Version 4.3 of Honkai: Star Rail is shaping up to be one of the more loaded updates in recent memory. HoYoverse held its version special broadcast today, May 22, and the announcements kept stacking: a brand-new Fire/Nihility character, two mini-game events, a major endgame overhaul, and confirmation that the Fate/stay night UBW collaboration is coming back with even bigger names.
The new character: Heavenly Night-Blade explained
Heavenly Night-Blade is the headline addition for version 4.3. A Fire-type character following the Path of Nihility, the kit revolves around a self-buffing loop tied to their Ultimate. When activated, they enter an enhanced state and deploy a barrier that applies a damage-taken-increase debuff to all enemies inside it. Allies attacking enemies inside that barrier generate special charges, and once the gauge fills, Heavenly Night-Blade automatically triggers their combat skill as a follow-up attack twice.
The Technique also has a utility angle, taunting nearby enemies on entry while reducing incoming damage. For a Nihility character, the design leans more into proactive pressure than pure debuff stacking, which makes the kit feel distinct from existing options on the same path.
Pulling Heavenly Night-Blade during their banner window comes with a bonus: the Trailblazer outfit Karma of the Other Shore is handed out for free. That kind of cosmetic incentive on a limited banner is worth factoring into your pull timing.
Banner schedule for 4.3
The first half of version 4.3 pairs Heavenly Night-Blade's debut with a rerun of Dawn. The second half brings back Cyrene and Phynon. For players who missed either of those two on their original runs, the second half is the window to act. You can track the full rotation over at the Honkai Star Rail banner schedule guide.
Pulling Heavenly Night-Blade before the banner period ends is the only way to get the Karma of the Other Shore Trailblazer outfit for free. It will not be available through other means at launch.
Star-Rise Mode changes endgame permanently
The bigger structural change in 4.3 is Star-Rise Mode, a new high-difficulty layer added to Memory of Chaos, Pure Fiction, and Apocalyptic Shadow. Where those modes previously required two teams, Star-Rise Mode demands three, each tackling a separate stage with individual retry options.
Complete all three perfectly and you earn an extra 100 Stellar Jades per cycle per mode, totaling 300 additional Stellar Jades across all three contents every cycle. That is a meaningful increase to the passive Jade income for players who can field three competitive teams.
Events, system updates, and a Fate collab returning
Two mini-game events round out the version content. Pixel Plane Brawl is a roguelike where you build and upgrade a fighter jet to outlast 99 competitors. Spirit Amusement Park takes a simulation angle, asking players to construct a park for spirits and design their movement paths. Both reward Stellar Jades.
On the system side, HoYoverse is adding a smartphone widget that displays real-time Trailblaze Power and daily mission status directly from your home screen. Cross-device setting synchronization is also coming, which has been a long-standing quality-of-life gap.
The collaboration news is the part that will get the most attention. Following last year's Fate/stay night UBW event, the collaboration is returning with two new characters: Rin Tohsaka as a Quantum-type on the Path of Erudition, and Gilgamesh as an Imaginary-type on the Path of Destruction. The event is scheduled for after version 4.3 launches, with further details coming in future announcements. Players will be able to obtain either Gilgamesh or Archer for free when the event opens.
A separate collaboration with electronics brand UGREEN was also confirmed, with Acheron-themed merchandise planned.
For players building their Stellar Jade reserves ahead of these banners, the Honkai: Star Rail version 4.2 guide covers the free pulls and rewards still available before 4.3 arrives. The broadcast confirmed enough content to keep the game's most dedicated players occupied well into the summer, with the Fate collab looming as the headline event once 4.3 wraps.
