Understanding Genshin Impact’s Pity System: A Comprehensive Guide
The pity system in Genshin Impact guarantees players will eventually receive a rare, powerful character or weapon after a certain number of wishes, even if luck isn’t on their side. Specifically, the hard pity for 5-star characters on the Limited Character Banner and Standard Banner is 90 wishes. For the Weapon Event Wish banner, the hard pity is 80 wishes. “Soft pity” begins around 70-80 wishes, where the probability of pulling a 5-star starts to increase.
Decoding Genshin Impact’s Wish Mechanics
Genshin Impact’s gacha system, known as “Wishes,” relies on random number generation. However, to prevent extreme streaks of bad luck, the game incorporates a pity system that ensures players receive high-rarity items after a fixed number of attempts. This system is critical for planning resource expenditure and maximizing your chances of obtaining desired characters or weapons. Let’s break down the specifics of each banner.
Limited Character Banner (Event Banner)
This banner features limited-time characters and is the primary focus for many players. Here’s how the pity system works:
-
4-Star Pity: A 4-star character or weapon is guaranteed within every 10 wishes. The rate for featured 4-stars is increased, and if you don’t get one of the featured characters after 20 wishes, the next 4-star is guaranteed to be one of the featured characters.
-
5-Star Pity (Hard Pity): A 5-star character is guaranteed within 90 wishes. This is your safety net, ensuring you eventually get a high-tier character.
-
50/50 System: When you pull a 5-star on the Limited Character Banner, there’s a 50% chance it will be the featured character. If you fail to get the featured character (losing the “50/50”), your next 5-star is guaranteed to be the featured character. This guarantee carries over to the next Limited Character Banner.
Standard Banner (Wanderlust Invocation)
The Standard Banner features a pool of permanent 5-star characters and weapons. The pity system is identical to the Limited Character Banner:
-
4-Star Pity: A 4-star character or weapon is guaranteed within every 10 wishes.
-
5-Star Pity (Hard Pity): A 5-star character or weapon is guaranteed within 90 wishes.
There is no 50/50 system on the Standard Banner.
Weapon Event Wish Banner (Epitome Invocation)
The Weapon Event Wish banner offers boosted rates for specific 5-star weapons. This banner has some unique features:
-
4-Star Pity: A 4-star weapon or character is guaranteed within every 10 wishes.
-
5-Star Pity (Hard Pity): A 5-star weapon is guaranteed within 80 wishes. This banner is more generous than the character banners in terms of guaranteeing a 5-star.
-
Epitomized Path: This system allows you to chart a course towards one of the two featured 5-star weapons. If you receive a 5-star weapon that isn’t the one you chose, you gain one Fate Point. Once you reach two Fate Points, your next 5-star weapon is guaranteed to be the one you selected.
-
Fate Points Don’t Carry Over: Unlike the 50/50 system on character banners, Fate Points do not carry over to the next Weapon Event Wish banner. This is an essential point to remember when investing in weapon banners.
Soft Pity Explained
While hard pity guarantees a 5-star at 80 or 90 wishes, many players notice an increased probability of obtaining a 5-star character starting around 70 to 80 wishes. This is known as soft pity. While the exact mechanics are unconfirmed by miHoYo, community data suggests a significant increase in the 5-star drop rate after this point. It’s prudent to consider this when planning your wish strategy.
Practical Tips for Managing Pity
Understanding the pity system allows players to optimize their resource allocation:
- Track Your Wishes: Always keep track of how many wishes you’ve made on each banner. This can be done manually or using online pity trackers.
- Plan Your Pulls: Determine which characters or weapons you want the most and prioritize those banners.
- Save Primogems: Accumulate Primogems and Acquaint Fates between banners to ensure you have enough wishes to hit pity if necessary. Consider the monthly Battle Pass and Welkin Moon for consistent Primogem income.
- Be Mindful of the 50/50: If you’re aiming for a specific character on the Limited Character Banner, remember the 50/50 system. If you lose your first 50/50, you’re guaranteed the featured character on your next 5-star pull.
- Don’t Overspend on Weapon Banners: Weapon banners can be expensive due to the Epitomized Path not carrying over. Only invest if you’re willing to commit the necessary resources.
The Impact of Pity on Game Design
The pity system has a significant impact on Genshin Impact’s overall game design. It provides a sense of security for players, knowing that they will eventually receive a powerful character or weapon. This can reduce frustration and encourage continued engagement with the game. Additionally, the pity system allows miHoYo to balance the rarity of high-tier characters and weapons while still maintaining a level of accessibility for all players.
The strategic depth of the pity system is an interesting area for educational games, as it mixes probability and resource management. The Games Learning Society may find that the lessons learned in Genshin can carry over into real world decision-making. Visit GamesLearningSociety.org to learn more about gaming and its impact on education.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Does pity carry over from banner to banner?
Yes, pity carries over within the same banner type. Wishes on the Limited Character Banner will carry over to the next Limited Character Banner. Similarly, wishes on the Standard Banner will carry over to the next Standard Banner. However, pity does not carry over between different banner types (e.g., from the Limited Character Banner to the Weapon Event Wish banner).
2. Does the 50/50 carry over?
Yes, the 50/50 on the Limited Character Banner carries over. If you pull a non-featured 5-star character, your next 5-star is guaranteed to be the featured character on the current banner.
3. Does wish pity expire?
No, your wish pity does not expire. Only obtaining a 5-star will reset your pity count.
4. How can I check my pity count?
You can check your pity count by going to the “History” section on the Wish page. Count the number of wishes since your last 5-star character or weapon. Note that you need to check the history separately for each banner type (Limited Character, Standard, and Weapon).
5. What is soft pity?
Soft pity refers to the increased probability of pulling a 5-star character or weapon starting around 70 to 80 wishes. While the exact mechanics are unconfirmed, community data suggests a significant increase in drop rates after this point.
6. Can you pull a 5-star weapon on the character banner?
No, you cannot obtain 5-star weapons on the character banner. 5-star weapons are exclusively available on the Weapon Event Wish banner.
7. How much is 28800 Primogems?
28,800 Primogems is equivalent to 180 wishes (28,800 / 160 = 180). This is the number of wishes required to guarantee a featured 5-star character on the Limited Character Banner if you lose the 50/50 and have to hit hard pity twice.
8. How many Primogems do I need for 90 wishes?
You need 14,400 Primogems for 90 wishes (90 * 160 = 14,400).
9. What happens if I don’t log in to Genshin Impact for a long time?
Your pity count remains the same, regardless of how long you’ve been inactive.
10. Why didn’t I get a 5-star after 90 wishes?
Make sure all 90 wishes were made on the same banner. Pity is tracked separately for each banner.
11. What is the hardest pity in Genshin Impact?
The hardest pity is generally considered to be 90 pulls on the Limited Character Banner or Standard Banner, since those are the highest numbers of pulls required to guarantee a 5-star.
12. Does the Epitomized Path reset?
Yes, Fate Points from the Epitomized Path do not carry over to the next Weapon Event Wish banner.
13. Is Keqing a 5-star?
Yes, Keqing is a 5-star character available on the Standard Banner.
14. Can I lose my pity in Genshin Impact?
No, you cannot lose your pity. Only obtaining a 5-star character or weapon resets your pity count.
15. What is the chance of getting a specific 5-star character?
The base chance of pulling any 5-star character is 0.6%. If you’re pulling on a Limited Character Banner, the chance of getting the featured character is 50% if it’s your first 5-star on that banner, and 100% if you lost the 50/50 on the previous 5-star.
By understanding the intricacies of Genshin Impact’s pity system, players can make informed decisions about their wishing strategy, manage their resources effectively, and ultimately increase their chances of obtaining the characters and weapons they desire.