April 1, 2025 takao

Beginner's Guide to Genshin Impact Weapon Banner: 2025 Complete Analysis

The Weapon Event Wish banner in Genshin Impact is often considered the most controversial gacha system in the game. While it offers powerful 5-star weapons that can significantly boost your characters' performance, it's also notoriously expensive and risky for F2P and low-spending players.

This comprehensive guide will help you understand how the weapon banner works, whether you should pull on it, and how to make informed decisions about your Primogem spending.

Key Takeaway: The weapon banner is generally not recommended for beginners or F2P players. Focus on building a diverse character roster first.

How the Weapon Banner Works

Basic Mechanics

The Weapon Event Wish banner features two 5-star weapons with rate-up, along with several 4-star weapons. Here are the key mechanics:

  • 5-star rate: 0.7% (slightly higher than character banners)
  • Hard pity: 80 pulls (10 less than character banners)
  • Soft pity: Starts around pull 65
  • No 50/50 system: You get one of the two featured weapons

Epitomized Path System

The most important feature of the weapon banner is the Epitomized Path system:

  • Choose which of the two featured weapons you want
  • Gain 1 Fate Point each time you get the "wrong" featured weapon
  • At 2 Fate Points, your next 5-star is guaranteed to be your chosen weapon
  • Maximum cost: 240 pulls (38,400 Primogems) for guaranteed weapon
Important: Fate Points reset when the banner changes, so you must complete your pulls within one banner period.

Weapon Banner vs Character Banner Comparison

Aspect Character Banner Weapon Banner
5-star Rate 0.6% 0.7%
Hard Pity 90 pulls 80 pulls
Guarantee System 180 pulls max 240 pulls max
Value for F2P High Low
Impact on Gameplay New playstyles Damage increase

Should You Pull on the Weapon Banner?

Pros of Weapon Banner

  • Significant damage increase for your characters
  • Unique weapon effects and abilities
  • Higher 5-star rate than character banners
  • Lower hard pity threshold
  • Good 4-star weapons often featured

Cons of Weapon Banner

  • Much more expensive than character banners
  • Weapons don't change gameplay fundamentally
  • Risk of getting the "wrong" featured weapon
  • Fate Points reset between banners
  • Not essential for clearing content

Recommendations by Player Type

F2P Players: Generally avoid the weapon banner. Focus on getting diverse characters first. Only consider if you have all the characters you want and excess Primogems.
Low Spenders (Welkin/BP): Occasionally pull if you really want a specific weapon and can afford the full 240 pulls. Prioritize characters first.
Whales: Pull freely, but still be strategic about which weapons provide the most value for your roster.

When the Weapon Banner Might Be Worth It

Ideal Scenarios for Pulling

  • Both featured weapons are useful for your characters
  • You have 240 pulls saved and can guarantee your desired weapon
  • The weapon significantly improves your favorite character
  • You already have all desired characters and want to optimize
  • The 4-star weapons are also valuable for your roster

Red Flags: When to Avoid

  • You only want one of the two featured weapons
  • You don't have enough pulls for the guarantee
  • You're missing important characters for your teams
  • The weapon is only marginally better than 4-star alternatives
  • You're pulling "just because" without a clear plan

Alternative Strategies

4-Star Weapon Alternatives

Before considering the weapon banner, make sure you've explored these alternatives:

  • Battle Pass weapons - Excellent value for low spenders
  • Craftable weapons - Free and often very competitive
  • Event weapons - Limited-time but powerful options
  • Gacha 4-star weapons - Much cheaper to obtain and refine

Investment Priority Order

Recommended Priority:
  1. Essential characters for your teams
  2. Character constellations (if beneficial)
  3. 5-star weapons (only if you have excess resources)
  4. Luxury pulls and optimization

Weapon Banner Tips and Strategies

If You Decide to Pull

  • Set your Epitomized Path before pulling
  • Have the full 240 pulls ready before starting
  • Pull during the same banner period - don't split across banners
  • Consider both featured weapons useful before pulling
  • Don't chase with small amounts of Primogems

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Pulling without enough resources for guarantee
  • Not setting Epitomized Path
  • Pulling when only one weapon is useful
  • Expecting to get lucky with small investments
  • Prioritizing weapons over essential characters

Conclusion: Making Smart Weapon Banner Decisions

The weapon banner can provide significant power increases, but it comes at a steep cost. For most players, especially beginners and F2P players, the character banner offers much better value and gameplay variety.

Final Advice: Only pull on the weapon banner if you have a complete character roster, excess Primogems, and can afford the full guarantee. Remember that skill and strategy matter more than having the best weapons.

Use our Expected Value Calculator to plan your weapon banner pulls and ensure you're making informed decisions about your Primogem investments!