Honkai Star Rail 4.3 Herta Store Light Cone Tier List: Best Picks, Exchange Priority & Traps
Herta’s Store is one of the most important long-term shops for free-to-play and low-spender players in Honkai: Star Rail. With enough Herta Bonds, you can exchange for powerful 5-star Light Cones, old event Light Cones, Superimposers, and other useful items without relying on the gacha system.
But there is one problem: Herta Bonds are limited and time-gated. If you spend them on the wrong Light Cone, you may delay a much stronger upgrade for your account. Some Herta Store Light Cones are genuinely strong, some are account-dependent, and a few are classic traps that look useful but rarely outperform better alternatives.
If you are also planning future banners, signature Light Cones, or Express Supply Pass value, you can check the Topuplist Honkai: Star Rail top-up page for UID-based Oneiric Shards and Express Supply Pass options. HoYoverse also provides the official Honkai: Star Rail Top-Up Center for players who prefer the official recharge route.
This guide ranks the best Herta Store Light Cones in Honkai: Star Rail 4.3, including 5-star store Light Cones, old event Light Cones, exchange priority, Superimposition advice, and trap picks you should think twice before buying.
Herta Store Light Cone Tier List in Honkai: Star Rail 4.3
Here is the quick version. If you only want to know what to buy first, prioritize Cruising in the Stellar Sea, On the Fall of an Aeon, Before the Tutorial Mission Starts, and Elation Brimming With Blessings if your account uses Elation teams.
How Herta’s Store Works in Honkai: Star Rail 4.3
Herta’s Store is a long-term exchange shop connected to Simulated Universe and Divergent Universe. Its main currency is Herta Bond, which can be used to buy 5-star Herta Store Light Cones, Superimposer (Custom-made), Star Rail Pass, old event Light Cones, and other special items. You can check the full store structure on the community-maintained Herta’s Store page.
It is important to understand what Version 4.3 actually changed. According to the official Honkai: Star Rail Version 4.3 update details, the update added Pom-Pom’s outfit “Age of Trailblaze! Formalwear Set” to Herta’s Store. The major Light Cone additions happened across earlier updates. For example, Elation Brimming With Blessings was officially added to Herta’s Store in Version 4.1, as shown in the official Version 4.1 update details.
That means this guide is not saying every Light Cone here is new in 4.3. Instead, this is a 4.3 exchange priority guide based on the current Herta Store value, character usage, and F2P account planning.
Best S-Tier Herta Store Light Cones
Elation Brimming With Blessings — Best for Elation Trailblazer
Elation Brimming With Blessings is a 5-star Light Cone for The Elation Path. Its effect increases the wearer’s ATK and, after the wearer uses Skill or Ultimate on one ally, increases that target’s Elation stat for 2 turns. You can check its official entry on HoYoWiki.
This Light Cone is S-tier, but only for the right account. If you are building Elation Trailblazer or future Elation support teams, this is one of the best free options available because it directly supports the Elation playstyle. It gives the wearer ATK and helps improve the target ally’s Elation-related output.
However, it is not a general-purpose Light Cone. If your account does not use Elation teams, you should not buy this before more universal options like Cruising in the Stellar Sea or On the Fall of an Aeon.
Best users: Elation Trailblazer, Elation support units
Buy priority: Very high if you use Elation teams
Should you S5 it? Yes, but only if Elation teams are part of your main account plan
Trap warning: Do not buy it early if you are not using Elation characters yet.
Cruising in the Stellar Sea — Best General F2P Hunt Light Cone
Cruising in the Stellar Sea is one of the safest Herta Store Light Cones to buy. It is a 5-star Light Cone for The Hunt Path and provides CRIT Rate, with additional offensive value when the wearer defeats enemies.
This is an excellent F2P choice because most Hunt DPS characters want CRIT stats. Even if the enemy-defeat ATK effect is not always active in boss fights, the Light Cone still gives strong baseline value. For new players who do not own signature Hunt Light Cones, Cruising in the Stellar Sea is often the first Herta Store Light Cone worth buying.
Best users: Hunt DPS characters without signature Light Cones
Buy priority: Very high for new and mid-game accounts
Should you S5 it? Yes, if your main DPS is a Hunt character
Trap warning: The kill-triggered ATK effect is less consistent in pure single-target boss fights.
On the Fall of an Aeon — Best F2P Destruction Light Cone
On the Fall of an Aeon is the most important Herta Store Light Cone for many Destruction DPS characters. It increases the wearer’s ATK when attacking and can further increase damage after Weakness Break. This makes it a strong and flexible F2P option for many ATK-scaling Destruction units.
It is also usable on Firefly as a budget option if you do not have better Break-focused Light Cones. Firefly does not use ATK in the same straightforward way as traditional Destruction DPS characters, but ATK can still matter through her Break-related conversion mechanics. That said, players with more specialized Break options should compare their builds before committing.
Best users: ATK-scaling Destruction DPS, Firefly as a budget option
Buy priority: Very high for Destruction-focused accounts
Should you S5 it? Yes, especially if your main carry is a Destruction unit
Trap warning: It loses value on Destruction characters whose kits do not care much about ATK.
Before the Tutorial Mission Starts — Best Event Light Cone for Nihility Supports
Before the Tutorial Mission Starts is one of the strongest old event Light Cones available through Herta’s Store. It is a 4-star Light Cone for The Nihility Path that increases Effect Hit Rate and regenerates Energy when the wearer attacks enemies with reduced DEF. Its entry is available on the Honkai: Star Rail Wiki.
This Light Cone is especially valuable because Energy can be more important than raw damage for Nihility supports. A support who can use Ultimate more often can improve the whole team’s rotation.
It is excellent for characters such as Silver Wolf and Pela-style DEF-reduction supports. It can also work in teams where another character consistently applies DEF reduction. However, if your team cannot reduce enemy DEF, the Light Cone loses a major part of its value.
Best users: Silver Wolf, Pela-style supports, DEF-reduction Nihility units
Buy priority: Very high if your team can trigger the DEF-reduction condition
Should you S5 it? Yes, if you regularly use DEF-reduction Nihility supports
Trap warning: Without DEF reduction, its Energy refund condition becomes unreliable.
A-Tier Herta Store Light Cones
Memory’s Curtain Never Falls — Good for Hyacine and Remembrance Supports
Memory’s Curtain Never Falls is a 5-star Light Cone for The Remembrance Path. It increases the wearer’s SPD and can provide a team damage buff after the wearer uses Skill. This makes it a reasonable free option for Hyacine and other Remembrance support characters.
The reason it is only A-tier is that its value depends on real battle timing. A Light Cone can look strong on paper, but if your summon, memosprite, or main damage window does not line up with the buff, its practical value drops. For Hyacine, it is usable and helpful, but it should not be treated as a full replacement for her best premium options.
Best users: Hyacine, Remembrance support units
Buy priority: Medium to high if you use Remembrance teams
Should you S5 it? Only if you use it regularly
Trap warning: Do not assume it is equal to a limited signature Light Cone.
Eternal Calculus — Solid Erudition Option for AoE Content
Eternal Calculus is a 5-star Light Cone for The Erudition Path. It is designed for multi-target battles and becomes more valuable when the wearer can hit multiple enemies. This makes it useful in content such as Pure Fiction, where Erudition characters often shine.
For F2P players, this is a solid Erudition option. However, it is not always the best in single-target boss fights, and many Erudition characters may prefer more specialized Light Cones depending on their kit.
Best users: Erudition DPS characters in AoE content
Buy priority: Medium
Should you S5 it? Yes, if Erudition is a major part of your account
Trap warning: Its value drops in low-enemy-count fights.
Solitary Healing — Good for DoT Teams, but Not Perfect
Solitary Healing is a 5-star Light Cone for The Nihility Path. It can be useful for DoT teams because it supports Break Effect, DoT damage, and Energy-related value. It is a decent free option if you are building DoT teams and do not own stronger limited Nihility Light Cones.
The problem is that many DoT characters also want Effect Hit Rate, SPD, and ATK. Solitary Healing does not solve all of those problems. This is why it is useful, but not a universal S-tier choice.
Best users: DoT teams, Sampo-style AoE DoT users, Kafka teams if alternatives are limited
Buy priority: Medium
Should you S5 it? Only if you actively use it in DoT content
Trap warning: Break Effect is not equally valuable on every DoT character.
Texture of Memories — Defensive Pick for Fu Xuan
Texture of Memories is a 5-star Light Cone for The Preservation Path. It is mainly a defensive option, giving the wearer more survivability and helping Preservation units stay alive in difficult content.
It is often considered a usable option for Fu Xuan if you do not have her signature Light Cone or other better Preservation choices. Its value is simple: it helps your sustain survive. However, it does not directly improve your team’s damage, so you should only prioritize it if survival is actually your problem.
Best users: Fu Xuan, defensive Preservation units
Buy priority: Medium
Should you S5 it? Only if your sustain depends on it
Trap warning: Do not buy it before DPS Light Cones unless your team is dying often.
The Forever Victual — Useful for Cerydra-Style ATK Supports
The Forever Victual is a 4-star Light Cone for The Harmony Path. It increases the wearer’s ATK and gains additional ATK stacks after the wearer uses Skill. Its official HoYoWiki entry confirms its ATK-focused support design.
This makes it useful for Cerydra-style ATK-scaling support logic, where the support’s own ATK can translate into better team value. However, this does not make it a universal Harmony Light Cone. Many Harmony characters care more about Energy Regeneration, SPD, action advance, or buff uptime.
Best users: Cerydra, ATK-scaling Harmony supports
Buy priority: Medium if you use the right character
Should you S5 it? Only for a specific ATK-scaling Harmony build
Trap warning: ATK buffs can be diluted if your DPS already has very high ATK.
The Great Cosmic Enterprise — Strong for Anaxa and Weakness-Stacking Teams
The Great Cosmic Enterprise is a 4-star Light Cone for The Erudition Path. Its damage bonus depends on the number of different Weakness Types the enemy has, up to 7. You can check its official details on HoYoWiki.
This makes it especially relevant for Anaxa, who can benefit from weakness-related mechanics better than ordinary Erudition characters. In the right team, this Light Cone can be strong. In the wrong team, its value drops quickly.
Best users: Anaxa, weakness-stacking Erudition teams
Buy priority: Medium if you play Anaxa
Should you S5 it? Yes, if Anaxa is one of your main damage dealers
Trap warning: Do not buy it for every Erudition character expecting full value automatically.
Ninja Record: Sound Hunt — Good for Blade, Jingliu and Mydei-Style HP-Changing Units
Ninja Record: Sound Hunt is a 4-star Light Cone for The Destruction Path. It increases Max HP and provides CRIT DMG after the wearer loses or restores HP. Its effect makes it suitable for Destruction characters whose kits involve HP changes.
This is why it works well for Blade and can also be considered for characters such as Jingliu or Mydei-style HP-changing units, depending on your build. However, it is not a generic Destruction Light Cone. If your Destruction DPS mainly scales with ATK, On the Fall of an Aeon is usually the safer Herta Store choice.
Best users: Blade, HP-changing Destruction characters
Buy priority: Medium if you use Blade or similar units
Should you S5 it? Only for HP-change Destruction builds
Trap warning: It is not better than On the Fall of an Aeon for standard ATK-scaling Destruction DPS.
B-Tier and Trap Picks
For Tomorrow’s Journey — Looks Good for Robin, but Usually Isn’t Priority
For Tomorrow’s Journey is a 4-star Light Cone for The Harmony Path. It increases the wearer’s ATK and increases their damage after using Ultimate for 1 turn. On paper, this looks suitable for Robin, because Robin likes ATK and has Ultimate-centered value.
In practice, many Harmony supports care more about Energy, rotation consistency, and team utility than personal damage. That is why this Light Cone is a trap pick for many players. It is not useless, but it is rarely the first Harmony Light Cone you should spend Herta Bonds on.
Best users: Robin only if you lack better alternatives
Buy priority: Low
Should you S5 it? Usually no
Trap warning: A short damage buff after Ultimate is not the same as better team rotation.
Hey, Over Here — Usable for Healers, but Low Value
Hey, Over Here is a 4-star Light Cone for The Abundance Path. It increases Max HP and boosts Outgoing Healing after the wearer uses Skill. It looks suitable for healers such as Huohuo, especially if you want more healing output.
The problem is that many healers already heal enough once properly built. In difficult content, they often need Energy, SPD, cleanse timing, or utility more than extra healing. For that reason, Hey, Over Here is mostly a backup option, not a priority purchase.
Best users: Early-game healers with no alternatives
Buy priority: Low
Should you S5 it? Usually no
Trap warning: More healing is not always better if your team already survives.
Best Herta Bond Exchange Priority in HSR 4.3
Your exact exchange order depends on your account, but most players should follow this priority:
The most important rule is simple: do not spend Herta Bonds on random Star Rail Passes before fixing your Light Cone roster. One correct Light Cone can improve your account more than one standard pull.
If you are preparing for future limited banners and need extra paid currency after handling your free Herta Store options, Topuplist’s Honkai: Star Rail recharge page offers Oneiric Shards and Express Supply Pass options using UID and server information. You can also browse the wider Topuplist HoYoverse games category if you play Genshin Impact or Zenless Zone Zero as well.
Should You Superimpose Herta Store Light Cones to S5?
Yes, but only after you already own the base copies your account actually needs.
For most players, the best S5 targets are:
Cruising in the Stellar Sea
On the Fall of an Aeon
Before the Tutorial Mission Starts
Elation Brimming With Blessings, if you play Elation teams
Eternal Calculus, if you rely on Erudition in Pure Fiction
Ninja Record: Sound Hunt, only if you actively use Blade or HP-changing Destruction units
Do not rush S5 on B-tier event Light Cones just because they are available. Herta Bonds still have opportunity cost. Every Bond spent on a low-impact Light Cone is a Bond you cannot spend on a better long-term upgrade.
Best Herta Store Light Cones by Character
Common Herta Bond Mistakes to Avoid
Buying a Light Cone Just Because the Path Matches
A Light Cone only works well if the character can actually use its effect. The Great Cosmic Enterprise is not automatically good for every Erudition unit. Ninja Record: Sound Hunt is not automatically good for every Destruction unit. Always check the trigger condition before spending Herta Bonds.
Ignoring Energy Needs on Supports
Many supports care more about Ultimate uptime than personal ATK or damage. This is why Before the Tutorial Mission Starts is so valuable, and why For Tomorrow’s Journey can be weaker than it looks.
Superimposing Too Early
S5 is powerful, but owning the right base copy is more important for new accounts. If you still lack both Cruising in the Stellar Sea and On the Fall of an Aeon, do not spend all your Herta Bonds on Superimposers immediately.
Buying Star Rail Pass Too Soon
Star Rail Pass looks tempting, but it rarely beats a guaranteed Light Cone upgrade. Buy passes only after your core Herta Store Light Cones and important Superimpositions are already handled.
Treating Old Event Light Cones as Automatically Valuable
Old event Light Cones are useful for players who missed their original events, but not every one is worth early Herta Bonds. Before the Tutorial Mission Starts is excellent. Hey, Over Here is mostly a backup healer option.
Final Herta Store Light Cone Tier List in Honkai: Star Rail 4.3
For most players, the safest route is to start with Cruising in the Stellar Sea or On the Fall of an Aeon, then pick up Before the Tutorial Mission Starts if you use Nihility supports. After that, your priority depends on your account: Elation Brimming With Blessings for Elation teams, Memory’s Curtain Never Falls for Remembrance supports, The Great Cosmic Enterprise for Anaxa, and Ninja Record: Sound Hunt for Blade-style HP-changing Destruction units.
FAQ
What is the best Herta Store Light Cone in Honkai: Star Rail 4.3?
For general account value, the best Herta Store Light Cones are Cruising in the Stellar Sea, On the Fall of an Aeon, and Before the Tutorial Mission Starts. If you play Elation Trailblazer or Elation teams, Elation Brimming With Blessings also becomes a top-tier priority.
Should I buy Star Rail Pass with Herta Bonds?
Usually no. New and mid-game players should prioritize Light Cones and Superimposers first. Star Rail Pass is only worth considering after your important Light Cone needs are already solved.
Is Before the Tutorial Mission Starts still worth buying?
Yes. It is still one of the best old event Light Cones in Herta’s Store, but only if your team can consistently apply DEF reduction. It is excellent for Silver Wolf, Pela-style supports, and other Nihility units that can trigger its Energy refund condition.
Is For Tomorrow’s Journey good for Robin?
It is usable, but not usually a priority. Robin-style Harmony supports often value Energy and rotation consistency more than a short personal damage buff after Ultimate.
Is Hey, Over Here good for Huohuo?
It can work, but it is not the best use of Herta Bonds. Huohuo usually benefits more from Energy-related Light Cones than from simply gaining more healing output.
Should I S5 Cruising in the Stellar Sea or buy a new Light Cone first?
If you only use one main Hunt DPS and already have other important Paths covered, S5 Cruising in the Stellar Sea is worth it. If your account still lacks a Destruction or Nihility option, buy the missing Light Cone first.
Is Elation Brimming With Blessings worth buying?
Yes, if you are building Elation Trailblazer or Elation-focused teams. If you are not using Elation characters, buy more universal Light Cones first.
Final Recommendation
Herta’s Store is not just a free shop. It is one of the best long-term account-building systems in Honkai: Star Rail. The smartest players do not try to clear the shop immediately. They buy the Light Cones that solve real account problems.
For a new account, start with Cruising in the Stellar Sea or On the Fall of an Aeon. For a support-heavy account, prioritize Before the Tutorial Mission Starts. For Elation teams, get Elation Brimming With Blessings. For everyone else, treat A-tier Light Cones as account-specific tools and avoid spending early Herta Bonds on B-tier trap picks.
Once your free Herta Store options are handled, you can plan paid resources more efficiently. Players preparing for future limited characters, signature Light Cones, or Express Supply Pass value can check Topuplist Honkai: Star Rail Top Up for Oneiric Shards and Express Supply Pass options, while still using Herta Bonds wisely for the best free Light Cones.
