Serval, the resident rock star of Belobog, possesses the incredible ability to create a storm-like impact using her electric guitar. Within the game Honkai Star Rail, she utilizes bolts of lightning to strike her enemies, inflicting widespread damage in the area, and as a result, she plays a vital role as a member of the Astral Express and the expanding team of Trailblazers.

Similar to other characters, Serval possesses her own distinct strengths and weaknesses. Understanding how to tailor her abilities around these traits is crucial for fully unleashing her potential. Nevertheless, given the vast array of choices available to players in Honkai Star Rail, it can be bewildering to find the optimal combination of statistics and effects for Serval. To provide clarity on this matter, here's a guide that aims to shed light on the topic.

Serval
Honkai Star Rail Serval

1. Best Serval Build in Honkai Star Rail

Serval shines as an area-of-effect (AOE) damage-dealing unit who inflicts harm through both direct attacks and Shock procs. She stands in contrast to someone like Dan Heng, who specializes in delivering significant bursts of damage to single targets. Keeping this distinction in mind, players should prioritize acquiring Effect Hit Rate and ATK% stats to enhance Serval's effectiveness in her role.

  • Core Stat Priorities: Effect Hit Rate, ATK% CRIT Rate, Speed,
  • Planar Ornament Stat Priorities: Lightning DMG%, ATK%
  • Relic Sets: Band of Sizzling Thunder (4PC), Space Sealing Station (2PC)
  • Light Cones: Night on the Milky Way (5-star), The Seriousness of Breakfast (4-star), Sagacity (3-star)

A substantial portion of Serval's damage output originates from the Shock procs caused by her Skill, Lightning Flash, as well as the additional hits triggered when attacking a Shocked target. Her ultimate ability, Here Comes The Mechanical Fever, not only deals Lightning damage to all enemies on the field but also extends the duration of any active Shock effects. Consequently, ATK% is more crucial than CRIT stats since damage-over-time (DoT) effects like Shock are incapable of critically striking.

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Best Serval Build

Lightning Flash initially possesses an 80% base chance to inflict Shock, and players can easily raise it to 100% by reaching Serval's Ascension 2. However, it's essential to consider that the enemy's Effect RES might hinder her ability to consistently trigger Shock procs. To compensate for this, it's advisable to allocate some stats towards increasing Effect Hit Rate.

Regarding Light Cones, Serval can make effective use of any enhancements that boost her damage. Sagacity is a viable early choice since Serval should always utilize her ultimate whenever it becomes available. However, options like The Seriousness of Breakfast can offer more reliable results. Additionally, higher-tier Light Cones inherently possess superior base stats compared to their 3-star counterparts.

2. Best Serval Team Comps In Honkai: Star Rail

Serval, functioning as an Erudition unit, primarily focuses on eliminating numerous weak enemies through her potent area-of-effect (AOE) attacks. What truly sets her apart, though, is her proficiency in inflicting and sustaining the Shock status on her targets. This grants her respectable single-target damage capabilities and establishes intriguing synergies with select members of the Honkai: Star Rail's cast.

DoT Face Melter Team

Serval's standout feature lies in her ability to inflict Shock, which contributes significantly to her performance. While her primary source of damage still stems from her main attacks, the cumulative effect of Shock ticks can swiftly accumulate and deliver surprising damage throughout the entire battle. This becomes particularly potent when paired with teammates capable of stacking or enhancing damage-over-time (DoT) effects.

Honkai Star Rail Sampo 10 Msxz
Sampo
  • DPS 1: Serval
  • DPS 2: Sampo
  • Support: Asta
  • Tank/Healer: Gepard/Natasha

Sampo possesses the ability to amplify the damage caused by outgoing DoT effects, all the while inflicting Wind Shear through his Skill, Ricochet Love. On the other hand, Asta boosts the team's speed (SPD), facilitating faster stacking of DoT effects. Once Kafka is introduced to the game, either Sampo or Asta can be replaced by her. Kafka's entire skill set revolves around Shock damage, making her an ideal partner for Serval in a DoT-focused team.

With this team composition, players can navigate through the Forgotten Hall content and experience the utmost effectiveness in Simulated Universe World 4's Path of Nihility. Anticipate even greater strength for this team as more Harmony characters are introduced into the game.

Main DPS Showstopper Team

Players aiming to utilize Serval as their primary DPS unit should prioritize stacking CRIT stats on her Relics instead of the typical ATK/Effect Hit Rate combination. While this approach may result in less consistent Shock application, it will significantly enhance the overall damage she inflicts with her Skill and Ultimate abilities.

Honkai Star Rail Pela
Pela
  • DPS: Serval
  • Support: Pela/Bronya
  • Tank: Fire Trailblazer
  • Healer: Natasha/Bailu

Pela proves to be a reliable Support character for various teams due to her proficiency in reducing enemy DEF. She particularly excels against Elites, as she can dispel the buffs they bestow upon themselves. Other Support characters like Tingyun and Bronya can also fulfill this role, although it's important to note that Serval may not be able to fully capitalize on their buffs as efficiently as other DPS characters due to her lack of turn reset skills.

Given that Serval primarily deals AOE damage, this team composition might face challenges in the Forgotten Hall or other content with a turn limit. However, it demonstrates remarkable strength against encounters involving minions, such as the Svarog fight in the Simulated Universe, the weekly Cocolia boss challenge, and any future content featuring waves of enemies.

>>> Read more: Honkai Star Rail Tingyun Build Guide: Relics, Light Cones And Teams