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Mortenax Blade vs Jiaoqiu: June 2026 Meta Comparison
news 2026-06-06 · 1,900 words

Mortenax Blade vs Jiaoqiu: June 2026 Meta Comparison

The June 2026 gacha landscape has reached a fever pitch as two of the industry’s biggest titans clash with meta-defining updates and high-stakes character banners.

The simultaneous arrival of major patches for both Neverness to Everness (NTE) and Honkai: Star Rail (HSR) has left players torn between the supernatural streets of Hethereau and the cosmic battlefields of the Astral Express. With the official launch of NTE Version 1.1 “Dreamwalk Corridor” and HSR Version 4.3 on June 3, 2026, the community is currently debating the value of two massive Fire/Chaos-themed units. While Mortenax Blade has effectively redefined the Nihility path in Star Rail, NTE’s Lacrimosa has introduced a unique “Nightmare” stacking mechanic that shifts the open-world RPG’s combat into a new gear.

What Happened

What Happened

The first week of June 2026 will be remembered as the “Great Gacha Crunch,” where resource management became as important as combat strategy. On June 3, both Hotta Studio and HoYoverse dropped their respective mid-year updates, forcing players to choose where to spend their hard-earned Annulith and Stellar Jades.

The Clash of the Titans: June 3rd Launch Details

The June 3, 2026 release date marked a rare moment where a major new IP (NTE) and a legacy giant (HSR) launched massive content updates on the same day. For Honkai: Star Rail, Version 4.3 brought the long-awaited debut of Mortenax Blade, a 5-star Fire Nihility unit whose trailer “Nirvana” set viewership records. Meanwhile, Neverness to Everness expanded its urban supernatural world with Version 1.1, introducing the first limited S-Class Chaos character to the roster.

NTE 1.1: Lacrimosa and the Fading Reverie Board

In NTE 1.1, the spotlight is firmly on Lacrimosa, a member of the Bureau of Anomaly Control’s ETD-4. She is an S-Class Chaos character who utilizes a “Liquid Arc” to manipulate combat. Her arrival is tied to the Scarborough Fair gacha system, a board-game-inspired mechanic where players roll dice to move across a reward-filled board. Lacrimosa’s gameplay focuses on stacking “Nightmare” DoT effects on enemies, which can reach up to 10 stacks and feature a fixed 50% Crit Rate.

HSR 4.3: The Arrival of Mortenax Blade

In the turn-based world of Honkai: Star Rail, the community is reeling from the Mortenax Blade banner. Positioned as a premier Fire Nihility unit, Mortenax Blade has sparked an immediate powercreep debate. He is designed as an HP-scaling sub-DPS and support who enters a transformative Infinite Fury state via his Ultimate. This state allows him to shred enemy DEF by 40% and increase the damage enemies receive by a staggering 60%, making him a direct competitor to the previously established Fire Nihility support, Jiaoqiu.

Key Changes

Key Changes

The shift in the 2026 meta is defined by two distinct trends: HP-scaling versatility and high-frequency debuff application. While both games are moving toward “Zero SP” or high-utility kits, they approach combat depth from very different angles.

HP-Scaling Meta: The New Industry Standard?

Mortenax Blade’s kit is built entirely around his health pool. His Ultimate, Fornax Ex Corpore, consumes 40% of his Max HP to deploy a Zone that triggers his “Infinite Fury” state. In this mode, his Critical Rate increases by 40% and Critical DMG by 60%, while his basic attacks are enhanced to scale off his HP.

In contrast, Lacrimosa in NTE uses a dual-stance system that focuses on fluidity rather than raw stat-padding. By using the aim button, players can swap between “Tomato Metal” (melee) and “Tomato Percussion” (ranged) stances. While she doesn’t scale off HP in the same way as Mortenax, her A5 Awakening reduces enemy Max HP by 200% of the Nightmare damage dealt, effectively “shredding” the opponent’s total life pool.

Debuff Power Creep: Is Jiaoqiu Still Relevant?

The biggest question for HSR players is whether Jiaoqiu has been rendered obsolete by Mortenax Blade. Jiaoqiu’s “Ashen Roast” vulnerability was once the gold standard for Acheron teams, but Mortenax Blade’s “Balefire Bind” offers a 60% damage increase alongside 40% DEF reduction. Community comparisons on Reddit r/AcheronMainsHSR suggest that even an E0 Mortenax Blade can outperform an E6 Jiaoqiu in terms of sheer damage amplification and stack generation for Acheron.

Stat/AbilityMortenax Blade (HSR)Lacrimosa (NTE)Jiaoqiu (HSR)
Element/TypeFire NihilityChaos (Liquid)Fire Nihility
Primary MechanicInfinite Fury (HP-Scaling)Nightmare Stacks (DoT)Ashen Roast (Vulnerability)
Max Debuff60% DMG Taken / 40% DEF Shred10 Nightmare Stacks35% DMG Taken (Ult Focus)
Utility0-SP Skill SpamSkill Mimicry (Copy)Field-based Debuffing

Utility vs Raw Damage: The Open-World Advantage

Where NTE’s Lacrimosa pulls ahead of her HSR counterparts is in open-world utility. Lacrimosa possesses a unique “Bat Form” that can be triggered by holding the dodge button. This transformation allows her to fly over ground-based hazards and reposition during boss fights without losing momentum. Furthermore, her life skill increases Fons and Paw-Paw Coins obtained from Heists by up to 20%, providing a tangible benefit to the game’s economy and exploration that a turn-based character simply cannot match.

Player Reactions

Player Reactions

The community response to the June 3rd releases has been a mix of excitement and “gacha fatigue.” With two major titles demanding high investment, players are scrutinizing every pull.

The ‘Acheron Mains’ Dilemma

For the Honkai: Star Rail community, the consensus is clear: Mortenax Blade is the new “must-pull” for Acheron teams. Discussions on Reddit highlight that Mortenax generates stacks on both ally and enemy actions, significantly speeding up Acheron’s Ultimate cycle compared to Jiaoqiu. Some players have expressed frustration, calling it “cruel” that Jiaoqiu was superseded so quickly, while others are embracing the massive damage ceiling of the new “Nirvana” meta.

NTE’s Board Game Gacha: Love it or Hate it?

The Scarborough Fair system in Neverness to Everness continues to be a polarizing topic. Unlike HSR’s traditional “Warp” system, Scarborough Fair is an interactive board game where players roll Solid Dice to move toward character tiles. While some enjoy the extra rewards and lack of a 50/50 pity system, others find the dice-rolling process time-consuming. However, the ability to unlock exclusive cosmetics, such as Lacrimosa’s “Priceless Orchid” skin, directly from the gacha board has been praised as a more transparent way to handle premium items.

F2P Verdict: Where Should Your Annulith Go?

For Free-to-Play (F2P) players, the decision often comes down to longevity. Lacrimosa is currently the definitive Chaos-element Main DPS in NTE, and her ability to copy enemy skills through her “Devilish Inspiration” mechanic makes her highly future-proof. In HSR, while Mortenax Blade is undeniably powerful, the rapid pace of powercreep in the Nihility path has some players cautious about spending all their Jades before the rumored “Himeko Nova” update in Version 4.4.

What’s Next

What's Next

As June progresses, the meta is expected to shift again with the arrival of Phase 2 banners and early leaks for July’s updates.

NTE 1.1 Phase 2: The Arrival of Chaos

Starting June 24, 2026, NTE Version 1.1 will move into its second phase with the introduction of Chaos. Unlike the element he shares a name with, Chaos is an S-Rank Lakshana-attribute gunslinger who fights alongside a tracker hound Anomaly. He is expected to be a high-frequency attacker, potentially serving as a perfect sub-DPS for teams that struggle with shield-breaking.

NTE 1.2: The Rise of Shinku and Iroi

Looking further ahead, drip marketing for NTE Version 1.2 has already revealed two new characters: Shinku and Iroi. Shinku is a Cosmos-element DPS from the Bureau of Anomaly Control’s Containment Strike Unit 2 (CSU-2), featuring a “demon-dragon” design and a kit that reportedly toggles between Normal and Frenzy states. Iroi, on the other hand, is an Anima-element character also from CSU-2, rumored to be the game’s next premier healer.

HSR 4.4: Himeko Nova and Future Powercreep

Honkai: Star Rail leaks for Version 4.4 suggest that the Astral Express will see a massive power spike with Himeko • Nova. This new version of Himeko is rumored to introduce a “Companion Protocol” mechanic, which provides unique buffs based on which Astral Express members are on the team. This could potentially shift the meta back toward a “Family” synergy, rivaling the current dominance of Nihility debuffers like Mortenax Blade.

Final Pull Recommendations for Summer 2026

If you are an Acheron main in Honkai: Star Rail, Mortenax Blade is an essential acquisition that will likely define the meta for the rest of the year. However, for those looking for a fresh experience, Neverness to Everness offers a more versatile investment in Lacrimosa. Her unique mobility, stance-switching, and skill-copying abilities provide a level of interactive gameplay that is difficult to find elsewhere in the 2026 gacha market.

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