Win first, then preserve core health: the higher star thresholds are 35% and 70% remaining core health. Each district has chests at 5, 10 and 15 stars, and reached encounters can be replayed.
Stars measure the end of a winning fight
A knockout within the Campaign’s 30-second limit is the first requirement. The two higher thresholds ask how much of your core remains after the win. Attachment health and core health are different, so a machine with damaged modules can still preserve a strong star result.
Do not build purely to survive. A defensive machine that reaches the time limit with plenty of health still loses if the boss is standing. Your plan must balance damage delivery with protection.
Find the biggest avoidable core hit
A missed Dash against Rage or repeated rear exposure can cost more health than a modest defensive upgrade saves. Review the fight and choose the largest preventable exchange. Then change timing, positioning or equipment to address it.
Repair Drone heals attachments, not the core. It may indirectly protect a star run by keeping an important module alive, but it does not directly restore the bar used for the star thresholds. Choose defenses based on the enemy’s actual damage path.
Replay toward the next chest
Each five-boss district offers chests at 5, 10 and 15 stars. Compare the easiest reachable improvements rather than insisting on perfecting one difficult fight immediately. A later unlock can make an earlier matchup easier to revisit.
Record why the stronger run improved: less damage from one Rage, more weapon uptime, or a better defense interaction. That lesson is reusable in the next district. A three-star goal gives you a clear target, but a first clear that opens a useful part may be the better immediate progression step.