The best Honkai: Star Rail characters in version 4.5 are led by the support duo Sunday and Sparkle, the universal amplifier Tribbie, and damage dealers Phainon, Rin Tohsaka and Gilgamesh. Version 4.5 has been live since August 25, 2026, and it holds until version 4.6 launches on September 28, so this ranking is the one to build around right now.
The Version 4.5 Tier List
Game8‘s tier list, last refreshed in mid-September 2026, uses a six-tier scale from SS down to C. The table below covers every character worth actually pulling for or building right now, split by role.
| Tier | Character | Role | Path / Element |
|---|---|---|---|
| SS | Sunday | Support | Harmony, Imaginary |
| SS | Tribbie | Amplifier | Harmony, Quantum |
| SS | Sparkle | Support | Harmony, Quantum |
| SS | Rin Tohsaka | DPS / Sub-DPS | Erudition, Quantum |
| SS | Ashveil | Sub-DPS / Follow-up | Hunt, Lightning |
| SS | Robin “Summeretto” | Support | Harmony, Physical |
| SS | Himeko “Nova” | DPS | Erudition, Fire |
| SS | Castorice | DPS / Sustain | Remembrance, Quantum |
| S+ | Phainon | DPS | Destruction, Physical |
| S+ | Gilgamesh | DPS | Destruction, Lightning |
| S+ | Seele | DPS | Hunt, Quantum |
| S+ | Acheron | DPS | Nihility, Lightning |
| S+ | Ruan Mei | Support | Harmony, Ice |
| S+ | Aventurine | Sustain | Preservation, Imaginary |
HoYoverse keeps investing in new S-tier kits for a reason: Honkai: Star Rail pulled in $405.5 million in revenue during 2025, 53% more than Genshin Impact’s $319.4 million that same year, according to mobile-market tracker Udonis. That is a live-service game still very much worth chasing the meta on.
Is Seele Actually Falling Off?
Some trackers had Seele sliding toward the bottom of the list this year as power creep piled up around her. Game8’s September 2026 update disagrees, holding her steady in S+; take the “Seele is dead” takes with a grain of salt until a tier list actually shows her there.
Rin Tohsaka and Gilgamesh Are Fate/Stay Night Characters
If those two names sound out of place next to Trailblazer lore, that’s because they are crossover characters. HoYoverse’s second Fate/stay Night collaboration, covered in detail by Anime Corner, launched in version 4.4 on July 24, 2026, adding Rin Tohsaka as a Quantum Erudition damage dealer and Gilgamesh as a Lightning Destruction damage dealer. Both stayed permanently obtainable after the collab banner ended, which is why they’re still fully viable pulls in 4.5.
Why One Flat List Doesn’t Tell the Whole Story
Honkai: Star Rail actually has three endgame modes, Memory of Chaos, Pure Fiction and Apocalyptic Shadow, and they reward different kits. Single-target damage like Phainon’s pulls ahead in Apocalyptic Shadow’s single-boss fights, while AoE-heavy amplifiers like Tribbie separate themselves in Pure Fiction’s wave-clear format. A character sitting one tier lower here can still be your best option for whichever mode you’re actually pushing.
What’s Coming in Version 4.6
Version 4.6, “Dance With the Beast Before Moonrise,” launches September 28, 2026, per Gematsu, adding a new 5-star character named Pearl, an Ice unit on the Path of Elation. She isn’t live yet, so she isn’t ranked here; check back once her kit is actually in players’ hands.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the best Honkai: Star Rail character in version 4.5?
Sunday and Sparkle lead the support tier, Tribbie is the top amplifier, and Phainon, Rin Tohsaka and Gilgamesh are the top damage dealers, per Game8’s September 2026 tier list.
Is Seele still good in Honkai: Star Rail?
Yes, according to Game8’s most recent update, which places her in S+. Some older community lists claimed she’d fallen off, but that isn’t reflected in the current data.
Are Rin Tohsaka and Gilgamesh permanent characters in Honkai: Star Rail?
Yes. Both were added through the Fate/stay Night collaboration in version 4.4 (July 24, 2026) and remain permanently obtainable now that the collab banner has ended.
When does Honkai: Star Rail version 4.6 release?
September 28, 2026. It’s titled “Dance With the Beast Before Moonrise” and adds a new 5-star Ice character named Pearl.
Do Honkai: Star Rail tier lists differ by game mode?
Yes. Memory of Chaos, Pure Fiction and Apocalyptic Shadow reward different kits, so a character’s ranking can shift depending on which endgame mode you’re actually building for.
Honkai: Star Rail is HoYoverse’s turn-based entry alongside Genshin Impact and Zenless Zone Zero; see our best Genshin Impact characters ranking for how that roster compares, and our coverage of Nodusfall, HoYoverse’s next game, for where the studio is headed next.
