Pearl is the newest original 5-star headed to Honkai: Star Rail, and she arrives with the kind of pedigree the game rarely leans on these days. After a long run of alternate forms and collaboration units, HoYoverse is bringing a completely fresh face with her own design and backstory, first seen wandering Planarcadia as an NPC before stepping into the playable roster.
Quick answer: Pearl is a 5-star Ice character on the Path of Elation, confirmed for Version 4.6. She is set to appear during the first phase of the update, which is expected to launch around October 7, 2026.
Pearl’s confirmed rarity, element, and Path
The official reveal locks in the core details players use to plan pulls and team slots. Pearl is a limited 5-star, she deals Ice damage, and she follows the Path of Elation, the follow-up attack path built around units that pile on extra hits when the team acts.
| Detail | Confirmed value |
|---|---|
| Rarity | 5-star |
| Element | Ice |
| Path | Elation |
| Release version | 4.6 (first phase) |
Her full kit has not been shown yet. HoYoverse typically holds abilities, traces, and Eidolons back until the official Special Program livestream, which usually airs about a week to ten days before a patch goes live. Until then, the element and Path above are the only combat-related specifics that are official.
Who Pearl is and how she looks
Pearl introduces herself as an artwork investment specialist for the IPC’s Strategic Investment Department and the current CEO of Planarcadia. That places her squarely within the Interastral Peace Corporation, the same corporate faction that gave the game Aventurine, Topaz, and Jade.
“Welcome. I am ‘Pearl,’ an artwork investment specialist working for the IPC’s Strategic Investment Department, and Planarcadia’s current CEO. My calculated outcome: we can start with my artwork to get to know each other better.”
Her design matches the corporate framing. Pearl wears a dark blue waistcoat over an ankle-length skirt of the same color, layered with a coat that carries brown patterning and a golden ribbon. It is a refined, business-forward look that reads clearly as IPC.
The reveal came through HoYoverse’s character preview segment, the routine social post that shows a new unit’s name, splash art, combat type, Path, and rarity ahead of release.
When Version 4.6 releases
Version 4.6 is expected to launch around October 7, 2026, following the conclusion of the Aventurine Waveflair and Robin Summeretto banners from Version 4.5. Pearl’s reveal order points to a first-phase debut, likely alongside one or more rerun characters rather than a second brand-new 5-star.
As things stand, Pearl is the only 5-star confirmed for the patch. Whether she shares the update with an additional debut has not been announced. The precise release timing will be firmed up once HoYoverse airs the official 4.6 Special Program.
You will know the details are final when the livestream posts kits, Light Cones, and a stamped release date. Everything before that point, including exact stats and banner timing, can still shift. For now, the safe takeaway is simple: Pearl is a 5-star Ice unit on the Path of Elation, and she is your first confirmed reason to start banking Stellar Jade for the fall.
