The Herta is one of the most powerful damage dealers in Honkai Star Rail. As a 5-star Ice character following the Path of Erudition, she brings massive area of effect damage through her unique Interpretation mechanic. She works best when paired with another Erudition character and can demolish groups of enemies with ease. This guide will teach you everything you need to build The Herta properly and maximize her damage output.
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About The Herta
The Herta uses a special mechanic called Interpretation that makes her extremely powerful against multiple enemies. When enemies enter battle, The Herta automatically applies 1 stack of Interpretation to them. At the start of each wave, she applies 25 stacks to a random enemy, focusing on Elite enemies first.
Her Enhanced Skill is where the real damage happens. When attacking an enemy with Interpretation stacks, each stack increases her damage multiplier. With 42 stacks on the primary target, her Enhanced Skill deals up to 616% ATK to a single enemy. If you have another Erudition character in the team, this damage gets even higher with an extra 336% boost.
When allies attack enemies, they apply 1 stack of Interpretation. This means characters who hit multiple times or attack frequently help The Herta stack Interpretation faster. For every target hit by ally attacks, The Herta regenerates 3 Energy, up to a maximum of 5 targets. This helps her use her Ultimate more often.
Best Light Cones for The Herta
Choosing the right light cone makes a huge difference in The Herta’s performance. Here are the best options:
| Light Cone | Rarity | Why It’s Good |
|---|---|---|
| Into the Unreachable Veil | 5-Star | Her signature light cone with Skill DMG bonus and Skill Point restore |
| Today Is Another Peaceful Day | 5-Star | Limited light cone with DMG bonus based on Max Energy |
| Geniuses’ Repose | 4-Star | Free from Herta Store with CRIT DMG and ATK boost |
| Eternal Calculus | 5-Star | Free from Herta Store with ATK and SPD buffs after Ultimate |
Best Relics for The Herta
Relics are crucial for building The Herta correctly. Here’s what you need:
Best Relic Set
The 4 piece Scholar of Lost Erudition is The Herta’s best relic set. The 2 piece bonus gives her 8% CRIT Rate. The 4 piece bonus increases her Skill and Ultimate damage by 20%. After using her Ultimate, the next Skill deals an extra 25% damage. This set fits perfectly because her Enhanced Skill becomes her main damage source after using Ultimate.
If you don’t have good Scholar pieces yet, use these alternatives:
| Relic Set | Bonus |
|---|---|
| Hunter of Glacial Forest (4pc) | 10% Ice DMG and 25% CRIT DMG after Ultimate |
| Mixed 2pc Scholar + 2pc Hunter | Combines CRIT Rate and Ice DMG bonuses |
Hunter of Glacial Forest is a solid alternative that increases Ice damage and CRIT DMG. Many players use a mixed set with 2 pieces of Scholar and 2 pieces of Hunter if they have better stats on individual pieces.
Best Planar Ornaments
For planar ornaments, use Izumo Gensei and Takama Divine Realm for the 12% ATK bonus and 12% CRIT Rate when paired with another Erudition character. Since The Herta always needs another Erudition unit in the team, this set is perfect for her.
Rutilant Arena is another good option that increases CRIT Rate by 8% and boosts Skill DMG by 20% when CRIT Rate reaches 70% or higher.
Main Stats and Substats
Focus on these stats for maximum damage:
Main Stats:
- Body: CRIT Rate or CRIT DMG
- Feet: Speed
- Planar Sphere: Ice DMG%
- Link Rope: ATK% or Energy Regeneration Rate
Substats Priority:
- CRIT Rate
- CRIT DMG
- ATK%
- Speed
The Herta needs at least 80% CRIT Rate to consistently land critical hits. She gets an automatic 80% CRIT DMG buff when paired with another Erudition character, so focus on CRIT Rate first. Aim for at least 134 Speed to get more turns per cycle. If you use Jade who can boost ally Speed, you can run The Herta at 113 Speed instead.
Best Team Compositions
The Herta works in several team combinations. Here are some of the best:
- Premium Team: The Herta + Jade + Robin + Lingsha
- Alternative Team 1: The Herta + Himeko + Robin + Lingsha
- Alternative Team 2: The Herta + Argenti + Remembrance Trailblazer + Lingsha
- Free to Play Team: The Herta + Serval + Remembrance Trailblazer + Gallagher
The Herta works best with Jade because Jade is the only Erudition support character currently available. Jade provides additional damage and helps The Herta stack Interpretation faster through follow-up attacks. Robin works perfectly as a support because she boosts all allies’ damage and provides extra actions through her Ultimate.
For free to play options, use Serval as your second Erudition character. Give Serval an Energy Regeneration rope and the Passkey light cone so she can use her Ultimate frequently. This helps build Interpretation stacks consistently. The small Herta puppet also works as a budget Erudition option if you don’t have Serval built.
The upcoming character Anaxa will become The Herta’s best partner because he can use two Skills in one turn and helps in single-target scenarios where The Herta normally struggles. Tribbie is also excellent for buffing all party members and triggering follow-up attacks that restore The Herta’s energy.
