Fully Explaining Cost System and Why It's Used | Honkai Star Rail

Summary

The video explains the 'Cost System' used to judge zero-cycle clears in the game and addresses various counterarguments against it. The system assigns a value to limited five-star characters as they offer the highest power jump for teams. The creator debunks arguments suggesting that relic quality is more important than cost efficiency, demonstrating through comparisons that a stronger DPS at low cost remains superior at higher costs. They argue that the Cost System is a more reliable way to judge DPS performance than relics, ultimately showing that the system is consistent and effective across different scenarios.

Takeaways

• 📊 The cost system is used to judge zero-cycle clears by evaluating the usage of limited five-star characters, which generally provide the most significant power boosts to teams.
• 🌟 Limited five-star units are prioritized because they often outperform standard five-star and four-star characters, making them a key factor in clear efficiency.
• 🔄 Standard five-star characters are treated as zero cost if they are freely obtained, with added cost only for additional copies (Eidolons) or non-free characters.
• 📉 Four-star characters have zero cost due to their lower overall impact compared to five-stars, even though specific combinations may seem powerful in niche situations.
• 📈 The cost system emphasizes that initial cost increases (early Eidolons, characters) have an exponential impact on team performance compared to later cost increases.
• 🛠 Relic power is not a valid counter-argument to the cost system, as stronger relics cannot fully compensate for the power gaps caused by limited five-star units.
• ⚖ Equal cost comparisons (such as matching relics between units) demonstrate that certain characters still outperform others, debunking arguments that rely on relic differences.
• 🚫 Crit-based DPS scaling is superior to break damage scaling when considering relic investment, making cost-based evaluations more accurate for comparing high-DPS units.
• 💡 The cost system is relevant up to around 24 cost, beyond which it becomes less important due to hitting damage thresholds where most DPS units perform similarly.
• 🧠 High cost investments don’t necessarily make weaker characters catch up; a DPS unit strong at low cost remains strong as cost increases, invalidating counterarguments about scaling.

Q & A

What is the cost system and why is it important in judging clears?

The cost system is used to judge the effectiveness of zero-cycle clears, which are already the fastest in the game. It helps distinguish which clears are better by assigning costs to limited five-star units and other characters based on their power. The system is important because it accounts for the significant power jump limited five-stars provide, which is often unmatched by other factors like relics.

How does the cost system define 'cost' for different characters and items?

In the cost system, limited five-star characters and light cones have a cost due to their significant power advantage. Standard five-stars are considered 'zero cost' up to a certain point because some are available for free. However, any additional standard characters beyond the free ones are assigned a cost. Four-star characters and items are generally zero cost.

What is the main argument against the cost system, and how does the speaker refute it?

The main argument against the cost system is that the relics used in clears can distort the results, making the difference in power more about relics than characters. The speaker refutes this by pointing out that even with equal or superior relics, the limited five-stars would still outperform due to their inherently higher power scaling.

Why are limited five-star characters more impactful in the cost system?

Limited five-star characters are more impactful because they provide an exponential increase in power compared to four-star or standard five-star characters. This power increase can significantly affect team rotations and performance, making limited five-stars a key factor in the system.

What is the significance of standard characters in the cost system?

Standard characters have a middle ground in the cost system. The first two standard characters are considered zero cost because they are free, but any additional standard characters contribute to the overall cost. This helps balance the system, as standard five-stars are generally weaker than limited five-stars.

How does the cost system handle relics and why is it preferred over relic-based judging?

The cost system does not heavily factor in relics because relics provide more linear power growth, while character costs yield exponential power increases. The speaker prefers the cost system because it offers a more consistent way to judge clears, focusing on the character's base power rather than how strong their relics are.

What is the speaker's stance on the impact of relics in the cost system?

The speaker argues that relics cannot make up for the power difference between limited five-stars and other characters. Even with top-tier relics, a character like Acron would still lose to Zela, showing that cost-based power is more significant than relic-based enhancements.

How does the cost system remain relevant at higher costs?

The cost system remains relevant up to around 24 cost, after which most DPS characters can achieve zero cycles regardless of cost. The early costs have the most impact, and the exponential growth seen with low-cost characters like Zela makes it difficult for other characters to catch up.

What is the speaker's response to claims that weaker DPS characters can catch up at higher costs?

The speaker refutes this claim by explaining that a DPS character stronger at low cost will remain stronger at higher cost. Weaker DPS characters cannot close the gap even as costs increase because the early cost differences have a much greater impact on overall performance.

Why does the speaker believe the cost system is the best way to judge DPS performance?

The speaker believes the cost system is the best way to judge DPS performance because it consistently reflects the power scaling of characters. The system accounts for both low and high-cost performance, debunking the idea that relics or other factors are more important. It also provides a clearer picture of each character’s true potential at various investment levels.