A strategic guide comparing Herta’s E1 and S1 upgrades in Honkai Star Rail, with practical tips for optimal resource investment.
Introduction: The Banner Return Dilemma
The Herta’s banner has returned in Honkai Star Rail, which means you can now pull for her and her Light Cone. Since many players already have the character in their collections, they might try to get an upgrade by pulling for either her E1 or S1. As both can be acquired by spending a decent amount of Jades, fans might wonder which one they should go for.
Into the Unreachable Veil (S1) Deep Analysis
Into the Unreachable Veil, Herta’s signature Light Cone, is a multifaceted upgrade. Its primary stat boost provides a decent amount of CRIT Rate, a universally valuable stat that simplifies Relic farming by reducing dependency on substats. The cone’s true power, however, lies in its conditional effects.
When Herta uses her Ultimate, the Light Cone grants a substantial 60% outgoing damage multiplier. This is a separate multiplicative bonus that significantly amplifies her burst potential, making her exceptionally potent for clearing multi-wave content in modes like Memory of Chaos and Apocalyptic Shadow.
The most game-changing aspect is the Skill Point (SP) regeneration. The cone triggers when the equipping character consumes 140 Energy. Since Herta’s Ultimate costs 220 Energy, this condition is met every time she ults. This generates one extra SP per ultimate rotation, directly impacting your team’s flexibility. In SP-hungry teams, this can be the difference between a smooth rotation and a stalled one.
First Eidolon (E1) Breakdown
Herta’s first Eidolon (E1) provides a direct and unconditional damage increase to her abilities. On paper, the damage boost it offers is quite identical to the raw damage gain from her S1 Light Cone when evaluating standalone target dummy scenarios.
However, the E1 lacks the ancillary benefits that define modern premium upgrades. It does nothing to address resource management. Unlike S1, it offers no Skill Point support, nor does it provide valuable stats like CRIT Rate. Its value is purely in its damage percentage, which can be diluted if your Energy rotations are inefficient or if your team struggles with SP generation. This makes its practical performance more situational than the raw numbers suggest.
Head-to-Head Comparison: S1 vs E1
When directly comparing The Herta’s first Eidolon with her S1, the damage increase is comparable, but the utility gap is substantial. The S1’s ability to replenish a Skill Point every Ultimate cycle is a force multiplier for your entire team composition. In end-game content where action economy is paramount, an extra SP allows more frequent skill uses from supports or sustains, directly translating to higher team DPS or survivability.
The 60% damage boost to her Ultimate is particularly worthwhile because it synergizes with her role as a wave-clearing specialist. It helps her defeat several waves of enemies instantly, securing faster clears in timed modes. This burst potential is often more valuable than the consistent but smaller damage increase from E1.
Furthermore, the CRIT Rate from S1 is a permanent stat gain that benefits every single attack, not just her Ultimate. This stat efficiency makes S1 a more versatile piece of power that remains valuable even if you change her team or strategy.
Advanced Strategy and Common Pitfalls
Practical Tip: Before pulling, audit your current teams. If you frequently run SP-negative characters (like certain healers or buffers that must skill every turn), the SP regeneration from S1 becomes exponentially more valuable. Conversely, if your teams are SP-positive, the direct damage from E1 might feel more noticeable.
Common Mistake: Players often undervalue the CRIT Rate stat on S1. If your Herta already has 70%+ CRIT Rate from Relics, the value diminishes due to diminishing returns. In this specific case, E1 could be relatively more appealing, though S1’s other effects remain strong.
Optimization Tip for Advanced Players: Consider your Energy Recharge (ERR) breakpoints. S1’s SP generation requires Herta to use her Ultimate. Ensuring she can ult consistently through proper ERR substats or support (like Tingyun) is crucial to unlocking the cone’s full potential. An S1 without proper Energy rotation is a wasted investment.
Long-Term Investment: Beyond E1 and S1
The original advice holds true: if you are considering Herta’s Eidolons, the second one (E2) is a monumental power spike. It is overpowered and can trivialize most end-game activities, including the challenging Pure Fiction mode. Therefore, a key strategic question arises: does pulling for E1 bring you closer to or divert resources from eventually obtaining E2?
For most players, saving Star Rail Special Passes and Stellar Jades to secure E2 on a future banner is a more efficient long-term plan than spending them on E1 now. The S1 Light Cone, however, is a self-contained powerhouse that provides immediate and lasting value regardless of your Eidolon plans. It future-proofs your investment, as the cone will always be her best-in-slot option.
Conclusion and Final Verdict
For the vast majority of players, Herta’s S1 (Into the Unreachable Veil) is the superior choice over her E1. The combination of a significant CRIT Rate stat stick, a powerful 60% Ultimate damage multiplier, and the game-changing Skill Point regeneration offers far more holistic value to your account. The E1, while providing a solid damage increase, lacks the transformative utility that defines top-tier upgrades.
Only consider E1 if you are a dedicated Herta main specifically chasing her E2 and are confident in your team’s Skill Point management without external help. For everyone else—from casual players to meta-chasers—investing in her signature Light Cone will yield greater satisfaction and more tangible power across all game modes.
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