Honkai: Star Rail features a game mode known as the “Simulated Universe,” a roguelike mode where you’re pitted against numerous tough bosses and enemies while gaining buffs to help you along the way. World 5 of the Simulated Universe features numerous enemies that can debuff your team, so bringing a party member who can cleanse these debuffs are important. Follow this guide for some tips and tricks in clearing World 5 of the Simulated Universe in Honkai: Star Rail.

How to clear World 5 of the Simulated Universe in Honkai: Star Rail

To unlock World 5 of the Simulated Universe, you’ll need to clear the prior worlds before it. World 5 is pretty tricky, but you’ll be rewarded with better potential drops, relics, and prizes. World 5 of the Simulated Universe has a recommended team level of 60, but we cleared World 5 using a team of Level 50 characters and Light Cones.

World 5 of the Simulated Universe features many enemies weak to the elements of Wind, Imaginary, and Physical. Bringing characters of these elements is highly recommended. There are 13 stages in this Simulated Universe, with the final floor consisting of the Kafka boss fight.

Recommended team comps & paths

• A party of Dan Heng / Welt / Natasha / Gepard is one of the best teams for this floor. Gepard and Natasha are your defensive core, with Gepard bringing a huge teamwide shield to help tank some of Kafka’s devastating attacks. Natasha can provide the debuff cleanse that is necessary for this floor. Dan Heng and Welt will contribute to most of the team’s damage and weakness break.
• Dan Heng / Asta / Natasha / March 7th is a great free-to-play alternative. Asta can provide some buffs for Dan Heng, while Natasha and March 7th serve the same purpose as Natasha and Gepard. As an added benefit, March 7th can also clear debuffs from an ally when you level up her Traces.
• Clara / Bronya / Natasha / March 7th is a premium team. Bronya can buff Clara to deal some insane damage, while Natasha and March 7th once again form your defensive core. As an added benefit for this team in particular, March 7th’s Skill increases the chance that an enemy will attack Clara and activate her counter ability.
• Alternatively, for your healers, you can also bring Bailu, but you will lose the utility Natasha brings with her cleanse and Physical attacks (Kafka is weak to the Physical element. Also, Natasha is free!)
• For your path, we recommend picking Preservation, Abundance, or Remembrance. Remembrance is useful for Welt / Dan Heng teams to chain slows, with the added benefit of Freeze, taking away Kafka’s turns. Preservation helps you tank some of her more devastating attacks, while Abundance provides debuff cleanse, and sustain.

Kafka boss fight strategy

Kafka is a difficult boss but has a relatively straightforward attack pattern. Kafka has three phases for you to fight. For our strategy, we stacked Remembrance buffs to permafreeze Kafka. Some things to keep in mind going into this fight: if you take too many turns to defeat Kafka, she may go berserk and increase her damage dramatically. If you are running Abundance or Preservation to tank her, you’ll still want to proceed at a brisk pace.

Screenshot by PC Invasion

During phase 1, Kafka is joined by two Cloud Knights Patrollers. They are weak to Fire, Wind, and Imaginary. If you have your Blessing up, you should be able to ignore them and eventually defeat them with AoE attacks. Focus on Kafka first to proceed through the first phase. If you are using Remembrance, trigger your Blessing to Freeze Kafka and her foes, which should delay their action. You can interweave this with other Freeze buffs you potentially picked up, while also stacking slows and turn delays from characters like Dan Heng and Welt.

Screenshot by PC Invasion

(Tip: If you manage to gain two Blessing buffs for Remembrance, take the one that provides Eonian River, which can freeze Kafka for an extra turn.)

Screenshot by PC Invasion

During phase 2, Kafka will begin the main gimmick for this boss.  Her Psychological Suggestion attack can apply the “Psychological Suggestion” debuff to multiple allies. If you let this debuff run too long, your allies will become “Dominated.” When an ally is Dominated, they will attack your fellow allies. Less devastating is the damage you take from allies, here, and the fact that this takes away one of your turns. Prevent this by using cleanse abilities from characters like March 7th or Natasha.

Screenshot by PC Invasion

During phase 3, Kafka gains extra attacks to whittle down your team. You’ll want to prevent any Domination during this phase, especially for your defensive units, to avoid death. If an ally does end up becoming Dominated, you can still cleanse them with any debuff cleanse.

Screenshot by PC Invasion

Once you clear this phase, you’ll have defeated Kafka. You’ll unlock World 6, which features an even trickier boss. Honkai: Star Rail is available via its official website.