Honkai Star Rail 3.8 runs 8 weeks (December 17, 2026 - February 12, 2026) with three banner phases. F2P players earn 13,500-14,310 Stellar Jades—enough for ~84-89 warps. Phase 3 features Aglaea and Sunday reruns in a compressed 15-day window.
Understanding 3.8's Extended Patch Cycle
Version 3.8 spans 56-58 days versus the standard 42-day cycle. Maintenance on December 17 delivers 600 Jades (60/hour for 5 hours downtime) plus 1,000 delay compensation and 10 Fuel for Trailblaze Level 4+ players—1,900 total Jades (11.8 warps).
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Standard vs Extended Duration
Traditional patches run 42 days with two 21-day banner phases. Version 3.8's 56-58 days adds a third phase, changing pull planning fundamentally.
Daily commissions yield 3,360-3,480 Jades (60/day × 56-58 days) versus ~2,520 in standard patches. Weekly missions cap at 1,800 Jades (8 weeks × 225) regardless of 56 or 58-day duration.
Phase 3 Timeline
Phase 3 runs January 28 - February 12, 2026 (15 days only). Features Aglaea (5★ Lightning Remembrance) and Sunday (5★ Imaginary Harmony) with 4-stars Tingyun, Yukong, Dan Heng. Light Cones: Time Woven Into Gold and A Grounded Ascent.
This compressed window creates urgency for players near soft pity (74 pulls for characters, 63-65 for Light Cones).
Endgame Mode Schedule
Apocalyptic Shadow: Dec 22, 2025 + Feb 2, 2026
Pure Fiction: Jan 5, 2026
Memory of Chaos: Jan 19, 2026
Staggered refreshes distribute 3,200+ Jades evenly across the patch.
Complete Banner Schedule
Phase 1 (Dec 16, 2025 - Jan 7, 2026, 22 days):
Characters: The Dahlia (5★ Fire Nihility), Firefly rerun
4-stars: Gallagher, Luka, March 7th
Light Cones: Never Forget Her Flame, Whereabouts Should Dreams Rest
Phase 2 (Jan 7-28, 2026, 21 days):
Characters: Fugue (5★ Fire Nihility), Lingsha (5★ Fire Abundance)
4-stars: Natasha, Sampo, Arlan
Light Cones: Long Road Leads Home, Scent Alone Stays True
Phase 3 (Jan 28 - Feb 12, 2026, 15 days):
Characters: Aglaea, Sunday reruns
4-stars: Tingyun, Yukong, Dan Heng (strongest 4★ rotation)
Light Cones: Time Woven Into Gold, A Grounded Ascent
Light Cone hard pity: 80 pulls (vs 90 for characters). Soft pity: 63-65 pulls.
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Stellar Jade Income Breakdown
F2P Total: 13,500-14,310 Jades
Daily missions: 3,360-3,480 (60/day × 56-58 days)
Weekly missions: 1,800 (225/week × 8 weeks)
Endgame modes: 3,200+ (MoC 800, PF 800, AS 800×2, DU 1,800)
Events: 2,300 (Chrysos Championship 1,200 + Remnants 600 + Treasure Hunt 500)
Character trials: 120 (6 trials × 20)
Compensation: 1,900 (maintenance + delay)
Miscellaneous: 820-1,510 (achievements, exploration)
Total warps: 84-89 (nearly one guarantee at 90-pull hard pity)
Monthly Pass Holders: 18,900-19,710 Jades
Express Supply Pass ($4.99) adds 2,700 Jades/30 days. Two passes for 3.8's duration = 5,400 extra Jades.
Total warps: 118-123 (one guarantee + 28-33 pulls toward second character)
Event Details
Chrysos Awooo Championship: 1,200 Jades (highest value)
Remnants of Twilight: 600 Jades
Treasure Hunt: 500 Jades
Complete events early to avoid missing rewards. Trials also let you test characters before pulling.
Endgame Modes
Full clears provide maximum income. Even partial clears (8/12 stars) yield ~67% of rewards.
Divergent Universe: Synchronicity Level Cap 120, contributes 1,800 Jades through weekly progression. Double rewards for Planar Fissure and Garden of Plenty accelerate relic farming without direct jade income.
Livestream Codes (Expired Dec 7, 2025)
300 Jades total from codes. Always redeem immediately upon release.
PC: ESC > envelope icon > System Messages > Express Crew > Claim All (within 30 days) Mobile: Pause menu > mail icon
Pull Count Expectations
F2P (84-89 warps):
One guaranteed 5★ character (worst-case 90 pulls)
Two characters possible if winning 50/50 at soft pity (~74 pulls)
Monthly Pass (118-123 warps):
Comfortable pursuit of two 5★ characters with one 50/50 win
Character + signature Light Cone requires ~170 pulls (90+80)—exceeds monthly pass income without carried pity
Pity carrying: Entering 3.8 with 50+ pity guarantees first target in 24-40 pulls, freeing remaining jades for secondary targets.
Farming Timeline Adjustments
Relic Farming
Extended patch provides 3,360-3,840 extra Trailblaze Power (14-16 days × 240 stamina/day) = 56-64 additional Cavern runs or 168-192 Calyx runs.
Double reward events effectively double stamina efficiency. Prioritize bulk farming during these periods.
Trace Materials
Focus farming during final 2 weeks (late Jan - early Feb 2026) after completing events and endgame clears.
Weekly boss materials: 24 total attempts (3/week × 8 weeks) = 24-72 boss materials depending on drops.
Character Building
Complete ascension and trace leveling within 3-4 weeks of acquisition. Use remaining time for relic optimization. Don't delay—rushing during Phase 3 may cost endgame performance.
Phase 3 Pull Priority
Meta Analysis
Aglaea: Lightning Remembrance DPS. Value depends on Remembrance support investment and existing Lightning carries (Acheron, Jing Yuan). Potentially redundant if roster already covered.
Sunday: Imaginary Harmony support with broad applicability. Harmony supports maintain meta relevance longer than DPS. High priority if lacking strong Harmony options beyond Asta/Hanya.
Eidolon Value
Most 5★ characters achieve 80-90% potential at E0. Eidolons provide 10-20% improvements—significant but rarely transformative.
For F2P/low-spenders, new characters > Eidolons. Spending 74-90 pulls for E0→E1 means forgoing a new character.
Exceptions: Game-changing E1/E2 (additional actions, massive multipliers). Research specific effects before committing.
Signature Light Cones
Provide 15-30% performance improvement over best 4★ alternatives. Rarely justifies 63-80 pull investment when those pulls could secure new characters.
Pull signatures only when:
All desired characters secured (current + next patch)
Character is primary DPS with consistent endgame use
No suitable 4★ alternatives exist
Willing to sacrifice future character pulls
Opportunity cost: 80-pull Light Cone hard pity = more than half a guaranteed character.
Roster Gap Analysis
Identify weaknesses before Phase 3:
Sustain: Reliable healers/shielders for both MoC sides?
Elements: Effective teams for each element to counter shields/weaknesses?
Paths: Functional DPS, support, sustain across multiple paths?
Characters filling critical gaps > meta tier lists. A character completing a functional team provides more value than stronger duplicates.
Pity Mechanics
Thresholds
Character Event Warp:
Hard pity: 90 pulls
Soft pity: ~74 pulls (90% of 5★ acquisitions occur at pulls 74-85)
Light Cone Event Warp:
Hard pity: 80 pulls
Soft pity: 63-65 pulls
Pity carries across banners within same warp type. Does NOT transfer between warp types (character ≠ Light Cone).
Carrying Pity to 3.9
Pity persists indefinitely. 89 pity at 3.8's end = 89 pity at 3.9's start (guaranteed next pull).
However, excessive hoarding creates opportunity costs. Missing current endgame performance may cost more jades than you're saving.
50/50 Recovery
Losing 50/50 activates guarantee for next 5★ on that banner type.
F2P recovery: Losing 50/50 in Phase 1 leaves 6-7 weeks to accumulate 74-90 pulls. Possible but tight—no buffer for secondary characters.
Monthly pass recovery: Losing 50/50 early Phase 1 allows guarantee by mid-Phase 2/early Phase 3. Losing during Phase 3's 15-day window likely prevents recovery without purchasing Oneiric Shards.
Optimization Tips
Daily Routine (15-20 minutes)
Complete Daily Training (4 tasks): 60 Jades + weekly activity points
Spend Trailblaze Power: Prevents 240 cap waste
Check Assignments: Materials + occasional jades
Clear Simulated Universe weekly points (if applicable)
Participate in active events: 5-10 min prevents rushes
Set specific time (morning/lunch/evening) for consistency. Missing 3 days = 180 Jades (>1 pull). Missing 1 week = 420 Jades (~3 pulls).
Event Timing
Front-load participation during first 3-5 days. Prioritize jade-rewarding stages first, then completion rewards (materials/credits) during downtime.
Claim rewards immediately—don't risk 30-day mail expiration.
Endgame Priority
Tier 1 (highest jade/hour):
Memory of Chaos: 800 Jades/refresh (30-60 min)
Pure Fiction: 800 Jades/refresh
Apocalyptic Shadow: 800 Jades/refresh
Tier 2:
Divergent Universe: 1,800 Jades total (8 weeks)
Events: 2,300 Jades combined
Tier 3:
Character trials: 120 Jades total
Exploration/achievements: Variable, often time-intensive
If limited time, prioritize whichever mode your roster handles most efficiently. Partial clears of multiple modes often yield more than perfect-clearing one.
Forgotten Sources
Tutorial/beginner missions: Hundreds of jades for new players
Achievements: 5-20 Jades each, hundreds total across categories
Exploration: Unopened chests, incomplete quests in Penacony/Belobog/Xianzhou. New Dream of Gnawing Oak area in 3.8
Simulated Universe first clears: Significant one-time rewards per world/difficulty
Avoid Jade Waste
Trailblaze Power refreshes cost 50 Jades (1st daily), 100+ (subsequent). Each refresh = 60 stamina (1 Cavern run or 3 Calyx runs).
Extremely inefficient: 50 Jades = 1/3 warp for materials obtainable via one day's natural regen. Daily refreshes for one week = 350 Jades (>2 warps) sacrificed.
Only refresh when:
High-spender with excess jades beyond pull targets
New character needs immediate materials for time-sensitive content
Double-reward events active (doubles efficiency)
Patience > stamina refreshes for 99% of players.
Version 3.9 Preparation
Pre-Farming (Final 2-3 Weeks of 3.8)
Universal materials:
Credits: 2-3 million minimum
Immortal Scionette/Aeroblossom/Lumens: Hundreds each
Tracks of Destiny: 15+ for level 80 characters
Trace materials: 100+ of each common type
Experience: 200+ Traveler's Guides and Adventure Logs
Weekly bosses: If leaks suggest specific elements/paths, prioritize corresponding bosses. Otherwise, distribute attempts evenly.
Jade Saving Targets
Conservative (one guarantee): 14,400 Jades (90 pulls)
Moderate (one guarantee + 50/50 attempt): 20,000-22,000 Jades (125-137 pulls)
Aggressive (two guarantees): 28,800 Jades (180 pulls)
Whale (character + signature): 27,200 Jades (170 pulls)
Calculate post-Phase 3 reserves. Falling below target = skip Phase 3 or accept no 3.9 guarantee without 50/50 wins/purchases.
Account Milestones
Endgame consistency: Reliable full-clears of MoC, PF, AS
Relic quality: 6-8 characters with optimized 4-piece sets, correct main stats, 2-3 useful substats
Team diversity: Three functional cores covering different elements/damage types
Material reserves: 3M+ credits, 200+ universal traces, 15+ Tracks of Destiny
Common Misconceptions
Myth: Extended Patches Give Proportionally More Jades
Reality: 8-week 3.8 provides 13,500-14,310 Jades vs ~10,000-11,000 in 6-week patches—27-35% more for 33% more time. Not proportional. Daily missions scale linearly, but weekly missions cap at 8 weeks. Events/endgame/compensation don't scale with duration.
Fewer patches per year = fewer annual character releases and event rewards.
Myth: Phase 3 Reruns Always Skippable
Reality: Sunday's Harmony support and Aglaea's Remembrance DPS fill specific niches. Dismissing all reruns ignores individual roster needs.
Phase 3's 4★s (Tingyun, Yukong, Dan Heng) offer strong constellation value. Worth limited investment if close to 4★ pity, even without targeting 5★s.
Myth: Always Pull Eidolons During Reruns
Reality: E0→E1 typically provides 10-20% improvement. Roster diversity > individual optimization for F2P/low-spenders.
74-90 pulls for E1 = forgoing new character enabling different team comps.
Eidolons make sense for high-spenders who own all desired characters, or rare transformative E1/E2.
Truth: Strategic Management > Patch Length
Success requires:
Establish pull targets before patch
Calculate exact requirements (worst-case scenarios)
Resist impulsive pulls
Maintain consistent daily/weekly completion
Optimize endgame performance
Extended cycles provide more margin for error and 50/50 recovery, but don't eliminate need for disciplined planning.
FAQ
How long is patch 3.8?
8 weeks (56-58 days) from December 17, 2025 to February 12, 2026. Three banner phases vs usual two. Phase 3 runs 15 days (Jan 28 - Feb 12).
How many jades can F2P get?
13,500-14,310 total = 84-89 warps. Nearly one guarantee at 90-pull hard pity.
What's in Phase 3?
Aglaea (5★ Lightning Remembrance) and Sunday (5★ Imaginary Harmony) from Jan 28 - Feb 12. 4★s: Tingyun, Yukong, Dan Heng. Light Cones: Time Woven Into Gold, A Grounded Ascent.
Pull Phase 3 or save for 3.9?
Pull if lacking Harmony supports (Sunday) or Lightning/Remembrance DPS (Aglaea) for functional teams. Save if roles covered or below 14,400 jade reserves for 3.9 guarantee. High pity (60+) players should evaluate whether Phase 3 justifies spending near-guarantee vs saving for 3.9.
How does extended patch affect farming?
14-16 extra days = 840-960 additional daily mission jades + 3,360-3,840 Trailblaze Power. Weekly missions still cap at 8 weeks. Events/endgame don't scale proportionally. Main advantage: extended time for relic optimization and material stockpiling, not dramatically increased jade income.
How to calculate pity?
Mechanics unchanged: Character hard pity 90 (soft ~74), Light Cone hard pity 80 (soft 63-65). Pity carries across banners within same warp type, persists across versions. Extended patches provide more time to accumulate pulls, not different mechanics.