A Complete Guide to Honkai: Star Rail’s Swarm Disaster Mode

Swarm Disaster is the latest permanent game mode to be released in Honkai Star Rail and is an extension of the Simulated Universe mode that players should be acquainted with by now. This new mode introduces some new gameplay elements and a whole new Aeon to the mix, along with an entirely new UI.

To ease your way through the game and familiarise yourself, we’ve decided to come up with a guide. So, let’s get into it!

How To Unlock Swarm Disaster Mode

You will need to have played through at least Simulated Universe: World 5 to unlock this game mode. Once that’s cleared, you will get a new quest from Herta detailing how to play and navigate the new universe. You might not want to skip her tutorial, even if it is wordy and lengthy, or else you’ll be heavily confused about how to navigate things.

How To Play Swarm Disaster Mode

This mode takes everything you’ve learned from the Simulated Universe and twists it into something new entirely. We have the Paths and Domains, but the way they are used and portrayed are different. This game mode also increases in difficulty, especially when compared to your typical Simulated Universe.

The basics of it would be as follows:

1. Learn about the Aeon of Propagation.
2. Enter the world by clicking on ‘Start Exploring.’
3. Choose a Path that’s available to you.
4. Take a look at the map and choose where you want to go by clicking on a tile. Each tile has an icon that represents a different Domain type which we’ll go into detail later.
5. Depending on the domain, complete the challenge or defeat the enemy as usual, then choose your Blessing. When that’s done, locate the Communing Device to move forward.
6. At this Communing Device, you will have the Audience Dice that sets a random buff or effect, which will change every time you switch domains. These buffs or effects are based on the Path you’ve chosen earlier. Reroll if you want another buff.
7. There are three planes for you to go through, and your enemies will get stronger as you progress. These planes are largely similar, you will be presented with a map that has tiles of different domain types, just like before. 
8. At the end of the first and second plane, you will get to choose which boss you want to go up against. Defeating these bosses will ensure you get a certain effect or buff when going up against the third plane’s boss, your final boss noted as – Swarm: True Stings.
9. Defeat the Swarm: True Sting’s boss is the end of the challenge.

 

Note that there is a countdown timer that lets you know how many more moves you get before you trigger Planar Disarray. Once triggered, the Disruption Level will increase and buff your enemies. This makes everything harder for you. Hence, we recommend you simply make a beeline to the end of each plane and not waste your moves by exploring the other domains, especially if you’re underpowered or new.

The objective of going through all the stages is to increase your Path affinity in the Communing Trail, which gives you buffs in return. The Communing Trail is also tied to the Trail of Pathstrider, which grants you additional rewards and points. We’ll talk about both in detail below.

Another objective of playing through this game mode is to unlock the Swarm Disaster Chapters to learn more about the history of the Aeon while gaining rewards. When you complete all the chapters, you will be able to unlock the Path of Propagation for your Simulated Universe and Swarm Disaster. This Path revolves around your character’s Basic Attacks and Skill Point usage.

 

Types of Domains

Domains are the different levels you will encounter in this Swarm Disaster mode. There are multiple planes, each with its domains, that you will have to clear to progress further. Players can choose between several domains during their advancement forward, with the end goal being to defeat the Boss at the end of the plane.

There are 12 types of domains that you may or may not come across during your run in the Swarm Disaster Mode. Here’s what you can expect from them:

• Blank: This means nothing will happen in this domain.
• Combat: You will need to defeat enemies to obtain Blessings.
• Combat Swarm: A special domain where you will encounter Swarm enemies. Defeating them grants you Blessings of Propagation.
• Elite: You will encounter Elite enemies and defeat them for 3-star Blessings.
• Occurrence: There’s a variety of options for you to choose from which will lead to various outcomes and rewards.
• Occurrence Swarm: The Swarm’s alertness is affected by the choices you make. The higher the alertness, the harder it is for you to clear the domain.
• Boss: Defeating the Boss allows you to leave the area and receive Blessings as well as Curios.
• Boss Swarm: A special Boss type called the Swarm: True Sting. Defeating this boss clears the domain.
• Reward: Allows you to choose one reward from the options given.
• Adventure: You will need to complete some challenges to get rewards. These challenges are varied.
• Respite: This is where you enhance Blessings, download characters, and reset or revive your downed characters.
• Transaction: This is where you can purchase Blessings or Curios with Cosmic Fragments obtained during your run.

Each Domain has its effects, so read them carefully before choosing your path. The previous Domains or ones to the left side of your screen will not be accessible once you move forward. 

Additionally, you may be forced to give up an acquired effect after clearing a domain simply because it cannot be used or you’ve reached the end. Select the ‘Give Up’ option and obtain 10 Cosmic Fragments in return.

 

Types of Beacons

Beacons are used to enhance combat-type domains. As such, the enemies in these domains will be stronger, but you will gain additional rewards that make it worth it. There are four types of Beacons that you may encounter in the Swarm Disaster Mode. 

• Enhance: All the enemies are enhanced, but the Blessings received are all enhanced as well when you clear the domain.
• Mutation: Enemies turn into Bugs, but you are rewarded with additional Cosmic Fragments when you clear the domain.
• Blessing Trotter: Trotters will spawn here and you can obtain additional Blessings when you defeat them.
• Curio Trotter: Trotters spawn here, and you can obtain additional Curios when you defeat them.

 

Available Paths in Swarm Disaster Mode

Each of these Paths will grant you a different Dimension Effect and Continuous Effect. They also dictate the best characters and team compositions for you to use to breeze through the Swarm Disaster mode domains. Some of these Paths also have unlock requirements. Let’s take an in-depth look at each Path below.

 

Path of Elation

Unlock Requirements: This Path will only unlock after you’ve unlocked 6 Paths in Simulated Universe: Swarm Disaster mode.

Dimension Effect: At the beginning of the first or second plane, surprising effects will be applied.

Continuous Effect: When entering Domain – Boss or Domain – Boss: The Swarm, allies will gain 1 random Happiness. For every domain your allies pass through, the follow-up attack damage dealt by all allies will receive random stat increases.

Best Characters: Clara, Jing Yuan, Herta 

This Path is suitable for characters that have follow-up attacks in their kit, as it gives them a follow-up attack damage buff as they progress through the plane. There is an RNG element to it, but it is still an increase nonetheless.

 

Path of Destruction

Dimension Effect: At the beginning of the first or second plane, 2 random domains will turn into an Elite domain.

Continuous Effect: After defeating the boss of an Elite domain, you will be able to obtain Blessings 1 extra time. Additionally, for every battle you win, damage dealt by all allies increases by 8%.

Best Characters: Any character would work well with this Path.

A rather general Path, making it easy for you to include whoever you want on your team. It provides a damage increase buff to everyone based on how many enemies you defeat on your run. Take advantage of this by picking Combat Domains on your run. If possible, use the Dice to upgrade them to Elite Combat Domains. The harder the enemy, the higher your damage buff.

 

Path of the Hunt

Dimension Effect: At the beginning of the first or second plane, you will get 1 extra Blessing Trotter and 1 Curio Trotter domain in the mix.

Continuous Effect: Every time you move to a new domain, all domains currently with the Blessing Trotter or Curio Trotter will swap positions with an adjacent domain. For every Trotter defeated in battle, all allies’ CRIT damage will increase by 30%.

Best Characters: Any CRIT-based character will do well with this Path.

This Path is great for those who prefer an offensive strategy and a team with characters that focus on CRIT damage. Be sure to move to Trotter Domains and defeat them as quickly as possible as they do tend to run away. Another thing to note is that Trotter Domains can switch positions around the board.

 

Path of Abundance

Unlock Requirements: This Path can be unlocked after triggering Planar Disarray in the Swarm Disaster Mode.

Dimension Effect: At the beginning of the first or second plane, Mercy is applied to 2 random domains.

Continuous Effect: Countdown will be reduced by 2 extra counts. When you enter a domain with Mercy in effect, the countdown will increase by 1 point. Each countdown point increases all allies’ Outgoing Healing by 5%.

Best Characters: Luocha, Bailu, Natasha, Lynx

This is a passive Path for those who prefer gathering Blessings as they have the luxury of ignoring the countdown entirely. On this Path, focus on spreading Mercy across domains and only entering domains with Mercy applied to them. This is also a Path that could work well with any team, as long as you have a healer around. It does require patience, though.

 

Path of Nihility

Unlock Requirements: Will unlock immediately after a challenge gets interrupted while going through the Swarm Disaster mode.

Dimension Effect: At the beginning of the first or second plane, 2 random domains are changed into a Blank Domain.

Continuous Effect: Entering a Blank Domain will replace the domain’s contents with a random type. For every Blank Domain you enter, DoT dealt by all allies increases by 18%.

Best Characters: Kafka, Sampo, Serval, Luka

This Path is great for characters that can deal out DoT, as it grants DoT buffs that are stackable and continuous throughout your gameplay. Be sure to reroll your Dice to convert more domains into Blank Domains, which in turn enhances DoT based on the effects this path allows.

 

Path of Remembrance

Dimension Effect: At the beginning of the first or second plane, 2 domains are copied, and Recollection is applied.

Continuous Effect: When passing through 1 domain with Recollection, the Effect Hit Rate for all allies increases by 25%.

Best Characters: March 7th, Welt

It is a great Path for characters that have crowd control abilities like Freeze, Entangle, or Imprison due to the Effect Hit Rate buff. Utilize the Recollection effect to copy domains like Reward, Adventure, or Elite, as these could increase the rewards you get.

 

Path of Preservation

Unlock Requirements: This will unlock after you accumulate 1,000 Cosmic Fragments in the Swarm Disaster mode.

Dimension Effect: At the beginning of the first or second plane, Cornerstone is applied to 2 random domains.

Continuous Effect: When you enter a Boss or Boss: Swarm domain, you will obtain rewards based on the number of domains with the Cornerstone effect in the plane. The amount of Shield effect received by all allies increases by 4% for every domain with Cornerstone. For every 1 different type of domain with Cornerstone, you will obtain 1 Blessing.

Best Characters: Gepard, March 7th, Fire Trailblazer

For defensive teams, this is a good Path option. You can get into more dangerous waters through the constant application of shields. Just continue to apply Cornerstone to domains and reap your rewards by the end.

 

Path of Propagation

Unlock Requirements: Will only be unlocked when you are done collecting all the chapters of Swarm Disaster and completing the Adventure Mission ‘Swarm Disaster: The End.’

Dimension Effect: At the beginning of the first or second plane, 2 random domains will turn into Combat: Swarm and Occurrence: Swarm domains.

Continuous Effect: Entering Combat: Swarm or Occurrence: Swarm domains allow allies to receive a special Propagation effect. For every Combat: Swarm or Occurrence: Swarm that you pass through, all allies’ Basic Attack damage increases by 20%.

Best Characters: Imbibitor Lunae, Qingque

This Path is great for Imbibitor Lunae and Qingue mainly as it increases damage done through Basic Attacks. To get the most out of this path, aim for Swarm-related domains. You can add more Swarm Domains to the plane by using your Audience Dice.

 

Audience Dice By Path

As mentioned earlier, the Audience Dice will only grant you buffs or effects based on the Path you choose. Here are the dice effects you could encounter based on which Path you pick:

 

Path of Preservation

• Proof of Commandment: At the beginning of the combat stage, all allies will receive a shield equal to 50% of their respective max HP for 3 turns.
• Collective Shelter: After moving to a different domain in this round, Cornerstone is applied to all domains that are about to collapse.
• Charioteer’s Forge: Applies Cornerstone to 1 random domain that is about to collapse after moving to a different domain in this round. 
• Credit Bias: Obtains 25 Cosmic Fragments for every domain on the map that has Cornerstone applied to it.
• Cornerstone’s Spirit: Allows you to select 1 domain and apply Cornerstone to it. This excludes the Boss or Boss: Swarm domains.

 

Path of Remembrance

• Genesis of Intellect: Copies all domains with the Recollection effect and places them on their adjacent domains as well.
• Confusion and Causality: When entering combat for this round, there is a 100% fixed chance for all enemies to be Frozen and inflicted with Ice Weakness for 2 turns.
• Inner Sensory Organ: Copies the domain you are currently in and applies it to a random location on the map. Also adds Recollection to that domain.
• Body, Beyond, Remade: You can move to any domain with the Recollection effect for the movement phase of this round.
• Darkness and Greed: Choose 1 domain, copy it to an adjacent domain, and apply Recollection to it. Applicable to all domains except Boss and Boss: Swarm domains.

 

Path of Nihility

• Transition: Entering a Blank Domain in this round will be replaced by a Reward Domain.
• Form: Obtains 1 Curio and turns all Reward Domains into Blank Domains. This effect will no longer be generated after appearing once on each plane.
• Nothingness: Obtain 10 Cosmic Fragments when you enter a Blank Domain in this round.
• Dormancy: Turns all Occurrence Domains into Blank Domains. Note that this effect will no longer be generated after appearing once on each plane.
• Shadow: Obtain 1 Blessing and turn all Elite Domains into Blank Domains. This effect will no longer be generated after appearing once on each plane as well.
• Void: Turns all Combat Domains into Blank Domains. This effect will also not be generated after appearing once on each plane.

 

Path of The Hunt

• Quelled Fury: At the beginning of combat for this round, all character SPD increases by 50% for 3 turns.
• Swiftness: Allows you to move to a domain in the closest column that contains either a Blessing Trotter or a Curio Trotter. Any rewards gained from defeating the Trotters are doubled in this round.
• Resolve: Generates 1 Blessing Trotter Domain in a Combat, Combat: The Swarm or Elite Domain.
• Restraint: Applies Hounding Pursuit to 1 domain with the Blessing Trotter or Curio Trotter. Domains with the Hounding Pursuit effect can no longer change locations.
• Vengeance: Allies can move to any domain in the next 3 columns during the Movement Phase for this round.

 

Path of Abundance

• Sustenance: Applies Mercy to 1 adjacent domain of every domain that already has Mercy in effect.
• Homebound: Applies Mercy to 1 random domain on the plane that does not have Mercy.
• Benevolence: For every domain on the plane that has Mercy, you gain 1 point on the Countdown Timer and 5 Cosmic Fragments.
• Disgust: For every point in the Countdown Timer, all enemies receive damage equal to 3% of their respective max HP but no more than 60% of their max HP at the beginning of combat for this round.
• Prescription: After moving to a different domain, Mercy is applied to all domains adjacent to your current one.
• Mercy: Choose a domain and apply Mercy to it.

 

Path of Destruction

• Corporeal Monarch: Choose 1 domain and change it to a Combat Domain. This excludes the Boss or Boss: Swarm Domains.
• Scorched Subjugation: Choose a Combat, Combat: Swarm, or Elite Domain to immediately get rewards of the domain and change it to a Blank Domain. Note that Curio effects will not activate simultaneously.
• Blood Like Water: All character’s damage increases by 50% when entering combat for this round.
• War Worship: Choose a Combat, Combat: Swarm, or Elite Domain to give it the Enhance effect.
• Spiritual Suicide: Obtain 1 Blessing when entering a Combat, Combat: Swarm, or Elite Domain in this round.

 

Path of Elation

• Always Amazed, Never Dismayed: Choose 1 Occurrence Domain and apply 1 random Happiness.
• Spirit of Chaos: Choose a domain and apply 1 random Happiness to it, excluding Boss or Boss: Swarm Domains.
• Mischief Master: Choose 1 Elite Domain and apply 1 random Happiness.
• Head Harbinger of Havoc: After a character uses an attack to deal damage, the attack will be considered a follow-up attack for 2 turns in combat for this round.
• Measured Mockery: Choose 1 Combat Domain and apply 1 random Happiness to that domain.

 

Path of Propagation

• Inorganic Embers: Choose Boss or Boss: Swarm Domains and receive Blessings of Propagation equal to the number of Combat: Swarm and Occurrence: Swarm Domains on the plane. If all Path of Propagation Blessings have already been obtained, a random Blessing is given instead. Note that only the selected domains are allowed to be movement targets for this round.
• The Devil, Pain, and Love: Changes 1 random domain to Combat: Swarm or Occurrence: Swarm Domains.
• Dissociated Id: Choose Combat: Swarm or Occurrence: Swarm Domains and make all adjacent domains randomly become Combat: Swarm or Occurrence: Swarm Domains.
• Spinal Cord Regrown: Characters will recover the same amount of Skill Points they consume for 3 turns in this round’s combat.
• Caged Madman of Corrosion: Generates 1 random beacon in Combat: Swarm Domain.

 

The Communing Trail

This is a system where you can level up your Paths to unlock the different buffs that will help you in battle. These buffs are helpful, so be sure to unlock them all for a smooth run. To level up your Paths, you will have to complete Trail of Pathstrider missions, which will give you Communing Trail Points. Do note that these effects and buffs are only applicable to Simulated Universe: Swarm Disaster Mode.

The trail gives different effects based on the Path you choose, as listed below:

 

Preservation

Buff	Effect	Points Required
DEF Boost	All characters’ defense increases by 12%.	1
Resonance Damage Boost	Path Resonance damage increases by 6%	3
Enhanced Received Shield Effects	Increases shield effects received by all characters by 4%.	5
Initial Resources	Increases Cosmic Fragments received at the beginning by 100.	7
DEF Boost	All characters’ defense increases by 12%.	9
Resonance Damage Boost	Path Resonance damage increases by 6%.	11
Enhanced Received Shield Effects	Increases shield effects received by all characters by 4%.	13
DEF Boost	All characters’ defense increases by 12%.	16
Enhanced Received Shield Effects	Increases shield effects received by all characters by 4%.	20

 

Remembrance

Buff	Effect	Points Required
Enemy Effect RES Reduction	All enemies’ Effect RES decreases by 3%.	1
Resonance Recharge Boost	Path Resonance Energy increases by 10 every time you enter a battle.	3
Effect Hit Rate Boost	All characters’ Effect Hit Rate increases by 5%.	5
Unlock Cheat Function	Allows you to specify a Dice Effect and obtain it immediately after re-rolling. At the start of a challenge, you get 1 chance to cheat.	7
Enemy Effect RES Reduction	All enemies’ Effect RES decreases by 3%.	9
Resonance DMG Boost	Path Resonance damage increases by 6%.	11
Effect Hit Rate Boost	All characters’ Effect Hit Rate increases by 5%.	13
Enemy Effect RES Reduction	All enemies’ Effect RES decreases by 3%.	16
Effect Hit Rate Boost	All characters’ Effect Hit Rate increases by 5%.	20

 

Nihility

Buff	Effect	Points Required
DoT Boost	DoT dealt by all characters increases by 10%.	1
Resonance DMG Boost	Path Resonance DMG increases by 6%.	3
Break Effect Boost	All characters’ Break Effect increases by 15%.	5
Forfeit Compensation	Cosmic Fragments increases by 10 when you give up a dice effect.	7
DoT Boost	DoT dealt by all characters increases by 10%.	9
Resonance DMG Boost	Path Resonance DMG increases by 6%.	11
Break Effect Boost	All characters’ Break Effect increases by 15%.	13
DoT Boost	DoT dealt by all characters increases by 10%.	16
Break Effect Boost	All characters’ Break Effect increases by 15%.	20

 

Abundance

Buff	Effect	Points Required
HP Boost	All characters’ max HP increases by 10%.	1
Resonance Recharge Boost	Increases Path Resonance Energy by 10 every time you enter battle.	3
HP Recovery Boost	Increases all characters’ HP recovery by 6%.	5
Start Countdown	The initial countdown timer increases by 2 points.	7
HP Boost	All characters’ max HP increases by 10%.	9
Resonance Recharge Boost	Increases Path Resonance Energy by 10 every time you enter battle.	11
HP Recovery Boost	Increases all characters’ HP recovery by 6%.	13
HP Boost	All characters’ max HP increases by 10%.	16
HP Recovery Boost	Increases all characters’ HP recovery by 6%.	20

 

The Hunt

Buff	Effect	Points Required
Speed Boost	All characters’ speed increases by 4%.	1
Resonance DMG Boost	Path Resonance DMG increases by 6%.	3
CRIT Rate Boost	All characters’ CRIT rate increases by 6%.	5
Bonus Recharge	All characters regenerate their respective Energy to Max Energy when entering Boss or Boss: Swarm Domains.	7
Speed Boost	All characters’ speed increases by 4%.	9
Resonance DMG Boost	Path Resonance DMG increases by 6%.	11
CRIT Rate Boost	All characters’ CRIT rate increases by 6%.	13
Speed Boost	All characters’ speed increases by 4%.	16
CRIT Rate Boost	All characters’ CRIT rate increases by 6%.	20

 

Destruction

Buff	Effect	Points Required
Attack Boost	All character’s attacks increase by 12%.	1
Resonance Recharge Boost	Path Resonance Energy increases by 10 every time you enter battle.	3
DMG Received Reduction	All characters receive 5% less damage.	5
Reboot Plane	After passing the first plane, all enemies will receive damage equal to 99% of their respective max HP when you enter battle.  This is applicable for the first 4 battles of the new plane and excludes Boss battles.	7
Attack Boost	All character’s attacks increase by 12%.	9
Resonance DMG Boost	Path Resonance damage increases by 6%.	11
DMG Received Reduction	All characters receive 5% less damage.	13
Attack Boost	All character’s attacks increase by 12%.	16
DMG Received Reduction	All characters receive 5% less damage.	20

 

Elation

Buff	Effect	Points Required
Follow-up Attack DMG Boost	All characters’ follow-up attack damage increases by 16%.	1
Resonance DMG Boost	Path Resonance damage increases by 6%.	3
CRIT DMG Boost	All characters’ CRIT DMG increases by 10%.	5
Reroll Attempts	Every time you enter a new plane, you gain 1 more chance to re-roll the dice.	7
Follow-up Attack DMG Boost	All characters’ follow-up attack damage increases by 16%.	9
Resonance DMG Boost	Path Resonance damage increases by 6%.	11
CRIT DMG Boost	All characters’ CRIT DMG increases by 10%.	13
Follow-up Attack DMG Boost	All characters’ follow-up attack damage increases by 16%.	16
CRIT DMG Boost	All characters’ CRIT DMG increases by 10%.	20

 

Trail of Pathstrider Missions

For the Trail of Pathstrider Missions, there are 24 challenges in total which will, in turn, give you different rewards for certain Paths. Some of the challenges are as easy as collecting Cosmic Fragments, but as you progress, the difficulty increases. 

 

Challenge 1: The Qlipoth Fate Dissolution Crisis

Objective: Obtain 750 Cosmic Fragments

Path Activation Reward: Preservation +1, Nihility +2

 

Challenge 2: Biology Big Bang

Objective: Obtain 10 Enhanced Blessings

Path Activation Reward: The Hunt +2, Abundance +2

 

Challenge 3: Cosmic Spending Record 

Objective: Complete 6 Combat Domains

Path Activation Reward: Remembrance +2, Destruction +2

 

Challenge 4: Final Countdown of the Universe!

Objective: Trigger Planar Disarray 2 times at Difficulty II or higher.

Path Activation Reward: Abundance +1, Nihility +3

 

Challenge 5: Watchers at the Exchange

Objective: Enter and complete a Transaction Domain 3 times at Difficulty II or higher.

Path Activation Reward: Preservation +2, Remembrance +1

 

Challenge 6: A Wave of Anti-Organic Equation Research 

Objective: Complete 6 domains with any beacon at Difficulty II or higher.

Path Activation Reward: Destruction +2, Elation +2

 

Challenge 7: Battle for Trotters

Objective: Complete domains with the Blessing Trotter or Curio Trotter beacons 4 times at Difficulty II or higher.

Path Activation Reward: The Hunt +1, Elation +1

 

Challenge 8: The Three Revelations

Objective: Obtain 10 Curios at Difficulty II or higher.

Path Activation Reward: Elation +1, Abundance +4

 

Challenge 9: Dark Web Adventures: Golden Fever

Objective: Complete an Adventure Domain 3 times at Difficulty III or higher.

Path Activation Reward: Nihility +1, The Hunt +3

 

Challenge 10: Beginner’s Guide on the Unhinged Aha Theory

Objective: Trigger Emergency 1 time at Difficulty III or higher.

Path Activation Reward: Destruction +3, Preservation +2

 

Challenge 11: Dual Plane Converter

Objective: Complete Swarm Disaster mode 1 time at Difficulty III or higher.

Path Activation Reward: Elation +2, Remembrance +1

 

Challenge 12: Incarnation of Polychromatic Scales

Objective: Generate 2 Resonance Interplays in the same challenge run 2 times at Difficulty III or higher.

Path Activation Reward: Remembrance +4, The Hunt +1

 

Challenge 13: The Memory Bubble Breach Disaster

Objective: Obtain 4 Resonance Formations at Difficulty III or higher.

Path Activation Reward: Remembrance +2, The Hunt +1

 

Challenge 14: Reading a World’s History of Atonement

Objective: Consecutively enter Combat, Combat: Swarm or Elite Domains 3 times, repeating this 4 times at Difficulty III or higher.

Path Activation Reward: Remembrance +4, Destruction +4

 

Challenge 15: Louis Fleming’s Leather Boots

Objective: Purchase 3 or more items in a Transaction Domain 2 times at Difficulty III or higher.

Path Activation Reward: Preservation +5, Remembrance +1

 

Challenge 16: The Second Battle of Happiness

Objective: Complete 1 domain with the Blessing Trotter or Curio Trotter beacon in the same plane 3 times at Difficulty IV or higher.

Path Activation Reward: The Hunt +2, Elation +2

 

Challenge 17: Facade of the Renaissance

Objective: Consecutively enter different types of domains 4 times and repeat this 5 times at Difficulty IV or higher.

Path Activation Reward: Elation +4, Remembrance +1

 

Challenge 18: Rubert III Cometh

Objective: Have the countdown at 0 when entering a Boss: Swarm Domain at Difficulty IV or higher.

Path Activation Reward: Abundance +2, Nihility +5

 

Challenge 19: Curatives of the Chef Ranger

Objective: Have the average HP percentage of the entire team be at 100% when passing through any domain 20 times at Difficulty IV or higher.

Path Activation Reward: The Hunt +2, Abundance +2

 

Challenge 20: Empire of Destroyed Credit

Objective: Possess 1,000 or more Cosmic Fragments when entering a Boss: Swarm Domain at Difficulty IV or higher.

Path Activation Reward: Destruction +3, Preservation +5

 

Challenge 21: Overdrafted Future

Objective: Have the Planar Disarray’s Disruption Level at 6 or higher when completing a stage at Difficulty IV or higher.

Path Activation Reward: Elation +1, Abundance +5

 

Challenge 22: Star-Sprinkled Entomology Exhibition

Objective: Enter a Blank Domain 12 times at Difficulty IV or higher.

Path Activation Reward: Nihility +1, The Hunt +4

 

Challenge 23: Model of Chaotic Endeavors

Objective: Obtain 1,000 Cosmic Fragments through other means aside from battles at Difficulty IV or higher.

Path Activation Reward: Preservation +1, Nihility +4

 

Challenge 24: Era of Organic Emotional Advancement

Objective: Use 3 different Paths to complete Swarm Disaster Mode at Difficulty V or higher.

Path Activation Reward: Destruction +2, Elation +3

 

Aside from these normal Pathstrider Missions, there are golden ones that will give you +4 of that Path when you make 20 choices that correlate to the Path you’ve chosen. For example, making 20 choices of Abundance in the Swarm Disaster Mode will give you an Abundance +4 activation reward. This applies to all 7 Paths, excluding the Path of Propagation.

 

Interplay

This is a new feature that allows you to combine two different Paths to make your Resonance Skill more effective and strong. Firstly, you will have to activate your Path Resonance by gathering 3 Blessings from each of your desired Paths. Doing this will activate the Interplay bonus. 

Each Path can be combined with two other Paths, and this combination will vary based on your Primary Path. You can also activate both Interplay Paths within the same run if you gather enough Blessings.

We’ve collected the combinations and bonuses you can get in the table below:

Primary Path	Secondary Path	Interplay Bonus
Path of Preservation	Path of Remembrance	Attacking Frozen enemies with Path Resonance: Preservation will increase your damage dealt by 80%. Freeze status on enemies is removed, but Dissociation status will remain.
Path of Preservation	Path of Nihility	Path Resonance: Preservation has a 150% base chance to inflict Bleed on attacked targets for 2 turns.  Enemies afflicted by Bleed will take Physical DoT equal to 12% of their max HP at the start of each turn.  This damage cannot exceed 250% of the total amount of Shield effect active on all allies.
Path of Remembrance	Path of Destruction	If the Freeze effect inflicted by Path Resonance is dispelled or resisted by enemies, there is a 150% base chance of lowering the target’s all-type RES by 15% for 2 turns.  Additionally, for every 1% HP lost by each ally, the target’s all-type RES is lowered by 0.06%.
Path of Remembrance	Path of the Hunt	If the Freeze effect inflicted by Path Resonance is dispelled or resisted by enemies, there is a 150% base chance of decreasing your target’s SPD by 15% for 2 turns.
Path of Nihility	Path of Propagation	A character’s Basic Attack can cause all DoTs currently active on target enemies through Path Resonance: Nihility to deal damage equal to 40% of those statuses’ original damage.
Path of Nihility	Path of the Hunt	After using a Path Resonance, all allies’ actions are Advanced Forward by 4% based on every type of debuff currently active on enemies.  Debuffs include Burn, Shock, Bleed, and Wind Shear.
Path of Abundance	Path of Propagation	When a character gets their HP restored through Path Resonance, and if the healing amount exceeds their max HP, they will recover 1 Skill Point.  This effect can trigger 1 time per Path Resonance use only. After triggering this effect, all damage dealt by allies increases by 30% for 2 turns. This is stackable up to 2 times.
Path of Abundance	Path of Nihility	All allies’ Weakness Break Efficiency increases by 15%, and Break Effect increases by 50% after activating Path Resonance. This lasts for 2 turns and stacks up to 2 times.
Path of the Hunt	Path of Elation	All allies’ speed increases by 25 for 2 turns after Path Resonance is used.  This applies to summoned units as well.
Path of the Hunt	Path of Abundance	When enemies are defeated by Path Resonance, all allies’ HP is restored up to 50% of their respective max HP.
Path of Destruction	Path of Elation	Characters regenerate 5% Energy for Path Resonance when they launch a follow-up attack.  If their current HP percentage is lower than 50%, they regenerate an additional 5% Energy for Path Resonance.
Path of Destruction	Path of Preservation	Any character with HP lower than 50% will gain a shield equal to 40% of their max HP after using Path Resonance. This lasts for 2 turns.
Path of Elation	Path of Abundance	Randomly dispels 1 debuff on 1 ally when Path Resonance: Elation deals damage.
Path of Elation	Path of Remembrance	There is a 150% base chance to Freeze an enemy target for 1 turn when Path Resonance: Elation deals Ice Damage.
Path of Propagation	Path of Destruction	Nullifies all damage received by a single target ally except DoT after activating Path Resonance.  This status will be nullified after getting attacked. If your target ally’s current HP percentage is lower than 50% when Path Resonance is activated, 1 Skill Point is recovered in addition to the damage nullification.
Path of Propagation	Path of Preservation	A single target ally will gain a shield equal to 60% of their max HP that lasts for 3 turns when Path Resonance is used.

 

You’ve made it to the end! That’s all you need to know about the Honkai Star Rail’s Simulated Universe: Swarm Disaster Mode. We also have a Simulated Universe Guide, which can help you navigate the original mode if you’re still having issues finishing it. Stay tuned for more Honkai: Star Rail guides from us and happy Trailblazing!