Honkai Star Rail: How to Get SS Rank in Celestial Chess Array

To get an SS rank in Honkai: Star Rail’s Celestial Chess Array event, you must complete each of the five stages within the required number of cycles and achieve a high score by defeating all enemies and collecting all buffs. The exact cycle limit and score threshold vary per stage, but the core rules are the same: finish every wave quickly, keep your team alive, and use the special chess-piece buffs to your advantage.

What Is the Celestial Chess Array?

The Celestial Chess Array is a limited-time combat event in Honkai: Star Rail that ran during version 1.6. It presents five separate battle stages, each with a unique gimmick based on a chess piece (Pawn, Knight, Rook, Bishop, and Queen). You fight through several waves of enemies, and after each wave you choose a “chess piece” buff that modifies your team’s stats or adds special effects. The event rewards you with Stellar Jades, upgrade materials, and a namecard, but the top-tier rewards require an SS rank on each stage.

The event is no longer available in the game as of later versions, but many players still search for how to get SS rank because the event has been rerun in some regions or because they want to prepare for similar future events. The mechanics are also similar to other combat challenges in the game, so the strategies still apply.

How the Scoring System Works

Each stage gives you a score based on three main factors: the number of cycles you used, the number of enemies you defeated, and the number of buffs you collected. The final rank (S, SS, or SSS) is determined by your total score at the end. The exact thresholds are not publicly listed, but community testing has shown that you need to clear the stage in under a certain number of cycles (usually 10-12) and defeat all enemies to get SS.

Important: the score is not just about speed. If you skip optional enemies or fail to collect a buff, your score drops even if you finish quickly. The game tracks how many of the available enemies and buffs you actually got. So the optimal strategy is to fight every enemy, grab every buff, and still finish within the cycle limit.

Choosing the Right Team

Your team composition is the biggest factor in getting SS. Because the event has a cycle limit, you need high damage output and good survivability. Here are the general guidelines:

• Use a DPS that matches the enemy weakness. Each stage has enemies with specific weaknesses. Check the enemy list before entering and bring a character that can break their toughness bar quickly.
• Bring a healer or shielder. You cannot afford to lose a character, as that wastes cycles on revival. A healer like Bailu or Natasha, or a shielder like Gepard or March 7th, is almost mandatory.
• Include a support buffer. Characters like Tingyun, Bronya, or Asta can boost your DPS significantly, reducing the number of cycles needed.
• Consider the chess piece gimmick. Each stage has a special mechanic. For example, the Knight stage gives you a buff that increases your damage after you use a basic ATK. Build your team to trigger that buff as often as possible.

If you have a well-built Seele, Jing Yuan, or Kafka, they are strong choices for most stages. But even 4-star characters can work if you have the right relics and light cones.

Step-by-Step Strategy for Each Stage

Here is a general approach that works for all five stages:

1. Pre-fight: Check the enemy weaknesses and set your team accordingly. Equip the best relics and light cones you have.
2. First waves: Focus on breaking the enemy toughness bars. This delays their actions and gives you more time. Use AoE attacks if there are multiple enemies.
3. Buff selection: After each wave, you are offered a choice of chess piece buffs. Always pick the one that increases your damage or gives you extra turns. Avoid defensive buffs unless you are struggling to survive.
4. Boss wave: The last wave usually has a strong enemy. Use your ultimate abilities and any consumables you have. If you have a character with a strong single-target attack, use it on the boss.
5. Finish within the cycle limit: Keep an eye on the cycle counter. If you are close to the limit, prioritize finishing the wave over collecting every buff.

For the specific stages, the Queen stage is often the hardest because it has a high-damage boss. Bring a fire or lightning DPS to break its weakness quickly. The Rook stage has a lot of enemies, so an AoE character like Himeko or Serval is very useful.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Many players fail to get SS because of a few common errors:

• Not breaking weaknesses. If you ignore the enemy weakness system, you will deal less damage and take more damage. Always match your team to the enemy weaknesses.
• Using too many defensive characters. If you bring two healers, you might survive but you will not deal enough damage to finish in time. One healer or shielder is enough.
• Skipping buffs. Some players rush to the end and skip the buff selection. That lowers your score. Always take a buff, even if it is not perfect.
• Not using consumables. You can use food items that boost ATK, DEF, or crit rate before the battle. These are cheap and can make a big difference.
• Over-leveling the wrong characters. Leveling a character to 80 but with bad relics is worse than a level 70 character with good relics. Focus on relics and traces.

Rewards for SS Rank

Getting SS rank on each stage gives you the maximum rewards for that stage. The exact rewards were:

• Stellar Jades (the premium currency)
• Traveler’s Guide (character EXP material)
• Credit (in-game currency)
• Relic enhancement materials

For all five stages, you could earn a total of around 500 Stellar Jades, which is roughly three pulls on the gacha. You also got a special namecard for completing all stages with SS rank.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Celestial Chess Array event still available? No, the event was limited-time and ended with version 1.6. It has not been rerun as of the latest version. However, similar combat events with the same scoring system appear regularly, so the strategies still apply.

What is the exact score needed for SS rank? The game does not show the score thresholds, but community testing suggests you need to clear each stage in under 10-12 cycles and defeat all enemies. The exact number varies per stage.

Can I get SS rank with only 4-star characters? Yes, it is possible. You need well-built 4-star characters with good relics and light cones. For example, a team of Qingque, Tingyun, Natasha, and March 7th can clear most stages with SS if played well.

What is the best team for the Queen stage? The Queen stage has a boss weak to fire and lightning. A team of Hook (fire DPS), Tingyun (buffer), Bailu (healer), and Asta (support) works well. If you have Kafka, she is excellent here.

Do I need to collect all buffs to get SS? Yes, collecting all buffs is part of the score. Missing even one buff can drop your rank from SS to S. Always choose a buff after each wave.

What happens if I finish the stage but with an S rank? You still get rewards, but they are lower than SS. You can retry the stage as many times as you want, and the game will keep your best rank for each stage.

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