Honkai Star Rail HSR Tier List (July 2025) Best Characters

As someone who's been playing Honkai Star Rail since launch, I've seen the meta evolve dramatically with each update. Whether you're a new Trailblazer or a veteran looking to optimize your teams, knowing which characters to invest in can make or break your endgame experience. That's why I've put together this comprehensive tier list for 2025, covering all characters currently available in the game.

Before we dive into the rankings, let me clarify something important: team composition matters more than individual character strength. Even lower-tier characters can shine with proper investment and the right teammates. However, some characters simply offer more value and versatility, which is what this tier list reflects.

HSR [Honkai Star Rail] Tier List (July 2025)

Here's a complete overview of all Honkai Star Rail characters ranked from best to worst:

Tier	Role	Characters
SS	DPS	Castorice, Feixiao, The Herta
SS	Support	Tribbie, Sunday, Robin
SS	Sustain	Huohuo, Lingsha, Hyacine
S+	DPS	Acheron, Boothill, Firefly
S+	Support	Ruan Mei, Sparkle, Silver Wolf
S+	Sustain	Aventurine, Fu Xuan
S	DPS	Jingliu, Dr. Ratio, Argenti, Kafka, Blade
S	Support	Bronya, Pela, Tingyun (5★)
S	Sustain	Luocha, Gepard
A	DPS	Seele, Topaz, Jing Yuan, Clara, Dan Heng Imbibitor Lunae
A	Support	Yukong, Asta, Hanya
A	Sustain	Bailu, March 7th (Preservation)
B	DPS	Himeko, Qingque, Sushang, Serval, Xueyi
B	Support	Tingyun (4★), Guinaifen
B	Sustain	Natasha, Lynx
C	DPS	Yanqing, Arlan, Hook, Herta (4★), Physical Trailblazer
C	Support	Sampo

SS Tier - The Meta Definers

These characters dominate the current meta and excel in all endgame content (Memory of Chaos, Pure Fiction, and Apocalyptic Shadow).

Castorice (5★ Quantum, Remembrance)

Castorice has revolutionized the meta with her unique revival mechanic. Even if you don't build her, her mere presence in your roster provides passive revival for fallen allies. Her damage output rivals the best DPS units while offering unmatched utility. I consider her a must-pull regardless of your account's needs - she future-proofs any team composition.

Feixiao (5★ Wind, Hunt)

When it comes to single-target damage, Feixiao stands at the apex. Her follow-up attack mechanics synergize perfectly with the current meta, and her ultimate deals devastating damage regardless of enemy weakness types. She's particularly dominant in Memory of Chaos and Apocalyptic Shadow where boss-killing potential matters most.

The Herta (5★ Ice, Erudition)

Not to be confused with the 4-star puppet version, The Herta (also known as Big Herta) is the queen of AoE damage. In Pure Fiction, she's practically uncontested, clearing waves of enemies with ease. Her kit scales incredibly well with investment, making her one of the best characters to E1 or E2 if you're considering constellations.

Tribbie (5★ Imaginary, Harmony)

Tribbie has dethroned previous support champions with her incredible damage amplification and long buff uptime. Her skill point positive rotation allows her to fit into any team, and her ability to trigger follow-up attacks when allies use ultimates adds substantial damage. She's the ceiling for general-purpose damage increase in 2025.

Sunday & Robin (5★ Imaginary/Physical, Harmony)

These siblings dominate the support meta in different ways. Sunday excels at enabling hypercarry compositions with his skill point recovery and action advance mechanics. Robin transforms entire teams with her ultimate, providing teamwide damage buffs and action advance. Both are victims of The Herta's dominance in Pure Fiction but remain top-tier choices.

Huohuo (5★ Wind, Abundance)

Initially criticized for lacking reactive heals, Huohuo has proven herself as the game's most versatile healer. Her energy regeneration utility sets her apart from other sustain units, enabling faster ultimate rotations for your entire team. She's particularly valuable in teams that rely on ultimate spam strategies.

Lingsha (5★ Fire, Abundance)

Lingsha combines the best of offensive and defensive support. Every action she takes heals allies while damaging enemies, and her cleansing capability is unmatched. Her break damage amplification makes her essential for Super Break teams, while her multi-hit attacks synergize with characters like Feixiao and The Herta.

Hyacine (5★ Wind, Remembrance)

The newest addition to the SS tier, Hyacine summons an adorable unicorn companion that provides consistent healing and damage mitigation. Her unique mechanics allow her to excel in all three endgame modes, making her a versatile investment for any account.

S+ Tier - Exceptional Performers

These characters excel in their roles and can carry teams through the toughest content with proper support.

Acheron (5★ Lightning, Nihility)

My personal favorite DPS, Acheron deals massive damage through her unique ultimate mechanic that doesn't require energy. Instead, she builds stacks through debuff applications, making her ideal for Nihility-focused teams. Recent tier list adjustments show her performance becoming more gear and team-dependent, but she remains exceptional with proper investment.

Boothill (5★ Physical, Hunt)

The cowboy excels at break damage, offering some of the highest single-target burst in the game. His standoff mechanic and break efficiency make him particularly strong in Apocalyptic Shadow. He's one of the few physical DPS units that remains relevant in the current meta.

Firefly (5★ Fire, Destruction)

Despite power creep concerns, Firefly remains a top-tier DPS thanks to upcoming buffs in version 3.4. Her Super Break damage with Harmony Trailblazer support can trivialize most content. She's also getting a new skin in 3.4, showing HoYoverse's continued support for the character.

Ruan Mei (5★ Ice, Harmony)

The queen of break teams, Ruan Mei provides weakness break efficiency, resistance penetration, and speed buffs that transform any team's performance. While slightly overshadowed by Tribbie in raw damage amplification, her unique utility ensures she remains invaluable.

Sparkle (5★ Quantum, Harmony)

Sparkle's skill point generation and critical damage buffs make her essential for SP-hungry characters like Dan Heng IL and upcoming Archer. Her 50% action advance might seem inferior to Bronya's 100%, but her overall kit provides more consistent value.

Aventurine (5★ Imaginary, Preservation)

Simply put, Aventurine is Gepard but better. His stackable shields with 100% uptime, debuff application, and respectable sub-DPS damage make him the premium shielder choice. His only weakness is the high investment required to unlock his full potential.

Fu Xuan (5★ Quantum, Preservation)

Fu Xuan's HP-sharing mechanic and teamwide damage reduction create a unique form of damage mitigation. Her self-sustaining kit and critical rate buffs add offensive utility that other preservation units lack. She's particularly valuable against enemies with frequent AoE attacks.

S Tier - Strong & Reliable

These characters form the backbone of many successful teams and offer excellent performance with moderate investment.

Jingliu (5★ Ice, Destruction)

Once the undisputed queen of DPS, Jingliu remains highly relevant thanks to announced buffs in 3.4. Her self-buffing mechanic and HP drain create a unique risk-reward playstyle. She's particularly strong in teams that can manage her HP consumption.

Dr. Ratio (5★ Imaginary, Hunt)

The free 5-star that everyone received remains one of the best single-target DPS options. His follow-up attacks triggered by debuffs synergize perfectly with characters like Silver Wolf and Pela. Building him is incredibly F2P friendly since everyone has access to him.

Kafka (5★ Lightning, Nihility)

The queen of DoT teams, Kafka's ability to detonate damage-over-time effects creates unique team compositions. With buffs coming in 3.4, she's poised to become even stronger. Her best teams include Black Swan for optimal DoT stacking.

Bronya (5★ Wind, Harmony)

The original action advance support remains relevant despite competition. Her 100% action advance and damage/crit buffs enable hypercarry strategies that few other supports can match. She's particularly valuable for newer players who need consistent support options.

Luocha (5★ Imaginary, Abundance)

Luocha's automatic healing and buff removal utility make him a comfortable sustain option. His ATK-scaling heals mean he can contribute damage while keeping the team healthy. He's fallen slightly due to competition but remains highly reliable.

A Tier - Solid Choices

These characters perform well in their niches and can be core team members with proper investment.

Seele (5★ Quantum, Hunt)

The game's first limited DPS has aged surprisingly well. Her resurgence mechanic allows for multiple turns when defeating enemies, making her excellent for both single-target and cleanup scenarios. She requires good gear but rewards investment.

Dan Heng - Imbibitor Lunae (5★ Imaginary, Destruction)

DHIL's enhanced basic attack mechanic creates unique gameplay but requires careful skill point management. With Sparkle's support, he becomes a powerhouse capable of massive single-target damage. His main limitation is the team building restrictions his SP consumption creates.

Yukong (4★ Imaginary, Harmony)

Don't let her 4-star status fool you - Yukong provides significant damage amplification through her ATK and crit buffs. Her main challenge is timing her buffs correctly, but skilled players can extract tremendous value from her kit.

B Tier - Situational Stars

These characters excel in specific scenarios or serve as budget alternatives to higher-tier options.

Qingque (4★ Quantum, Erudition)

The gambling granny offers surprising damage potential but relies heavily on RNG. With Sparkle's skill point support, she becomes much more consistent. She's particularly fun to play if you enjoy high-risk, high-reward gameplay.

Natasha (4★ Physical, Abundance)

The free healer everyone gets remains the most accessible sustain option. While outclassed by 5-star alternatives, her cleanse utility and consistent healing make her viable for all content. She's the definition of "good enough" for F2P players.

March 7th (4★ Ice, Preservation)

Our starting shielder offers targeted protection and freeze utility. Her new Hunt form adds versatility, but her original Preservation version remains useful for newer players. She's particularly good at protecting squishy DPS units.

C Tier - Investment Heavy

These characters require significant investment to perform adequately and are generally outclassed by other options.

Yanqing (5★ Ice, Hunt)

Despite being a 5-star, Yanqing struggles in the current meta. His reliance on not taking damage conflicts with many boss mechanics. While he can deal respectable damage with heavy investment, other Hunt characters provide better value.

Herta (4★ Ice, Erudition)

The puppet version of Herta serves as a decent early-game AoE option but falls off hard in endgame content. She's worth building for Pure Fiction if you lack better options, but don't expect miracles. Her main value comes from being free and accessible.

Physical Trailblazer (5★ Physical, Destruction)

Our starting character unfortunately ranks at the bottom. While their other paths (Preservation, Harmony, Remembrance) offer unique utility, the Physical Destruction version is outclassed by virtually every other DPS option. Only invest if you're committed to the meme.

Team Building Tips for 2025

Building successful teams in Honkai Star Rail requires understanding three key principles:

1. Weakness Coverage: Always ensure your DPS can exploit enemy weaknesses
2. Role Balance: Include DPS, Support/Amplifier, and Sustain units
3. Synergy: Choose characters whose kits complement each other

Meta Team Compositions

Tribbie Hypercarry: Tribbie + Sunday/Sparkle + Main DPS + Flex This composition maximizes single-target damage through multiple support layers.

Follow-Up Attack: Feixiao + Robin + Topaz/March 7th Hunt + Aventurine Triggers multiple follow-up attacks for consistent damage output.

Super Break: Firefly + Harmony MC + Ruan Mei + Lingsha Exploits break mechanics for massive damage against all enemy types.

DoT Proliferation: Kafka + Black Swan + Ruan Mei + Huohuo Stacks and detonates multiple DoT effects for sustained damage.

F2P Friendly Teams

Ratio Hypercarry: Dr. Ratio + Pela + Tingyun + Natasha Accessible team that leverages free units effectively.

Herta Pure Fiction: Herta + Himeko + Asta + March 7th Budget AoE team specifically for Pure Fiction content.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the strongest character in Honkai Star Rail?

In 2025, Castorice arguably holds the crown as the strongest overall character due to her unique revival mechanic and top-tier damage. However, "strongest" depends on context - The Herta dominates Pure Fiction, while Feixiao excels in single-target scenarios.

Are 4-star characters worth investing in?

Absolutely! Characters like Tingyun, Pela, and Yukong remain meta-relevant despite their rarity. Some 4-stars like March 7th (Hunt) even compete with 5-star alternatives. The key is understanding their roles and building teams that maximize their strengths.

Which characters are best for F2P players?

F2P players should prioritize Dr. Ratio (free 5-star), Natasha (free healer), March 7th (free shielder), and Herta (free AoE DPS). These characters can clear all content with proper investment. For pulls, focus on versatile supports like Sunday or Robin who enhance any team.

How important is team composition compared to individual characters?

Team composition is arguably more important than individual character strength. A well-synergized team of A-tier characters will outperform a random collection of SS-tier units. Focus on building complete teams rather than chasing every new character.

Should I pull for constellations (Eidolons) or new characters?

For most players, new characters provide more value than constellations. Eidolons are luxury upgrades that enhance existing capabilities, while new characters open entirely new team compositions and strategies. Only consider Eidolons if you're satisfied with your current roster.

What's the best way to prepare for upcoming characters?

Based on leaks, version 3.4 brings Phainon (Physical Destruction) and the Fate collaboration characters Saber and Archer. Start farming universal materials like character EXP and credits. Check Prydwen Institute for pre-farming guides once official announcements drop.

Final Thoughts

Remember, tier lists are guidelines, not gospel. I've seen dedicated players clear the hardest content with supposedly "low-tier" characters through smart team building and investment. The most important factor is enjoying the characters you play.

That said, if you're looking to optimize your account for 2025's challenges, focusing on SS and S+ tier characters will give you the smoothest experience. The upcoming 3.4 buffs to Silver Wolf, Blade, Kafka, and Jingliu also mean some older characters might jump tiers, so keep an eye on patch notes.

What's your favorite team composition? Did any rankings surprise you? Let me know in the comments below, and don't forget to check back for updates as new characters release!