Honkai: Star Rail's Version 4.1 is an unusual patch. HoYoverse has officially confirmed that the update will run on a shortened four-week schedule instead of the standard six weeks, making it the first compressed version in the game's history. The reason is straightforward: Version 3.8 ran two weeks longer than planned due to last-minute changes to the Planarcadia content, and 4.1 is absorbing that time deficit to realign the update calendar so that Version 4.2 lands on the game's second anniversary.
Quick answer: Version 4.1 launches around March 24–25, 2026 (depending on your server region), runs for four weeks, and features Ashveil as the only new limited 5-star character. His banner will be active for the entire patch duration. Two returning characters will split the version's two phases.
HSR 4.1 release date and server times
The maintenance window and go-live timing follows the usual staggered rollout across servers. North American players can expect to log in first, with Asia and Europe following shortly after.
| Server | Expected launch |
|---|---|
| North America | March 24, 2026 — 10:00 PM (UTC-5) |
| Europe | March 25, 2026 — 4:00 AM (UTC+1) |
| Asia / TW / HK / MO | March 25, 2026 — 11:00 AM (UTC+8) |
The patch is expected to end on April 22, 2026, for all servers, giving players exactly four weeks to clear content and pull on banners.
Ashveil — the only new 5-star in 4.1
Ashveil is a 5-star Lightning character on The Hunt path. He was revealed through HoYoverse's drip marketing as the ace detective of the Ashen Detective Agency, and his kit has since been detailed through beta leaks. His entire playstyle revolves around a mechanic called Bait, which marks a single enemy to concentrate damage on that target.
His Skill applies the Bait mark and deals Lightning damage. While a Baited enemy exists on the field, all enemies suffer a significant DEF reduction, effectively amplifying your entire team's output. If you use his Skill on a target that already has Bait, the Skill Point is refunded — a welcome efficiency boost in SP-hungry compositions.
His Ultimate re-marks the enemy, delivers a heavy hit, grants extra Charges, and triggers an enhanced follow-up attack. That follow-up can consume a unique resource called Gluttony for additional damage scaling. His Talent is the engine that ties everything together: whenever allies hit the Baited target, Ashveil automatically fires follow-up attacks that consume Charges and generate Gluttony. His Technique inflicts Daze before combat starts and gives him early Charge stacks.
The team-wide implications are notable. While Ashveil is in the party, allies gain increased follow-up attack damage and CRIT DMG. This makes him a strong fit for follow-up attack (FUA) teams that focus fire on a single priority target. He functions as both a hypercarry and a team damage amplifier through DEF shred and passive buffs.
Rerun banners — two returning characters across two phases
HoYoverse's official announcement confirmed that two limited 5-star characters and their signature Light Cones will return during 4.1, split across Phase 1 and Phase 2. The official names have not been announced yet. Leak speculation is split: some community voices point to Robin and Feixiao, while others suggest Cyrene and Boothill. The specific rerun characters and their phase order remain unconfirmed.
Because the patch is only four weeks long, each rerun phase will likely last just two weeks — shorter than the usual three-week window. If you're targeting a rerun character, plan to pull quickly once their banner goes live.
New Light Cones in Version 4.1
Two new Light Cones arrive with the patch. The first is Ashveil's signature weapon, and the second supports the emerging Elation stat.
| Light Cone | Base stats | R1 passive |
|---|---|---|
| The Finale of a Lie | HP 1058 / ATK 582 / DEF 463 | Increases CRIT Rate by 18%. At battle start or after every 4 Follow-Up ATKs, grants "Umbra Devourer" for 3 turns — boosting ATK by 40% and reducing all enemies' DEF by 12%. Effects of the same kind do not stack. |
| Elation Brimming With Blessings | HP 953 / ATK 529 / DEF 463 | Increases ATK by 20%. After using Skill or Ultimate on an ally, increases that ally's Elation stat by 12% for 2 turns. |
The Finale of a Lie is tailor-made for Ashveil's follow-up-heavy kit, stacking CRIT Rate, ATK, and DEF shred in a single package. Elation Brimming With Blessings, meanwhile, is clearly designed for Elation-path support characters and could become relevant as more Elation units release in subsequent patches.
New Planar Ornaments
Version 4.1 introduces two new Planar Ornament sets that players can farm in the Simulated Universe or Divergent Universe.
Punklorde Stage Zero — The 2-piece bonus increases the wearer's Elation by 10%. When Elation reaches 40% for the first time in battle, the wearer gains 20% CRIT DMG. Hitting the 80% threshold adds another 30% CRIT DMG. This set is widely expected to be a pre-farm target for the anticipated SP Silver Wolf releasing in Version 4.2.
City of Myriad Forms — The 2-piece bonus increases ATK by 24% for 2 turns whenever the wearer uses a Follow-Up ATK. Additionally, when an enemy is defeated, all allies gain 12% CRIT DMG for the rest of the battle (non-stacking). This set slots naturally into Ashveil's kit and benefits any FUA-centric character.
Why the patch is only four weeks
The shortened schedule is a deliberate correction. Version 3.8 was extended by approximately two weeks to accommodate redesign work on Planarcadia content before the 4.0 launch. That extension pushed the entire update calendar forward, threatening to misalign Version 4.2 with the game's second anniversary. HoYoverse confirmed during the Version 4.0 livestream that 4.1 would be compressed to bring the schedule back on track.
For players, this means roughly 10–20 fewer pulls' worth of Stellar Jade income from dailies and events compared to a standard patch. However, the extra two weeks of earning during the extended 3.8/4.0 cycle partially offsets that loss.
Pull planning for Version 4.1
With only one new character and a compressed timeline, the pull calculus is relatively simple. If you want Ashveil, you have the full four weeks. If you're saving for the anniversary in Version 4.2 — which is heavily rumored to feature SP Silver Wolf and Evanescia — skipping 4.1 entirely is a viable strategy.
The rerun characters add a wrinkle. If a high-value support like Robin appears, players building follow-up or Harmony teams may face a tough choice between pulling now or waiting for anniversary banners. Since rerun windows will likely be just two weeks each, there's less room to deliberate.
Version 4.1 may be short, but between Ashveil's debut, new farmable gear, and the story continuation on Planarcadia, it carries meaningful weight heading into the anniversary. Keep an eye on official announcements for final confirmation of the rerun lineup and exact maintenance times.