Genshin Impact has several gacha banners that change on a three-week basis. Read on for an analysis of the current and upcoming banners and see where you should spend your wishes!
Current Banners
Current banners end on:
January 30, 2023
Genshin Impact’s current rate-up 5-star characters are Raiden Shogun (Electro Polearm) and Yoimiya (Pyro Bow). They are accompanied by the 4-stars Chevreuse (Pyro Polearm), Kujou Sara (Electro Bow), and Bennett (Pyro Sword).
Genshin Impact’s current rate-up 5-star weapons are Thundering Pulse (Bow) and Engulfing Lightning (Polearm). They are accompanied by the 4-stars Favonius Sword (Sword), Rainslasher, (Claymore), Rust (Bow), Wavebreaker’s Fin (Polearm), and Eye of Perception (Catalyst).
Upcoming Banners
4.4
Confirmed:
Xianyun (Cloud Retainer) (Anemo)
Gaming (Pyro)
Speculated:
The three limited characters who have gone the longest without a rerun are Albedo, Arataki Itto, and Xiao. One or more of these may rerun in Version 4.4.
How good are the current banners?
Disclaimer: There is no pity for a specific 4-star character or weapon. Do not pull for a specific 4-star unless you are prepared to pull several 5-stars along the way. The weapon banner is even more punishing than the character banners. Do not pull unless you are okay with receiving at least one of each featured weapon.
5-Star Characters
Raiden Shogun is an Electro on-field DPS character who provides additional Energy generation for her team. Raiden’s damage may not be the highest among Genshin Impact’s DPS powerhouses, but she still hits hard enough to be a viable hypercarry. Prior to Constellation 2 though, it may be better to think of her as a combination of DPS and on-field driver. Raiden as an on-fielder is extremely comfortable to play thanks to her built-in interruption resistance and Energy generation, making her my go-to recommended pull for newer players. Raiden is also technically the best Hyperbloom trigger in Genshin Impact if you commit to a full Elemental Mastery build.
Yoimiya is a solid Pyro on-field DPS. She specializes in ranged single-target Pyro damage through her Pyro-infused Normal Attacks. I recommend pairing her with a strong shielder to keep from being interrupted. If you already have strong Pyro teams, then Yoimiya might be redundant, but her pew-pew playstyle makes her quite fun to play. If you like her playstyle, then Yoimiya is a perfectly fine unit to pull, but there are plenty of other Pyro DPS characters for you to choose from.
4-Star Characters
Chevreuse is a 4-star healer and buffer. Her kit is centered around supporting Overload teams, with a passive that only activates if all teammates are Electro or Pyro. She is effective within her niche, but if you don’t want to play around Overload reactions, then you probably don’t want Chevreuse.
Kujou Sara is a 4-star Electro buffer. Her ATK buff isn’t as large as Bennett’s, but her Burst is capable of decent damage. At Constellation 6, she becomes one of the best support options for Raiden with a rare 60% CRIT DMG buff to Electro damage. Prior to Constellation 2 though, Sara can feel clunky to use, since she requires using a Charged Shot to manually place her buff. Still, it’s worth it to try to obtain Sara Constellations if you intend to play hypercarry Raiden.
Bennett is a 4-star Pyro healer and buffer. He is best known for the absolutely massive ATK buff from his Burst, which can grant any on-fielder nearly 1,000 flat ATK. His healing caps out at 70% of the receiving character’s HP, but this is still plenty for most situations. Bennett is no longer vital to an account, since we now have more DPS options who don’t scale with ATK, but he still remains one of the best characters in Genshin Impact.
5-Star Weapons
Thundering Pulse is Yoimiya’s signature Bow. It is her best-in-slot for damage, but there are plenty of other Bows that come close. Other than Yoimiya, Thundering Pulse can also be used as a CRIT DMG stat stick on any DPS Bow user. Overall, I don’t think this bow’s value is worth the gamble on the weapon banner, and I don’t recommend pulling for it.
Engulfing Lightning is Raiden’s signature Polearm. It allows Raiden to build a massive amount of Energy Recharge, increasing the amount of Energy she restores to her team. In terms of damage alone though, it’s not significantly better than The Catch. Other than Raiden, Engulfing Lightning can be used on Xiangling, Rosaria, or any other Polearm user who needs Energy Recharge. Given how accessible The Catch is, I recommend you just go fishing rather than pull on the weapon banner.
4-Star Weapons
Favonius Sword is a great weapon for support Sword users like Lynette, Kirara, Layla, and Kuki Shinobu. You can even use it on Xingqiu or Kazuha if you really need the Energy. It’s very versatile, and Refinements help to make its Energy generation more consistent.
Rainslasher is a good weapon for any Claymore users who need Elemental Mastery. It’s good on Diluc and Kaveh, and it’s a valid option for Sayu. Razor can use Rainslasher if he is built for Hyperbloom/Burgeon.
Rust is a great Bow for Yoimiya if you fail to pull Thundering Pulse. It’s also one of Tartaglia’s best 4-star options.
Wavebreaker’s Fin is a banner-exclusive Polearm that grants Burst DMG based on your team’s combined Energy cost for their Bursts. This is great for Polearm users that deal Burst damage, like Raiden, Xiangling, or Rosaria.
Eye of Perception can be used for Physical Catalyst shenanigans, but it isn’t great on anyone. I don’t recommend using it, even if you already have it.
