How to Beat SparxiConOfficial in HSR 4.0 (February 2026) Full Boss Guide
Honkai Star Rail 4.0 introduced @SparxiConOfficial the boss version of Sparxie in the No Aha at Full Moon Trailblaze Mission…
Honkai Star Rail’s next major expansion is taking us to Planarcadia, a mysterious world tied to Aha, the Aeon of Elation. Version 4.0 marks one of the most exciting updates in HSR history, bringing not just a brand-new world, but an entirely new playable Path—the Path of Elation. If you’re wondering which characters are coming to Planarcadia, I’ve compiled everything from official announcements and reliable leaks into this comprehensive character guide.
| Character Name | Rarity | Element | Path | Expected Release | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sparxie | 5-Star | Fire | Elation | 4.0 (Phase 2) | Officially Confirmed |
| Yao Guang | 5-Star | Physical | Elation | 4.0 (Phase 1) | Officially Confirmed |
| La Mancha | 5-Star | Unknown | Hunt | 4.1 | Leaked |
| Pearl | 5-Star | Unknown | Unknown | 4.2 | Leaked |
| Silver Wolf (New Form) | 5-Star | Unknown | Elation | 4.2 | Leaked |
| Yae Sakura | 5-Star | Ice | Unknown | 4.3 | Leaked |
| Blade (New Form) | 5-Star | Ice | Unknown | 4.3-4.4 | Leaked |
| Himeko (New Form) | 5-Star | Fire | Unknown | 4.4-4.5 | Leaked |
| Robin (New Form) | 5-Star | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Rumored |
| Aventurine (New Form) | 5-Star | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Rumored |
Last Updated: February 12, 2026
Before I dive deep into each character, let me tell you what makes Planarcadia so special and why this update has the community buzzing with excitement.
Planarcadia is the confirmed next destination in Honkai Star Rail’s main storyline, arriving with Version 4.0. This isn’t just another planet—it’s a world intimately connected to Aha, the eccentric Aeon of Elation who represents joy, chaos, and unpredictability.
According to HoYoverse’s official statement: “The threat of Destruction compelled the cosmos to unite once again, and everyone now looks toward other Aeons involved. The Express once crashed into and departed from ‘Planarcadia.’ There, Aha graced the pursuers of Elation with a reward: join THEIR game and become an ‘Aeon’ for a minute.”
This cryptic message suggests Planarcadia won’t be your typical trailblazing destination. With Aha involved, expect the unexpected—twisted humor, fourth-wall breaks, and gameplay mechanics that challenge everything we know about Honkai Star Rail.
Now let’s get into what you’re really here for—the complete character roster coming to Planarcadia in Version 4.x.
![sparxie-planarcadia]
Character Details:
Sparxie is officially confirmed as one of the first characters for Honkai Star Rail 4.0, and she’s absolutely wild. This isn’t just Sparkle with a costume change—Sparxie is her alter ego, a streamer persona that embodies the chaotic energy of the Path of Elation.
Kit Overview:
Sparxie’s gameplay revolves around “Engagement Farming,” a unique mechanic where she generates Punchline points through repeated enhanced attacks. The more she performs and entertains, the stronger she becomes—perfectly fitting for a character whose entire identity is built around being the center of attention.
Her Ultimate delivers massive Fire AoE damage while generating additional Punchline stacks, and her Talent further amplifies her enhanced hits. If you loved Sparkle’s supportive playstyle, prepare for something completely different. Sparxie is an explosive, high-tempo DPS designed to dominate Elation-based team compositions.
Why Pull Sparxie:
Team Composition Ideas:
![yaoguang-planarcadia]
Character Details:
Yao Guang is the second officially confirmed character for Planarcadia and represents a completely different approach to the Elation Path. As one of the seven Arbiter-Generals of the Xianzhou Alliance, she brings strategic depth and team-wide buffs to the table.
Kit Overview:
Yao Guang’s kit centers around deploying support Zones that boost team Elation and generate Punchline stacks for allies. Think of her as the Robin or Ruan Mei of the Elation Path—a character whose presence elevates the entire team’s performance.
Her abilities focus on:
Why Pull Yao Guang:
Expected Meta Impact:
Based on early kit leaks, Yao Guang could become the foundational support for Elation teams, similar to how Robin dominates Harmony compositions. If you’re planning to invest in the Elation Path long-term, she’s essentially mandatory.
![la-mancha-concept]
Character Details:
La Mancha is the leader of the Galaxy Rangers, a faction we’ve heard about throughout HSR’s story but haven’t seen much of. Leaks suggest he’ll be the sole 5-star featured character in Version 4.1, making him a highly anticipated addition.
What We Know:
As a Hunt character and Galaxy Ranger leader, La Mancha will likely specialize in single-target elimination with precision-based mechanics. The Galaxy Rangers are known for their independence and combat prowess, so expect a self-sufficient DPS with unique mechanics.
Speculation Based on Role:
![pearl-stoneheart]
Character Details:
Pearl is one of the Ten Stonehearts, ranking as a P45 senior manager in the IPC’s Strategic Investment Department. She was first revealed in the “Stoneheart’s Oath Ring Myriad Celestia” trailer and has been a highly requested character ever since.
Background:
The Ten Stonehearts are elite IPC executives, each possessing immense power and influence. We’ve already seen Topaz, Aventurine, and Jade—Pearl will be the fourth playable Stoneheart, and judging by her rank, she’s going to be powerful.
What the Silhouette Tells Us:
From the official silhouette teaser, Pearl appears to be wearing a luxurious dress, suggesting elegance and sophistication. Some players speculate she might follow the Erudition or Harmony path, but nothing is confirmed yet.
Why She Matters:
IPC storylines have been some of HSR’s most compelling narratives. Pearl’s release will likely advance the Stoneheart plotline significantly and could tie into Penacony’s unresolved threads.
![silver-wolf-new-form]
Character Details:
Silver Wolf getting a second form is huge news for HSR fans. As a beloved Stellaron Hunter and one of the game’s strongest debuffers, seeing her embrace the Path of Elation opens up fascinating story possibilities.
Lore Implications:
Why would Silver Wolf, typically serious and methodical, follow the Path of Elation? The prevailing theory is that something significant happens during Planarcadia’s story—possibly an encounter with Aha that fundamentally changes her perspective.
The Stellaron Hunters have always operated in mysterious ways, and Silver Wolf joining the Masked Fools or becoming a “Haha” would be a shocking character development.
Gameplay Expectations:
If Silver Wolf’s Elation form maintains any of her original debuffing capabilities while adding Elation mechanics, she could become one of the most versatile characters in the game. Imagine combining Weakness implant with Punchline generation—absolutely broken.
![yae-sakura-hsr]
Character Details:
Yae Sakura is perhaps the most anticipated character in all of Planarcadia. As a beloved character from Honkai Impact 3rd, her HSR debut has been rumored for years. The silhouette in HoYoverse’s official teaser matches her HI3 design almost perfectly.
Why Yae Sakura is a Big Deal:
In Honkai Impact 3rd, Yae Sakura is a tragic figure with deep lore connections. Her relationship with Kallen Kaslana is one of HI3’s most emotional storylines. Bringing her to HSR as an expy (alternate universe version) means we’ll get to see a new interpretation of this iconic character.
Expected Meta Significance:
Based on her importance in HI3 and the hype surrounding her HSR release, Yae Sakura will likely be positioned as a premium DPS character—similar to how Firefly was treated during Penacony. Expect her to be:
![blade-new-form]
Character Details:
Blade getting a second form has been heavily leaked for months, and the Planarcadia silhouette appears to confirm it. His distinctive sword silhouette and hairstyle are unmistakable.
Lore Context:
Blade’s story is one of tragedy—an immortal warrior cursed by the Abundance, constantly seeking death but unable to die. His original form follows the Destruction path and revolves around self-damage mechanics. A new form could represent character development or a shift in his philosophy.
What Element Change Means:
If leaks about Ice element are accurate, we’d be getting a completely different Blade. Ice has historically been associated with preservation and slowing enemies down—interesting for a character whose original kit is all about reckless aggression.
Will He Still Be Self-HP Based?
That’s the million-dollar question. Blade’s original form is loved (and hated) for its unique self-HP drain mechanic. Will his new form maintain this identity, or will HoYoverse give him a complete gameplay overhaul?
![himeko-new-form]
Character Details:
Himeko is the mature, coffee-loving navigator of the Astral Express and one of the starter characters available at launch. Unfortunately, her kit hasn’t aged well, and she’s fallen significantly behind the power curve. A new form has been highly requested by the community.
Why Himeko Deserves Better:
Himeko is arguably the most important character on the Astral Express from a narrative perspective. She’s the one who brought everyone together and keeps the crew functioning. Yet her current 5-star form is outclassed by most 4-star DPS characters. This new form is her chance at redemption.
What Could Change:
Player Expectations:
The HSR community is hoping HoYoverse delivers a Himeko that matches her lore importance. She should feel like the powerhouse she’s described as in the story.
Character Details:
Robin’s potential new form comes from less reliable leak sources, so take this with significant skepticism. However, given that multiple other characters are getting alternate forms in Planarcadia, it’s not impossible.
Why Robin?
Robin is already one of the strongest support characters in the game. A second form would need to offer something drastically different to justify its existence—perhaps a DPS version, or a Remembrance path variant.
Character Details:
Like Robin, Aventurine’s alternate form is based on questionable leaks. As a Stoneheart and gambling-themed character, Planarcadia’s game-show atmosphere could theoretically fit his aesthetic, but there’s no solid evidence for his inclusion yet.
Planarcadia introduces the 8th playable Path in Honkai Star Rail—the Path of Elation. This is a massive addition that will fundamentally change team building and meta considerations.
The Elation represents:
Characters who follow the Elation are typically associated with the Masked Fools faction—a group of eccentric individuals who worship Aha and believe life is a cosmic joke to be enjoyed.
Based on leaked information about Sparxie and Yao Guang, the Elation path appears to feature:
1. Punchline System: A stacking mechanic that generates “Punchlines” through specific actions, which can be consumed for enhanced effects.
2. Engagement/Performance Mechanics: Characters gain benefits from “performing” or “entertaining,” creating a unique risk-reward gameplay loop.
3. Team Synergy Focus: Elation characters seem designed to work together, with abilities that specifically buff other Elation teammates.
Almost certainly yes. Every major Path in HSR has a Trailblazer variant:
It would be shocking if we don’t get an Elation Trailblazer as part of Planarcadia’s story. Leaks suggest this form will be obtainable through the main quest, making it accessible to all players.
Here’s the confirmed release schedule for Planarcadia content:
North American Server: February 12, 2026 (Wednesday) European & Asian Servers: February 13, 2026 (Thursday)
Originally, Version 4.0 was scheduled for late February, but HoYoverse extended Version 3.8 to eight weeks instead of the usual 5-6 weeks. This pushed 4.0’s release by approximately three weeks.
As compensation for the delay, all players received:
| Version | Phase 1 | Phase 2 | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0 | Yao Guang | Sparxie | 5-6 weeks |
| 4.1 | La Mancha | Rerun (TBD) | 5-6 weeks |
| 4.2 | Pearl | Silver Wolf (New) | 5-6 weeks |
| 4.3 | Yae Sakura | Blade (New) | 5-6 weeks |
| 4.4 | Himeko (New) | Rerun (TBD) | 5-6 weeks |
| 4.5 | Unknown | Unknown | 5-6 weeks |
Note: These dates are estimates based on typical HSR patch cycles and leak information. Official dates will be announced closer to each version’s release.
This is the big question everyone’s asking: should you start saving your Stellar Jade now?
1. Yao Guang (4.0 Phase 1) If you plan to invest in the Elation path long-term, Yao Guang is essentially mandatory. She’s positioned as the foundational support for this new archetype, similar to Robin for Harmony teams. Skip at your own risk.
2. Sparxie (4.0 Phase 2) As the first Elation DPS and an alternate form of a fan-favorite character, Sparxie will likely be very strong. However, you can probably wait to see community testing before pulling. She’s not as universally necessary as Yao Guang.
3. Yae Sakura (4.3) If you’re a collector, lore enthusiast, or Honkai Impact 3rd veteran, Yae Sakura is a must-pull. She’ll likely be positioned as a premium character with strong meta relevance and emotional story significance.
4. La Mancha (4.1) Hunt path mains and Galaxy Rangers fans should consider saving for La Mancha. As a faction leader, he’ll probably be quite powerful, but we need more information about his kit.
Silver Wolf New Form (4.2) Unless you’re a huge Silver Wolf fan or her new kit is absurdly broken, you can probably skip this if you have limited resources. Original Silver Wolf is still excellent for most content.
Blade New Form (4.3-4.4) Same logic as Silver Wolf. If you already have a strong Ice DPS (Jingliu, Herta, etc.) and aren’t a Blade superfan, you might be okay skipping his new form.
Himeko New Form (4.4-4.5) This depends entirely on whether HoYoverse makes her competitively viable. If she remains mid-tier, skip. If she becomes top-tier, consider pulling.
To guarantee a featured 5-star character in HSR, you need:
If you want multiple Planarcadia characters:
Start saving now if you want multiple limited characters from the 4.x patch series.
Planarcadia isn’t just a random new world—it’s directly connected to HSR’s overarching narrative about the Aeons and their influence on the universe.
After the events of Amphoreus (Version 3.7), the Astral Express crew confronts the existential threat of Nanook, the Aeon of Destruction. The story hints that other Aeons must be involved to address this crisis, which is why the Express journeys to Planarcadia.
The cryptic message about becoming “an Aeon for a minute” suggests Planarcadia’s story will revolve around some kind of cosmic game or challenge orchestrated by Aha. Given Aha’s personality (chaotic, theatrical, and unpredictable), this could mean:
Planarcadia’s amusement park setting appears to reference previous HSR locations:
This suggests Planarcadia might serve as a “greatest hits” or reflection on the Trailblazer’s journey so far—fitting for Aha, who loves irony and callbacks.
While we don’t have final kits yet, here are some educated guesses about optimal team compositions:
Team 1: Double Elation DPS
Team 2: Hyper Elation
Team 1: Follow-Up Focus
Team 2: Pure Hunt
Version 4.0 releases on February 12, 2026 for North American servers and February 13, 2026 for EU/Asian servers.
Officially confirmed: 2 (Yao Guang and Sparxie). Leaked/Expected: At least 8 more across versions 4.1-4.5, with 10 total characters likely across the entire 4.x patch series.
The Path of Elation is a new playable path associated with Aha, the Aeon of Elation. It focuses on performance, entertainment, and unpredictability, featuring unique mechanics like the Punchline system and Engagement mechanics.
No. While Yao Guang and Sparxie follow the Elation path, other characters like La Mancha (Hunt), Pearl, Blade, and Himeko will likely follow different paths.
Based on the official silhouette teaser from HoYoverse, it’s highly likely. The silhouette matches Yae Sakura’s HI3 design almost perfectly, and leakers with good track records have confirmed her inclusion.
If you plan to build Elation teams long-term, Yao Guang is more important as a support character. Sparxie is powerful but more replaceable. However, if you prefer DPS characters over supports, Sparxie might be more enjoyable for your playstyle.
Almost certainly yes, based on HSR’s established pattern of giving Trailblazer a new form for each major world. Expect to unlock it through Planarcadia’s main story quest.
Skipping Yao Guang would be risky if you want to invest in Elation path. She appears to be the cornerstone support for this archetype. However, if you don’t plan to build Elation teams at all, you can safely skip both 4.0 characters.
Drip marketing (official character reveals) typically happens 1-2 weeks before a version’s release. Expect full character reveals and kit details in late February or early February 2026.
Not necessarily. Sometimes yes (Remembrance Trailblazer vs. Fire Trailblazer), sometimes no (depends on the specific character and situation). Wait for community testing before assuming newer = better.
Too early to say definitively, but introducing an entire new path will shake up team building significantly. If Elation characters are strong, we could see a meta shift similar to what happened when Remembrance was introduced in Amphoreus.
Possibly. HoYoverse has a history of retroactively buffing characters to synergize with new content (like how Sparkle and Black Swan are getting buffs in 4.0 to work better with Elation mechanics).
After researching everything about Planarcadia, I can confidently say this is shaping up to be one of the most ambitious updates in Honkai Star Rail’s history. Here’s why:
1. New Path Introduction Adding the 8th playable path isn’t just a numbers game—it fundamentally expands team-building possibilities and creates entirely new archetypes.
2. Legacy Character Returns Bringing characters like Yae Sakura from Honkai Impact 3rd shows HoYoverse is serious about satisfying long-time fans while introducing fresh faces to newcomers.
3. Alternate Forms Done Right Rather than lazy costume swaps, these alternate forms appear to have completely different kits, elements, and roles. That’s how you keep veteran players engaged.
4. Aha’s Involvement Aha is arguably the most entertaining Aeon in HSR’s lore. A full world dedicated to the Aeon of Elation promises meta-humor, fourth-wall breaks, and genuinely unpredictable storytelling.
5. Amusement Park Setting The nostalgia-filled theme park aesthetic reflecting previous HSR locations is brilliant from both a narrative and emotional perspective.
If you’re a new player: Focus on Yao Guang first. Support characters have longer meta lifespans than DPS characters.
If you’re a veteran with limited resources: Prioritize Yao Guang and Yae Sakura. Skip most alternate forms unless you’re a superfan of that character.
If you’re a whale or have saved extensively: Go for broke. Pull everyone. Planarcadia is peak HSR content, and you’ll regret missing these limited characters.
If you’re purely F2P: Be selective. Yao Guang + one DPS of your choice (probably Yae Sakura or Sparxie) is the smart play. Skip everything else unless power creep demands otherwise.
Planarcadia represents a bold new direction for Honkai Star Rail. With 10 characters spanning nearly 6 months of content, a brand-new Path, and Aha’s chaotic influence, Version 4.x is going to be wild.
Whether you’re here for the meta-defining characters, the emotional story moments, or just collecting your favorite characters, Planarcadia has something for everyone. Start saving your Stellar Jade now, mark February 12-13 on your calendar, and prepare for the most entertaining arc in HSR history.
The Astral Express is heading to Planarcadiaare you ready to join Aha’s game?
