HSR 4.6: Pearl Release Date & Banner Details

HSR 4.6 Release Date and Pearl Debut

Honkai: Star Rail Version 4.6 arrives on 2026-09-27 at 11:00 PM ET (UTC-4). That places the reset late on a Sunday for North American players, with European and Asian servers rolling into Monday morning. The headline addition is Pearl, an Ice character on the Elation Path, positioned as a healer who completes Elation teams.

For anyone tracking the broader meta, this patch matters because it finally gives Elation a dedicated sustain option. Until now, Elation compositions have leaned on off-Path healers or shielders, which often costs a damage or utility slot. Pearl's arrival could change that math entirely. Keep an eye on our Honkai: Star Rail news hub for kit details as they are confirmed.

At a Glance

• Version: Honkai: Star Rail 4.6
• Release date: 2026-09-27, 11:00 PM ET (UTC-4)
• New character: Pearl — Ice, Elation, healer
• Reruns: Evanescia, Mortenax Blade
• Banner phases: Not stated in official materials.
• Livestream codes: Not stated in official materials.

Banner Schedule and Reruns

HoYoverse has confirmed Pearl's debut alongside reruns for Evanescia and Mortenax Blade. What remains unclear is how the phases are split. Historically, HSR runs two phases per patch, but the source material does not specify whether Pearl shares Phase 1 with a rerun or anchors her own phase.

Banner	Character	Element	Path	Status
New	Pearl	Ice	Elation	Confirmed
Rerun	Evanescia	Not stated	Not stated	Confirmed
Rerun	Mortenax Blade	Not stated	Not stated	Confirmed

Unconfirmed — subject to change: Phase order and exact rerun pairings. Treat any community phase chart as speculative until the official Special Program.

Mortenax Blade previously debuted in 4.3 alongside a Yao Guang rerun, so this marks a relatively fast turnaround for a second banner. That is good news for players who skipped the first run, but it also compresses the pull window for anyone still saving for the 4.8 Zenless Zone Zero collaboration.

Should You Pull Pearl?

This depends entirely on whether you already invest in Elation teams. If you have been forcing Elation carries into Memory of Chaos with a borrowed sustain, Pearl is the missing piece. A dedicated healer on the same Path usually means better synergy with Elation-specific Light Cones and relic sets, plus cleaner Energy Regeneration Rate breakpoints for the team's ultimate rotations.

For F2P players, the calculus is tighter. Pearl is a new limited 5-star, and reruns of Evanescia and Mortenax Blade compete for the same Stellar Jade pool. If your account already clears endgame comfortably, skipping Pearl to bank for 4.8 is defensible. If you are struggling to keep Elation teams alive in Pure Fiction or high-difficulty Simulated Universe expansions, she is a direct upgrade over stopgap healing.

Low-spenders should weigh Pearl against her Light Cone. Healer Light Cones are often replaceable with 4-star options, so the character usually takes priority unless her signature provides a unique team-wide buff. Not stated in official materials regarding her Light Cone or Eidolons.

Teams and Synergies

Pearl's value hinges on how her healing scales and whether she brings offensive utility. A pure healer with no buffs would still be useful for Elation, but a healer who also feeds Skill Points or amplifies Elation damage would push the archetype into top-tier territory.

Potential team skeleton:

• Elation carry (main damage)
• Pearl (sustain, Ice, Elation)
• Harmony support (buffer or action advance)
• Flex (debuffer, sub-DPS, or second Harmony)

Without confirmed numbers, avoid pre-farming relics. Wait for the Special Program to confirm whether Pearl wants Outgoing Healing, HP%, Speed, or Energy Regeneration Rate as her primary stat priorities. If she scales off HP like most healers, Broken Keel or a new Elation-specific set could be best-in-slot. If she scales off ATK, the build changes entirely.

For Toughness and Weakness Break considerations, Ice healing does not directly contribute to breaking, but Ice characters can still chip Toughness on Ice-weak enemies. That matters in Memory of Chaos floors where Ice weakness is present.

Lore Connections and Speculation

Pearl's Elation alignment is intriguing. The Elation Path in Honkai: Star Rail is tied to Aha, a Aeon known for chaos and amusement. A healer on that Path suggests a character who mends wounds for reasons that may not be purely altruistic. Whether Pearl connects to existing Elation lore figures like Sparkle or Sampo is Unconfirmed — subject to change.

There is no confirmed link to Honkai Impact 3rd lore at this time. Not stated in official materials.

Events and Rewards

No events, login bonuses, or redemption codes have been detailed for 4.6. Based on standard patch cadence, expect a Special Program roughly two weeks before launch, which typically includes three codes worth 300 Stellar Jade total. That is an assumption, not a confirmation.

For players planning pulls, the practical advice is simple: do not spend Stellar Jade on standard banners, and do not pre-farm Pearl materials until the livestream confirms her ascension mats. If you are pulling for Mortenax Blade or Evanescia instead, their materials are already known from previous patches.

Conclusion

HSR 4.6 lands on 2026-09-27 with Pearl as the first dedicated Elation healer, plus Evanescia and Mortenax Blade reruns. The patch has real meta implications for Elation teams, but the lack of confirmed kit details means pull decisions should wait for the Special Program. If you are F2P, protect your Jade for 4.8 unless Pearl directly solves a problem on your account.