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In Honkai Star Rail, some of the most varied characters in terms of gameplay belong to the Path of Nihility. Whether it is by attacking with exploding fireworks, 4th-wall-breaking video game blocks, or a good old metallic punch to the face, there are many ways to beat up foes. Yet, with such a varied cast, only a few stand out as the best in design and gameplay. So, buckle up because it is time to rank the Nihility gang from worst to best.
Unranked: Acheron
Acheron isn’t officially out yet, but she’s been revealed to all Trailblazers as a playable character. Yes, her kit is out, and a hauntingly beautiful animated short showed us what she could do. While that could easily place her in the top spot of this list, it’s unfair to rank her until we see how she performs in the game. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t gush over this galaxy ranger, who is clearly another version of the ultimate waifu: Raiden Shogun.
Acheron debuted during Penacony’s trailer, and she’s made an enormous splash ever since we saw Version 2.0’s Trailblazer Story. While that was enough to woo us, the recent special program showed us what she can do on the field. From instantly killing enemies to having the most original gameplay on this Path to her beautiful design and alluring voice, she’s a catch. Still, we’ll have to wait for how she performs before giving her a spot on this list.
8. Luka
We feel bad for putting Belobog’s boxer husbando at the bottom of the list. We love his design. Plus, the fact that he shows just the right amount of skin in his Light Cone is enough to excite the fan base. However, he doesn’t do a lot other than provide well-executed fan service.
While his abilities hit hard and can deal a lot of damage against bleeding targets, it can take a while to set everything up, and right now, we have other Physical characters who do a better job. Still, Luka has a huge heart, and he’s another honorary member of The Moles, so we can’t go so hard on him.
7. Welt Yang
Oh, Welt, seeing you here makes us sigh with relief after everything we’ve seen in Honkai Impact 3rd. This Astral Express member’s voice is enough to make everyone melt in the spot. Furthermore, the fact that he was the first 5-star Imaginary character was a huge deal in the game, but now, a certain dragon boy has that crown.
Hotness aside, Welt’s gameplay isn’t something to write home about. Yes, the black hole he summons is marvelous, but like Himeko’s satellite laser beam, it doesn’t do much in terms of damage or anything else. Still, he’s nice to have around due to its natural high break effect stat, so he’s welcome in certain situations.
6. Guinaifen
Xianzhou’s #1 influencer, the one and only sword-swallower, and the bane of Yanqing is sadly far back on this list. Don’t get us wrong, she has the best personality of all Nihility characters in Honkai Star Rail, and her design is second to none. However, that’s where the great things end. Still, that doesn’t mean she’s useless or the worst.
Fire characters have been a bit neglected, with only Topaz standing out among them. Still, Guinaifen’s ultimate is extremely useful as it increases the damage enemies take and applies the burn effect. She doesn’t perform as well by herself and usually needs Kafka to shine. Overall, Guinaifen isn’t a bad character, but her online persona is bigger than her utility as a playable character.
5. Sampo
For us, Sampo is what we call a Jonas Brother situation: we hate to love him so much. This conniving little rascal is as annoying as he’s useful. While he’s been responsible for several laughs during Belobog’s story arc, he still has several things that make Trailblazers want to punch his grin out of his face. Still, he’s one of the best DoT characters in the game, so we forgive him.
People previously joked about Kafka being the side character who made Sampo shine. Well, they were right. Sampo is a terrific Wind user who can destroy enemies little by little. If you have Kafka on your team, the real winner will be Sampo until you properly build Black Swan. With the right build, this con artist can steal more than just wallets; he can steal the show during combat.
4. Pela
This drummer girl, who is also one of the most intelligent ladies in Belobog, suffers from the “has 5-star skills despite being a 4-star character” syndrome. You don’t have to take our word for granted. Any team composition you see out there includes Pela as the prime debuffer. Why? Due to her defense-reduction ultimate ability. It doesn’t matter who your main DPS characters in Honkai Star Rail are; Pela is the Nihility member you should always bring.
Regarding her design, we have nothing against it. It captures the Belobogian’s government style and adds a bit of personal touch by showing Pela’s addiction to romance novels featuring cute boys. Plus, she rocks in Serval’s band, so we have no reason not to love this girl.
3. Silver Wolf
Of the two Stellaron Hunters who share the same Path, Silver Wolf is behind the Trailblazer’s mommy. This gamer lass is the wildcard of any team composition and one who can trivialize any fight. How? Have you seen her skill? She can implant enemies with a weakness from any element you have in your party. Mono-Quantum teams exist because of her, and they are as overpowered as the gang of ripped Trashcans from Penacony.
Her design is another fantastic thing that represents her lax nature and a bit of her gamer side. Besides, she became a fan favorite as soon as she was announced. For those who know, she’s another character from the Bronya-verse, and this has to be one of our favorite versions.
2. Black Swan
Many of us spent our 2.0 rewards on this lady. Why wouldn’t we? Have you seen her? If we were ranking characters by beauty alone, she’d be on top. As a fortune-teller, mind-reader, and fancy dancer, she has enough going on to make our jaws drop harder than Tingyun. And while her gameplay is fantastic, there’s another “mommy” character who takes the spotlight.
Black Swan, while great, still needs several Eidolons to work and won’t perform well unless you have her Premium Light Cone. While she can fight certain team compositions with other DoT members, we still feel she lacks the punch to get the crown of this list.
1. Kafka
First impressions are important, and we all remember how this lady woke all Trailblazers from a long dream. You can describe anything about her, and we’ll just say “perfection” for everything. Her voice, outfit, personality, story. Everything is wonderful. Furthermore, she’s the enabler of many Nihility characters, meaning she’s a must in every party composition.
Kafka is packing in every sense, although we refer only to her playstyle this time. The fact she can do follow-up attacks, increase DoT damage, and do splash and area moves is fantastic. Furthermore, we dare you to find a cooler ultimate line than “boom.” Yeah, there isn’t one.
Given Honkai Star Rail’s track record with Nihility characters, these won’t be the last we see, or so we hope. If you’re looking for the next one to add to your collection, don’t hesitate to look this list up. You might find a new one has taken a higher spot and decide to recruit them to your ranks. But in the meantime, there are many waifus and husbandos ready to join the fray.
