Last updated on September 28th, 2026 at 12:55 pm
Look, I get it. Each new banner feels like a crisis. You are sitting on 8,000 Stellar Jades, and you see the leakage about the 3.3, 3.4, and 3.5 characters, and all at once you start doubting everything. Should you pull now? Wait three patches? I have experienced it, with my jade count watching at 2 AM, wondering whether I’d made a huge mistake.
This is what I have learned after following future characters after 3.2: not all of the new glitter that you see is worth your jades. Some are game-changers. Others? Expensive bench warmers.
Table of Contents
Real Priority: Hyacine (Version 3.3)
Hyacine is a must when you run HP-loss teams, and, no doubt, when you take Castorice or Mydein;n Hyacine is a necessity. She is the original healer, specifically made to heal characters that drain themselves to do so.
I put her to the test, and here is the point: Luocha can’t keep pace with Castorice’s health-burning rate. Hyacine can. Her memosprite, Little Ica, transforms on her between turns and constantly heals, and her level of HP increases due to an increase in the tankiness of your team.
Forget her sin unless thou hast Castorice, Mydei, or Tribbie. On regular teams, Luocha also does well.
Pull: You invested in HP sacrifice DPS, and you are sick and tired of seeing them die in the middle of the rotation process.
The DoT Upgrade: Cipher (Ver.3.3).
Cipher stores, destroys, and deactivates it as actual damage–essentially a time-bombed nuclear bomb. She was made for Kafka and Black Swan setups.
This is my opinion: she’s good at what she does, but it is a narrow thing. At this point, you have DoT teams running and are clearing endgame content; she is a bonus. Don’t you live without Kafka or Black Swan? She won’t turn DoT into a viable place overnight.
Post-beta buffs increased her by 15 more energy per three turns, and this resolved her greatest challenge. Nevertheless, I would place her below Hyacine for most players.
Leave her alone when: You are not in charge of DoT teams, or you are clearing Pure Fiction without any problems.
Pull: Kafka and Black Swan are your priority DPS, and you wish to push them even further.
The Hypercarry King (Version 3.4): Phainon.
Things become interesting at Phainon. He is a Physical Destruction DPS whose mechanic is entirely new- Coreflame rather than energy. Imagine him as a burst-style hypercarry that does not require an orthodox support.
I’m personally saving for him. Why? He fills a gap. He’ll likely be the best option after 3.2 if you don’t have a strong Physical DPS. In addition, his damage ceiling compares to that of the highest damage-carrying units.
The catch? He needs certain supports to shine. His supposedly best partner is Cerydra in version 3.5, so you may need to spend more money to reach his full potential.
Avoid him when: You already have well-balanced or overpowered Physical carries and hypercarry teams that do not allow anything at all.
Should pull, asking: You want the best DPS and are prepared to build a team around him.
Version 3.5 plus: Hold Your Jades.
Here’s where it gets messy. Version 3.5 adds Hysilens and Cerydra, i.e., both add bases with respective niches—Hysilens amps hemorrhage/DoT. Cerydra controls turn order and energy.
They are good, but don’t drop everything and pull good until you are running the specific teams they support.
How to Actually Decide (Without Losing Your Mind)
Stop chasing every banner. Seriously. Here’s my framework:
Pose three questions to yourself:
- Will this character solve an issue that I am currently facing? Cannot clear Memory of Chaos floor 10? Lacking a healer for HP teams?)
- Do I already have the supports this character needs? (Phainon, who is not very lovely with his supports) Is fair enough.
- Am I in a position to guarantee them? (Budget 16,800 jades -approximately 105 pulls – per character)
In case you selected no to two of those questions, pass the banner.
My Personal Response (As a reminder).
I’m sitting on 22,000 jades. I will not even mention Cipher; I pull (probably) Hyacine, and certainly save Phainon. Those are two personalities on three patches, and I will have plenty left over for an emergency.
You don’t need everyone. You must have the right ones for your story.
The Bottom Line
The best characters to reserve for after 3.2, with the highest priority:
- Phainon (3.4) – do you require Physical DPS?
- Hyacine (3.3): do you run HP-loss teams?
- Cipher (3.3) – in case you are a DoT expert.
- The rest, everybody, wait more.
Your jades are limited. F2P players receive approximately half of the patches (50), and this implies that we can realistically promise at least 1 5-star every 2 patches. Plan accordingly.
And you feel like you’re drowning in FOMO even more? Shut down Reddit, no YouTube theorycrafters, no, play with what you have in a week. I swear you don’t need to miss one banner for this story to be doom.
Also Read: Honkai Star Rail 3.2 Update: Complete Player Guide
I’m a content writer passionate about games and strategy. I’m dedicated to creating engaging, informative content for today’s audience. I keep a close eye on the latest gaming and industry trends to deliver entertaining, informative articles. Whether it’s exploring new tools or analyzing the sport, I bring a new, accessible voice to each episode. Let us connect and enhance your content with knowledge and insight!
