Honkai: Star Rail 4.3 Pull Planning: Mortenax Blade, Yao Guang, Phainon, and Cyrene
Is the 4.3 banner actually a trap for free-to-play players?
On paper 4.3 looks gentle — one new 5★ plus three reruns — but the reruns are exactly the squads most players need, and the timing quietly drains your Stellar Jade. The projected schedule runs the new Fire Nihility unit Mortenax Blade from June 2 to June 24, 2026, with Yao Guang sharing the first half and Phainon and Cyrene returning in the second half.
The two returning characters are, by the creator's read, among the strongest waiting-list units right now. The Phainon team and the Remembrance team were among the highest pull-rate squads back in the 3.0 era, which lines up with the arrival of a three-team endgame. The new Starward Mode is a shared endgame that asks you to clear three stages per mode with three different teams — one Starward Stage (slightly harder) plus two Regular stages — across Memory of Chaos, Pure Fiction, and Apocalyptic Shadow, paying out 300 Stellar Jades per reset. That is the real pressure: you now need depth, not just one carry.
The smart move is conservative. The new follow-up archetype mirrors the Elation rollout: support and sub-DPS arrive first while the system main DPS stays unknown. That uncertainty pushes anyone who cares about strength-per-jade toward waiting until the system carry is confirmed, then backfilling supports. Lock your three-team framework first, top up only the units already cemented in your main squads during 4.3, and if you plan to chase a brand-new carry, keep a back-pocket of jade for 4.4.
What makes Mortenax Blade a breakthrough Nihility support?
At E0, Mortenax Blade stacks enough team-wide value to rival a Harmony unit. He applies 50% Vulnerability, 30% DEF reduction, and 50% DMG bonus to the field, and with a Nihility ally present he hands out an extra 75% Ultimate DMG. Layer the signature relic/Light Cone effects of roughly 28% CRIT DMG and 15% DMG bonus on top, and an E0 build can already produce million-tier bursts.
He is a 5★ Fire Nihility character whose entire kit runs on HP. His Skill consumes 15% Max HP to deal 36% Max HP Fire DMG to all enemies plus four random 12% hits, costs no Skill Points, and never drops his HP below 1. His Talent runs a Zone where every ally attack applies Balefire Bind and one Charge; at nine Charges he regenerates 15 Energy and fires the Skill as a Follow-Up for free.
The Ultimate is the engine. It applies Balefire Bind (DEF down 20%, DMG taken up 20%) to all enemies, consumes 30% Max HP to enter the Zone plus an Infinite Fury state (CRIT Rate +20%, CRIT DMG +30%), unlocks the new Ultimate Tenax Per (180% Max HP Fire AoE), and lets him survive one lethal hit. His third bonus trace boosts ally DMG by 50% inside the Zone, with an additional 50% ally Ultimate DMG when a second Nihility teammate is present, or 50% ally Follow-Up DMG otherwise. E1 strips 20% All-Type RES from every enemy, and E6 multiplies the new Ultimate by 1.5x.
What's the catch with Mortenax Blade?
Almost every function is bolted onto his Ultimate, and his energy bar was raised from 80 to a 160 maximum, so he leans hard on high-frequency ally attacks to trigger the talent's energy regen. That is why he is happiest in a follow-up team.
The design softens this somewhat: he always starts a battle or Zone with at least 50% energy and only needs about 40 to charge, with a CC cleanse baked into max energy. His Zone also bundles survival tools — high taunt, surviving a lethal blow, DMG reduction, and improved incoming healing — so he raises the whole team's durability while carving out his buff window. The cost of cramming buffs, damage, and survival into one unit is that without consistent attacks to feed Charges, the loop stalls.
His support is genuinely portable: many under-supported squads can slot him in, including Acheron lineups and even Remembrance teams. He has not, however, reached the level where he becomes a first-choice support the way Tribbie once did. Star Rail's current trend is system teams paired with system-specific supports, so treat his flexibility as a bonus rather than the reason to pull. On a foundation of Ashveil or an E2 Acheron, he also works as an occasional counter-pick card you drop into other teams.
How should free-to-play players invest in Mortenax Blade?
E2 is the transformative breakpoint — grab E2 first, then add the signature Light Cone, which gives the clean 00, 20, and 21 investment tiers. The signature improves over a stacked 5x 4★ Light Cone by within 15%, and over Acheron's signature by within 5%, so it is a refinement rather than a must-have.
| Tier | Build | Who it's for |
|---|---|---|
| 00 | E0, no signature | Low-spend players; already competitive |
| 20 | E2, no signature | Players committing to the new follow-up team |
| 21 | E2 + signature | Players going all-in on the archetype |
The signature, Reforged in Hellfire, grants +24–30% Max HP, regenerates 20 Energy at wave start once per battle, and inflicts Purgatory for 2 turns after the Skill, raising enemy CRIT DMG taken by 30% (plus 30% extra from the wearer).
If you already pulled Ashveil, even an E0 Blade alongside Ashveil and Tribbie can clear Memory of Chaos within two cycles — your sub-DPS support slot is filled, and you just wait for a new main DPS to round out the 4.0-style follow-up team. Ashveil is the best-in-slot partner: frequent attacks charge his stacks faster, and she adds an extra 40% DEF shred plus Follow-Up CRIT DMG, with Duran, Dynasty of Running Wolves (25% Follow-Up DMG + 25% CRIT DMG) as the recommended Planar set. Acheron owners at E2 or above can also consider him — an E2 Acheron with E0 Blade reaches the level of an E1 Ashveil with E0 Blade, or all three can field together. An E0 Acheron's numbers, by contrast, have simply fallen behind, and her three-Nihility requirement limits team-building.
Should you pull Yao Guang for your Elation team?
She is currently the only real Elation support option in the short term, and spending one copy for an E0 that stays relevant at least through version end is acceptable for most players. She is a Physical Elation support who buffs core Elation stats, adds RES PEN and vulnerability, generates Skill Points, supplies extra Punchline, and grants Aha an extra turn.
Some players worry she could be "optimized" out the way Cyrene iterated past Tribbie in the Memory team. That is speculation for now. Even if a successor eventually appears, the version cadence buys time: 4.3 and 4.4 both lack new Elation characters, 4.5 most likely brings an Elation survival unit first, so any direct upgrade would land around 4.6 or 4.7 — three to four versions away. Outside the Silver Wolf LV.999 squad, Sparxie players will likely keep her as a final teammate too.
For investment, the standard path is 00 → 10 → 11/20: take E1 first, then either the signature Light Cone or E2, with a three-copy budget stopping at 11 or 20. Her signature, When She Decided to See, sits at HP 1058, ATK 529, DEF 529, base SPD 101, and 180 max Energy at Lv80; S1 adds +18% SPD and a three-turn Great Fortune granting all allies +10% CRIT Rate, +30% CRIT DMG, +12% ERR, and 15 Energy per wave. Before committing, estimate your jade for 4.5, which may pair a new Elation support with a Silver Wolf LV.999 rerun. Prioritize your main DPS's configuration; an E0 support body is enough, and if you only have a single copy of budget, stop at E1 (the 10 tier) rather than starve your carry's key Eidolons.
Is Phainon worth grabbing on this rerun?
Phainon is a Destruction Physical main DPS, and since his 3.7 rerun already happened, the rule of thumb is that the best window to deepen a carry is his first rerun — but only commit if your team is nearly complete. A well-built E2 Phainon is still strong and remains many players' main squad, yet there are now far more competing options.
From a raw-power standpoint, if you can only deepen one E2 main DPS, the priority leans toward Elation carries like Silver Wolf LV.999 or 4.4's Himeko Nova. So Phainon is recommended only for players whose squad is otherwise complete and sitting right before a key breakpoint — for example E1 Phainon adding E2, or an E2 Phainon adding his signature to reach 21. His pivotal Eidolons are E2 and E6: E2 grants +20% Physical RES PEN and an extra turn from consuming four Scourge, while E6 raises the Coreflame cap to 402,604,020 and starts battles with six Coreflames.
Build targets are 100% combat CRIT Rate, 180% CRIT DMG, 136+ SPD, and 2500–3500 ATK. His best Light Cones are Thus Burns the Dawn (+12–20% base SPD, 18–36% DEF, +60–132% DMG under Blazing Sun), Brighter Than the Sun (+18–30% CRIT Rate with Dragon's Call stacks of +18–30% ATK and +6–10% ERR), and On the Fall of an Aeon. For relics, run Wavestrider Captain (4-piece, +16% CRIT DMG, Help stacks pushing +48% ATK on Ultimate) or Scholar Lost in Erudition, paired with Arcadia of Woven Dreams or Rutilant Arena. Trace priority is Skill = Talent > Basic ATK > Ultimate.
Should you pull Cyrene for your Remembrance teams?
Cyrene is on her first rerun, and if you run multiple Chrysos Heir or Remembrance squads but lack a support, even an E0 carries strategic value because she lets you split one stacked team into two Memory teams. She is a Remembrance Ice unit, and players who already have Castorice, Evernight, and Hyacine partly built benefit most from adding her.
Her kit centers on a Zone and a summon. Her Skill deploys a two-turn Zone where every instance of ally damage triggers an extra True DMG hit equal to 12% of the original. Her Ultimate (12 Energy) summons the memosprite Demiurge with HP equal to 100% of her own, grants an extra turn, activates all teammates' Ultimates, hands +25% CRIT Rate to herself and Demiurge, and runs an unlimited-duration Skill Zone — usable once per battle. Her Talent gives +10% DMG to all allies while she is on field, and at 24 Recollection (or 12 in the Ripples state) she can fire the Ultimate and dispel debuffs.
Her key tiers are also E2 and E6. An E2 Cyrene gives a sizable boost to Phainon, and if you intend to keep an E2 Phainon as a high-difficulty endgame main team, an E2 Cyrene becomes close to mandatory. The real question is how badly you want to clear the hardest content. If you are only running Memory of Chaos to collect the full Stellar Jade rewards, an E2 Phainon alone is completely sufficient. The high-end Remembrance team's two meaningful breakpoints are likewise E2 and E6.
What's worth saving for in 4.4 (Himeko Nova and the Fate collab)?
4.4 is the reason to hold back. The projected Phase 1 brings Himeko Nova — an Erudition Fire Ultimate-damage DPS with a summon mechanic and an HP-consuming playstyle that synergizes with Blade — with a banner estimated around July 24, 2026.
Alongside her, the Fate/Stay Night collaboration arrives, adding 5★ Rin Tohsaka (Erudition Quantum) and 5★ Gilgamesh (Destruction Lightning), plus Archer (Hunt Quantum), who is available for free starting July 11. That stacked back half is exactly why the creator stresses keeping jade in reserve rather than emptying it on 4.3 reruns.
Release timing also explains some of the awkwardness around the current banner. Ashveil landed right before the anniversary stretch, and Mortenax Blade is squeezed in just before Himeko Nova's new form and the collab banner — two units competing for attention at a crowded moment. That is the broader lesson the creator keeps returning to: when a character goes live matters as much as the kit itself, so plan your three-team framework around the calendar, not just around who looks strong this patch.
FAQ
When does the Mortenax Blade banner run?
The projected schedule places Mortenax Blade, the new 5★ Fire Nihility unit, from June 2 to June 24, 2026, sharing the first half of 4.3 with Yao Guang. Phainon and Cyrene return on the second-half reruns.
Is Mortenax Blade's signature Light Cone worth pulling?
It is a refinement, not a requirement. The signature improves over a stacked 5x 4★ Light Cone by within 15%, and over Acheron's signature by within 5%. The recommended path is E2 first, then the signature, giving the 00, 20, and 21 tiers.
What is the best team for Mortenax Blade?
A follow-up team. Ashveil is the best-in-slot partner because her frequent attacks charge his stacks faster while adding 40% DEF shred and Follow-Up CRIT DMG. An E0 Blade with Ashveil and Tribbie can clear Memory of Chaos within two cycles.
Will Yao Guang be power-crept soon?
Not immediately. Neither 4.3 nor 4.4 introduces a new Elation character, 4.5 most likely brings an Elation survival unit first, so any direct upgrade would arrive around 4.6 or 4.7 — three to four versions out. An E0 stays useful at least through version end.
What is Starward Mode and how much does it reward?
Starward Mode is a shared endgame requiring three different teams to clear three stages per mode — one Starward Stage plus two Regular stages, with the Starward Stage slightly harder. Teams are freely adjustable, and it pays out 300 Stellar Jades per reset across Memory of Chaos, Pure Fiction, and Apocalyptic Shadow.
What characters come with the Fate collab in 4.4?
The Fate/Stay Night collaboration adds 5★ Rin Tohsaka (Erudition Quantum) and 5★ Gilgamesh (Destruction Lightning). Archer (Hunt Quantum) is available for free, starting July 11. They land alongside Himeko Nova's projected July 24, 2026 banner.
Are there active redemption codes for free Stellar Jade?
Yes. Active May 2026 codes include QS395DJQU4HK for 60 Stellar Jade, VS3Q5VK9CMFP for 50 Stellar Jade and 10,000, and STARRAILGIFT for 50 Stellar Jade, two Traveler's Guides, five Bottled Soda, and 10,000. The livestream codes tied to the May 22 Special Program only stayed valid for 24 hours, so those have lapsed.
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