Honkai: Star Rail Version 4.6 (scheduled for September 29, 2026) is a focused update built around a single new character.
Pearl headlines Phase 1 as a 5-star Ice healer on the Path of Elation, the fourth Stoneheart to become playable after Topaz, Aventurine, and Jade. No second headliner has been announced, which makes 4.6 a natural saving point before Nihilux in 4.7 and the Zenless Zone Zero crossover in winter.
In this guide, we have compiled everything from the banner schedule to Pearl's full kit, endgame buffs, and pulling strategies.
Now is the time to build your Jade reserve. Get discounts at GamsGo Honkai: Star Rail Top-up and stock up on Oneiric Shards in advance.
Honkai Star Rail 4.6 Update Schedule
Version 4.6 lands at the end of September. Here is the full timeline, from the Special Program through to the end of the patch.
The Special Program on September 18 is the one to watch. Pearl's kit, her Light Cone, and the rerun lineup all get confirmed there. Livestream codes also drop during the broadcast, and they usually expire within 24 hours. We update our new Honkai Star Rail redeem codes list as soon as they go live, so you can grab the Stellar Jade before it runs out.
Honkai Star Rail 4.6 Banner Overview
Version 4.6 is a light patch on paper. One new 5-star, no new 4-star announced, and a Phase 2 that looks like it will run on reruns alone.
HSR 4.6 New 5-Star Character
Pearl headlines Phase 1. She is a 5-star Ice character on the Path of Elation, and the fourth member of the Ten Stonehearts to become playable after Topaz, Aventurine, and Jade.
You have met her before. Pearl has been an NPC since the Planarcadia arc, working as an artwork investment specialist for the IPC's Strategic Investment Department while also sitting as Planarcadia's CEO.
What makes her stand out is that she is an original character, not an alternate form. Recent patches have leaned hard on SP variants and collab units, so a fresh 5-star with her own design and backstory is a change of pace.
Beta data shows a DEF-scaling healer built specifically for Elation teams.
HSR 4.6 Expected Reruns (Unconfirmed)
The rerun lineup has not been announced yet. Based on who fits the Elation direction Version 4.6 is pushing, these are our three picks for the most likely returns, along with their signature Light Cones.
These are our predictions, not confirmed banners. The Special Program on September 18 will reveal the official lineup.
Honkai Star Rail 4.6 New Character Pearl Details
Pearl is not a standard healer. Her Ultimate marks one ally as the Aesthetic Archetype and then calculates her own Elation DMG from that character's stats, which means her value swings hard depending on who else is on your team. For everything we know about her so far, see our full Honkai Star Rail Pearl leak guide.
| Pearl5-Star Ice Elation Healer Pearl arrives as a DEF-scaling healer built around the Elation Path, and unlike recent banners she is an original unit rather than an alternate form. |
| Signature Light Cone | Best Available Alternative |
| Colors for Tomorrow DEF +48%, team healing, and enemy vulnerability that scales with your Elation count. | Mushy Shroomy's Adventures Free from the Memory of Chaos shop, raises Elation DMG taken by enemies. |
| Projected Team Composition | |
| Pearl + Silver Wolf Lv. 999 + Evanescia + Yao Guang | |
| ✅ Pros | ❌ Cons |
| • Healing and damage mitigation in one slot. • Grants an extra turn at four Elation characters. | • Needs Elation allies to function fully. • Loses her best trait outside the archetype. |
HSR 4.6 Pulling Strategy: Who Should You Pull First?
Pearl is the only new 5-star in Version 4.6. Find your roster situation in the table below to see whether she is worth pulling for you.
| Current Roster Situation | Recommended Pull | Reasoning |
| Already running an Elation team | Pearl | This is who she was designed for. At four Elation characters her Ultimate grants a full extra turn, which no other sustain unit provides. |
| Pulled Aventurine Waveflair in 4.5 | Pearl | His damage scales with how often the team acts. Pearl heals, mitigates, and advances the Aesthetic Archetype's turn. |
| Short on sustain units | Situational Choice | Her healing works anywhere, but nearly every other number in her kit scales with your Elation count. |
| No Elation characters at all | Skip | You only get the healing half of her kit. Nihilux is leaked as the Elation main DPS in 4.7, so compare before you commit. |
| Already have Huohuo or Aventurine | Situational Choice | Your sustain slot is covered. Pearl is an upgrade for Elation teams specifically, not a gap you need to fill. |
| Want Pearl and her Light Cone | Prepare 340 Pulls | Worst case is 180 pulls for the character and 160 for the Light Cone, or about 54,400 Stellar Jade. |
💡 Pulling Tip: Version 4.6 sits right before a busy stretch. Nihilux arrives in 4.7 as an Elation carry, and the Zenless Zone Zero crossover lands in winter with a free 5-star Ellen Joe and a limited Astra Yao banner. If you are building Elation, Pearl and Nihilux are the pair to plan around.
Honkai Star Rail 4.6 Endgame Modes and Gameplay
Apocalyptic Shadow and Pure Fiction will both run into Version 4.6 before they reset. Memory of Chaos and Anomaly Arbitration are expected to update when Version 4.6 goes live.
| Mode | Runs Until | What Carries Into 4.6 |
| Apocalyptic Shadow Celestial Lupine | October 5, 2026 | About one week of overlap. Enemies take 25% more Skill DMG, and Elation Skill DMG is up 15%. |
| Pure Fiction Domain Genesis | October 19, 2026 | Three weeks of overlap. Every Punchline gained also grants allies 2 extra Grit Value. |
| Memory of Chaos | New phase with 4.6 | Fresh rotation opens once the update goes live. Buffs land in the 4.6 patch notes. |
| Anomaly Arbitration Return of the Legion | Updates with 4.6 | Rewards include Lone Stardust, Interference Keys, Self-Modeling Resin, and limited avatar frames. |
Both carryover buffs point the same direction. Celestial Lupine hands a flat 15% to Elation Skill damage and dispels control debuffs when a Steadfast Safeguard enemy breaks, while Domain Genesis turns Punchline generation into extra Grit. If you land Pearl in Phase 1, her Elation Skill copy has a live window to work in.
For teams that clear these fast, our Apocalyptic Shadow team compositions and Anomaly Arbitration team guide break down the lineups worth building. If you are still filling out your roster, start with the best Honkai Star Rail team comps instead.
What Comes After Honkai Star Rail 4.6
Version 4.6 is only the start. Two more patches are worth planning for, and here is what is coming.
Version 4.7: Nihilux
Nihilux is leaked as a Lightning character on the Path of Elation, built to be the hypercarry the archetype has been missing. Reports describe an alternate transformation form along with high-frequency follow-up attacks and burst mechanics.
That makes her the other half of the Pearl equation. Pearl shields and copies an Elation Skill, but she needs someone worth copying, and Nihilux is shaping up to be that unit.
Version 4.8: Zenless Zone Zero Crossover
HoYoverse has confirmed the Zenless Zone Zero crossover for winter 2026. The Astral Express heads to New Eridu for a full dedicated update.
Leaks say Ellen Joe arrives as a free 5-star Ice Destruction unit, while Astra Yao gets a limited banner as a 5-star Quantum support with team-wide CRIT and action advance buffs. A free 5-star plus a Robin-tier support in one patch is the kind of banner people empty their accounts for.
How Much Should You Save
Three banners worth wanting inside four months. Pearl in 4.6, Nihilux in 4.7, and Astra Yao in 4.8, with the last one landing during a crossover that will also want your time.
If you are chasing all three, you are looking at roughly 540 pulls in the worst case, and that is characters only. Add signature Light Cones and the number climbs fast.
Running low before the Special Program? You can top up Oneiric Shards for Honkai Star Rail and go into 4.6 with a full budget instead of counting pulls.
Final Thoughts
Honkai: Star Rail Version 4.6 is a smaller patch than the ones on either side of it. One new 5-star, no confirmed second headliner, and a Phase 2 that looks like reruns only.
That does not make it a skip. Pearl is the first original 5-star in a while, and if the leaks hold, she is the sustain the Elation archetype has been waiting for. Shield, Energy support, and a copy of your carry's Elation Skill in a single slot is not something you replace easily.
The catch is what sits behind her. Nihilux follows in 4.7 as the Elation hypercarry, and the Zenless Zone Zero crossover lands in winter with Astra Yao on a limited banner. Three banners worth wanting inside four months means your Jade is under real pressure, even in a quiet patch.
Everything above is our read on the leaks so far. We will update this guide with confirmed details right after the Special Program on September 18. To stay on top of the latest Honkai: Star Rail banner news and pull strategies, follow the GamsGo blog!
Running low on Oneiric Shards? Save money by using GamsGo for your Honkai: Star Rail top-ups and go into 4.6 with a full budget.
Honkai Star Rail 4.6 Banner FAQ
When Does Honkai Star Rail Version 4.6 Release?
Version 4.6 goes live on September 29, 2026 for NA and September 30 for Asia and EU servers. The patch runs six weeks and ends on November 10. The Special Program airs on September 18.
Who Is the New Character in Honkai Star Rail 4.6?
Pearl is the only new 5-star announced. She is an Ice character on the Path of Elation and the fourth Stoneheart to become playable, after Topaz, Aventurine, and Jade. Leaks describe her as a shield sustain that can copy an ally's Elation Skill.
Which Characters Are Rerunning in Honkai Star Rail 4.6?
The rerun lineup has not been announced. Based on how well they fit the Elation direction of this patch, our picks are Evanescia, Sparkle, and Jade. The Special Program on September 18 will confirm the official list.
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