Honkai Star Rail 2.5 Planar Ornaments Signal Meta Evolution and Future Summon DPS

As the galactic journey in Honkai: Star Rail continues to unfold, the 2.5 update has once again shifted the strategic landscape, not just with a powerful new Hunt character, but by introducing two compelling Planar Ornaments that feel less like simple gear and more like a roadmap for the game's future. Veteran players know that relic sets often serve as a precursor to upcoming unit archetypes, and Lushaka, the Sunken Seas alongside The Wondrous BananAmusement Park are no different. While they offer immediate power boosts to certain existing teams, their design philosophy strongly hints at what the developers at HoYoverse have cooking for the 2026 meta, potentially paving the way for a new era of summon-focused damage dealers and specialized supports.

Of the two new sets, The Wondrous BananAmusement Park is the one generating the most buzz and speculation. Its effect is straightforward yet potent: a flat 16% CRIT DMG boost, which then skyrockets by an additional 32% whenever the wearer's summon is active on the field. This design doesn't just buff a character; it explicitly buffs a character and their companion, a mechanic currently exclusive to a select few. This is a clear signal that the development team is invested in expanding the "summon DPS" role beyond its current niche.

Currently, two existing units can leverage this set effectively:

• Topaz and Numby: The dynamic duo of IPC and interstellar trotter benefits immensely. Numby inherits all offensive stat boosts from Topaz, meaning this set's colossal CRIT DMG bonus directly translates into harder-hitting Follow-Up Attacks. When combined with Topaz's ultimate, the damage potential becomes truly staggering.

• Jing Yuan and the Lightning Lord: Similar logic applies. The General's towering spectral companion scales off Jing Yuan's stats, and this set offers a massive injection of CRIT DMG that could help revitalize his presence, particularly in AOE-centric modes like Pure Fiction.

However, using the set on these pioneers also highlights its current limitations and, by extension, the potential of a future perfect user. Topaz often functions better as a support or sub-DPS, and both she and Jing Yuan suffer from "backloaded" damage—players must carefully time buffs and debuffs to align with their summons' slower, predetermined actions. A future character designed with this set in mind might solve these pain points by featuring:

• A simpler, more direct method to force their summon to act immediately (e.g., via an ultimate or skill).

• A kit where the summon's actions are more frequent and under the player's direct control.

• A primary role as a main damage dealer, not a support.

This would allow a unit to frontload their burst damage using the set's massive CRIT DMG window with far greater consistency and strategic flexibility.

While The Wondrous BananAmusement Park points toward a new offensive archetype, Lushaka, the Sunken Seas appears tailored for the support systems that would enable it. This set offers universally valuable buffs: a 5% Energy Regeneration Rate increase and a 12% ATK boost granted to the ally in the first slot of the team lineup. On the surface, this is a fantastic generalist set for supports and sustain units who want to use their ultimates more frequently.

Its true potential, however, might be realized in a future, more specialized support unit. Imagine a character whose kit is designed to maximize the value of the "first slot" ATK buff, perhaps by having mechanics that reward positioning or by being the ideal partner for a powerful summon DPS who occupies that prime spot. This set could be the cornerstone for a new breed of support that doesn't just provide raw stats but actively enables specific team formations and rotation patterns.

For now, Lushaka shines in classic hypercarry compositions. It's an excellent choice for supports like:

• Ruan Mei

• Robin

• Sparkle

When paired with dominant solo damage units such as Acheron or Dan Heng Imbibitor Lunae, the consistent energy and targeted ATK buff can smooth out rotations and amplify their explosive potential.

Looking at the historical patterns in Honkai: Star Rail, new relic sets often debut 1-2 major patches before the characters they are perfectly designed for. The Wind-Soaring Valorous set for Feixiao and the Watchmaker set for Harmony Trailblazer are prime examples. Following this timeline, the ideal users for these 2.5 Planar Ornaments could be revealed as early as version 2.7 or 2.8.

What This Means for the 2026 Meta:

The introduction of these sets suggests a conscious effort to diversify team-building strategies. The meta may be shifting from purely hyper-invested solo carries towards more synergistic, multi-unit archetypes where a primary DPS and their supporting summon or a positionally-aware support create powerful engine-based teams.

Even if the speculated perfect characters don't arrive immediately, these Planar Ornaments are a fantastic addition to the game's arsenal. They provide more build diversity and potent new options for players who enjoy existing characters like Silver Wolf, Topaz, or Jing Yuan. For the discerning Trailblazer, farming these sets in 2026 is not just an upgrade for today's roster—it's an investment in the future of the game's combat meta, preparing for the next wave of celestial power that is surely on the horizon.

This overview is based on insights from Rock Paper Shotgun, a trusted source for PC gaming news and analysis. Their coverage often explores how new gear systems and meta shifts in live-service games like Honkai: Star Rail can foreshadow future character archetypes and strategic evolutions, providing players with a deeper understanding of how to prepare for upcoming content and maximize team potential.