The Honkai Star Rail 3.5 banners are set to invigorate the game’s dynamic combat strategies with the introduction of Hysilens, a fresh addition to the damage-over-time (DOT) gameplay. Additionally, players can anticipate the return of Cerydra, a formidable Harmony character. For those who were unable to acquire Kafka and Silver Wolf during previous iterations, there’s promising news on the horizon, as they make a comeback through limited banners.
Below, we provide a comprehensive overview of the characters featured in the HSR 3.5 banners, including what players can expect from each character and the dates when their respective phases will launch.
Phase One of Honkai Star Rail 3.5 Banners: Hysilens and Kafka
The first phase kicks off on August 13, 2025 (or August 12 depending on your time zone), featuring Hysilens’ debut alongside Kafka’s rerun. HoYoverse has yet to announce the 4-star characters included in this phase.
- Hysilens – 5-star, Physical, Nihility
- Kafka – 5-star, Lightning, Nihility
Hysilens brings a unique mechanic to the battlefield: her ultimate creates a zone that functions similarly to the field effects of characters like Tribbie, Castorice, and Phainon. This zone inflicts additional instances of DOT every time an ally applies a DOT effect on an enemy, while simultaneously reducing the attack and defense of foes within its radius. Furthermore, her skill offers a chance to add a random DOT effect, amplifying the damage the target endures. Notably, her talent ensures that every ally’s attack has a 100% base chance to inflict a random ailment.
In contrast, Kafka’s skills trigger all DOT effects currently active, dealing an extra instance of damage without shortening their duration, albeit at a reduced amount. Her ultimate applies shock to enemies, allowing them to take immediate damage from existing DOT effects, scaling up to 120% of their regular damage based on the trace level. Kafka’s talent also empowers her to unleash a follow-up attack after an ally strikes, further enhancing her offensive capabilities.
Phase Two of Honkai Star Rail 3.5 Banners: Cerydra and Silver Wolf
Mark your calendars for September 3, 2025, as the second phase of banners introduces the new Harmony character Cerydra alongside the returning Silver Wolf, who last appeared in February 2025.
- Cerydra – 5-star, Wind, Harmony
- Silver Wolf – 5-star, Quantum, Nihility
Cerydra’s abilities appear to cater to a niche role within the Harmony framework, granting an ally the Military Merit buff—boosting their attack and eventually evolving into the Peerage state, which enhances critical damage. Her talent allows for a follow-up wind attack whenever her buffed ally strikes, and this can trigger up to 20 times, resetting with her ultimate. However, initial estimates suggest her buff numbers may be slightly underwhelming compared to established Harmony characters like Tribbie and Bronya.
On the other hand, Silver Wolf arrives with substantial enhancements from her earlier revamp. Her skill challenges an enemy with a random weakness while decreasing resistance to that element and generally lowering defense through a significant quantum damage ultimate, previously constrained to single-target effects. Silver Wolf’s talent can trigger various debuffs—defensive, speed, or attack—during her basic attacks, enhancing her role as a strategic debuffer.
As usual, each of the four 5-star characters will be accompanied by their respective Light Cones, adding another layer of strategy to advance your gameplay.
For those looking to bolster their roster before diving into the Hysilens banner or any future offerings, visit our Star Rail codes page for some handy bonuses!
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