The Ultimate Guide to Guaranteeing 5-Star Characters in Genshin Impact

As a Genshin Impact content creator and avid gamer with over 2000 hours logged, I‘ve had my fair share of 5-star chasing adventures. And let me tell you, guaranteed 5-stars do NOT come easy. Genshin‘s convoluted pity, 50/50, and wishing systems demand careful planning, saving, and strategy to master.

But fear not, dear reader! Today I provide you the fruits of my labors – the ultimate guide to guaranteeing those 5-star beauties and avoiding the dread Qiqis and Bell weapons of the world.

Genshin‘s Pity System – Your Safety Net

The very foundation of strategic wishing lies with Genshin‘s pity system. This system essentially tracks how many wishes have passed since your last 5-star obtained, accruing more "pity" with every wish. Once your pity counter hits 90 wishes, you are guaranteed a shiny new 5-star, no matter what.

This pity counter carries over between ALL banners, including the standard banner, weapon banners, and limited character event banners. So breathe easy knowing your wishes are never wasted.

Infographic from Reddit user u/Gexmnlin13 explaining details of pity system

Now, most 5-stars will trigger around the 75-80 wish mark due to something called soft pity – where rates slowly start increasing to 100%. But only at 90 is it truly guaranteed.

The Cruel 50/50 – Win or Lose?

Alright, you now understand the pity safety net. But now comes the real challenge – actually guaranteeing you win the right 5-star character.

Enter the dreaded 50/50 mechanic.

Whenever you receive a 5-star, there is a 50% chance for it to be the "rate-up" limited-time 5-star highlighted on the current character event banner. If you win this 50/50 coin flip, congratulations! But should you lose, your next 5-star is guaranteed to be the rate-up character.

Image depicting the cruel 50/50 coin flip

So in the worst case, you need 180 wishes to guarantee the rate-up 5-star – 90 to lose the 50/50 and 90 again for the guarantee.

Let‘s break down the math:

• 180 Wishes
• 160 Primogems per wish
• 180 * 160 = 28,800 Primogems needed

As a low spender, I always make sure I have this amount saved before wishing on 5-stars I really want.

Topping Up Wishes through Genesis Crystals

Now, for free-to-play players, saving nearly 30,000 primogems is a tall task. As a low spender myself, I often supplement my savings through Genesis Crystal top ups when chasing important 5-star characters.

$100 USD buys you the maximum 6480 crystals in one go, equivalent to ~40 wishes. Of course, never spend more than you can afford. But for guaranteeing characters, whales blowing thousands have a clear advantage.

If you do want to spend a bit to build your 5-star roster, my advice would be:

1. Only buy Crystals when they are on discount. Mihoyo discounts them twice a year.
2. Budget carefully and stick to limits. These costs spiral out of control fast!

Below is a handy table with some of the Crystal top up options:

Limited Banners Only! Don‘t Waste Primos on Standard

With so much effort guaranteeing 5-stars on limited banners through meticulous planning, penny pinching primogems starts becoming second nature. So as a final word of advice, NEVER spend your precious primogems wishing on the standard banner.

Only limited character event banners guarantee the rate-up 5-star when you win the 50/50. The starter characters on the standard banner have no such protections. Stories abound of players wasting hundreds only to be flooded with Qiqi constellations.

Save everything exclusively for limited banners with characters you love!

Hopefully these tips provide you a blueprint for success. With some dedication and a dash of real world dollars when needed, that C6 whale 5-star roster could be yours! Let me know if you have any other questions on 5-star chasing strategies – happy wishing and may the Archons bless your pulls!