What Should I Use Primogems For? The Ultimate Genshin Impact Guide
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Primogems are the premium currency in Genshin Impact, and understanding how to spend them wisely is crucial for maximizing your account’s potential and enjoying the game to its fullest. The short answer is: Primogems are primarily used for acquiring Wishes, which in turn allow you to obtain new characters and weapons. However, deciding which Wishes to pull on, and whether there are other valuable uses for your hard-earned Primogems, requires a deeper understanding of the game’s gacha system and your personal goals.
Understanding Your Primogem Spending Strategy
The best use of Primogems boils down to a careful balance between acquiring powerful characters and weapons, and managing your resources effectively. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, as your spending habits will depend on your desired team compositions, playstyle, and whether you’re a free-to-play (F2P), low-spending, or whale player.
Wishes: The Main Primogem Sink
The primary use for Primogems is to purchase Acquaint Fate and Intertwined Fate, both used for making Wishes on different banners.
- Acquaint Fate: Used on the Standard Banner (Wanderlust Invocation) and obtained through various in-game methods.
- Intertwined Fate: Used on Character Event Wish and Weapon Event Wish banners, and sometimes the Character Event Wish-2 banner.
Character Event Wishes typically feature one or two boosted 5-star characters and a selection of 4-star characters. These banners are the primary source of new characters for your roster. Deciding which Character Event Wish banner to pull on depends on:
- The featured 5-star character’s power and utility: Research if the character fits your team comps and playstyle. Are they meta-relevant? Do you enjoy their gameplay?
- The featured 4-star characters: Pulling on a banner with multiple desirable 4-star characters can be a great way to diversify your team.
- Your pity count: Consider how close you are to “pity” (the guarantee of a 5-star character after a certain number of pulls). Don’t waste your Primogems if you’re close to pity on a banner you don’t want.
- Your character needs: Are you lacking a specific role, such as a healer, main DPS, or support? A character banner fulfilling that need might be a good investment.
Weapon Event Wishes feature two boosted 5-star weapons, as well as boosted 4-star weapons. These banners are generally riskier than character banners, as you only have a 50/50 chance of getting the weapon you want, and you may end up with a duplicate. However, the right 5-star weapon can significantly boost a character’s damage output.
Character Event Wish-2 banners rerun characters on a shorter schedule. This allows you to obtain previously released characters you may have missed. The strategic considerations for these banners are largely the same as the original Character Event Wish banners.
Other Uses for Primogems: A Cautious Approach
While Wishes are the main focus, Primogems can also be spent on other things:
- Refilling Resin: Resin is the energy used to claim rewards from Domains, Ley Lines, and Bosses. Refilling Resin with Primogems allows you to farm more materials and artifacts. However, this is generally not recommended for F2P players or low spenders, as the cost increases with each refill.
- Purchasing Battle Pass Levels: While tempting, this is usually a poor use of Primogems. Time-gated tasks can be completed by actively playing the game, making this an inefficient use of your resources.
- Purchasing Items from Paimon’s Bargains: Occasionally, items in Paimon’s Bargains might seem tempting, but it’s usually best to avoid spending Primogems here unless absolutely necessary for a specific, immediate need. Focus on acquiring items through regular gameplay.
Determining Your Primogem Priority
Ultimately, the optimal use of Primogems depends on your priorities:
- Competitive Players (Meta Chasers): Prioritize pulling for the strongest characters and weapons that will give you an edge in Spiral Abyss and other challenging content.
- Collectors: Focus on obtaining as many characters and weapons as possible, regardless of their meta relevance.
- Casual Players: Pull for characters you enjoy playing, regardless of their power level.
- F2P Players: Carefully budget your Primogems and prioritize pulling on banners with characters that significantly improve your account. Avoid spending Primogems on Resin refills.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Should I save Primogems or spend them as I get them?
Generally, saving Primogems is the best strategy. This allows you to guarantee getting characters you want and protects you from impulsive pulls on banners you might regret later.
2. How many Primogems do I need for a guaranteed 5-star character?
You need a maximum of 180 Wishes (28,800 Primogems) to guarantee a specific 5-star character on a Character Event Wish banner, assuming you lose the 50/50 on your first 5-star. The “pity” system guarantees a 5-star character within 90 Wishes, and if you don’t get the featured character, the next 5-star is guaranteed to be the featured character.
3. Is it worth pulling on the Weapon Event Wish banner?
The Weapon Event Wish banner is riskier than the Character Event Wish banner, as you only have a 50/50 chance of getting the weapon you want. It’s generally recommended only for players who are willing to spend significantly more Primogems. The Epitomized Path system does allow you to guarantee a specific weapon after two losses.
4. How can I get more Primogems?
Primogems can be earned through various in-game activities, including:
- Daily Commissions: Complete four daily commissions each day for a total of 60 Primogems.
- Spiral Abyss: Clear floors of the Spiral Abyss for generous Primogem rewards.
- Events: Participate in limited-time events for substantial Primogem gains.
- Exploration: Discover chests and complete world quests throughout Teyvat.
- Achievements: Unlock achievements for small Primogem rewards.
- Maintenance Compensation: The developers often provide Primogems as compensation for server maintenance.
- Twitch Drops: Watching Genshin Impact on Twitch sometimes rewards primogems.
- Redeem Codes: Keep an eye out for redeem codes released by the developers.
5. Should I use Primogems to refill Resin?
Generally no, especially for F2P players. The cost of Resin refills increases with each purchase, making it an inefficient use of Primogems. Only consider refilling Resin if you’re in a desperate need for a specific material and are willing to spend for it.
6. What is the pity system in Genshin Impact?
The pity system guarantees that you will receive a 5-star character or weapon within a certain number of Wishes. For Character Event Wish and Standard banners, you’re guaranteed a 5-star within 90 Wishes. For the Weapon Event Wish banner, you’re guaranteed a 5-star within 80 Wishes.
7. What is the 50/50 in Genshin Impact?
When you pull a 5-star character or weapon on a Character Event Wish or Weapon Event Wish banner, there’s a 50% chance it will be the featured character or weapon. If you lose the 50/50, the next 5-star you pull on that banner is guaranteed to be the featured character or weapon.
8. Should I pull for constellations on 5-star characters?
Pulling for constellations on 5-star characters can significantly enhance their abilities, but it’s a very expensive endeavor. Only consider constellations if you are a high spender and truly enjoy playing a particular character.
9. How do I track my pity count?
You can track your pity count by going to the Wish screen, clicking “History,” and then manually counting the number of Wishes since your last 5-star pull. There are also online tools and third-party applications that can automatically track your pity.
10. What are Starglitter and Stardust used for?
Starglitter and Stardust are currencies obtained from making Wishes. They can be used in Paimon’s Bargains to purchase Fates, materials, and sometimes even characters.
11. Is it better to pull on Standard Banner or Character Event Wish?
For beginners, the Standard Banner can provide a wider variety of characters and weapons early on. However, Character Event Wish banners are generally the better choice for targeted character acquisition and meta relevance.
12. When should I start saving Primogems?
Start saving Primogems as early as possible, especially if you have specific characters you want to obtain.
13. Can I transfer Primogems between accounts?
No, Primogems cannot be transferred between accounts.
14. Are Genesis Crystals the same as Primogems?
No, Genesis Crystals are purchased with real money and can be converted into Primogems at a 1:1 ratio. Genesis Crystals can also be used to directly purchase certain bundles and items.
15. Should I buy the Battle Pass to get more Fates?
The Battle Pass offers valuable resources, including Fates, and is a worthwhile investment for low-spending players. It provides a consistent supply of materials and Fates to accelerate your account progression.
By carefully considering these factors and understanding the game’s gacha system, you can make informed decisions about how to spend your Primogems and ultimately maximize your enjoyment of Genshin Impact. Happy Wishing!