Is There a Pity System in ASTD? Your Pull Rates & Probability Guide
Yes, ASTD (Anime Showdown Tower Defense), like many gacha games, incorporates a pity system to guarantee players a higher chance of obtaining rare units after a certain number of unsuccessful pulls. This system is designed to mitigate the frustrations of long streaks without securing desired characters, thereby improving the overall player experience. The specifics of the pity system, including the exact number of pulls required and the units guaranteed, vary depending on the banner being pulled.
Understanding the Pity System in ASTD
The pity system in ASTD generally revolves around summoning banners. These banners typically feature specific units with increased drop rates during their featured period. If you don’t obtain the featured unit within a specified number of summons, the pity system activates. The activation guarantees you either the featured unit or significantly increases your odds of pulling one on your next summon.
Different Banner Types & Pity Mechanics
ASTD often features different types of summoning banners, each with its own pity rules. Common banner types include:
- Normal Summon Banners: These are your standard summoning events with a general pool of units. The pity here usually involves a guaranteed higher-rarity unit (like a 5-star) after a certain number of pulls.
- Featured Summon Banners: These highlight a specific unit or group of units. The pity system on these banners focuses on ensuring players eventually obtain one of the featured units.
- Limited-Time Summon Banners: These banners feature units that are only available for a short period. They often have a higher pity threshold, reflecting the rarity and limited availability of the units.
How the Pity Counter Works
Each summoning banner typically has its own pity counter. This counter tracks the number of summons you’ve made on that specific banner. The counter resets to zero when you successfully pull a unit covered by the pity mechanic. This means if the pity guarantees a featured unit after 50 pulls, your counter resets the moment you get that featured unit, even if it’s your first pull.
Soft Pity vs. Hard Pity
The ASTD pity system potentially utilizes both soft and hard pity mechanics:
- Soft Pity: Soft pity refers to a gradual increase in the odds of pulling a desired unit as you approach the hard pity threshold. For instance, after 30 summons, the probability of pulling the featured unit may slowly increase with each subsequent pull.
- Hard Pity: Hard pity is the guaranteed pull of a specific unit after a defined number of attempts. If the hard pity is set at 50 summons for a featured unit, the 50th summon will guarantee that featured unit.
Is the Pity System Cumulative Across Banners?
Generally, the pity counter is not cumulative across different banners. Each banner has its own separate pity counter that functions independently. Therefore, if you summon 40 times on one banner and then switch to a different banner, the new banner’s pity counter will start from zero. This is a crucial point to understand when planning your summoning strategy.
Maximizing Your Summoning Strategy with Pity
Understanding the ASTD pity system is vital for effectively managing your in-game resources and maximizing your chances of acquiring desired units. Here are some key strategies:
- Track Your Pity Counter: Keep track of your pity count on each banner. This allows you to strategically decide when to continue summoning on a specific banner to take advantage of the pity system.
- Prioritize Featured Banners: If you are targeting specific units, focus your summons on the featured banners that highlight those units. This increases your chances of obtaining them and ensures you benefit from the pity system should you not get them early on.
- Resource Management: Before summoning, assess your available resources. Determine how many summons you can realistically perform without depleting your resources entirely. This helps you avoid falling short of the pity threshold.
- Consider Soft Pity: While less predictable than hard pity, keep in mind the possibility of a soft pity system and consider whether to continue summoning on a banner as you approach the hard pity threshold.
FAQs About ASTD Pity System
1. How do I check my pity count in ASTD?
Unfortunately, ASTD does not directly display the pity counter in the game. Players usually have to manually track their summons on each banner or rely on community-created tools or guides to estimate their pity count.
2. Does the pity system guarantee a specific unit on every banner?
No, the guarantee depends on the banner type. Featured banners usually guarantee a unit or one of the featured units. Normal banners might guarantee a higher-rarity unit from the general pool.
3. Does using multiple accounts to summon increase my chances of getting a specific unit?
While using multiple accounts increases the overall number of summons you perform, it doesn’t directly affect the pity system on any single account. Each account’s pity counter operates independently.
4. If I get the featured unit early, does the pity counter reset?
Yes, the pity counter resets as soon as you successfully pull a unit covered by the pity mechanic on that banner.
5. Is there a pity system for items besides units in ASTD?
Typically, the pity system in ASTD primarily applies to summoning units. Pity systems are less common for items obtained through other means, like in-game events or challenges.
6. What happens if a banner ends while I’m close to pity?
Any progress you made towards the pity system on that specific banner will be lost when the banner ends. The pity counter does not carry over to new banners.
7. Can I get a refund if I don’t get the unit I want even after hitting pity?
Refunds are generally not offered for gacha games, even if you don’t get the specific unit you want after hitting pity. The pity system ensures a higher chance of obtaining a rare unit, but it doesn’t guarantee a specific one unless explicitly stated.
8. How often are new summoning banners released in ASTD?
The frequency of new summoning banners varies. Generally, new banners are introduced with major updates, events, or special promotions.
9. Does the VIP level affect the pity system?
No, the VIP level does not typically affect the core mechanics of the pity system. VIP levels usually offer benefits like increased daily rewards, faster progression, or exclusive items, but not changes to the summoning probability or pity mechanics.
10. Are the summoning rates and pity system the same on all ASTD servers?
Generally, the summoning rates and pity system are consistent across all servers of ASTD. However, it is always a good idea to verify this information from official sources or community forums, as there might be exceptions in specific regions or during limited-time events.
11. Where can I find official information about the pity system in ASTD?
Official information is typically announced in the in-game news section, developer blogs, or social media channels. Refer to these official sources for the most accurate and up-to-date details about the pity system.
12. Do trial units affect the pity counter?
No, using trial units (free temporary access to a unit) doesn’t affect your pity counter on any banner. Only actual summons contribute to the pity progress.
13. Is it better to do single summons or multi-summons to benefit from the pity system?
Whether you choose single summons or multi-summons, the pity system tracks the total number of summons regardless. Therefore, the choice between single and multi-summons is usually a matter of convenience or preference.
14. Can the pity system change after game updates?
Yes, game developers can adjust the pity system with updates. Be sure to check the patch notes for updates and changes.
15. If I uninstall and reinstall the game, does my pity counter reset?
No, your pity counter is linked to your account and does not reset when you uninstall and reinstall the game, as long as you log back in with the same account details.