HoYoverse officially announced that Honkai: Star Rail Version 3.2, titled “Through the Petals in the Land of Repose,” is scheduled for launch on April 9. This significant update coincides with the game’s upcoming second anniversary, promising a wealth of new narrative content, debuting characters, and substantial rewards for its dedicated player base.
Second Anniversary Festivities: Abundant Rewards Await
To commemorate two years since its launch, Honkai: Star Rail is rolling out a series of special events. Notably, the anniversary-exclusive “Festive Gifts” check-in event will allow players to claim up to 20 free pulls. Furthermore, on the anniversary date itself, April 26, Trailblazers will receive a commemorative in-game card from a companion along with a generous gift of 1,600 Stellar Jades.
As an additional token of appreciation, HoYoverse is offering players the exceptional opportunity to claim one free 5-star character of their choice between Ruan Mei or Luocha to add to their roster.
New Story Arc: Unraveling Mysteries in the Forgotten Styxia
The main storyline progresses into a new chapter. Following the disappearance of Thanatos and the fall of Oronyx, Trailblazers will journey alongside the Chrysos Heir Castorice into the forgotten city-state of Styxia. This submerged ruin, located in the Sea of Souls, presents an environment filled with colossal dragon bones and wandering spirits. Players will utilize an ancient lantern mechanic to gradually uncover truths about the Titans and the draconic calamity through the tales of spectral residents.
The exploration includes significant challenges, featuring a confrontation with Pollux, a leviathan capable of manipulating HP, demanding careful resource management in combat. Simultaneously, the plot thickens with political intrigue as Okhema’s Council of Elders seeks to halt the Flame-Chase Journey, while the unliving scholar Anaxa, sustained by the Coreflame of Cerces, adds complexity through his apparent secret dealings.
New Playable Characters: Castorice and Anaxa
Version 3.2 introduces two formidable new 5-star characters:
Castorice (Path of Remembrance): This Chrysos Heir, daughter of the River of Souls, fights alongside her mnemokyne, the Netherwing. Summoned after her Ultimate, the Netherwing consumes its own HP to damage enemies. It enables joint attacks with Castorice and converts ally HP loss into its own, boosting both their damage outputs. Critically, it can protect the party and explodes upon departure, dealing damage while healing allies. Castorice possesses a unique passive allowing allies who suffer a killing blow to enter a near-death state, potentially recovering under specific conditions, even if Castorice is not in the active team.
Anaxa (Path of Erudition): A Seven Sage of the Grove of Epiphany, Anaxa’s combat style involves randomly applying Weaknesses to enemies. Accumulating enough stacks triggers “Qualitative Disclosure,” enhancing his damage and granting follow-up Skill Attacks without consuming Skill Points. His Ultimate inflicts “Sublimation” on all enemies, instantly applying 7 Weaknesses.
Events and Future Character Updates
The first half of Version 3.2 will feature reruns for the limited 5-star characters Fugue, Jiaoqiu, and Acheron. The second half will see the return of “Dr. Ratio”.
Addressing player feedback, the developers also confirmed that balance adjustments are planned for Version 3.4 targeting older characters: Silver Wolf, Blade, Kafka, and Jingliu. Specific details will be announced in future updates.
Players can engage in the lighthearted mini-game “Seal Slammers” and the management-style event “Star Rail WORLD,” organizing a pan-cosmic gala.
Beyond the game, a Honkai: Star Rail Concert will be held in Shanghai from May 1st to 3rd, 2025, featuring a global livestream on May 3rd. Official “Star Rail LIVE 2025 Special Screenings” and other offline events will occur globally throughout May, offering exclusive merchandise and immersive experiences.
For comprehensive details on all anniversary events, visit the official page.
Considering everything from the exploration of Styxia and the unique mechanics of Castorice and Anaxa to the generous anniversary gifts and global events, what part of this upcoming update are you most looking forward to experiencing? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
