Honkai: Star Rail Relic Farming Guide โ Best Sets and Efficient Strategies
Relics are the primary stat system in Honkai: Star Rail, functioning similarly to artifacts in other HoYoverse games. Each character wears six pieces across two categories โ four Cavern Relics and two Planar Ornaments โ and the right combination of set bonuses and substat rolls is what takes a character from good to great. Farming relics efficiently requires knowing which domains to prioritize and which stats actually matter for your team.
Unlock Relic Farming at Trailblaze Level 40
Relics only become efficient to farm once you reach Equilibrium Level 3 (unlocked by completing the Trailblaze Level 40 Equilibrium quest). Below this threshold, domains drop green and blue rarity relics that you will replace immediately. At EL3, you start receiving consistent gold (5-star) relics from Cavern of Corrosion runs. Wait until this point before dedicating Trailblaze Power to relic grinding โ spend it on EXP and trace materials instead during the early game.
Best Universal Relic Sets to Farm First
Several sets carry multiple character types and give you the best return on Trailblaze Power spent. Pioneer Diver of Dead Waters (4-piece) is currently the highest-efficiency domain for DoT and debuff teams, boosting CRIT Rate and DMG against debuffed enemies. Iron Cavalry Against the Scourge (4-piece) is mandatory for Break and Super Break characters. Prisoner in Deep Confinement gives 12% ATK (2-piece) and ignores up to 18% enemy DEF (4-piece) for DoT dealers. For Planar Ornaments, Sprightly Vonwacq is excellent for most skill-point-positive supports, and Penacony, Land of the Dreams works well on most DoT characters.
Stat Priority by Role
Damage dealers (Hunt/Destruction): ATK% body, SPD boots, ATK% or DMG Boost rope and sphere matching their damage element. CRIT Rate and CRIT DMG are the top substats โ aim for a 1:2 CRIT Rate to CRIT DMG ratio. Supports and buffers (Harmony/Nihility): SPD body or effect-specific stat, SPD boots, ERR (Energy Regeneration Rate) rope. SPD and Effect Hit Rate are the most valuable substats. Sustain units (Abundance/Preservation): HP% or DEF% body, SPD boots, HP% or DEF% rope. Flat HP and DEF substats are also valuable here unlike on damage dealers.
How to Use the Relic Strongbox System
The Relic Strongbox in Herta's Office lets you convert three relics of the same set type into a chosen piece from any set in that strongbox category. Salvage duplicate or low-quality relics you do not need to accumulate Relic Remains, then exchange them in the Strongbox for pieces targeting specific slots you are struggling to complete. The Strongbox does not guarantee substats, but it ensures you get the correct set and slot, which saves a significant amount of farming time compared to purely random domain runs.
Daily Trailblaze Power Spending Priority for Relics
Follow this spending hierarchy each day: first complete your weekly Echo of War boss for the guaranteed character materials and upgrade materials drop. Next, clear any Stagnant Shadow (30 TB Power) needed for character ascension. Then run Calyx (Crimson) for trace materials if you have active skill upgrades queued. Finally, use remaining Trailblaze Power on Cavern of Corrosion (40 TB Power per run). At six runs per day at EL6, you generate around 240 relics per week, or roughly 34 per day on average.
When to Stop Farming and Use What You Have
Relic farming is the biggest Trailblaze Power sink in the game and has a significant element of randomness. A practical stopping point is when each equipped relic has at least two or three relevant substats and is enhanced to +12 or higher. Chasing perfect substats indefinitely is inefficient โ deploy your best available gear and return to farming when new characters need equipping. Double-drop events (where a domain yields twice the relics per run) are the best time to stockpile, so save Reserve Fuel for these windows.
FAQ
Is it better to enhance relics or keep farming new ones?
Enhance a relic to +3 first to reveal one substat, then to +6 to see if it is progressing toward your desired stats. If by +6 none of the revealed substats are relevant (e.g., HP and DEF on a damage dealer), salvage it and move on. Only fully enhance to +15 relics that already show two or more relevant substats at +6.
What is the difference between Cavern Relics and Planar Ornaments?
Cavern Relics (Head, Hands, Body, Feet) are farmed from Cavern of Corrosion domains using Trailblaze Power. Planar Ornaments (Sphere, Rope) drop from Simulated Universe and Divergent Universe modes, which do not cost Trailblaze Power. Always prioritize Planar Ornament farming during Simulated Universe weekly runs as they are effectively free.
Which domain should I farm if I have multiple characters needing relics?
Pick the domain that overlaps across the most characters you actively use. Pioneer Diver of Dead Waters covers most Nihility and DoT characters. Iron Cavalry serves the entire Break archetype. Farming versatile sets first maximizes the value of each relic drop.
Can I transfer relics between characters?
Yes. Relics can be unequipped from any character at any time at no cost. However, they cannot be equipped by characters below certain Trailblaze Level requirements. There is no penalty for moving relics between characters, so equip your best pieces on whoever you are actively playing.