Honkai: Star Rail Version 4.4 expands Currency Wars: Zero-Sum Game with new employees, Fate collaboration characters, new bonds, more rewards, stronger investment options, and several balance changes. This update is not just a small roster refresh. It changes how players should think about shop timing, bond activation, and long-term team building in Currency Wars.
The most debated change is Mydei’s new cost position. Some players see his move to 1-cost as a downgrade, while others think it makes him easier to use early. The real answer depends on how well you understand Currency Wars cost, shop timing, equipment, and bond scaling.
Version 4.4 Overview
Currency Wars: Zero-Sum Game Update at a Glance
A quick view of the new characters, bonds, rewards, and difficulty changes.
Dan Heng: Permansor Terrae and Himeko: Nova join Currency Wars after the Version 4.4 update.
Dan Heng
Himeko
Rin Tohsaka and Gilgamesh enter the mode through the Fate collaboration update.
Rin
Gilgamesh
Holy Grail of Fate, Bloodflame, Energy, Wolf Hunt, and other bonds receive new or adjusted effects.
The promotion level cap expands to 170 with Stellar Jade, Self-Modeling Resin, Tracks of Destiny, and materials.
The highest difficulty reaches A8 Wealth Creator 50 for players who want a harder endgame target.
Best starting point: claim new seasonal rewards first, then test the new characters and bond changes in lower-pressure runs.
What Is New in HSR Currency Wars 4.4?
Version 4.4 adds Dan Heng: Permansor Terrae and Himeko: Nova as new Currency Wars employees after the version update. Rin Tohsaka and Gilgamesh will also join through the Fate collaboration update, while several existing characters receive adjustments or become Expert Advisors.
The season also adds new rewards and expands progression. The promotion level cap increases to 170, and the highest challenge difficulty reaches A8 Wealth Creator 50. For casual players, this means more rewards to collect. For endgame players, it gives Currency Wars a harder ceiling and more room for strategy testing.
New rewards include Stellar Jade, Self-Modeling Resin, Tracks of Destiny, character materials, EXP materials, and other progression items. If you already cleared older Currency Wars content, this update gives you a reason to return.
New Currency Wars Characters in Version 4.4
Dan Heng: Permansor Terrae and Himeko: Nova are the two main new employees added after the Version 4.4 update. They fill different roles, so players should not treat them as simple damage replacements.
Dan Heng: Permansor Terrae is a 2-cost backline damage dealer. His tags include Stellaron Hunter, Bloodflame, and Debuff. His kit focuses on preparing temporary equipment before battle, weakening enemies, and adding backline damage pressure. He looks especially useful for players who want stronger Bloodflame-related setups or more backline value.
Himeko: Nova is a 3-cost frontline damage dealer with Astral Express and Trailblazer-related synergy. Her Currency Wars kit increases her basic frontline strength as she gains stars, and Astral Express teammates can still use Assist Skills from the backline. If you want to build around Astral Express bonds, she is one of the key characters to watch.
The update also turns some characters into Expert Advisors, including Sampo, Blade, Pela, and Himeko. Expert Advisors matter because they add special gameplay functions instead of acting like normal frontline or backline units.
You can also check the Honkai Star Rail Character List if you need a broader look at new and upcoming playable characters.
Fate Collaboration Characters Join Currency Wars
The Fate collaboration enters Currency Wars through Rin Tohsaka and Gilgamesh. Before the full collaboration content goes live on July 24, 2026 at 12:00, they may appear in the shop as Projection units.
Projection units have their own bond and projection-state effects, but they cannot be upgraded and will not show character models or skill animations. So if you see Rin or Gilgamesh early, do not treat them exactly like normal fully released units yet.
Rin Tohsaka is a 1-cost front/backline damage dealer with Holy Grail of Fate and Skill Point tags. Her kit connects strongly with Archer. She can gain Gem Energy and trigger coordinated attacks with Archer even when Archer is not currently on the field. Her enhanced skill can also consume Gem Energy to increase the team’s Crit DMG.
Gilgamesh is a 2-cost front/backline damage dealer with Holy Grail of Fate and Energy tags. His Currency Wars kit scales with team equipment count. In the frontline, he improves team Lucky Hit damage, while Gilgamesh himself receives stronger bonuses. In the backline, he can enter an enhanced state based on team actions and attack all enemies with Skill and Ultimate effects.
If you are still deciding whether to pull or build these characters outside Currency Wars, our HSR Best Teamalso covers their regular team options.
Currency Wars Bond and Mechanic Changes
New Holy Grail of Fate Bond
Holy Grail of Fate is one of the biggest additions in the Version 4.4 Currency Wars update. The bond has 2/3/4/5 levels and increases the frontline and backline strength of characters inside the bond.
When the bond level increases, players can trigger Holy Grail Wishes. The Holy Grail randomly gives two wish missions, and completing one of them grants the corresponding reward. These rewards may include Fate-related items, coins, emblems, tools, or early Archer-related rewards.
The currently shown bond members include Rin Tohsaka, Gilgamesh, Saber, and Archer. Since the Fate content opens in stages, this bond may first provide temporary bonuses before the full collaboration system becomes available.
Existing Bond and Character Adjustments
Version 4.4 also changes many existing Currency Wars bonds and character interactions. This is important because the mode depends heavily on bond timing, shop availability, and cost curves.
The preview mentions updates or improvements to Astral Express, Skill Point, Stellaron Hunter, Galaxy Scholar, Night Demigod, Wolf Hunt, Sustained Damage, Break, Bloodflame, Energy, and Belobog. Some bonds are newly added, some are strengthened, and some receive requirement or level adjustments.
For example, Wolf Hunt receives better damage multiplier and Lucky Hit value. Sustained Damage gains stronger damage scaling and better Super DoT trigger value. Bloodflame also receives improved damage contribution, while Energy improves Ultimate damage scaling and Energy Block-related bonuses.
The key point is simple: do not blindly copy older Currency Wars setups. A team that worked before may still work, but the best route can shift depending on which bonds now scale better and which characters are easier to obtain.
Mydei Cost Change in Currency Wars
Mydei’s cost change is one of the most debated parts of this update. Rather than calling it a straight nerf, it is better to look at how the change affects his shop timing, upgrade path, and how much support he needs to stay useful later in the run.
Is Mydei Really Downgraded?
Some players describe it as a downgrade because he moved into the 1-cost range. On the surface, that sounds bad because higher-cost units often look stronger. But in Currency Wars, cost is not the same thing as raw character strength.
Cost affects when a unit appears in the shop, how easy it is to pick up early, and how it fits into your team economy. A 1-cost Mydei can appear earlier, which helps players start building around him sooner. For Mydei, that can be valuable because his strength often depends on early setup, bond activation, and getting the right pieces online before the run becomes too demanding.
That said, the concern is not completely wrong. Lower-cost characters may have weaker base amplification than higher-cost units, and 1-cost units can sometimes become harder to finish later if the shop pool becomes too wide. If players level too quickly without upgrading key low-cost units, they may miss important copies and end up with an underdeveloped carry.
So the better way to describe the change is this: Mydei is not automatically worse, but his play pattern changes. He becomes easier to access early, which can be a buff for players who understand early shop management. But players who rush levels, ignore rerolls, or fail to secure his equipment may feel the downside more.
For players comparing banner value at the same time, the Honkai Star Rail 4.4 Pulling Advice is a better place to judge whether a character is worth your Stellar Jade outside Currency Wars.
How to Build Around Mydei After the Change
If you want to use Mydei in the updated Currency Wars, the early game matters more than before. Since he can appear earlier, you should not rush through early shops without checking whether you can secure copies, useful equipment, or bond pieces that support his damage plan.
Mydei can still work as a strong early carry, especially if you activate the right bond structure and collect his key equipment. But he should not be treated as a free win just because he appears earlier. His performance still depends on whether the team gives him enough support, whether his bond path is active, and whether his damage can stay relevant into later planes.
Players should also pay attention to Bloodflame and Night Demigod changes. The update improves several related systems, but that does not mean every Bloodflame setup will suddenly become strong. Mydei can perform well when the setup is correct, but weak surrounding pieces can still make the run unstable.
New Investment Environments and Strategies
Version 4.4 also adds new investment environments and strategies. The preview shows three new investment environments: Holy Grail Contract, Holy Grail Invitation, and Special Expert: Sampo.
Holy Grail Contract can help players obtain Rin Tohsaka and Gilgamesh, then receive Archer after completing two Holy Grail-related effects. Holy Grail Invitation gives one Holy Grail emblem. Special Expert: Sampo adds Sampo as an Expert Advisor and lets players buy small gifts for Sampo after entering a new node, increasing Sampo’s favor.
The update also adds 19 new investment strategies. Examples shown in the preview include Flying Light: Sword Transmission, Raccoon Manager, and Gemini: Double Hands Open the Keyboard. These strategies can affect early bond access, money management, shop refreshes, combat actions, or Lucky Hit rate.
For players who enjoy optimizing Currency Wars, this part may be just as important as the new characters. Investment strategy often decides whether a run starts smoothly or falls apart before the main team is complete.
Best Priorities After the Currency Wars 4.4 Update
After the update, players should first check the new seasonal rewards and promotion levels. Even if you do not plan to push the highest difficulty, progression rewards, new objectives, and investment systems should still be worth clearing.
Next, test the new characters and bonds in lower-pressure runs. Himeko: Nova and Dan Heng: Permansor Terrae should be checked first because they join directly after the version update. Rin and Gilgamesh should be treated carefully until the Fate collaboration content fully opens.
If you are interested in Mydei, focus on learning his new early-game rhythm. Do not judge the change only by cost. Watch whether you can pick him early, upgrade him consistently, activate useful bonds, and keep his damage relevant through later fights.
If you are also saving for the Version 4.4 banners while clearing Currency Wars rewards, Honkai Star Rail Top Up can be a backup option after you finish the free Stellar Jade sources.
