Understanding COA IX Hard Pity System
COA IX introduces hard pity: guaranteed Joseph's Eternal Light within 250 pulls maximum. Each non-S-Tier pull adds one count to your tracker. At exactly 250 pulls without S-Tier, the system auto-awards the skin on your next pull.
Pity carries forward across all COA IX events but resets completely when COA X begins. Pulls from Sacred Sanctum (Dec 31, 2026 - Jan 8, 2026) and Divine Procession (Jan 8-22, 2026) count toward the same 250 threshold. Zero progress transfers to future seasons.
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The 250-Pull Guarantee Breakdown
Every pull costs 318 Echoes. 10-pull bundles cost 3,180 Echoes (no discount). Cumulative costs:
- 50 pulls: 15,900 Echoes
- 100 pulls: 31,800 Echoes
- 150 pulls: 47,700 Echoes
- 200 pulls: 63,600 Echoes
- 250 pulls: 79,500 Echoes (hard pity max)
Soft pity starts at pull 60, gradually increasing S-Tier probability with each pull. Base rate: 1-2% per pull.
Phase rewards at 10, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 150, 180, 200, 250 pulls. The 60-pull milestone awards 500-800 Inspirations (3,180 Echoes value at 1,000 Inspirations).
COA IX vs Regular Essence Pity
Standard Memory Sphere essences lack hard pity guarantees. COA essences implement stricter systems because they're limited-time exclusives that won't return.
A-Tier drop rate: 8-12% per pull. Four A-Tier skins (Painter's Deep Blue Knight, Fire Investigator's Untamed, Faro Lady's Pale Crown, Knight) normally cost 1,388 Echoes each. First-week discount: 1,178 Echoes each (4,712 total for all four, saving 840 Echoes).
Event window: January 8-28, 2026. Maintenance on January 8 at 08:00 UTC+8 lasts 240 minutes.
Pity Counter Reset Rules
Counter maintains continuity within COA IX only. 100 pulls during Sacred Sanctum + 80 during Divine Procession = 180 cumulative pulls toward 250 hard pity.
Complete reset when COA X launches. Any COA IX pulls (10 or 249) provide zero progress toward future championships.
Season resets: Every Thursday 08:00 UTC+8. Daily resets: 00:00 UTC+8.
Joseph's Eternal Light: COA IX Crown Jewel
S-Tier skin for Photographer with luminous effects synced to camera mechanics. Enhanced visual feedback during photo world transitions and terror shocks.
COA IX exclusive: Only obtainable January 8-28, 2026. Historical data shows championship skins rarely return, making them permanent participation markers.
No gameplay advantages—all skins are cosmetic-only. Value centers on collection completeness and account prestige.
Complete Cost Breakdown
Maximum guaranteed cost: 79,500 Echoes (worst-case 250 pulls).
Single pulls: 318 Echoes each. 10-pull bundles: 3,180 Echoes (no bulk discount).
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Echo-to-pull conversion:
- 318 Echoes = 1 pull
- 3,180 Echoes = 10 pulls
- 15,900 Echoes = 50 pulls
- 31,800 Echoes = 100 pulls
The 1,000 Inspiration milestone (3,180 Echoes value) requires 60 pulls to claim.
Probability Analysis: Expected Pulls
Community data from COA VII/VIII shows median acquisition at 89-92 pulls. Probability distribution:
- 50 pulls: 40% chance of S-Tier
- 100 pulls: 63% chance
- 150 pulls: 78% chance
- 200 pulls: 87% chance
Base 1-2% drop rate + soft pity increases from pull 60 create accelerating probability curve. Reaching actual 250-pull hard pity is statistically uncommon.
Budget planning: Allocate for 100-120 pulls (31,800-38,160 Echoes) for median-luck coverage. Budget-constrained players can target 50 pulls (15,900 Echoes) with 60% risk of not obtaining the skin.
Cheapest Path Strategy
Combine F2P farming with strategic purchases. F2P yields 1,125-2,500 Echoes during COA IX:
Daily Quests: 15-30 Echoes/day × 20 days = 300-600 Echoes
Sacred Sanctum (Dec 31 - Jan 8): 6 daily matches/role, 60 total/role. Hunter matches: 1,200-1,500 points. Survivor: 800-1,000 points.
Divine Procession (Jan 8-22): 5 daily matches/role, 20 total/role. Similar point structures.
Redemption Codes (redeem via Lobby > Gift > Settings > ID):
- queenbee1127: 75-150 Echoes
- 27026: 75-150 Echoes
- 2A543: 75-100 Echoes
- Combined: 225-400 Echoes
First-Week A-Tier Discount Strategy
Four A-Tier skins drop from 1,388 to 1,178 Echoes during first seven days. All four cost 4,712 Echoes (saves 840 Echoes).
Only buy if you want these skins. If Joseph-only focused, redirect 4,712 Echoes to essence pulls for 14-15 additional attempts toward hard pity.
Decision framework:
- Collectors: Buy discounted A-Tiers first week, then pull
- Joseph-only: Skip A-Tiers, maximize pulls
- Budget-conscious: Weigh A-Tier value vs 14-15 extra gacha attempts
Optimal Timing
Start pulling immediately after January 8 maintenance ends (12:00 UTC+8). Early start maximizes F2P farming window if initial pulls fail.
Reserve final pulls for last 48 hours before January 28 to collect maximum F2P echoes.
Avoid pulling during final 6 hours (after Jan 28, 18:00 UTC+8) unless you've secured hard pity echoes. Technical issues could prevent last-minute purchases.
Echo Farming Guide
20-day window provides 1,125-2,500 Echoes through F2P methods (3-7 essence pulls).
Daily Missions: Complete all quests daily:
- 2 ranked matches
- 1 quick match
- 3 successful calibrations
- 1 custom match
Rewards: 15-30 Echoes/day. Perfect 20-day streak = 300-600 Echoes minimum.
Ranked Season Rewards: Season resets every Thursday 08:00 UTC+8. Coordinate climbing with January 8 COA IX launch for timely echo delivery.
Abyss Battle: Requires 1,500 Quick/Ranked points or 3,000 Duo Hunters points. Team registration closes January 14, 09:00 UTC+8 (effective deadline Jan 13, 21:00 UTC+8). Teams need 1-7 players (minimum 5 for Online Qualifiers).
Team scoring: highest Hunter score ×2 + top 4 Survivor scores.
Fragment rewards:
- Rank 1: 2,000 Fragments/member
- Rank 2: 1,500 Fragments
- Rank 3: 1,200 Fragments
- Ranks 4-8: 800 Fragments
- Ranks 9-16: 600 Fragments
- Ranks 17-50: 500 Fragments
Maintenance Compensation: January 8's 240-minute maintenance typically awards 100-200 Echoes.
Redemption Code Optimization
Redeem immediately when COA IX launches:
- Lobby > Gift > Settings
- Input exact code
- Claim rewards
Three codes deliver 225-400 Echoes instantly (≈1 essence pull).
Pull Strategy: Single vs 10-Pull
No economic advantage for 10-pulls. Both cost exactly 318 Echoes/pull.
Single Pull Advantages:
- Precise pity control near 250
- Stop immediately upon S-Tier
- Zero echo waste
- Budget flexibility between pulls
10-Pull Advantages:
- Faster execution
- Less menu navigation
- Batch opening satisfaction
For budget players approaching hard pity, singles become mandatory at 240-250 pulls. A 10-pull at 245 accumulated pulls wastes echoes on 5 unnecessary pulls.
Probability Math
Each pull is independent with 1-2% base S-Tier rate. 10-pulls don't increase per-pull odds or provide rarity floors—functionally identical to 10 consecutive singles.
Soft pity from pull 60 incrementally increases S-Tier probability equally for singles and each pull within 10-pulls.
Median acquisition at 89-92 pulls reflects soft pity curve impact. Budget for 90-100 pulls (28,620-31,800 Echoes) for reasonable coverage, but 37% probability of not hitting S-Tier within 100 pulls necessitates reserves.
When to Switch to Singles
Pulls 1-200: Use 10-pulls if preferred for speed.
Pulls 201-240: Transition to singles for precise counter control.
Pulls 241-249: Mandatory singles only. High soft pity probability makes 10-pull waste likely.
Pull 250: Guaranteed Joseph's Eternal Light.
Stop immediately upon S-Tier unless pursuing duplicate A-Tiers or Inspiration. Pity resets to 0/250 after S-Tier with no carryover.
Common Mistakes
Not Tracking Pity Counter: Identity V displays current pull count in essence interface. Ignoring this risks stopping prematurely or continuing after obtaining Joseph's Eternal Light.
Assuming 10-Pull Discounts: Identical 318 Echoes/pull rate for singles and 10-pulls. No bulk discount exists. False assumption leads to suboptimal patterns near hard pity.
Ignoring First-Week Discounts: Delaying A-Tier purchases beyond seven days wastes 210 Echoes/skin (840 total for four). Only matters if you want these skins.
Not Redeeming Codes: Three codes provide 225-400 free Echoes (≈1 pull). Zero gameplay required.
Last-Minute Purchases: Buying echoes during final hours before January 28 introduces payment processing risk. Could leave you short of hard pity with no recourse.
Luck Streak Fallacy
Each pull is independent. Previous results provide zero predictive information. Soft pity increases rates after pull 60 through explicit mechanics, not mystical luck balancing.
Obtaining early S-Tier doesn't consume luck. Pity simply resets to 0/250 with same base probability for future pulls.
Timeline Management
20-day window (Jan 8-28) requires three-phase strategy:
Phase 1: Launch Week (Jan 8-14)
Start pulling at 12:00 UTC+8 on January 8 (after 240-min maintenance). Use Sacred Sanctum echoes for initial batch.
Target 30-50 pulls if budget permits. Establishes baseline pity position.
Redeem all three codes immediately (225-400 Echoes). Complete daily quests for 15-30 Echoes/day.
Register for Abyss Battle before January 14, 09:00 UTC+8 (effective Jan 13, 21:00 UTC+8).
Phase 2: Mid-Event (Jan 15-24)
Evaluate cumulative pulls and remaining echoes. If you got Joseph's Eternal Light, stop pulling.
Still pursuing? Calculate: (250 - current pulls) × 318 = remaining echo cost.
Continue Divine Procession (through Jan 22) for echo farming. Maintain daily quest completion.
Phase 3: Final Push (Jan 25-28)
Within 50 pulls of hard pity? Secure echoes by January 26 (48-hour buffer).
Use singles if within 240-250 range. High soft pity probability makes S-Tier likely before actual hard pity.
Avoid pulls after January 28, 00:00 UTC+8 unless you've confirmed exact end time.
Post-Event Resources
Essence-specific currency and pity progress disappear January 28. Zero value for future events.
Unused Echoes remain indefinitely for future content.
Inspiration points (500-800 at 60-pull milestone) persist beyond COA IX. 1,000 Inspiration = 3,180 Echoes conversion applies universally.
FAQ
What is hard pity in COA IX?
Guaranteed S-Tier at exactly 250 pulls. If 249 pulls yield no Joseph's Eternal Light, pull 250 guarantees it. Eliminates infinite bad luck with 79,500 Echoes max cost.
How many pulls guarantee Joseph's Eternal Light?
250 pulls (79,500 Echoes max). Median acquisition: 85-95 pulls (27,030-30,210 Echoes) due to 1-2% base rate and soft pity from pull 60. Only exceptionally poor luck needs full 250.
Does pity carry over to next essence?
Carries across COA IX events (Sacred Sanctum, Divine Procession) but resets completely for COA X. Zero progress transfers to future championships.
Cheapest way to get Joseph's Eternal Light?
Maximize F2P farming (1,125-2,500 Echoes from quests, events, codes), pull until S-Tier or hard pity, buy additional echoes only if needed before January 28. Skip A-Tier discounts unless you want them—redirect 4,712 Echoes to pulls. Budget for 90-100 pulls (28,620-31,800 Echoes) for median coverage.
Can you get it before hard pity?
Yes. 1-2% base rate means it can drop on any pull 1-249. 40% get S-Tier within 50 pulls, 63% within 100, 78% within 150. Soft pity from pull 60 increases odds. Hard pity is worst-case guarantee, not expected outcome.
Single pulls or 10-pulls?
Either for pulls 1-240 (both 318 Echoes/pull, no discount). Mandatory singles for 241-249 to prevent echo waste. Getting Joseph's Eternal Light at pull 246 during 10-pull wastes 1,272 Echoes (4 unnecessary pulls × 318).
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