So, here we are in January 2026. If you've been checking your warp screen lately, you know the vibe is kinda chaotic. The current Honkai Star Rail banner situation is a massive fork in the road for basically every player, whether you're a day-one veteran or someone who just hopped on the Astral Express.
Right now, we are sitting in the second half of Version 3.8. The featured characters? Fugue and Lingsha.
Honestly, it’s a weird spot to be in. On one hand, you have these incredible Fire-element powerhouses staring you in the face. On the other, the community is already losing its mind over the 4.0 leaks and the upcoming debut of Sparxie and Yao Guang. It’s the classic gacha dilemma, but with the stakes cranked up to eleven because of how the meta is shifting toward the Path of Elation.
The Fugue and Lingsha Situation (Version 3.8 Phase 2)
If you’re looking at the current Honkai Star Rail banner and wondering if Fugue is worth your hard-earned Stellar Jades, the answer isn’t a simple yes or no. Fugue is a 5-star Fire unit following the Path of Nihility. She’s essentially a "break-meta" enabler who can make your team feel immortal while melting toughness bars.
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Then there’s Lingsha. She’s the 5-star Fire Abundance unit who has been carrying many of us through the harder endgame content like Apocalyptic Shadow.
The 4-star lineup on this banner is a bit of a throwback:
- Sampo (Wind, Nihility)
- Natasha (Physical, Abundance)
- Arlan (Lightning, Destruction)
Let’s be real for a second. If you’ve been playing for more than six months, you probably have E6 Sampo and Natasha already. Arlan... well, Arlan is still Arlan. Unless you’re a completionist, the 4-stars here aren't exactly "must-haves." This banner is 100% about the 5-star headliners.
Why Sunday and Aglaea Are Looming Large
Don't spend everything just yet. The current Honkai Star Rail banner schedule shows that Version 3.8 Phase 3—which kicks off around January 28—is going to feature Aglaea and the long-awaited rerun of Sunday.
Aglaea is a Lightning character on the Path of Remembrance, a path that has completely redefined how we handle crowd control and turn-order manipulation in the 3.x era. And Sunday? He’s still one of the most versatile Harmony units in the game. Even in 2026, his ability to battery energy and provide massive crit buffs makes him a staple for hypercarry teams.
If you missed Sunday during his debut, this might be your last chance to grab him before the 4.0 power creep potentially shifts the game's focus again.
The 4.0 Shadow: Sparxie and Yao Guang
The biggest reason people are hesitant about the current Honkai Star Rail banner is the Planarcadia update. Version 4.0 is right around the corner—expected mid-February—and it’s bringing Sparxie and Yao Guang.
Sparxie is rumored to be a 5-star Fire unit on the Path of Elation. Leaks suggest she’s going to be the ultimate teammate for Sparkle, specializing in Skill Point recovery and follow-up attack amplification. If you’re a fan of the Elation playstyle (looking at you, Dr. Ratio and Aventurine mains), Sparxie is probably who you should be saving for.
Yao Guang, the Seer Strategist of the Xianzhou, is also a 5-star Physical Elation unit. Seeing two Elation units back-to-back tells us exactly where HoYoverse wants the meta to go. They’re basically telling us: "Prepare for follow-up attack dominance."
What About the Light Cones?
If you're pulling for the signature weapons on the current Honkai Star Rail banner, here is the breakdown:
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- Long Road Leads Home: Fugue’s signature. Essential if you want her to hit those break-effect thresholds without perfect relic rolls.
- Scent Alone Stays True: Lingsha’s signature. Great for sustain, but honestly, there are some 4-star Abundance cones that do 80% of the work for free.
The 4-star Light Cones featured right now are Post-Op Conversation, The Moles Welcome You, and Geniuses' Repose. Geniuses' Repose is actually a sleeper hit for Erudition units, so if you're close to a 4-star pity, it's not a bad consolation prize.
How to Handle Your Jades Right Now
Look, it's easy to get caught up in the hype of a new shiny character. But in a game that’s been running since 2023, you’ve got to be smart.
If you are struggling with Fire-weak content or need a better sustain for your Break team, Lingsha is a godsend. She’s comfy. She’s reliable.
But if your roster is already solid, the smart move is likely to hold. The transition from Version 3.8 to 4.0 feels like the transition from the Luofu to Penacony was. It’s a jump in complexity and power.
One thing most people get wrong is thinking they need every new unit to stay relevant. You don't. You can still clear Pure Fiction with older units if your supports are cracked. That’s why Sunday’s upcoming rerun is so tempting—he makes everyone else better.
Actionable Next Steps
If you’re staring at the "Warp" button, do this first:
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- Check your pity. If you’re at 70+ and on a 50/50, really ask yourself if Fugue changes your account more than Sparxie would in a month.
- Audit your Elation units. If you have Topaz, Aventurine, or Jade, you are essentially "pre-committed" to the 4.0 meta. Saving for Sparxie is likely the higher value play.
- Test the trial characters. Don't just look at the numbers. See if Fugue’s playstyle actually feels fun to you. If the "feel" isn't there, no amount of DPS will make her worth the Jades.
- Monitor the 4.0 Livestream. Usually happening a couple of weeks before the patch, this will confirm the kits for the new characters and let you make a fully informed decision.
The current Honkai Star Rail banner is a trap for some and a treasure for others. Just make sure you aren't pulling out of boredom. Planarcadia is coming, and it looks like it's going to be expensive.