Demystifying Genshin Impact Weapon Banner Pity: A Player’s Guide to Wishing Wisely
You want that new 5-star weapon in Genshin Impact, right? Who wouldn’t? But hold on. Before splurging your Primogems, let us discuss the weapon banner pity. It works differently than character banners. Understanding this can save you from disappointment and depleted Primogem reserves.
Weapon Banner 101: It’s a 75/25 World
The weapon banner is not the same as the character banner’s 50/50. Here, you have two rate-up 5-stars instead of one. When you pull a 5-star weapon, you have a 75% chance it’s one of the featured two. But there’s still a 25% chance you get a standard 5-star weapon. No safety net here.
Decoding the Pity System: Soft, Hard, and Carryover
Let’s look at pity. Like character banners, the weapon banner has soft and hard pity. Soft pity kicks in around the 63rd wish. After this wish, your chances of getting a 5-star weapon rise. This system rewards persistence. Hard pity guarantees a 5-star at 80 wishes. Yes, it’s 80, a bit steep compared to the character banner’s 90. The good part? Pity carries over to the next banner. If you hit 70 wishes and it changes, this count stays on the next weapon banner.
Fate Points: Your Guiding Star (That Doesn’t Travel)
Now, let’s discuss Fate Points. These points are unique to the weapon banner and act as “weapon banner pity insurance.” Vital detail: Fate Points don’t transfer between banners. If you want a specific featured weapon, use the Fate Point system. When pulling on a banner, designate one of the two featured 5-star weapons. If you pull a 5-star that’s not your choice, you earn a Fate Point.
Two Fate Points guarantee that your next 5-star weapon is your chosen one. This helps ensure you get the weapon you want over time. However, these points reset with every new banner. Commit to a banner if you’re chasing a weapon with Fate Points, or they will vanish.
Primogems to Wishes: The Cost of Armaments
Now, let’s analyze the financial side. Each wish costs 160 Primogems. To reach hard pity (80 wishes), you need 12,800 Primogems. If you aim for a specific weapon with the Fate Points system, you may need 160 wishes, totaling 25,600 Primogems. Weapon banners can be pricey, requiring careful planning and resource management.
Navigating the 50/50… Wait, 75/25 Loss
Remember, it’s not a typical 50/50. It’s a 75/25 split for rate-up to standard 5-star weapons. “Losing the 75/25” means pulling a standard weapon when you wanted a featured one. Fate Points help here. They ensure that your next 5-star weapon will be a featured one, assuming you have a designated weapon and have earned at least one Fate Point.
Luck Can Strike Early: The Joy of Early Pity
Sometimes luck smiles on you with “early pity.” You can pull a 5-star weapon before soft pity (around 63 wishes). This moment is thrilling and provides satisfaction. Every wish has a chance for a 5-star, but the odds drop before soft pity engages.
Pity is Forever (Almost): Pity Persistence
Pity count remains unchanged over time. Whether you last wished yesterday or months ago, it stays the same. Didn’t pull a 5-star in your previous 50 attempts? No worries. The count is still there, ready for your next wishes. This feature aids strategic planning and saves players from losing pity due to inactivity.
Across the Hoyoverse: Genshin vs. Honkai and ZZZ
For those who know Hoyoverse’s other games, there are some similarities in pity systems. In Honkai: Star Rail, pity also carries over between similar banners but not different types. Zenless Zone Zero (ZZZ) is expected to have a pity system like Genshin’s, though some sources mention a 50/50 mechanic in some scenarios. Each game tweaks the gacha formula, but the core pity concept remains constant.
Other Banner Considerations: Standard and Chronicled Wishes
A key point: wishing on the Standard Wish banner (Wanderlust Invocation) does not affect the pity count of weapon or character event banners. They function separately. Use those Acquaint Fates on standard banners without changing your limited-time pity.
As for average pulls, while hard pity is at 80 wishes, most players score a 5-star around 70 pulls on average. However, RNG remains. You could pull earlier or need to go closer to hard pity.
The new “Chronicled Wish” banner has different rules. Here, you’re guaranteed a 5-star within 80 wishes, with a 50% chance for it to be your designated item. This banner offers a distinct risk-reward balance compared to the standard weapon banner. Understand its rules if it fits your wishing plans.
Ultimately, grasping the weapon banner pity system in Genshin Impact is crucial for savvy players. Being informed allows smart decisions and wise Primogem use. Know when to commit and when to hold back. Happy wishing, and may your pulls be favorable!
