Unraveling the Mysteries of Fate in Genshin Impact: A Traveler’s Guide
You’ve entered Teyvat, ready to create your legend in Genshin Impact? Great! But wait. Before you start slaying slimes, you need to know one thing. It’s crucial for building your dream team: Fates.
Fates act as tickets to the Genshin Impact gacha system, termed “Wishes.” Confused? Don’t fret; we’ve all stared at the Wish screen. What’s an “Intertwined Fate”? This guide will help you understand the Fates and navigate the Wish system. For a broader view on wishing and getting Fates, Eurogamer has a guide on how to wish in Genshin Impact and get Fate.
What in Teyvat are Fates, Anyway?
Fates are essential for making Wishes in Genshin Impact. They help you get new characters and weapons. You need Fates to make Wishes, adding an element of chance to building your roster. There are two types of Fate you will find:
- Acquaint Fate: These blue beauties open the Standard Wish banners.
- Intertwined Fate: Recognized by their pink and blue swirl, they access the Event Wish banners and the Epitome Invocation weapon banner.
You cannot just demand a five-star character. You must earn or purchase Primogems, convert them into Fates, and try your luck with the Wish system. Think of it as a treasure hunt. Fates are your tools, Primogems are your map.
Decoding the Fates: Acquaint vs. Intertwined
Acquaint Fate: Your Standard Fare
Blue Fates are for the “Wanderlust Invocation” (the standard banner) and “Beginner’s Wish” (for new players). If you want a general range of characters and weapons, Acquaint Fates are your choice.
Get Acquaint Fates by exchanging Primogems. The exchange rate is clear: 160 Primogems = 1 Acquaint Fate. Start saving those Primogems!
Intertwined Fate: The Limited-Time All-Stars
If you desire specific limited-time characters or powerful weapons from Event Wish banners or the Epitome Invocation weapon banner, you want Intertwined Fates. These pink-and-blue gems are more specialized and often hold more value due to their rarity. The Genshin Impact Wiki on Intertwined Fate states they provide access to the most sought-after items.
Like Acquaint Fates, you acquire Intertwined Fates by converting Primogems: 160 Primogems = 1 Intertwined Fate. There’s another option! You can exchange Masterless Starglitter and Masterless Stardust for Intertwined Fates in Paimon’s Bargains shop. It’s recycling your wish leftovers into more wishes!
Watch for free Intertwined Fates! miHoYo sometimes gives them through various means. Archon Quest rewards or special events like Lantern Rite can give you these bonuses. During Lantern Rite 2024, players received ten free Intertwined Fates! They arrive in your in-game mail, but claim them fast. Mail expires after 30 days!
Primogems: The Heartbeat of Your Wish Journey
Primogems are vital for your Wish goals in Genshin Impact. They fuel your Fate conversions and more.
Primogem Power: Beyond Fates
While their main purpose is exchanging for Fates, Primogems have other uses:
- Battle Pass Boost: Use Primogems to speed up your Battle Pass leveling and get rewards faster.
- Original Resin Refresh: Need materials or artifacts? Primogems can refresh your Original Resin.
Let’s be honest, most of us are just hoarding Primogems for Wishes, especially with new character banners around!
The Primogem to Wish Math
How many Primogems do you need for Wishes? The rule is: 160 Primogems = 1 Wish (or Fate). The cost is equal for Acquaint or Intertwined Fate. Here’s a quick breakdown for planning your Primogem usage:
- 1 Wish = 160 Primogems
- 10 Wishes = 1600 Primogems
- 90 Wishes = 14,400 Primogems
Yes, getting 90 wishes means gathering a mountain of Primogems (14,400 specifically!). This number matters due to the Pity system, which is next.
Genesis Crystals vs. Primogems: The Crystal Conundrum
You may see another type of crystal in Genshin Impact: Genesis Crystals. You get them by purchasing with real money. Remember: Genesis Crystals convert to Primogems at a 1:1 ratio. Investing in Genshin turns Genesis Crystals into another Primogem source for purchasing Fates.
Primogem Fountains: Where to Find Them
How do you GET Primogems without spending money? Genshin Impact gives plenty of free Primogem opportunities. Here are the main sources, with Gamesradar’s guide on how to get more Genshin Impact Wishes providing more details:
- Daily Commissions: Complete daily commissions for a healthy dose of Primogems.
- World Exploration: Open chests across Teyvat for Primogems during your explorations.
- Quests Galore: Engaging Archon Quests and Character Story Quests yield reliable Primogem rewards.
- Events, Events, Events!: Participate in limited-time events to receive great Primogem rewards.
- Spiral Abyss Challenges: Test your team’s strength in the Spiral Abyss. Clearing floors earns substantial Primogem payouts.
- Achievement Hunting: Complete various achievements for earned Primogems.
- Statues of the Seven Blessings: Level Statues by offering Oculi for additional Primogem rewards.
- Redeemable Codes: miHoYo regularly shares promotional codes. Redeem them for free Primogems. Check Genshin’s social media for these codes.
- Blessing of the Welkin Moon: Purchase Welkin Moon for daily Primogem rewards over 30 days.
- HoYoLAB Daily Check-In: Check in daily on HoYoLAB. Regular check-ins grant Primogems over time.
- Stellar Reunion for Returning Players: The Stellar Reunion event rewards returning players with generous Primogems.
You can earn Primogems through many methods. A diligent traveler can build their stash and fuel their Wish ambitions without spending money!
Decoding the Wish System: Pity and 50/50 Explained
With Fates and Primogems in hand, let’s cover the Wish system—the gacha mechanics for characters and weapons pulls. Genshin Impact uses a “Pity” system and a “50/50” mechanic on Event Banners to manage randomness. This assures players get high-rarity items eventually.
The Pity System: Your Safety Net
The Pity system ensures you will receive a 4-star or 5-star item after a specific number of Wishes.
- 4-Star Pity: Every 10 Wishes guarantees at least one 4-star item (character or weapon).
- 5-Star Pity: Every 90 Wishes guarantees a 5-star item.
- Wishes on character banners guarantee a 5-star character or weapon. For the weapon banner (Epitome Invocation), the pity for a 5-star is lower, at 80 Wishes.
There’s more! There’s also “Soft Pity.” While hard pity for a 5-star is 90 Wishes (or 80 on the weapon banner), your chances of pulling a 5-star increase significantly before that. This “soft pity” usually kicks in around 74-80 Wishes for character banners and 64-70 Wishes for weapon banners. If you’re close to those numbers, your odds improve!
Importantly, Pity carries over between banners of the same type. For example, if you reach 80 Wishes on a character event banner without getting a 5-star, your count of 80 would carry over to your next character event banner. You’ve made progress towards your guaranteed 5-star on the next banner! This is vital for strategic wishing – your “pity” is persistent and advantageous.
The 50/50 System: The Thrill of the Gamble
The 50/50 system applies to specific featured 5-star characters on Event Wish banners. When you finally pull a 5-star character on an event banner, there’s a 50% chance it will be the featured character and a 50% chance it will be from the standard 5-star character pool.
This is where the “50/50” term comes from. Did you win the 50/50 and get the featured character? Or did you “lose” it and only get a standard 5-star character?
Losing the 50/50 may feel disappointing, but there’s a silver lining: If you lose, the *next* 5-star character pull on that *same* event banner guarantees the featured character. Thus, losing the 50/50 activates a “guaranteed featured character” for your next 5-star pull on that banner. It’s a setback, but it ensures you’ll eventually get that character you desire, as long as you have enough Primogems (or luck!).
Once you pull a 5-star character (whether you win or lose the 50/50), your pity counter resets back to zero. The status of the 50/50 also resets. The gacha cycle starts anew!
The Elusive Weapon Banner Pity
Weapon banners like Epitome Invocation have their own pity system, slightly different from character banners.
- 5-Star Weapon Pity: Guaranteed within 80 Wishes (hard pity), with soft pity beginning around 64-70 Wishes.
- No 50/50, but “Epitomized Path”: Weapon banners don’t have a strict 50/50 like character banners. Instead, they follow the “Epitomized Path” system. You choose one of the two featured 5-star weapons as your “Epitomized Path.” If you pull a 5-star weapon that isn’t your chosen one, you earn “Fate Points.” Collect enough Fate Points (usually 2), and your next 5-star weapon *is guaranteed* to be the one you selected.
Slight Probability Tweak: The 55-45 Mechanic
The 50/50 system has a subtle nuance. It is not exactly 50/50. When you “lose” the 50/50, there’s a small chance (around 10%) that “radiance” occurs. This increases the overall probability of getting a limited 5-star character. The consolidated odds of getting a limited 5-star are closer to 55%, rather than a strict 50%. It’s a minor detail, but it nudges the odds slightly in your favor.
The Fates and Greek Mythology: A Divine Connection?
Ever wondered if “Fates” in Genshin Impact has a deeper meaning? miHoYo often weaves mythological references into games. The term “Fates” likely nods to Greek mythology.
In Greek mythology, the Moirai, or Fates, were three goddesses who controlled the thread of life for mortals and gods. Their names and roles are quite poignant:
- Clotho (“The Spinner”): Spun the thread of life, representing the present. She initiates your journey.
- Lachesis (“The Allotter”): Measured the thread of life, determining its length and representing the future. She dictates your journey’s path.
- Atropos (“The Unturning” or “Inflexible”): Cut the thread of life, representing past experience. She marks the end of a life’s journey.
These Fates, as described by Morford et al. in “Classical Mythology,” (132), presided over human existence – birth, life, destiny, and death. They were powerful figures. Even Zeus was said to follow their rules. Their abilities were essential: giving life, controlling its course, and ultimately ending it.
Interestingly, Genshin Impact features other figures with mythological ties, such as:
- Chronos: The Greek personification of Time.
- Thanatos: The Greek god of Death.
- Hades: The Greek god of the Underworld.
- Titans: Powerful deities in Greek mythology, predating Olympian gods (like Cronus, Oceanus, Hyperion).
whether the Fates in Genshin Impact directly represent these mythological figures is up for debate. However, the name certainly resonates with chance and the threads of fate you face throughout adventures in Teyvat. Perhaps each Wish appeals to the Moirai, hoping they spin a favorable thread!
Final Thoughts: Fate Favors the Prepared Traveler
In Genshin Impact, Fates are crucial threads. They are currency of chance. They unlock new companions and powerful weapons. While Acquaint and Intertwined Fates serve this role, Intertwined Fates are almost always more valuable. Why? They grant access to limited-time banners featuring characters and weapons you cannot get through standard banner. Acquaint Fates are used for permanent Wanderlust Invocationbanner, which has an extensive pool but lacks focused rate-ups from event banners. Searching for a specific character within standard banners using Acquaint Fates is like hunting for specific grains of sand on a beach – good luck!
Understanding Fates, Primogems, Pity systems, and the 50/50 mechanic is essential for any Genshin Impact player. It allows for informed decisions on resource management and plans for Wish strategies. Ultimately, this knowledge helps build your ideal team (or at least one that reliably defeats Hilichurls). So go forth, traveler, armed with knowledge, and may the Fates favor your path!
