Alongside Phase 2 of Honkai Star Rail Version 1.6 comes Virtual Scentventure, a combat event in which players must try to score as high as possible. If you are wondering how to beat it, don't worry. Here is our guide on how to beat Stage 1 of the Virtual Scentventure event, happening now in HSR.

Honkai Star Rail Virtual Scentventure Event – Stage 1 Guide

The Virtual Scentventure event will run until near the end of Honkai Star Rail Version 1.6 Phase 2. Unlike the Critter Pick event introduced during the first Phase, this event will not become permanent. As such, players must finish the event before it goes away. Before we dive into the guide for this particular stage, let's first review the Virtual Scentventure event basics.

Virtual Scentventure Basics

There are a total of ten stages in this event: five Normal Mode stages and five Despair Mode stages. Players must achieve 500 points in all five Normal Mode stages before they can do the Despair Mode stages. This guide will cover Normal Mode Stage 1, with a guide for Despair Mode coming out once it is available.

The objective of this event is to deal as much damage as they can to a particular boss enemy within a certain amount of turns. Ideally, the player must defeat the boss to receive the maximum amount of points. This will become the player's base score. Additionally, each stage has a certain number of Action Points that get reduced whenever the boss or the player's characters start their turn. Once the player defeats the boss, their remaining Action Points get added to their score. The player will then receive rewards based on their final score. Players will also receive a letter rating, with the highest being SS rank.

Each stage has an Illusion Trait, which modifies the fight in a particular way to make it more difficult. However, once certain conditions are met, players can also receive various buffs based on the Illusion Trait requirements. Each Stage also has four Scent Plug-ins that give various passive buffs to the player's team. Players can select up to two in each stage. Selecting the right buff will be of help to the player. Lastly, there are two Trial characters per Stage, which the player can use alongside their characters. This gives players a chance to use characters they don't have.

Virtual Scentventure Rewards

Players will receive various rewards depending on their total score after finishing each Stage. Below are the rewards that players can get:

  • Earn 500 point(s) in this stage
    • 60 Stellar Jades
    • 2 Traveler's Guide
    • 40,000 Credits
  • Earn 1000 point(s) in this stage
    • 40 Stellar Jades
    • 2 Traveler's Guide
    • 3 Refined Aether
  • Earn 2000 point(s) in this stage
    • 20 Relic Remains
    • 4 Lost Crystals
  • Earn 2600 point(s) in this stage
    • 10 Relic Remains
    • 20,000 Credits

As such, players must score at least 2,600 points in each Stage to get all of the rewards.

Virtual Scentventure Enemy Lineup

In this Stage, players will be fighting against the Abundant Ebon Deer (Illusion). The deer is weak to Fire, Ice, and Quantum. Players will also be fighting against the Ambrosial Arbor Branches that the Deer summons.

Virtual Scentventure Illusion Traits

These are the Illusion Traits for Stage 1:

  • Abundant Ebon Deer takes less DMG. After Weakness is broken, additionally delays action and additionally increases DMG taken.
  • Once Abundant Ebon Deer's Weakness is broken, all allies will recover Energy and Skill Points while also eliminating all Ambrosial Arbor branches.
  • Abundant Ebon Deer gains Toughness Protection when there are 4 Ambrosial Arbor branches on the field. Defeat any Ambrosial Arbor branch to remove the Toughness Protection effect.
  • Upon summoning Twig of Marple Leaf, Abundant Ebon Deer grants it Cultivation, greatly increasing its Retaliation DMG.

Based on the Illusion Traits, it is important for players to focus on taking down one Ambrosial Arbor branch to remove the Deer's Toughness Protection. They must then focus on breaking the Deer's Toughness to both recover Energy and Skill Points, as well as to eliminate all Ambrosial Arbor branches. Take care not to attack the Twig of Maple Leaf branches, as their Retaliation DMG is stronger.

Virtual Scentventure Scent Plug-ins

Here are the available Scent Plug-ins for this Stage of the event:

  • Smoke-Flavored
    • Increases the Ice and Fire DMG of all allies by 60%
  • Garlic-Flavored
    • Increases the Imaginary and Quantum DMG of all allies by 60%
  • Cheese Flavor
    • After an ally defeats an enemy, gains 35 Energy.
  • Pickled Pepper-Flavored
    • Whenever an ally defeats an enemy, increases SPD by 50% for 2 turn(s).

Virtual Scentventure Stage 1 Team Compositions

The trial characters for this stage are the following:

  • Seele (Hunt Quantum)
  • Silver Wolf (Nihility Quantum)

As such, here are some possible team compositions for this stage:

  • Quantum F2P
    • Seele (Trial)
    • Silver Wolf (Trial)
    • Pela
    • Lynx
    • Scent Plug-ins
      • Garlic-Flavored
      • Cheese Flavor
    • This team composition is a F2P-friendly team that uses the trial Seele and Silver Wolf as the main DPS and Debuffer Respectively. Seele's job is to quickly destroy one of the Ambrosial Branches so that the team can then focus on taking down the Deer's Toughness.
    • Use Pela to remove the buffs that the Deer applies on itself, while also applying a a DEF down on the boss with her ultimate. It is important to note, however, that since her Ultimate attacks all enemies, she can easily die from the Twig of Maple Leaf Retaliation DMG. Bringing March 7th is a good alternative, as her Ultimate can Freeze the Twig of Maple Leafs, preventing them from attacking.
    • Players can also bring Xueyi instead of Pela to quickly break the Deer's Toughness.
  • Ice Premium Team
    • Jingliu
    • Ruan Mei
    • Silver Wolf (Trial or Own)
    • Fu Xuan
    • Scent Plug-ins
      • Smoke-Flavored
      • Cheese Flavor
    • This team composition is good for players who own Jingliu, as her strong Ice attacks can easily takedown both the Deer and the Ambrosial Branches it summons. Ruan Mei is there to increase Jingliu's break efficiency, while Silver Wolf is there to apply various debuffs on the Deer itself. Fu Xuan will help keep the team alive, but if the player owns healers like Luocha or Huohuo, they can bring them as well. Silver Wolf's Skill should apply the appropriate Weakness should players bring other elements.
    • As with the previous team composition, use Jinliu to quickly destroy one of the branches, making sure to enter her empowered state once the Toughness Protection is gone. The Cheese Flavor Scent Plug-ins can potentially keep charging Jingliu's Ultimate, which can infinitely keep her in her empowered state.
  • Fire Premium Team
    • Himeko
    • Topaz and Numby
    • Silver Wolf (Trial or Own)
    • Fu Xuan
    • Scent Plug-ins
      • Smoke-Flavored
      • Cheese Flavor
    • This team operates in the same way as the Ice Premium Team, but focuses more on Follow-up attacks from both Himeko and Topaz. Himeko's AoE Kit should make quick work of the various Ambrosial Branches.
    • Prioritize applying Topaz and Numby's skill on the Deer to maximize the damage dealt to it. With both Himeko and Topaz, the boss's Toughness should drain quickly. With the DMG buff from Smoke-Flavored, as well as the Energy Regen from Cheese Flavor, players should be able to spam the Ultimates of the entire team.
    • As with the previous team composition, Fu Xuan can be replaced with other healers like Luocha or Huohuo.

As mentioned above, these are just possible team compositions for this stage. If the player has other team compositions that they want to use, they are free to do so. As long as the player meets the requirements to receive all the rewards, they can use any team they want.

That's all for our guide on Stage 1 of the Virtual Scentventure event in Honkai Star Rail. Check out our gaming news articles for the latest in gaming news.