What does Speed do in Honkai Star Rail? An often misunderstood stat, Speed (SPD) determines action order and action interval. We also explain Breakpoints.

Honkai Star Rail doesn't always explain every single stat in the game, and Speed (SPD) is one of the more misunderstood statistics. While in some titles it simply means how quickly your character moves on the map, in Honkai Star Rail it has a more important role when it comes to combat.

What is Speed in Honkai Star Rail?

Speed (SPD) affects the time between a character completing one action and starting their next action or turn. Speed also impacts the characters' action order when you enter combat. In simple terms, the higher a character's SPD, the quicker they can perform their next action.

You can view all your characters base stats and bonuses in the "More Stats" Menu
You can view all your characters base stats and bonuses in the "More Stats" Menu

You can see your character's base SPD and SPD bonus in the "More Stats" Menu (above) accessible from the Stat tab in the character menu.

What is Action Value (AV)

Action Value (AV) directly relates to SPD, and determines the order in which characters and enemies will attack. Action value is calculated by dividing a base 10,000 by the SPD of the character. When a battle commences the character with the lowest AV will act first. Casting spells such as Asta's Astral Blessing increase SPD of all allies, and as a result lowers their AV. This is why you can see certain characters jump up in the turn order in the top left of the screen after casting a SPD boost ability.

What are Speed Breakpoints in Honkai Star Rail?

Speed Breakpoints are certain thresholds of Speed values that have a noticeable impact on your character's turn order. Managing these Speed Breakpoints can help you predict when each of your character's will have their turn, allowing you to manage Skill Point (SP) more effectively. For example, ensuring you always have 2 SP spare on your healer's turn.

Why are Speed Breakpoints important

  • Ensures characters turns happen in a specific order (e.g. support character then DPS)
  • Allows characters to have multiple turns in one cycle
  • Useful for turn-based challenges such as Memory of Chaos
  • Activates certain buffs in Planetary Ornament sets

Certain Planetary Ornament Sets, for example the Fleet of the Ageless (above), require the wearer to have a certain SPD stat in order to receive an additional buff. Therefore, making sure a character meets the Speed Breakpoints is a little hidden secret that will go a long way.

What are the Speed Breakpoints in Honkai Star Rail?

Speed Breakpoints can be critical in timed events, allowing you to have that extra turn on a DPS character. If you're just playing Honkai Star Rail casually, just remember the three core Speed Breakpoints are 121, 134, 161.

Key Speed Breakpoints:

  • 121 SPD - Makes you one SPD quicker than the majority of enemies in Honkai Star Rail. Also enables any SPD related buff on Planetary Ornament sets (Requirement of 120 SPD)
  • 134 SPD - Gives your character two actions on your 1st turn and six actions by the 4th turn. Very powerful in Memory of Chaos.
  • 161 SPD - Gives you two actions every two cycles. 161 requires very good relics or a character with a high base SPD (see chart below)

Characters that offer DMG buffs to allies or themselves you will want to have higher SPD. For example, Tingyun's Skill Soothing Melody or Yukong's Emboldening Salvo. However, do not let them have a higher speed than your DPS, you'll want them to cast their buff, and then your DPS to follow for maximum damage.

The next Speed Breakpoints are 172, 178, 182, 185 and 187. However, for the majority of players it will be incredibly tough to reach this SPD without sinking a huge amount of time and money into the game. So for now, aim for 121 as a base for all your characters, and then 134 or 161 for your support and biggest DPS.

Which characters have the highest Speed (SPD)?

In Honkai Star Rail not all characters start with the same Speed stat. For example, 5-star Seele has the highest base speed in the game at 115. Clara has the lowest base SPD in version 2.4 at 90.

Characters in order of Speed
Base Speed
Seele115
Tingyun112
Topaz & Numby110
Hanya110
Dan Heng110
Yanqing109
Yukong107
Silver Wolf107
Sushang107
Boothill107
Aventurine106
Asta106
Guinaifen106
Trailblazer (Imaginary)105
Pela105
Firefly104
Ruan Mei104
Serval104
Jade103
Argenti103
Dr Ratio103
Xueyi103
Robin102
Sampo102
Welt102
Dan Heng - Imbibitor Lunae102
March 7th - The Hunt102
Black Swan102
Arlan102
Acheron101
Luocha101
Sparkle101
March 7th101
Fu Xuan100
Lynx100
Kafka100
Herta100
Trailblazer (Physical)100
Jing Yuan99
Bronya99
Jiaoqiu98
Huohuo98
Gallagher98
Bailu98
Qingque98
Natasha98
Blade97
Himeko96
Misha96
Jingliu96
Trailblazer (Fire)95
Yunli94
Hook94
Gepard92
Clara90
The Honkai Star Rail characters in order of SPD (Speed)

How to improve Speed in Honkai Star Rail?

There are three ways to improve a character's Speed:

  1. Relics (e.g. Musketeer of Wild Wheat set)
  2. Items (e.g. Topological Acceleration Band)
  3. Abilities (e.g. Asta's ultimate Astral Blessing)

Relics

The best way to increase Speed (SPD) is through your itemisation with Relics. For example the Musketeer of Wild Wheat 4-set when equipped grants a 6% SPD bonus to the wearer.

The Musketeer of Wild Wheat 4-set offers a 6% boost to the wearer's SPD
The Musketeer of Wild Wheat 4-set offers a 6% boost to the wearer's SPD

If we equip Clara with the Musketeer of Wild Wheat 4-set her SPD increases from 90 to 95. This still makes her one of the slowest characters. In comparison giving Seele the same Relic set would boost her SPD from 115 to 122.

However, the impact of this 6% is obviously more impactful on a character who is naturally swift. Check our table above to make sure you're boosting the best character for the job!

Items

The synthesisable item Topological Acceleration Gel is another way to boost SPD, although its effects are short lived. On consumption pre-battle, Topological Acceleration Band will increase SPD of all allies by 24% for 2 turns.

Abilities

Another way to boost SPD in Honkai Star Rail is through abilities. Asta, who is a free character, has the power to boost the speed of the entire party each time she has her ultimate Astral Blessing.

Astral Blessing increases SPD of allies by 36 for 2 turn(s). The SPD buff can be further increased by improving Asta's Traces.

Character's that have SPD abilities:

  • Asta: Astral Blessing (Ultimate) Increases SPD of all allies by 36 for 2 turn(s)
  • Silver Wolf: Impair (Talent) reduces enemy SPD by 3%
  • Welt: Synthetic Black Hole (Ultimate) Reduces SPD of imprisoned enemies by 10%
  • Welt: Gravitational Imprisonment (Technique) Imprisoned enemies have SPD reduced by 10%
  • Welt: Edge of the Void (Skill) 65% base chance to reduce enemy's SPD by 10% for 2 turn(s)
  • Yukong: Chasing the Wind (Technique) Boosts her SPD by 35%.

Speed is an important element of strategy, so use it to your advantage.