Honkai Star Rail Version 2.1“Into the Yawning Chasm” has a ton of content to look forward to, but as is the case with most gacha updates, the new 5-Star characters are what really matter. Acheron and Aventurine make their debut in this Honkai Star Rail update, but which one of them is better?
Because Stellar Jades are so expensive, it takes a long time to build pity, and the 50/50 system constantly looms over you, there’s no guarantee that you’ll get even one of these characters, let alone both. A single unit can make or break your Honkai Star Rail team, though, so frugal players want to play their cards right and pull for the best of the best. If you’re struggling to decide betweenAcheronandAventurine, here’s a breakdown of their kits and uses.
Acheron’s Kit Explained
Acheronis a 5-starLightingcharacter of theNihilityPath, making her a natural fit for debuff and DoT teams. While Acheron doesn’t inflict DoTs or debuffs to enemies directly, her attacks directly benefit from her allies applying them to foes.
Acheron’s main gimmick is that shedoesn’t earn Ultimate Energy charge. Instead, she gains stacks ofSlashed Dreamwhen she uses her skill or an ally inflicts a debuff on an enemy. When Acheron reachesnine stacks of Slashed Dream, she can use her Ultimate.
Acheron’sskill(and allydebuffs) inflict enemies withCrimson Knots, which are removed whenever she uses her Ultimate. When Acheron uses her Ultimate, she castsRainbladethree times, attacking a single target and removing up to threeof their Crimson Knots,increasing her damage multiplier for her Ultimate by 36% for each one. Removing a Crimson Knot during this process also causesslight damage to all enemies. Finally, Acheron usesStygian Resurgeto cap off her Ultimate, dealing a ton of damage to all enemies andresetting their Crimson Knot count to zero.
Aventurine’s Kit Explained
Aventurine is a 5-StarImaginarycharacter of thePreservationPath, so he’s a great support unit and tank. He scales offDEFand providesshieldsto your team, building toward a big attack every time someone takes damage.
Aventurine’s main gimmick isBlind Bet. His Skill givesshieldsto your entire team. Every time a shielded ally is attacked, Aventurinegains a stack of Blind Bet. When Blind Bet reachesseven stacks(it caps at 10), he consumes seven stacks to unlock aseven-hit follow-up attack.
Aventurine’sUltimatedeals massive Imaginary damage to a single target and inflicts them with a debuff calledUnnerved. When an ally attacks an Unnerved enemy, their attacks will have slightly higherCRIT DMG. Aventurine’s Ultimate ability also gives him anywhere from one to seven stacks ofBlind Betat random, bringing him closer to his follow-up attack.
Should You Pull for Acheron or Aventurine in Honkai Star Rail?
Ultimately, the decision between Acheron and Aventurine comes down to the units you already have. If you’re really in need of anImaginarycharacter or aPreservationcharacter, you should pull for Aventurine. F2P players are stuck withMarch 7thand theTrailblazerfor Preservation characters, so unless you pulledFu XuanorGepard, you should try to get Aventurine.
Imaginary units are also quite rare at the moment with only one 4-Star option (Yukong), so Aventurine can fill a pretty big hole in your elemental lineup. Dr. Ratio was given away for free quite recently, however, so you might not need another Imaginary 5-Star at the moment.
Acheron, on the other hand, is a very strong Electric character, butyou need to build a team around herto get the most out of her. If you don’t already have a strong debuff lineup, then you should pass on Acheron. If you don’t already haveKafkaorBlack Swan, then Acheron is a safe skip at the moment unless you really want her.
There are a bunch of 4-Star options to pair with Acheron, though, so you can make her work without other Nihility 5-Stars.Luka,Guinaifen, andServalare excellent DoT characters that will enhance Acheron’s damage via Crimson Knots.
Ultimately, both of these characters are great. The thing to consider forAcheronis that she has a very specific playstyle and might not mesh well with your existing lineup, and the main thing to consider for Acheron is if you need a new Preservation unit. Every Honkai Star Rail player has a different roster, so take a look at your best teams.Acheron is the safer pullsince he slots into any team, though.
Diego Perez
Currently serving as a Senior Staff Writer at PC Invasion, Diego Perez has been writing about video games since 2018, specializing in live service games like Destiny and Final Fantasy XIV. His work is featured at publications like Game Rant and Attack of the Fanboy (where he served as Associate Editor), but PC Invasion is home to his best work. When he’s planning content or writing guides, he’s yelling about Ape Escape or grinding Lost Sectors in Destiny. Plus, he has a Bachelor of Science in Telecommunication Media Studies for Texas A&M University.
