The main important thing about characters in Honkai Star Rail is that every character is useful! Of course some more than other and some in more modes but every character has a distinct usage and we have below a list ordered with the ones that just shine everywhere to the ones that have their specific modes, letting you know all you need as quickly as possible. Some sources think more is more and give you literally a full page as character review but we believe wrapping it up gives you more time to play without overwhelming you.
The Best Characters In Honkai: Star Rail
Here is our latest version of our ranking:
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Tier NEWProbably one of the best long-term investments of the year as super strong hyprid support and sub DPS character.
Tier S+Castorice is a cracked Remembrance DPS who scales with HP and summons a massive dragon to nuke the entire field. She is totally SP neutral and comes with a built-in revive, making her an absolute carry for any endgame content. Just pair her with some Abundance healers to farm those stacks and watch her delete everything.
Tier S+Cyrene is the ultimate capstone support for Chrysos Heirs who basically lets your whole team spam Ults while her untargetable memosprite buffs your stats. She takes a minute to ramp up unless you have E2, but she’s a total must-pull to make your Remembrance squads absolutely cracked.
Tier S+Evanescia is a total beast who gets massive CRIT buffs and extra hits on her Ult when mobs are on the field. She basically leeches 'Certified Banger' stacks from her teammates to stay cracked and debuffs enemies so they take way more DMG.
Tier S+Hyacine is a cracked Wind healer who buffs Max HP and cleanses debuffs like a pro. Her memosprite Little Ica is basically a tactical nuke that deals massive damage based on your total healing, making her a top-tier hybrid sustain for HP-scaling teams. She's a total SP-hungry beast, but pair her with the right units and she’ll carry your squad through anything.
Tier S+Evernight is a cracked HP-scaling DPS who summons a memosprite to nuke the field for massive damage. She’s completely SP positive and provides insane buffs, but you’ll need some high-level game sense to pilot her optimally. While she’s a beast in dual DPS setups with Castorice, she can absolutely carry as a solo carry if you’re cracked enough.
Tier S+Sparxie is a cracked Elation DPS who generates insane Punchline points but eats SP like a total gamer. She’s a beastly main carry right now, especially paired with Yao Guang, but she can easily swap to a sub DPS role later if the meta shifts. Just watch her ramp up that Elation DMG and watch enemies get absolutely deleted by the brainrot path.
Tier S+Yao Guang is a cracked support for the new Elation path, shredding enemy RES and vulnerability to setup massive nukes. She’s a must-pull meta-enabler that grants free extra turns and keeps your SP economy comfy, making her a total value engine for any Elation enjoyer.
Tier S+Firefly is a cracked Super Break carry who implants Fire Weakness and stays in her high-speed Enhanced state to melt enemies. She’s tanky as hell with built-in damage reduction and self-heals, making her a top-tier DPS that can brute-force almost any content. Build her with high ATK and Break Effect to maximize her Super Break numbers and let her carry your team.
Tier S+Huohuo is a cracked hybrid sustain who batteries your team’s Energy and buffs ATK while keeping debuffs off your back. She might struggle with crazy one-shot mechanics, but the utility she brings for fast rotations makes her a top-tier pick for most squads. She’s basically a support disguised as a healer, so grab her if you want to spam Ultimates and speedrun content.
Tier S+Super Wolf is a cracked Elation DPS who literally breaks the game with her unique energy mechanic and massive pure Elation damage. Just stack SPD and run her with Elation teammates like Yao Guang or Sparxie to farm Hidden MMR and watch her delete entire waves with 100-bounce EBAs.
Tier S+The Dahlia is a cracked new BiS support for Super Break teams that lets you ignore toughness mechanics and dump massive DMG even on enemies that aren't broken yet. She's a literal dream for Firefly mains with her insane energy and speed buffs, basically bailing out the entire Break archetype. If you've already got a geared Break squad from 2.X, she’s an absolute must-pull to send your DPS into the stratosphere.
Tier S+Elation TB is a solid F2P support that battery-charges your Elation DPS with free skills and extra stacks. They aren't as broken as Remembrance form, but they still slap in hypercarry setups if you've got the skill to pilot them. If you're building for the Elation meta, just stack SPD and enjoy the free gains.
Tier S+The Remembrance Trailblazer is a cracked generalist support that summons a targetable pet called Mem to hyper-carry your team. Mem gives free CRIT DMG buffs and 100% action advance, plus a massive True DMG multiplier that makes any DPS unit absolutely delete enemies.
Tier S+Ashveil is a cracked Hunt unit who shreds enemy DEF and dishes out insane follow-up damage. He functions as both a high-tier sub-DPS and a solo hypercarry, making him a total powerhouse for follow-up teams. Just make sure to run a sustain because his base stats are basically wet tissue paper.
Tier S+Black Swan is an absolute unit for DoT teams now that her Arcana stacks don't fully reset, letting her damage output skyrocket. She’s got insane utility with built-in DEF shred and team-wide buffs, making her a must-pull if you want to see those big orange numbers. Pair her with Kafka and you’ll basically be playing the game on easy mode.
Tier S+Dan Heng PT is a cracked sustain that scales with ATK and provides massive, stackable shields for the whole squad. His Souldragon summon is total MVP status, offering free cleanses and team-wide shielding without burning any SP. He basically carries your team's survivability while buffing your hypercarry's damage into the stratosphere.
Tier S+Hysilens is an absolute beast for DoT teams that shreds enemies by stacking all four elemental debuffs and detonating them for massive gains. She’s basically a must-pull if you already main Kafka, turning your squad into a meta-defining powerhouse that melts bosses with ease.
Tier S+Kafka got a massive glow-up from a pure DPS to a cracked DoT support, making her a must-have for the long haul. Just stack SPD and EHR to hit that insane 100% ATK buff and watch her spam follow-ups and detonations to delete everything on the board.
Tier S+Sparkle is an absolute SP battery and unhinged Harmony gremlin who makes your team rotations feel smooth as butter. She action advances your DPS while dropping massive crit buffs and vulnerability debuffs, making her a must-pull for anyone running high-consumption units.
Tier S+Tribbie is a cracked HP-scaling Harmony hybrid who pumps out insane AoE damage and buffs like a beast. She’s basically the ultimate offensive support for AoE and follow-up squads, though you’ll need to grind for high-tier DPS gear to truly unlock her potential.
Tier S+Lingsha is a cracked Abundance unit that heals, cleanses, and shreds Toughness like a boss with her bunny summon, Fuyuan. She fits perfectly into both Break and follow-up teams, making her a top-tier sustain that keeps your squad healthy while dealing solid AoE damage. If you’re looking for a versatile harmacist to carry your account through hard content, she’s a literal cheat code.
Tier S+Archer is a cracked Quantum Hunt carry who deletes single targets by spamming his Skill up to 5 times for massive multipliers. He’s a total SP black hole, so you’ll want to pair him with Sparkle to keep his energy topped off and his damage ceiling through the roof. Even though he’s a free collab unit, his Unlimited Blade Works ult and follow-up knives make him an absolute force of nature for anyone looking to carry their account.
Tier S+Cerydra is a niche Harmony support that's basically a cheat code for Skill-based DPS carries like Phainon and Anaxa. She buffs SPD and ATK while charging up a massive double-cast Skill mechanic that lets your damage dealers go absolutely nuclear. If you aren't running Skill-hungry units, she’s kind of a mid pick compared to general supports, but in her specific niche, she's straight up broken.
Tier S+Cipher is a cracked Quantum Nihility support that stores ally damage to drop a massive True DMG nuke with her Ult. She’s an absolute MVP for any team, but you gotta play her on manual and hit that 170 SPD threshold to truly cook. She basically turns your team’s overkill into a devastating boss-deleting button while keeping a permanent 40% DMG vulnerability on enemies.
Tier S+Mydei is a cracked HP-scaling DPS who’s basically unkillable thanks to his insane self-revives and massive HP pool. He goes full monkey mode in his Vendetta state, auto-attacking everything for huge damage while being completely immune to CC. Just stack HP on him and watch him solo carry while you sit back and enjoy the show.
Tier S+Phainon is a cracked Physical Destruction carry who turns into a literal raid boss during his Ultimate, deleting his own teammates to solo the field with giga damage. He ignores weaknesses and hits like a truck, but he’s a total stat-checker who struggles when enemies spawn adds to tank his bounce hits. He's basically the definition of high risk, high reward since you usually run him without a sustain to maximize his insane multipliers.
Tier S+Sunday is a cracked Harmony support that gives your DPS 100% Action Advance and massive buffs, especially if they have a summon. He’s basically an upgraded Bronya that’s SP neutral, letting you turbo-buff your team without running out of points. Getting his Ult uptime right is key, but once he’s cooked, he’s an absolute top-tier pick for any hypercarry setup.
Tier S+Fugue is a cracked Break support who introduces the insane Exo Toughness mechanic to let your DPS break enemies twice in a row. She basically glues your Super Break comps together by shredding DEF and giving allies universal toughness damage. She's a must-pull for Boothill or Rappa mains looking to skyrocket their damage.
Tier S+Harmony TB is a cracked break support that lets your whole squad spam Super Break DMG to melt enemies once their bars are gone. They basically turn the break meta into easy mode, especially when paired with other top-tier units like Ruan Mei or Gallagher. Just stack that Break Effect and watch the big numbers go brrr.
Tier SAnaxa is a cracked Erudition unit who mass implants weaknesses to shred toughness and boost team damage. He’s super flexible as a Main or Sub-DPS, especially in Erudition-heavy comps where he gives massive buffs and has infinite energy economy.
Tier SRuan Mei is a cracked support who makes Super Break teams absolutely goated by giga-buffing Break Efficiency and DMG. She basically bullies enemies by keeping them Weakness Broken forever while giving your squad free RES PEN and SPD. Reach that 180% Break Effect breakpoint and she’ll straight up carry your account.
Tier SBig Herta is a cracked Erudition carry with insane damage multipliers that can straight up delete mobs and bosses alike. Pair her with another Erudition unit to unlock her full potential and watch her stack Interpretation to hit those massive 2936% damage spikes. She’s a total game-changer for your account, even if her 220 energy cost is a bit of a grind.
Tier SAventurine is a cracked sustain who keeps your squad alive with beefy stackable shields while spamming follow-ups for extra damage. Just pump his DEF to 4k to cap his free crit and he’ll flex as a tanky sub-DPS that fits into literally any comp. He's an absolute unit who makes keeping your team healthy feel like playing on easy mode.
Tier SJade is a cracked Quantum Erudition unit who absolutely farm-bots Pure Fiction with her follow-up stacks. Just slap her Debt Collector buff on a fast AoE sub-DPS like Herta to rack up points and watch her delete entire waves. She’s a total cheat code for multi-target scenarios, though she struggles in single-target fights without her E1.
Tier SLuocha is a cracked, SP-positive healer who keeps your squad healthy with his auto-skill and Abyss Flower field. He’s a total comfort pick for SP-hungry teams since he scales off ATK and cleanses debuffs like a boss. While newer units have more utility, he's still the GOAT of raw healing throughput and toughness break.
Tier SRappa is a cracked Erudition Break DPS who absolutely shreds AoE content once she enters her Sealform state. She’s super SP efficient and has a massive damage ceiling, especially with Tingyun Fugue helping her bypass weakness shields. Just keep her Energy topped off, because she’s basically a wet noodle without her Ultimate.
Tier SRobin is a cracked Harmony support who gives your whole squad a massive action advance and turns into a sub-DPS beast during her Ult. She's a total slam dunk for follow-up teams, essentially cheating the turn order to help you clear content with ease. Safely one of the best units in the game, she makes hitting huge damage numbers look like a total bop.
Tier SAglaea is a cracked Remembrance hypercarry who summons a companion to blast enemies with insane speed and Joint ATKs. Her 350 energy Ult is a massive sink, so she’s totally team-reliant on batteries like Sunday or Huohuo to keep the momentum going. Once you've got the right supports and speed tuning, she absolutely deletes content.
Tier SBronya is a top-tier Harmony support who cracks the game wide open with her 100% Action Advance and massive buffs. She's a bit of a headache to speed-tune for maximum efficiency, but she's a total game-changer for hypercarry comps if you can manage the SP drain.
Tier SGallagher is a cracked 4-star sustain who's basically Giga SP positive and fits into almost any comp. He's a top-tier pick for Super Break teams since he shreds toughness and buffs break DMG, plus his flat healing means you can build him however you want without losing out on heals.
Tier SHerta is an AoE beast who absolutely shreds in Pure Fiction with her infinite spin-to-win follow-ups. She falls off hard in single-target boss fights, but if you invest in her, she's a cracked F2P Ice carry that clears waves like it's nothing.
Tier SSaber is a cracked Wind Destruction carry who nukes everything with her Excalibur Ult once you stack enough Core Resonance. She has a massive energy requirement and a complex Action Advance kit, so you will need to big-brain your rotations with batteries like Sunday to hit peak DPS. If you can handle the high-skill ceiling, she absolutely shreds, but she is definitely not an auto-battle unit.
Tier SSilver Wolf just got a massive glow-up, turning her Ult into a cracked AoE nuke that still hits like a absolute truck. Between her improved weakness implants and free energy regen, she is now a top-tier support that is way more consistent and easy to slot into any team. She is basically a plug-and-play beast now, though wave resets and boss phases are still her biggest kryptonite.
Tier SWelt is a cracked multi-role unit that completely stalls enemies while shredding their DEF into the ground. He has massive damage potential, but you will need a galaxy brain to time his Ult perfectly and avoid selling the run.
Tier A+Acheron is a cracked DPS carry who literally deletes mobs and bosses with her insane stack-based Ult. You gotta run her with Nihility debuffers to charge her up, but once she’s geared, she straight up carries your account. It takes some brain power to pilot her properly, but the damage ceiling is absolutely massive.
Tier A+
Tier A+Argenti is an absolute AoE king who hard carries in Pure Fiction with his nuclear 180-cost Ult. His kit is super simple, letting you stack free crit and energy just by hitting groups of mobs. Pair him with a battery like Tingyun and watch him delete waves while looking totally fabulous.
Tier A+Fu Xuan is a cracked sustain unit who basically tanks everything for your team while buffing your CRIT Rate and Max HP. Her kit is super comfy since she prevents CC and has a massive self-heal, making her a must-have for any CRIT-based hypercarry.
Tier A+Himeko is an AoE queen who absolutely shreds mobs in Pure Fiction by spamming her follow-up attacks whenever enemies get broken. She is kind of mid in single-target fights and relies on matching weaknesses, but running her in a Super Break team makes her a cracked fire carry.
Tier A+Jiaoqiu is a cracked Nihility support who's basically a debuff machine, keeping stacks up 24/7 so your team hits like a truck. He's a must-pull for Acheron mains since he turbo-charges her Ult, making him an absolute W for any account.
Tier A+Feixiao is a cracked single-target DPS who absolutely shreds bosses with constant follow-up attacks and a unique point-based Ult. She’s super easy to pilot with zero ramp-up time and fits perfectly into follow-up teams with units like Robin or Topaz. Just stack some SPD and watch her delete health bars while your squad farms her stacks for free.
Tier A+Boothill is a cracked Break DPS who straight up deletes bosses with his insane single-target damage and Physical Weakness implant. Just stack Break Effect and SPD to let this space cowboy brute force his way through any content while being surprisingly SP efficient.
Tier AJingliu got a massive rework and is now a full HP-scaling crit monster, ditching her old ATK builds entirely. Her energy economy and uptime are cracked now, so she can basically stay in her enhanced state the whole fight and delete enemies with insane stat buffs.
Tier ABailu is a solid healer with a clutch revive and reactive heals that save you from getting nuked, but she gets hard-countered by debuffs since she has zero cleanse. She’s definitely been powercrept by newer limited sustains, so while she'll carry your account early on, she usually ends up warming the bench once you pull a top-tier unit.
Tier ABlade finally got the massive buffs he deserves, turning him into a pure HP-scaling beast with insane aggro draw and way more frequent follow-ups. His kit flows perfectly now, making him a super tanky DPS that stays relevant even against powercreep. He's basically a raid boss who never dies and keeps pumping out huge AoE damage.
Tier AJing Yuan is a cracked AOE beast who relies on his Lightning Lord to drop massive nukes on the enemy. His multipliers look mid at first, but if you stack his skill and ult properly, his follow-up damage goes absolutely insane. He takes some big brain energy to manage stacks and turn order, but he totally carries if you give him the right supports like Sunday.
Tier AThe Hunt March 7th is a cracked free unit that can flex between a CRIT carry or a Super Break monster depending on who she designates as Shifu. She’s completely SP-positive and can shred Toughness bars even if the enemy isn't weak to Imaginary, making her a top-tier F2P option. Stick her with some follow-up or fast-acting teammates and watch her spam turbo-charged Enhanced Basics for massive damage.
Tier APela is a cracked 4-star support who shreds enemy DEF and dispels buffs, making her an easy slot-in for basically any team. She's super SP positive and charges her Ult crazy fast, so don't even bother trying to build her as a DPS.
Tier ATingyun is a cracked 4-star support who buffs your carry’s ATK and batteries their Ult like a beast. She’s super SP-positive and just needs a ton of SPD to keep the energy flowing. If you aren't running her in your hypercarry comps, you’re honestly hard throwing.
Tier AYunli is a cracked counter-attacker who’s basically a premium version of Clara with a massive damage ceiling. Her kit is all about timing her Ult parry to bait enemies into getting absolutely nuked by her follow-up attacks. If you can master her energy management and parry timing, she’ll straight up carry you through any endgame content.
Tier ATopaz is a cracked FUA support/sub-DPS hybrid that makes follow-up teams absolutely pop off with her Proof of Debt debuff. She’s basically a must-pull for pairing with units like Dr. Ratio or Feixiao, though she’s strictly single-target and needs decent gear to really carry.
Tier B+Serval is a solid F2P Lightning carry who clears early waves easily by Shocking everyone on the field. She’s a bit high-maintenance since she needs cracked CRIT stats and E4 to really stay viable for endgame content.
Tier B+Clara is a tanky counter-based DPS who punishes mobs for hitting her, especially when she has her Ult up to soak damage and aggro. She scales crazy well with fast enemies and pairs perfectly with sustains like Huohuo or Lynx to keep the counters flowing and her HP topped off.
Tier B+Gepard is a tanky Preservation unit who carries your team with massive team-wide shields and a clutch self-revive that refills his energy. He's a total SP positive king and great for avoiding getting one-shot by heavy-hitting bosses like True Sting. Even though there are newer limited sustain units, he’s still a cracked standard 5-star who gets the job done.
Tier B+Lynx is a goated 4-star healer who powercreeps the competition with massive HP-scaling heals and a clutch AoE cleanse on her Ult. She’s a W pick for aggro-hungry units like Yunli, especially since she pumps out decent damage while keeping the squad healthy.
Tier B+Asta is a cracked F2P support who buffs your team's ATK and gives everyone a massive SPD boost to lap enemies. She's a total beast for breaking Fire toughness and becomes even more of a comfort pick once you unlock her Eidolons. While she gets powercrept by limited Harmony units later on, she’s a top-tier carry for early game and new players.
Tier B+Imbibitor Lunae is a cracked DPS who chugs Skill Points like a beast to nuke enemies with massive blast damage and toughness breaks. You’ll need a battery like Sparkle to keep him from bricking your rotation, but the payoff is worth it if you can manage his high-cost kit. He is falling behind the meta powercreep a bit, but he is still a total blast to play if you build around him.
Tier BMoze is a cracked 4-star sub-DPS who hides in the shadows to pelt marked enemies with extra DMG and follow-ups. He’s super SP-efficient and legit rivals Topaz, making him a must-build if you want to juice up your follow-up team's DPS.
Tier BArlan is a high-maintenance glass cannon who trades his own HP for damage, but his dogwater defense makes him a total nightmare to keep alive. You’re basically forced to run a top-tier shielder to babysit him at 1 HP, and honestly, almost any other 4-star provides way better value for much less malding.
Tier BDan Heng is a decent F2P starter carry who falls off hard once you hit late game. He’s got some clunky mechanics that need specific setups to maximize his Ult damage, so you'll probably bench him as soon as you pull a limited 5-star DPS.
Tier BDr. Ratio is a beastly single-target DPS who deletes enemies with follow-up attacks, especially when you stack debuffs on them. He’s got cracked energy economy and huge base stats, making him a top-tier F2P pick for any FUA team. Just make sure to pair him with debuffers like Silver Wolf or Topaz to maximize his chalk-throwing damage.
Tier BGuinaifen is a cracked 4-star support who stacks massive damage vulnerability on enemies while pumping out spicy DoT numbers herself. She’s super flexible for SP and fits almost any comp, but you gotta heavy-invest in her traces and gear to really see her carry.
Tier BHanya is a solid Harmony support and SP battery who keeps your skill point economy healthy and buffs your carry's SPD and ATK. She is a great pick for SP-hungry DPS units like Imbibitor Lunae, but she often gets outclassed by top-tier 5-star amplifiers in the current meta.
Tier BHook is a simple Fire DPS who excels at burning single targets and occasionally hitting adjacent mobs with her enhanced Skill. She’s basically an honorary Hunt unit with a basic kit that’s easy to pilot but has a lower damage ceiling than top-tier carries. If you’re short on Fire options, she’s a solid F2P pick that gets the job done without any big-brain setup.
Tier BLuka is a single-target Physical beast who stacks Bleed and procs it early with his enhanced basics to shred high-HP bosses. He doesn't care about CRIT at all, so just pump his ATK and Break Effect to maximize his DoT pressure. While he’s a bit niche for AoE content, he’s a solid hybrid support who dispels buffs and amps your team's overall DPS.
Tier B
Tier BMisha is a niche sub-DPS who stacks his Ult hits whenever the squad burns SP, making him a solid Freeze bot for dual-carry comps. He’s got cracked toughness break and CC potential, but the RNG targeting on his Ult and mid AoE means he’s definitely not the next big hypercarry.
Tier BNatasha is a solid day-one free healer who carries your early game, but she falls off hard once you hit the real end-game grind. She has been powercrept by units like Lynx and Gallagher, making her a bit of a struggle to use in high-difficulty content. Use her while you have to, but you will definitely want to swap her out for a more cracked sustain ASAP.
Tier BQingque is a total SP black hole, but her damage ceiling is absolutely cracked if the RNG gods bless your tile draws. She is a massive late bloomer who needs high investment, but once she is built, she straight up deletes everything.
Tier BSampo is a DoT beast who stacks Wind Shear fast and shreds Toughness like it’s nothing. He’s got some cracked Eidolons, but he’s unfortunately fallen off the meta and isn't really worth the investment anymore.
Tier BSushang is a single-target DPS who absolutely shreds when enemies are Weakness Broken, especially with her Ultimate giving her a free turn. She's got crazy speed buffs, but she's basically glued to Ruan Mei or Harmony MC since her damage falls off a cliff if the boss isn't broken. If you’re missing a Physical carry, she’s a solid F2P pick to carry you through.
Tier BDestruction Trailblazer is a solid F2P starter for the early game, but they fall off hard and get powercrept by literally every other Physical DPS. Since the Harmony version is way more cracked and resources are limited, investing in this path is basically a massive grief for your account.
Tier BPreservation TB is a solid F2P tank that taunts enemies and spams teamwide shields every time they take an action. They’re a total goat for early-game survivability and breaking fire toughness, but they eventually get powercrept by premium sustains like Aventurine in high-level endgame content.
Tier BXueyi is a beastly Quantum DPS who scales hard off Break Effect to deal massive DMG. She stacks Karma to unleash crazy follow-up attacks and her Ult ignores Weakness Types, making her a cracked generalist. Just be ready for a brutal relic grind if you want to reach her insane ceiling.
Tier BYanqing is a high-maintenance glass cannon who pumps big numbers until he takes literally 1 damage and loses his entire kit. You’re forced to run him with a premium shielder to keep his buffs active, otherwise his DPS falls off a cliff in this AoE-heavy meta.
Tier BYukong has cracked buffs and solid toughness break, but she’s high-key the hardest support to pilot because of her strict stack management. Even with a massive ceiling, most players bench her for easier Harmony units since she requires perfect speed tuning just to stay relevant in the meta.
Conclusion
We hope this list helps you navigate your path through all the different characters in Honkai Star Rail and gives you some insight who you want to focus on and who is probably more a character for later. We continously expand our guides so if you have an idea what would be cool to add, please let us know in the comments below and we’re happy to reply.
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