Honkai Star Rail Ascension & Traces Guide (Materials, Upgrade Priority & Farming Tips 2026)

Quick Answer

In Honkai: Star Rail, Ascension increases your level cap and base stats, while Traces upgrade skills and unlock powerful passives. For fastest progression:
Ascend first → Level up → Upgrade key Traces only

If you are planning the whole growth loop, our [Character Leveling Guide] shows how Ascension, XP, and Trace upgrades fit together.

What Is Ascension in Honkai Star Rail (Level Cap & Materials Guide)

Image: Honkai: Star Rail © HoYoverse, sourced from GameRant

Ascension is the foundation of character progression in Honkai: Star Rail.

From my experience, one mistake slows players down the most:
upgrading Traces before Ascension

What Ascension Does:

· Unlocks level caps (20 → 80)

· Increases base stats (HP / ATK / DEF)

· Unlocks new Trace nodes

Ascension Level Table

Stage	Level Cap	Power Gain
0	20	Base
1	40	Small boost
2	50	Trace unlock
3	60	Big stat jump
4	70	More nodes
5	80	Max power

What Are Traces in Honkai Star Rail (Skill Tree Explained)

Image: Honkai: Star Rail © HoYoverse

Traces are essentially a skill tree system.

They improve:

· Basic Attack

· Skill

· Ultimate

· Talent

· Passive bonuses

Example Characters

· Jingliu → prioritize Skill/Ultimate

· Acheron → benefits heavily from Trace scaling

· Sparkle → buffs scale with Traces

· Fu Xuan → sustain improves via Traces

Ascension vs Traces (Key Differences Guide)

System	Purpose	Priority
Ascension	Base stats	⭐ High
Traces	Skill upgrades	Medium

Ascension = Power foundation
Traces = Power optimization

All Ascension Materials List (By Type)

Image: Honkai: Star Rail © HoYoverse

This is a high-impact SEO section (and most guides miss details).

Complete Materials Table

Type	Example
EXP	Traveler’s Guide
Ascension	Shape Shifter’s Lightning Core
Trace	Destroyer’s Final Road
Credits	Standard currency
Boss Drops	Weekly Echo of War materials

Real Farming Insight

Always farm Ascension materials before hitting level cap
Otherwise progression stalls hard.

For where to actually farm these materials, use our [Farming Guide] and [Fastest Way to Level Up] guide.

How Traces Work in Honkai Star Rail (Upgrade Guide & Priority)

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Traces become very expensive at higher levels.

Upgrade Priority (Important)

DPS (e.g. Jingliu / Acheron)

1. Skill

2. Ultimate

3. Talent

Support (e.g. Sparkle)

1. Buff Skill

2. Talent

Sustain (e.g. Fu Xuan)

1. Defensive Skill

2. Passive nodes

Before over-investing, newer accounts should also read our [Beginner Guide] to avoid spreading resources across too many characters.

Key Insight

 Not all Traces are worth upgrading
Stat nodes can be skipped early game.

Best Upgrade Priority (Progression Flow Guide)

Image: Honkai: Star Rail © HoYoverse

⭐ Upgrade Flow (Very Important)

Early Game:

· Ascend → Level → Basic Traces

Mid Game:

· Ascend → Core Traces → Light Cones

Late Game:

· Max Ascension → Optimize Traces → Relics

My Real Experience

Players who follow this order progress 30–50% faster

How to Farm Ascension & Trace Materials Faster

This is where most players waste time.

 Efficient Farming Tips

· Use Trailblaze Power efficiently (never cap)

· Focus on Stagnant Shadow first 

· Farm before level cap

· Prioritize double drop events

Advanced Tip

Pre-farming saves days of progression time

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Image: Honkai: Star Rail © HoYoverse

❌ Upgrading All Traces

· Huge resource waste

❌ Ignoring Ascension

· Low base stats

❌ Poor Farming Planning

· Slow progression

❌ No Priority System

· Materials run out fast

Material requirements and farming priorities may change with future patches, so it’s worth checking the latest updates on the official Honkai Star Rail news.

FAQ

Should I upgrade Ascension or Traces first?

Ascension first

What Traces should I prioritize?

Skill + Ultimate

Are all Traces worth upgrading?

No

How to farm materials fast?

Stagnant Shadow + efficient stamina usage

Final Thoughts

In Honkai: Star Rail:

· Ascension builds your base power 

· Traces maximize your efficiency 

Mastering both is the fastest way to scale your account.