Red A not maxed? Gilgamesh for free? Honkai Star Rail Fate Collab Part 2 – Who Should You Pick?

After watching the 4.3 preview livestream, honestly – the Fate collab news is super exciting! Part 2 launches on July 24 (version 4.4), and both Rin Tohsaka and Gilgamesh will be playable.

The most shocking part – Gilgamesh is free.

Wait, free? How?

That’s right. During the event period (from July 24 until the end of version 4.6), just log in and you can pick one of these two 5-star characters for free:

Gilgamesh (Lightning · Destruction) or Archer (Quantum · Hunt)

Honestly, whether you already have Archer or not, I’d still recommend picking Gilgamesh. Why? Because he’s a brand new 5-star Lightning Destruction character. Looking at HSR’s release pattern, new characters are almost always stronger than older ones. Plus, Archer is a single-target Hunt unit, while Gilgamesh is Destruction – he can deal both single-target and AoE damage, making him much more comfortable for daily farming. Unless you’re a hardcore Archer fan – in that case, ignore what I just said.

How to actually choose the free character? Tips from real play experience

Honestly, there’s no absolute answer to this. But let me share my thoughts.

If you already have Archer, there’s no need to hesitate – just take Gilgamesh. Two limited 5-stars are always better than one.

If you don’t have Archer, then it depends on your situation. Archer is a Quantum Hunt unit – great for single-target damage, but Hunt characters are a bit struggling in the current meta. Gilgamesh is Destruction – he can handle both single-target and AoE. He’s more versatile for daily farming, Simulated Universe, and other content. Plus, he’s the first 5-star Lightning Destruction character, so he’ll be usable in any stage with Lightning weakness.

If you’re a new player, I’d recommend Gilgamesh even more. Destruction characters make early-game progression much smoother, with higher fault tolerance and more flexible team building.

For veteran players with established main teams: choose based on what your roster lacks. Need a Quantum single-target DPS? Pick Archer. Need a Lightning AoE DPS? Pick Gilgamesh.

But the most important thing is still – pick the one you like. Having fun is what matters most.

No need to decide right away. The event runs until the end of version 4.6. We’ll have more version updates and character details once the July skill info drops – let’s wait and see.

Character design by Takashi Takeuchi and Kinoko Nasu

For longtime Fate fans, here’s some reassurance: the character drafts are by Takashi Takeuchi, and the story supervision is by Kinoko Nasu himself. So the art style and story tone should stay true to Fate.

The current storyline setup: Rin is doing a dimensional internship and accidentally ends up in Star Rail. Gilgamesh gets dragged into this by that one goddess who’s always at odds with him. It’s standard Fate-style chaos – honestly, I’m pretty excited about this cross-dimensional setting!

What to do before July 24

Save your Star Jades! If you want to pull for Rin Tohsaka or Gilgamesh’s Eidolons, start saving now. Two limited 5-stars arriving at the same time – that’s a lot of pressure.

Kardz Top-Up Recommendation – Preparing for the 4.4 Collab Version

Version 4.4 brings two limited 5-stars at once. It’s completely normal to run out of Star Jades – don’t let your pulls get interrupted.

Kardz is a professional game top-up platform. They use UID direct recharge – no need to give your password, and security is high. A few things I like about them:

◆ 24/7 auto-delivery – you can pull even in the middle of the night

◆ Multiple payment methods – available in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Southeast Asia, Europe, and the US

◆ Delivery within 1–3 minutes – no half-day waits

How to use:

◆ Go to the Kardz website and search for “Honkai: Star Rail”

◆ Enter your game UID and select your server

◆ Choose a package, check out, and it will be delivered automatically

For big updates like this, they often have limited-time discounts or coupons. Be sure to check before purchasing.Wishing everyone straight pulls and double 5-stars on July 24!