Unlocking Genshin’s Golden Oldies: A No-Nonsense Guide to Character Acquisition
So, you want to add powerful heroes to your Genshin Impact squad? You might have missed a banner or you are new to Teyvat. Don’t worry! This guide helps you understand how to get both new and classic Genshin characters. We will go through the wishing system, free character chances, and account recovery.
Understanding Genshin’s Wish System: Your Gacha Gateway
The main way to acquire new characters (and weapons) in Genshin Impact is through the Wish system. Think of it as a lottery where you use in-game currency for a chance at desired characters and items. It deals with banners and probabilities. Let’s break it down.
Character Banners and the Pity System: Decoding Your Pull Rates
Genshin Impact banners are events that feature certain characters and weapons with better drop rates. These banners are your main route to those new heroes. But, it’s not just random. Enter the Pity System, your guide in the gacha scene. IGN’s Pity System Guide explains it in detail, but let’s summarize the main points.
- Pity Carries Over: Your pity count (the wishes since your last 5-star pull) carries from one banner to another of the same type. Those wishes on the last character banner help on the current one.
- Soft Pity and Hard Pity: Soft pity begins around 65 wishes. It gradually raises your chances for a 5-star. Hard pity is at 90 wishes, guaranteeing a 5-star character or weapon.
- 90 Wishes for a Guaranteed 5-Star: At 90 pulls, you will receive a guaranteed 5-star item. Persistence pays off here!
- The 50/50 Gamble: When you pull a 5-star on a character event banner, there is a 50% chance it is the featured character. If you don’t get it, next 5-star is guaranteed to be that character. It’s the game’s way to say, “Better luck next time, we have you covered.”
- Radiance and Consolidated Probabilities: Losing the 50/50 now gives a 10% chance of “radiance,” raising the chance to get featured 5-star on your next pull. Overall chance becomes about 55% for snagging a limited 5-star.
- Chronicled Wish: Similar to character banners, this wish type provides both 5-star and 4-star guarantees. Up to 90 wishes guarantees a 5-star item.
Primogems: The Currency of Wishes
You will need Primogems to make wishes, the premium in-game currency. The exchange goes like this: 1 wish = 160 Primogems, and 10 wishes = 1600 Primogems. Start saving! You can earn them through quests, events, daily commissions, or buying them (if you wish).
Character Availability: Gone Today, Maybe Back Tomorrow?
About those “old” characters. Can you still get them after their banner is gone? It depends. Limited-time event characters usually become available only during their banners. Genshin Impact reruns popular character banners, giving second chances. If you missed someone, watch out for future banner announcements.
Free Characters? Yes, Really! Unlocking Genshin Heroes Without Spending a Dime
Wishing is the main way, but Genshin Impact offers other ways to obtain characters for free. Who doesn’t love free powerful allies?
Rerolling: The Free-to-Play Gamble for a Head Start
Feel lucky? Rerolling is a tactic some players use at the start to try for a desired character from initial wishes. XPPen’s guide on getting characters cites rerolling as viable. Here are the steps:
- Create a new account.
- Play through the tutorial until reaching Adventure Rank 5, where you unlock the Wish system.
- Use your “Wishes” (usually Acquaint Fate) for Beginner’s Wish banner or any available standard banner.
- Not happy with your pulls? Create another new account and repeat!
This process can take time, but rerolling is worth it for specific early-game advantages. Pro-tip: use a temporary email or Gmail aliases like your email+1@gmail.com to speed things up.
Event Giveaways: Patience Pays Off (Sometimes with 5-Stars!)
Genshin Impact hosts generous events that sometimes include free characters! During the fourth anniversary, players got a chance to choose a free standard five-star character! Characters like Dehya, Keqing, Mona, Qiqi, Jean, Tighnari, and Diluc were available. Although this was a one-time deal, it might guide future anniversaries – so stay alert!
Quest Rewards: Your Adventure Starts with Freebies
The game rewards players with characters for progressing through the story and certain quests. For example:
- Amber: Your first companion (besides the Traveler). You will meet and obtain Amber early in the storyline.
- Lisa: Mondstadt’s knowledgeable librarian. Complete “Sparks Amongst the Pages” quest in Prologue: Act I to welcome Lisa.
- Xiangling: The fiery chef from Liyue. Clear Spiral Abyss Floor 3, Chamber 3 and claim Xiangling as a reward from “People’s Choice” event. She’s powerful and versatile!
Account Essentials: Recovery, Security, and Sanity Checks
Now, let’s cover account management. What good are characters if you can’t access your account?
Lost Your Account? Panic Not! Recovery Steps
Accidentally deleted the game? Switched devices and cannot find your account? Don’t worry! Account recovery is possible. Here’s how to potentially retrieve your old Genshin Impact account:
- Email Genshin Impact support: Write to genshin_cs@mihoyo.com.
- Subject Line: Be clear – use something like “Account Recovery Request.”
- Describe your issue: Explain why you can’t access your account. Include as much detail as possible (username, last login method).
- Account Retrieval Link: If they help, Genshin Impact support sends an account retrieval link. Follow instructions carefully.
Account Deletion: The (Very) Long Goodbye
Thinking of deleting your account? Genshin Impact doesn’t automatically remove inactive accounts. When you request deletion, it isn’t immediate. You can reactivate simply by logging back in. Full deletion occurs after a 30-day waiting period. Think twice before hitting delete!
Linking and Unlinking: PSN and Beyond
If you’re playing on PlayStation and want to unlink your PSN account, it’s possible but requires some emailing. To unlink your PSN, email genshin_cs@hoyoverse.com. Use “PSN Account Unlink Request” as your subject line and follow instructions.
Backup Your Progress: Just in Case
Your game data is mostly on servers, but it’s smart to have local backups for settings. Here’s how to back up your Genshin Impact files:
- Locate your Genshin Impact folder: Find where ‘launcher.exe’ is stored.
- Copy the entire folder: Paste it to your chosen backup location (external drive, cloud storage).
- Find ‘config.ini’: Open ‘config.ini’ in the game folder with a text editor.
- Check ‘game_install_path_value’: Note down this path – you might need to restore your game installation path.
Character Deep Dive (Briefly): Age, Lore, and Why You Want Them
Ever wonder if a Genshin character is older than your grandma? Some might be. Teyvat has characters with long histories.
Age is Just a Number (Especially in Teyvat): Character Lore Tidbits
Gamerant’s article on the oldest Genshin characters reveals fascinating character ages. For instance:
- Xiao: Don’t let his looks fool you. Xiao is over 2,000 years old! Ancient and angsty.
- Qiqi: This adorable zombie girl is technically hundreds of years old, despite her appearance.
- Faruzan: This Sumeru scholar is over 100 years old, trapped in ancient ruins for decades.
While age may not affect gameplay directly, character lore enriches the Genshin Impact world. Collecting these characters is more rewarding for lore enthusiasts.
Abilities and Roles: What Makes Each Character Tick
Each Genshin character has unique abilities and roles in combat. Some deal damage; others heal or support. Speaking of healing…
Gameplay Nuggets: Healing, Reviving, and Keeping Your Team Alive
Keeping characters alive is crucial in Genshin Impact. Luckily, there are several ways to heal and revive fallen members.
Statues of the Seven: Your Free Healing and Revival Stations
Need a free way to heal your party? Look for the Statues of the Seven across Teyvat. Approach a Statue and use “Statue’s Blessing” to heal active members. Statues can also revive fallen characters. They are free healing hubs!
Pity System Reminder: Because It’s Important
The Pity system applies to both 5-star and 4-star items on banners. Aim for the 4-star characters, and the pity system ensures you’ll get them eventually!
The Not-So-Fun Stuff: Account Security and Rules
Let’s briefly touch on the rules, as nobody wants to get banned.
Account Sharing: Don’t Do It (Seriously)
Sharing your Genshin account may seem tempting, but it’s a big no. It’s against the game’s terms and considered “Genshin illegal.” It may lead to account penalties, including bans. Just avoid it.
Age Restrictions: Play Nice and Be of Age
Genshin Impact has age restrictions. By playing, you confirm you’re not a child under 13 years. If you are, get a grown-up’s permission and supervision.
Primogem Math: Wishing on a Budget
Back to Primogems and wishes! Let’s crunch numbers to budget your Primogems.
Primogem to Wish Conversions: Numbers You Need to Know
Quick Primogem to Wish math:
- 1 Wish: 160 Primogems
- 10 Wishes: 1600 Primogems
- 90 Wishes (Hard Pity): 14,400 Primogems
- 180 Wishes (Double Hard Pity – for guaranteed feature 5-star): 28,800 Primogems
Planning wishes? Keep these numbers handy!
Rerolling 101: A Quick Guide to Starting Fresh
Finally, a brief rerolling process for those who want to optimize from the start.
The Reroll Rundown: Step-by-Step
Rerolling in Genshin Impact:
- Create a new account.
- Complete the tutorial to reach Adventure Rank 5.
- Use “Wishes” on banners.
- Assess your pulls. Satisfied? Keep the account. Not satisfied?
- Repeat from step 1 with a new account until you get starting characters.
Rerolling can be tedious, but for some players, it’s worth it to start Genshin with a team they like.
So there you have it! Your guide to getting characters in Genshin Impact. Rely on the gacha gods, wait for freebies, or meticulously reroll. Remember to enjoy the journey through Teyvat. Happy adventuring!
