Genshin Impact Guide - Gacha Strategy: When to Spend and When to Save

Posted by Campbell Bird on October 21st, 2020
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If you're playing Genshin Impact without spending money, you'll always need to be looking for ways to optimize your play to maximize rewards without getting stuck in a position where you're tempted to spend. The most obvious trap here is the game's gacha system that is constantly dangling cool new characters in front of you in hopes that you'll want to go all-in on Wishes.

Primogems are the only currency you can use on Genshin Impact's virtual slot machine, but you don't always need to be spending them to try and get new characters. In fact, at times that can be a really bad idea. Read on for some tips from a seasoned gacha player about how to manage your premium currency most efficiently.


When to Save Them

Update Incoming

As of this writing, Genshin Impact is about to go down for maintenance to push an update. This is the least ideal time to try and spend Primogems. Why? There are several reasons, but the main one you should be concerned about is how changes to the game might affect your desire for new characters.

Are you pulling because you've reached the end game and you're bored? Well, this new update is likely to change that. There may also be some re-balancing of adventurers that change the way you feel about using them as well.

Downtime in in gacha games usually means bonus rewards as a make-good, too, and it seems Genshin Impact is no different. As a result of the scheduled maintenance, you'll be able to pop back into the game with even more currency that you can bank for when you really need it.

Banner Mid-Rotation

When there's no special banner with a rate-up character, there's really no reason to try and pull for characters. You can use any Acquaint Fate you've accumulated to Wish on the standard gacha if you want, but it's never a good idea to simply spend whenever you have enough currency to burn.

Drop rates on all the banners in Genshin Impact are pretty abysmal, but this is especially true for the standard banner. You'll just be wasting Primogems if you spend them on Acquaint Fate.

Character Mismatch

Even when a limited-time banner is available, you don't always need to spend your currency there. Take a look at the characters available and determine how they may fit into your team. If they'll seem like odd ducks, go ahead and skip and save for when you might find someone who better suits your existing roster.

To date, Genshin Impact has been remarkably good about providing players opportunities to assess characters for themselves in the form of Test Run Events. These events let you complete a challenge room with all rate-up adventurers available on the current banner (and even net you rewards for completing them). Make sure you do these test runs before you spend!


When to Spend Them

Post-Event Launch

A good time to look into spending premium currency in a gacha game is whenever a new set of content or events releases. This hasn't been necessary for Genshin Impact so far, but new content and events usually launch alongside shiny new characters that are ideal for completing them. It makes sense to do this from a business perspective to keep players interested in spending money on the game.

Although the Elemental Crucible did not require any particular adventurers or elements, that doesn't mean coming updates won't. I bet we'll see some events that could be designed around new characters and their abilities, so keep your eyes peeled for that.

Constellation Rate-Ups

If you have an adventurer that you like and they are have their rate up in a limited-time banner, feel free to try and pull for them. Earning duplicate adventurers is actually a pretty good thing in Genshin Impact, as it's the only way to advance their Constellation and unlock some powerful abilities.

As a bonus, duplicate characters earn you some sweet Starglitter that you can then spend on the Starglitter Exchange for new characters, Fates, or weapons.

You Like The Characters

Probably the best determinant of whether or not to spend Primogems for Wishes in Genshin Impact is just your desire for particular characters. Don't let a tier list stop you from grabbing a character if you like their design or the way they play.

At the end of the day, Genshin Impact is only going to be fun if you enjoy exploring Teyvat with an adventure team you like, so let that be your ultimate guiding light on how and when to spend Primogems.

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