Star Rail Characters According To Lore

Summary

• Several Honkai: Star Rail characters are immensely powerful, as explained by the lore.
• Blade – A formidable character with immortality and self-healing abilities.
• Jing Yuan – A strong member of the Xianzhou Loufo and one of the seven Arbiter Generals. He is known for his preventive thinking and military prowess.

Honkai: Star Rail is a space-action RPG that blends a variety of characteristics to give players a unique experience. Its lore is heavily tied in with Hoyoverse’s first RPG, Honkai Impact 3rd, and acts independently on its own. Each character is based on the previous game’s blueprint and the interesting part is that this acts as a parallel universe.

Additionally, every character in Honkai: Star Rail is so well-thought-out, with background stories that can go on for miles on end. What makes a character so great is its innate foundation and development across each plotline. As players meet new and old friends on their journey, they’ll also come to find out how each character’s background ties into their power, making a select few of them a force to be reckoned with.

Updated December 16, 2024, by Aditi Jeyanathan: In the ever-evolving universe of Hoyoverse games, Honkai: Star Rail’s characters are some of the most powerful to exist. Most of them have a lot of similarities with their predecessor, Honkai Impact 3rd, and players may be excited to see how these characters’ counterparts fulfill their roles in the new universe.

14 Bailu

The Vidyadhara’s Last Hope

The pint-sized High Elder of the Vidyadhara, Bailu, is known for her healing abilities on the Xianzhou Luofu in Honkai: Star Rail. She can come off as a minor character in the game, but according to lore, her healing abilities are considered to be one of a kind. This is mainly because she has ties to the previous High Elder, Dan Feng.

Bailu was born through an experiment that Dan Feng conducted in hopes of resurrecting his friend, but the experiment failed and created Bailu, splitting his power between her and his next reincarnation – Dan Heng. Since this was considered to be a crime against the Xianzhou Luofo, Dan Feng was punished, Dan Heng was exiled, and Bailu was left with no memories. However, it’s been said that she could possibly hold a millennia’s worth of abilities from every past Imbibitor Lunae.

13 Luocha

The Mysterious Man With A Coffin

Recognized as a famous traveling merchant aboard the Xianzhou, Luocha has caught the eye of many with his mysterious origins. He carries around a large coffin wherever he goes and, despite repeated accusations, he insists it is simply a “tool of his trade.” He is by far the most mysterious character in the Honkai: Star Rail universe, as not much is known about him. The only time his power index has been canonically recorded is through Luocha’s story quest when Welt recognizes his similarities to Otto Apocalypse from the Honkai Impact 3rd universe.

Most players of Hoyoverse games may already be aware that all three games: Honkai Impact 3rd, Honkai: Star Rail, and Genshin Impact are interconnected. It has been speculated that Luocha is a version of Otto Apocalypse during his journey to revive Kallen Kaslana (Hi3 character). It is here that players can identify how powerful Luocha could potentially be since Otto Apocalypse was one of the greatest, or even strongest, antagonists in Honkai Impact 3rd.

12 Kafka

The IPC’s Greatest Threat

Known to be one of the most formidable Stellaron Hunters and the highest on the IPC’s list, Kafka is an enigma in itself. As a follower of Elio (destiny), Kafka carries out her orders with the utmost discipline and tenacity. She’s a pretty mysterious character as not much is known about her, but her wits have landed her with one of the highest bounties around. She also never fails in her mission to follow Elio’s script and, because of that, she’s considered to be extremely dangerous.

Compared to the other Stellaron Hunters in Honkai: Star Rail, it’s been pretty difficult to figure out where Kafka’s morality lies. She’s neither good nor evil, and she’ll do whatever it takes to make sure Elio’s script is fulfilled. She’s especially powerful in the web of lies she creates to get what she wants, making her one of the most manipulative characters in the game. As of now, players are still waiting for more information on Kafka and her growth as a Stellaron Hunter.

11 Feixiao

The Foxian Vanquishing General

As the Xianzhou Yaoqing’s Merlin Claw, Feixiao is a skilled War General inept in all forms of martial arts. She’s known for genius strategic skills on and off the battlefield, but her hidden past holds a power dangerous enough to wipe out the Xianzhou Alliance. Sadly, due to the tragic past of her species, the Foxian were slaves of the Borisin, and some of them were forced to bear their children.

It is due to this that Feixiao is a Foxian who also has Borisin blood. She, too, falls under the effects of Moon Rage and transforms into a beast that strips away all mental stability. She’s already quite powerful as the General of the Xianzhou Yaoqing and this is heightened when she enters Moon Rage. It has been said that this state of mind will eventually drive her into madness, so players will just have to wait and see how powerful Feixiao may become.

10 Blade

A Walking Corpse Consumed By Hatred And Regret

Blade, who was formerly known as Yingxing during his time in the High-Cloud Quintet, became an official Stellaron Hunter after the Sedition of Imbibitor Lunae. Blade’s background is extremely messy given the fact that he was once considered to be one of the greatest craftsmen aboard the Xianzhou Luofo. But after the incident with Dan Feng (the previous Imbibitor Lunae’s) and his treacherous acts, Yingxing was transformed into an immortal being. He was struck with mara as well, unable to either die or live. It is this act that made his resentment of Dan Feng grow, and in turn, carry on to his reincarnation, Dan Heng.

His immortality is terrifying and his self-healing ability rivals that of the Aeon of Abundance, Yaoshi. No matter what Blade does, he cannot die – making him quite a formidable character in the Honkai: Star Rail universe. In addition to that, it has been heavily implied that Blade has been mentally insane for years because of his mara-struck condition. It can be further speculated that despite Kafka’s intervention to keep him sane, his mara form could potentially be even more hazardous.

9 Jingliu

The Mara-Struck Hero Turned Villain

Once crowned as the Sword Champion of the Luofo, Jingliu’s background in Honkai: Star Rail is quite tragic. Most of her story is portrayed rather poetically and displayed through the musings of each sword she has ever used. Each character’s story describes each sword she has used at a certain moment in her life and if players haven’t noticed, the older she gets, the heavier each sword she uses becomes. This represents the weight of her responsibilities, friends, and even humanity that she has chosen to protect. But, as time goes by, the sword gets heavier and heavier, until it weighs absolutely nothing.

Much like when she started with a small sword with zero responsibilities and feelings weighing on her, her life has done a full circle, bringing her right back to the start with only a sword by her side – even after ascending to the highest form of sword mastery. This adds a far more ominous tone to her accomplishments because, despite being revered as a hero, she is much more like a grim reaper – practically undefeatable. She walks between the fine line of sanity and mara-struck, hiding away how monstrous her powers can be and choosing to only use her blade when it’s absolutely necessary.

8 Dan Heng Imbibitor Lunae

The Exiled Dragon-Heir

The Imbibitor Lunae was once an esteemed High Elder of the Luofo, the guardian of the Ambrosial Arbour, and the descendant of the Azure Dragon’s legacy. After the Sedition of Dan Feng Imbibitor Lunae, his reincarnations were also exiled after his death, which thus resulted in Dan Heng’s escape from the Xianzhou Luofo. An interesting fact about Dan Heng Imbibitor Lunae is the sheer power that rivals not only an Arbiter General like Jing Yuan but even an Emanator. Dan Heng’s dragon form is an ancient power that has been passed down for generations, with each reincarnation adopting magnificent abilities that help protect the Ambrosial Arbour (an ancient artifact bestowed upon the Xianzhou natives by the Aeon of Abundance).

It is true that after the experiment that created Bailu, half of Imbibitor Lunae’s healing powers took root in her, and his combat abilities transferred over to Dan Heng – but this doesn’t make him any less powerful. The Azure Dragon’s legacy in Honkai: Star Rail is evident enough to clearly state how monstrous he can be, and since Dan Heng has always hidden or buried this side of him, there is room for growth in his abilities that many players are excited to see.

7 Fu Xuan

The Master Diviner And Eye of The Future

As the leader of the Xianzhou Luofu’s Divination Commission, Fu Xuan is the ship’s navigator of sorts. She is a who that can see into the future and predict the likelihood of certain events happening through her fortune-telling. This ability of hers was further enhanced after she obtained her third eye from Nous, the Aeon of Erudition, yet it also meant that destiny is nothing but a harsh construct people are meant to follow.

She is speculated to be an exceptionally strong character simply due to her connections to the stars and fate. One could go as far as saying that she might be even stronger than Jing Yuan, should she put her mind to it- but according to her predictions, it’s highly unlikely the General’s seat will be vacant any time soon.

6 Jing Yuan

The Dozing General Who Hides His Cards

Despite his lazy attitude and carefree personality, Jing Yuan is by far one of the strongest members aboard the Xianzhou Loufo. He’s one of the seven Arbiter Generals in Honkai: Star Rail – the highest possible position in the Xianzhou Alliance, one which he has held for centuries. This is due to his sound wisdom and the periodic measures he conducts to make sure all is safe. He’s the type of leader who prefers to be preventive, always thinking ahead of the minor possible changes that can grow into major catastrophes. It is because of his careful management that the Xianzhou Alliance has enjoyed many years of peace and prosperity.

He, much like Blade, was also part of the High Cloud Quintet, but when the previous Sword Champion, his master- Jingliu, became corrupted and turned on the Xianzhou Alliance, he had no choice but to defeat her in battle. People far and wide know and acknowledge Jing Yuan’s sword-master abilities and military prowess, but it’s his witty mind that keeps them on their toes. He’s a formidable foe and his title as General of the Xianzhou Luofo clearly isn’t for show.

5 Firefly

The Strategic Assault Mech (SAM) Of The Iron Cavalry

First introduced as a clumsy young girl, Firefly turns out to be a member of the Stellaron Hunters and one of the last surviving warriors of the Iron Cavalry that ruled the fallen interplanetary nation, Glamoth. Firefly is a genetically engineered superhuman that was made for the battlefield.

The Iron Cavalry existed to combat the planet against the pressure of the Swarm and once they succeeded, the nation fell due to the overwhelming power of its allies. It has been confirmed that Firefly in her combat suit, SAM, is powerful enough to destroy a whole planet. This was a choice she made in order to make sure the remnants of the Swarm Disaster do not resurface.

4 Herta

The Genius Who Is Also The Emanator of Erudition

Since the beginning of the Honkai: Star Rail story, Herta has always presented herself as the mastermind behind the Herta Space Station. She is a Genius Society member with an IQ so high it’s simply unheard of. The interesting part about Herta is that she exists within the numerous puppets she created of her younger self.

It has also been confirmed that Herta is the Emanator of Erudition and she draws her power directly from Nous, the Aeon of Erudition. There is also some speculation that she is preparing to learn all she can about the Path of Erudition and the true meaning behind divinity, because to a Genius, asking questions is far more important than obtaining the answers themselves.

3 Black Swan

The Memokeeper Behind The Strings

Black Swan was introduced to players during the Penacony arc of Honkai: Star Rail, and while the story left a bittersweet taste in the community’s hearts, there are still many unanswered questions. Most of them surround Black Swan and her origins. She’s an official Memokeeper for the Garden of Recollection, a faction that follows the Aeon of Remembrance (Fuli). They function in such a way that their members aim to navigate through the stars and collect all available information in case of destruction.

It is also canon that she single-handedly messed with the minds of hundreds of people within an instant during a Companion Quest. On top of that, she doesn’t have a physical form, thus, as a memetic entity, she can trick the naked eye. According to Welt, all Memokeepers of the Garden are Emanators of Fuli and this further solidifies Black Swan’s power to defeat (or cheat) Death through her predictions of the universe.

2 Acheron

An Emanator On A Journey With No End

Acheron is quite possibly the most elusive character in Honkai: Star Rail, despite her obvious connections to her Honkai Impact 3rd counterparts. As per the Penacony main story quest, players will come to find out that her true name is Raiden Bousenmori Mei, and she hails from a planet that perished during a war. Her homeworld, Izumo, was one of two planets that circled a sun that resided in the Shadow of IX, the Aeon of Nihility. Her identity and power scale were mainly hidden during the Penacony quest because she is actually a Self-Annihilator.

The Self-Annihilators are a faction under IX the Nihility, and so far, Acheron seems to be the only one in it who has survived this long. They are also said to be Emanators of Nihility. This begs the question – if IX is so insensitive to the cosmos, how is the Path of Nihility still active to this day? As per Honkai: Star Rail lore, Self-Annihilators are the unfortunate souls who have inadvertently been doused by IX’s shadow. They begin to lose their meaning of existence, mental cognition, and physical body. Acheron, however, has managed to traverse down a boundless path toward an end that does not exist, all while her mind is being ripped apart by Nihility piece by piece. This makes her astronomically powerful to be able to withstand the chaos of IX and survive not only its shadow but the core of its being as well.

1 Welt

A Traveler From Another World

Many Honkai: Star Rail players may be unaware that Welt in this universe is the same Welt they encounter in the Honkai Impact 3rd universe as well. Welt arrives through a portal into this universe after the events of A Post-Honkai Odyssey in Honkai Impact 3rd. When he eventually made his way to the Express, his journey was filled with familiar faces who were counterparts of people he knew in Honkai Impact 3rd. Besides this, he still chose to keep a watchful eye, never actively interfering and only advising in most situations.

The cane that he wields right now is a simplified form of the Star of Eden, the Herrscher of Reason’s main weapon. In the Honkai Impact 3rd universe, the Star of Eden is considered to be one of the most powerful abilities to exist. It is capable of manipulating gravity itself since the Star of Eden is a Divine Key made from the core of a Herrscher. For context, Herrschers are killing machines that reside as a double personality until they are awoken and sent out to destroy. Moreover, they hold the highest possible power in the Honkai Impact 3rd universe, and Welt also now wields that same power in Honkai: Star Rail, making him an exceptionally powerful character to watch out for. Even Acheron herself has recognized that the gravity ability behind his cane is astonishingly frightening.