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The narrative of Honkai: Star Rail not only unveils an exciting backstory but also serves to help you grasp the mechanics of new regions as you progress. This is achieved through a variety of puzzles, with the main quests offering hints to guide you to your next objective.
As you navigate the Strife Ruins in the Castrum Kremnos region to confront the Strife Titan, you’ll encounter several challenges revolving around the Hands of Zagreus and ball-holder sculptures.
How to Get Through the First Room
Upon entering the Strife Ruins area, proceed down the stairs and take out a few enemies to reach the first puzzle spot. Once you’ve entered a large space, your first task will be to use Oronyx’s prayer to rebuild the bridge on your right. Do note that this bridge will collapse again after you cross it, but you can repair it from either side.
After crossing, keep going and fix another broken bridge to access the mechanism on the far side. Interact with this device, and then retrace your steps over the same bridge without repairing it, allowing you to exit the room and move on to the next area.
Next, you’ll get split up from Mydei as you and Phainon take a different route and navigate challenges along the way.
Keep moving forward and eliminate foes until you arrive at the following puzzle room.
On your way, you will also come across a Prophecy Tablet. To solve it, simply position the two triangles on the edges to cover the side portions and place the square in the middle. After crossing the bridge, interact with some items in the next room to access the subsequent puzzle.
How to Crack the Ball-Holder Statue Puzzles
Upon entering the first room with the ball-holder puzzle, you’ll need to interact with a pedestal featuring a blue orb up the stairs, allowing you to rewind the ball obstructing your path completely. Move to the next room and continue along the yellow marker until you reach a spot where you must battle several enemies.
Once you’ve tackled this fight, you’ll need to engage with another Prophecy Tablet. For this puzzle, position the two larger triangles in the lower section so they intertwine, and then use the two smaller triangles facing away from each other to fill the top area, completing the task.
If you find yourself stuck on the Prophecy Tablet puzzles, be aware that the game may provide hints about the location of one of the shapes.
After solving the Prophecy Tablet, head to the main puzzle area. Start by moving to the left and rewinding the broken pillar back into place. Next, make your way across the room to the opposite side, where you can collect another blue orb, which will allow you to rewind the lower ball completely.
From there, ascend the other side of the stairs to remove the ball from the statue up high, permitting your exit from the room. Before proceeding, consider going to the left stairs to release the ball there, which will unveil a second exit containing a chest filled with rewards.
Continue following the path until you reach the next area, which includes the next series of puzzles featuring the Hands of Zagreus.
How to Navigate the Final Rooms in Strife Ruins
After engaging in a brief discussion, you will enter the room with the Hand of Zagreus puzzle. Here, you simply need to guide the hand to create a bridge across the gap. Once you’ve done that, disengage and cross the bridge. To exit this room, however, you’ll first need to free the ball from the statue on the right pathway.
This action will allow you to access the mechanism obstructed by some crates, which, when removed, will clear the balls blocking your way out. You can then make your way back and exit to the next section. Afterward, you will reunite with Mydei and partake in an extended dialogue before heading into the last puzzle room before facing the Strife Titan.
Now would be the ideal time to get ready for battle, as you want to ensure your team is well-prepared for the encounter with the Titan.
In this next room, head towards the right path and use the hand to build a bridge across the gap. You will also need to grab the cube in your route and position it on the blue structures above the steps. Keep following the path while interacting with the Titankin along the way. These creatures won’t attack you, but you do have the option to eliminate them if you wish.
You will need to create one final bridge with the Hand of Zagreus before progressing to the ultimate battle. Defeating the Strife Titan will allow you to proceed in the storyline and move on to the next quest.