HONKAI: STAR RAIL

The Undying Starlight Exchange Shop forces a critical choice: spend 20 Starlight per Special Pass for guaranteed 4-star pulls within 30 attempts, or save 600 Starlight for premium Light Cones like **But the Battle Isn't Over.** This guide analyzes acquisition rates (15-100 Starlight per duplicate), exchange costs (8-600 Starlight), and ROI across F2P, low-spender, and endgame scenarios. Shop resets at 4:00 AM server time, with version 3.8 running through February 12, 2026.

Honkai Star Rail Version 4.0 introduces The Elation Path, a revolutionary gameplay system centered around Punchline stacks, Certified Banger states, and Aha Instant mechanics. Yao Guang debuts as the first 5-Star Physical Elation support character, deploying Zones that boost team Elation damage while generating Punchlines through her kit. Releasing February 12-13, 2026, this update fundamentally changes team composition strategies with new Light Cones, the Ever-Glorious Magical Girl relic set, and Planarcadia map exploration.

Sparxie's E2 eidolon (#AudienceKnows) grants one extra turn and two Thrill stacks after Aha Instant, with each Thrill stack boosting CRIT DMG by 10% for two turns (max four stacks). This fundamentally changes action economy in Elation teams through faster rotations and sustained damage amplification. E0 Sparxie remains fully playable as DPS in Elation compositions with Sparkle, Fu Xuan, and Bronya, but E2 provides measurable performance gains through extended uptime and multiplicative damage scaling.

**Summary:** As of Version 3.8 (January 2026), Acheron remains an SS-tier damage dealer in Memory of Chaos and Pure Fiction. E2 Acheron significantly reduces the Nihility teammate requirement for her max damage multiplier from 2 to 1, unlocking immense team flexibility. While new units like Phainon and Castorice offer competition, E2 Acheron provides top-tier clear speeds and remains a high-value investment for players prioritizing consistent endgame performance.

Honkai Star Rail 4.0 leaks reveal a massive shift in the 2026 roadmap. Version 4.0 arrives in February 2026, introducing the Elation Path with Yao Guang and Sparxie on the new planet Planarcadia. This follows the Version 3.8 debut of the Remembrance Path and Aeon Fuli. The roadmap outlines SP versions of Blade, Sampo, and Trailblazer, plus new mechanics like memosprites and punchline stacks. To prepare for these banners, use [Honkai Star Rail recharge](https://buffget.com/goods/honkai-star-rail) on buffget for secure Stellar Jade.

Oneiric Shard top-up bonuses reset on anniversaries, major updates, and celebrations, refreshing first-time double-shard rewards. Shards stack indefinitely at a 1:1 Jade conversion rate, allowing for pre-reset preparation. Key 2026 dates include a reset on Jan 6 and the Version 3.8 launch on Dec 16.