Genshin Impact Constellation Level Primogem Costs: A Comprehensive Guide
Genshin Impact, the open-world action RPG developed by HoYoverse, features a character progression system known as Constellations. Unlocking Constellation levels enhances a character’s abilities, providing significant boosts to their combat effectiveness, utility, or overall performance. However, obtaining these Constellations requires acquiring duplicate copies of a character through the game’s gacha system, which relies heavily on Primogems—the premium currency. This guide delves into the Primogem costs associated with unlocking Constellations, offering insights into budgeting, planning, and maximizing your resources.
Understanding Constellations and Their Value
Each character in Genshin Impact has six Constellation levels (C0 to C6). Unlocking a Constellation requires one duplicate character for each level (e.g., C1 requires one duplicate, C2 requires two, and so on). While some characters function perfectly well at C0, others gain transformative abilities at higher Constellations. For example, Raiden Shogun’s C2 ignores 60% of enemy DEF, drastically increasing her damage output, while Hu Tao’s C1 eliminates stamina consumption during her Elemental Skill.
However, pursuing Constellations is a luxury reserved mostly for spenders or long-time savers. The cost is high, and the returns are subject to RNG (Random Number Generation), making it essential to understand the investment required.
Primogem Basics and Wish Economics
Primogems are used to purchase Intertwined Fates or Acquaint Fates (commonly referred to as "pulls" or "wishes"). Each wish costs 160 Primogems. The gacha system operates under a "pity" mechanism:
- Soft Pity: After 75 wishes without a 5-star, the drop rate increases significantly.
- Hard Pity: Guaranteed 5-star at 90 wishes.
- 50/50 Mechanism: When pulling a 5-star character, there is a 50% chance it will be the featured banner character and a 50% chance it will be a standard banner character. If you lose the 50/50, the next 5-star is guaranteed to be the featured character.
To obtain a single duplicate of a featured 5-star character, players may need to wish up to 180 times (if they lose the 50/50). Thus, the cost for one duplicate can be as high as 28,800 Primogems (180 wishes × 160 Primogems). On average, however, players might expect to spend around 14,400 Primogems per duplicate (assuming a 50/50 win or loss cycle).
Calculating Constellation Costs
To unlock C6 for a 5-star character, you need seven copies in total (the original C0 plus six duplicates). The Primogem cost can be calculated based on the pity system:
- Worst-Case Scenario: Losing every 50/50 and hitting hard pity each time. This would require 7 × 180 = 1,260 wishes, or 201,600 Primogems.
- Average Scenario: Assuming a mix of early pulls, wins, and losses, community data suggests an average of about 100 wishes per 5-star character. Thus, for seven copies, you’d need approximately 700 wishes, or 112,000 Primogems.
- Best-Case Scenario: Winning every 50/50 and getting early pulls (e.g., before soft pity). This could theoretically require as few as 420 wishes (70 wishes per copy × 6 duplicates), or 67,200 Primogems.
For 4-star characters, the calculations are different. They appear more frequently but are not guaranteed. Pity for 4-stars is 10 wishes, and every 10 wishes guarantees a 4-star item ( weapon or character). However, getting a specific 4-star character duplicate can be challenging due to the pool of characters and weapons. On average, obtaining one copy of a featured 4-star might take 30-40 wishes. To C6 a 4-star ( requiring seven copies), you might need 210–280 wishes, or 33,600–44,800 Primogems.
Strategies for Managing Primogem Costs
Given the high costs, planning is crucial. Here are some strategies:
- Prioritize Characters: Focus on Constellations for characters who benefit the most. Support characters like Zhongli or Kazuha often have strong early Constellations (e.g., C1 or C2), while DPS characters may require C4 or C6 for peak performance.
- Save and Budget: Hoard Primogems for reruns. Characters often receive rerun banners, allowing more time to save.
- Utilize Pity System: Keep track of your pity counter and 50/50 status. If you lose a 50/50, your next 5-star is guaranteed, which can be saved for a desired character.
- Take Advantage of Events: Genshin Impact regularly events, codes, and login campaigns that reward Primogems. Completing daily commissions (60 Primogems/day) and exploring the world can accumulate resources over time.
- Consider Welkin Moon and Battle Pass: The Welkin Moon (约$5) provides 90 Primogems daily for 30 days, plus 300 Genesis Crystals, totaling 2,700 Primogems. The Battle Pass offers resources, including Intertwined Fates. These are cost-effective ways to boost Primogem income.
Is It Worth It?
The value of Constellations varies. For free-to-play players, Constellations are often not worth the opportunity cost—instead, pulling for new characters can provide more versatility and fun. For low spenders, targeting key Constellations (e.g., C1 for Hu Tao) might be reasonable. Whales and dedicated mains may pursue C6 for favorites.
It’s also worth noting that power creep exists, and new characters might outperform old C6 units. Thus, pulling for Constellations should primarily be for love of the character, not meta alone.
Conclusion
Unlocking Constellations in Genshin Impact is a resource-intensive endeavor. While the gameplay benefits can be substantial, the Primogem costs are prohibitively high for most players. Understanding the pity system, calculating costs, and strategizing pulls can help you make informed decisions. Whether you aim for C6 or enjoy characters at C0, managing your Primogems wisely ensures a sustainable and enjoyable experience in Teyvat.
