Should you pull for Hysilens or Kafka in Honkai: Star Rail Version 3.5 Phase 1 banner

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Story Highlights

  • Phase 1 Banners will go live on the 13th of August, 2025 and will last till the 2nd of September, 2025!
  • Both Kafka and Hysilens should be pulled together as they both heavily rely on one another to work!

In the latest update, Version 3.5 of Honkai: Star Rail, HoYoverse has unveiled their Phase 1 banner showcasing characters Hysilens and Kafka. This time around, they’ve provided a duo banner with a newly debuted character and a re-run character to keep players engaged.

In the upcoming game meta, we’ll evaluate and highlight the key attributes of each character. Based on our analysis, we’ll suggest which of the two playable characters you might want to choose during Phase 1 Banners. These banners are now live as of August 13th, 2025, following the update maintenance, and will continue until September 2nd, 2025.

Who should you pull for in HSR version 3.5 Phase 1

Star Rail Phase 1 Banner Highlights Characters Hysilens and Kafka in Version 3.5 – Choosing Between Them Can Be Tough

Deciding which character to pick from the Star Rail Phase 1 banner, featuring Hysilens and Kafka in Version 3.5, can be a challenging task. Your decision should be based on your team’s requirements and the priorities for upcoming content. Each character offers unique advantages, but some provide more immediate and long-term benefits compared to others. To help you make an informed choice, let’s take a closer look at each character’s strengths:

1. Hysilens – This character may offer immediate advantages, but their value may be limited in the long run due to potential dependence on specific team compositions or strategies.

2. Kafka – On the other hand, Kafka might prove more versatile and valuable for a wider range of situations, making them a strong choice for future content.

Ultimately, your decision will depend on your team’s needs, playstyle, and goals. Consider the synergy between these characters and your existing roster to determine which one would best complement your team and contribute to your overall progress in the game.

1. Hysilens

Hysilens is a top-tier physical unit primarily focused on building and intensifying effects that deal damage over time (DoT). Her abilities create a state known as Enthrallment in enemies, which enhances their sensitivity to DoT, thereby boosting her passive damage output significantly throughout the battle.

Hysilens can’t set off those DoTs (Damage over Time effects) on her own; instead, her damage is optimized for someone else activating them continuously. That’s where Kafka steps in to help.

Kafka’s abilities and expertise trigger bursts of damage (DoTs) whenever needed, seamlessly integrating with Hysilens’ systems, enabling her to perform at her best. If Kafka isn’t present, Hysilens tends to malfunction significantly, almost making her dependent on Kafka’s team, unless Hoyoverse introduces another character specialized in detonating DoTs in the future.

2. Kafka

Kafka is a key figure, essentially the heart of the Damage Over Time (DoT) blueprint, rated as a top-tier, swiftly impactful entity. Her abilities primarily focus on instantly detonating DoTs for massive team damage. She inflicts Shock with her skill, amplifies enemy vulnerability to DoTs with her ultimate, and crucially, her talent enables her to trigger all DoTs on an enemy during a single attack at the end of her turn.

As a devoted fan, I can’t help but admire this character as the true “Instigator of Persistent Damage” in the game. Unlike others, she doesn’t just apply her debuffs; she amplifies the effects, causing allies’ abilities such as Bleed, Burn, Wind Shear, and Hysilens’ Enthrallment to deal instant additional damage right away.

Due to her unique abilities, Kafka serves as the focal point in every DoT team. She facilitates collaboration with renowned partners such as Black Swan and Luka, but her synergy with Hysilens is exceptional. Kafka’s detonation mechanism is the key to reaching Hysilens’ maximum damage potential.

With Kafka absent, Data Operations Teams (DoT) experience a significant loss in speed and consistency, making Hysilens nearly unplayable. In essence, Kafka isn’t merely a standout performer (DPS); she acts as the essential bond that holds the DoT playstyle together, explaining why this rerun banner is so influential.

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2025-08-19 21:17