Honkai: Star Rail Version 4.6 lands this weekend under the title "Dance With the Beast Before Moonrise." The patch is a focused Elation update: one new 5-star, Pearl, stays featured for the entire version, while Evanescia and Mortenax Blade split the two rerun halves. If you are building Elation teams, this is a dense six weeks. If you are not, it is a clean saving window into later patches.
This guide locks the server times, banner windows, light cones, 4-star rate-ups, day-1 farms and events, and a practical pull plan. Schedules below follow Game8's 4.6 banners page and AllThingsHow's full schedule; pull priority notes track AllThingsHow's banner ranking. Always re-check in-game warp details after maintenance in case HoYoverse adjusts a window by a few hours.
Version 4.6 release times by server
Maintenance ends and 4.6 content unlocks at one global moment, so the local clock differs by region.
| Server | Date | Local time |
|---|---|---|
| North America (UTC-5) | September 27, 2026 | 10:00 PM |
| Europe (UTC+1) | September 28, 2026 | 4:00 AM |
| Asia (UTC+8) | September 28, 2026 | 11:00 AM |
| TW / HK / MO (UTC+8) | September 28, 2026 | 11:00 AM |
For players in America/Chicago, that is a Sunday night unlock on Sept 27. EU and Asia wake up into Sept 28. The patch itself runs to about November 10, 2026 for Pearl's banner end and the Phase 2 close, with several events listed through November 11 on secondary calendars. Treat Nov 10 as the warp cutoff unless the in-game timer says otherwise after launch.
Banner schedule overview
Pearl is the only debuting 5-star. Her character warp runs the full patch. The second featured character slot swaps at the Phase 1 / Phase 2 hinge around October 21.
| Banner | Featured 5★ | Window |
|---|---|---|
| Character (full patch) | Pearl (Ice, Elation) | Launch → Nov 10 |
| Character (Phase 1) | Evanescia (Physical, Elation) | Launch → Oct 21 |
| Character (Phase 2) | Mortenax Blade (Fire, Nihility) | Oct 21 → Nov 10 |
| LC Phase 1 | Colors for Tomorrow · Until the Flowers Bloom Again | Launch → Oct 21 |
| LC Phase 2 | Colors for Tomorrow · Reforged in Hellfire | Oct 21 → Nov 10 |
4-star characters on every character banner: Qingque (Erudition, Quantum), Xueyi (Destruction, Quantum), Misha (Destruction, Ice).
4-star light cones reported across the Brilliant Fixation / Bygone Reminiscence rows: Planetary Rendezvous, Boundless Choreo, Post-Op Conversation.
Pearl: the new Ice Elation sustain
Pearl is an Ice character on the Path of Elation. Coverage frames her as the archetype's first dedicated heal / sustain option, with DEF scaling and an Ultimate that marks an ally as an "Aesthetic Archetype" and uses that ally's stats for Pearl's Elation damage. In a full four-Elation party, her kit is described as granting an extra turn on Ultimate, which is the ceiling that makes her special compared with a generic sustain swap.
Story-wise she is tied to the Ten Stonehearts / Preservation fantasy; gameplay-wise she is Elation. Do not build her like a classic Preservation shielder. If your sustain slot is already filled by Huohuo, Aventurine, or a strong Preservation Trailblazer plan and you are not investing in Elation, Pearl is an easy skip. If you already own Evanescia or another Elation carry and want the team to stop leaking, she is the patch's specialty pickup.
Her signature light cone is Colors for Tomorrow on Brilliant Fixation. Free / shop alternatives such as Memory of Chaos shop options (for example Mushy Shroomy's Adventures in ranking guides) cover a lot of the Elation damage taken amp if you refuse the LC banner. Character first, cone second, always.
Phase 1: Evanescia rerun (launch to Oct 21)
Evanescia returns as the Phase 1 featured rerun: Physical Elation main DPS. Ranking guides currently treat her as the strongest single pull in 4.6 for players who want damage now, because Pearl's value spikes when she has a real Elation carry to mark and enable. If you are choosing one limited target in Phase 1 and you lack an Elation hypercarry, Evanescia is the safer "team exists today" pick. If you already own her and are committing to Elation long-term, Pearl is the new piece.
Her signature LC rerun sits on Bygone Reminiscence as Until the Flowers Bloom Again during Phase 1. Same rule as Pearl: lock the character before chasing the cone unless you are swimming in jade.
Phase 1 is also when Gift of Odyssey, Love Ghosts & Robots, and the early double-drop calendars start feeding Special Passes and jade. Spend after you clear the free login passes if your pity is awkward.
Phase 2: Mortenax Blade (Oct 21 to Nov 10)
Mortenax Blade takes the second-half rerun: Fire Nihility with flexible team fit and strong self-sustain / revive identity in guide write-ups. He is the situational banner. Great if you want a flexible Fire Nihility body. Easy to skip if your jade is earmarked for Pearl's remaining window, Evanescia pity cleanup, or saving into 4.7 / 4.8 targets discussed in community planning pieces.
His signature Reforged in Hellfire runs on the Phase 2 Bygone Reminiscence row. Pearl's Colors for Tomorrow continues alongside it on Brilliant Fixation through the version end, so you are not forced to grab Pearl's cone in Phase 1 only.
Who to pull: a simple priority ladder
Use this ladder, then adjust for your roster holes.
- Building Elation and missing a carry: Evanescia first in Phase 1.
- Building Elation and already have Evanescia (or equal carry): Pearl for the sustain / archetype pay-off. Her banner lasting the full patch means you can finish story jade and events before hard committing.
- Not playing Elation: Skip or soft-pity only for 4-star targets you actually want (Qingque / Xueyi / Misha). Save for later patches.
- Want a flexible Fire Nihility flex: Mortenax Blade in Phase 2 after Elation goals are settled.
- Light cones: Only after the character is secured. Colors for Tomorrow is a Pearl luxury; free Elation options exist. Evanescia's signature is strong but not day-1 mandatory for every account. Mortenax is the most cone-flexible of the three.
Day-1 farms and events worth clearing
Secondary schedules (Game8 / AllThingsHow) list these major 4.6 windows. Confirm exact reward numbers in-game after launch.
- Love, Ghosts & Robots (flagship, ~Sept 28 → Nov 11): Skott's mechatron workshop story / quota event and the largest Stellar Jade chunk called out in guides (about 1200 jade plus resin / Tracks of Destiny style rewards).
- Astral Slammers Squad! (permanent after 4.6): IPC minigame that stays in the client; clear the limited reward ladder early.
- Astral Imagea (login / collection window with Trendible Vouchers for Imagea pets).
- Wishpower UP! Down with Voracity (combat / Wishpower farming for more Trendible Vouchers plus jade).
- Interastral Peace Gala: One Take (Phase 2 combat event from ~Oct 21).
- Gift of Odyssey (7-day login for 10 Star Rail Special Passes).
- Planar Fissure (~Oct 12 → Oct 25): double planar ornaments from Simulated Universe Worlds.
- Garden of Plenty (~Oct 30 → Nov 11): double Golden / Crimson Calyx rewards.
Day-1 practical order after maintenance:
- Claim mail / update rewards and Gift of Odyssey day 1.
- Clear the opening Trailblaze Mission beats for jade and map unlocks.
- Start Love, Ghosts & Robots for the big limited jade stack.
- Farm the new relic cavern once you know Pearl / Evanescia build targets.
- Only then open the warp screen with a written pull target.
Pull plan templates
F2P / low spender, Elation curious
- Login passes + flagship event first.
- Soft pity only if Qingque / Xueyi / Misha copies matter to you.
- Hard commit to one of Evanescia or Pearl, not both, unless luck is absurd.
- Skip Mortenax Blade and all signature LCs.
- Pearl is the patch goal. Use the full-version banner length; do not panic pull night one.
- Colors for Tomorrow only after Pearl is locked and jade remains.
- Ignore Mortenax unless you specifically want Fire Nihility depth.
- Evanescia in Phase 1 is the team-defining pull.
- Pearl can wait until after Evanescia is secured, or until mid-patch jade from events piles up, because her banner does not leave on Oct 21.
- Reassess Mortenax only if both Elation goals are done.
- Collect Gift of Odyssey passes.
- Clear story and events for banked jade.
- Save into whatever you actually main next version.
Light cone and 4-star notes
- Colors for Tomorrow (Pearl): DEF, healing, and Elation-count vulnerability style effects in guide summaries. Strong on-brand, skippable with shop / free Elation cones.
- Until the Flowers Bloom Again (Evanescia): CRIT DMG / Energy style support for her kit.
- Reforged in Hellfire (Mortenax Blade): luxury; F2P Nihility cones keep him functional.
- Qingque / Xueyi / Misha: all three stay rate-up both phases. Xueyi and Qingque remain fine Quantum pieces for older accounts; Misha is a comfortable Ice Destruction pickup if you are still thin there. Do not chase 4-stars past a 5-star guarantee you cannot afford.
What to watch after 4.6
Community planning pieces already look ahead to a major Elation pay-off in 4.7 and a Zenless Zone Zero crossover window in 4.8. That sequencing is why "skip 4.6 if you are not on Elation" is a real strategy, not cope. If Aha-style Quantum Elation or collab characters are your north star, bank jade now and only dip for Evanescia / Pearl if your current endgame is already Elation-shaped.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Honkai Star Rail 4.6 release?
North America unlocks September 27, 2026 at 10:00 PM (UTC-5). Europe and Asia unlock September 28, 2026 (4:00 AM UTC+1 / 11:00 AM UTC+8). Confirm the maintenance end banner in-game.
How long does Pearl's banner last?
Pearl's featured warp runs the entire version, from launch through about November 10, 2026, instead of only Phase 1. Always trust the in-game countdown after go-live.
Who reruns in Phase 1 and Phase 2?
Evanescia reruns in Phase 1 (launch → Oct 21). Mortenax Blade reruns in Phase 2 (Oct 21 → Nov 10).
What path and element is Pearl?
Pearl is Ice on the Path of Elation, built as a DEF-scaling sustain / healer for Elation teams. Her signature light cone is Colors for Tomorrow.
Which 4-stars are rate-up?
Qingque, Xueyi, and Misha across the character banners for the whole patch.
Should I pull Pearl or Evanescia first?
If you need an Elation DPS, prioritize Evanescia. If you already have that carry and want the Elation sustain package, prioritize Pearl. If you do not play Elation, skipping both is reasonable.
When does Version 4.6 end?
Banner calendars put Pearl / Phase 2 close around November 10, 2026, with several events listed into November 11. Use the warp timer as the final authority.
What should I farm on day 1?
Claim Gift of Odyssey, push the new Trailblaze Mission for jade and the Life Sciences Institute unlock, start Love, Ghosts & Robots, then farm new relics once your pull target is decided. Open warps after the free login passes if your pity is awkward.
