Does Honkai: Star Rail Have Pity? A Comprehensive Guide to Gacha Mechanics
Yes, Honkai: Star Rail absolutely has a pity system. This crucial mechanic is designed to ensure that players eventually receive rare and powerful characters and Light Cones (the game’s equivalent of weapons) regardless of their luck. Understanding how the pity system works is essential for effective resource management and strategic planning within the game.
Unveiling the Pity System in Honkai: Star Rail
The pity system in Honkai: Star Rail is your safety net. It’s the knowledge that even if the gacha gods aren’t smiling upon you, a top-tier reward is guaranteed within a specific number of pulls. The system primarily revolves around two key concepts: hard pity and soft pity.
Hard Pity: Your Guaranteed Reward
Hard pity is the absolute maximum number of pulls required to obtain a guaranteed 5-star item (character or Light Cone) on a specific banner. This is a fixed number. For Character Event Warps and Standard Warps, hard pity is at 90 pulls. This means that if you haven’t received a 5-star character after 89 pulls, your 90th pull will definitely give you one. For Light Cone Event Warps, hard pity sits at 80 pulls. This difference is important to keep in mind when planning your pulls.
Soft Pity: The Helping Hand
Soft pity is a hidden mechanic that increases your probability of pulling a 5-star character or Light Cone before reaching hard pity. While the exact mechanics aren’t officially disclosed by HoYoverse (the game’s developer), the community has extensively analyzed pull data to determine its approximate start and scale. Soft pity is believed to kick in around pull 75 on character banners and 65 on Light Cone banners, gradually increasing your chances of pulling a 5-star with each subsequent warp. This means that it’s more likely to get a 5-star between pulls 75-90 than between pulls 1-74 (on character banners, of course).
Understanding the 50/50 System
On Character Event Warps, when you pull a 5-star character, there’s a 50% chance that it will be the featured character. If you lose the 50/50 and receive a different 5-star character, your next 5-star pull on that same banner is guaranteed to be the featured character. This guarantee carries over between Character Event Warps. This system ensures that if you’re targeting a specific character, you’ll eventually get them, even if luck isn’t initially on your side.
Pity is Banner-Specific
A critical thing to remember is that pity counters are specific to each banner type. Your pity count on a Character Event Warp is completely independent from your pity count on a Light Cone Event Warp or the Standard Warp. So if you’ve done 80 pulls on a Character Event Warp and then switch to a Light Cone Event Warp, your progress towards pity doesn’t transfer. This is vital for planning your pulls and avoiding wasting resources on banners you’re not genuinely interested in.
4-Star Guarantees
Aside from the 5-star pity system, Honkai: Star Rail also guarantees at least one 4-star character or Light Cone every 10 pulls on all banners. This helps ensure that you’re constantly making progress and acquiring useful items, even when you’re still building up towards your 5-star pity. This also gives newer players a reliable influx of characters and light cones to build their teams.
Strategic Pulling: Maximizing Your Resources
Understanding the pity system allows you to pull strategically and maximize your resources. If you’re free-to-play or a low-spending player, saving up enough Stellar Jade (the game’s primary currency for pulling) to reach hard pity is often the most prudent approach. This ensures you get the character or Light Cone you want, eventually. On the other hand, knowing about soft pity can give you an idea of when to start pulling a bit more aggressively if you’re feeling lucky.
FAQs: Delving Deeper into the Pity System
Here are some frequently asked questions to further clarify the intricacies of the pity system in Honkai: Star Rail.
1. What happens to my pity if a banner ends?
Your pity carries over to the next banner of the same type. For example, if you have 70 pulls on a Character Event Warp when it ends, that progress will be retained and applied to the next Character Event Warp. This is a huge relief, as it ensures that your efforts aren’t wasted.
2. Does the Departure Warp have a pity system?
Yes, the Departure Warp also has a pity system. It guarantees a 5-star character within the first 50 pulls, which is a much lower threshold than the standard banners. However, the Departure Warp is a one-time banner for new players and can only be used for a limited number of pulls.
3. How can I track my pity count?
Unfortunately, Honkai: Star Rail doesn’t have an in-game pity counter. However, you can track your pull history manually by counting your pulls on each banner. There are also third-party websites and tools that can help you track your pity count, though always exercise caution when using external websites and ensure they are reputable.
4. What’s the difference between Star Rail Pass and Star Rail Special Pass?
Star Rail Passes are used for the Standard Warp (also known as the Stellar Warp) and Departure Warp, while Star Rail Special Passes are used for Character Event Warps and Light Cone Event Warps. It’s crucial to use the correct pass for the banner you’re targeting.
5. Is it better to do single pulls or 10-pulls?
The rate of getting a 4-star or higher item is the same, regardless of doing single or 10-pulls.
6. How does the weapon banner pity system work?
The Light Cone Event Warp (the equivalent of the weapon banner in other gacha games) has a different pity system compared to the Character Event Warp. The hard pity is at 80 pulls instead of 90, and the soft pity is believed to start around 65 pulls. The 75/25 system works here, where there is a 75% chance that the 5-star you pull is the featured Light Cone, and 25% chance it will be a standard Light Cone.
7. Does pity reset after I get a 4-star?
No, the pity system that guarantees a 5-star only resets when you get a 5-star character or Light Cone. Getting a 4-star item doesn’t affect your progress towards the 5-star pity.
8. What happens if I hit hard pity and get a duplicate character?
If you get a duplicate character, it will be converted into Eidolons. Eidolons are character-specific upgrades that enhance their abilities and stats. While getting new characters is usually more desirable, Eidolons can significantly boost the power of your favorite characters.
9. Can I use my Stellar Jade on any banner?
You can use Stellar Jade to purchase either Star Rail Passes or Star Rail Special Passes. Choose wisely based on the banner you want to pull on. It’s generally recommended to prioritize spending Stellar Jade on Star Rail Special Passes for Character Event Warps, especially if you’re targeting specific characters.
10. Does the Standard Warp banner have a featured character?
No, the Standard Warp banner doesn’t have featured characters. Instead, it features a rotating pool of all the standard 5-star characters and Light Cones. This makes it harder to target specific items on this banner, but it’s a good option for players who want to expand their roster generally.
11. What is the average number of pulls to get a 5-star?
While hard pity is at 90 pulls, the average number of pulls required to get a 5-star is often lower due to the soft pity system. Community data suggests an average of around 60-70 pulls for Character Event Warps and slightly lower for Light Cone Event Warps.
12. Is Honkai: Star Rail Pay-to-Win (P2W)?
While Honkai: Star Rail does have gacha mechanics that involve spending real money, it’s not strictly Pay-to-Win. The game is primarily a single-player experience with a focus on story and character progression. While having powerful characters can make content easier, the game is designed to be enjoyable and completable even for free-to-play players with smart resource management and team building. Learn more about how games impact society on the Games Learning Society website.
13. Does Honkai: Star Rail have a crafting system?
No, Honkai: Star Rail does not have a crafting system like Genshin Impact. Instead, you acquire relics and materials to upgrade your characters and light cones through gameplay and the in-game shop.
14. Does pity carry over in Genshin Impact?
Yes, pity does carry over in Genshin Impact! It works in the same way as it does in Honkai: Star Rail.
15. What are the relics in Honkai: Star Rail?
Relics are equipable items that help improve the stats of your various characters.
Final Thoughts
The pity system in Honkai: Star Rail is a crucial element that adds fairness and predictability to the gacha mechanics. By understanding how it works, you can strategically plan your pulls, manage your resources effectively, and ultimately acquire the characters and Light Cones you desire. So, go forth, Trailblazer, and may the odds be ever in your favor!