Undying Starlight Guide 2026: Light Cones vs Passes ROI

Understanding the Undying Starlight System

Undying Starlight is earned exclusively through duplicate conversions from gacha pulls. Acquisition rates:

• 3-star duplicates: 15 Starlight
• 4-star duplicates: 40 Starlight
• 5-star duplicates: 100 Starlight

Monthly earnings vary by player type:

• F2P (60-80 pulls): 600-800 Starlight
• Low-spenders (80-100 pulls): 800-1,000 Starlight
• Active spenders (150+ pulls): 1,500+ Starlight

Established accounts with complete 4-star rosters convert most pulls directly to Starlight. New accounts experience slower accumulation since initial character acquisitions don't generate currency.

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Exchange Shop Inventory and Pricing

Fixed pricing across all servers:

• Star Rail Special Passes: 20 Starlight each
• Star Rail Passes: 20 Starlight each
• 4-Star Light Cones: 8 Starlight
• Older 5-Star Light Cones: 40 Starlight
• Premium 5-Star Light Cones: 600 Starlight
• 4-Star Characters: 8 Starlight (copies 2-7), 20 Starlight (copy 8+)
• 5-Star Characters: 40 Starlight (copies 2-7), 100 Starlight (copy 8+)

Shop resets daily at 4:00 AM (UTC-5 America, UTC+1 Europe, UTC+8 Asia). Reset applies only to pass purchase limits—Light Cone availability remains constant.

Light Cone Exchange Analysis

But the Battle Isn't Over costs 600 Starlight and provides specialized utility for Harmony characters. Level 80 stats: 1,164 HP, 529 ATK, 463 DEF.

Passive Abilities

Superimposition 1:

• +10% Energy Regeneration Rate
• Regenerates 1 Skill Point to random ally after using 2 Ultimates
• +30% DMG to next ally for 1 turn after using Skill

Superimposition 5:

• +18% Energy Regeneration Rate
• Same SP regeneration
• +50% DMG buff

Reaching S5 requires 2,400 additional Starlight (4 copies × 600), representing 24-30 months of F2P accumulation.

Optimal Character Compatibility

Best users: Sunday, Robin, Sparkle, Ruan Mei, Hanya, Asta, Tingyun

Ruan Mei delivers maximum value due to universal team applicability and synergy with break effect amplification. Sunday benefits from energy regeneration with Ultimate-centric kit. Robin's consistent Skill usage reliably triggers damage buffs.

Support Light Cones provide multiplicative value—one well-equipped Harmony character enhances every DPS in your roster. DPS-specific Light Cones only benefit single characters.

Special Pass Exchange Value

Special Passes from exchange shop maintain full pity integration. Each guarantees 4-star within 10 pulls maximum, with pity carrying between purchases.

Expected Value Calculations

600 Starlight = 30 Special Passes = 3 guaranteed 4-star items minimum (matching one premium Light Cone cost).

For established accounts with 80%+ 4-star completion:

• Expected return: 96-112 Starlight through duplicate conversions
• Net cost: 488-504 Starlight (16-19% discount)
• 5-star probability from 30 pulls: 28-32%

New accounts experience higher value as most 4-star pulls represent roster additions rather than duplicates.

Pity System Integration

Special Passes preserve progress toward both 4-star (10-pull) and 5-star (90-pull) guarantees. This creates tactical opportunities—players at 70+ pulls toward 5-star pity can convert Starlight reserves to secure limited characters without additional spending.

Counter preservation applies across all banner types: limited character, limited Light Cone, and standard banners.

ROI Comparison

But the Battle Isn't Over at S1 provides 15-18% team damage increase with optimal rotation. S5 escalates to 22-25%.

Three-Month Progression Modeling

1,800 Starlight in Passes (90 passes):

• 9 guaranteed 4-stars + 0.8-1.0 expected 5-stars
• 12-15% roster completion advancement
• High variance in actual value

1,800 Starlight in Light Cones (3 premium):

• 45-60% team damage increase through support optimization
• 15-20% faster clear times in endgame content
• 800-1,200 additional Stellar Jade over 90 days through improved performance

The damage increase compounds across Memory of Chaos, Pure Fiction, and Apocalyptic Shadow, accelerating reward acquisition.

Account-Specific Strategies

F2P Players

Monthly income: 600-800 Starlight (3-4 weeks per premium Light Cone)

Priority order:

1. Build 12+ characters for dual-team requirements first (use passes)
2. Once roster depth sufficient, invest in But the Battle Isn't Over for primary Harmony
3. Avoid S5 pursuit—stick with S1 for cost-efficiency
4. Maintain 200-400 Starlight emergency reserves for limited banner insurance

Emergency pass conversions justified only for meta-defining characters like Ruan Mei or Robin within 20 pulls of pity.

Low-Spenders and Monthly Pass Holders

Monthly income: 800-1,000 Starlight

Hybrid strategy:

• One premium Light Cone every 3-4 weeks
• Maintain 400-600 Starlight reserves for tactical conversions
• Target S3 on key Light Cones (70-75% of S5 performance at 50% cost)
• Balance equipment optimization with limited banner opportunities

S3 represents optimal cost-efficiency breakpoint for this segment.

Endgame Players

Complete 4-star rosters with 90-95% duplicate conversion rate reduce pass value to 10-12 Starlight per pull after conversions.

Exclusive Light Cone focus:

• Support equipment optimization enables 1-2 difficulty tier increases
• Performance ceiling depends heavily on support character equipment quality
• Evaluate superimposition vs roster diversification case-by-case
• Only deviate for critical archetype gaps (SP-positive Harmony, cleanse Abundance, shield Preservation)

Players clearing Memory of Chaos 12 and Pure Fiction 4 consistently gain maximum value from support Light Cone investment.

Common Mistakes

Indefinite Hoarding

Players accumulating 1,200+ Starlight without exchanges sacrifice months of performance improvements. Opportunity cost of unused Starlight—measured in missed Stellar Jade from better endgame clears—often exceeds value of perfect timing.

5-Star Rarity Overvaluation

600 Starlight premium reflects specialized utility, not universal superiority. Characters like Asta or Hanya often perform comparably with 8-Starlight 4-star Light Cones, making 75× cost multiplier unjustifiable for casual use.

Investing 3,000 total Starlight (S1 to S5) in single Light Cone provides less value than distributing resources across multiple character equipment upgrades. The 25-30% gain from S1 to S5 rarely justifies 5× cost increase.

Signature Light Cone Chasing

Converting Starlight to passes for banner Light Cones requires 2,600-2,800 Starlight average (130 pulls × 20 at 0.75% rate). This exceeds four premium exchange Light Cones—catastrophic opportunity cost.

Wrong Superimposition Priority

Support Light Cone buffs provide greater team DPS than DPS Light Cone personal damage gains. A 50% damage buff from S5 But the Battle Isn't Over outperforms 30% personal damage from DPS superimposition due to Honkai Star Rail's damage formula weighting.

Meta Considerations for 2026

Version 3.8's extended timeline (October 27, 2025 - February 12, 2026) allows F2P players to accumulate 1,800-2,400 Starlight, enabling multiple premium acquisitions.

Current Endgame Meta

Memory of Chaos: Break effect and follow-up attack compositions dominate. But the Battle Isn't Over synergizes with Ruan Mei and Robin—core units in both archetypes.

Pure Fiction: AoE-focused challenges reward team-wide damage amplification. The 30-50% universal buff applies to all damage instances, creating multiplicative scaling with multi-target abilities.

Apocalyptic Shadow: Boss encounters emphasize sustained damage and energy management. Energy regeneration enables additional Ultimate casts during 8-10 cycle fights, translating to 15-20% damage increases.

Future-Proofing

Version 4.0 (expected late February 2026) will likely introduce new Harmony and Nihility characters based on historical patterns. This expands But the Battle Isn't Over compatibility, increasing long-term value retention.

Support-focused Light Cones maintain relevance longer than DPS-specific options due to support character longevity across meta shifts. Universal support equipment demonstrates superior value retention across 12-18 month horizons.

Decision Framework

Step-by-Step Evaluation

Step 1: Count built characters. If fewer than 12 capable of clearing Memory of Chaos 10+, prioritize passes for roster expansion.

Step 2: Assess support equipment. If primary Harmony characters use 3-star or off-path Light Cones, invest 600 Starlight in But the Battle Isn't Over.

Step 3: Check pity proximity. If within 30 pulls of guaranteed limited character without Stellar Jade, convert Starlight to passes.

Step 4: Project 3-month income. If monthly generation exceeds 800, implement hybrid strategy (one premium Light Cone every 4-6 weeks + 400 reserve). If below 600 monthly, commit to single exchange type per cycle.

Step 5: Review endgame performance. If consistently clearing Memory of Chaos 12 and Pure Fiction 4, exclusively prioritize Light Cones and superimposition.

Monthly Resource Planning

F2P (600-800 monthly): Allocate toward single major purchase, alternating between Light Cone and strategic passes based on banner schedules.

Low-spenders (800-1,000 monthly): 600 Starlight Light Cone purchases while maintaining 200-400 reserves.

Track duplicate conversion rates across 30-day periods to refine projections. Coordinate major exchanges with version updates (every 6 weeks) for tactical flexibility.

Advanced Optimization

Team Synergy Leverage

Dual-Harmony compositions running Ruan Mei and Robin both benefit from But the Battle Isn't Over, creating multiplicative value from single 600 Starlight investment.

Break effect teams: Ruan Mei's amplification + Light Cone damage buffs = 40-50% team damage increase. Priority for Boothill, Firefly, or Himeko DPS.

Follow-up attack teams: Frequent attack instances multiply percentage-based damage buff value. Priority for Topaz, Dr. Ratio, or Feixiao compositions.

Six-Month Projection

3,600 Starlight in Light Cones: 90-120% team damage increase through comprehensive support optimization. Translates to 4,800-6,400 additional Stellar Jade through improved endgame performance, recovering 24-32% of investment costs.

3,600 Starlight in Passes (180 total): 18 guaranteed 4-stars + 2.5-3.0 expected 5-stars. Effective value reduces to 8-12 meaningful roster additions after accounting for duplicates and off-meta acquisitions.

Damage increase benefits all content clears continuously, while roster additions provide uncertain utility dependent on meta relevance.

Event Timing Optimization

Version updates introduce temporary Starlight bonuses through login rewards and event shops. Time major exchanges around these events for 10-15% increased effective value across annual cycles.

Maintain 600-800 Starlight reserves approaching anniversaries and major milestones for tactical pass conversions during enhanced gacha rates. Monitor official announcements 2-3 weeks before updates for potential shop inventory expansions.

FAQ

What is Undying Starlight in Honkai Star Rail? Exchange currency earned through duplicate conversions: 15 Starlight (3-star), 40 Starlight (4-star), 100 Starlight (5-star). Spent on Special Passes (20 each) or Light Cones (8-600 depending on type).

Should F2P players buy Light Cones or Special Passes? Prioritize passes until achieving 12+ built characters, then transition to Light Cones. First purchase: But the Battle Isn't Over (600 Starlight) for primary Harmony character, providing 15-18% team damage increase. Avoid superimposition beyond S1 until roster complete.

How long to earn 600 Starlight for premium Light Cones? F2P: 3-4 weeks (600-800 monthly). Low-spenders: 2.5-3 weeks (800-1,000 monthly). Endgame players with 90%+ duplicate conversion: 2-3 weeks.

Does the shop reset or do items expire? Daily reset at 4:00 AM server time affects only pass purchase limits. Light Cone inventory remains permanently available. Starlight never expires and accumulates indefinitely.

Which characters benefit most from But the Battle Isn't Over? Ruan Mei (highest value—universal applicability + break synergy), Robin, Sunday, Sparkle, Hanya, Asta, Tingyun. Ruan Mei and Sunday represent optimal investments for most account types.

Can you get 5-star characters from exchange shop passes? Yes. Special Passes maintain full pity integration with standard 0.6% 5-star rate. Soft pity starts at pull 74, hard pity at 90. 30 passes (600 Starlight) = 28-32% probability of at least one 5-star.

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