Understanding the Weapon Banner System
Every pull costs 160 Primogems with 0.7% base 5-star rate. When you pull a 5-star: 75% chance for featured weapons, 25% for standard weapons. This creates actual probabilities of 37.5% for your selected weapon, 37.5% for the other featured weapon, 25% for standard.
Epitomized Path and Fate Point Mechanics
Select one featured weapon before pulling. Pulling the non-selected featured weapon grants 1 Fate Point. At 2 Fate Points, your next 5-star is guaranteed to be your selection. Worst case: 240 pulls (38,400 Primogems).
Fate Points reset when: banner ends (Feb 24), you get your selected weapon, you manually cancel, or change selection. Pity counter persists between banners.
Pity System
Hard pity: 80 pulls. Soft pity: starts at pull 65 with increased rates. Most 5-stars drop between pulls 65-80 (10,400-12,800 Primogems).
Cost Calculation
Version 6.3 F2P primogems: ~14,540 total (107 pulls). At 1 Fate Point with zero pity, average case needs ~145 pulls (23,200 Primogems). Worst case: 160 pulls (25,600 Primogems).
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Lightbearing Moonshard Analysis
Stats: 542 Base ATK, 88.2% CRIT DMG
Passive (R1): DEF +20%, Lunar-Crystallize DMG +64% for 5s after Elemental Skill. R5: DEF +40%, Lunar-Crystallize DMG +128%.
Character Synergies
- Zibai: Best-in-slot. Kit designed around Lunar-Crystallize reactions
- Other sword users: Stat stick only—no passive benefits for Ayaka, Keqing, Ayato
Performance
Spiral Abyss Floor 12-1: ~47,200 damage (Zibai, optimized rotation). Strong for intended character, limited value elsewhere.
Verdict: Highly specialized. Only valuable if you own and main Zibai.
Tome of the Eternal Flow Review
Stats: 542 Base ATK, 88.2% CRIT DMG
Passive (R1): HP +16%, Charged Attack DMG +14% per stack (max 3 stacks = 42%), 8 Energy per 12s. R5: HP +32%, Charged Attack DMG +30% per stack (90% total), 12 Energy per 12s.
Stacks build every 0.3s (0.9s for max stacks).
Character Synergies
- Neuvillette: Best-in-slot. Perfect synergy with HP scaling and charged attack focus
- Yanfei/Ningguang: Excellent—charged attack playstyles benefit fully
- Wanderer: Moderate—CRIT DMG good, but normal attack focus limits passive value
- Nahida/Sucrose/Kokomi: Poor—wrong stat priorities
Performance
Spiral Abyss Floor 12-1: ~52,300 damage (Neuvillette, optimized). ~10% higher ceiling than Lightbearing Moonshard.
Verdict: Broader applicability across catalyst users. Better future-proofing.
Head-to-Head Comparison
Universal Applicability
Winner: Tome of the Eternal Flow
- Benefits any charged attack catalyst user
- Transferable between characters
- Lightbearing Moonshard = Zibai-only passive
Damage Ceiling
Winner: Tome of the Eternal Flow
- 52,300 vs 47,200 (~10% advantage)
- Better refinement scaling (42%→90% vs 64%→128%)
Future-Proofing
Winner: Tome of the Eternal Flow
- Catalyst design trends favor HP scaling/charged attacks
- Lunar-Crystallize mechanics unique to Zibai
- More upcoming catalyst characters expected
Refinement Priority
Both strong at R1. Refinements offer diminishing returns—acquire multiple weapons instead of refining one.
Safety Analysis at 1 Fate Point
Worst-Case Scenario
25% chance for standard weapon = stay at 1 Fate Point, repeat same odds. Costs another 65-80 pulls (10,400-12,800 Primogems) for potentially zero roster value.
Who Should Risk It
- Strong rosters with desired characters secured
- Veteran players with deep primogem reserves
- Players who can afford 25,600+ Primogems
Who Should Skip
- Missing key characters
- Planning upcoming character pulls
- Can't afford to lose 75/25 split
Decision Framework
Ask yourself:
- Do I own the weapon's ideal character?
- Is this a meaningful upgrade over current weapons?
- Can I afford losing the 75/25?
- Do I have 15,000+ Primogems to spare?
If any answer is no, reconsider pulling.
Character-Specific Recommendations
Main DPS Catalyst Users
- Neuvillette: Tome = best-in-slot, 15-20% over 4-star options
- Yanfei/Ningguang: Tome = excellent for charged attack focus
- Wanderer: Moderate benefit—Tulaytullah's Remembrance may be better
Support Catalyst Users
Nahida/Sucrose/Kokomi gain minimal value. Use 4-star alternatives (Sacrificial Fragments, Thrilling Tales).
When 4-Stars Are Better
R5 Widsith often matches R1 5-stars for burst DPS. Prototype Amber provides healing/energy. Assess if 10-15% damage increase justifies 10,000+ Primogems vs new character.
Primogem Budget Planning
Minimum Requirements
- Safe: 38,400 Primogems (240 pulls, guarantee at 2 Fate Points)
- Moderate risk: 25,600 Primogems (160 pulls)
- High risk: <20,000 Primogems (accept potential loss)
F2P Strategy
Skip weapon banners unless:
- You own featured character
- Weapon is best-in-slot
- No upcoming character pulls planned
- 25,600+ Primogems saved
Character diversity > weapon optimization for most accounts.
Low Spender Optimization
Welkin Moon adds 3,000-4,000 Primogems/month. Focus on universal weapons. Consider Battle Pass weapons as guaranteed alternatives.
Common Mistakes
Myth: 1 Fate Point = Guarantee
False. Only 2 Fate Points guarantee your weapon. At 1 Fate Point, you still face 37.5%/37.5%/25% split.
Sunk Cost Fallacy
Resources already spent are gone. Only ask: Does continuing provide good value NOW? If no, stop regardless of past investment.
Refining 5-Stars
Diminishing returns. R1→R2 = 10-15% improvement. Four different R1 weapons > one R5 weapon for account value.
Expert Verdict
Recommendations by Account Type
Own Neuvillette as main DPS: Tome of the Eternal Flow (7/10 safety)
- Higher damage ceiling (52,300)
- Broader catalyst user applicability
- Better future-proofing
Own Zibai as main DPS: Lightbearing Moonshard (8/10 safety for Zibai users, 3/10 without)
- Specialized optimization
- Limited to single character
Own neither/multiple catalyst users: Tome of the Eternal Flow (5/10 safety)
- Immediate value for Yanfei/Ningguang
- Charged attack bonus benefits broader roster
Own neither/lack catalyst users: Skip banner entirely
- Preserve primogems for better opportunities
- Neither weapon provides roster value
Alternative Strategies
If neither suits your roster, stop pulling. Fate Points reset Feb 24. Wait for future banners with better synergy (Mistsplitter, Haran, Kagura's Verity).
Maximizing Investment
- Verify Epitomized Path selection before pulling
- Track pity count via wish history
- Set hard stop limit before starting
- Budget for soft pity (pull 65+)
FAQ
What happens at 1 Fate Point? 75% featured weapon chance, 25% standard. If featured: 50/50 between the two. Only non-selected featured weapon grants 2nd Fate Point.
Primogems needed from 1 Fate Point? Safe: 25,600 (160 pulls). Minimum recommended: 15,000-20,000.
Do Fate Points carry over? No. Reset on Feb 24, when you get selected weapon, manual cancel, or selection change. Pity counter persists.
Better for F2P? Tome of the Eternal Flow (broader use), but F2P should prioritize character banners.
Can I get both weapons? Yes, via RNG. Combined probability ~14% (win 37.5% twice).
Are refinements worth it? No for most players. New weapons > refinements for account value.
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