With only a few hours until the Honkai Star Rail version 2.0 update goes live, we should really start thinking about which of the two new characters we really want! To make your decision easier, here is a brief overview of the banner!
Especially for free-to-play players, the next choice won’t be easy, because Honkai Star Rail version 2.0 is full of amazing new characters!
If you’re still having trouble deciding which of the upcoming 2.0 Banners you want to spend your hard-earned Stellar Jade on, this little preview might help you make a decision!
Honkai Star Rail: Presentation of the version 2.0 banner
The following 2.0 banners will be published with the version updated February 6, 2024. The first phase will begin on February 6, 2024 and ends February 29, 2024. The next second phase will have new programming, which will begin on February 29, 2024, and will end on March 21, 2024!
First half: Black Swan
To understand who Black Swan is and what role she plays in the Star Rail universe, you need to know that she is a Memokeeper! The enigmatic Memokeepers live in the Garden of Remembrance, which is a very special realm in the world of Honkai Star Rail and no normal mortal being can enter this place.
The unit rebroadcast under the Black Swan banner will be Dan Heng IL.
Obviously, Black Swan is the absolute star of this show! If you haven’t yet checked out our guide on her, here’s a little overview of her!
| Start of banner: | February 6, 2023 |
| Element and path: | Wind / Nihility |
| Rarity: | 5 stars |
| Ranking before release: | Level S+ |
| Difficulty: | Medium |
But let’s put it aside for a minute and take a look at the 4 stars that we find on the banner of the first phase of version 2.0!
First half: 4 stars
- Micha (Ice / Destruction)
Misha is, alongside Black Swan, the other brand new Honkai Star Rail character on this banner! Regarding its gameplay, we don’t really have any information on it, which means time will tell if it’s a good unit! However, his kit looks pretty interesting, and you might want to try and get at least one copy of him if you get the chance!
- Tingyun (Lightning / Harmony)
If you don’t already have your E6 Tingyun, then It’s your call to get it featured on the next banner! Our favorite 4-star Foxian is a staple on many player teams and even though she’s been around since the beginning of the game, she’s still an incredible buffer unit!
- Guineafen (Fire / Nihility)
Guinaifen is also a fairly strong unit, however, it becomes particularly intriguing for those considering recruiting Black Swan in order to play it with Kafka in a DoT team! Because guess who is also a great addition to this team? — Exactly, Guinaifen!
To shorten it : This first half of version 2.0 is entirely dedicated to DoT teams and if you are a fan of them or if you need good partners for your Kafka, you can spend all your Jades on this banner without having to worry. This will definitely be my banner of choice, since I love Kafka.
Second half: Sparkle
Sparkle is a rather mysterious person who doesn’t reveal much about herself, but when she does, you always have to assume that it was all an act. Her life is a theatrical performance and she loves nothing more than slipping into different roles and living by her own rules.
The unit recast during Black Swan’s banner will be Jing Yuan!
And just like with Black Swan, if you missed our guide to Sparkle, here’s a quick overview:
| Start of banner: | February 27, 2023 |
| Element and path: | Quantum / Harmony |
| Rarity: | 5 stars |
| Ranking before release: | Level S+ |
| Difficulty: | easy/medium |
Second half: 4 stars
- Qingque (Quantum / Erudition)
Star Rail’s most famous player is back! We’ve already talked about Qingque in several of these previews, since she’s one of the very first 4 stars in the entire game. She is, so far, a pretty unique character and a lot of fun to play as, especially if you like take a little risk. It is stronger than many people think and definitely worth choosing. If you manage to get your hands on his E6, it’s actually a great primary carrier!
- Only (Physics / Harmony)
Personally, I really like Hanya. She makes an incredible and fantastic buffer unit to break down physical weaknesses. However, I wouldn’t recommend pulling this banner just for her, as the first half also has a very strong buffer, being Tingyun!
- Sampo (Wind / Nihility)
In the early days of Honkai Star Rail, Sampo was never really popular. He was one of the few units to play with damage mechanics over time and no one was really sure which team he should join. However, with the release of more DoT characters, especially Kafka, Sampo has become a pretty strong unit and can even work as a main carry on the right team!
Which of the two banners you want to try your luck on is of course up to you. This time it really depends on which characters you already have. If you like to play The DoT teams, then the first phase should be your banner. However, everyone else should probably keep an eye on Sparkle, as she can dish out some very powerful buffs!
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