Everything You Need for HSR
From your first ten pull to full-clearing Memory of Chaos, this site covers the whole game.
All 83 characters ranked from SS to C tier for version 4.1. Covers Memory of Chaos, Pure Fiction, and Apocalyptic Shadow. Includes F2P rankings and pull priority.
View Tier List →Detailed build guides for every character. Best light cones, relic sets, stat priorities, team synergies, eidolon breakdowns, and skill explanations.
Browse Characters →Build and test team compositions before you spend your pulls. Filter by path, element, and role to find the right synergies for your roster.
Build a TeamBeginner walkthroughs, relic farming routes, Simulated Universe tips, and mode-specific strategies. Written for all skill levels.
Read GuidesWhat Is Honkai: Star Rail?
Honkai: Star Rail is a free-to-play turn-based RPG made by HoYoverse, the studio behind Genshin Impact and Honkai Impact 3rd. Players board the Astral Express and travel across a galaxy of interconnected worlds, building a party of characters to fight through story content and increasingly hard endgame challenges.
The game launched globally in April 2023 and has grown into one of the most popular gacha titles in the world. It releases a major content update every six weeks, adding new characters, story chapters, areas, and endgame events with each version.
Unlike many gacha games, Honkai: Star Rail is turn-based, which means the right team composition and understanding of character roles matters a lot. That is where a tier list and build guides come in.
The Game at a Glance
Progressive floors with rotation buffs. Tests single-target and burst DPS.
Mass enemy waves. Rewards AoE damage and coordinated attacks.
Boss focused. Rewards Break mechanics and follow-up attacks.
Who Is Strong Right Now
Version 4.1 is one of the most character-dense patches in the game's history. Phainon debuted as the strongest single-target carry in the game at E0, and Castorice brought a new Remembrance archetype that competes for the top team slot in Pure Fiction and Apocalyptic Shadow.
The support landscape is deep. Sunday remains the best support in the game and amplifies every carry archetype. Ruan Mei and Robin continue to be staples across multiple team structures. Tribbie added a new option for coordinated attack and Remembrance teams.
Older limited characters like Firefly, Feixiao, and Acheron remain fully viable at the top of S+ tier. If you have them built, they still clear all endgame content without issue.
Now make the pull happen.
How We Rank Characters
No sponsored rankings. No filler. Just honest analysis updated on patch day.
Every tier placement is based on actual endgame performance across all three content modes: Memory of Chaos, Pure Fiction, and Apocalyptic Shadow. Characters are evaluated at E0 with accessible relic sets, not at maximum investment. If a character only becomes good at E6 or with their signature light cone, that is reflected in their placement.
Rankings go up or down when balance patches change damage values, when a new support significantly raises or lowers a carry's ceiling, or when a new boss or mode rotation shifts the priority. We document every change with a reason so you can understand the decision, not just accept it.
Build guides use the same logic. Relic recommendations are sorted by realistic access and stat priority, light cones are ranked from best-in-slot to strong free options, and team sections include multiple compositions at different budget levels.
The goal is to help you make good decisions with the characters you have, not to push you toward more spending. This site is made by players who care about the game, and that shows in every page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Honkai: Star Rail and is it free to play?
Honkai: Star Rail is a free-to-play turn-based RPG by HoYoverse, available on PC, iOS, and Android. There is no purchase required to download or progress through the full story. Characters are earned through a gacha banner system using Stellar Jade, which you collect through gameplay. Multiple strong characters are available for free through story missions and events, including the Trailblazer (Imaginary/Harmony form), Gallagher, and March 7th. The game is designed so a free-to-play account can clear all endgame content with the right builds and team planning.
Who are the best characters in Honkai Star Rail version 4.1?
The best characters in version 4.1 sit in SS tier: Phainon (strongest single-target DPS), Castorice (top Remembrance carry), Sunday (best support in the game), The Herta (best AoE DPS for Pure Fiction), and Huohuo (top sustain for energy-hungry teams). The S+ tier is dense and includes Firefly, Acheron, Feixiao, Robin, Ruan Mei, Aventurine, Lingsha, Kafka, and several others. These characters are all fully capable of clearing the hardest endgame content. See the full tier list for all 83 characters ranked with notes.
What is the best team in Honkai Star Rail right now?
The strongest team in 4.1 is Phainon + Sunday + Ruan Mei + Huohuo. This composition covers every endgame mode and has the highest consistent damage ceiling among available teams. Close alternatives include Castorice + Trailblazer (Ice) + Tribbie + sustain for Remembrance-buffed modes, and Feixiao + Robin + Topaz + Aventurine for follow-up attack content. The Firefly + Fugue + Ruan Mei + Gallagher Super Break team remains a top-four composition and is more accessible for players without Sunday.
What should I focus on as a new player?
New players should complete the main story first. This unlocks all game systems, earns a large amount of free Stellar Jade, and provides strong characters like the Trailblazer (Imaginary) for free. Do not spread resources thin across many characters early. Pick one carry and one sustain, level them fully, and complete their relic sets before moving on. Save Stellar Jade for a limited five-star that fits your playstyle. The tier list can help you identify which limited characters are worth waiting for, but even a well-built A-tier character will outperform a poorly built SS-tier one.
How often does the tier list update?
The tier list updates with every major version patch, which releases approximately every six weeks. Mid-patch adjustments are made when significant meta discoveries happen, balance updates change damage values, or new support characters substantially shift carry rankings. The current version and last update date are always visible at the top of the tier list page.
Should I pull Phainon or wait for a future banner?
If you do not have a top-tier carry, pull Phainon. He is the strongest DPS in the game at E0 and works in every team archetype. He does not require his signature light cone to function at a high level. If you already have a strong carry (Castorice, Acheron, Feixiao, or Firefly), consider pulling Sunday instead. Sunday amplifies every carry in the game and his value compounds with your existing investments. If both banners are available and you lack both a top carry and a top support, the general advice is to pull the support first since Sunday raises the floor of your entire account while a second carry creates overlap.
What is the difference between Memory of Chaos, Pure Fiction, and Apocalyptic Shadow?
Memory of Chaos is the original endgame mode. It uses a two-side format where you control two separate teams of four across twelve floors of increasing difficulty. It rewards fast single-target damage and good sustain. Pure Fiction rewards AoE damage and coordinated attacks. Enemies spawn in large groups and the objective is to accumulate hit counts rather than pure damage output. AoE carries like The Herta, Himeko, Kafka, and Argenti excel here. Apocalyptic Shadow pits you against powerful boss enemies with mechanics that punish specific weaknesses. It rewards Break damage and follow-up attack mechanics more than the other two modes.
What characters are best for free-to-play players?
The best free characters in Honkai Star Rail are Trailblazer (Imaginary/Harmony), who is an S-tier support acquired through the main story at no cost; Gallagher, a strong sustain character available through the standard banner; and Pela, who provides DEF shred that remains useful even in high-end endgame teams. March 7th in her Hunt form is excellent in follow-up attack compositions and requires no pulls to obtain her base form. For standard banner pulls, Bronya is the highest-value target for free-to-play players. She supports every DPS archetype and holds long-term value across all content.
Ready to Optimize Your Roster?
Start with the tier list to see where every character stands in version 4.1, then dig into individual build guides to maximize your existing investments.
