The Hardest 5-Stars to Obtain in Genshin – A F2P Odyssey
As both a long-time casual fan of gacha game mechanics and passionately-devoted Genshin Impact player determined to collect every character available, I‘ve had my fair share of euphoric highs and crushing lows in attempting to unlock 5-star heroes over the past years.
Through discussions with fellow weary travelers saved across my journeys in Teyvat, we‘ve bonded over recounting our fruitless pursuits of dreams like "Mistsplitter Reforged" and "C6 Eula". We‘ve found consensus around the select few 5-stars that truly test the limits of mortals not unlike the formidable elite weekly bosses we face (though Signora remains eternally out of our grasp…).
While 4-stars like Kujou Sara and Razor reliably elude some of us across countless failed 50/50 attempts, and staples like Bennett haunt our never-ending streams of Bell weapon banners, it‘s the following class of 5-stars that the community agrees require true dedication to finally obtain.
I‘ll chronicle the odyssey many of us have shared in strategizing as free players to guarantees these elusive characters against increasingly steep costs – whether measured in primogems or sanity. All to finally welcome those long-awaited words: "Ah, so you‘re my master…"
Chapter 1: The Trial of Limited-Time Temptations
Veterans who have known the sting of skipping Albedo‘s lore-rich Dragonspine-debut to save for Ganyu or Xiao understand this crushing dilemma. Limited-time 5-star characters who emerge without warning before disappearing into the abyss for months or years haunt our wish simulators.
Take the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor‘s sparkling Director. Hu Tao‘s first appearance in update 1.3 (March 2021) caught fans flat-footed, her signature Staff of Homa in tow.
*Figure 1: Hu Tao‘s Liyue Re-Run banners 6 months apart*
But at least we could take solace knowing she would return, as reliable leaks fortunately gave us a 6-month heads up on her imminent re-run coinciding with Halloween. F2P players like myself doubled primogem grinding efforts through Inazuma‘s arrival, passing on fan-favorites like Ayaka and Yoimiya while the cost of a guarantee grew ever higher:
| Date | Primogems for Guarantee |
|---|---|
| Nov 2020 Launch | 14400* |
| Oct 2021 (Hu Tao Rerun) | 19200 |
| March 2022 | 20000** |
*Table 1: Rising primogem costs for limited 5-star guarantee over time*
*Enough for 90 pulls at launch
** Just enough for guaranteed featured 5-star
While Hu Tao is but one example, each new 5-star event brings increasingly difficult decisions on whether we can afford to retain our dedication. The recent consolation of reward starglitter for lost 50/50s has been a welcome relief, but when facing down three consecutive failed pity attempts, those scarlet Daruma dolls start to feel awfully hollow…
Chapter 2: The Agony of Standard Banner Absences
While event characters offer the unreliable lifeline of possible reruns, praying to acquire aloof staples like Qiqi and Mona from the standard banner can test the resolve of even veterans. I still have nightmares of lost 50/50s resulting in C4+ Jean instead of one elusive Mona after years of playing:
*Figure 2: Poll results – tries taken to unlock Mona. [Source](https://www.reddit.com/r/MonaMains/comments/xe8pcf/how_many_tries_did_it_take_for_you_to_get_mona/)*
Based on this poll, we can estimate the average bad luck player needs nearly 9 tries before finally welcoming Mona‘s enigmatic presence to their party. For F2P grinding primos from events/battle pass since launch, we‘re looking at once per 6 month cycle.
So multiple years before Mona decides we‘re worthy of gracing her Domain of Guyun. That‘s not accounting for patches taken off to guarantee the likes of Kazuha (worth it).
As the chart shows, a soul-crushing 15% of respondents still hadn‘t acquired sweet astrologist Mona despite actively trying – even at high AR!
Chapter 3: The Veteran Vantage
Imagine joining the Adventurer‘s Guild when talk of Inazuma‘s civil war and numbered Fatui Harbingers was still simply speculation. Skins for Diluc and Jean no more than rumors.
These early pioneers who won their 50/50 for Venti during his lore-rich maiden flight of 1.0 hold lasting glory over those of us who hope in vain for the slight chance of an Anemo Archon re-run. Some things only money and luck can buy – not even a Jade Chamber‘s primogem offerings stand a chance of catching fallen autumn leaves…
*Figure 3: Venti‘s rare banner appearances over 2 years*
The data shows Venti is truly a limited-time Airbender – having enjoyed only two rate-up banners EVER, one year apart exactly. Those around for his most recent return alongside Ayaka (2.6) likely decided the thousand-year memory and father-son reunion was worth sacrificing their dedication to relieved Kamisatos.
My bet is most Venti wanters have now become havers – though we may meet young aspirants chasing the long-ago Ballad of Resistance across Sumerian sands…
For as long as I remember, bards have echoed rumors through Angel‘s Share of a mythic short-statured bard who once called Mondstadt home. Some claim to have spotted this Stir Fry in the skies over Windrise as their Klee sent Hilichurl camps sky-high. Others whisper of a fateful duet once held with Signora herself amidst dragonbone ruins – though few today would admit such treason.
Only the true original Seven of Old Mondstadt can now boast having seized the opportunity to fight alongside this long-haired spirit before he vanished like the sweet Dandelion Wine of a midsummer‘s dream…
| Character | Rate-Up Banners |
|---|---|
| Venti | 2 |
| Klee | 3 |
| Childe | 4 |
*Table 2: Rate-up banner tally for early 5-stars*
While Klee and Childe have enjoyed a healthy rerun schedule to the relief of late joiners, Venti wanters may be waiting in vain till the islands of Mare Jivari emerge from sleepy bards‘ tales…
In Summary: Pay Your Primos or Pay the Price
Having journeyed together through the rolling highs and lows of veteran Genshin players‘ endless crusade to welcome certain aloof 5-stars into our teapot homes, I hope you, dear reader in early Sumeru, understand our scars.
The lesson learned across thousands of resin spent persevering through the artifact strongbox gauntlet day after day?
Fortune favors the patient…and the rich.
While we don‘t all possess the Deep Pockets to swipe for C2 Raiden Shogun or guarantee ever-evading Mistsplitter Reforged each return (I‘m still waiting from the crafting table, sigh), the most dedicated amongst the free can indeed triumph over luck‘s cruel whims.
With enough primogems saved over years, ever diligent in skipping banners many moons long, the F2P player may yet receive redemption through pity for past humiliation.
So to all who today despair ascending the storehouse stairs after dutifully offering 6,000 Onikabuto to Arama Kitsune Statue in exchange for 4-star offerings, I say: redemption awaits!
With new regions come new quests and chances to reverse the perils of fate. Stockpile those primos and you too may welcome a mythic Stir Fry into your travel party soon enough.
We can‘t all be winners of the Archon lottery on our journey, but the stars and fate may someday align if we but keep our eyes fixed upward while striving ever higher each new challenge…
Now to prepare for Dehya‘s arrival. May the Dendro Archon bless us!
[/Your Passionate Humble Blogger]