Should You Blow Your Stardust on Fates? A Genshin Impact Dilemma
Ah, Stardust. It’s the shiny leftover from your Genshin Impact wishes. It comforts you when the gacha gods decide on 3-star weapons. But amidst commissions, exploration, and wishing for a five-star character, a question arises: should you spend your Stardust on Fates?
Stardust isn’t falling from Teyvat’s sky. You collect it slowly, mostly from wishing. Ironically, this is what you might want to use it for. Is this smart recycling or another Mihoyo puzzle? Let’s explore if spending it is a good idea or not.
Stardust and Fate Acquisition in Genshin Impact: A Currency Conundrum
Using Stardust for Fates: Temptation or Trap?
The allure is real. Paimon’s Bargains offers Intertwined Fates for Stardust monthly. You can get up to five Intertwined Fates by trading your Stardust. It feels like finding coin in your digital couch and realizing you can buy a lottery ticket— but is this ticket worth it?
The key question isn’t just if you can buy Fates with Stardust, but should you? Stardust comes from the wishing system. It’s what you get when 3-star weapons appear. The game offers you a little something for your trouble. Using this ‘something’ for more wishes feels like chasing your tail, right?
The monthly reset adds a twist. Each month, Paimon’s Bargains resets with five Intertwined Fates and five Acquaint Fates. If you wish a lot, especially on weapon banners, you accumulate Stardust. If you’re rich in Stardust, it’s tempting to buy more wishing power.
Think this way: if you regularly have enough Stardust to buy both types of Fates each month, it’s like free wishes on the table. Why not take free wishes? Refusing a good Treasure Chest simply because you stumbled upon it makes no sense.
Fate Types: Intertwined vs. Acquaint – Know Your Wish
Genshin Impact presents two types of Fates: Intertwined and Acquaint. They sound alike and share similar looks, but they serve distinct purposes. Picture them as different currencies for various vending machines.
Intertwined Fates are the premium currency of wishing. These are for limited-time Event Wishes. These banners feature rate-up characters and weapons that may make your Primogem count sweat every six weeks. If you want that hot character or shiny weapon, use Intertwined Fates.
Acquaint Fates are the basic option. They’re used for the Standard Wish banner, called “Wanderlust Invocation,” and the Beginner’s Wish banner for early game use only. The Standard Wish banner is always available, offering a random selection of characters and weapons without focused rate-ups found in event banners.
You can buy both Intertwined and Acquaint Fates with Primogems, Genshin’s premium currency. Both types can also be bought from Paimon’s Bargains using Stardust. But remember, they go different places. Using an Acquaint Fate on an event banner is like trying to pay with Monopoly money—it won’t work.
Primogems: The Prime Fate Fuel
Primogems are essential for wishing in Genshin Impact. They are the top currency for Fate acquisition. Everything else—Stardust, Starglitter—are extras. Think of Primogems as your main income, and Stardust as the change you find in pockets.
The fixed exchange rate is simple: 160 Primogems equals one Intertwined Fate. You can convert them on the wish screen or buy them from Paimon’s Bargains. Want more wishes? Earn more Primogems. Simple.
Primogems are vital for players aiming to expand their character roster. You can earn them by doing various in-game activities: daily commissions, Spiral Abyss runs, limited-time events, completing quests, unlocking achievements, and exploring Teyvat. Hoyoverse offers Primogem rewards generously during events and updates, but managing them is crucial.
So, while Stardust can buy Fates, remember that Primogems fuel the wishing process. Stardust is just occasional extra fuel along the way.
Starglitter vs. Stardust: Differentiating the Dusts
In Genshin Impact currency, we have two “dust” types: Masterless Stardust and Masterless Starglitter. They sound similar and have similar looks in your inventory, but they are different. Mixing them up is like confusing glitter glue with actual gold glitter— one is far more valuable.
Masterless Stardust is common and less valuable. You get it mainly from wishing on banners, pulling 3-star weapons. Each 3-star weapon nets 15 Stardust. Consider it the bronze medal of wishing rewards. It’s plentiful if you wish frequently, but limited in purchases.
Masterless Starglitter is rarer, more valuable dust. You obtain Starglitter when pulling duplicate 4-star and 5-star characters or weapons. Duplicating a 4-star gives 2 Starglitter (or more with constellations), while a 5-star yields 10 Starglitter (potentially more). Starglitter is harder to find, making it valuable in Paimon’s Bargains.
The takeaway: while both can be exchanged in Paimon’s Bargains, their values differ greatly. Stardust is common currency for minor purchases. Starglitter is premium currency for significant items like specific 4-star characters or weapons.
Paimon’s Bargains: The Monthly Marketplace
Paimon’s Bargains is Genshin Impact’s monthly shop, a treasure trove in the menu. It’s essential for players wanting maximum value from their Stardust and Starglitter and central to the “should I spend Stardust on Fates?” question.
The shop refreshes on the first of every month, syncing with many in-game systems’ monthly resets. This monthly refresh is important because limited-quantity items like Fates become available again. If you missed a chance to buy Fates last month, it’s a fresh opportunity.
Paimon’s Bargains has diverse items. Besides Wishing items (Fates), you can find Character Ascension and Weapon Enhancement Materials, Mora (in-game currency), and sometimes specific 4-star Characters and Weapons. The characters and weapons in Starglitter Exchange rotate periodically, offering chances for specific units you want.
The shop accepts various currencies, primarily Starglitter and Stardust. Starglitter, as we noted, is premium currency for high-value items like characters, weapons, and Intertwined Fates. Stardust handles lower items like Acquaint Fates, Mora, and low-rarity materials.
Also, Primogems can be exchanged within Paimon’s Bargains.
for Intertwined Fates at the rate of 160 Primogems per Fate. This serves as an option to acquire Fates directly from the wish screen. Functionally, it’s the same transaction.
Paimon’s Bargains is a vital resource. Knowing what is available, understanding the monthly reset, and managing your Stardust and Starglitter are essential for maximizing this shop and improving your Genshin Impact progress.
Primogems and Wishing: The Gacha’s Core
Primogem Cost for Wishes: The Standard of 160
Let’s discuss Primogems and wishes, key components of Genshin Impact’s gacha system. Primogems serve as the fundamental wishing currency. The base cost for one wish remains 160 Primogems. This fixed price applies to an Event Banner or the Standard Banner, using either Intertwined or Acquaint Fates (though you’ll need the correct type for each banner).
This static 160 Primogem cost per wish is a crucial figure to remember. It determines how much you need to save for your wishing targets, whether seeking a specific character, weapon, or trying to reach pity for a guaranteed 5-star item.
Consider “pity”. This guarantees a 5-star drop after a set number of wishes. “Hard pity” for character and standard banners is 90 wishes. Therefore, to ensure hard pity, you need 14,400 Primogems (90 wishes x 160 Primogems/wish). That is a substantial amount. It emphasizes the importance of managing your Primogems effectively.
Single wishes are possible, but performing wishes in groups of 10 is often more efficient. This approach aligns with most in-game bundles and event rewards related to multiples of 10 wishes. Additionally, wishing in batches of 10 offers a more satisfying experience, as you see a larger burst of outcomes simultaneously.
Ten wishes will cost you 1,600 Primogems (10 wishes x 160 Primogems/wish). This simple math highlights the investment needed to engage in the wishing system meaningfully. It’s essential to plan your Primogem expenditures around the benchmarks of 160 and 1,600 Primogems for any serious Genshin Impact player.
Acquiring Primogems: Daily Efforts and Beyond
Primogems are vital for Genshin Impact wishing. They don’t just magically appear in your inventory. You must earn them, and Hoyoverse provides various methods for different playstyles and engagement levels.
Daily Commissions are your primary source of Primogems. Each day presents you with four simple tasks, from defeating enemies to delivering items to NPCs. Completing all four daily tasks grants you 60 Primogems. While this may seem small, completing commissions consistently over a month results in about 1800 Primogems—enough for ten wishes.
Spiral Abyss is the endgame challenge area, a multi-floor dungeon testing your team-building and combat skills. Clearing floors in Spiral Abyss, especially the more difficult ones, grants substantial Primogem rewards. The Abyss resets twice monthly, providing a reliable source of Primogems for dedicated players.
Events are frequent in Genshin Impact and typically offer generous Primogem rewards. Engaging in limited-time events and completing event-specific challenges can reward you with hundreds or thousands of Primogems throughout the event duration. Staying informed about event announcements is vital for maximizing your Primogem income.
Quests, including Archon Quests (story quests) and World Quests (side quests), also serve as a significant source of Primogems. Progressing through the main storyline and exploring the world yields consistent Primogem rewards along with other valuable resources.
Achievements provide one-time Primogem rewards for various in-game milestones. These achievements involve defeating specific bosses or exploring certain areas. Though achievement Primogems are finite, they create a steady stream of rewards as you play.
Exploration offers another source of Primogems. Opening chests scattered across the world, solving puzzles, and finding hidden spots often yield Primogems in smaller amounts than other sources but still contribute to your overall accumulation.
Livestream Codes are gifts provided by Hoyoverse during special livestream events, often announcing upcoming updates. These livestreams include redeem codes for free Primogems and other bonuses. Watching for these livestreams and quickly redeeming the codes is an easy way to acquire free Primogems.
In summary, acquiring Primogems is complex. Completing daily commissions, tackling the Spiral Abyss, engaging in events, finishing quests, achieving milestones, exploring, and redeeming livestream codes all contribute to your stockpile. Actively participating in these activities is essential for fueling your Genshin Impact wishing goals.
Using Primogems: Fates vs. Resin Refresh – Your Choices
After earning a cache of Primogems, you need to decide: how can you spend them most effectively? Genshin Impact provides two primary uses for your Primogems. Understanding these options is critical for resource management.
The direct use of Primogems is buying Intertwined Fates. As mentioned earlier, 160 Primogems converts into one Intertwined Fate. This exchange can occur directly from the wish screen or Paimon’s Bargains. If your goal is to wish on Event Banners for rate-up characters or weapons, converting Primogems into Intertwined Fates is most effective.
Your other significant option is replenishing Original Resin. Original Resin serves as energy currency needed to claim rewards from Domains, Ley Line Outcrops, and Bosses in Genshin Impact. It regenerates passively but can also be instantly refilled using Primogems. The first refill costs 50 Primogems, the second 100, and further refills increase in price (up to 150 then 200 Primogems). You can refill your Resin up to six times a day.
The choice between spending Primogems on Fates vs. Resin refills is common among players. Spending on Fates supports wishing goals and takes you closer to new characters or weapons. On the other hand, Resin refills enhance your character and weapon development by allowing additional farming of materials from Domains, Ley Lines, and Bosses.
Generally, most players focused on expanding their character roster prefer spending on Intertwined Fates. Resin refills can be helpful when needing materials urgently for new characters or maximally progressing during special events with boosted rewards for Resin spending.
However, for long-term growth and maximizing chances for desired characters or weapons, investing in Intertwined Fates usually offers greater returns. Strategic saving and disciplined wishing are often more beneficial than occasional Resin refills.
Fates from Events: Plenty of Free Wishes
Hoyoverse frequently provides free Intertwined Fates through various in-game events during its generous moments. These event-distributed Fates significantly boost any player’s wishing reserves and underline the value of participating in events.
A prominent example is the annual Lantern Rite Festival. During this event, Hoyoverse often introduces promotions that reward players with many Intertwined Fates. In the Lantern Rite 2024 event, for instance, the “May Fortune Find You” promotion rewarded players 10 Intertwined Fates just for logging in during the event period. These free Fate distributions during major events can greatly enhance your wishing potential.
Beyond Lantern Rite, many smaller events throughout the year also offer Intertwined Fates as rewards. Activities may include completing specific quests or participating in mini-games within events. The Fates awarded vary by event but collectively boost your overall Fate accumulation significantly.
Keeping an eye on Genshin Impact’s announcements and social media channels for event details is vital for seizing these free Fate opportunities. Participating actively in events not only provides Primogems but also other valuable resources.
Additionally, players gain a healthy number of free Intertwined Fates. This makes events a rewarding part of Genshin Impact.
Fates from Leveling: Adventure Rank Rewards and Archon Quest Bonuses
Genshin Impact gives players rewards for progression. This includes stronger characters and weapons. Players also receive free Fates as they progress. Leveling Adventure Rank and completing Archon Quests grant significant Fate rewards.
As you boost your Adventure Rank, your overall player level in Genshin Impact rises. You unlock different in-game features and rewards. Periodically, hitting Adventure Rank milestones grants rewards including Acquaint Fates. Acquaint Fates provide a steady source of free wishes for the Standard Banner as you play.
Archon Quests, the story quests in Genshin Impact, also provide guaranteed Fates. Completing an Act of an Archon Quest often rewards you with an Intertwined Fate. Additionally, you earn resources like Hero’s Wit (character EXP books) and Mystic Enhancement Ore (weapon EXP materials). Finishing the Archon Quests pushes the narrative forward while giving you Intertwined Fates for your Event Banner wishes.
You can find the Adventurer’s Handbook in-game, which highlights Fate rewards linked to Adventure Rank and Archon Quest progress. Checking the Handbook shows you the Fates you may receive as you continue playing and leveling up.
The Fates from Adventure Rank and Archon Quests are finite. You only get them once per milestone or quest completion. However, they form a large portion of free wishes, especially for new players. These rewards motivate exploration and quest completion in Genshin Impact, enhancing the game’s free-to-play model.
Pity System and Guarantees: Wishing with a Safety Net
Pity Mechanics: Separate Tracks for Standard and Event
The wishing system in Genshin Impact is random, but it has a “pity” system. This system gives players predictability and guarantees high-rarity items. The pity system operates separately for the Standard Banner (Wanderlust Invocation) and Event Banners (Character Event Wish and Weapon Event Wish).
This separation means your pity count on the Standard Banner does not affect pity on Event Banners. Wishes made on one banner type do not contribute to the other’s pity count. It’s like having two independent counters for each banner.
If you make 80 wishes on the Standard Banner without a 5-star item and switch to an Event Banner, your Event Banner pity count resets to zero. The 80 wishes on the Standard Banner only count towards that banner’s pity.
Understanding this separation is essential for smart wishing. If you want a specific character or weapon on an Event Banner, track your pity count for that specific banner. If wishing on the Standard Banner, track that pity progress separately.
This system stops players from exploiting pity counts across banner types. Each banner has its own pity cycle, preserving balance and value for each wishing pool.
5-Star Guarantees: The 90-Wish Promise (and Beyond)
The backbone of the pity system is the guarantee of a 5-star character or weapon after a set number of wishes. Known as “hard pity,” this kicks in at 90 wishes for Character Event Wishes, Weapon Event Wishes, and the Standard Wish Banner.
To hit hard pity and ensure a 5-star, you spend 14,400 Primogems (90 wishes x 160 Primogems/wish). This cost highlights the value of 5-star characters and weapons and the resources needed to obtain them reliably.
The 90-wish guarantee is just part of the 5-star pity system story. For Character Event and Weapon Event Wishes, there’s a “50/50” mechanic for the featured item. When you pull a 5-star on an Event Banner, it has a 50% chance of being the featured item and a 50% chance of being a standard 5-star item.
If your first 5-star pull on an Event Banner is not the featured item (you lose the 50/50), your next pull is guaranteed to be the featured one. This is termed “guaranteed pity” or “100% guarantee.” To ensure you get the featured item on an Event Banner, be ready to reach up to 180 wishes (90 for the first 5-star, up to another 90 if you lose the 50/50).
For Weapon Event Wishes, the pity system varies slightly. The hard pity for a 5-star weapon is usually around 80 wishes (though it can vary by banner type). The “Epitomized Path” system allows you to select two featured 5-star weapons. You will get one of them within a certain number of wishes (usually about 240 wishes for a guaranteed desired weapon).
Grasping the 90-wish hard pity, the 50/50 mechanic, and the guaranteed featured item on Event Banners is crucial for planning Primogem spending. It helps you estimate the potential Primogem investment required to secure desired characters and weapons.
Soft Pity: The Odds Start to Shift
Apart from hard pity at 90 wishes, Genshin Impact features a “soft pity” mechanic that increases the chances of pulling a 5-star character or weapon before reaching hard pity. Soft pity usually begins around the 75th wish on Character Event Wishes, Weapon Event Wishes, and the Standard Wish Banner.
Before soft pity kicks in, the base probability of pulling a 5-star item is low, officially set at 0.6%. However, as you approach soft pity starting around wish 75, this probability increases with each subsequent wish.
The precise rate at which soft pity raises the chance of a 5-star outcome is not officially given by Hoyoverse. However, community data suggests a noticeable increase. As you get closer to the late 70s and early 80s wishes, your chances are significantly higher than 0.6%.
Soft pity makes the wishing experience more engaging than merely relying on hard pity at 90 wishes. It creates anticipation, often resulting in players obtaining 5-star items before full hard pity reaches.
While soft pity does not ensure a 5-star drop like hard pity does, it improves your chances of pulling a 5-star late in your wishing session. Many players get characters and weapons during this range between 75 and 80 wishes.
Understanding soft pity can influence your strategy. If you’re near soft pity (around 70-75 wishes), it might benefit you to keep wishing on that banner since your chances of getting a 5-star have increased. If you’re far from soft pity and don’t wish to reach hard pity, consider saving Primogems for a more favorable banner.
Fate Types and Usage: Choosing the Right Tool for the Wish
Acquaint Fate: Standard Wishes and Beginner Beginnings
Acquaint Fates are one of two main types of Fates in Genshin Impact, and they
They serve a specific purpose. Players use them for the Standard Wish Banner and the Beginner’s Wish Banner. The Standard Wish Banner is in Genshin Impact. It has a rotating pool of characters and weapons. This banner does not have rate-up characters. It draws from a general pool of standard 5-star and 4-star items. Acquaint Fates allow wishing here.
The Beginner’s Wish Banner is special. Only new players can use it for a limited time. It helps newcomers by guaranteeing a Noelle character in the first 10 wishes. It also offers an 8-wish pull for the first 10 Acquaint Fates at a discount. Beginners use Acquaint Fates to wish here, too.
Players can obtain Acquaint Fates in various ways. You earn them by raising your Adventure Rank. You can buy them in Paimon’s Bargains with Masterless Stardust. Sometimes, they come as rewards in certain events or promotions.
Acquaint Fates cannot be used on Event Banners. They work only for the Standard and Beginner’s Wish Banners. Attempting to use an Acquaint Fate on an Event Banner does not work. The game will prompt you to use Intertwined Fates instead.
Acquaint Fates are less valuable than Intertwined Fates. Players focused on specific rate-up characters or weapons prefer Event Banners. The Standard Banner lacks rate-ups. It has a broader pool of items, making it less rewarding for specific wishes.
Intertwined Fate: Event Wishes and Targeted Pulls
Intertwined Fates are premium in Genshin Impact. They are essential for wishing on limited-time Event Banners: Character and Weapon Event Wishes.
Character Event Wishes have rate-ups for specific 5-star and 4-star characters. They last about three weeks. These banners help obtain new characters. You need Intertwined Fates to wish on them.
Weapon Event Wishes last for limited periods too. They feature rate-ups for specific 5-star and 4-star weapons. These banners help enhance characters’ combat abilities with strong weapons. Intertwined Fates are needed here as well.
You can obtain Intertwined Fates by exchanging Primogems. The rate is 160 Primogems per Intertwined Fate. This can happen from the wish screen or in Paimon’s Bargains. Event rewards sometimes include Intertwined Fates as well.
