Decoding Genshin Impact’s Pity System: Your Guide to Wish Mastery
Welcome to Teyvat. You want those shining five-star characters and weapons in Genshin Impact. You’ve likely heard of “pity.” What is this pity system? How can you use it to get the most from your Primogems? Don’t worry. We are here to explain.
1. Pity Detective: How to Check Your Wish Count
First, you need to know where you are in the pity system. Are you in soft pity? Or just starting towards your guaranteed five-star? Let’s figure it out together.
Manual Counting: The Old-School Approach
If you prefer manual counting, you can track your wish history. Open your Wish screen, then select “History.” Now, count your wishes since your last five-star. It will take time. Many find this method tedious. But some enjoy the challenge. Consider it a way to measure your progress.
Paimon.moe: Your High-Tech Pity Tracker
For a simpler approach, there’s Paimon.moe. This site offers tools, including a wish tracker. You can export your game history to this site. It will calculate exactly how many wishes you’ve made since your last five-star drop. It saves time and helps you track pity easily.
The 6-Month Wish History Caveat
A note for those who have not drawn a five-star in a while: Genshin tracks wish history for six months. If your last five-star was longer ago, neither manual counting nor Paimon.moe will help you. You may have to start counting all over again. Think of it as a fresh start.
2. Unraveling the Pity System: Soft, Hard, and the 50/50 Tango
Now let’s get to the pity system itself. Think of pity as a lifeline. It helps ensure you don’t wish endlessly with no reward. It promises a five-star after a certain number of wishes.
What in Teyvat is Pity?
The pity system guarantees a five-star character or weapon after a set number of wishes. Consider it a safety net. This feature prevents players from endless wishing without rewards.
Hard Pity: The Guaranteed Goodie
Hard pity offers solid assurance. At 90 wishes for Character Event and Standard Banners, hard pity ensures a five-star character. That totals to 14,400 Primogems. For the Weapon Banner, it is 80 wishes or 12,800 Primogems. Getting to hard pity guarantees a five-star, but not the specific one you want.
Soft Pity: The Gentle Nudge (and Primogem Sink)
Before hard pity, you encounter soft pity. Around wish 74 on Character Event and Standard Banners, and at about 65 on Weapon Banners, your chances increase. It hints at the possibility of a five-star soon. Many players see five-stars between wishes 75 and 80 on character banners. However, this can also lead to overspending Primogems.
Pity Carryover: Banner Hopping Like a Pro
Good news: your pity count carries over between banners of the same type. If you reach a certain pity while wishing for characters and don’t get a five-star, this count moves to the next banner. This system is friendly for players who want to save wishes over time. Keep in mind that pity does not carry between different banner types.
Pity Reset: The Inevitable Restart
Your pity counter resets upon pulling a five-star character or weapon. Once you see that golden wish animation, your count for that banner becomes zero again for future pulls. This happens for both early pulls and hard pity hits.
The 50/50 System: A Coin Toss with Consequences
The 50/50 applies to the Character Event Banner only. When you pull a five-star on this banner, there’s a 50% chance it’s the featured character. If you “win,” great! If not, losing guarantees that your next five-star will be the featured character. This means you have hope for future pulls even after losing.
3. Primogems to Wishes: The Conversion Rate
Let’s discuss currency. In Genshin Impact, Primogems are essential for wishes. Specifically, 160 Primogems translates to one wish. If you want a specific banner, start counting those Primogems now.
Primogem Math: Reaching 90 Wishes (Hard Pity)
To hit hard pity on Character Event Banners (90 wishes), you’ll need 14,400 Primogems (90 wishes * 160 Primogems/wish). This takes significant effort, blessings, or purchases. It’s crucial to know this number when planning your wishes. Aim for enough Primogems to reach that goal.
4. Weapon Banner Pity: Sharper Swords, Similar Rules
The Weapon Banner operates similarly with key differences. Let’s simplify it.
Weapon Banner Hard Pity: Slightly Sooner Gratification
As mentioned before, hard pity for the Weapon Banner is at 80 wishes, slightly earlier than the character banner’s 90. Thus, it requires fewer Primogems, making it easier but still needing commitment.
You’re guaranteed a five-star weapon within 80 wishes. This requires 12,800 Primogems (80 wishes * 160 Primogems/wish). It is a significant investment. However, it is less than character banner pity.
Weapon Banner Soft Pity: Kicking in Earlier
Soft pity on the Weapon Banner starts at around the 65th wish. Your chances of pulling a five-star weapon increase from here. There are no guarantees with soft pity, but odds improve.
The 75/25 Chance and Fate Points: Weapon Banner Quirks
The Weapon Banner uses a 75/25 chance system instead of the 50/50. When you pull a five-star weapon, there’s a 75% chance it will be one of two featured weapons on the banner. A 25% chance exists for a standard five-star weapon. If you lose that 75/25 chance (i.e., get a standard weapon), you gain a “Fate Point.” Fate Points are unique to the Weapon Banner. If you get two Fate Points (from losing 75/25 twice), your next five-star weapon is guaranteed to be one of the featured weapons via the “Epitomized Path.” This path allows you to pick one of two featured weapons for your “course.” If you get your selected weapon before reaching two Fate Points, they reset to zero. Fate Points do not carry over between Weapon Banners. Use them, or they are lost.
Weapon Banner Pity Continuity: Carryover Confirmed
Similar to character banners, pity on the Weapon Banner does carry over between same-type banners. Your pity count will remain across different Weapon Banners. This feature allows you to save wishes and build pity strategically over time.
5. Pity Beyond Genshin: A Glimpse at Honkai Star Rail and Zenless Zone Zero
The gacha gods at Hoyoverse utilize similar pity systems in their other games. There are some variations. Let’s take a quick look at Honkai Star Rail and Zenless Zone Zero.
Zenless Zone Zero (ZZZ) Pity: Familiar Territory
Zenless Zone Zero, Hoyoverse’s upcoming action RPG, mirrors the pity structure of Genshin Impact. Soft pity will start around 75 pulls. Hard pity occurs at 90 pulls (or possibly 80 for specific banners like Genshin’s Weapon banners). Carryover of pity between same-type banners is also expected, similar to Genshin. Notably, ZZZ may also feature a “guaranteed S-Rank within 50 pulls” system on some banners. This implies faster access to top-tier characters versus Genshin’s standard pity.
Honkai Star Rail (HSR) Pity: Spacefaring Wishes
Honkai Star Rail also features a pity system. Pity carries over between same-type banners like in Genshin. HSR has a lower hard pity for character banners, ensuring a five-star character within 90 pulls. The “Departure Warp” banner guarantees a five-star character within just 50 pulls, providing a faster start for new players. Pity does not transfer between different banner types in HSR, just like in Genshin.
Understanding the pity system in Genshin Impact and its variations in other Hoyoverse games is key for responsible Primogem management. Knowing when soft and hard pity activates, how it carries over, and the details of the 50/50 and Fate Point systems empowers informed decisions about wishes. This maximizes chances to obtain desired characters and weapons without yielding to the gacha’s… persuasive charm. Now go forth, traveler! May your wishes be ever in your favor!
