Honkai: Star Rail: How to Get Light Cones and Level Them Up

Looking for how to get Light Cones and level them up in Honkai: Star Rail? Light Cones are a type of equipment in HoYoverse's turnbased RPG which look a lot like trading cards. They function, effectively, as an analogue to a weapon, providing key statistical buffs and improvements in combat. However, unlike in games like Genshin Impact, you can't visually see which Light Cone a character has equipped. On this page, as part of our Honkai: Star Rail guide, we're going to explain how to get Light Cones and level them up.

How Do You Get Light Cones and Level Them Up in Honkai: Star Rail?

Light Cones are a crucial piece of equipment used to provide characters with statistical boosts and new abilities in combat. Light Cones boost Base HP, Base ATK, Base DEF, and include passive abilities when equipped. Each Light Cone belongs to a specific Path Type and can only be equipped by characters who share the same Path Type. As a result, Light Cones will generally excel in an area relevant to its Path Type; passive abilities for The Abundance, for example, will likely focus on healing and so on.

Light Cones range from 3-Star to 5-Star, with more rare items having higher base statistics and more potent passive abilities. You can salvage Light Cones to level others up, or combine them to Superimpose, which we'll explain in more detail below. On this page, we're going to explain how to get Light Cones and level them up.

How to Get Light Cones

There are a number of ways to earn Light Cones, but the most common is through Warping, or pulling on banners. The majority of the rewards you get from Warps will be 3-Star Light Cones, which you'll likely salvage to level up your 4-Star Light Cones and 5-Star Light Cones.

Pull on Banners

The easiest way to earn Light Cones, as mentioned above, is to pull on banners. Wherever you exchange your Star Rail Passes and Star Rail Special Passes, you're going to earn a lot of Light Cones, largely 3-Star ones. Each season will have Light Cone specific banners with promoted 5-Stars, and these will have some of the highest overall stats in the game. Of course, typical gacha rules apply, so you'll have a 50 per cent chance of pulling the 5-Star for every 90 pulls, and a 100 per cent change for every 180 pulls. In general, the 5-Star Light Cones obtained from banners have a higher base stat level than those from the Simulated Universe.

Progress Through the Game

As you complete Missions, specifically Trailblaze Missions, there will be occasions where you'll earn a Light Cone for completing a mission. While these important pieces of equipment aren't as common as other rewards, you will earn a few usable ones this way. You may also earn Light Cones for raising your Trailblaze Level.

Trade Undying Starlight

You'll earn Undying Starlight each time you pull a 4-Star or 5-Star item in banners. This accumulates and can be spent in the Starlight Exchange on 5-Star Light Cones. At 600 Star Rail Passes and Star Rail Special Passes apiece, these are expensive items, but if you don't like investing your Star Rail Passes and Star Rail Special Passes into the Light Cone specific banners, this can be a good way of eventually adding some 5-Stars to your inventory.

Complete Echoes of War

Echoes of War are limited to three attempts per week, but their rewards are among the best in the game. Completing these boss skirmishes rewards you with a variety of sought-after items, including some rare Light Cones that can seriously enhance your squad.

Earn Your Nameless Honor

If you pay for the premium track of Nameless Honor, which is effectively the game's Battle Pass, you'll have the option to pick one 4-Star Light Cone when you reach level 30. These are usually pretty good ones, but you will need to have paid for Nameless Glory, which starts at £9.99/$9.99.

Shop at Herta's Store

Herta's Store, part of the Simulated Universe, sells 5-Star Light Cones for 8 Herta Bonds apiece. While these have slightly lower base statistics than the 5-Star Light Cones you can pull from banners, they're still represent a valuable and slightly less RNG-focused addition to your inventory.

How to Level Up Light Cones

Simply earning and equipping Light Cones is not enough, as much like your characters, you'll also need to level them up. This can be done in a few ways, but the main methods are to exchange Light Cone EXP Materials, Ascend, and Superimpose.

Use Your Light Cone EXP Materials

Light Cone EXP Materials come in a number of different guises, including salvaged Light Cones you don't need. You can automatically add Light Cone EXP Materials of a certain rating or below from the level up screen. However, do keep in mind that you will hit level caps unless you Ascend your Light Cones.

Ascend Your Light Cones

Light Cone Ascension works in the same way as it does with characters, requiring you to exchange Trace Materials in order unlock the level caps of your Light Cones. Any Light Cone can be ascended up to five times, enabling a maximum level of 80. In some instances you will have needed to raise your Equilibrium Level in order to unlock the option to Ascend. You will also need Credits to successfully Ascend.

Superimpose Your Light Cones

Superimposing your Light Cones occurs when you combine two or more of the same Light Cone type, and this increases the passive ability of the Light Cone up to a rank of 5, or V.

Did you find this page on how to get Light Cones and level them up in Honkai: Star Rail useful? Check out our Honkai: Star Rail guide, and let us know in the comments section below.