Understanding January 2026 Banner Landscape
Phase 1 (Dec 16, 2026 - Jan 7, 2026): Firefly + The Dahlia. 4-stars: Gallagher, Luka, March 7th. 22-day window for Fire team foundation.
Phase 2 (Jan 7-28, 2026): Fugue + Lingsha. 4-stars: Sampo, Natasha, Arlan. 21 days to complete Fire ecosystem with premium sustain.
Phase 3 (Jan 28 - Feb 12, 2026): Aglaea + Sunday. 15 days, non-Fire focus.
Character Event Warp guarantees 5-star at 90 pulls (0.6% base rate), soft pity from pull 74. 50/50 system: first 5-star has 50% chance featured/standard, losing guarantees next is featured. Worst-case: 180 pulls (14,400-28,800 Stellar Jade) per guarantee.
F2P accumulation across Version 3.8: 142-170 pulls from dailies (60 Jade × 56 days = 3,360), events, Memory of Chaos, Simulated Universe.
Fire Carry Options
Firefly dominates Fire Destruction with Complete Combustion state (activated via Ultimate). Level 80 stats: 814 HP, 523 ATK, 776 DEF, 104 SPD. Requires 360% Break Effect, 150+ SPD, 2,600+ ATK for endgame performance.
Signature Light Cone Whereabouts Should Dreams Rest provides 60-100% Break Effect + 24-40% enemy Break DMG vulnerability. Perfect synergy for Break-focused kit.
The Dahlia (Fire Nihility) deploys 3-turn Zone granting +50% Weakness Break Efficiency, converting damage to Super Break. Enabler role, not primary DPS.
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Sustain Character Pool
Lingsha (premium Fire Abundance): Ultimate grants 25% Break DMG taken debuff for 2 turns. Level 80: 1,125 HP, 582 ATK, 557 DEF, 102 SPD. Build: 220% Break Effect, 67% Effect Hit Rate, 145+ SPD. Hybrid scaling rewards balanced offensive-defensive investment.
Gallagher (4-star Fire Abundance): 50% Break DMG debuff + healing. Budget alternative requiring fewer pulls. Adequate for most content; gap widens in max difficulty (MoC 12, high-level Simulated Universe).
SP economy differs: Gallagher consumes SP for healing, Lingsha uses Ultimate-based approach reducing SP drain.
Why Fire + Sustain Core Matters
Fire teams excel in Version 3.8 Memory of Chaos cycles with Fire-weak enemies. Super Break comp (Firefly + Fugue + Ruan Mei + Lingsha) clears stages in 3-4 cycles, significantly outpacing generic teams.
Sustain enables consistent endgame performance. Unlike DPS with off-element substitutes, sustain requires dedicated investment for survival in extended encounters.
Optimal Pull Order: Fire Carry First or Sustain First?
Pity carries over between Character Event Warp banners—Phase 1 progress transfers to Phase 2 seamlessly.
For most players: Phase 1 first. Securing Firefly establishes Fire carry while building pity toward Phase 2's Lingsha. Gallagher as rate-up 4-star provides insurance—functional Fire sustain even without Lingsha.
Decision Framework
Zero 5-star sustain: Prioritize baseline survivability, but Version 3.8 structure allows simultaneous progress. Pull Phase 1 for Firefly + Gallagher copies, then Phase 2 for Lingsha upgrade.
Existing universal sustain (Aventurine, Luocha, built Gallagher): Focus entirely on Firefly in Phase 1. Allocate remaining resources to signature Light Cone or save for Phase 3.
Advanced players: Calculate exact pity. At 70+ pity with guarantee, Phase 1 extremely efficient for Firefly. At 0-30 pity, spread resources across both phases maximizing soft pity opportunities.
Scenario 1: New Players Without 5-Star DPS or Healer
Pull Phase 1 until securing Firefly, collecting Gallagher copies (typical 75-90 pulls for first 5-star). After Firefly, if 80+ pulls remain, continue Phase 2 for Lingsha. Below 80 pulls, stop—Gallagher suffices for early-mid game.
Avoid Light Cone banners during initial roster building. 75/25 featured odds create higher variance than character 50/50. 4-star Light Cones from Herta's Store provide adequate early performance.
Scenario 2: Existing Sustain, No Fire Carry
Concentrate resources on Phase 1 Firefly. Existing sustain supports Firefly adequately in most content, making Lingsha luxury upgrade.
With 160+ pulls available, consider 80 to Firefly character banner + 80 to weapon banner for Whereabouts Should Dreams Rest (60-100% Break Effect + 24-40% enemy Break DMG vulnerability). Only after securing Firefly herself.
Scenario 3: Fire DPS Seeking Optimal Sustain
Already have Himeko or Firefly? Evaluate if Lingsha represents meaningful upgrade. Her 25% Break DMG debuff synergizes specifically with Break carries.
Gallagher → Lingsha upgrade: ~15-20% team damage increase in Break comps. Aventurine → Lingsha: gap narrows in non-Break teams.
This scenario favors resource conservation. Skip both phases, accumulate for Phase 3 or future versions. Existing Fire carry + sustain already functions adequately.
Light Cone Priority
Light Cone Event Warp: separate pity, 80-pull guarantee, 0.8% base rate, 75/25 featured system. Worst-case: 160 pulls for guaranteed featured weapon.
For Firefly, Whereabouts Should Dreams Rest transforms damage via Break Effect + enemy vulnerability. E0S1 Firefly (character + weapon) vs E0 Firefly + E0 Lingsha: E0S1 with Gallagher often outperforms due to multiplicative weapon scaling. However, E0 + E0 Lingsha provides more roster flexibility.
Fire Carry Deep Analysis
Firefly's Complete Combustion (Ultimate activation) converts her into Break specialist. Enhanced Basic ATK becomes AoE Skill consuming no SP—exceptional SP economy enabling SP-hungry supports.
Optimal rotation: Fugue Skill (30% Break Effect, 50% Toughness Reduction) → Ruan Mei Skill (team Break Effect + Efficiency) → Lingsha Skill (healing + Break DMG amp) → Firefly Ultimate → 3-4 Enhanced Skills.
Complete Kit Breakdown
Level 80 requirements: 360% Break Effect, 150+ SPD, 2,600+ ATK for endgame thresholds. 360% ensures max Super Break DMG conversion. 150 SPD allows 2-3 turns during Complete Combustion.
Trace priority: Skill > Ultimate > Talent > Basic ATK. Skill levels increase enhanced attack damage, Ultimate improves transformation damage/reduces energy cost.
Eidolons show diminishing returns. E1: DEF ignore during Complete Combustion (~12-15% damage vs high-DEF enemies). E2: SP on Ultimate (QoL, not damage spike). E0 adequate for all content when properly built.
Performance Metrics
Against Fire-weak enemies in Memory of Chaos: 3-4 cycle clears with full Super Break comp (Firefly + Fugue + Ruan Mei + Lingsha). Top-tier clear speed, superior AoE coverage.
Pure Fiction: AoE during Complete Combustion enables efficient wave clearing. Break damage bypasses DEF calculations, effective vs high-DEF enemies.
Simulated Universe: Break mechanics synergize with many blessings. Positive SP economy allows flexible blessing selection.
Investment Requirements
Minimum viable: Level 80, 8/8/8 Traces, 4pc Firesmith of Lava-Forging with Break Effect main stats. Endgame optimization: 10/10/10 Traces, superior substats.
F2P Light Cone alternatives: On the Fall of an Aeon (4-star, 56% Break Effect at S5 + ATK% scaling) or The Moles Welcome You (4-star, ATK/DMG buffs). Deliver ~70-75% of signature performance.
Relics: 4pc Firesmith (10% Fire DMG, 12% Skill DMG, Break Effect on defeat) + Forge of Kalpagni Lantern 2pc (6% SPD, 6% Break Effect at 145+ SPD). Main stats: ATK% or SPD Boots, Break Effect Body, Fire DMG Sphere, Break Effect Rope. Substats: Break Effect > SPD > ATK% > flat ATK.
Sustain Character Evaluation
Lingsha's Ultimate: 25% Break DMG debuff directly amplifying Firefly. Level 80: 1,125 HP, 582 ATK, 557 DEF, 102 SPD. Abundance path grants team healing scaling with ATK.
Build targets: 220% Break Effect, 67% Effect Hit Rate, 145+ SPD. Break Effect maximizes debuff uptime, Effect Hit Rate ensures application vs resistant enemies, SPD enables 2-action cycles.
Gallagher Viability
50% Break DMG debuff (half Lingsha's potency) + healing via Skill/Ultimate. 4-star stats limit defensive ceiling but accessible through standard pulls.
Performance gap manifests in high-difficulty content. Standard MoC floors 8-10: Gallagher adequate. Max difficulty (MoC 12, high-level SU): Lingsha's enhanced stats create meaningful improvements.
SP economy: Gallagher requires Skill for healing (consumes SP), Lingsha uses Ultimate-based approach (reduces consumption). Less critical in Firefly teams due to her positive SP generation.
Trace Investment
Lingsha: Ultimate > Skill > Talent > Basic ATK. Ultimate increases debuff potency + healing. Most stop at 8/8/8 or 9/9/9.
Gallagher: Skill > Ultimate > Talent > Basic ATK. Skill provides primary healing + debuff.
Lingsha relics: 4pc Thief of Shooting Meteor or 2pc Messenger + 2pc Musketeer. Main stats: SPD Boots, ATK%/Break Effect Body, ATK%/Fire DMG Sphere, Energy Regen/Break Effect Rope. Planar: Forge of Kalpagni Lantern or Sprightly Vonwacq.
Gallagher relics: 4pc Passerby of Wandering Cloud or 2pc Messenger + 2pc Musketeer. Main stats: SPD Boots, HP%/DEF% Body, HP%/DEF% Sphere, Energy Regen Rope.
SPD breakpoints: 134 enables 2 actions/cycle, 145 provides comfortable frequency, 160+ allows frequent Ultimates but sacrifices defense. Target 145 for balance.
Stellar Jade Budget Planning
180-pull worst-case guarantee requires 14,400 Jade minimum. Soft pity (pull 74+) means most secure 5-stars at pulls 75-85, reducing practical costs to 12,000-13,600 Jade accounting for 50/50 loss.
Version 3.8 (56 days) baseline: 3,360 Jade from dailies. Events: 1,600-2,400. Memory of Chaos: 2,400 (4 resets × 600). Simulated Universe: 800-1,200. Total F2P: 9,360-11,360 Jade = 117-142 pulls.
Pulls Required for Fire Carry + Sustain Guarantee
Both Firefly + Lingsha worst-case: 360 pulls (28,800 Jade)—exceeds F2P accumulation. However, ~65% secure featured within 90 pulls, 87% within 150 pulls accounting for 50/50 wins.
Realistic planning: 240-270 pulls total (19,200-21,600 Jade) for one guaranteed pity + one average pity. Achievable through F2P (11,360) + Undying Starlight exchanges, first-time bonuses, or selective purchases.
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Pity Mechanics
Hard pity: exactly 90 pulls. Soft pity: pull 74 onward, ~6% per pull escalating to hard pity. Pulls 74-89 carry substantially higher value.
50/50: first 5-star has 50% featured/standard. Losing activates guarantee—next 5-star definitely featured, persists across banners. Losing Phase 1 guarantees featured Phase 2.
Track pity manually (game doesn't display counter). Counter resets to zero upon any 5-star acquisition.
Stellar Jade Farming
Daily commissions: 60 Jade/day (1,680 monthly). 15-20 minutes, highest efficiency.
Memory of Chaos: 600 Jade per biweekly reset. Version 3.8: 4 resets = 2,400 Jade for full clears.
Events: 3-4 major events yielding 300-420 each, plus smaller events 100-200 total. Combined: 1,600-2,400 Jade.
Simulated Universe: Herta Bonds exchangeable for passes. Divergent Universe: direct Jade rewards.
Undying Starlight Usage
Accumulates from duplicate 4/5-star pulls. Exchange: 75 Starlight = 1 pass. Also purchases limited 5-stars (600 Starlight, rotates monthly).
600 Starlight buys 8 pulls via pass exchange OR guarantees specific 5-star via direct purchase. Direct purchase heavily favored.
Optimal strategy: accumulate 600+ before spending, monitor monthly rotations, only convert to passes within 5 pulls of guaranteed pity during critical windows.
Team Building
Super Break premium: Firefly + Fugue + Ruan Mei + Lingsha. Stacks multiplicative Break Effect buffs (Fugue 30%, Ruan Mei team-wide) with Break DMG amp (Lingsha 25%, Fugue Toughness Reduction).
Rotation: Fugue Skill (Foxian Prayer: 30% Break Effect, 50% Toughness Reduction) → Ruan Mei Skill (team Break Effect + Efficiency) → Lingsha Skill (healing + energy) → Firefly Ultimate → 3-4 Enhanced Skills. Repeats every 3-4 turns.
4-Character Templates
Budget Fire Break: Firefly + Gallagher + Harmony Trailblazer + Asta. F2P accessible. HMC provides Super Break enablement, Asta contributes Fire Resonance (10% Fire DMG with 2+ Fire) + ATK% buffs + SPD manipulation.
Hybrid Fire: Firefly + Lingsha + Ruan Mei + Pela. Sacrifices Break synergy for universal DEF reduction via Pela. More balanced vs non-Fire-weak enemies.
Transitional Fire: Firefly + Gallagher + Ruan Mei + Fugue. Optimal 4-star sustain config. Sacrifices Lingsha's superior healing but maintains core Break synergy.
Harmony Support Priority
Ruan Mei: Irreplaceable for Break teams. Team-wide Break Effect + Weakness Break Efficiency. Highest priority for Firefly comps.
Bronya: Action-forward + CRIT DMG buffing. Powerful for Hypercarry, diminished value in Break teams where CRIT provides minimal benefit. Low priority for Fire construction.
Asta: Accessible ATK% buffing, SPD manipulation, Fire Resonance. Budget-friendly for new players. Outperformed by Ruan Mei but enables functional teams without limited 5-star investment.
SP Management
Firefly's Complete Combustion generates 2-3 SP per window via 0-cost enhanced attacks. Supports consume 1-2 SP/cycle for buffs. Net-neutral or slightly positive economy.
SP crisis: prioritize Firefly Ultimate over support Skills—her burst generates SP while dealing damage. Support buffs can delay 1 turn without catastrophic loss.
Light Cone and Relic Optimization
Whereabouts Should Dreams Rest: 60% Break Effect at S1 (100% at S5) + 24% enemy Break DMG debuff (40% at S5). Dual-scaling creates multiplicative value.
F2P alternatives: On the Fall of an Aeon (56% Break Effect at S5 + ATK% scaling), The Moles Welcome You (ATK/DMG buffs). 70-75% of signature performance.
Best-in-Slot Light Cones
Firefly:Whereabouts Should Dreams Rest uncontested due to perfect synergy. Break Effect increases Super Break DMG, enemy debuff amplifies all Break sources.
Generic Destruction cones (The Unreachable Side, Something Irreplaceable) provide minimal value—Break mechanics ignore CRIT stats. Prioritize Break Effect 4-stars over off-element 5-stars.
Superimposition priority: S1 baseline, S2-S3 moderate improvements (10-20% damage), S4-S5 luxury with diminishing returns. Better value securing S1 + other characters vs chasing superimpositions.
Sustain Light Cone Rankings
Lingsha:Scent Alone Stays True provides Break Effect + healing amp. However, sustain cones lower priority than DPS weapons. Quid Pro Quo (4-star, energy regen) or Post-Op Conversation (4-star, healing output) enable functional performance at fraction of cost.
Gallagher:Multiplication (3-star, widely available) or Shared Feeling (4-star, healing + energy). 4-star status reduces cone investment priority.
Cost-benefit: 4-star Light Cone at S5 provides 85-90% of 5-star signature for sustain. 80-160 pulls for featured weapon could instead secure additional characters.
Relic Recommendations
Firefly best-in-slot: 4pc Firesmith of Lava-Forging (10% Fire DMG, 12% Skill DMG + Break Effect on defeat). Directly amplifies Fire damage, enhanced Skills, Break Effect scaling.
Alternatives: 4pc Thief of Shooting Meteor (Break Effect + energy on Break) or 2pc Firesmith + 2pc Messenger (Fire DMG + SPD). 90-95% of BiS performance.
Main stats: SPD or ATK% Boots, Break Effect Body, Fire DMG Sphere, Break Effect Rope. Substats: Break Effect (360% target) > SPD (150+) > ATK% > flat ATK. Ignore CRIT entirely.
Lingsha: 4pc Thief of Shooting Meteor or 2pc Messenger + 2pc Musketeer. Main stats: SPD Boots, ATK%/Break Effect Body, ATK% Sphere, Energy Regen Rope.
Gallagher: 4pc Passerby of Wandering Cloud or 2pc Messenger + 2pc Musketeer. Main stats: SPD Boots, HP%/DEF% Body, HP%/DEF% Sphere, Energy Regen Rope.
Common Banner Planning Mistakes
Chasing Eidolons before roster width: Each Eidolon costs 90-180 pulls. E0 copies of three different limiteds provide more value than E2 of single character for most players.
Firefly Eidolons: E1 DEF ignore (~12-15% damage vs high-DEF), E2 SP on Ultimate (QoL, no direct damage). Neither transforms performance tier. E0 adequate for all content.
Eidolons vs Roster Width
New/mid-game: prioritize one copy each of DPS, sustain, Harmony support, secondary DPS/specialist. Four-character foundation enables two functional teams for MoC dual-team requirement.
Advanced players: selective Eidolon investments gain more value, particularly E1 supports (team-wide benefits) or E2 carries (new rotations). Still evaluate vs acquiring new limiteds enabling different archetypes.
Math: E2 limited requires 270-540 pulls worst-case vs 1-3 additional limiteds with same resources. Unless specific Eidolon provides transformative change, roster expansion delivers superior long-term value.
Weapon Banner Pitfalls
Light Cone Event Warp: 75/25 featured odds create higher variance than character 50/50. Worst-case 160 pulls vs 180 for character. ~44% require full 160 for featured weapon vs 50% requiring 180 for character—similar costs but weapon lacks intermediate guarantee.
Resource calculation: 160 pulls for weapon vs 90-180 for character. Weapons provide 15-30% performance improvement, new characters enable entirely new comps + elemental coverage.
Weapon investment justifiable only after securing: primary DPS per element, 2+ sustain (dual teams), core Harmony supports, sufficient MoC depth. Most reach threshold after 6-12 months.
Ignoring 4-Star Value
Rate-up 4-stars provide substantial value beyond featured 5-star. Phase 1's Gallagher offers complete Fire sustain at 4-star cost.
Statistical expectation: 10-pull yields ~1.06 4-star items, 50% chance each is rate-up character. 90 pulls for 5-star typically nets 9-10 4-stars, with 4-5 rate-ups. Securing Firefly while obtaining multiple Gallaghers establishes both carry + sustain simultaneously.
Evaluate banner 4-star lineups. Phase 1's Gallagher + Luka + March 7th offers higher Fire team value than Phase 2's Sampo + Natasha + Arlan.
Future Banner Predictions
Banner rotation typically reruns limiteds every 6-8 months. Firefly initial release: Version 2.3 (June 2025). Version 3.8 (Dec 2025-Jan 2026): first major rerun. Next rerun likely mid-to-late 2026, ~6-8 months post-3.8.
Lingsha (newer character, first appearance 3.8): rerun extends further into 2026. Missing Phase 2 means 8-10 month wait.
Expected Fire Carry Rerun Schedule
Fire carries remain limited: Firefly + Himeko (permanent pool). Expect Firefly reruns every 6-8 months through 2026: Version 4.2 (June-July 2026), Version 4.6 (Oct-Nov 2026) based on historical patterns.
New Fire carries may debut 2026, introducing alternative playstyles beyond Break focus. Firefly's Break mechanics create unique niche unlikely directly replaced—new carries will offer different patterns (CRIT, DoT, Hypercarry) rather than superior Break.
Strategic implication: securing Firefly in 3.8 establishes long-term Fire Break foundation unlikely requiring replacement through 2026. Resources saved skip future Fire banners, target new elements/archetypes/premium supports.
Building Pity Safety Net
Version 4.0 (expected March 2026) typically introduces major updates + new character paths. Maintain 90-180 pull reserve post-3.8 for potential meta-defining releases Q2 2026.
Accumulation timeline: Version 3.8 (142-170 pulls F2P), 3.9 (70-85 pulls), 4.0 (70-85 pulls). Total Q1-Q2 2026: 282-340 pulls, sufficient for 1-2 guaranteed limiteds.
Strategic balance: Conservative—spend 180 max in 3.8 (one guarantee), preserve for Q2. Aggressive—spend 270 in 3.8 (Firefly + Lingsha), accept reduced 4.0 reserves but establish complete Fire team immediately.
FAQ
Should I pull fire carry or sustain first in January 2026? Pull Phase 1 for Firefly first—establishes Fire carry while banner offers Gallagher (4-star sustain) as rate-up. Secures both DPS + functional sustain in single banner, then Phase 2 for Lingsha if resources permit. Pity carries over between phases.
How many Stellar Jades needed for guaranteed fire carry and sustain? Worst-case: 28,800 Jade (360 pulls: 180 Firefly, 180 Lingsha). Realistic: 19,200-21,600 Jade (240-270 pulls) accounting for average pity + 50/50 wins. Version 3.8 provides 9,360-11,360 F2P, requiring supplementation via Starlight or purchases.
Can I clear endgame with 4-star sustain? Yes, Gallagher adequate for most endgame including MoC floors 1-11. 50% Break DMG debuff synergizes with Firefly, healing suffices for standard difficulty. Max difficulty (MoC 12, high-level Divergent Universe) benefits from Lingsha's superior stats but Gallagher remains viable with proper building.
Optimal pity management for January 2026? Track current pity pre-3.8. At 70+ with guarantee, Phase 1 extremely efficient for Firefly. At 0-30 pity, pull Phase 1 until Firefly, then evaluate—continue Phase 2 for Lingsha only with 80+ pulls remaining. Never pull past 89 on unwanted banner.
Character or light cone banner first? Always secure character before signature Light Cone. Characters provide more value, weapon banner's 75/25 creates higher variance than character 50/50. Only invest in weapons after obtaining character with 160+ pulls available for worst-case, or accepting 25% off-banner risk.
How does fire perform in current Memory of Chaos? Fire teams excel vs Fire-weak enemies—Firefly clears stages in 3-4 cycles with optimal comp (Firefly + Fugue + Ruan Mei + Lingsha). Against non-Fire-weak, performance remains competitive via Break mechanics bypassing weakness when paired with Fugue's Toughness Reduction. Tier-1 viability across most endgame through 3.8.
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