The Elation path became entirely meta-dominant with Version 4.2, and Silver Wolf Lv.999 and Evanescia became the strongest anniversary DPS units, changed the current version meta totally. So, we compiled this HSR tier list 4.2 based on their performance in Memory of Chaos 12-star clears, Pure Fiction max scores, and Apocalyptic Shadow full stars.
HSR Tier List V4.2: Best Characters for Every Mode (April 2026)
How This HSR 4.2 Tier List Works
Characters are tested at E0, having available sets of relics and not with maximum investment. When the character is not good until E6 or with his or her signature light cone, it would be indicated by his or her position.
There are three content modes of equal importance:
- Memory of Chaos burst, single target, cycle, and sustain.
- Pure Fiction AoE wave-clear, cumulative hits, the off-turn pressure.
- Apocalyptic Shadow Break, bosses' gimmicks, one-on-one sustained.
Team synergy beats individual tier. There is no better way than to state that a properly assembled A-tier team that has proper sustain and support exceeds a group of haphazard S-tier characters. Inform decisions using this list, rather than dictate them.
Overall HSR 4.2 Tier List
| Tier | Characters |
| S+ | Silver Wolf Lv.999, Evanescia, Phainon, Castorice |
| S | Robin, Sunday, Yao Guang, Hyacine, Ruan Mei, Sparkle |
| A | Sparxie, Elation Trailblazer, Feixiao, The Herta, Kafka, Black Swan, Lingsha, Boothill, Jingliu, Topaz & Numby |
| B | Aventurine, Firefly, Acheron, Huohuo |
S+ Tier: Meta-Defining Units
Silver Wolf Lv.999
The 4.2 DPS maximized teams had the highest ceiling. Its Imaginary Elation kit sends out a worldwide passive multi-purpose debuff and effortless combination with its Certified Banger energy loop. She has the fastest clears in Sparxie and Yao Guang best-in-slot teams in all three modes.
Why is she S+:
- Off-turn passive deals are hurt by global deals.
- The cost of generating Punchlines is exhausted exponentially with Elation colleagues.
- Tops Memory of Chaos, both single and two-carry leaderboards.
Best with: Sparxie, Yao Guang, Elation Trailblazer, Hyacine
Evanescia
The combo engine, which characterizes the new Mono-Elation, is the Physical Elation. Her Certified Banger stacks spill right into Fox Teacher summons, inflicting unremitting off-turn AoE damage that strikes before there are any opportunities to respond.
Why is she S+:
- Self-sustaining Energy / Certified Banger 2-way Loop.
- Ultimate with dual form is capable of providing both single-target and AoE.
- Overpowers Pure Fiction and Multi-wave Memory of Chaos contents.
Best with: Yao Guang, Sunday, Elation Trailblazer, Hyacine
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Phainon
Phainon is viewed as the best DPS in Apocalyptic Shadow and Sunday and Robin have the same title of the best Support units. The Ultimate form grants him virtually inviolability (except under extreme circumstances) and astronomical single-target and Break damage otherwise not matched by any other unit on the E0 level.
Why is he S+:
- Ultimate state, which is nearly impossible to defeat, eradicates sustain issues during difficult fights.
- Global passive effect is exhibited with steady activity on Ultimate activations.
- Leads Apocalyptic Shadow leaderboards, but is still viable in MoC.
Best with: Robin, Sunday, Hyacine, Aventurine
Castorice
Castorice is considered by many to be a broken unit in 4.2 Pure Fiction and Memory of Chaos. She amplifies the entire team's damage while providing her own massive follow-up bursts. Her Elation path feeding makes her uniquely efficient at generating energy for the new loop carries.
Why is she S+:
- Global does passive amplification of team damage per turn.
- Powered by the Elation loops without special arrangement.
- Plays in nearly all the best competitive clears in all three modes.
Best with: Silver Wolf Lv.999, Robin, Yao Guang, Huohuo
S Tier Universally Excellent
Robin
Robin and Ruan Mei are probably the most versatile aids in the game. Both are able to fit in virtually any team set up and instantly enhance performance. The action advance and team-wide damage buffs of Robin are most effective when used with Elation DPS her follow-up style directly synergizes with Novaflares turbulence in 4.2.
Best with: Evanescia, Silver Wolf Lv.999, Phainon, Castorice
Sunday
The high-energy Elation meta is perfectly tuned to energy regeneration and CRIT buffs. Sunday also speeds up the Certified Banger loop and maintains Fox Teacher summons running constantly. Staple in Mono-Elation teams and flexible to any mix.
Best with: Evanescia, Phainon, Feixiao, The Herta
Yao Guang
Yao Guang is support Elation breakout of 4.2. Her kit directly feeds Punchline stacks and Certified Banger generation, causing Silver Wolf Lv.999 and Evanescia hit to be a lot more powerful. Compulsory in the maximum output in competitive Elation clears.
Best with: Silver Wolf Lv.999, Evanescia, Sparxie, Elation Trailblazer
Hyacine
Hyacine is optimal sustain plus damage amplification model in the existing meta. The best offensive healers are Lingsha and Huohuo and Aventurine and Hyacine are best defensive sustainers. The damage caused by the vulnerability application of Hyacine in 4.2 is particularly due to the fact that her vulnerability application is followed by Elation follow-ups, which assist in generating damage but leave the team alive.
Best with: Phainon, Castorice, Silver Wolf Lv.999, Evanescia
Ruan Mei
Ruan Mei is still one of the strongest harmony supports in the game. Her Break DMG amplification and team-wide damage buffs work perfectly with both new Elation carries and break-focused teams. She fits into almost any composition and immediately raises clear speed; a safe vertical investment that does not expire with patch cycles.
- Massive Break efficiency with universal buff application
- Top-tier in hybrid Elation and Break team compositions
- Best with: Firefly, Feixiao, Phainon, Castorice
Sparkle
Sparkle's SP generation and CRIT DMG buffs are indeed very useful in VERSION 4.2. Sparkle's effective skill point management ensures energy-intensive Elation units can cycle through skills without interruption - a necessity for Silver Wolf Lv.999 units where ability cycling is important.
- Great for SP-focused teams and big-damage "carry" teams
- Great with Silver Wolf Lv.999 in particular
- Best with: Silver Wolf Lv.999, Kafka, Black Swan
A Tier: Strong With the Right Setup
Elation Trailblazer (Free)
The 4.2 story free Lightning Elation Trailblazer is an actual A-tier low-end support. Pure Fiction and competitive Evanescia teams at E0. A little worse than the hardest Memory of Chaos content, which is limited to 5-stars, but fully accessible to the majority of players.
Feixiao
Break and follow-up damage is sustained in 4.2 hybrid teams, especially when there is energy in Elation supports. A little overtaken by the pure Elation brings in the performance of the leaderboard but players with her high investment already do not fall behind.
The Herta
The Herta is still one of the most robust AoE-focused characters in the game, especially when it comes to the content that favors follow-up attacks. Her capability of causing steady AoE damage whenever the enemies drop to HP levels qualifies her as a cornerstone pick in Pure Fiction. A to B in MoC because of the poor scaling of single targets.
Kafka
DoT and follow-up damage works in 4.2 Nihility. Builds on the new energy loops with Elation supports. Needs a particular team make-up to perform best - not punching down.
- Best with: Black Swan, Sparkle
Black Swan
Black Swanis great DoT and AoE in Pure Fiction, enemy team composition is often key. A bit of a niche when compared to full Elation carry - does well though if Kafka is also in the squad.
- Best with: Kafka, Robin
Lingsha
A good mixed sustain (healing and Break). Great choice for those with Firefly/Phainon teams looking for sustain with added damage. Lingsha is bit behind Hyacine as a damage amplifier.
- Best with: Firefly, Phainon
Boothill
Boothill work best with: Firefly, Phainon Very Break dependent - not easily slotted into a team, but incredibly good when on stage. Those who had him built at high investment still clear very easily.
- Best with: Ruan Mei, Hyacine
Jingliu
Jingliu is very potent in single-target encounters. Still usable in ice-based team but easily surpasses by other Elation units in most situations. Great choice for those who already own her.
Best with: Robin, Sunday
- Best with: Robin, Sunday
Topaz & Numby
Both are great follow-up damage and single-target pressure in follow-up dominant teams. Best runes are Pure Fiction - Numby synergises Topaz, making them worth it at this point.
- Best with: Robin, Sunday
B Tier: Viable But Outpaced
Aventurine
Shielding is hard and the 4.2 meta highly prefer offensive sustains such as Hyacine. Not yet Aventurine is dead especially in Phainon teams that desire defensive insurance but no longer the default sustain pick to clear the leaderboard.
Firefly
The damage of the Firefly break remains decent, and the Elation path and Novaflares have shifted the meta to energy-loop and follow-up. Breaks on works in specific and not the meta answer in 4.2. It is important to note that the Novaflares buff actually did increase her performance she is just not in a position to compete with the ceiling of the new Elation carries.
Acheron
Acheron is acceptable investment for Nihility Memory of Chaos teams. Needs a lot of support to counter the new Elation. Not a new pull, but good for existing players with a fully built-out Huohuo.
Huohuo
In the current 4.2 meta, the Elation playstyle Punchline + Certified Banger loopsM favors supports that can also boost damage, like Hyacine and Lingsha. Huohuo is still good at healing and giving energy, but she does NOT really fit into this new playstyle or help increase damage the way Hyacine does. Right now, in Memory of Chaos and Pure Fiction, More offensive sustain is currently preferred, teams with Hyacine usually clear faster.
Best Characters for Memory of Chaos
Here, single-target burst and sustain are in preeminence. Phainon and Silver Wolf Lv.999 have the fastest clears. Evanesica is followed by dual-form Ultimate pressure. Supporting Robin and Sunday are obligatory. The best sustain is hyacine.
Character Priority
| Priority | Characters |
|---|---|
| 🔥 First picks | Silver Wolf Lv.999, Phainon |
| ⭐ Strong options | Evanescia, Castorice |
| 💡 Best supports | Robin, Sunday, Yao Guang |
| 🛡 Best sustain | Hyacine |
Best Characters for Pure Fiction
Pure Fiction is a reward to AoE damage and coordinated attacks. AoE carriers such as The Herta and Castorice are good in this. Evanesica Punchline engine and Fox Teacher summons can be easily set up to score max scores. In this mode, Elation Trailblazer is the optimum F2P.
Priority Table
Character Priority
| Priority | Characters |
|---|---|
| First picks | Evanescia, Castorice |
| Strong options | The Herta, Silver Wolf Lv.999 |
| Best supports | Robin, Sparxie, Yao Guang |
Best Characters for Apocalyptic Shadow
This mode is characterized by break mechanics and boss gimmicks. Phainon and Castorice are synergies of Remembrance. The large incoming damage pressure is taken care of by hyacine and aventurine. This is easily cleared with Elation support and Evanescia and Silver Wolf Lv.999.
Priority Table
Character Priority
| Priority | Characters |
|---|---|
| First picks | Phainon, Castorice |
| Strong options | Evanescia, Feixiao |
| Best sustain | Hyacine, Aventurine |
F2P and Low-Spender Pull Priority
If you are a newer player, prioritizing S tier supports like Robin or Sunday over damage dealers will improve your account strength faster. A strong support makes every future damage dealer you pull better.
Recommended priority for this HSR 4.2 tier list:
- Phase 1 target: Silver Wolf Lv.999. If you already own Sparxie or Yao Guang she delivers the biggest immediate power spike for existing Elation rosters
- Phase 2 target: Evanescia if you are building from scratch stronger at low investment, works well with the free Elation Trailblazer
- Support priority: Yao Guang or Hyacine over a second DPS if your sustain is weak
- Skip: Double new units unless your roster is complete spreading Jade across both banners and a rerun is the classic anniversary trap
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Legacy Units Worth Noting
Ruan Mei, Sparkle, and Acheron remain eligible to play in certain comps at high investment, specifically Acheron in Nihility teams of Memory of Chaos. They are neither defining the 4.2 meta nor useless. Their cost to activate them in endgame content is greater than the existing S-tier options, so they should instead be pulled to the 4.2 units.
FAQ
Is this E0 HSR 4.2 list?
Yes, all placements are assuming E0 with realistic relic sets and available team compositions. Rankings increase or decrease when balance patches modify damage values, a new support increases or decreases a carry ceiling by a large amount, or a new boss or mode rotation changes the priority. This list is updated in each phase.
Silver Wolf Lv.999 or Evanesica, whom shall I draw?
Silver Wolf because she believes that the highest ceiling in optimized teams is that Sparxie and Yao Guang are already there. Evanesica because of the more convenient and reliable Mono-Elation experience that can be used on moderate rosters. They both belong to this HSR 4.2 tier list as S+. The truth of the matter is whichever fits your present support roster better.
Is Elation Trailblazer a substitute of Yao Guang or Sparxie?
No the free Elation Trailblazer is a good A-tier support that renders new carries effective without additional pulls, but Yao Guang and Sparxie are positioned significantly higher in the output contribution. Check the Elation team's viability using the free unit and then commit Jade to premium support. The upgrade of Elation Trailblazer to Yao Guang is among the cleanest investment ladders in the existing HSR 4.2 tier list meta.
