Honkai: Star Rail 4.3 Pull Guide: Is Mortenax Blade Worth Pulling?

Honkai: Star Rail Version 4.3 puts players in a familiar but painful position: one new limited character, several tempting reruns, and not nearly enough Stellar Jades for everyone. The headline name is Mortenax Blade, a new 5-star Fire Nihility unit built around debuffs, AoE Fire damage, and offensive team support.

The short answer is simple: Mortenax Blade is worth pulling if your account needs a premium debuffer who also contributes damage, but he is not a mandatory pull for every roster. If you already own strong Nihility supports, have enough Fire coverage, and are satisfied with your current endgame teams, he becomes more of a luxury upgrade than a must-have.

HSR 4.3 Banner Overview

Based on the current 4.3 preview information, Version 4.3 is split into two banner phases:

Mortenax Blade is the new character of the patch, while Yao Guang, Phainon, and Cyrene are the returning premium options. That makes Phase 1 especially important for players deciding whether to chase the new unit immediately or hold resources for stronger roster-specific reruns.

Mortenax Blade Role and Kit Value

Mortenax Blade's appeal comes from role compression. Instead of being only a damage dealer or only a debuffer, he appears designed to do several useful things at once:

· Apply debuffs that increase team damage.

· Provide DEF reduction and damage amplification through Balefire Bind.

· Add AoE Fire damage so the support slot still contributes offensive pressure.

· Become stronger during his Zone window.

· Fit teams that benefit from frequent attacks, Nihility synergy, or extra enemy weakening.

That package makes him attractive for accounts that often feel one slot short. If your team wants a debuffer but you dislike losing too much damage by bringing a pure support, Mortenax Blade is exactly the kind of hybrid unit that can smooth out a team.

Is Mortenax Blade Worth Pulling?

Yes, pull Mortenax Blade if you need a Fire Nihility unit who can support the team and deal meaningful damage at the same time. He is especially valuable for players who lack premium debuffers or want a more aggressive support option for endgame modes.

He is a strong target if:

· Your account lacks reliable DEF reduction or enemy damage amplification.

· You need more Fire coverage for Memory of Chaos, Pure Fiction, or Apocalyptic Shadow-style content.

· You want a sub-DPS who does not demand the whole team be built around him.

· Your current Nihility units feel too narrow or too passive.

· You prefer flexible supports over another pure main DPS.

He is easier to skip if:

· You already have premium Nihility supports built and actively used.

· Your Fire teams are already strong enough.

· Your biggest account problem is a missing main DPS, sustain, or Harmony support.

· You are saving for Phainon, Cyrene, or a future favorite character.

· You are F2P and cannot guarantee more than one limited 5-star in the patch.

For most players, the decision should come down to roster holes. Mortenax Blade is not the kind of unit you pull only because he is new. Pull him because his exact combination of Fire damage, debuffing, and offensive support solves a problem your account actually has.

Mortenax Blade vs Other Nihility Units

Mortenax Blade's closest comparison is not a pure DPS. He should be judged against other debuff-focused units such as Jiaoqiu and Silver Wolf, because his pull value depends on whether he improves your support core.

Compared with Jiaoqiu, Mortenax Blade appears more hybrid and more damage-oriented. Jiaoqiu is easier to evaluate as a pure support, while Mortenax Blade may reward players who can make use of both his debuffs and his personal damage.

Compared with Silver Wolf, Mortenax Blade looks less specialized around single-target utility and more useful in multi-enemy situations. Silver Wolf still has a distinct niche when weakness manipulation matters, but Mortenax Blade should feel better when you want broader AoE pressure.

Mortenax Blade Pull Priority

For a newer account, a hybrid debuffer is useful, but it may not fix the most urgent problems. Early rosters usually need one or two reliable carries, strong sustain, and flexible universal supports first. If those foundations are missing, Mortenax Blade can wait.

For established accounts, his value rises. The more complete your roster is, the more you benefit from role compression, specialized debuffs, and units that make existing teams hit harder.

What About Yao Guang?

Yao Guang is the other Phase 1 option, and her pull value depends on whether you are investing in the team archetype she supports. The current preview frames her as a Physical Elation option, which makes her less of a direct competitor to Mortenax Blade and more of a roster-direction choice.

Choose Mortenax Blade if you want debuffs, Fire coverage, and flexible offensive support.

Choose Yao Guang if your account is already leaning into her specific damage or support archetype and she completes a team you plan to keep using.

For most F2P players, pulling both Phase 1 characters is risky. If you are unsure, Mortenax Blade is likely the broader account tool, while Yao Guang is the more archetype-dependent choice.

Should You Save for Cyrene?

Cyrene's value is tied to Ice Remembrance and teams that can fully use her support mechanics. If your account already has Remembrance-focused units or wants to build around that ecosystem, Cyrene may be more valuable than Mortenax Blade in the long term.

Pull Cyrene if:

· You are committed to Remembrance teams.

· You already have the right units to benefit from her buffs.

· Your account needs specialized team amplification more than general debuff utility.

· You skipped her before and already know she fits your roster.

Skip Cyrene if:

· You are not building Remembrance teams.

· Your account needs broader support rather than specialized synergy.

· You already have enough premium buffers for your main DPS characters.

For players who do not care about Remembrance, Mortenax Blade is easier to justify. For players already deep into that archetype, Cyrene may have the higher ceiling.

Should You Save for Phainon?

Phainon is the clearest DPS option in the 4.3 lineup. As a Physical Destruction hypercarry, he is meant to be the center of a team rather than a flexible support piece. That makes the comparison with Mortenax Blade straightforward: do you need a carry, or do you need a debuffer?

Pull Phainon if:

· Your account lacks a powerful Physical main DPS.

· You want a hypercarry who can anchor one side of endgame content.

· You enjoy transformation-based or burst-window gameplay.

· You already have supports who can set him up properly.

Skip Phainon if:

· You already have enough well-built main DPS units.

· Your teams need support upgrades more than another carry.

· You prefer flexible rotations over a self-centered hypercarry.

If you are missing a true main DPS, Phainon may be more important than Mortenax Blade. If your DPS lineup is already strong, Mortenax Blade may improve more teams at once.

Best Pull Order in HSR 4.3

For most players, the Version 4.3 pull priority should look like this:

This order is not universal. It is a practical starting point. A player with no good DPS should rate Phainon higher. A player with Remembrance investment should rate Cyrene higher. A player with strong carries but weak debuff options should rate Mortenax Blade higher.

F2P Advice: One Guarantee Only

If you are F2P, assume you may only get one limited 5-star from Version 4.3. That makes patience extremely valuable. Do not spend on Phase 1 just because Mortenax Blade is new if Phase 2 contains the unit your account needs more.

A safe F2P decision path looks like this:

1. If you need a main DPS, compare Phainon against your current carries before pulling Mortenax Blade.

2. If you need specialized Remembrance support, wait and evaluate Cyrene.

3. If your DPS teams are strong but lack debuffs, Mortenax Blade becomes a strong Phase 1 target.

4. If none of the four characters fix a clear problem, save.

Saving is not a failure in Honkai: Star Rail. It is often the cleanest way to guarantee the next character who actually changes your account.

Final Verdict

Mortenax Blade is worth pulling, but only for the right account. He looks like a strong Fire Nihility hybrid who can reduce enemy defenses, amplify team damage, and add AoE Fire pressure without taking the full main-DPS slot. That makes him valuable for players who want flexible offensive support and better debuff coverage.

However, he is not an automatic must-pull. If you already own strong Nihility units, have enough Fire coverage, or need a carry more than another support, saving for Phainon, Cyrene, or a future banner may be smarter.

The clean recommendation:

· Pull Mortenax Blade if you need a premium Fire Nihility debuffer/sub-DPS.

· Skip or wait if your support core is already strong or you need a main DPS more.

· Save for Phainon if Physical hypercarry damage is your biggest missing piece.

· Save for Cyrene if you are committed to Remembrance teams.

In other words, Mortenax Blade is a strong pull for accounts with the right gap. He is not a panic pull, but he may be one of the most useful 4.3 choices for players who want their existing teams to hit harder.