What Happens If I Get a 5-Star on Soft Pity?
You got lucky! If you pull a 5-star character or weapon while in the soft pity range in a gacha game like Genshin Impact or Honkai: Star Rail, congratulations, you just saved yourself some pulls. You receive the 5-star, and the pity counter resets to zero. This means you’ll start building up your pity again from the next pull onwards.
Understanding Soft Pity and Its Impact
Soft pity is a hidden mechanic present in many gacha games designed to increase your chances of obtaining the rarest items, usually 5-star characters or weapons, before reaching the hard pity threshold. While the exact mechanics vary from game to game, the general principle remains the same: after a certain number of pulls without a 5-star, the probability of pulling one significantly increases with each subsequent pull.
How Soft Pity Works
Typically, in games like Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail, the hard pity for a character banner is 90 pulls. This guarantees you’ll get a 5-star character by your 90th pull if you haven’t gotten one before. Soft pity, however, usually begins somewhere between pulls 70 and 80. Before soft pity, your chances of getting a 5-star are extremely low, often around 0.6%. But after soft pity kicks in, this percentage gradually increases with each pull, making it more likely to obtain a 5-star before reaching the full 90 pulls.
The Significance of Pulling on Soft Pity
Getting a 5-star during soft pity is desirable for several reasons:
- Resource Saving: It saves you valuable in-game currency (Primogems, Stellar Jades, etc.) that you can then use to pull for other characters, weapons, or resources.
- Faster Character Acquisition: You acquire the desired character or weapon much quicker than expected, allowing you to start building them and incorporating them into your team sooner.
- Psychological Boost: Pulling a 5-star early can be incredibly satisfying and motivate you to continue playing and engaging with the game.
Impact on the Pity Counter
As mentioned earlier, the most important consequence of getting a 5-star on soft pity is that your pity counter resets. It’s crucial to understand this. Whether you pull a 5-star on your first pull, your 75th pull (within soft pity), or your 90th pull (hard pity), the counter goes back to zero. This applies to both character and weapon banners, although weapon banner pity systems can be more complex.
Planning Your Future Pulls
Knowing that your pity resets is crucial for planning your future pulls. You need to re-evaluate your goals. Do you want to save for a future banner? Do you want to try for constellations (duplicates of the character)? The reset gives you the flexibility to make informed decisions based on your current resources and priorities.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the difference between soft pity and hard pity?
Soft pity is a hidden mechanic that gradually increases the probability of pulling a 5-star character or weapon after a certain number of pulls without one. Hard pity is a guaranteed 5-star character or weapon at a specific pull count (e.g., 90 pulls for character banners in Genshin Impact).
2. How can I track my pity in Genshin Impact or Honkai: Star Rail?
Unfortunately, the game doesn’t explicitly show your pity count. However, you can manually track it by reviewing your wish history. Count the number of pulls since your last 5-star. There are also external websites and apps available that can help track pity based on your wish history data.
3. Does pity carry over between character banners?
Yes, pity typically carries over between character event banners within the same game. If you pull 50 times on one character banner and it ends, your pity of 50 pulls will be carried over to the next character event banner.
4. Does pity carry over between weapon banners and character banners?
No, pity is separate for character and weapon banners. Pity on a character banner does not affect your pity on a weapon banner, and vice versa.
5. If I get a 5-star character I already have, does it reset my pity?
Yes, getting any 5-star character (or weapon) resets your pity, regardless of whether you already own them. This includes standard banner characters on event banners.
6. How does the weapon banner pity system differ from the character banner pity system?
Weapon banners often have a different pity system, typically with a lower hard pity (e.g., 80 pulls) but a potentially more complex “Epitomized Path” system. The Epitomized Path allows you to choose one of the featured weapons, and if you don’t get it after a certain number of pulls, the next 5-star weapon you get is guaranteed to be the one you chose. Consult the game’s official documentation for the specific mechanics of the weapon banner.
7. What happens if I don’t get the featured character on the event banner?
If you don’t get the featured character on a character event banner, your next 5-star character on that banner is guaranteed to be the featured character. This “guaranteed” system is often referred to as the 50/50 rule because there is a 50% chance to get the featured character and a 50% chance to get a standard banner 5-star character.
8. Is soft pity the same for character banners and weapon banners?
While the concept of soft pity exists in both character and weapon banners, the pull numbers at which soft pity starts may differ. Refer to resources specific to the game you’re playing to understand the exact numbers.
9. Does using Acquaint Fate or Intertwined Fate affect pity differently?
No, both Acquaint Fate and Intertwined Fate contribute to your pity count on the respective banners they are used on. Acquaint Fate is used for the Standard Banner and Intertwined Fate is used for Event Banners.
10. Is there any way to increase my chances of getting a 5-star outside of the pity system?
No, the pity system is the primary mechanism for ensuring you eventually get a 5-star. There are no other confirmed methods to influence the gacha results outside of relying on luck and probability.
11. Can I lose my pity progress if I take a break from the game?
No, your pity progress persists even if you stop playing the game for an extended period. Your pity count is tied to your account, not to your activity.
12. Where can I find the official details of the pity system in Genshin Impact or Honkai: Star Rail?
The official game websites (miHoYo for Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail, now HoYoverse) often have detailed explanations of the gacha mechanics, including the pity system. You can also find information within the game’s notice board. Look for information on the “Wish” or “Warp” system.
13. What are the risks of pulling without tracking my pity?
Pulling without tracking your pity can lead to overspending and not obtaining the desired character or weapon. Understanding where you are in relation to soft pity and hard pity is crucial for making informed decisions about when and how much to pull.
14. Are there any resources or communities that can help me understand gacha mechanics better?
Yes, there are many online resources and communities dedicated to gacha games. Look for forums, subreddits, and Discord servers specific to the game you’re playing. These communities can provide valuable insights, tips, and strategies for managing your resources and understanding the gacha system.
15. What should I do after getting a 5-star on soft pity?
After getting a 5-star on soft pity, take some time to assess your resources and goals. Consider whether you want to try for constellations of the character you just pulled, save for a future character, or focus on building your existing team. Strategic planning is key to maximizing your enjoyment of the game and achieving your desired results.