Understanding 5-Star Weapons in Genshin Impact
What Makes 5-Star Weapons Special
Here’s where things get interesting. 5-star weapons pack a serious punch with base attack values hitting 542-674 at level 90—that’s a massive jump from 4-star weapons that cap out at 510.
Take Staff of Homa, for instance. This beauty gives you 66.2% CRIT DMG at level 90, while Mistsplitter Reforged offers 44.1% CRIT DMG plus those sweet elemental damage bonuses. We’re talking about a potential 20-40% damage increase compared to your best 4-star alternatives. That’s… well, that’s huge.
The weapon banner runs its own pity system—soft pity kicks in at 65 wishes, hard pity at 80. Featured weapons have a 75% rate, with standard 5-star weapons taking the remaining 25%.
Impact on Character Performance
Now, characters like Hu Tao? They absolutely love weapons like Staff of Homa because it converts HP into attack power. It’s like watching magic happen.
But here’s something that might surprise you—F2P teams running elemental reactions (think the classic National comp: Xiangling, Xingqiu, Bennett, plus an Anemo unit) can actually compete with proper rotations and decent artifacts. No 5-star weapons required.
Complete List of Free 5-Star Weapons Available
The Hard Truth About Free 5-Star Weapons
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but no 5-star weapons have ever been handed out for free. Not through events, not through quests, not through any F2P mechanism whatsoever.
This is where Genshin differs from other gacha games that occasionally throw premium weapons at you during special events. All that confusion you’ve seen online? It stems from those high-quality 4-star event weapons that can actually rival 5-star performance.
Event-Exclusive 4-Star Weapons Worth Mentioning
Speaking of those stellar 4-star options:
Festering Desire: Energy Recharge substat with enhanced Elemental Skill damage and CRIT Rate
The Catch: Available through fishing (thank the Archons it’s permanent), boosts Elemental Burst damage by 32% and CRIT Rate by 12% at R5
Cinnabar Spindle: Basically made for Albedo’s DEF-scaling kit
Dodoco Tales: Perfect for charged attack enthusiasts like Klee
How to Maximize Primogem Acquisition for Weapon Pulls
Daily Commission Optimization
Your daily grind nets you 60 Primogems per day—that’s 1,800 monthly, roughly 11 wishes. Combined with other sources, dedicated F2P players can stack up 50-70 wishes per version cycle. Pro tip: pick commission regions with clustered locations. Your sanity will thank you.
Spiral Abyss Mastery
Abyss Corridor (Floors 1-8) drops 2,400 Primogems as a one-time reward. The real monthly grind is Abyssal Moon Spire (Floors 9-12), which resets on the 16th and offers 600-800 Primogems for achieving 36 stars.
Quick note: Floor 3, Chamber 3 rewards you with Xiangling—one of the game’s most devastating DPS characters when paired with The Catch polearm. Don’t sleep on this.
For those looking to enhance their Spiral Abyss performance, Genshin Impact Top Up options can provide additional resources for team strengthening.
Achievement and Exploration Rewards
Each region is basically a Primogem treasure trove with hundreds of chests and waypoint discoveries. Character trials give you 20 Primogems each. Those livestream promo codes? Usually 300 Primogems total.
And hey, the permanent code GENSHINGIFT still works for Adventure Rank 10+ players—50 free Primogems right there.
Weapon Banner Mechanics and F2P Strategies
Understanding the Epitomized Path System
The updated Epitomized Path is… actually decent now. You’re guaranteed your chosen weapon after one failure (130-140 wishes max), which is way better than the previous nightmare of 195-210 wishes.
But here’s the catch—pity and Fate Points don’t carry between different weapon rotations. Timing is everything.
When F2P Players Should Consider Weapon Pulls
Only pull when you meet ALL these criteria:
180+ wishes saved (non-negotiable)
Both featured weapons benefit your characters
Your character roster is solid
This aligns with your long-term goals
That 75% featured weapon rate means even guaranteed pulls might not give you what you want on the first attempt. High risk, high reward.
Alternative Weapons: 4-Star Options That Compete
Battle Pass Weapons for Light Spenders
Gnostic Hymn ($9.99 USD) unlocks exclusive 4-star weapons at level 30 with CRIT Rate/CRIT DMG substats:
Serpent Spine: 27.6% CRIT Rate with stacking damage bonus up to 50%—this thing competes with 5-star claymores at high refinement
Deathmatch: 36.8% CRIT Rate with situational ATK bonuses
The Black Sword: CRIT Rate substat plus healing on Normal/Charged Attack hits
Craftable Weapon Mastery
Don’t underestimate craftable 4-star weapons using Northlander Billets from weekly bosses:
Prototype Archaic: 50% chance for AoE damage proc—solid choice for most claymore users
Iron Sting: Increases all damage after dealing Elemental damage, perfect for Elemental Mastery builds
The Catch: The crown jewel of F2P polearms
For efficient weapon enhancement, Free Genesis Crystals can help supplement your resource gathering for enhancement materials.
Character-Weapon Matching for F2P Players
Optimal F2P Weapon Assignments
Xiangling + The Catch = pure magic. Her Energy Recharge requirements (180-220%) mesh perfectly with The Catch’s substat, while that Elemental Burst damage bonus amplifies her primary damage source.
Bennett? He’s happy with basically any high base attack weapon. Even the 3-star Skyrider Sword works because his ATK buff scales from base attack values.
Team Composition Considerations
The National team proves that synergy beats individual optimization. This comp achieves damage comparable to 5-star weapon teams through character interactions and elemental reactions.
Key considerations:
Energy generation: Favonius weapons battery those energy-hungry characters
Elemental reactions: Sacrificial weapons extend skill uptime
Stat distribution: Balance those CRIT ratios across your entire team
Long-Term Planning and Resource Management
Version Cycle Resource Allocation
Each 6-week cycle hands F2P players 50-70 wishes through combined sources. New players should focus on character acquisition before even thinking about weapon banner investments.
Established players? You can consider weapon pulls during favorable rotations—just maintain reserves for guaranteed character acquisitions.
Building Multiple Character Teams
Spiral Abyss demands two full teams for floors 9-12, so you need diverse weapon distribution. Plan weapon assignments across both teams rather than concentrating everything on one. Focus on characters using craftable weapons to reduce competition for limited gacha weapons.
Common Mistakes F2P Players Make with Weapons
Weapon Banner Trap Scenarios
Never—and I mean never—pull weapon banners unless both featured weapons benefit your roster. Unlike character banners where any 5-star provides value, weapon banners can hand you completely incompatible weapons.
Here’s the truth: well-built 4-star characters with F2P weapons consistently outperform poorly built 5-star characters with premium weapons.
Over-Investment in Wrong Weapons
Research weapon performance at various refinement levels before committing enhancement materials. The free Battle Pass provides zero weapons—only paid Gnostic Hymn offers weapon selection.
Using Primogems for Battle Pass levels or Resin refreshes? That’s inefficient compared to saving for pulls.
For optimized resource management, consider Recharge Genshin Impact options providing secure ways to supplement in-game resources.
FAQ
Can F2P players realistically obtain 5-star weapons without spending money? Absolutely, but patience is key. F2P players accumulate 50-70 wishes per version cycle through daily commissions, events, and Spiral Abyss. With the improved Epitomized Path requiring maximum 130-140 wishes, dedicated players can target weapons every 2-3 version cycles by skipping character banners.
How long does it take for F2P players to save enough for a guaranteed weapon? About 8-12 weeks of consistent daily play accumulates enough Primogems for the weapon banner’s maximum pity. This assumes completing daily commissions (60 Primogems daily), monthly Spiral Abyss (600-800 Primogems), and all events—while factoring in the opportunity cost of skipping character banners.
Are there any completely free 5-star weapons available through events or quests? Nope, never happened in Genshin Impact’s history. All 5-star weapons are gacha-exclusive. High-quality 4-star event weapons like Festering Desire and The Catch provide comparable performance but are time-limited—miss them and they’re gone forever.
Which 4-star weapons can compete with 5-star weapons for F2P players? The Catch (R5) is best-in-slot for Elemental Burst-focused polearm users, Serpent Spine from Battle Pass competes with 5-star claymores, and Prototype Archaic provides solid damage. Success requires matching weapon passives to character kits and achieving high refinement levels.
Should F2P players ever pull on the weapon banner instead of character banners? Only when both featured weapons benefit your owned characters, you have a well-developed roster, and 180+ wishes available. Character acquisition provides more account value than weapons. New players should prioritize character banners for their first 6-12 months.
What’s the most efficient way to enhance weapons as an F2P player? Focus enhancement materials on weapons with long-term viability. Level one primary DPS weapon to 90, support weapons to 60-70, and plan refinements carefully for craftable weapons. The Catch should be the first weapon most F2P players fully refine due to its exceptional scaling and permanent availability.
Ready to optimize your Genshin Impact weapon collection? While 5-star weapons remain gacha-exclusive, strategic resource management and smart 4-star weapon choices build powerful teams that can clear all content. Start your weapon enhancement journey with secure top-up options that support F2P goals while providing flexibility for strategic investments.
