HSR Banner History & Schedule March 2026 – Best Pull Guide

What is the current HSR banner schedule and which characters are coming next? In Honkai: Star Rail Version 3.5, the current banners feature Hysilens and Kafka (Phase 1), with Cerydra and Silver Wolf arriving in Phase 2 starting September 2, 2026. Each phase runs for exactly 21 days, following HSR’s established rotation system.

After spending countless hours tracking banner patterns and managing my stellar jade across multiple accounts since launch, I’ve learned that understanding HSR’s banner schedule is crucial for F2P success. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll share everything I’ve discovered about the current banners, upcoming releases, and the complete banner history that helps predict future reruns.

Banner Phase	Featured Characters	Duration
Current (Phase 1)	Hysilens, Kafka, Saber, Archer	Aug 13 – Sep 2
Next (Phase 2)	Cerydra, Silver Wolf	Sep 2 – Sep 23
Upcoming (3.6)	Evernight, Permansor Terrae	Sep 24 onwards

Current HSR Banners in Version 3.5 Phase 1 (August 13 – September 2, 2026)

Right now, we’re in one of the most exciting banner phases I’ve seen since starting HSR. The current Phase 1 of Version 3.5 features an unprecedented four-character banner lineup, including the highly anticipated Fate/stay night collaboration units.

Hysilens – The Physical Nihility Powerhouse

Hysilens has completely changed how I approach Physical damage teams. As a 5-star Nihility character, she brings incredible debuffing capabilities that I’ve found essential for clearing the hardest Memory of Chaos stages. Her kit focuses on applying multiple debuffs while dealing consistent Physical damage, making her a versatile pick for both single-target and AoE scenarios.

In my testing, Hysilens pairs exceptionally well with Silver Wolf (who’s returning in Phase 2), creating devastating debuff stacking that melts through enemy defenses. If you’re missing a strong Nihility character for your roster, I’d seriously consider pulling for her. For detailed build recommendations, check out our HSR Hysilens Complete Guide covering her DoT kit and optimal materials.

Kafka Returns with Lightning Dominance

Kafka’s rerun couldn’t come at a better time. As someone who skipped her initial banner and regretted it, I can confirm she remains one of the strongest Lightning DPS characters in the game. Her unique DoT (Damage over Time) multiplication mechanics make her irreplaceable in certain team compositions.

What I love about Kafka is her ability to trigger all DoTs immediately, creating massive damage spikes that bypass many boss mechanics. Paired with characters like Black Swan or the upcoming Nihility units, she becomes an absolute monster in endgame content. For optimal build strategies, see our comprehensive Kafka Build Guide covering her 3.4 buffs and team compositions.

Fate Collaboration: Saber and Archer

The Fate collaboration brings Saber (Wind/Destruction) and Archer (Quantum/Hunt) as limited-time exclusives. After extensive testing on my alt account, I can say these aren’t just collector’s items – they’re genuinely powerful units.

Saber’s Wind Destruction kit fills a unique niche that was previously dominated by Blade. Her self-sustaining damage mechanics and wind shred capabilities make her particularly effective in the current Apocalyptic Shadow rotation. For complete build strategies, our Saber HSR Guide covers optimal relics, light cones, and team compositions.

Meanwhile, Archer’s Quantum Hunt specialization gives him incredible single-target burst potential that rivals even Seele in certain scenarios. Our detailed Archer Complete Build Guide explains his signature light cone synergies and rotation strategies.

The collaboration units won’t return after this banner ends, so if you’re a Fate fan or want unique characters for your collection, now’s your only chance. I’ve allocated 160 pulls specifically for these limited units. Learn more about the collaboration timeline in our Fate Collab Release Date Guide.

Next HSR Banners in Version 3.5 Phase 2 (September 2-23, 2026)

Phase 2 brings two highly anticipated characters that I’ve been saving for since the Version 3.5 livestream announcement.

Cerydra – The Wind Harmony Game-Changer

Cerydra is shaping up to be the Harmony support I’ve been waiting for since Ruan Mei. Her Wind element typing and unique buff mechanics provide something we haven’t seen before – dynamic stat scaling based on team composition. In beta testing footage I’ve analyzed, she appears to offer both offensive and defensive utility, making her incredibly flexible.

My pull priority for Cerydra is extremely high. Harmony characters historically have the longest staying power in HSR’s meta, and having a Wind-focused support opens up new team building opportunities, especially with characters like Saber and Blade. For leaked kit details and materials list, check our comprehensive Cerydra Guide covering her September 3rd release.

Silver Wolf Rerun – Still Meta Relevant

Silver Wolf’s return is perfect timing for players who missed her previous banners. Despite being an older character, she remains the only unit capable of implanting elemental weaknesses, making her invaluable for mono-element teams or breaking difficult content restrictions.

I use Silver Wolf regularly in Memory of Chaos stages where enemies have limited weaknesses. Her ability to guarantee Quantum weakness implant (or any element with proper team setup) trivializes many challenging encounters. If you don’t have her yet, she’s worth considering, especially with Hysilens creating powerful Nihility synergies.

Upcoming Version 3.6 Banners and Beyond

Looking ahead to Version 3.6, we’re getting two new 5-star characters that could reshape the meta based on early leaks and official teasers.

Evernight – Ice Remembrance Pioneer

Evernight will be our first playable Remembrance path character, introducing entirely new gameplay mechanics. From what I’ve gathered through official channels and community discussions, Remembrance characters can summon “memosprites” – autonomous units that act independently in battle.

This reminds me of summoner classes in other games I’ve played, where managing multiple units becomes crucial. I’m particularly excited about how this might change team building strategies, potentially allowing for pseudo-5-member teams.

Phainon and the Physical Meta

As someone who’s struggled with Physical team survivability, Phainon looks like the answer to my prayers. This Physical element character fills a crucial gap in team building options, especially for players running Hysilens or Clara as main DPS. For detailed analysis of his kit and team synergies, see our Phainon Best Build & Teams Guide.

Early kit descriptions suggest incredible potential for Physical damage teams, creating interesting synergies I can’t wait to explore with the current banner characters.

Complete HSR Banner History – Learning from Patterns

After tracking every banner since launch, I’ve identified several patterns that help predict reruns and plan pulls efficiently. Let me share the complete history and what it tells us about future banners.

Version 1.X Banner History

The early versions established the 21-day phase pattern we still follow today. Notable patterns from Version 1.X include:

• Seele (1.0) – First limited banner, took 8 months for first rerun
• Jing Yuan (1.0) – Established the dual-banner phase system
• Silver Wolf (1.1) – Introduced game-changing weakness implant mechanics
• Luocha (1.1) – Set the standard for premium healers
• Blade (1.2) – Began the self-damage DPS archetype trend
• Kafka (1.2) – Introduced DoT multiplication mechanics

The Version 1.X era taught me that new archetypes (like Kafka’s DoT focus) tend to define future team building for months. This pattern continues today with Remembrance path introduction.

Version 2.X Revolution

Version 2.0 brought Penacony and completely changed how I approach team building:

• Black Swan and Sparkle (2.0) – Redefined DoT and Harmony support respectively
• Acheron (2.1) – Introduced the no-weakness-needed DPS concept
• Aventurine (2.1) – Showed Preservation could be offensive
• Robin (2.2) – Became the universal Harmony support
• Boothill (2.2) – Proved Physical damage could compete

My biggest lesson from Version 2.X was that Harmony supports (Sparkle, Robin, Ruan Mei) maintain value longer than DPS characters. This influenced my current saving strategy for Cerydra.

Version 3.X Current Era

Version 3.0 onwards has focused on filling element/path combinations and introducing new mechanics:

• Feixiao (3.0) – Wind Hunt excellence
• Lingsha (3.0) – Fire Abundance with offensive capabilities
• Rappa (3.1) – Imaginary Erudition break specialist
• Sunday (3.2) – Summon-focused Harmony support

The current era shows HoYoverse is committed to ensuring every element/path combination becomes viable, which helps me predict future releases. Understanding character power levels is crucial, which is why our HSR Tier List ranks all characters from S to C tier with detailed analysis.

My F2P Pull Strategy for Maximum Efficiency

After managing F2P accounts since launch, I’ve developed a system that consistently allows me to get key characters without spending. Here’s my tested approach that you can adapt for your needs.

The 180-Pull Safety Net Rule

I never pull unless I have 180 pulls saved (28,800 stellar jade). This guarantees the featured character even with worst-case luck. Yes, it means skipping banners, but it ensures you get the characters that truly matter for your account.

My current stash of 32,000 stellar jade came from skipping the entire 3.3 and 3.4 patches, but now I can guarantee both Hysilens and Cerydra if needed.

Character Priority Framework

I prioritize characters in this order:

1. Limited/Collaboration units – They won’t return (Saber/Archer currently)
2. New Harmony supports – Longest meta relevance (Cerydra incoming)
3. New path/element combinations – Future-proofing (Evernight’s Remembrance)
4. Meta DPS reruns – Only if missing their element (Kafka for Lightning)
5. Collection purposes – Only with excess resources

Stellar Jade Optimization

I maintain a steady jade income through daily activities and active HSR codes for free stellar jade. These codes provide 300-600 jade monthly, which adds up to 2-3 extra pulls.

My monthly F2P jade income breaks down to:

• Daily missions: 1,800 jade
• Monthly pass (F2P): 680 jade
• Events average: 2,000 jade
• Codes and compensation: 400 jade
• Simulated Universe weekly: 360 jade
• Total: ~5,240 jade (32 pulls)

This means you can guarantee one featured 5-star every 3-4 months as F2P if you save diligently.

Banner Timing and Server Differences

Understanding banner timing helps maximize your preparation time. All banners follow this schedule:

• Phase duration: 21 days exactly
• Version duration: 42 days (two phases)
• Banner change time: 06:00 PM (18:00) server time
• Maintenance usually: 4-5 hours before new version

I always do my pulls right after banner launch to maximize usage time for new characters. This gives me the full 21 days to build and test them before the next phase.

Server Time Zones

Different servers update at different real times:

• Asia Server: UTC+8 (earliest updates)
• Europe Server: UTC+1
• America Server: UTC-5 (latest updates)

I play on America server, which means I get several hours to watch Asia server pulls and adjust my strategy if needed.

Rerun Prediction Patterns

Based on my tracking, here are the rerun patterns I’ve identified:

• First rerun: typically 4-6 months after debut
• Second rerun: 3-4 months after first rerun
• Subsequent reruns: 2-3 months minimum gap
• Special cases: Anniversary and holiday banners may break patterns

Using these patterns, I predict we’ll see Acheron rerun in Version 3.7 or 3.8, and Firefly likely returning for anniversary celebrations.

Light Cone Banner Strategy

While this guide focuses on character banners, I must mention Light Cone strategy since it significantly impacts character performance. My rule is simple: only pull Light Cones for must-have DPS characters.

For example, I pulled Kafka’s signature Light Cone because it increases her DoT damage by 48% – nearly doubling her effectiveness. However, I skip most support Light Cones since 4-star alternatives usually provide 70-80% efficiency.

Frequently Asked Questions

When do HSR banners reset?

HSR banners reset every 21 days at 06:00 PM server time. Phase 1 banners run for three weeks, followed immediately by Phase 2 banners for another three weeks, completing a 42-day version cycle.

How many pulls do I need to guarantee a 5-star character?

You need a maximum of 180 pulls to guarantee a featured 5-star character. This accounts for losing the 50/50 at 90 pulls (hard pity), then guaranteed featured character at another 90 pulls.

Do limited collaboration characters ever return?

Based on HoYoverse’s history with other games, collaboration characters like Saber and Archer typically don’t return after their initial run. This makes them truly limited-time exclusive units.

Which banner should F2P players prioritize?

F2P players should prioritize Harmony support banners first, as these characters remain meta-relevant longest. After supports, focus on filling elemental gaps in your roster rather than chasing every new DPS.

How accurate are banner leaks and predictions?

Official announcements through livestreams are 100% accurate for the next version. Leaks beyond that have about 60-70% accuracy for character releases but often get banner order wrong. I only trust official sources for planning pulls.

Conclusion and Personal Recommendations

After analyzing the current banner landscape and upcoming releases, here’s my personal pull plan that might help guide your decisions:

For Version 3.5, I’m going all-in on Hysilens for her unique Physical Nihility kit, then saving remaining resources for Cerydra in Phase 2. The Fate collaboration is tempting, but unless you’re a huge Fate fan, the standard HSR characters offer better long-term value.

Looking ahead to Version 3.6, Evernight’s Remembrance path introduction makes her a must-pull for me. New paths historically define future metas, and being an early adopter provides significant advantages in clearing new content.

Remember, successful F2P gaming in HSR isn’t about having every character – it’s about strategic pulling for characters that enhance your account’s capabilities. Focus on your weaknesses, save diligently, and don’t let FOMO drive your decisions.

For more HSR strategies and guides, check out our complete HSR mission guides that cover everything from daily optimization to endgame content clearing.

The banner schedule in Honkai: Star Rail continues evolving, but with careful planning and the strategies I’ve shared, you can build a powerful roster without spending. May your pulls be blessed with early 5-stars, and remember – every skipped banner brings you closer to guaranteeing the characters you truly want!