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Honkai: Star Rail has three major worlds so far, each of which has a wealth of details hidden in every nook and cranny. Why not another? Then you realize you’ve spent like $50 on a free-to-play game. I don’t suggest buying them to pull for characters, though, because it’s a slippery slope. These are especially useful if you want a specific character and need Star Rail Passes to get them. You can also buy Oneiric Shards separately in bundles that range from 60 for 99 cents to 6,680 for $99.99. All of these Light Cones are viable in the current meta, so buying the Battle Pass is a guaranteed way to get at least one competitive item. The Nameless Glory Battle Pass ($9.99) offers more valuable materials like Special Star Rail Passes and a free four-star Light Cone when you reach tier 30. Each Star Rail Pass costs 160 Stellar Jade, so that’s at least 16 Star Rail Passes total. You need to log in 30 days in a row to get the full 2,700, however. The Express Supply Pass is a favorite because it’s only $5 and offers you 300 Oneiric Shards right away, and that can speed up your progression. You don’t need luck (or money) to enjoy Honkai: Star Rail, even if your experience with it will differ. It already offers seven characters for free, so you have plenty of options to juggle. You’re also guaranteed to get at least one 5-star character (one of the strongest available teammates) from the standard banner about 50 pulls in.
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It gives you plenty of resources to get started, including at least 80 free pulls from the banners (which grant you characters and gear) and permanent rewards from side content. However, it’s also set up in a way that’s fair even if you’re not paying. Honkai: Star Rail is a free-to-play gacha game, which means it will be easier for some players than others because of the characters and gear they are lucky enough to get. However, I appreciated that level-locked content as an excuse to explore the world outside of the major story quests and build characters before fighting higher-level enemies. You can’t play certain story quests or unlock certain abilities until you reach a high enough level, so you need to grind through battles and missions for experience.
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