Decoding Genshin Impact’s Pity System: Your Guide to Wish Mastery
You have jumped into Teyvat’s world. You battled hilichurls. Perhaps you’ve become addicted to Genshin Impact’s gacha system – the Wish system. The thrill of pulling for characters and weapons is clear. However, behind flashy animations lies a complex Pity system. Don’t worry, traveler! We will shed light on Genshin’s wish mechanics. This guide will help you understand soft pity, hard pity, the infamous 50/50, and more. Arm yourself with knowledge. Curb those Primogem spending urges (or at least spend them wisely).
Soft Pity: The Gentle Nudge of Fate
Is soft pity real in Genshin Impact? Yes! Soft pity is a subtle helping hand. It appears as you near the 5-star mark. Think of it as the game offering support.
For Character Event Banners and the Standard Banner, soft pity kicks in at around 71 to 75 wishes. Do not expect a dramatic change right away. The game does not give you a 5-star exactly at wish number 71. Rather, after 74 wishes, your chances of pulling a 5-star character or weapon begin to gradually rise with each wish. It’s like climbing a hill – each step gets you closer. However, the slope gets steeper as you ascend.
Weapon Banners, known for their unique charms, work differently. Here, soft pity activates around 65 wishes. This means the climb to the 5-star peak begins earlier compared to character banners.
How does this soft pity magic function? Starting from the 74th wish (or 65th for weapons), the chance of getting a 5-star item rises with every pull. While the exact percentage remains undisclosed by Hoyoverse, community data suggests about a 6% rise per wish. This probability keeps climbing until the 90th wish for character banners or the 80th for weapon banners when you get a guaranteed 5-star. Essentially, soft pity levels out the randomness, increasing the likelihood of obtaining a 5-star item before hitting hard pity.
Misinformation exists regarding soft pity. In early Genshin days, simulation data led to false assumptions about it. Current knowledge, supported by community data analysis, confirms the soft pity ranges and mechanics we’ve covered. Therefore, ignore outdated theories on the internet. Trust current data; it’s your best bet for informed wishing.
Hard Pity: The Unbreakable Guarantee
If soft pity offers a gentle nudge, hard pity ensures a firm promise of fate. Hard pity guarantees that after a certain number of wishes, you will get a 5-star item without doubt. No exceptions.
For Character Event Banners and the Standard Banner, hard pity is at 90 wishes. If you reach 90 wishes without a 5-star, the 90th wish will grant you a golden character or weapon, no questions asked. Think of it as a safety net in the gacha system.
Weapon Banners have a lower hard pity threshold at 80 wishes. The guaranteed 5-star arrives slightly sooner on weapon banners compared to character banners. However, remember our earlier note: weapon banners may be risky for beginners due to complexity and potential Primogem loss.
Pity System Mechanics: The Inner Workings
Understanding pity is one thing; mastering it requires grasping the mechanics behind the system. Let’s explore the details.
The Pity Counter: Your Secret Weapon. To manage your wishes and track progress towards pity, know the pity counter. It tracks the number of wishes since your last 5-star item. Calculate your pity: count every wish that did not give a 5-star since your last pull. This count becomes your current pity. Tracking this number is crucial for wise wishing decisions.
Pity Carryover: Your Wishes Travel Through Time. A player-friendly aspect is pity carryover. Your pity count persists across banners of the same type. For example, if you wish on a Character Event Banner and a new banner starts during your spree, your accumulated pity carries over. If you made 75 wishes and a new character banner appears, those wishes will count toward pity on the new banner. However, pity does not carry over between different banner types. Character Event Banner pity remains within Character Event Banners. Weapon Banner pity stays within Weapon Banners, while Standard Banner pity remains within Standard Banners.
Pity Reset: The Cycle Begins Again. The pity counter resets to zero when you pull a 5-star character or weapon. It is a clean slate. Every time that golden glow appears and a 5-star joins your roster, your pity journey restarts at zero. This reset applies whether you hit soft pity, hard pity or got lucky early.
Check Your Pull History: Verify, Verify, Verify. During exciting wishes, it’s easy to lose track of pulls. If you think you’ve reached 90 wishes without a 5-star and question the system, always double-check your pull history. Genshin Impact provides a detailed wish history in-game. Review it and count your pulls since your last 5-star to confirm your pity count. Often, a perceived “missing” 5-star results from miscounting. There’s no grand conspiracy stealing your promised pity. Accuracy matters.
Hoyolab App: Tracking Potential for Pity. While not an official in-game feature, the Hoyolab app might improve player experience by including a pity counter. Imagine having your pity tracked automatically within the app! This would streamline wish management. Perhaps Hoyoverse will consider this player-requested feature.
The 50/50 System: The Coin Flip of Destiny
The infamous 50/50 provides both triumphs and defeats. This system is crucial in Genshin Impact’s Character Event Banners, determining whether you will receive the featured 5-star character or a standard 5-star character.
Here’s how it works: when you pull a 5-star character on a Character Event Banner, there is a 50% chance (thus the name) of it being the featured character. At the same time, there is a 50% chance you’ll receive a random, non-featured 5-star character from the standard pool. It’s a coin flip. Heads means you win the featured character; tails means you get a standard character.
When you lose the 50/50: The Path to Guarantee. Losing the 50/50 – getting a standard 5-star instead of the featured one – can feel disappointing. But it’s not all bad news. Losing the 50/50 triggers an important mechanic: the guarantee for the featured character on your next 5-star pull on that banner. It’s the game saying, “You didn’t get it this time, but you will get the featured character next.”
Guaranteed Featured Character: The Promise Fulfilled. After losing a 50/50, your next 5-star character from the Character Event Banner is guaranteed to be the featured character. No more coin flips; no more randomness. This guarantee carries over across Character Event Banners. So, if you lose the 50/50 on one banner and it ends, your guarantee remains for the next Character Event Banner you wish on.
Potential Changes to the 50/50: Whispers of Evolution. Rumors occasionally arise about Genshin Impact possibly altering or removing the 50/50 system from Character Event
Banners are a topic of community discussion. The idea of a new 5-star character pool intrigues many. Whether whispers turn into changes is uncertain. The gacha landscape of Genshin Impact may evolve sooner or later.
Capturing Radiance: The Triple 50/50 Safety Net
“Capturing Radiance” is a new mechanic. It offers a safety net for players with bad luck. This mechanic helps those who struggle with the 50/50 system.
How Capturing Radiance Works: This mechanic activates after three consecutive 50/50 losses on Character Event Banners. The game tracks these outcomes. If you face triple losses, your next 50/50 secures the 5-star character. It’s like saying, “Enough already.”
Does Not Affect Initial Odds: Capturing Radiance *does not* change the initial 50% chance. It only matters after losing several times. Your odds for the first wins remain as they are.
Resetting the Counter: Once you trigger Capturing Radiance and win the character, the loss counter resets. It returns to zero. The hope is you won’t rely on Capturing Radiance too frequently. Yet, it’s good to know it’s there.
Pull Rates and Probabilities: Decoding the Numbers
Let’s look at numbers. Understanding probabilities gives a clearer view on wishing.
Chance of Getting a 5-Star Before Threshold: Hard pity is at 90 wishes. However, you might pull a 5-star *before* that. Statistically, there’s a 35.5% chance to receive a 5-star within the first 73 wishes. Soft pity boosts early chances significantly.
Consolidated Probability: With soft pity in play, the overall probability of getting a limited 5-star on a Character Event Banner is around 55%. This is much better than the base 0.6% chance per wish. The pity system makes it easier to obtain 5-star characters over time.
Primogems and Wishes: The Currency of Destiny
Primogems are vital for wishing in Genshin Impact. Knowing their cost and how to earn them is essential for collectors.
Primogem Cost Per Wish: The exchange rate is 160 Primogems for one wish. This rate is consistent across all banners.
Primogems for 10 Wishes: If you prefer to wish in batches of ten, you’ll require 1,600 Primogems. Wishing in tens does not impact pity mechanics or odds. However, it helps in managing Primogems efficiently.
Primogems for Guaranteed 5-Star: For hard pity (90 wishes), you’ll need 14,400 Primogems total (90 wishes * 160 Primogems/wish). Saving this amount is beneficial for those targeting specific characters.
Primogem Farming: Acquiring Primogems is ongoing in Genshin Impact. Key sources include:
- Daily Commissions: Completing daily commissions yields Primogems consistently.
- Spiral Abyss: Clearing the Spiral Abyss rewards numerous Primogems, especially on higher floors.
- Events: Participating in events often grants Primogems through quests and challenges.
- Exploration: Exploring Teyvat, opening chests, and completing world quests provide Primogems.
- Redeem Codes: Hoyoverse releases redeem codes for free Primogems. Stay alert!
Farming Primogems is key for steady wishing.
Weapon Banner Specifics: Tread with Caution
Weapon Banners have unique mechanics. They carry higher risk factors and deserve their own section. Generally, they are not suited for new players or those with few Primogems.
Two Featured Weapons: Weapon Banners typically have two featured 5-star weapons. This adds complexity to the pity system and makes target acquisition harder.
Different Pity: These banners have distinct pity thresholds: soft pity at about 65 wishes and hard pity at 80. Even though hard pity is lower, the overall system is more intricate.
No Recommendation for Beginners: Weapon Banners are usually not advised for beginners. Build a strong roster of characters first. Weapons matter, but characters form the base of your team.
Featured Weapon Guarantee: While a 5-star weapon is guaranteed at hard pity, it’s not the featured weapon on your first 5-star pull. You may still obtain a regular 5-star weapon on the Weapon Banner. To assure one of the featured weapons, you might need multiple cycles and the “Epitomized Path” system.
Limited Time Weapon Banner: Like Character Event Banners, Weapon Banners are time-limited. Pity carries over between banners, but featured weapons change each time. Always consider if the featured weapons are necessary for your account.
Zenless Zone Zero (ZZZ) and Honkai Star Rail (HSR) Pity Systems: A Glimpse Across Hoyoverse
If you’re curious about Hoyoverse’s other gacha games, ZZZ and HSR have their own pity systems.
ZZZ Currency and Pity: In ZZZ, the currency is Boopons (formerly Coup-En). These pull for “Bangboos” on Signal Search Banners. ZZZ features pity carryover for limited banners, similar to Genshin Impact but tracked separately.
HSR Departure Banner: Honkai Star Rail has a “Departure Warp” banner for new players. This guarantees a 5-star character within the first 50 pulls. It provides a jumpstart to your HSR journey.
HSR Light Cone Event Warp: HSR’s version of Weapon Banners are “Light Cone Event Warps.” These have a base 0.8% drop rate for featured 5-star Light Cones. Pity guarantees a 5-star Light Cone in 80 pulls, mirroring Genshin’s hard pity.
General Pity Information: The Universal Truths
To conclude, here are key truths about the pity system in Genshin Impact and Hoyoverse games.
Pity is Guaranteed: The purpose of the pity system is to provide guarantees within the gacha system. It reduces randomness and ensures players receive high-rarity items after a set number of wishes. This mechanic benefits players approaching the RNG of gacha games.
Pity Doesn’t Expire: Your accumulated pity *never* expires. No matter how long between wishing sessions, your pity count remains intact. You can pause wishing, save Primogems, and come back without losing progress towards pity.
With this guide, you can navigate Genshin Impact’s pity system confidently. May your wishes be blessed, your 50/50s be won, and may desired characters and weapons enrich your account with fewer Primogems spent. Happy wishing, traveler!
