Honkai Star Rail Version 4.0 drops two Elation Path DPS characters across February-March 2026. Phase 1 features Yao Guang (Physical Elation) running February 12-March 6, while Phase 2 brings Sparxie (Fire Elation) March 5-26. This dual-DPS structure demands 180-360 pulls for both characters—requiring strategic planning around Light Cones, pity mechanics, and Stellar Jade budgets.
Complete Phase Schedule (Feb-Mar 2026)
Version 4.0 launches with staggered regional releases creating a 13-hour window. North America gets earliest access February 12, 2026, 10:00 PM UTC-5. Europe follows February 13, 4:00 AM UTC+1, while Asia launches February 13, 11:00 AM UTC+8. Asian players gain 13 hours of community testing data before pulling—a strategic advantage for evaluating endgame performance.
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Phase 1: February 12-March 6
Phase 1 runs approximately 22 days featuring Yao Guang, a 5-star Physical Elation character from Xianzhou Yuque. This window provides 140-160 pulls from events, dailies, and endgame modes—enough for one guaranteed 5-star with 50/50 loss recovery but insufficient for both character and signature Light Cone without prior pity.
Phase 2: March 5-26
Phase 2 runs 15-21 days featuring Sparxie, a 5-star Fire Elation character. The shorter duration reduces available Stellar Jade by 20-30 pulls versus Phase 1, creating urgency. Sparxie's Phase 2 positioning lets you evaluate Yao Guang's performance in Memory of Chaos before committing, but compresses decision timelines.
No Banner Overlap
HSR maintains strict sequential phases with zero overlap. Transitions occur during 4-6 hour maintenance windows where no pulls are possible. You must decide by Phase 1's midpoint (February 24-26) whether your Stellar Jade reserves can secure Yao Guang while preserving resources for Sparxie.
The Dual Elation DPS Dilemma
Version 4.0 introduces Elation Path alongside Planarcadia, concentrating both premiere Elation DPS units in one version—unprecedented resource pressure.
What Makes This Unique
Elation operates through Punchline stacks: accumulating 20 triggers Aha Instant—granting 20% All-Type RES PEN for 3 turns while cleansing crowd control debuffs. Both Yao Guang and Sparxie build teams around maximizing Punchline generation, creating direct mechanical overlap.
Yao Guang's Kit:
Skill Decalight Unveils All deploys 3-turn Zone generating 3 Punchlines, providing +20% Elation damage
At 40 Punchlines, Elation damage ignores 20% DEF
Base Speed 101 targets 120 SPD for +10% CRIT Rate, escalating to +18% at 160 SPD with signature Light Cone
Sparxie's Kit:
Emphasizes SP manipulation
Signature Light Cone increases SP capacity by +1 per Elation character (max +3)
Provides 5% DEF ignore per SP
Both want Elation supports for maximum effectiveness, but using them together consumes limited team slots.
Resource Tension Breakdown
Securing both at E0 requires 180 pulls (perfect 50/50 wins) or 360 pulls (two losses)—translating to 28,800-57,600 Stellar Jade. Adding signature Light Cones demands another 160 pulls, totaling 540 pulls or 86,400 Stellar Jade for complete E0S1 builds.
Version 4.0's total F2P income: 12,000-14,000 Stellar Jade. Monthly card holders gain 6,000-7,000 more. Even with max optimization, you'll acquire 60-80 pulls—covering one guaranteed character with 50/50 loss but falling drastically short of dual acquisition.
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Meta Impact
Yao Guang optimal teams:
Yao Guang, Sparkle, Gallagher, Topaz
Yao Guang, Sparkle, Fu Xuan, Evanescia
Sparxie optimal teams:
Sparxie, Yao Guang, Sparkle, Dan Heng (Permansor Terrae)
Sparxie, Sparkle, Yao Guang, Fu Xuan
Notice the overlap: both compete for Sparkle and share Elation synergy requirements. Pulling both doesn't give two independent teams but components for one optimized Elation squad. However, endgame modes reward roster depth—having Physical and Fire Elation coverage addresses different elemental weaknesses.
Phase 1 vs Phase 2 Character Analysis
Yao Guang (Phase 1)
Signature Light Cone When She Decided to See:
SPD +18%, CRIT Rate +10%, CRIT DMG +30%, Energy Regen +12%
At 120 SPD: +10% CRIT Rate
At 160 SPD: +18% CRIT Rate
Optimal Relics: Diviner of Distant Reach
2pc: SPD +6%
4pc: +10% CRIT Rate at 120 SPD, +18% at 160 SPD
This creates 36% CRIT Rate from equipment alone before substats, reducing relic RNG dependency.
Sparxie (Phase 2)
Signature Light Cone Dazzled By A Flowery World:
CRIT DMG +36%
SP capacity +1 per Elation character (max +3)
5% DEF ignore per SP
The SP capacity increase fundamentally alters rotation flexibility. Standard teams operate with 3 SP base; Sparxie teams with three Elation characters reach 6 SP, enabling consecutive Skill usage without starvation.
Damage Comparison E0S0 vs E0S1
E
Yao Guang: 70-75% of E0S1 damage ceiling
Sparxie: 60-65% of E0S1 potential
Best 4-star options:
Today's Good Luck: CRIT Rate +12%, stacking up to +30% Elation damage
Mushy Shroomy's Adventures: +12% Elation damage, enemies take +8% Elation DMG
E0S1 priority:
Yao Guang for Physical-weak content and Speed optimization
Sparxie for Fire coverage and SP-manipulation strategies
Endgame Performance
Memory of Chaos: Elemental-specific floors with resistance modifiers. Yao Guang handles Physical-weak enemies; Sparxie covers Ice-weak floors.
Pure Fiction: Sparxie's SP manipulation enables sustained Skill usage across waves. Yao Guang's Zone benefits all Elation characters equally.
Apocalyptic Shadow: Punchline cleansing (removing CC debuffs at Aha Instant) provides unique utility against CC-heavy bosses—value beyond raw damage.
Light Cone Priority Matrix
Signature Value Tier List
When She Decided to See (Yao Guang):
25-30% damage increase over best 4-star
Speed scaling creates breakpoint optimization
Reduces relic farming by 30-40%
Dazzled By A Flowery World (Sparxie):
30-35% damage increase in optimal Elation teams
Drops to 20-25% in mixed-Path compositions
SP capacity provides 10-15% effective damage through rotation flexibility
Light Cone vs Eidolon Investment
Character Event Warp: 90-pull hard pity, 0.6% base rate, 50% featured chance Light Cone Event Warp: 80-pull hard pity, 0.8% base rate, 65-75% featured chance
General recommendation: Prioritize E0S1 for main DPS where signature weapons provide 25%+ damage increases. Reserve Eidolon investments for E2 breakpoints with confirmed game-changing effects.
When to Pull Weapon Banner
Pull when:
You've secured the character with 80+ pulls remaining
Signature weapon provides 25%+ damage increase
Building character as primary DPS for endgame
Banner features two desirable Light Cones
Skip when:
You lack the featured character
Current pity sits at 70+ on character banner
Targeting multiple upcoming characters
Character functions adequately with 4-star weapons
Version 4.0 specific: Players targeting both Elation DPS should skip both weapon banners, investing all resources into character acquisition.
Stellar Jade Income Projection
Guaranteed Event Income
Compensation (logged in after Dec 8, 2025): 1000 Stellar Jade + 10 Fuel
Login events: 300-500
Combat events: 800-1200
Exploration events: 600-800
Web events: 200-400
Total event income: 3900-4500 Stellar Jade (24-28 pulls)
Endgame Mode Rewards
Memory of Chaos: 800 per clear × 2 resets = 1600 Pure Fiction: 800 per clear × 2 resets = 1600 Apocalyptic Shadow: 800 per clear × 2 resets = 1600
Total endgame income: 4800 Stellar Jade (assumes full clears)
Daily and Weekly Income
Daily Training: 60 Stellar Jade × 42 days = 2520 Stellar Jade (15-16 pulls)
Battle Pass and Monthly Card
Express Supply Pass: 680 (free) + 1280 (premium) = 1960 Stellar Jade Nameless Honor: 300 daily × 30 days = 9000 Stellar Jade
Total Pull Budget by Player Type
F2P (zero spending):
Events: 3900-4500
Endgame: 4800 (full) or 2400-3600 (partial)
Daily: 2520
Compensation: 1000
Total: 12,220-14,820 Stellar Jade (76-92 pulls)
Monthly Card:
F2P income: 12,220-14,820
Monthly card: 9000
Total: 21,220-23,820 Stellar Jade (132-148 pulls)
Battle Pass + Monthly Card:
Monthly income: 21,220-23,820
Battle Pass: 1960
Total: 23,180-25,780 Stellar Jade (144-161 pulls)
F2P achieves one guaranteed character with 50/50 loss but can't secure both without extraordinary luck. Monthly card holders reach guaranteed acquisition with potential for signature weapon or second character at high pity.
Pity System Optimization
Soft and Hard Pity
Character Event Warp:
Hard pity: 90 pulls
Soft pity: S
cquisitions occur pulls 73-85
Light Cone Event Warp:
Hard pity: 80 pulls
Soft pity: Starts pull 63
70% of acquisitions occur pulls 63-75
50/50 system: First 5-star has 50% chance for featured. Losing guarantees next as featured (180-pull max for guaranteed character).
Pity Carryover
Pity accumulates across all Character Event Warps regardless of featured character. Phase 1 pulls carry to Phase 2, preserving soft/hard pity progress. However, 50/50 status carries separately—losing Phase 1 guarantees Phase 2's next 5-star, but winning resets to 50/50.
50/50 Loss Recovery
Losing consumes 73-90 pulls for standard character. Recovery requires another 73-90 pulls, totaling 146-180 for secured limited character.
Strategic minimization:
Stop at 70-72 if uncertain, preserving guaranteed status
Pull Phase 1 when possible, allowing Phase 2 income rebuild
Build standard banner pity with free pulls only
Version 4.0's dual DPS punishes losses severely. Losing on Yao Guang consumes 146-180 pulls, leaving insufficient resources for Sparxie without spending.
Guaranteed Pull Calculator
Formula:
Pulls available: (Current Jade + Projected Income) ÷ 160
Pulls needed: 180 - Current Pity (if 50/50) or 90 - Current Pity (if guaranteed)
Example: 5000 Jade, 40 pity, guaranteed, F2P (13,000 projected):
Total pulls: (5000 + 13,000) ÷ 160 = 112
Needed: 90 - 40 = 50
Result: Guaranteed with 62 pulls remaining
Avoiding Accidental Pity Waste
Strict stopping rules:
Never pull past 70 pity on unwanted banners
Track pity manually using spreadsheets
Set pull budgets before sessions
Avoid single pulls near pity
For Version 4.0: uncertain about Yao Guang? Stop at 70 max, preserving guaranteed status for Sparxie evaluation.
Strategic Pull Decision Framework
Account Gaps Analysis
Physical DPS: Own Blade, Clara, or Physical Trailblazer? Yao Guang provides redundant coverage unless significantly outperforming.
Fire DPS: Own Himeko, Asta, or Topaz? Sparxie fills different niches but element overlap reduces urgency.
Priority pulling when:
You lack built DPS in character's element
Current DPS can't clear Memory of Chaos floor 10+ consistently
Character enables new team archetypes
Team Synergy Checklist
For Yao Guang:
Sparkle (critical): Missing drops performance 20-30%
Gallagher or Fu Xuan (sustain): Need at least one
Topaz or Evanescia: Improves but not mandatory
For Sparxie:
Sparkle: Critical for SP manipulation
Yao Guang: Listed in optimal teams (circular dependency)
Dan Heng or Fu Xuan: Team completion
Lacking 2+ optimal supports? Consider skipping DPS, invest in supports enabling multiple compositions.
Meta Relevance Prediction
Mechanical uniqueness: Punchline cleansing provides utility unavailable elsewhere—suggests sustained relevance in CC-heavy content.
Power creep: HSR historically introduces 15-20% damage increases per version. Version 4.2-4.3 characters will likely outperform 4.0 Elation in raw damage.
Conservative prediction: 4.0 Elation remains viable 3-4 versions (6-8 months) before newer DPS matches performance with less investment.
Rerun Timeline
First rerun: 6-9 months (Version 4.3-4.4, August-October 2026) Second rerun: 12-15 months Subsequent: 18-24 month gaps
Skipping allows evaluation of actual meta performance and accumulation of 180+ pulls for guaranteed acquisition. However, reruns compete with new releases, creating ongoing decision paralysis.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Pulling for 4-stars on unwanted 5-star banners: Wait for 4-stars on desired 5-star banners
Splitting resources prematurely: Secure character first, then evaluate weapon
Ignoring team requirements: Fully-built 4-star team outperforms E0S0 5-star with unbuilt supports
Overvaluing limited status: All limited characters rerun—skip for better future options
Neglecting income variance: Miss events or can't full-clear? Reduce estimates 20-30%
Team Building Considerations
Best Supports for Elation DPS
Sparkle (Premium):
SP generation for consecutive Skills
CRIT DMG buffs scaling with her CRIT DMG
Action advancement for rotation optimization
Build: CRIT DMG Body, Speed tuning before DPS, Energy Regen
Gallagher (Budget Sustain):
Healing and break damage
4-star accessibility for F2P
Build: Speed, Effect RES, HP/DEF
Fu Xuan (Premium Shielding):
Damage redirection, CRIT Rate buffs, HP sustain
Enables aggressive DPS builds (minimize defensive stats)
Build: HP, Speed, Effect RES
Topaz (Follow-Up Amplification):
Numby follow-ups and debuffs
Synergy with Yao Guang's Physical Elation
Build: CRIT Rate/DMG, Speed, Effect Hit Rate
Relic Recommendations
Diviner of Distant Reach (Yao Guang BiS):
2pc: SPD +6%
4pc: CRIT Rate +10% at 120 SPD, +18% at 160 SPD
Farming priority: High before Memory of Chaos usage
Generic DPS Sets (Sparxie):
Musketeer of Wild Wheat: ATK +12%, SPD +6%, Basic ATK DMG +10%
Firesmith of Lavaforging: Fire DMG +10%, Skill DMG +12%
Farming priority: Medium
Planar Ornaments:
Inert Salsotto: CRIT Rate +8%, Ultimate/follow-up DMG +15% when CRIT Rate ≥50%
Space Sealing Station: ATK +12%, ATK +12% when SPD ≥120
Farming priority: Low initially, high after main sets complete
Memory of Chaos Counter-Picks
Wait 3-5 days post-launch for community clear data. Version 4.0 floors likely feature:
Elation-favored mechanics:
Enemies with CC abilities (Punchline cleansing counters)
Physical-weak and Ice-weak distributions
Multi-wave encounters (Punchline stacks carry between waves)
Counter-pick opportunities:
High-DEF enemies (20% DEF ignore at 40 Punchlines)
Boss CC phases (Aha Instant cleansing bypasses)
Speed-check mechanics (Yao Guang's Speed build excels)
Pure Fiction and Apocalyptic Shadow
Pure Fiction: Sparxie's SP manipulation enables consecutive AoE Skills without starvation. Yao Guang's Zone benefits all Elation characters.
Apocalyptic Shadow: Punchline cleansing provides value against CC-heavy bosses. Both excel in extended encounters where stacks accumulate to 40+ for max DEF ignore.
FAQ
When does HSR version 4.0 phase 1 start? February 12, 2026, 10:00 PM UTC-5 (NA), February 13, 4:00 AM UTC+1 (EU), February 13, 11:00 AM UTC+8 (Asia). Runs until March 6 featuring Yao Guang.
Should I pull both Elation DPS in 4.0? Requires 180-360 pulls, exceeding F2P income (76-92 pulls). Both share optimal supports and provide overlapping coverage. Prioritize one based on elemental needs.
Is signature light cone worth it? Yao Guang's provides 25-30% damage increase; Sparxie's offers 30-35% in Elation teams. Prioritize after securing character with 80+ pulls remaining. 4-star alternatives reach 70-75% effectiveness.
How much stellar jade in version 4.0? F2P: 12,220-14,820 (76-92 pulls). Monthly card: 21,220-23,820 (132-148 pulls). Battle Pass + Monthly: 23,180-25,780 (144-161 pulls).
What's the Elation DPS trap? Two limited Elation DPS in one version creates resource tension. Can't acquire both without spending. Both compete for same supports, providing overlapping coverage vs complementary options.
How does banner pity work? Character: 90-pull hard pity, soft pity starts pull 73. First 5-star has 50% featured chance; losing guarantees next (180-pull max). Pity carries Phase 1 to Phase 2. Light Cone: 80-pull hard pity, soft pity starts pull 63.
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