Success in battles in Honkai: Star Rail depends not only on who you bring to your team but also on how you build them. Light Cones, relics, team composition, and Eidolons—all these can turn an ordinary hero into a real monster.

This tier list is based on such ideal conditions. Each character is evaluated at level E0 (without Eidolons) but with the best possible setups. Heroes are distributed into tiers according to their effectiveness.

However, if a hero is not at the top of the list, it doesn't mean they are weak. Proper investment and synergy with other heroes can unlock the potential of even the simplest character. It's normal to disagree with ratings, especially in a game where much depends on playstyle, favorite characters, and specific strategies.

Honkai Star Rail 3.3 Character Power Tier Distribution

Depending on various character indicators, gameplay convenience, and usefulness in different situations, they can be ranked from SS tier to C (from best to worst).

• SS-tier — the best of the best in the game. These characters don't require much investment to be great and are key elements in most teams.
• S-tier — characters who are very strong in their roles. While these characters are powerful heroes, they need the best Light Cones, Eidolons, or other premium elements to compete with the strongest.
• A-tier — excellent characters who can perform even better with proper investment. These characters may struggle without their best Light Cones, Eidolons, or other premium elements. Even then, they might find it hard to compete with the top.
• B-tier — characters who are below average in their role. They require significant investment to be viable in tougher content.
• C-tier — characters with limited combat utility. They are heavily overshadowed by other characters in the same role.

Honkai Star Rail 3.3 Character Tier List (June 2025)

Below you can find the character tier list in Honkai Star Rail. Since there are many different incomparable parameters among characters, for fairness, they have been divided into two categories: damage-dealing heroes (DPS) and support heroes. This way you can find out which character is the best or worst in the game, depending on their primary role.

Honkai Star Rail Character Tier List by Indicators

Besides the general categories of damage and support, there are various subcategories for classifying character strength. For convenience, we divided them by the number of targets during an attack (i.e., single-target or AoE damage dealers), buffing or debuffing capabilities, and their survivability as tanks.

SS-tier Heroes

S-tier Heroes

A-tier Heroes

B-tier Heroes

C-tier Heroes

What the Heroes Are

Acheron

A destructive Nihility path character who breaks the traditional notion of weakening enemies through debuffs—she simply removes them from the field. She doesn't use Energy for her Ultimate—instead, she draws power from debuffs applied by allies, making her a unique DPS with high potential but specific team requirements. Her playstyle shines in well-coordinated setups with constant enemy debuffs.

Dan Heng • Imbibitor Lunae (DHIL)

A powerful DPS that consumes a lot of SP and whose Enhanced Basic ATKs transform into powerful Blast attacks hitting up to three enemies. His high SP consumption can be mitigated by pairing him with SP-friendly support like Sparkle or Tingyun. Though demanding, his pure damage makes him one of the strongest DPS in the game.

Jingliu

An Ice DPS whose damage scales from crits and becomes a true monster in her enhanced state. She starts with single-target abilities but deals devastating AoE and multi-hit damage in her transformed form. She's easy to build—just increase Crit and offensive stats—and consistently delivers high damage in most team combinations.

Bronya

One of the strongest all-around supports. Her Skill allows advancing an ally's turn by 100%, effectively letting you control the turn order and finish off enemies before they can act. Combined with powerful Crit DMG buffs, she remains relevant from the start of the game to the most challenging content.

Fu Xuan

A hybrid tank and buffer who protects allies by absorbing part of their incoming damage through the Matrix of Prescience. She also increases the team's Crit Rate and provides immunity to Crowd Control when the Matrix is activated. Despite her playstyle not always meshing well with Preservation blessings in the Simulated Universe, her versatility makes her practically indispensable.

Huohuo

A flexible healer best suited for battles with AoE damage. Her single-target healing is inferior to Luocha or Bailu, but she passively heals and cleanses statuses even when off-field, making her perfect for prolonged battles with status effects. Particularly effective against enemies with debuffs.

Luocha

The best "emergency" healer, automatically healing through Skill and Talent, ensuring high survivability in intense battles. His Ultimate is also very useful—dealing damage to all enemies and removing their buffs—thus serving both as support and a counter-buff solution in challenging content.

Ruan Mei

A multifunctional support scientist who boosts the team through RES PEN, Weakness Break effectiveness, DMG, and SPD increases. An ideal choice for teams with high SP consumption and setups focusing on rapid Weakness Break cycles. Her Ultimate delays enemy actions, providing strategic advantage in turn-based battles.

Silver Wolf

A valuable debuffer in single-target battles. She can implant a Weakness of a specific element that suits your team, unlocking the potential of mono-element compositions. Her DEF reduction through Ultimate is highly effective against bosses, though her single-target nature reduces effectiveness against groups of enemies.

Sparkle

An SP management expert and flexible buffer. She increases the team's maximum SP pool by 2—a huge plus for SP-dependent characters—and enhances DMG based on SP spent. Her turn advancement tool is similar to Bronya's but is 50%. Excellent synergy with DHIL or Qingque.

Argenti

One of the strongest AoE DPS of the Erudition path. His Ultimate has two forms depending on Energy level, making him flexible and scalable. While not designed for single-boss battles, he shines in content with a large number of enemies, especially where reinforcements appear (e.g., Pure Fiction). High damage and wide coverage make him ideal for wave clearing.

Black Swan

A DoT (Damage over Time) expert focused on Arcana—special DoT effects that stack and intensify over time. She doesn't rely on a powerful Ultimate but thrives in a team with other DoT characters like Kafka or Sampo. Once enough Arcana stacks accumulate, her damage explodes, capable of wiping out enemy waves.

Blade

A unique DPS whose damage scales from HP. He sacrifices his own health to deal damage and recovers it through follow-up attacks. With low SP consumption, he is a convenient choice for any team. Also works well as a Sub-DPS in hyper-carry setups like Jingliu, where SP is better left to the main damage dealer.

Clara

A hybrid tank and DPS who relies on counterattacks and shares damage with her protector—Svarog. Her counterattacks are powerful and often remove debuffs, making her resilient against AoE and multi-hit enemies. Best shines when set up to draw enemy attention, ensuring regular counterattacks and team protection.

Dr. Ratio

A free 5★ character that exceeds expectations. His follow-up attacks scale heavily from debuffs on enemies, so in the right setup, he can deal significant single-target damage. While his full potential depends on debuffs, activating his bonus attacks is not difficult in teams with characters like Silver Wolf or Pela.

Jing Yuan

An AoE DPS of the Erudition path whose damage depends on Lightning-Lord follow-up attacks. His effectiveness is determined by the number of Hits Per Action of Lightning-Lord, so it's crucial to build a team to enhance these indicators. Especially effective in battles with groups of enemies weak to Lightning.

Kafka

The queen of DoT synergy. Kafka isn't very strong solo but becomes threatening in teams with other DoT dealers like Black Swan, Sampo, or Guinaifen. She instantly triggers existing DoTs and can quickly renew them. While her damage isn't impressive on its own, the cumulative effect over time destroys enemies.

Seele

The original Single-Target "nuker" who still retains her crown. She dominates in fast battles thanks to her Talent, which grants an extra action after killing an enemy. With support like Bronya or Tingyun, she easily enters a cycle of turns and swiftly annihilates enemies. Still remains one of the best hyper-carry in the game.

Topaz & Numby

A follow-up attack specialist who enhances any team built around this mechanic. In reality, the main star is Numby, while Topaz is responsible for applying Proof of Debt—a debuff that enhances all follow-up damage. Works best with characters like Dr. Ratio or Clara.

Pela

A versatile DEF reducer who debuffs multiple enemies through Ultimate and removes buffs with Skill. Fits perfectly into any offensive team, especially effective against groups of enemies. Easy to build, F2P friendly, and useful in all game content.

Tingyun

One of the best 4★ buffers in the game. Provides a significant ATK buff and restores Energy to the target, enhancing both survival and damage. While her buff scales with ATK (not ideal for HP-based DPS like Blade), the overall benefit of her support is undeniable, especially with Eidolons.

Trailblazer (Harmony)

An underrated free support that pairs well with teams focused on Break Effect. Enhances Super Break damage and ensures consistent Ultimate use. Especially useful for new players or those without premium supports like Bronya or Sparkle.

Guinaifen

A 4★ support/DPS focused on DoT, specializing in applying Burn and increasing damage taken by enemies in the Burn state. She is a strong option for DoT teams, especially when paired with Kafka or Black Swan. With her AoE utility and Burn enhancement, she fits well in both F2P and advanced DoT setups.

Herta

A free Erudition path character whose damage increases when enemy HP drops below a certain threshold. Best works in content with many mobs (e.g., Pure Fiction), where her Talent-activated follow-up attacks frequently trigger. Less effective in boss battles but shines in "wave" fights.

Himeko

A Fire character of the Erudition path specializing in follow-up attacks, similar to Jing Yuan. She accumulates charges from Weakness Breaks, then unleashes a powerful AoE burst. Best performs in battles with multiple enemies and scenarios with waves of opponents.

Hook

A single-target Fire DPS who gains splash damage after using Ultimate. As the leader of The Moles, she's well-suited for boss battles, dealing Burn and consistent Fire damage. While not flashy, she's reliable and easy to build for mono-Fire teams.

Qingque

A high-risk, high-reward Quantum DPS relying on RNG through her tile-drawing mechanic. When RNG is on her side, she can deal damage worthy of 5★ characters. Her effectiveness greatly increases in Simulated Universe with Propagation blessings or with Sparkle support (for SP).

Serval

A hybrid DPS/DoT who spreads Shock among enemies and extends its duration. Gains ATK bonuses after finishing off enemies, allowing her to be effective in prolonged or wave battles. Perfect for AoE and DoT strategies but less effective against single targets with high DEF.

Xueyi

A Quantum DPS focused on follow-up attacks, whose Ultimate reduces enemy Toughness regardless of their Weakness. This makes her effective in Break Effect teams. Her focus on follow-up attacks gives her some flexibility, though she slightly falls short of specialized DPS.

Asta

A buffer with a unique combination of SPD and ATK boosts. Her Talent increases the team's SPD based on the number of hits on enemies, working well with multi-hit characters. While versatile, her utility in DoT or Break teams—especially Fire—makes her a reliable choice.

Bailu

A 5★ healer providing reliable team-wide healing and a unique ability to revive one ally once per battle. This can be a game-saver in challenging content like the Simulated Universe. While less stable in debuff removal and off-turn support, her unique utility is very strong.

Gepard

A classic shield-bearer whose Ultimate provides a powerful team shield. Can draw aggro and revive himself once per battle. While less "flashy" than Aventurine, he remains a reliable pillar for team survival, especially where healing alone isn't enough.

Hanya

A 4★ buffer with SP recovery mechanics. She rewards stable play and provides ATK and DMG buffs while restoring SP under certain conditions. Best suited for SP-dependent teams, helping maintain consistent DPS.

Lynx

An F2P healer particularly useful in Destruction-based teams—especially those where characters need to take damage themselves (like Blade or Yunli). Can cleanse the entire team's statuses and increase aggro, helping activate relevant effects. Her healing is average, but her utility is very strong in certain setups.

Welt

A Sub-DPS focused on debuffs, slowing and delaying enemy turns through his Ultimate. His SPD reduction pairs well with fast-paced teams. While he doesn't deal damage like pure DPS, his battle control and Break potential make him very flexible.

Dan Heng (4★)

The basic version of Dan Heng is a single-target Wind DPS that gains bonus damage against slowed enemies. His skill set is simple and reliable in the early stages of the game, but he lacks damage ceiling and utility compared to higher-ranked characters. Still useful in budget teams with the right support and SPD setup.

Luka

A Physical DoT dealer specializing in the Bleed effect. His Ultimate increases damage taken by enemies, and his Skill applies Bleed to a single target. Luka fits well into DoT compositions, but his damage and utility fall short compared to stronger debuffers or explosive DPS like Kafka or Boothill.

Misha

A character whose damage scales with the team's SP expenditure. His Ultimate deals splash damage and scales with team activity—like a snowball effect. He struggles in battles where SP needs to be conserved or against bosses without allies, but he shines in content with groups of enemies (Pure Fiction, etc.).

Sampo

An unexpectedly powerful 4★ DoT DPS. Sampo spreads Wind Shear (his DoT) among enemies and increases their received DoT damage through Ultimate. In a full DoT team, he's a key element that boosts Kafka, Black Swan, or Guinaifen. Often underestimated but very valuable in the right setup.

Sushang

A fast Physical DPS of the Hunt path who excels in single-target battles. Gains bonus attacks on Weakness Break, significantly boosting damage. With Eidolons (especially E1), better manages SP consumption. An excellent choice for boss battles weak to Physical.

Yanqing

A Cryo DPS of the Hunt path with high damage potential dependent on maintaining buffs that disappear when taking damage. If buffs are maintained, he can deal devastating damage with Crit bonuses. However, his fragility makes playing without strong tanks or evasion mechanics challenging, reducing his stability.

March 7th (Preservation)

A free character focused on defense. She applies shields to allies and automatically counterattacks when protected allies are attacked. Her damage is moderate, but her Ultimate can freeze all enemies—useful in the Simulated Universe with Remembrance blessings. Great utility in early and mid-game stages.

Natasha

A basic healer that's easy to obtain. Specializes in single-target healing and debuff cleansing. Her Ultimate provides team-wide healing. Ideal for beginners or as a temporary option in challenging content. However, she is weak in cleansing debuffs for the entire team and has limited synergy in the endgame stage.

Trailblazer (Preservation - Fire MC)

A free tank with a reliable shield set. Fire MC can provoke enemies, reduce incoming damage through Skill, and apply a team-wide shield through Ultimate. Well-suited for early content and particularly useful in the Simulated Universe in the Preservation branch. However, quickly outclassed by Fu Xuan or Aventurine in later stages.

Yukong

A buffer oriented towards burst support: boosts Crit Rate, Crit DMG, and ATK. Requires careful SPD tuning for buffs to activate before your DPS actions. Her Skill lasts only two turns, so managing the turn order is crucial. With proper timing, significantly boosts team damage, but not suitable for beginners due to complexity.

Arlan

A DPS hero with Lightning damage type working on a "high risk—low reward" principle. Sacrifices HP to deal damage, with his damage scale depending on the amount of lost HP. However, his survivability is very conditional: he heals only when finishing off an enemy at low HP. This makes him extremely difficult to use effectively in most content. While he has a unique playstyle, he significantly falls short of Blade, who operates on similar mechanics but much more effectively.

Trailblazer (Destruction – Physical MC)

Your first DPS in the game with a combination of single-target and Blast damage. Their skill set includes self-buffing (ATK increase after Weakness Break) and team healing through Technique before battle. Quite suitable for initial content but quickly outclassed by more effective DPS. Their utility with multi-target damage is sometimes useful in lower levels of Simulated Universe, but scaling doesn't hold up in the endgame.