New Characters in Honkai: 2.1 Update


As the 1-year anniversary of Honkai: Star Rail approaches, the game continues to evolve with new characters, worlds, and gameplay mechanics. These updates present players with the opportunity to assess which characters to invest in to enhance their team synergy and strategies.



In the recent version 2.1 update, two new 5-star characters, Acheron and Aventurine, were introduced, along with the 4-star character Gallagher. Each character brings unique abilities and roles, offering players a diverse range of options to consider based on their preferences and team compositions. Rerun banners featuring characters with similar roles, such as Acheron with Jingliu for DPS roles or Aventurine and Luocha for sustain roles, may also influence players' choices.



When making decisions about character investments, players should consider various aspects such as a character's role within the team, the ease of building them, their synergy with existing characters, effectiveness in current content, and potential for future updates or new content. Additionally, evaluating resource availability and long-term investment goals can help players prioritize characters that align with their gaming preferences and strategic objectives. These considerations are crucial for making informed decisions about which characters to pull for in Honkai: Star Rail.







Acheron and Aventurine bring unique abilities to the Honkai: Star Rail roster. Acheron, as a lightning-element nihility character, sets herself apart from recent additions by focusing on being a main-DPS character. She emphasizes applying debuffs to enemies and unleashing her unique ultimate, which requires no energy but relies on stacking debuffs. On the other hand, Aventurine takes on the role of an imaginary preservation character, specializing in shielding allies and offering versatility for flexible team compositions.



For players seeking specific roles within their teams, the choice between Acheron and Aventurine is relatively straightforward. Acheron focuses on DPS, while Aventurine excels in shielding and team versatility. However, for those with a variety of options, additional considerations such as alignment with team compositions and preferred playstyles come into play. Ultimately, the decision on which character to pull for will depend on each player's preferred playstyle and team composition, although both characters are worth considering on their own merits.Acheron, a Nihility character, differs from characters like Black Swan, focusing on applying debuffs rather than damage over time. Her damage output relies on team-applied debuffs or her skill to enable her ultimate, rather than energy regeneration. Unlike other Nihility characters that support the main DPS, Acheron assumes the main DPS role herself based on consistent debuff application. However, her team compositions often rely on two other Nihility characters, making her less F2P-friendly due to stricter team requirements. Nonetheless, for players invested in Nihility characters, she offers significant DPS potential and a unique playstyle.



Aventurine, the second limited banner preservation character, operates differently from Fu Xuan but shares similarities with options like Gepard. Aventurine scales with DEF and can shield all allies with his skill. His shields can stack, providing increased sustain with each skill activation. Additionally, his ultimate applies a debuff to the enemy, making him a synergistic support for Acheron. Aventurine can also execute follow-up attacks, contributing to DPS output, though not the primary focus of his kit.



Ultimately, the choice between Acheron and Aventurine depends on whether players want a unique support sustain character or a debuff-focused DPS character, considering the current character roster and ease of building these characters.



Character Optimization Challenges


Acheron, as a DPS character, presents a significant challenge for optimization compared to Aventurine and other characters in the roster. Her reliance on the best-in-slot light cone, "Along the Passing Shore," makes her a resource-heavy character for players aiming to maximize her DPS potential. Additionally, her team composition is more restricted unless E2 is unlocked, further complicating her optimization.



Players may find themselves needing to grind for a considerable amount of time to obtain the necessary relics for Acheron. She is best suited with newer introduced relics such as the 4-piece "Pioneer Diver of Dead Waters" set or the Planar set, "Izumo Gensei, and Takama Divine Realm" from the latest Simulated Universe World 9. Acheron benefits the most from being teamed with other Nihility units, which may require players to pre-farm for the resources needed to build her. However, she has the ability to kill enemies without en