Anime Last Stand Tier List (December 2025) Best Units Ranked
Welcome to the most comprehensive Anime Last Stand tier list you’ll find anywhere! I’ve spent countless hours analyzing every unit…
Are you struggling to decide which characters deserve your precious Stellar Jades in Honkai Star Rail? I’ve been there too, staring at my gacha screen wondering if I should pull for that shiny new five star or save for the next banner. After spending hundreds of hours analyzing endgame content across Memory of Chaos, Pure Fiction, and Apocalyptic Shadow, I’m here to break down exactly which characters will carry you to victory.
The 2025 meta has shifted dramatically with the introduction of the Remembrance path and HP scaling mechanics. Characters like Castorice and Phainon have redefined what it means to be “meta,” while former powerhouses have fallen from grace. This comprehensive tier list evaluates every playable character at Eidolon 0 with their signature Light Cones, giving you the unfiltered truth about who’s worth your investment.
What makes a character tier worthy? I evaluate characters based on three critical factors: their damage output or support capabilities, flexibility across different team compositions, and performance consistency across all three endgame modes. Whether you’re a free to play player or a light spender, this guide will help you make informed decisions about your roster.
Before diving into the tier lists, let me explain how I evaluate characters in Honkai Star Rail. Unlike other games where raw damage reigns supreme, HSR’s turn based combat demands a more nuanced approach.
Damage Dealers are ranked on their ability to meet the 3 star time objectives quickly and consistently. The faster they clear content, the higher their placement. But raw numbers aren’t everything I also consider their Skill Point economy, weakness coverage, and whether they need premium teammates to function.
Support Characters earn their ranks through damage amplification, buff uptime, and utility. A support who provides both damage buffs and defensive utility will always outrank a one trick pony. Characters like Tribbie and Robin sit at the top because they enhance virtually any team composition.
Sustain Units are evaluated on their ability to keep your team alive while contributing something extra. The days of pure healers are fading modern sustains like Hyacine and Aventurine bring healing AND damage to the table.
Investment Requirements heavily impact rankings. A character who needs their signature Light Cone, specific Eidolons, or multiple limited five star teammates to function will rank lower than someone who performs well with F2P options. This is why characters like Archer and Firefly maintain high rankings despite power creep they work beautifully with free units.
The current meta in version 3.6 revolves around the Remembrance path, HP scaling teams, and memosprites. Characters who synergize with these mechanics dominate the tier lists, while older archetypes like pure Break teams have fallen behind. Check out more tier list guides on AI Arena Pro to compare other games’ metas.
| Character | Tier | Element | Path | Key Strengths | Best Teams |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evernight | SS | Imaginary | Remembrance | HP scaling, Memosprite synergy, AoE & ST damage | Remembrance/HP teams |
| Castorice | SS | Quantum | Remembrance | HP scaling DPS, Dragon memosprite, Buff/debuff support | Hyacine, Tribbie, RMC |
| Anaxa | SS | Wind | Erudition | Missing weakness application, Hypercarry or sub DPS | The Herta, Harmony supports |
| Phainon | SS | Physical | Destruction | Territory mechanic, Weakness ignoring toughness, Hypercarry | Tribbie, Sunday, Robin |
| Archer | SS | Physical | Hunt | F2P friendly, High ST damage, SP synergy with Sparkle | Sparkle, Bronya, sustains |
| Kafka | SS | Lightning | Nihility | DoT queen, Frequent FuA attacks | Hysilens, Black Swan, Ruan Mei |
| Hysilens | SS | Lightning | Nihility | DoT powerhouse, Synergy with Kafka | Kafka, Black Swan, Ruan Mei |
| Character | Tier | Element | Path | Key Strengths | Best Teams |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saber | S | Fire | Destruction | Action advancement, Energy based mechanics | Sunday, Robin, Tribbie |
| The Herta | S | Ice | Erudition | Stack based AoE damage, Follow up specialist | Anaxa, Jade, Harmony units |
| Aglaea | S | Lightning | Remembrance | Garmentmaker memosprite, Versatile DPS | Remembrance TB, Sunday |
| Yunli | S | Physical | Destruction | Counter attack damage, Works against frequent attackers | Tingyun, sustains |
| Feixiao | S | Wind | Hunt | Toughness ignoring ultimate, FuA synergy | Topaz, March 7th, Robin |
| Acheron | S | Lightning | Nihility | Stack based ultimate, No energy needed | Jiaoqiu, Silver Wolf, Pela |
| Character | Tier | Element | Path | Key Strengths | Best Teams |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Firefly | A | Fire | Destruction | Break DPS queen, 300k+ damage potential | HMC, Ruan Mei, Fugue |
| Jingliu | A | Ice | Destruction | HP scaling after buff, Good with new supports | Hyacine, Tribbie, Bronya |
| Blade | A | Wind | Destruction | HP scaling after buff, Solid AS performance | Hyacine, Tribbie, sustains |
| Boothill | B | Physical | Hunt | Break specialist, Needs Fugue | Fugue, Ruan Mei, HMC |
| Seele | B | Quantum | Hunt | Resurgence mechanic, Extra turns | Silver Wolf, Sparkle, Bronya |
| Jing Yuan | B | Lightning | Erudition | Lightning Lord follow ups | Sunday, Sparkle, Tingyun |
| Dr. Ratio | B | Imaginary | Hunt | Debuff focused DPS | Topaz, Silver Wolf, Pela |
| DHIL | B | Imaginary | Destruction | Enhanced Basic Attack damage | Sparkle, Tingyun, Sunday |
| Character | Tier | Element | Path | Key Strengths | Best Teams |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Argenti | C | Physical | Erudition | Ultimate focused AoE | Tingyun, Huohuo, Sunday |
| Character | Tier | Path | Key Strengths | Best Synergies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tribbie | SS | Harmony | RES PEN, Vulnerability, Add DMG, Frequent FuA | Universal support |
| Remembrance TB | SS | Remembrance | True DMG, Action Advance, CRIT DMG buff | Remembrance teams |
| Sunday | SS | Harmony | Summon DMG buff, CRIT DMG, Energy regen | Summon based DPS |
| Robin | SS | Harmony | Action Advance, FuA amplification | Follow up teams |
| Character | Tier | Path | Key Strengths | Best Synergies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cipher | S | Nihility | Vulnerability, Recorded DMG | Phainon, Anaxa |
| Bronya | S | Harmony | Action Advance, DMG buffs | Hypercarry DPS |
| Ruan Mei | S | Harmony | Break Efficiency, RES PEN, SPD | Break teams |
| Sparkle | S | Harmony | Max SP increase, CRIT DMG | SP hungry DPS |
| Cerydra | S | Harmony | Skill based DPS support | Phainon, Anaxa, Archer |
| Character | Tier | Path | Key Strengths | Best Synergies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silver Wolf | A | Nihility | Weakness implant, DEF reduction | Acheron, Seele |
| Tingyun | A | Harmony | Energy generation, ATK buff | Various DPS |
| Jiaoqiu | A | Nihility | Vulnerability, Ultimate debuff | Acheron teams |
| Fugue | A | Harmony | Super Break, Break support | Break DPS |
| HMC | A | Harmony | Super Break enabler | Firefly, Boothill |
| Pela | A | Nihility | DEF shred, Ice RES reduction | Various teams |
| Character | Tier | Path | Key Strengths | Best Synergies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asta | B | Harmony | SPD buff, ATK boost | General teams |
| Hanya | B | Harmony | SP generation, SPD buff | SP hungry DPS |
| Guinaifen | B | Nihility | Burn, Vulnerability | DoT teams |
| Yukong | C | Harmony | Clunky kit without E6 | Limited use |
| Character | Tier | Path | Element | Key Strengths | Team Synergy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyacine | SS | Remembrance | Wind | Max HP buff, Frequent AoE healing, Debuff cleanse | HP scaling teams |
| Dan Heng PT | SS | Preservation | Imaginary | Summon based shields, ATK buff, FuA | Summon teams |
| Character | Tier | Path | Element | Key Strengths | Team Synergy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aventurine | S | Preservation | Imaginary | Frequent shields, CRIT DMG buff | FuA teams |
| Huohuo | S | Abundance | Wind | Debuff cleanse, ATK buff, Energy | Energy hungry DPS |
| Lingsha | S | Abundance | Fire | Summon healing, Break support | Break teams |
| Gallagher | S | Abundance | Fire | SP generation, Besotted healing | Break/general |
| Character | Tier | Path | Element | Key Strengths | Team Synergy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luocha | A | Abundance | Imaginary | Emergency heal, Field healing | General teams |
| Fu Xuan | A | Preservation | Quantum | DMG redirection, CRIT Rate buff | General teams |
| Character | Tier | Path | Element | Key Strengths | Team Synergy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bailu | B | Abundance | Lightning | Revive mechanic, High healing | F2P sustain |
| Gepard | B | Preservation | Ice | Team wide shields | F2P sustain |
| Lynx | B | Abundance | Quantum | HP buffs, Cleanse | Limited use |
| Character | Tier | Path | Element | Key Strengths | Team Synergy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natasha | C | Abundance | Physical | Basic F2P healer | Early game only |
| March 7th (Preservation) | C | Preservation | Ice | Free sustain | Early game only |
| Preservation TB | C | Preservation | Fire | Free option | Early game only |
Evernight is one of the newest additions to Honkai Star Rail’s roster and immediately establishes herself as a top tier Remembrance DPS. Her kit revolves around HP scaling mechanics and her memosprite companion, making her incredibly synergistic with characters like Hyacine and Tribbie. What makes Evernight special is her versatility she excels in both single target and AoE scenarios, adapting her damage output based on the situation. Her Ultimate provides massive burst damage while her memosprite continuously applies pressure through follow up attacks. In the current meta dominated by HP scaling teams, Evernight fits perfectly and requires minimal investment to reach her damage ceiling. Her F2P accessibility and strong performance with budget Light Cones make her an excellent choice for all players.
Castorice revolutionized the Remembrance path when she released, bringing unprecedented HP scaling damage alongside her Dragon memosprite. Her kit is loaded with utility she’s not just a pure DPS but also provides buffs and debuffs to enhance team performance. The Dragon memosprite acts as an additional body on the field, providing both offensive pressure and defensive utility. Castorice’s true power emerges when paired with other HP scaling units like Hyacine and Tribbie, creating a nearly unstoppable combination. Her damage numbers consistently reach the highest tiers across all endgame content, and her Quantum element gives her excellent coverage. The investment required is moderate while her signature Light Cone helps, she functions remarkably well with F2P alternatives. Her only weakness is her reliance on specific team compositions to reach maximum potential.
Anaxa stands out as one of the most flexible DPS characters in the current meta. As an Erudition unit, he specializes in AoE damage, but what sets him apart is his ability to implant weaknesses on enemies who don’t naturally have them. This mechanic alone makes him invaluable for content with unfavorable elemental matchups. Anaxa can be played two ways: as a hypercarry who dominates the damage charts, or as a sub DPS supporting The Herta in dual Erudition compositions. His Wind element and Erudition path synergize beautifully with the current Pure Fiction meta while remaining viable in Memory of Chaos and Apocalyptic Shadow. Building Anaxa is straightforward stack CRIT stats and ATK%, and watch him delete enemy waves. His SP economy is neutral, meaning he won’t drain your team’s resources.
Phainon represents the pinnacle of hypercarry design in Honkai Star Rail. His unique Territory mechanic allows him to temporarily remove allies from the field, taking all the buffs for himself and dealing catastrophic single target damage. What makes Phainon SS-tier is his ability to ignore enemy weakness types when breaking toughness bars, giving him unmatched flexibility across all content. His Physical element combined with his Destruction path means he hits like a freight train, especially with proper support from characters like Tribbie, Sunday, or Robin. The drawback? Phainon demands premium supports to reach his full potential and performs significantly worse if you’re forced to run a sustain due to gear limitations. His signature Light Cone is also more impactful than most, creating a noticeable power gap between F2P and whale builds. Still, when properly supported, Phainon can clear endgame content faster than virtually any other DPS.
Archer deserves special recognition as the most F2P friendly SS-tier DPS in the game. Released as a free unit, Archer punches way above his weight class when properly built and supported. His Hunt path and Physical element make him a single target specialist, perfect for boss killing in Apocalyptic Shadow and Memory of Chaos. What makes Archer unique is his Skill Point synergy with Sparkle her SP generation and max SP increase allow Archer to spam his powerful Skills without running dry. His damage scaling is consistent, and he doesn’t require specific Eidolons to function at a high level. The trade off is that Archer struggles in Pure Fiction due to his single target focus, earning him a T5 ranking in that mode. For players who can’t afford to whale on every banner, Archer represents an incredible value proposition.
Kafka remains the queen of Damage over Time teams, and her position has only strengthened with the release of Hysilens. Her kit revolves around detonating DoT effects on enemies, causing massive bursts of damage that bypass traditional damage reduction. When paired with Black Swan and Hysilens, Kafka creates a DoT engine that melts through enemies regardless of their defensive stats. Her frequent follow up attacks after her version 3.4 buff make her especially potent in Apocalyptic Shadow, where she struggled before. Kafka’s flexibility extends to her build options she can utilize various Light Cones effectively, making her accessible to F2P players. The main consideration with Kafka is that she’s heavily dependent on her DoT teammates to reach top performance. Solo, she’s good. With her full team, she’s unstoppable.
The newest member of the DoT family, Hysilens brings raw damage to the archetype that was previously lacking. His kit is designed specifically to synergize with Kafka and Black Swan, applying multiple DoT stacks and amplifying their damage. What makes Hysilens SS tier is his ability to make DoT teams competitive in Apocalyptic Shadow a mode where DoT traditionally struggled due to low toughness damage. His Lightning element matches Kafka’s, creating powerful resonance effects. Hysilens requires investment to shine, particularly his signature Light Cone, but the payoff is worth it. When the endgame buffs favor DoT (as they did during his release phase), Hysilens led teams can compete with even the strongest Remembrance compositions. The question mark is his long term viability when buffs aren’t tailored to DoT time will tell if he maintains SS-tier status.
Saber introduces a unique energy based action advancement mechanic that makes her one of the trickiest but most rewarding characters to play. Her kit generates energy in random amounts based on combat encounters, causing her to advance forward unpredictably. When mastered, this creates a high skill ceiling DPS who can take multiple turns in rapid succession. Saber performs well across all three endgame modes, though she shines brightest in Apocalyptic Shadow with proper energy restoration buffs. Her Fire element and Destruction path give her solid weakness coverage. Building Saber requires understanding her rotation and planning around her action advancement she’s not a character you can play on autopilot. With supports like Sunday and Robin who can work with her unusual timing, Saber becomes a force to be reckoned with. Her signature Light Cone is nearly mandatory for optimal performance.
The Herta dominated the early Remembrance meta and remains one of the strongest AoE specialists in the game. Her stack based mechanics scale damage based on enemy count, making her the ultimate wave clear character in Pure Fiction. The Herta’s follow up attacks trigger frequently, especially when paired with another Erudition character like Anaxa or Jade. Her Ice element gives her excellent coverage in content with Ice weak enemies. The reason The Herta dropped from T0 to T0.5 in some modes is simple: Ice resistance has become more common in recent endgame cycles, and her AoE focus becomes less valuable when enemy HP pools are massive and enemy counts are low. She’s still incredible in the right content but struggles more than before in unfavorable matchups. The Herta’s investment requirements are moderate she benefits from her signature Light Cone but functions adequately with alternatives.
Aglaea brings the Garmentmaker memosprite to battle as a Lightning Remembrance DPS. Her kit is versatile, allowing her to adapt to various team compositions while maintaining solid damage output. Aglaea works well in most endgame content when given proper team support, particularly with Remembrance Trailblazer and Sunday. Her Lightning element provides good coverage against physical resistant enemies. What holds Aglaea back from SS-tier is her dependence on specific teammates to unlock her full potential without Remembrance supports, her damage falls off considerably. Building Aglaea focuses on CRIT stats and Lightning DMG, with her signature Light Cone providing a significant boost. She’s a strong choice for players who have invested in the Remembrance path but not essential for those focusing on other archetypes.
Yunli operates on a unique counter attack mechanic that transforms enemy aggression into devastating damage. Her kit rewards letting her get hit the more enemies attack her, the more damage she dishes out through her follow up attacks. This makes Yunli especially potent against bosses with frequent attack patterns. Her Physical element and Destruction path give her solid coverage. The challenge with Yunli is timing her Ultimate correctly to maximize counter attack windows. She performs equally well against single target and AoE enemy formations as long as enemies are aggressive. Yunli’s build focuses on CRIT stats and survivability, as she needs to take hits without dying. Her SP economy is neutral, and she doesn’t require her signature Light Cone to function, making her relatively F2P friendly.
Feixiao remains one of the premier single target DPS characters, specializing in follow up attacks and toughness ignoring damage. Her Ultimate charges based on ally attack count rather than traditional energy, allowing for rapid Ultimate cycles in follow up attack teams. Feixiao’s Wind element and Hunt path make her a boss killer par excellence. What’s impressive about Feixiao is her ability to break toughness bars even on non Wind weak enemies, giving her flexibility most DPS lack. She synergizes beautifully with Topaz, March 7th (Hunt), and Robin. The reason Feixiao sits in S-tier rather than SS is the emergence of newer DPS who simply hit harder in the current HP bloated meta. She’s still excellent but requires more support investment to match the clear speeds of top tier characters. Her signature Light Cone is recommended but not mandatory.
Acheron revolutionized Nihility DPS with her unique debuff stacking Ultimate mechanic that completely bypasses traditional energy management. Her Lightning element and massive AoE damage make her viable in all content types. Acheron’s strength lies in her scaling the more debuffs on enemies, the more charges she generates, and the more frequently she can unleash her devastating Ultimate. She pairs naturally with Nihility supports like Jiaoqiu, Silver Wolf, and Pela. What’s pushed Acheron down from her former SS-tier glory is twofold: newer DPS simply output more damage in the current meta, and she requires specific Nihility teammates to function optimally. Without Jiaoqiu or Silver Wolf, Acheron’s performance drops significantly. Her signature Light Cone is highly recommended for maintaining charge generation consistency. Despite the power creep, Acheron remains a solid choice for players who have invested in the Nihility archetype.
Firefly remains the best vertical investment Break DPS in Honkai Star Rail, capable of dealing 300,000+ damage per enemy after toughness breaks with proper support. Her Complete Combustion state transforms her into a toughness destroying machine. Firefly is heavily dependent on Harmony Trailblazer (or Fugue) and Ruan Mei to function without these Super Break enablers, her damage plummets. Her Fire element gives decent coverage, but the recent struggle of Break teams across endgame modes has pushed Firefly down the tier list. In Break favorable content, she still dominates. In unfavorable cycles, she struggles to keep pace. Building Firefly focuses on Break Effect stat stacking, with her signature Light Cone being highly recommended. She’s F2P friendly in that her best teammate (HMC) is free, but she demands specific team construction.
Jingliu received a significant boost in version 3.4 when her scaling was changed from ATK to HP based. This transformation allowed her to synergize with new supports like Hyacine and Tribbie, bringing her back into relevance. Her Ice element and Destruction path make her a solid damage dealer when properly supported. The challenge with Jingliu is that she now leans heavily on HP scaling supports without Tribbie or Hyacine, her performance remains mediocre. She’s also suffered from recent endgame cycles featuring Ice resistant bosses, which directly counter her element. Building Jingliu now focuses on HP%, CRIT stats, and Ice DMG. Her signature Light Cone remains valuable but isn’t mandatory for good performance. She’s a solid choice for players who already have HP scaling infrastructure but not worth chasing for new accounts.
Blade underwent the same HP scaling transformation as Jingliu in version 3.4, and like her, he benefits enormously from HP scaling supports. His self HP drain mechanic now becomes a strength rather than a burden when paired with Hyacine, who can heal massive HP pools while amplifying his damage. Blade performs surprisingly well in Apocalyptic Shadow when properly supported. His Wind element gives him decent coverage. The catch with Blade is that he relies even more heavily on HP scaling supports than Jingliu does his Eidolons at E0 leave him wanting more. Building Blade focuses on HP%, CRIT stats, and Wind DMG. His signature Light Cone helps but alternatives work. He’s risen from obscurity to become a viable option for players invested in the HP scaling archetype.
Boothill possesses enormous Break damage potential but requires Fugue and other Break supports to unleash it. His Physical element Hunt path makes him a single target Break specialist. The problem Boothill faces in the current meta is that his initial Break damage no longer one shots bosses like it did in previous versions HP pools have inflated while Break damage hasn’t scaled proportionally. He’s still viable in Break favorable content but struggles outside his niche. Building Boothill requires massive Break Effect investment and his signature Light Cone for optimal performance. For players committed to Break teams, Boothill remains a solid option, but he’s fallen behind more flexible DPS choices.
Seele was the early game queen of Hunt DPS, featuring a Resurgence mechanic that grants extra turns on kills. Her Quantum element and Hunt path make her a single target specialist. The challenge Seele faces now is that high HP enemies make her reset mechanic harder to trigger she needs to actually kill enemies to gain extra turns, and when bosses have millions of HP, that becomes problematic. She’s still viable in content with multiple lower HP enemies but struggles against tanky single target bosses. Building Seele focuses on maximizing CRIT stats, with her signature Light Cone being valuable but not essential. She’s fallen victim to power creep but remains usable with proper investment.
Jing Yuan’s Lightning Lord follow up attack mechanic has seen renewed interest with Sunday’s release, but he still struggles to keep pace with modern DPS standards. His Erudition path makes him an AoE specialist, but his damage output doesn’t match newer Erudition characters. The Lightning Lord’s damage is respectable but requires significant setup time and support to maintain. Jing Yuan performs best with Sunday, Sparkle, or Tingyun providing action advancement and buffs. His Lightning element gives decent coverage. Building Jing Yuan focuses on CRIT stats and Lightning DMG. He’s a decent option for players who already have him built but not worth prioritizing over newer characters.
Dr. Ratio offers unique debuff focused DPS with solid numbers when conditions are met. His kit requires enemies to have three or more debuffs to reliably trigger his follow up attacks, making team composition crucial. His Imaginary element Hunt path makes him a single target specialist. Dr. Ratio’s value lies in his F2P accessibility he was given away free, making him available to all players. With proper debuff supports like Topaz, Silver Wolf, or Pela, Dr. Ratio can output respectable damage. Without them, he flounders. His signature Light Cone helps but alternatives work. He’s a budget option for players who can build debuff teams around him.
DHIL possesses one of the strongest single target Enhanced Basic Attacks in the game, capable of obliterating single enemies regardless of weakness type. His Imaginary element Destruction path makes him a versatile damage dealer. The problem with DHIL is his enormous Skill Point consumption he devours SP faster than almost any character, requiring dedicated SP generators like Sparkle or Huohuo. In Skill Point positive teams, DHIL still performs well. In neutral or negative teams, he becomes a liability. Building DHIL focuses on CRIT stats and ATK%, with his signature Light Cone providing significant value. He’s fallen behind newer DPS in clear speed but remains viable for players who enjoy his playstyle.
Argenti represents an Ultimate focused AoE Erudition character whose time has passed. His kit revolves around charging his Ultimate quickly and unleashing massive AoE damage. The challenge is that Argenti struggles in single target content and his Ultimate centric gameplay means he does nothing between casts. His Physical element gives decent coverage. Building Argenti requires supports like Tingyun, Huohuo, or Sunday to maintain Ultimate uptime. He performs adequately in Physical weak AoE content but falls short everywhere else. His signature Light Cone helps but doesn’t solve his fundamental limitations. He’s only recommended for players who really love his character design.
Tribbie stands as arguably the strongest support character in Honkai Star Rail’s history. Her kit provides RES PEN, Vulnerability, Additional DMG, and frequent follow up attacks essentially everything a DPS could want. What makes Tribbie SS-tier is her near universal applicability she enhances virtually every DPS in the game. Her Ultimate uptime can reach 100% when played correctly, meaning her buffs are always active. Tribbie’s Harmony path and versatile kit make her a premium support worth chasing. She requires minimal investment to reach full effectiveness, and her signature Light Cone, while helpful, isn’t mandatory. Every account benefits from having Tribbie, making her one of the safest pulls in the game. Her only “weakness” is that she’s so good she might get nerfed in future balance patches.
Remembrance Trailblazer (RMC) is the free Remembrance support that every player receives, and astonishingly, they’re SS-tier. RMC provides True DMG, Action Advance when their memosprite reaches 100 Charge, team wide CRIT DMG buffs, and CRIT Rate bonuses through Eidolons. The beauty of RMC is their F2P accessibility combined with premium performance they’re the backbone of every Remembrance team. Building RMC focuses on Speed and Effect Hit Rate to maintain buff uptime. They function at E0 but gain significant value from Eidolons, all of which are obtainable for free through gameplay. RMC’s existence makes Remembrance teams accessible to all players, democratizing access to the current meta. They pair perfectly with Castorice, Aglaea, and other Remembrance DPS units.
Sunday represents the pinnacle of summon based support design. His kit specifically amplifies characters who utilize summons or memosprites, making him best in slot for Remembrance DPS. Sunday provides CRIT DMG buffs, nearly neutral SP economy (positive with his signature Light Cone), and Energy regeneration based on the target’s Max Energy. What catapulted Sunday to SS-tier was his synergy with Dan Heng Permansor Terrae his Skill increases damage further if the target has a summon, creating multiplicative scaling. Sunday works with various DPS including Saber and Phainon beyond just Remembrance units. Building Sunday focuses on Speed and Energy Regeneration Rate. His signature Light Cone significantly improves his SP economy. He’s a premium support worth pulling if you use summon based DPS.
Robin remains one of the most powerful supports in Honkai Star Rail, specializing in team wide Action Advance and follow up attack amplification. Her Concerto state allows the entire team to take action simultaneously, creating devastating burst windows. Robin’s buffs enhance both damage output and action economy arguably the two most important factors in HSR’s combat. She synergizes perfectly with follow up attack teams featuring characters like Feixiao, Topaz, and Yunli. The downside to Robin is that she needs her Ultimate ready when Concerto ends to maintain buff uptime poor planning can leave your team vulnerable. Building Robin focuses on ATK% (which scales her team buffs), Speed, and Energy Regeneration. Her signature Light Cone is valuable but alternatives work. Robin is universally useful and worth pulling for any account.
Cipher operates as an Amplifier who provides Vulnerability and Recorded DMG that bypasses damage reduction mechanics. Her debuffs are consistently present, making her valuable across all endgame content. Cipher performs especially well in Pure Fiction where her constant debuff application provides consistent damage amplification. She synergizes well with DPS like Phainon and Anaxa who can take full advantage of her Vulnerability stacks. Building Cipher focuses on Effect Hit Rate and Speed to maintain debuff uptime. Her signature Light Cone helps but isn’t essential. Cipher represents a strong generalist support who fits various team compositions without requiring specific archetypes.
Bronya has risen from the dead thanks to Phainon and other modern hypercarries who love action advancement. Her kit provides Action Advance and substantial DMG buffs, making her perfect for hypercarry teams. Bronya’s Eidolons make SP management and SPD tuning easier, though she functions adequately at E0. She works similarly to Sunday but without the summon specific bonuses. Building Bronya requires Speed tuning you want her to move right before your DPS for maximum efficiency. Her signature Light Cone helps but alternatives work. Bronya has reclaimed her spot in the meta as a premier hypercarry support.
Ruan Mei remains the quintessential generalist support, though her stock has fallen slightly with Break teams struggling in the current meta. She provides Weakness Break Efficiency, RES PEN, SPD, and Break delay stats that benefit virtually every team composition. While she’s most valuable in Break teams with Firefly or Boothill, Ruan Mei’s buffs enhance any DPS. Her All Type RES PEN is particularly valuable for characters who struggle with elemental coverage. Building Ruan Mei focuses on Break Effect and Speed. Her signature Light Cone is recommended for maximum Break Effect. She’s still worth pulling as a generalist support but less essential than during the Break meta’s peak.
Sparkle found new life with Archer’s release, as she’s the only support who increases Max SP a mechanic crucial for SP-hungry DPS. Her CRIT DMG buffs are substantial, making her valuable for hypercarry teams. Sparkle also generates SP through her Ultimate, helping maintain positive SP economy. She works with Phainon in some compositions, though she’s not his best option. Building Sparkle focuses on CRIT DMG (which scales her buffs) and Speed. Her signature Light Cone significantly boosts her buffing capabilities. Sparkle has clawed her way back into relevance after months of struggling she’s worth considering if you use SP-hungry DPS like Archer or DHIL.
Cerydra currently stands as a best in slot option for Skill based DPS including Phainon, Anaxa, and Archer in specific situations. Her kit amplifies Skill damage specifically, making her niche but powerful within that niche. Cerydra’s value comes from her focused buffing when conditions are right, she provides enormous damage amplification. When conditions aren’t right, she’s mediocre. Building Cerydra focuses on Speed and Energy Regeneration to maintain buff uptime. Her signature Light Cone is recommended. She’s a specialist support worth considering if you main Skill based DPS, but not a universal pull.
Silver Wolf received significant buffs when her Ultimate became AoE and her Weakness Implant changed to be based on the first character in the lineup. These changes made her more flexible and easier to use. Silver Wolf’s primary value comes from DEF reduction and weakness implantation, making non weak enemies vulnerable to your DPS. She synergizes well with Acheron and Archer, though her average performance hasn’t matched expectations. Building Silver Wolf focuses on Effect Hit Rate and Speed to maintain debuff uptime. Her signature Light Cone helps but alternatives work. She’s useful for specific team compositions but not universally essential.
The original 4-star Harmony support, Tingyun, remains relevant through sheer utility she generates Energy and provides solid damage amplification through ATK buffs. Her SP neutral kit makes her easy to slot into any team without disrupting SP economy. Tingyun works with various DPS but shines with characters who scale well with ATK. Building Tingyun focuses on ATK% (which scales her buffs) and Speed. She’s completely F2P friendly, requiring no limited Light Cones. Tingyun represents excellent value for new players and remains viable even in endgame content with proper investment.
Jiaoqiu’s position has fallen with Cipher’s release, as his damage amplification doesn’t compare favorably to other meta 5-star supports. His Vulnerability and Ultimate debuff mechanics are solid but no longer best in class. Jiaoqiu primarily functions as Acheron’s dedicated support, applying the debuffs she needs to charge her Ultimate quickly. Outside Acheron teams, his value drops significantly. Building Jiaoqiu focuses on Effect Hit Rate and Speed. His signature Light Cone is nearly mandatory for maintaining debuff uptime. He’s worth pulling only if you main Acheron otherwise, skip.
Fugue provides Super Break damage and various stats, making her the best Break support alongside Harmony Trailblazer. Unfortunately, Break teams have fallen out of favor in the current meta, dragging Fugue’s value down with them. When Break is strong, Fugue is essential. When Break struggles, she sits on the bench. Her kit is well designed and powerful within her archetype the archetype itself is simply out of meta. Building Fugue focuses on Break Effect and Speed. Her signature Light Cone is valuable. She’s worth having for when Break inevitably returns to dominance but not essential right now.
Harmony Trailblazer remains the free Super Break enabler that makes Firefly and Boothill function. HMC’s Super Break mechanic converts Break Effect into additional damage, fundamentally enabling Break DPS characters. Like Fugue, HMC’s value is directly tied to Break team viability and Break teams are struggling currently. Building HMC focuses on Break Effect stacking. They’re completely free including all Eidolons. HMC is essential if you play Break teams but unnecessary otherwise. Keep them built for when the meta shifts back to Break.
Pela remains a solid 4-star Nihility support providing DEF shred and Ice RES reduction. Her Ultimate uptime is excellent due to energy generation on enemy defeat, making her valuable in wave clear content. Pela works well with various DPS but especially shines with Acheron and Ice DPS. Building Pela focuses on Effect Hit Rate and Speed. She’s F2P-friendly and accessible to all players. Pela represents solid value for players who can’t afford limited 5-star supports, though she’s outclassed by premium options.
Asta provides SPD, ATK, and Break capabilities through her bouncing Skill. She’s a decent 4-star support option for general team compositions. Asta’s Fire element and Harmony path make her accessible and easy to build. The challenge with Asta is that she doesn’t excel in any particular area she’s good at everything but great at nothing. Building Asta focuses on Speed and Break Effect. She’s F2P-friendly and worth building for new players but falls off as you acquire better options.
Hanya functions as a solid 4-star option for SP-hungry DPS like Archer and DHIL. Her Ultimate provides ATK and SPD buffs while her kit generates SP. The problem with Hanya is that she’s outclassed by 5-star alternatives in every aspect. She’s serviceable but not optimal. Building Hanya focuses on Speed and Energy Regeneration. She’s F2P-accessible and worth considering if you lack premium supports, but priority should go elsewhere once you can upgrade.
Guinaifen serves as a 4-star Nihility option for DoT teams, providing Burn application and Vulnerability debuff. She’s specifically useful in DoT compositions with Kafka and Black Swan. Outside DoT teams, Guinaifen’s value plummets. Building Guinaifen focuses on Effect Hit Rate and Speed. She’s F2P-friendly and worth building only if you’re running DoT teams otherwise, invest elsewhere.
Yukong sits at the bottom of support rankings due to her clunky kit that requires SPD tuning and perfect timing to utilize effectively. Without her E6 (sixth Eidolon), Yukong struggles to provide consistent value. Her Skill buffs are strong on paper but impractical in execution. Building Yukong requires precise Speed tuning to ensure buffs land on your DPS’s turn. She’s not recommended for most players there are simply better options available at every rarity tier.
Hyacine represents the current peak of sustain design in Honkai Star Rail. Her kit provides Max HP buffs, frequent AoE healing, debuff cleanse, and surprisingly high damage output. What makes Hyacine SS-tier is her perfect synergy with HP-scaling Remembrance teams she’s not just keeping them alive, she’s actively amplifying their damage through HP scaling. Hyacine’s healing is so frequent and substantial that your team essentially becomes immortal. Building Hyacine focuses on HP% and Speed. Her signature Light Cone is highly recommended for maximizing her healing output and damage. Every account benefits from Hyacine, but she’s especially essential for Remembrance and HP-scaling teams.
The newest sustain addition, Dan Heng Permansor Terrae brings summon based shielding mechanics to the Preservation path. His shields are based on his summon’s action frequency, which is affected by how often the Bondmate attacks this creates dynamic shielding that scales with team aggression. Dan Heng PT also provides an ATK buff and follow up attacks based on Bondmate stats. He’s incredibly strong with summon based DPS and characters who attack frequently. Building Dan Heng PT focuses on DEF and HP for shield strength, plus Speed. His signature Light Cone enhances his shielding capabilities. He’s worth pulling if you run summon based teams or need a premium shield based sustain.
Aventurine remains one of the strongest sustain options with frequent shield generation and CRIT DMG buffs through his Ultimate. His shields trigger from enemy attacks, meaning the more aggressive enemies are, the safer your team becomes. Aventurine also provides follow up attacks after taking hits, adding offensive utility to his defensive kit. He synergizes beautifully with follow up attack teams. Building Aventurine focuses on DEF and Effect RES to maintain shields consistently. His signature Light Cone is valuable but alternatives work. Aventurine is worth having for any account running follow up attack compositions.
Huohuo provides frequent debuff cleanse, solid healing from team Ultimate usage, and ATK buffs. Her energy restoration mechanic makes her valuable for energy hungry DPS who struggle to maintain Ultimate uptime. Huohuo’s Wind element Abundance path makes her a versatile healer who fits most team compositions. She’s seen renewed relevance with Saber and other energy dependent DPS. Building Huohuo focuses on HP% for healing scaling and Speed. Her signature Light Cone enhances her energy restoration. She’s worth pulling if you need a sustain who doubles as energy support.
Lingsha provides solid healing if used correctly while dealing frequent AoE damage through her summon. She fills a unique niche as a sustain who contributes meaningful damage while keeping the team alive. Lingsha works well in Break teams where her damage contribution is valued. Building Lingsha focuses on Break Effect and HP% for healing. Her signature Light Cone enhances her damage output. She’s worth considering for Break focused accounts but not essential for general use.
Gallagher stands as the best 4-star sustain option, generating substantial SP through his Ultimate and Basic Attack while providing healing based on the Besotted debuff. His SP generation makes him valuable in SP-negative teams. Gallagher’s healing requires proper Ultimate and Skill usage timing but rewards correct play with excellent sustain. Building Gallagher focuses on HP% and Speed. He’s completely F2P-friendly and accessible to all players. Gallagher represents incredible value for players who can’t access limited 5-star sustains.
Luocha provides emergency healing and a Zone that heals whenever the team attacks. His Imaginary element Abundance path makes him a solid general purpose sustain. The problem with Luocha is that he’s been power crept by newer sustains who provide more utility alongside healing. He’s still viable and will keep your team alive, but he doesn’t enhance team performance like modern sustains do. Building Luocha focuses on ATK% (which scales his healing) and Speed. His signature Light Cone enhances healing output. He’s adequate but not worth chasing over better options.
Fu Xuan redirects damage taken from team members to herself while providing small healing through her Ultimate. She also grants CRIT Rate, Max HP, and damage reduction buffs. Fu Xuan was once meta defining but has fallen behind as enemies hit harder and her redirection mechanic becomes more dangerous. She’s still solid for keeping teams alive but lacks the utility modern sustains provide. Building Fu Xuan focuses on HP% and DEF for survivability. Her signature Light Cone is valuable. She’s adequate if you already have her but not worth prioritizing over current sustains.
Bailu, Gepard, and Lynx all occupy B-tier as solid F2P sustain options for new players who haven’t acquired better alternatives. Bailu’s revive mechanic provides emergency recovery. Gepard offers team wide shields. Lynx provides HP buffs and cleanse. They all function adequately for early and mid game content but struggle in current endgame without significant investment. Building these characters focuses on their respective defensive stats (HP for Bailu, DEF for Gepard, HP for Lynx). They’re worth using until you acquire premium sustains but shouldn’t be long term investments.
These free sustain options sit at the bottom tier because they simply don’t sustain well enough in current meta content. They’re adequate for story mode and early Simulated Universe but fail in endgame content where enemies hit hard and sustain requirements are high. Natasha’s basic healing is insufficient. March 7th’s shields are weak. Preservation Trailblazer’s taunt mechanic is unreliable. They’re stepping stones to better sustains, nothing more. Use them only if you have absolutely no other options, then replace them as soon as possible.
Phainon currently holds the title of strongest DPS character when properly supported with characters like Tribbie, Sunday, and Robin. His Territory mechanic and weakness ignoring toughness damage make him incredibly versatile across all content types. However, “strongest” is contextual Castorice dominates in HP scaling Remembrance teams, while Kafka excels in DoT compositions. For supports, Tribbie is universally considered the strongest due to her ability to enhance virtually any team composition.
Focus on acquiring at least one top tier limited 5-star DPS before heavily investing in 4-stars. Characters like Archer (who is free), Castorice, or Phainon provide significantly more value than any 4-star DPS. However, 4-star supports like Gallagher, Pela, and Tingyun are worth building as they remain viable even in endgame content. The ideal approach is pulling one premium DPS, one premium support, and one premium sustain, then filling remaining slots with well built 4-stars.
Remembrance characters benefit from HP-scaling mechanics and memosprites that act as additional bodies on the field. These memosprites provide extra actions, damage, and utility without consuming team slots. Combined with supports like Hyacine and Tribbie who amplify HP-scaling teams, Remembrance compositions achieve damage levels other paths struggle to match. The memosprite mechanic essentially gives you a five person team in a four slot game, creating enormous advantages.
Signature Light Cone importance varies by character. Some characters like Phainon and Saber see dramatic performance increases (30-40% damage boost) with their signature. Others like Archer and Gallagher function perfectly with F2P alternatives. As a general rule, DPS characters benefit more from signatures than supports or sustains. Prioritize pulling characters over their Light Cones unless you’re a spender a new character provides more value than a marginal damage increase.
The best F2P roster includes Archer (free DPS), Remembrance Trailblazer (free support), Harmony Trailblazer (free Break support), Gallagher (4-star sustain), Pela (4-star debuffer), and Tingyun (4-star buffer). This core can clear all content with proper building. Save Stellar Jades for meta defining limited 5-stars like Tribbie, Castorice, or whichever top tier DPS appeals to you. Never chase Light Cones as F2P always prioritize new characters.
Tier lists shift every major patch (roughly every 6 weeks) as new characters release and endgame content rotates. The most stable characters are generalist supports like Robin and Tribbie who remain valuable across meta shifts. DPS characters are more volatile they can fall from SS to A-tier within a single patch if endgame content becomes unfavorable. Avoid chasing “meta” obsessively; instead, focus on building versatile teams that can adapt to content changes.
Don’t build teams based solely on tier rankings consider synergy first. An S-tier DPS with SS-tier supports will always outperform an SS-tier DPS with B-tier supports. Use this tier list to identify strong characters worth pulling, then research team compositions that maximize their potential. Check detailed character analyses for synergy recommendations. Remember that tier lists evaluate characters in optimal conditions your mileage may vary based on available teammates and investment levels.
DoT teams featuring Kafka, Hysilens, and Black Swan remain viable and even dominant in content with favorable buffs. However, they struggle more than before in neutral content where endgame buffs don’t specifically favor DoT. DoT’s weakness is low toughness damage outside Kafka’s follow up attacks, making them less effective in Apocalyptic Shadow. If you enjoy DoT playstyle and have invested in these characters, they’ll still clear all content just not as quickly as top tier Remembrance teams.
If current banners feature SS or S-tier characters you need, pull immediately rather than waiting. Rerun timing is unpredictable characters might not return for 6+ months. The only exception is if a leaked future character perfectly fits your roster needs. Otherwise, building a functional team now provides more value than waiting months for a theoretical rerun. Meta shifts quickly enough that “waiting for perfect” often means missing out on months of rewards.
The Honkai Star Rail meta in December 2025 remains dynamic and exciting, with the Remembrance path and HP-scaling mechanics defining top tier play. Characters like Castorice, Phainon, and Evernight dominate damage charts while Tribbie, Robin, and Sunday provide unmatched support utility. The tier lists I’ve presented reflect current endgame performance across Memory of Chaos, Pure Fiction, and Apocalyptic Shadow.
Remember that tier rankings aren’t everything team synergy, proper building, and understanding character mechanics matter more than raw tier placement. An S-tier character played correctly will always outperform an SS-tier character played poorly. Use this guide as a foundation for building your roster, but don’t be afraid to invest in characters you enjoy playing.
The meta will shift again with version 4.0 approaching, bringing new content and characters that may completely reshape tier rankings. Stay flexible, build diverse teams, and most importantly, have fun experimenting with different compositions. Honkai Star Rail rewards creativity and adaptation more than rigid meta chasing.
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