to avoid is saving all your burst for after the vulnerability window closes โ read the boss mechanic each cycle and prepare your Ultimate and Skill Point rotation to fire during the window.
Starward Mode in Version 4.3
Introduced in Version 4.3, Starward Mode converts the highest difficulty stage of each endgame mode into a format requiring three separate five-character teams, each tackling one stage of a three-stage battle. You cannot reuse characters across the three teams. This mode rewards roster breadth over raw power on one team. Each Starward Mode cleared with full stars grants 100 additional Stellar Jade per endgame mode (300 Jade total). New Apocalyptic Shadow Starward Mode went live June 8, 2026; Pure Fiction Starward Mode followed June 22, 2026.
How to Build Two (or Three) Teams on a Limited Roster
The biggest barrier to endgame success is not individual character power โ it is having enough sustain units to field complete teams. Prioritize pulling or building at least two different sustain characters. Common pairings: Lingsha on one team, Gallagher on the other (both Break-synergistic). Huohuo on a FUA or DoT team, Aventurine on an Acheron team. Free players should build both Gallagher and March 7th (Preservation) as their two sustain units, and supplement with Natasha for a third team in Starward Mode. Speed-tune each team independently so buffers always move before damage dealers.
FAQ
How often do the endgame modes reset and reward Stellar Jade?
Each mode resets every three weeks, independently of one another. Memory of Chaos, Pure Fiction, and Apocalyptic Shadow are on offset schedules, so at least one mode is resetting roughly every week. Full rewards from all three modes in one cycle amount to up to 2,400 Stellar Jade, plus an additional 300 from Starward Mode in Version 4.3.
What star score do I need to get the maximum Stellar Jade reward?
You need full stars (3 stars per stage, totaling 30 to 36 stars depending on the mode) to receive the maximum Stellar Jade. Partial clears still grant partial rewards scaled to your star count, so clearing with 20 stars is better than not clearing at all.
Do I need two of every support type for Memory of Chaos?
You need one sustain per team, meaning two sustain units total (one healer or shielder per side). You do not need duplicates โ having two different sustain characters like Gallagher and Aventurine is perfectly sufficient. Buffers and debuffers can overlap between teams as long as each team has its own sustain.
Is there a recommended team order for endgame modes?
Put your strongest team on the harder floor or boss (typically Floor 2 in MoC or Stage 3 in Starward Mode). Your second team often faces slightly easier content, so it can be your most F2P-friendly setup. Scouting the enemy lineup before each reset using community guides helps you assign teams optimally based on weakness types.
Can I retry endgame stages after failing?
Yes. All three endgame modes allow unlimited retries within the three-week window at no cost. There is no penalty for failing and re-entering with adjusted teams or skills. Take the time to recheck your relic builds, speed tuning, and Light Cone assignments between attempts.