Honkai: Star Rail – Best 3-Star Equations (Divergent Universe)

The Divergent Universe mode offers a fresh take on the already existing Simulated Universe. It introduces new Curio and Blessing effects, new Curios, Weighted Curios, Equations, and many more. While the core gameplay is mostly the same, the way players should approach Divergent Universe is slightly different as it mostly focuses on the newly introduced Equations system.

Equations can be acquired through a couple of different means and can be activated once the player possesses the required number of Blessings from specific paths as stated on an Equation. They’re powerful add-ons to the player’s combat abilities and can make all the difference, especially when playing through the higher difficulties.

10 Voyage Monitor

Destruction & Preservation

• Effect: After a character deals Break DMG, deal a set amount of Additional DMG equal to 100% of the original damage after the attack. When a character’s Grit is higher than 30 stack(s), they gain a Shield equal to 50% of their Max HP, lasting for 2 turn(s). Also, deal DMG equal to 1,200% base DMG and 15 Toughness-Reduction to all enemies, and consume 20 stack(s) of Grit.
• Activation Requirements: Destruction x7, Preservation x5

This Equation is good, but not amazing. Since it’s specifically made for Break units, it limits the number of characters that can actually get full use out of it since there aren’t many Break units in the game at the moment. The added damage can be helpful but can be difficult to keep up with when trying to achieve the full effects of the Equation.

It’s also somewhat anti-synergistic in terms of what it requires and what it does. Grit is a buff that can be obtained through certain Destruction Blessings and requires characters to lose or heal HP in order to gain stacks. Seeing as the Preservation path is all about shields (and the equation provides a shield), this makes it tricky to gain more Grit stacks unless players are using characters that can naturally deplete their own HP.

9 Silent Hunter

Remembrance & Hunt

• Effect: When enemy targets enter battle, there is a 100% base chance for them to be inflicted with Dissociation that lasts for 1 turn(s). Enemies in Dissociation will resist all DMG, and all CRIT DMG and Break DMG taken are tallied. When the effect is dispelled, additionally deals a set amount of CRIT DMG equal to 150% of the tallied value to all enemies. When the tallied value reaches 50% of the target’s Max HP, Dissociation will immediately be dispelled.
• Activation Requirements: Remembrance x7, Hunt x5

Dissociation is a debuff that can be applied to enemies through the use of certain Remembrance Blessings. It’s been used a ton by many players in the past to beat the higher difficulty levels of the Simulated Universe modes and it’s no different in this mode. However, it takes a lot to get the most out of it if players aren’t running a dedicated freeze team.

Many of the bosses have a high Effect RES stat and some of them are completely immune to freeze. Considering this equation loses a lot of value if enemies aren’t in that Dissociation state, it takes a lot of planning (and luck) for it to be worth it. Certain Remembrance and Nihility Blessings offer an increase in Effect Hit Rate, lowers enemies’ Effect RES, and lowers enemies’ chance to resist being frozen. These Blessings are basically needed to make this equation work.

8 Useless Scholar

Erudition & Elation

• Effect: After the team uses a total of 6 Ultimate(s) while not under the Overclock effect, gains Overclock: After attacking with an Ultimate, deals Aftertaste DMG equal to 100% of the attacker’s ATK 3 time(s). After using an Ultimate, this status will end. The first character in the team lineup activates their Ultimate, Charges Brain in a Vat to 200%, and uses Ultimate 3 times before the status ends on them.
• Activation Requirements: Erudition x7, Elation x5

When used right, this Equation can be amazing but it requires many different Blessings and the stars to align. However, it can benefit any team as the effect it gives isn’t specific to any mechanic. Spamming ultimates is a legitimate strategy, especially on higher difficulties where it becomes a war of attrition.

With that said, this Equation benefits follow-up teams the most. By spamming ultimates, it may trigger other characters’ follow-up attacks and allow them to build their own energy while also contributing to the fight. A team consisting of Jade and Herta comes to mind as an example of a powerful team when used with this Equation.

7 Mausoleum Of Scars

Remembrance & Destruction

• Effect: Oblivion appears in the Action Order: For every 10 actual Toughness Reduction dealt by an ally, the ally’s action Advances Forward by 3%. When Oblivion takes action, deals Ice DMG equal to 2,000% base DMG and deals 20 Toughness Reduction to all enemies, with a 150% base chance to inflict the Dissociation state on the targets, lasting for 1 turn(s). The state increases DMG taken by 60%, lasting for 2 turn(s).
• Activation Requirements: Remembrance x8, Destruction x4

Any team can use the effect of this one as it only requires the player to reduce enemy toughness bars. Break teams in particular excel at this as it’s the entire point of that team. This equation can also be used by freeze teams as it offers more opportunities to freeze the enemy.

However, as stated previously, multiple Blessings are required to ensure higher chances of freezing enemies. Due to there being a layer of luck involved when obtaining Equations, this one isn’t bad by any means but definitely not the best unless players are committed to running a freeze team.

6 Child Of Calamity

Propagation & Nihility

• Effect: Enemy target obtains Borehole when entering battle: Borehole will record all Spores numbers accumulated by the holder. After accumulating 18 Spores, deals Quantum DMG to all enemies equal to 1,800% of base DMG. For every debuff the enemy has, this DMG increases by 10%, up to an increase of 100%. Then, the accumulated spore count is cleared.
• Activation Requirements: Propagation x7, Nihility x5

It may be difficult to hit the requirements to achieve max damage on this one as an enemy needs 10 debuffs on them for this to happen. However, it gets a lot easier when using a DoT team paired with certain Blessings that can apply debuffs as well. While this Equation does nothing for DoT teams in terms of their personal DoT damage, it makes up for it in other ways.

Spores are a debuff that can be applied to the enemy through various means after obtaining certain Propagation Blessings. While most of the Propagation Blessings are entirely useless to characters that don’t rely on their Basic ATK to deal damage, it’s worthwhile to acquire the specific Blessings that offer the Spore debuff as it can deal a good amount of damage.

5 Molten Knight

Hunt & Propagation

• Effect: Every time the team obtains 9 stack(s) of Critical Boost or defeats the enemy target, fires 10 Lux Arrow(s) to strike random targets. Each Lux Arrow deals Wind DMG equal to 400% base DMG and applies 1 Spore to the attacked target, while also dealing 1 hit of Spore burst DMG. During this time, max Spore stacks will become 99.
• Activation Requirements: Hunt x8, Propagation x4

This Equation has the potential to deal massive damage but its usefulness isn’t quite on par with some of the other ones. The reason for this is that it might take a while for it to trigger on higher difficulties. Critical Boost is a buff that can be obtained through certain Hunt Blessings. Players can either gain stacks to said buff at the beginning of a character’s turn or when defeating enemies. While gaining it at the start of a turn is good, defeating enemies isn’t as reliable as enemies come with absurd HP numbers on higher difficulties.

On the bright side, this Equation does offer the chance to trigger much higher damage numbers through the Spore debuff. Even then, it entirely depends on which Blessings and curios players have for this Equation to do much.

4 Self-Proof Institute

Nihility & Erudition

• Effect: After Suspicion reaches 99 stacks, it will be consumed and turned into 1 stack of Self-Negation: Increases DoT dealt by attackers to this unit by 70%. Each stack additionally increases DoT dealt by 10%, stacking up to 50 times. At the start of an enemy’s turn, they take Lightning DoT equal to 135% of base DMG and cause adjacent targets to take Lightning DoT equal to 20% of the original DMG multiplier. At 2 or more stacks: at the start of the turn, regenerates 20% of Brain in a Vat for a random character. At 3 or more stacks: at the start of the turn, regenerates 10% of Brain in a Vat for all allies.
• Activation Requirements: Nihility x8, Erudition x4

While this Equation isn’t necessarily needed for a run with a DoT team to be successful, it can be considered the bread and butter of a DoT run. The effect of this aims to maximize DoT damage while also providing more opportunities to apply DoTs and Suspicions stacks (debuff from Nihility Blessings) by regenerating Brain in a Vat.

Brain in a Vat is a mechanic tied to certain Erudition Blessings that acts as a secondary energy meter. Once it reaches 100%, characters are immediately given a free ultimate upon using an ultimate. Seeing as every DoT unit can apply dots through the use of their ultimates, it’s easy to see why this synergizes well with them.

3 Borisin

Abundance & Destruction

• Effect: Flower of Annihilation appears in the Action Order. When Dewdrop breaks, it will Charge Flower of Annihilation by 600% of the Dewdrop’s charge. When Flower of Annihilation takes action, it deals Charge value + 1,200% of base DMG Fire DMG to all enemies. Every stack of Grit held by the team will additionally increase the DMG by 1.5%.
• Activation Requirements: Abundance x8, Destruction x4

Dewdrop is the path of Abundance’s solution to lacking damage when running a path that primarily focuses on survivability. After obtaining certain Abundance Blessings, Dewdrop can be charged by either receiving healing or at the start of a character’s turn. Charge value depends on the amount healed and a character’s HP value respectively.

Dewdrop ruptures after a character launches any attack and deals extra damage depending on the charge value. This equation simply takes advantage of prioritizing survivability especially considering the Grit buff is tied to this as well. The only downside to this Equation is that it heavily incentivizes running a healer to get the most out of it.

2 Bionic Messiah

Hunt & Abundance

• Effect: When no enemy target has Fiber, Fiber will be applied to random attacked targets after characters use an attack. After targets with Fiber receive a total of 8 attacks or are defeated, the target receives Lightning DMG equal to 4,500% base DMG, adjacent targets receive DMG equal to 3,000% base DMG, and all allies’ Max HP increases by 80%, lasting for 3 turn(s). If only 1 enemy target is attacked, then 2 attacks are considered to have been launched.
• Activation Requirements: Hunt x8, Abundance x4

This is a great Equation to run with any team with the only downside to it being that the Abundance Blessings needed for it might be waster if players are running a Preservation unit instead. Even then, it remains one of the best Equations in the game as it only requires characters to attack enemies for it to trigger.

There is really no right or wrong way to use this Equation as how often it triggers is about the same for any team. AOE units can trigger it often by applying 8 stacks on multiple enemies while single-target units can also trigger it often by focusing on applying 2 stacks at a time on one enemy.

1 City Restorer

Preservation & Remembrance

• Effect: Comet Nucleus appears in the Action Order: Each time it takes a turn, absorbs all allies’ Shields, reducing their values to 1, and turning the absorbed values into its own Shield. Then, it deals Physical DMG equal to 2,500% of its Shield value plus 1,000% base DMG to all enemies, with a 75% base chance to Freeze enemies for 1 turn(s). When characters take damage, Comet Nucleus’s Shield will be consumed first. When Quake DMG is triggered, 70% of Comet Nucleus’s Shield will be considered as the character’s Shield.
• Activation Requirements: Preservation x8, Remembrance x4

Far and away the best Equation in the game especially when trying to beat the higher difficulties. While the chance to freeze enemies is nice to have, what makes it good is that it acts as a safety blanket that protects characters from being one-shot (which isn’t uncommon on higher difficulties).

Although it does require a shielder for it to be good, they’re generally the better idea for higher-difficulty runs. When paired with certain Weighted Curios and Preservation Blessings, this Equation effectively makes characters untouchable as it allows players to generate more shields while being protected by the one created by the Equation. However, it must be emphasized that much of the value in this Equation lies in its usefulness on higher difficulties.