When Mara logged into Honkai: Star Rail on a lazy Tuesday in 2026, the same old question popped up in her Astral Express crew chat: 'Which four-star is actually worth building?' She smirked. Back in 2023, she had bookmarked a four-star tier list and treated it like gospel, only to learn that the meta can shift faster than a Seele turn. Still, the old list had legs. The proof was in the pudding: many of those four-stars still did heavy lifting in Pure Fiction, Memory of Chaos, and even Apocalyptic Shadow, especially for players who were free-to-play or just plain unlucky with five-star pulls.

SS Tier: The Untouchable Support Trio

Hanya was the Swiss Army knife of four-star supports. She handed out skill points, buffed ATK, DMG, and SPD, and her damage boost stuck to an enemy like glue once the Burden effect landed. Pela was a walking debuff machine; stripping enemy buffs and shredding DEF across the whole field made her a permanent guest in many lineups. Her E4 Ice shred paired like peanut butter and jelly with Jingliu. Tingyun was the final piece: a Harmony buffer whose Skill and Ultimate turned an ordinary DPS into a wrecking ball. If a player wanted to play it safe, raising these three was a no-brainer.

S Tier: Gamble, Speed, and Sustain

If Qingque were a casino, the house did not always win—but when it did, the payout was enormous. She could hit like a freight train if the tiles fell right. Asta provided team-wide ATK and SPD with proper play, making her a budget speed demon. Lynx kept the whole party healthy with turn-based heals and a full-party cleanse on her ultimate. Guinaifen was Kafka's best friend, using Firekiss to inflate all damage sources against an enemy. Luka threw in maximum-HP-based DoT damage, making him a sneaky pick for chunky elites. These five were not always flashy, but they got the job done.

A Tier: Solid, But Not the Whole Enchilada

Xueyi ignored weakness types and nibbled tough enemies into submission. March 7th was the underrated shield queen when Gepard refused to show up. Yukong offered ATK, Crit DMG, and Crit Rate but asked for specific speed tuning to bring home the bacon. Serval kept enemies in a shocked state with ease, a free pick from pre-registration rewards. Sampo was an early DoT hero but lost his throne as the meta moved on. These characters could absolutely work, but they needed a bit more love and planning to shine.

B, C, and D: Underdogs and Benchwarmers

In B tier, Herta had a decent kit but often felt like a one-trick pony without freeze outside Weakness Break. Natasha was the classic early healer—nothing flashy, but she kept runs alive before better options arrived. Down in C tier, Sushang punished weakness-broken foes with repeated damage, and Hook was one of the few viable Fire DPS units, self-sustaining through Traces. In D tier, Dan Heng was a free early-game single-target slayer, but his star faded fast. Arlan was a high-risk, high-reward puzzle piece waiting for a meta shake-up.

What Changed by 2026?

Mara knew better than to call this list set in stone. Some placements aged like milk; others like fine wine. By 2026, power creep had pushed a few old names closer to the bench, but the core logic held: build the supports first, pick a DPS that fits your relics, and never sleep on free characters. For a new Trailblazer, Hanya, Pela, and Tingyun were still as reliable as a morning coffee.

Mara's Quick Cheat Sheet

Tier	Character	Quick Take
SS	Hanya, Pela, Tingyun	Top-tier support value; SP, DEF shred, and big buffs
S	Qingque, Asta, Lynx, Guinaifen, Luka	Strong with decent gear or specific teammates
A	Xueyi, March 7th, Yukong, Serval, Sampo	Good but situational
B	Herta, Natasha	Usable early or niche
C	Sushang, Hook	Can shine in the right fight
D	Dan Heng, Arlan	Outclassed or too fragile without help

At the end of the day, tier lists are like weather forecasts—useful, but not always right. Mara closed the guide and sent her friend a simple reply: 'If you want to play it safe, raise Pela and Tingyun first.' Some advice never goes out of style.