Returning Player Guide and How to Catch Up
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Players who return to Honkai: Star Rail after a brief hiatus are eligible for benefits that can help progress their account. Learn how to catch up to Version 4.6 content, what weeklies you should do, the latest updates, and upcoming content in this guide!
List of Contents
How to Catch Up in Honkai: Star Rail
List of Activities to Catch Up
- Starlit Homecoming Event
- Redeem Codes
- Progress the Main Story
- Complete Daily Tasks
- Complete Weekly Tasks
- Conventional Memoir Events
- Endgame Modes
Starlit Homecoming
Starlit Homecoming is an event that rewards returning players with various rewards. During the event, returning players can also receive double Calyx and Relic rewards!
Players who have not logged in for 14 days or more are eligible for Starlit Homecoming, which should automatically activate upon logging in. However, players who participated in Starlit Homecoming in the past 40 days cannot activate it even if they haven't logged on for 14 days.
Starlit Homecoming Event Guide
Redeem Codes
| Redeem Codes | Reward |
|---|---|
Copied
|
|
Copied
|
 Stellar Jade
x50 Credit
x10,000 |
Copied
|
|
Copied
|
Stellar Jade
x60 Fuel
x1 |
Copied
|
Stellar Jade
x60 Fuel
x1 |
Copied
|
Stellar Jade
x60 Fuel
x1 |
Copied
|
Stellar Jade
x60 Fuel
x1 |
Copied
|
Stellar Jade
x100 Bottled Soda
x5 Credit
x50,000 |
Traveler's Guide
Speeding Jet Surfboard
Classic SoulGlad
Heroic VariableUse the redeem codes above to receive Stellar Jades and get more pulls for Characters and Light Cones!
List of Honkai: Star Rail Redeem Codes
Progress the Main Story
To freely explore new maps, returning players will need to clear the Trailblaze Missions, which are essentially the game's main story quests. Clearing them gives a good amount of Stellar Jades, making it worthwhile to go through them even if the player isn't interested in the story.
Players can skip through dialogue and read summaries instead, making it easier for returning players to quickly catch up to current content. They can revisit the story via Fate's Atlas if they wish to reread it at a later time.
List of All Trailblaze Missions and Rewards
Complete Daily Tasks
| Activity | Pts. |
|---|---|
| Log in to the game | 100 |
| Dispatch Assignments or claim Assignment rewards 1 time(s) | 100 |
| Consume 120 Trailblaze Power | 200 |
| Defeat a total of 20 enemies | 100 |
| Obtain victory in combat with Support Characters 1 time(s) | 200 |
| Use the Omni-Synthesizer 1 time(s) | 100 |
| Use a "Fuel Voucher" or "Deep Immersifier" | 100 |
| Complete Divergent Universe or Currency Wars 1 time(s) | 500 |
Get 60 Stellar Jades when you accumulate 500 points by completing the tasks above. The points and tasks will refresh daily, making this a constant source of Stellar Jades.
Complete Weekly Tasks
| Weekly HSR Tasks |
|---|
|
|
Divergent Universe and Currency Wars Points
Clearing a run of Divergent Universe or playing a full game of Currency Wars will grant you enough points to receive all the weekly rewards related to both game modes. The point rewards refresh weekly, making it a constant source of 225 Stellar Jades, a Star Rail Pass, and other useful materials.
Echo of War
Echo of War has a weekly limit of 3 clears, greatly limiting the amount of advanced trace materials you can get. It is highly recommended to max out those clears every week, even if you have no use for the materials at the moment. It's always possible that a new character will need those materials.
Echoes of War Weekly Bosses and Drops
Nameless Honor
Nameless Honor is the battle pass system of Honkai: Star Rail. Players can raise the Honor level by completing weekly and Version missions. Weekly missions will refresh weekly, while Version missions can only be completed once throughout the Version's duration.
The free track's rewards, Nameless Gift, can be claimed by everyone, while the paid track, Nameless Glory, needs to be purchased with actual money before its rewards can be claimed.
Nameless Honor Battle Pass Guide
Conventional Memoir Events
The flagship events of previous Versions can be played in the Conventional Memoir. While the events' limited-time rewards are no longer available, players can still earn a portion of the Stellar Jades the events originally offered.
Endgame Modes
| List of Endgame Modes | ||
|---|---|---|
| Memory of Chaos | Pure Fiction | Apocalyptic Shadow |
For returning players who have already progressed quite a bit, there are 3 Endgame modes that you can clear for Stellar Jades. They all reset on different days, so one of them might be resetting soon, depending on when you log in again.
Try to clear the Endgame mode that's resetting soon to avoid completely missing out on its rewards. It's okay even if you can't get all the rewards! If you can get some of the rewards before it resets, that's already a win compared to not getting any at all.
How Long To Catch Up in Honkai: Star Rail
Full Progress is Around 108 Hours
| Trailblaze Mission Acts | Hours to Progress |
|---|---|
| Herta Space Station | 3 ~ 5 Hours |
| Jarilo VI | 10 ~ 15 Hours |
| Xianzhou Luofu | 10 ~ 15 Hours |
| Penacony | 30 ~ 35 Hours |
| Amphoreus | 55 ~ 60 Hours |
| Total | 108+ Hours |
These estimates do not include world exploration outside of the Trailblaze Mission's objective.
The Trailblaze Missions prior to Planarcadia and Astropolis amount to a total of around 108 hours. This estimate does not include Trailblaze Continuance, Adventure Missions, Events, and world exploration.
Due to the earlier Trailblaze Missions requiring you to reach a certain Trailblaze Level before you're able to proceed, it will probably take a newer player around 150 hours in total.
How to Increase Your Trailblaze Level Fast
Skip Dialogues to Shave Hours Down
As of Version 3.4, you can skip dialogues and read a summary of them instead. If you're not interested in the story, and you only want to catch up, consider doing this!
This can greatly save you time, especially during the Penacony and Amphoreus Acts, and can bring down the total hours to around 50 hours instead.
Skip Dialogue and Story Recap Functions
Fastest Catch Up at Around 8 Hours
| Trailblaze Mission Acts | Hours to Progress with Dialogue Skips |
|---|---|
| Herta Space Station | 1 Hour |
| Jarilo VI | 2 Hours |
| Xianzhou Luofu | 2 ~ 3 Hours |
| Planarcadia | 5 ~ 6 Hours |
| Total | 10 ~ 12 Hours |
If your only concern is to catch up on the latest patch and unlock Planarcadia and Astropolis, you can actually skip the Penacony and Amphoreus Acts as long as you have completed the first three Acts.
This will take you around 7 ~ 8 Hours in total, though this does not take into account the time spent to reach Trailblaze Level requirements.
If your account is fairly new, you might have to spend around 20+ hours over the span of several days to raise your Trailblaze Level and progress the Trailblaze Missions.
Latest Update in Honkai: Star Rail
New Playable Character
Pearl is the only new playable character in Version 4.6 and her banner will run for the whole Version. Pearl is a 5-star Ice and Elation character. Her banner is available from September 28, 2026 (UTC-5) until November 10, 2026 (Server Time).
Pearl Banner Schedule and Rates
Character Reruns
Evanescia Rerun in Phase 1 of 4.6
Evanescia is having her first rerun in the first phase of Version 4.6, from September 28, 2026 (UTC-5) until October 21, 2026 (Server Time). Evanescia is a 5-star Physical and Elation character who can quickly generate Certified Banger stacks to deal more damage.
Evanescia Rerun Banner Schedule and Rates
Mortenax Blade Rerun in Phase 2 of 4.6
Mortenax Blade will be having his first rerun in the second phase of Version 4.6, from October 21, 2026 until November 10, 2026 (Server Time). Mortenax Blade is a 5-star Fire and Nihility character who primarily works as a debuffer that can fit well in most teams.
Mortenax Blade Rerun Banner Schedule
New Trailblaze Mission
The Planarcadia storyline continues through its latest Trailblaze Mission chapter, Dance With the Beast Before Moonrise.
Dance With the Beast Before Moonrise Guide
New Map
Life Sciences Institute is the latest map that was released in Version 4.6! This area can be unlocked by progressing through the new Trailblaze Mission, Dance With the Beast Before Moonrise.
Life Sciences Institute Chest Locations
Current Events
| Event | Schedule & Summary |
|---|---|
 Love, Ghosts & Robots |
Start: 09/28/2026 - 11/11/2026 Help Skott's mechatron workshop meet a series of quotas so he can reject an unwanted marriage proposal! |
 Interastral Peace Gala: One Take |
Start: 10/21/2026 - 11/11/2026 Take on a series of combat challenges while satisfying the director's orders! |
 Wishpower UP! Down with Voracity! |
Start: 09/28/2026 - 11/11/2026 Accumulate Wishpower by defeating enemies corrupted by the Voracity to receive rewards! |
 Astral Imagea |
Start: 09/28/2026 - 11/11/2026 Collect all variants within IPC's latest blind box toy line! |
 Astral Slammers Squad! |
Start: Permanent After 4.6 Team up to compete in an IPC-hosted event where you use various imageas to defeat baby seals! |
 4.6 Gift of Odyssey |
Start: 09/28/2026 - 11/11/2026 Log in for 7 days to get 10 Star Rail Special Passes! |
 4.6 Planar Fissure |
Start: 10/12/2026 - 10/25/2026 Get double the planar ornaments when challenging Worlds in the Simulated Universe! |
 4.6 Garden of Plenty |
Start: 10/30/2026 - 11/11/2026 Get double the rewards when challenging Golden and Crimson Calyxes! |
Make sure to check out the events in Version 4.6!
Upcoming Content
Nihilux - Aha in Phase 1 of Version 4.7
Nihilux - Aha is an upcoming 5-star Quantum and Elation character whose banner will likely release in the first phase of Version 4.7. Her banner will be available from November 10, 2026 (UTC-5) until December 02, 2026 (Server Time), if Version 4.7 follows the usual 6-week schedule.
Nihilux - Aha Banner Schedule and Rates
Zenless Zone Zero Collab in Version 4.8
A collaboration with Zenless Zone Zero was announced for Version 4.8. Astra Yao and Ellen Joe were shown to be the playable characters coming to the HSR universe!
HSR x Zenless Zone Zero Collaboration
Is Honkai: Star Rail Worth Starting in 2026?
Honkai: Star Rail continues to keep things interesting by introducing new exploration mechanics and side content that expands its core turn-based gameplay. With time, the game evolves its characters and rewards players' emotional and mechanical investment.
Newcomers and returning players can still easily catch up in 2026. Honkai: Star Rail is still worth starting since you can skip story sections to progress faster without losing context. It also remains F2P-friendly with its generous rewards. It's never too late to board the Express, you just need the will to keep journeying on!
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