I recommend to read this post in dark mode.
Hello and welcome to this 8.6 Version Overview!
The version 8.6 "The Banquet Operative" will release on the first January of 2026 for global and SEA servers. Happy new year, Captains!
✦ Table of contents ✦
Introduction
New Battlesuit
New Equipment
Events
New Story Chapter
New Outfits
Abyss/Arena Updates
Elysian Realm
Shop Additions
✦ Introduction ✦
Hello there~ 
The final version of 2025, 8.6, titled “The Banquet Operative”, will bring a variety of new additions. Below is a summary of everything that’s new, hoping to give you a good overview. 
This is my first time writing a Version Overview and I didn't have time to do the thing I originally planned... next time maybe. Please have mercy with me, hope you can still enjoy it~
✦ New Battlesuit ✦
✧ Miss Espionage ✧
As always, we get a new S-Rank Vakyrie to be the main focus of the new version~
The new battlesuit of 8.6 will be Rita Rossweisse, appearing as spy in event stories! As Miss Espionage she'll gracefully save us from evil.
Rita returns as IMG type Valkyrie dealing Lightning damage. Additionally she's the second Part 2 Valkyrie to be capable of inflicting Paralyze Trauma onto enemies.
To ensure her new animations are appreciated well, she comes protected by the Wheel of Destiny specalization, meaning her gameplay is based on staying on field for most of the time with the support of Phantoms.
Additionally she has the Astral Ring Support tags
- Harmonized Shadow Shadow Star, allowing her to support other Wheel of Destiny characters
- and Heavenly Shift, allowing her to support Law of Ascension characters
If you want a complete guide on her, check this post out:
Else, here's a quick summary of her skills:)
Her gameplay is based on Replicate ATKs she launches with her Weapon Skill. For example she can replicate her QTE after entering via it.
At full KE Charge, she can use a Combo ATK which can also be relicated with a Weapon Skill.
During Stellar Outburst she can use Phantom to enhance her abilities.
Her Replicated Ultimate ends Stellar Outburst early if required~
Sorry for the horrible quality, HYL max file size is horrible...
As always, Rita can be obtained from the limited gacha supply.
It's a normal expansion banner, meaning you're guaranteed to get her within 90 pulls.
The first 10 pulls on the supply have a 50% discount!
On the global servers, this supply release on January 1st and end on Febrary 13th.
✦ New Equipment ✦
As expected, together with Miss Espionage her new signature gears release.
✧ New Weapon ✧ Codename: Rosette ✧
✧ New PRI-Arm ✧ Codename: Top Mission ✧
This weapon is specialised for the new Rita battlesuit, ensuring to maximise her damage. Additionally, it makes her rotation smoother by restoring additional KE Charge~
It's highly recommended to obtain this weapon as well when obtaining Miss Espionage.
The base weapon can only be obtained from the limited gacha supply.
It's a normal gear supply, meaning you're guaranteed to get her within 60 pulls.
Just like Rita's supply, this supply release on January 1st and end on Febrary 13th.
As usual, this PRI-Arm can be obtained via crafting after obtaining the original weapon.
✧ New Stigmata ✧ Schicksal Agent set ✧
The Stigmata Rita: Miss Espionage (T/M/B) will release as the signature set for Miss Espionage.
Just like her weapon, it's required in order to unlock Miss Espionage's full potential, but it's way easier to obtain~
Firstly, it's obtainable on the equipment supply. Every 10 pulls guarantee Rita's weapon or one of her Stigmata.
Alternatively, it can be crafted at any time~
And, of course, we'll get a Stigma Option box again~
✦ Events ✦
✧ Log-in events ✧
Firstly, we get our usual 7-day log-in event to run over the entire patch.
It provides the Stigma Option box, 120 crystals as well as AE Imaginon and Astrite.
Next there's another 7-day log-in event running over the first 5 weeks of the patch. It unlocks a new emblem for 2026 asw well as additional materials.
Here's a better look at the yearly new year emblem for 2026~
✧ Top-up Bonus: Starry Wishes ✧
The spending event "Starry wishes" will come back in 8.6, running over the entire patch. Topping up during 8.6 will provide some extra rewards.
By topping up a max of 6480 crystals or B-Chips, you can obtain up to 3 Thelema/Songque stamps and other ressources.
✧ Unwavering Oath: Free Luna! ✧
Complete 4 out of 5 missions to obtain a free Lunar Vow in v8.6!
Quest 1: Log in once during the event
Quest 2: Complete the new Story
Quest 3-5: Clear the events of this patch
✧ Agent Rose: Baquet of Intrigue ✧
Of course 8.6 also comes with an event allowing us to get to know Miss Espionage better~
The event will reward a free outfit for Helia, a new emblem and some materials.
Closer look at the cute Rita emblem 
Then let's check the event's gameplay!
In the Operation Files you get to play the event story, Chapter 2 and 3 are time locked as usual.
In Ultimate Breakthrough and Training Arena you get to play the mini game of the event~ It's actually a rerun, so you might know it already.
Else, if you play HSR, it's comparable to Currency Wars :) Let's take a quick look.
Before each round, you can choose your team, spending money on new characters, character rank ups or battle box upgrades.
Each character has different abilities and has different tags. By having multiple characters with the same tags you can enhance them even further.
After entering battle, your team fights against monsters and tries to kill more than your enemy.
After each battle, the person who has killed less enemies will have their HP reduced.
The last one standing wins~ Good luck, captains!
✧ Hero's Expedition: Game for the Brave ✧
For our second event, we'll test our Coralie's new game.
It'll release mid patch and provide some additional material~
Main menu
Gameplay
thanks toheav for letting me steal these screens!
✦ New Story Chapter ✦
✧ A Mass for Atheists ✧
On January 15th Chapter XI of Part 2 "A Mass for Atheists" will release!
Playing it will unlock two new maps~
And of course it'll reward the usual story rewards:) Some crystals, prisms and shape shifters.
✦ New Outfits ✦
✧ Vita: White Velveteer ✧
As you can see, this outfit has some SFX :) I'll add them here when the skin trial is out... sadly I forgot to record it:(
This outfit can be obtained via B-Chips after January 6th. That means you need to spend real money, so spend wisely~
✧ Helia: Citrus Days ✧
This outfit doesn't affect her animations.
It can be obtained from the event Agent Rose: Banquet of Intrigue. After finishing the story it can be obtained from the event Shop for 1600 of the event currency.
✧ Griseo: Starlit Amethyst ✧
This is simply a recolour, not affecting Griseo's animations.
It can be obtained from the battlepass after you bought the Knight BP.
✦ Abyss/Arena ✦
Before starting here, big thanks to heaHeav for letting me steal borrow the screenshots!
✧ SSS Boss: Marut ✧
In 8.6 the new IMG pig "Marut" releases in MA as well as abyss.
It'll first appear on January 4th as SSS boss. Best way to beat it is a Miss Espionage team of course :)
✧ Lightning: Marut ✧
That new boss will also appear as abyss boss in a Lightning weather.
Of course this is another stage for Miss Espionage to shine~
✧ Shadow Environment: HoD Minion ✧
HoD minion will appear in a new weather~
It's another abyss made for Rita, more specific than the last one.
✧ Lightning: Husk - Existentialism ✧
And a third abyss made for Rita~
✧ Shadow Environment: Li Sushang ✧
And another abyss for Rita with an already known boss~
Li Sushang needs Paralyze Trauma to be weakened, so it's very hard to offer alternatives. After all, Rita is the first WoD valkyrie to gain a Paralyze tag :,)
✦ Elysian Realm ✦
✧ New weather ✧
This Elysian Realm phase has a less special weather compared to the previous few.
Valkyries that use Combo ATKs are recommended. Additionally Astral Ring valkyries are enhanced during phase 2.
Firstly we basically get Griseo's Support Sigil effect without actually equipping it. Upon entering, spawn a painted entity.
Around it you can see a pink-blue circle. Stay inside it to deal more DMG.
After 8 seconds, the entity will explode. That Explosion paints enemies with all the colors unlocked from Griseo's Signet of Stars.
Depending on the Phase additional colors (like Griseo's Signets) are unlocked.
When hitting enemies with a combo or charged ATK the enemies are inflicted with black or gray paint.
Enemies painted black take additional DMG (Phase 1).
Enemies painted gray drop additional Shiny Silver upon dying (Phase 2).
Other than that, there's not much to say.
+2 Signets:
Phase 1: Kalpas + Fu Hua
Phase 2: Pardofelis + Vill-V
✧ Miss Espionage ✧
Of course, Miss Espionage was also added to Elysian Realm. She can be unlocked by spending one key.
For details, please head to my Elysian Realm Guide!
✦ Shop Additions ✦
✧ Battlepass ✧
Unlock the Paladin/Knight BP to unlock Lantern Lone Destruction: Shadowchaser. These can be obtained for the next 3 patches~
As expected, unlocking the Paladin BP will also unlock a new limited avatar Frame.
✧ Battlepass: Reserve Works ✧
Additionally, Hare and her gears as well as Prometheus' gears and HoR's divine key Star of Eden were added to reserve works.
✧ Foundry ✧
Firstly, of course Rita's PRI-Arm and her Stigmata are added~
Additionally, Ai Chan's gears were added to foundry as new G4 Stigmata!
✧ Exchange Shop ✧
Eden's and Aponia's gears were added to the exchange shop!
✧ Elysian Realm Shop ✧
Fenghuang of Vicissitude stamps entered the the Elysian Realm shop!
Currently you can claim 3 stamps after clearing Shroud with FoV. If it goes as usual, 3 more stamps will be added next patch~
✧ With's Corridor ✧
Herrscher of Rebirth stamps entered the Witch shop!
You can get up to 8 stamps now~
✦ End Note ✦
Aaaand that's it~
I hope you enjoyed! Have a nice day and enjoy 8.6
Credits
- Thanks to Cyxo and Alpaca for the pictures of Valkyrie icons and such!
- Big thanks to Heav for letting me steal the stuff I needed!
- Love to Inari
