Honkai: Star Rail 3.2 Best Pulling Guide | Banner Picks & Light Cones

Trailblazers, get ready! The 3.2 version of Honkai: Star Rail celebrates its anniversary with an exciting lineup of banners that's nothing short of a feast. This update introduces new 5-star characters Castorice and Anaxa, appearing in the first and second halves of the banner, respectively. Alongside them, we have reruns of fan favorites like Fugue, Acheron, Jiaoqiu, and Dr. Ratio. Additionally, their corresponding signature Light Cones are also making a return, giving players a chance to complete their builds.

For both new and veteran players, the 3.2 banners and Light Cone pools will significantly impact your future team compositions and gameplay experience. With limited resources, how should you prioritize your pulls? This guide will analyze character mechanics, meta relevance, and value to help you make the best decisions this patch.

 

How many pulls in 3.2

Honkai: Star Rail‘s second anniversary coincide with the latter part of Version 3.2's Phase 1 around the same date. At the same time, players can also get tons of rewards during the event, including Stellar Jade and Special Passes! Let's see how many pulls we can get.

• Non-spenders: 14,260 Stellar Jade + 25 Special Pass  ≈ 114 pulls (90 pulls in the first half + 24 pulls in the second half).
• Monthly Pass Players: 18,040 Stellar Jade + 25 Special Pass  ≈ 138 pulls (102 pulls in the first half + 36 pulls in the second half).
• Monthly + Premium Pass Players: 18,720 Stellar Jade + 29 Special Pass  ≈ 146 pulls (110 pulls in the first half + 36 pulls in the second half).

With so many pulls, let's take a look at which new characters/light cones or returning characters/light cones are worth pulling. Players can choose based on their budget and preferences.

Want to get more exclusive rewards?  Click on our Honkai: Star Rail Second Anniversary 2025 Guide, then you won't miss out on any important rewards!

 

Banner Overview

	New	Reruns
P1
	Castorice	Fugue	Acheron	Jiaoqiu
P2
	Anaxa	Dr. Ratio

In addition to the banners, the Light Cone pool will feature reruns of signature Light Cones alongside new releases. Key Light Cones include Castorice's signature Light Cone, "Make Farewells More Beautiful"and Anaxa's signature Light Cone, as well as reruns for characters like Fugue, Acheron, Jiaoqiu, and Dr. Ratio. Below, we'll break down the banners and Light Cones into detailed recommendations.

 

First Half Banner Recommendations

New character：Castorice

Quantum・Remembrance

Pull Priority：Top Tier (Meta-relevant DPS)

Core Mechanic: HP-based Quantum AoE damage + summoning a spectral dragon to sustain damage and debuff enemies.

As the newest 5-star Quantum DPS, Castorice introduces a unique mechanic involving HP consumption to summon a spectral dragon. She deals consistent AoE Quantum damage while weakening enemies and synergizes well with healers to maintain her energy uptime. Her playstyle revolves around burning her HP strategically while unleashing devastating ultimate attacks through energy recharge loops.

Pull Recommendations：

• F2P Players: If your existing DPS lineup struggles in endgame content (e.g., Simulated Universe, Memory of Chaos), go for 0+0 pulls (character only) to enhance survivability and performance.
• Beginners: If you need a strong DPS to build a core team, Castorice is an excellent choice. Consider 0+0 or 0+1 pulls to secure her and her Light Cone.
• Resource-Limited Players: If you already have a well-built DPS (e.g., Jingliu or Seele), you may skip Castorice and focus on Anaxa or reruns.
• Whales: Go straight for 2+1 for maximum performance.

Eidolons & Light Cone Analysis:：

• E1 : Slight damage boost (20%+) against low-HP enemies but not as impactful as her Light Cone.
• E2 : A game-changer. Boosts ultimate energy recharge, extends the dragon's duration, and enhances damage by over 50%.
• Signature Light Cone: "Make Farewells More Beautiful", boosts damage with HP-based scaling and enhances energy loops. High priority for players pulling Huo Huo.

Pro Tip: If you already own a decent 5-star Light Cone (e.g., "Sweat Now, Cry Less" ), prioritize pulling Castorice first, then decide on her Light Cone.

To maximize the potential of Castorice in Honkai: Star Rail, check out our Castorice Best Team Compositions! Discover how to leverage True Damage Resonance with the Trailblazer, Tribbie's full-resistance debuff chain, and optimized SP management for Pela.

 

Fugue

Fire・Nihility

Pull Priority：Recommended, Essential for Breakthrough Teams

With the rerun of characters like Boothill and Firefly, and the availability of Ruan Mei for selection post the 3.2 version update, the opportunity to assemble a complete Breakthrough Team has arisen once again. Fugue is a key piece in the Breakthrough system, offering Breakthrough buffs and disregard weakness debuffs to significantly enhance shatter efficiency.

Pull Recommendations：

• For invested Break Effect players: If you own Firefly (E2+), Boothill, or high-investment Break teams: Prioritize Fugue (0+0) to enhance Weakness Break efficiency. Higher investment (e.g., Firefly E2) warrants at least Fugue 0+0; consider E1 if resources allow. For low-investment Break teams (Firefly E0+LC / Boothill E0): Aim for Fugue E1+0 to maximize Break potential.
• Non-Break investors: Avoid Break teams. Shift focus to Remembrance or DoT comps instead.

Current Break Meta Status:

Break Effect teams have shown inconsistent performance in recent patches. Boothill struggles in AoE-heavy scenarios, while Firefly (E2) remains viable but often avoids elite enemies like Heavenrend Spear or Ember Stealer, opting to target weaker foes instead. Boothill, however, gains relevance in Memory of Chaos and Simulated Universe due to the increased prevalence of Imaginary-weak enemies.

※Advice: If your Break team has ≤3 total gold pulls invested (e.g., Firefly E0+LC), pivot early to avoid sunk-cost traps. Focus on Remembrance or DoT comps instead.

 

Acheron

Lightning・Nihility

Pull Priority：Pullable, but depends on your current team setup.

Acheron, once a top-tier Nothingness main DPS, is still considered one of the strongest DPS. While she seems to have an advantage in AoE scenarios, new enemies have low aggression, and summons rarely move, making it hard to stack layers. This increases the requirements for team coordination and setup. Although she can still perform, she's not as enjoyable to play as in the 2.X versions, and her dominant position might not last long.

Pull Recommendations：

• If you already have Jiao Qiu and other Nihility characters (such as Firefly or Fugue), you can optionally supplement 2+1 Acheron to boost your team's damage output.
• Players with Acheron at E2 or higher can consider adding Jiao Qiu;

For players with 0 Eidolons or those who still not own Acheron, it's not recommended to invest resources here. Skip this entirely and put aside any thoughts of pulling for additional Acheron Eidolons, her signature Light Cone, or rolling for Jiaoqiu. Instead, shift your focus and prioritize Castorice or Anaxa—they're the ones worth chasing.

 

Jiaoqiu

Fire・Nihility

Pull Priority：Consider pulling, especially if you have Acheron

Jiaoqiu doesn't bring a significant change to the current state of DoT teams. He is primarily designed to support Acheron's system, with his main role being to accelerate the stacking speed of Acheron's ultimate.

As such, he is only recommended for players who already have Acheron or a Nihility-focused team. Jiaoqiu serves as a core support for Acheron's team but has a high dependency on the overall system, making his value limited when pulled as a standalone character.

Pull Recommendations：

• If you already have Acheron, consider pulling Jiaoqiu at 0+0 or 1+0.
• If you don't have Acheron or DoT team, it's best to skip this pull.

Haven't prepared enough resources to pull for new or returning characters? Don't hesitate—click now to visit LDShop and enjoy Honkai: Star Rail Top up discounts !

 

Second Half Banner Recommendations

New Character: Anaxa

Wind・Erudition

Pull Priority：Top Tier

Anaxa's mechanics highlight a hybrid support and sub-DPS role. Her basic attacks come with additional effects, her skill generates energy points, and her ultimate controls enemies. Additionally, her attacks can implant random weaknesses on enemies. Compared to 4-star characters like Herta and Serval, Anaxa's 5-star status enables her to more effectively assist Asta and Tribbie with ultimate energy regeneration.

Recommended Team:

The Herta +Anaxa +Tribbie +Luocha

Pull Recommendations：

• If you have The Herta: It's recommended to pull 0+0 Anaxa to bolster Herta's team in the“Erudition Battleship”setup, enhancing overall team synergy.
• If you don't The have Herta: Consider waiting for future versions to assess her value. Alternatively, pull her to use solo in Fictional Pure Fiction or as a sub-DPS plugin in other team compositions.

※Anaxa can serve as a transitional plugin for beginners, but she's easily outclassed. Her signature light cone improves energy regeneration and damage output, so it's worth pulling after securing the character. However, without The Herta, Anaxa's pull value drops, and it's advised to wait and observe future versions before investing.

 

Dr. Ratio

Imaginary・The Hunt

Pull Priority：Not recommended, extremely low priority

In the current meta, using Dr. Ratio effectively requires meeting the following strict conditions:

5-star support characters with key Eidolons unlocked. Excellent team composition and rotation management. A “three supports, one DPS” setup with no survival pressure and no need for score grinding. Attacks that directly target enemies without summon-related penalties.

Pull Recommendations：

Given the current game balance, pulling Dr. Ratio is not advised unless you're a dedicated fan. Otherwise, it's recommended to avoid investing resources into him.

 

Light Cone Pool Recommendations

With the arrival of new characters and the return of rerun characters, their corresponding Light Cones are also being released in the First Halg and the Second Halg gacha pools. Let's explore which Light Cones are worth grabbing!

First Half New Light Cone

Make Farewells More Beautiful

Castorice's signature Light Cones

Pull Recommendations：Highly recommended, as Castorice is a core damage dealer

It is suggested to prioritize pulling her signature light cone after obtaining the character, especially for players aiming for a 0+1 setup or higher.

Effect：

• HP Boost: +30% Max HP.
• "Death Flower" Buff: When HP is lost, ignore 30% of the target's DEF for 2 turns.
• Action Speed: Memosprite's disappearance advances the wearer's action by 12%, resets with Ultimate.

This Light Cone enhances both survivability and damage potential by increasing HP and providing DEF penetration, while also boosting action speed when the Memosprite is gone. It's particularly useful for optimizing Castorice's playstyle, which revolves around managing HP and maximizing damage output.

First Half return Light Cone

LC	Pull Recommendations
Along the Passing Shore	Consider pulling Players who already have Acheron can consider pulling for her signature light cone. Effect： Optimizes Acheron's ultimate cycle and improves her output rhythm. However, the four-star light cone "Good Night and Sleep Well" can serve as a substitute. Acheron's signature light cone significantly boosts her output, and it's recommended to prioritize pulling it if you already have Jiaoqiu.
Those Many Springs	Can be skipped As Jiaoqiu at 0+0 is already sufficiently powerful. Effect： Increases the wearer's effect hit rate by 60%. When the wearer's basic attack, skill, or ultimate hits an enemy, there is a 60% chance to apply the "Unarmored" state, increasing the enemy's damage taken by 10% for 2 turns. If the enemy is under continuous damage, there is a 60% chance to upgrade "Unarmored" to "Desperate Situation", further increasing damage taken by 14% for 2 turns.
Long Road Leads Home	Can be skipped Effect： Increases the wearer's break effect efficiency by 60%. When breaking an enemy's weakness, there is a 100% chance to apply the "Scorch" state, increasing break damage by 18% for 2 turns, stacking up to 2 times.

 

Second Half New Light Cone

Life Should Be Cast to Flames

Anaxa's signature Light Cones

Pull Recommendations：Consider pulling

Essential addition to the Herta system. Anaxa at 0+0 already possesses high strength, and her light cone can further increase her damage output ceiling.

Effect：

• Fast Energy Regen: Gains 10 Energy at turn start.
• Huge DMG Boost: +60% DMG against implanted Weakness.
• DEF Reduction: Lowers enemy DEF by 12% for 2 turns (non-stackable).

"Life Should Be Cast to Flames" is a strong Light Cone that boosts Anaxa's performance by providing Energy regeneration, increasing DMG, and reducing enemy DEF. It accelerates Anaxa's Ultimate skill rotation and significantly increases burst damage against enemies with Weakness exposure.

Additionally, it weakens enemy defenses, creating a more favorable damage environment for the entire team. If you're building Anaxa, this Light Cone is undoubtedly the top choice for optimal performance.

Second Half return Light Cone

Baptism of Pure Thought

Dr. Ratio's signature Light Cones

Pull Recommendations：Only recommended for dedicated fans; otherwise, not advised due to the light cone's limited improvement.

Effect：

• Increases the wearer's crit damage by 20%. For each debuff applied to an enemy, crit damage increases by an additional 8%, stacking up to 3 times.
• When the ultimate hits an enemy, gain the "Controversy" effect: damage increases by 36%, and follow-up attacks ignore 24% of the target's defense for 2 turns.

 

3.2 Light Cone in New Event

The Great Cosmic Enterprise: New 4-Star Light Cone for The Erudition

Pull Recommendations：Indispensable 

Effect：

• ATK Boost: Increases the wearer's ATK by 8%.
• Scaling DMG Bonus: Gains up to 28% extra DMG based on the number of different Weakness Types on the enemy (4% per type, max 7 types).

Tips:

• The new Light Cone is essentially tailor-made for Anaxa, perfectly addressing the common frustration players had with optimizing Light Cones for this character. 
• This Light Cone provides a 56% damage bonus when enemies have all 7 weaknesses, which Anaxa can easily achieve thanks to her unique mechanics. For other Erudition characters, it typically grants a 24% damage bonus (3 weaknesses), aligning closely with the damage bonus from "The Seriousness of Breakfast."
• It's also viable for The Herta and Jade, especially in teams that synergize with Anaxa. For players without access to 5-star or high-tier Light Cones, this event Light Cone can significantly boost the performance of these characters, making it a strong choice for optimizing damage in relevant team compositions.

How to get: In the version event "Star Rail ☆ WORLD", players will experience simulation management gameplay and participate in a server-wide celebration. By completing event tasks, players will be able to obtain the 4-star Erudition Path Light Cone "The Great Cosmic Enterprise" and also enjoy a special reward featuring a photo of Pom-Pom and Owlbert together.

👉 Check for Star Rail WORLD Speedrun Guide →

 

Conclusion

In summary, Honkai: Star Rail 3.2 brings exciting banners with new characters Castorice and Anaxa, plus reruns of favorites. This guide helps you prioritize pulls and light cones for optimal team builds.

Don't miss out! Visit dlshop now for Honkai: Star Rail top-up discounts and stock up on resources. Be ready to pull for new and rerun characters the moment they drop in version 3.2!