Honkai Star Rail: Tier List (Best Characters in 2.6)

As a seasoned traveler who’s journeyed through the vibrant realm of Honkai: Star Rail, I must say, the meticulous balance and depth of each character’s abilities truly amazes me. The intricate web of strategies woven around these unique personalities is nothing short of mesmerizing.


Getting the best party members is key to overcoming some of the hardest challenges in certain games. Anyone who has played some HoYoverse titles might already know that some characters perform better. This is the case with Honkai: Star Rail game. While some people might think the combat is easier than in Genshin Impact or even Zenless Zone Zero, that isn’t the case. Given the turn-based nature of this title, you need to think more and create a strategy for each fight. With that in mind, we’ve prepared a character tier list for Honkai: Star Rail.

Honkai: Star Rail Character Tier List (Version 2.6)

[Updated on November 8, 2024 – Updated images and the tier list to line up with the most recent characters and version]

Honkai Star Rail: Tier List (Best Characters in 2.6)

Due to the significant expansion of the game, we’re going to create a tier list for every character in Honkai: Star Rail. However, we’ll categorize them based on their individual Paths. Our aim is to provide detailed explanations and reasons why these characters are at the peak of the hierarchy within each Path. So, let’s dive right in!

Path of Abundance

RankCharacter
SHuohuo
Lingsha
AGallagher
BLynx
Luocha
CBailu
Natasha

Let’s dive into the character rankings for the Path of Abundance in Honkai: Star Rail. With a relatively small number of characters, the contest isn’t intense. However, at the peak positions, it’s a tie between Huohuo and Lingsha for the top spot.

Huohuo boasts extraordinary healing abilities and impressive buff potential. While it may take some time for her ultimate ability to activate, she remains one of the top choices for sustained performance within the game.

Lingsha is remarkable in every aspect, and one of her greatest strengths lies in her ability to contribute significantly to FUA teams. This trait, however, could be seen as a minor disadvantage since she’s specialized in just a few niche teams. Unlike Huohuo, who excels across various teams, Lingsha truly shines in specific areas.

The current team members aren’t poor performers, but they require significant improvement to reach their optimal level. Gallagher, for instance, requires a lot of fine-tuning with Break Effect. Lynx, who excels in cleansing abilities, needs to be at E6 level to perform effectively. Even Luocha, once the reigning healer, has been outperformed by others. The same goes for Bailu and Natasha; they’re suitable for beginners but should be swapped out as soon as possible with more advanced characters.

Path of Destruction

RankCharacter
SFirefly
Yunli
AClara
Imbibitor Lunae
BJingliu
Blade
Xueyi
CMisha
Arlan
Hook
Trailblazer (Physical)

Initially, characters from Destruction had a sluggish beginning, but Path has significantly picked up speed and boasts some top-tier characters in the Honkai: Star Rail rankings. To kick things off, let’s focus on our current queens, Firefly and Yunli. Firefly shines in Superbreak compositions, while Yunli packs a punch with her counters, but requires consistent control over enemies.

Honkai Star Rail: Tier List (Best Characters in 2.6)

Clara and Imbibitor stand out favorably, even amidst the presence of fresh characters. Clara excels in her Functional Utility Abilities, while Imbibitor Lunae shines when partnered with appropriate buffer units.

Unfortunately, it seems that Jingliu and Blade have fallen behind significantly in their role as Damage Per Second (DPS) characters. On the other hand, Xueyi has managed to secure this rank due to its ability to deliver secondary attacks, a trait beneficial for certain team compositions.

The last ones on the list are not good at all, and will only help until you get a B-Rank or above.

Path of Erudition

Honkai Star Rail: Tier List (Best Characters in 2.6)

RankCharacter
SRappa
AJing Yuan
Himeko
Jade
BQingque
Argenti
Herta
CServal

The Revival of the Scholarly Journey became more noticeable following the debut of Pure Fiction. Since Area-of-Effect (AoE) damage has become highly popular, characters like Rappa, the latest ninja addition, now shine significantly more. She excels at dealing massive damage and also provides assistance with Break Effects.

In the latest Pure Fiction runs, Jingyuan and Himeko have proven indispensable, given their crucial abilities. Meanwhile, Jade stands out thanks to her FUA skills, complementing a variety of team setups quite effectively.

Qingque, Argenti, and Herta are not included, and they make excellent choices for those lacking these characters. Sadly, Serval seems to be falling behind, offering little that other characters don’t provide more effectively.

Path of Harmony

RankCharacter
SRobin
Ruan Mei
ATrailblazer (Harmony)
Sparkle
Bronya
BTingyun
Asta
Hanya
CYukong

In the popular game Honkai: Star Rail, one of its paths is particularly valuable, so it’s not unexpected to see these characters ranked highly in tier lists. Characters like Robin and Ruan Mei are significant for the Flexible Ultimate Ability (FUA) and Superbreak meta. Without their presence, you could be missing out on a substantial amount of damage output.

Honkai Star Rail: Tier List (Best Characters in 2.6)

Harmony’s Trailblazer (also known as Sparkle and Bronya) stands out as an excellent free addition to the game, offering boosts to other characters, particularly Firefly. For teams short on Single Player (SP) friendliness, Sparkle is a top choice, while Bronya excels in teams that demand quicker action timing.

Tingyun, Asta, and Hanya are also suitable choices, but remember, this is only beneficial if you’re playing as a Free-to-Play user without any 5-star teammates. Lastly, Yukong may not contribute much at the moment, so it might be wise to keep her on the sidelines for now.

Path of the Hunt

RankCharacter
SFeixiao
Boothill
Topaz
ADr. Ratio
March 7th (The Hunt)
Moze
BSeele
Sushang
CYanqing
Dan Heng

The Hunt’s Trail is now quite intense, and it’s turned out to be a crucial aspect for the overall strategy in the game.

Feixiao and Topaz are crucial and indispensable for FUA squads; they’re essential components that help these teams function effectively. Conversely, Boothill boasts impressive Damage Per Second (DPS) statistics and plays a role in enhancing the Break Effect meta.

1) Dr. Ratio and March 7th were fantastic free additions, each boasting impressive abilities that fit well in various team formations. Include Moze, and you’ve got top-tier backup attackers.

Seele and Sushang are currently struggling to keep up, and although they possess significant destructive potential, they require substantial improvement to match the capabilities of their fellow Hunters.

Yanqing and Dan Heng may no longer be the top-tier Damage Per Second (DPS) characters in the game. It’s alright to utilize them at the beginning stages, but it is highly recommended to substitute them off the roster as soon as possible.

Path of Nihility

Honkai Star Rail: Tier List (Best Characters in 2.6)

RankCharacter
SAcheron
Black Swan
Kafka
Jiaoqiu
ASampo
Welt
Silver Wolf
Pela
BGuinaifen
C

In the game Honkai: Star Rail, characters from the Path of Nihility continue to dominate some of the more specialized rankings, even though Superbreak and FUA are considered top-tier compositions. At the pinnacle, we find an intriguing collection. Acheron undeniably reigns supreme as the best DPS for Nihility. Black Swan, while demanding to master, offers tremendous DPS and DoT effects when played correctly. Kafka remains a dominant figure due to her skill in amplifying DoT effects. Lastly, Jiaoqiu excels at debuffing enemies effectively.

Honkai Star Rail: Tier List (Best Characters in 2.6)

The majority of final members in Nihility are ranked A, which is unexpected as it indicates this route offers a well-balanced experience. Sampo and Kafka work seamlessly together. Welt adds intriguing debuffs to his already impressive DPS capabilities. Silver Wolf excels at inflicting weaknesses on enemies. Pela, a 4-star character from Nihility, is exceptional, even outperforming premium teams.

I’ve been finding Guinaifen a bit underwhelming when it comes to my team of Path members. Although she has the ability to inflict debuffs like the rest of them, it seems that other characters excel more in this aspect.

Path of Preservation

RankCharacter
SAventurine
Fu Xuan
AGepard
BMarch 7th
CTrailblazer (Fire)

As a devoted player, I mustn’t forget to mention the often overlooked Path of Preservation. Among all paths in the game, it seems that Aventurine and Fu Xuan have garnered the most attention. Aventurine, in particular, has proven to be an invaluable asset for FUA teams, while Fu Xuan serves a dual purpose as both a healer and a tank.

The Leopard stands out as the top defensive character within the game; moreover, March 7th offers an element of FUA (Flexible Utility Ability). Despite being left behind, our main character truly shines in their Harmonized form.

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2024-11-08 22:37