Honkai Star Rail Top Up

In Honkai Star Rail 3.4, which was launched on July 1st, you can enjoy a unique gameplay experience with Fate/Stay Night crossover event and the accompanying new characters, but now's the time to start preparing for 3.5!

Version 3.5, titled “Before Their Deaths,” also represents the game's seventeenth Trailblaze Mission chapter's arrival. The new story will take place in Amphoreus and feature new characters.

So, what new characters can you obtain and what new gameplay experiences can you expect in Version 3.5? We'll explain below.

When Will Version 3.5 Be Released?

Based on the information currently available, Before Their Deaths is expected to release on Wednesday, August 13, 2025. The exact release date may vary depending on your time zone. Please see the following for details:

• West Coast US: Tuesday, August 12, 8pm (PT)
• Central US: Tuesday, August 12, 10pm (CT)
• East Coast US: Tuesday, August 12, 11pm (ET)
• Japan: Wednesday, August 13, 12pm (JST)
• Australia: Wednesday, August 13, 1pm (AET)
• UK: Wednesday, August 13, 4am (BST)
• Europe: Wednesday, August 13, 5am (CEST)

What Characters Can You Obtain In Both Phases?

As in the past, Version 3.5 will release over two phases, each with different banners and playable content. Each banner will offer two five-star characters: one brand new and one returning classic.

To ensure you don't blindly consume too many Honkai Star Rail Oneiric Shards in Phase 1 so that miss out on valuable Phase 2 characters, it's essential to be aware of all the new characters' abilities coming in Version 3.5 in advance.

Phase 1 Banners

The 5-star characters joining this phase are Hysilens and Kafka. Hysilens makes her debut in the game via Winedark Swansong Banner. As a physical attacker, her Nihility path excels at dealing DoT damage and applying debuffs to enemies.

Returning 5-star Kafka is part of Nessun Norma Banner. Also part of Nihility path, she's a lightning-type attacker. If you missed out on drawing her before, Version 3.5 is the perfect time!

In addition, Honkai Star Rail will also release the following 4-star characters based on the two banners mentioned above:

• Asta (Fire, Harmony)
• Arlan (Lightning, Destruction)
• Hook (Fire, Destruction)

In addition to the characters, the game will also release Light Cone banners in the new version, giving characters exclusive or more powerful equipment. Light Cones expected in Version 3.5 are:

Brilliant Fixation Banner:

• Why Does the Ocean Sing (5-Star, Nihility, Hysilens's signature)
• Eyes of the Prey (4-Star, Nihility)
• Poised to Bloom (4-Star, Harmony)
• Indelible Promise (4-Star, Destruction)

Bygone Reminiscene Banner:

• Patience Is All You Need (5-Star, Nihility, Kafka's signature)
• Eyes of the Prey (4-Star, Nihility)
• Poised to Bloom (4-Star, Harmony)
• Indelible Promise (4-Star, Destruction)

Phase 2 Banners

This phase's new 5-star character is Cerydra from Iron Tamer of Tides Banner. She's a wind attack character on Harmony path, providing benefits to a single ally during combat.

The returning 5-star character in Phase 2 is Silver Wolf from Contract Zero Banner. She's a quantum attack character in Nihility path, specializing in lowering enemy defenses and creating additional weaknesses. She also received a buff in Version 3.4.

Based on this, the 4-star characters released in Phase 2 of Version 3.5 include:

• Sampo (Wind, Nihility)
• Qingque (Quantum, Erudition)
• Dan Heng (Wind, Hunt)

Of course, Phase 2 will also feature corresponding Light Cones' banners, giving you the opportunity to enhance your available Phase 2 characters:

Brilliant Fixation Banner:

• Epoch Etched in Golden Blood (5-Star, Harmony, Cerydra's signature)
• The Birth of the Self (4-Star, Erudition)
• Swordplay (4-Star, Hunt)
• Good Night and Sleep Well (4-Star, Nihility)

Bygone Reminiscene Banner:

• Incessant Rain (5-Star, Nihility, Silver Wolf's signature)
• The Birth of the Self (4-Star, Erudition)
• Swordplay (4-Star, Hunt)
• Good Night and Sleep Well (4-Star, Nihility)

Happily, HSR x Fate UBW Banner introduced in Version 3.4 will still be available in 3.5! If you missed most of 3.4 or haven't drawn the crossover characters you're looking for, you still have time to work on them.

What New Events Will Version 3.5 Bring?

First and foremost, the new Trailblaze Mission chapter, Before Their Deaths, will be available. This story takes you to Okhema, ruled by Cerydra, and allows you to embark on a new cycle of Eternal Recurrence with Cyrene.

In addition, 3.5 will add a new area, Styxia, City of Infinite Revel; Ascension material Sea Siren's Torn Fin for ice-type characters; and a new boss, Lygus, with two combat forms.

Limited-Time Events

Version 3.5 is expected to offer six playable limited-time events, some of which will focus on giving out rewards, while others will offer fun and relaxing mini-games where you can earn in-game items while relaxing.

• Chrysos Maze Grand Restaurant: A business simulation mini-game where you manage a restaurant. Playing this mini-game earns you a new 4-star Light Cone, Self-Modeling Resin, Stellar Jade, and Tracks of Destiny.
• Old Brews and New Friends: Return to Dreamjolt Hostelry and serve customers as a bartender. Event rewards include weapon level-up materials, Stellar Jade, and Tracks of Destiny.
• Space Station Task Force: Complete quests to train Herta AI, which will earn you Stellar Jade, credits, and level-up materials.
• Gift of Odyssey: Rewards you with Star Passes after logging in for a certain number of consecutive days.
• Planear Fissure: Doubles the drop rate of Planar Ornaments for a limited time.
• Garden of Plenty: Doubles the drop rate of Calyx for a limited time.

The above is the main content about the new characters and events in HSR Version 3.5. You can use this information to prepare yourself before entering the new version! I wish you happy playing!

Honkai Star Rail 3.4 is about to start, and this version is bound to make players excited! Not only because FATE collaboration brings two new characters to players, but also because after the foreshadowing of the previous chapters, the story is about to usher in a major turning point at this stage.

Release Date

• Pacific Time (UTC-7): 8:00 PM, July 1, 2025 to 3:00 PM, August 12, 2025
• Mountain Time (UTC-6): 9:00 PM, July 1, 2025 to 4:00 PM, August 12, 2025
• Central Time (UTC-5): 10:00 PM, July 1, 2025 to 5:00 PM, August 12, 2025
• Eastern Time (UTC-4): 11:00 PM, July 1, 2025 to 6:00 PM, August 12, 2025
• British Summer Time (UTC+1): 4:00 AM, July 2, 2025 to 11:00 PM, August 12, 2025
• Central European Time (UTC+2): 5:00 AM, July 2, 2025 to 00:00 AM, August 13, 2025
• UTC+5:30: 8:30 AM, July 2, 2025 to 3:30 AM, August 13, 2025
• UTC+8: 11:00 AM, July 2, 2025 to 6:00 AM, August 13, 2025
• UTC+9: 12:00 PM, July 2, 2025 to 7:00 AM, August 13, 2025
• EST (UTC+10): 1:00 PM, July 2, 2025 to 8:00 AM, August 13, 2025

Banners

First, the character banners that most players are concerned about. Version 3.4 is divided into two stages as always. The first stage is three new characters, including two crossover characters, and the second stage is rerun characters. Version 3.4 has a lot of content, but the accumulated rewards alone are not enough for you to return with a full load in 3.4. You may also need Honkai Star Rail Top Up to get all the characters and Light Cones you want.

• Stage 1: Phainon, Saber, Archer
• Stage 2: Tribbie, Sparkle, Sunday, Firefly, Jingliu, Blade

Version 3.4 New Light Cones

• Thus Burns the Dawn
• A Thankless Coronation
• The Hell Where Ideals Burn
• The Story’s Next Page
• A Dream Scented in Wheat
• A Trail of Bygone Blood
• The Flower Remembers
• In Pursuit of the Wind
• Unto Tomorrow’s Morrow
• Journey, Forever Peaceful
• See You at the End
• Holiday Thermae Escapade

Version 3.4 Rerun Light Cones

• If Time Were a Flower
• Earthly Escapade
• A Grounded Ascent
• Whereabouts Should Dreams Rest
• I Shall Be My Own Sword
• The Unreachable Side

Phainon

Version 3.4 The core secret of Omphalos will be revealed, and the other form of Phainon shown in the PV makes players imagine, and they can’t help but look forward to and be curious about the changes that this “savior” will soon usher in.

Of course, besides the plot, Phainon’s own strength has also exceeded the expectations of many players. Phainon can not only use the second form shown in the plot in battle, but also gain a set of new skills and cool new special effects after transformation.

Whether it is a knife to cut open a space crack, wield a giant sword to split the earth, or summon a meteorite attack on the full screen, Phainon’s skills not only show players what “one man makes an army”, but also his strength is truly top-notch in all senses.

Such a character can actually become a playable character, which really makes players full of expectations. I wonder if you have saved enough Honkai Star Rail Oneiric Shard for it?

Phainon is the Physical DPS of Destruction path. The most suitable affixes for it are critical hit rate and critical hit damage. The best critical hit rate should be 100%, and the best critical hit damage should be over than 150%.

Recommended Light Cone:

• Best: Thus Burns the Dawn (five stars)

Alternatives:

• On the Fall of an Aeon (five stars)
• A Trail of Bygone Blood (four stars)
• Something Irreplaceable (five stars)
• Under the Blue Sky (four stars)

Recommended team: Phainon, Sunday, Bronya, Tingyun

Saber And Archer

Saber is one of the three heroines from Fate/Stay Night. She is the servant of Shirou Emiya (Archer), also known as Artoria or Altria. In this collaboration, she also belongs to the Destruction path and uses Wind element.

Archer is Shirou Emiya, the future form of the male protagonist of Fate/stay night. He follows The Hunt in the game and uses the element Quantum.

The crossover plot and activities will be themed around Holy Grail War and will try to restore the settings of Fate such as Noble Phantasm, class, Command Spell, etc., so that players can fully experience the charm of the Holy Grail War. As crossover characters, Saber and Archer, in addition to the 3D image, the iconic Noble Phantasm such as Excalibur and Unlimited Blade Works have also been accurately reproduced.

It is worth mentioning that the official has made special optimizations for these two crossover characters. You can set the voices of these two characters to Japanese, which can be said to be very sincere for this crossover.

Events And Benefits

Version 3.4 will open a new area, Aedes Elysiae, and a new main quest For the Sun is Set to Die and Sweet Dreams and the Holy Grail. This means that the plot will enter the next stage.

New Events:

• Fate/stay night: crossover activities.
• Origami Bird Clash: Online match-3 arcade game
• Novaflare: Enhanced character trial event
• 3.4 Gift of Odyssey: Daily login event
• 3.4 Planar Fissure: Double Planar Ornament drop event
• 3.4 Realm of the Strange: a double Cavern Relic rewards event.

Since Version 3.4 has three new characters, it is still a bit stressful to train them. The official also gave a lot of welfare activities. The crossover character Archer will be given away for free, and the crossover banner will be open for a long time. Players can also receive free materials to upgrade Archer to level 60.

In addition, after the 3.4 banner is drawn 200 times, you can also get the exclusive Light Cone of Archer for free. Finally, in the second half of this year, the official will also give away a limited five-star character for free to reduce the burden of Top Up for players.

The above is the general content of Version 3.4. The new characters and new plots of Honkai Star Rail are exciting. I hope you can reap a lot in the next version.