Honkai: Star Rail Version 3.5 Arrives 13 August with New Playable Characters Hysilens and Cerydra

Honkai: Star Rail’s latest update, Version 3.5, titled “Before Their Deaths,” is set to go live on 13 August 2025. This new version kicks off the second half of the Amphoreus storyline and brings with it a new Trailblaze Mission, new limited characters, and the return of old favourites. Players will venture deeper into the heart of Amphorean history, join forces with long-awaited new companions, and encounter familiar faces, some of whom take on entirely unexpected forms.

Picking up where the previous chapter left off, Trailblazers will revisit their fateful promise to Phainon and the moment they took up the title of the Deliverer. Phainon, in turn, unleashed their fury upon Nanook, once again stalling Irontomb’s relentless advance. However, Amphoreus still hangs in the balance, and the Trailblazer must now confront the next chapter of their journey.

In the new Trailblaze Mission, players will accompany Cyrene back in time through another loop of Eternal Recurrence. This time, a thousand years into the past to the age of ancient Okhema. This was a time before Aglaea, when Imperator Cerydra still ruled, and the Flame-Chase had yet to begin. As ruler of Okhema and bearer of the Law Coreflame, Cerydra’s legacy lies at the heart of this update’s narrative.

Leading the additions to the playable roster is Hysilens, the 5-star Physical-Type commander of the holy city’s knights who follows the Path of Nihility. Her combat style is designed to synergise with Damage-over-Time (DoT) team compositions. When she activates her Ultimate, she creates a Zone where every instance of DoT inflicted on enemies triggers an additional DoT from Hysilens herself.

Enemies affected by this Zone will also suffer a reduction in both their ATK and DEF stats. Hysilens can randomly inflict different types of DoT through her Basic ATK, Skill, and Ultimate. Her Skill also amplifies the damage enemies receive, which in turn boosts the effectiveness of the entire team.

Joining her is Imperator Cerydra, a 5-star Wind-Type character who walks the Path of Harmony. Known as a strategic mastermind who treats the battlefield like a chessboard, Cerydra brings long-term buffs and calculated synergy to the table. Her Skill bestows a special upgradable buff called “Military Merit” on an ally, increasing their ATK while enabling them to deal bonus damage.

Over time, Military Merit evolves—enhancing the affected ally’s CRIT DMG and All-Type Resistance Penetration, and even allowing them to replicate their Skill’s effects. Her Ultimate delivers AoE damage while generating Charge for herself, ensuring her support remains consistent throughout the fight.

The two new additions aside, players will also see the return of two highly fan-favourite characters. Kafka will headline the first half of the Version 3.5 warp banner, followed by Silver Wolf in the second half.