Varka Banner Release Timeline
The Northerly Wind's Song of Triumph banner launches February 25, 2026, running 21 days until March 17. Version 6.4 spans February 25 to April 7, with Varka occupying Phase 1 alongside a Flins rerun. The weapon banner features Ballad of the Mighty Wolf—Varka's signature 5★ Claymore with 608 Base ATK, 33.1% CRIT Rate, and +10% ATK SPD bonus.
Early prep matters because resources follow strict time gates. Daily Commissions, Spiral Abyss resets, and events distribute Primogems across specific dates. Start planning now to maximize Version 6.3 (January 14 to February 25, 2026) and early 6.4 earnings. Need to buy genesis crystals for varka banner? BitTopup offers secure transactions with instant delivery.
Why 21 Days Demands Strategy
Limited 5★ units like Varka disappear after their banner. Reruns are unpredictable—some wait 6-12 months. The 21-day window gives you exactly three weekly Spiral Abyss resets and three weeks of Daily Commissions. Missing February 25 to March 17 means waiting indefinitely.
Currency Conversion Explained
Genshin uses three-tier currency: Genesis Crystals (purchased) → Primogems (intermediate) → Intertwined Fates (consumable). Conversion flows one direction at 1:1 ratio. 160 Primogems = 1 Intertwined Fate.
When to Convert:
- Keep Genesis Crystals unconverted until ready to pull—preserves flexibility
- Convert Primogems to Fates only when target banner is active
- Early conversion locks resources to character banners specifically
Common Misconceptions:
- Genesis Crystals don't offer better rates than Primogems—1:1 conversion is identical
- Saving Fates doesn't improve luck—wish probability stays constant
- Value difference comes from purchase bonuses, not conversion rates
Pity System Breakdown
Character Event Wish has two thresholds:
- Hard pity: Guaranteed 5★ at exactly 90 pulls
- Soft pity: Dramatically increased rates starting pull 74
Base 5★ rate: 0.6% for pulls 1-73. From pull 74 onward, rates increase incrementally. ~90% of 5★ characters arrive between pulls 74-82.
50/50 and Guarantee Mechanics
When you pull a 5★, you face 50/50 odds: featured character (Varka) or standard 5★ (Diluc, Jean, Keqing, Mona, Qiqi). Losing activates guarantee—your next 5★ on any limited banner becomes 100% the featured character.
Pity Carry-Over:
- Pity count carries between all Character Event Wish banners indefinitely
- Guarantee status persists across banner rotations
- Pity does NOT carry between banner types (Character/Weapon/Standard separate)
Genesis Crystal Requirements
Worst-case: 180 pulls = 28,800 Primogems (lose 50/50 at 90, then another 90 for guarantee)
Best-case: ~77 pulls = 12,320 Primogems (win 50/50 in soft pity)
Scenario 1: Guaranteed Varka (Lost Previous 50/50)
Need one pity cycle—74-90 pulls. Budget 14,400 Primogems (90 pulls max), though you'll likely get Varka at pulls 74-82 (11,840-13,120 Primogems).
At 50+ existing pity with guarantee: need only 24-40 pulls (3,840-6,400 Primogems).
Scenario 2: Attempting 50/50 with Backup
14,400 Primogems guarantees one 5★ but 50% failure risk. Works if you can quickly top up genshin impact primogems fast through BitTopup's instant delivery—attempt 50/50 first, then buy remaining crystals if you lose.
Scenario 3: Worst-Case Double Pity
28,800 Primogems covers losing 50/50 at pull 90, then hitting hard pity at pull 180. Statistically unlikely due to soft pity, but eliminates surprises.
Constellation Costs
Each constellation needs another copy:
- C1: 28,800 (first copy worst-case) + 14,400 (guaranteed second) = 43,200 Primogems
- C6: Seven copies = 100,800+ Primogems worst-case
Prioritize C0 over constellations—Varka's kit functions fully at base.
F2P Primogem Income
Version 6.3 (42 days): 14,540 Primogems = 107 pulls
- Daily Commissions: 2,520 (60 × 42 days)
- Spiral Abyss: 1,200 (two resets)
- Lantern Rite: 1,600 + 10 Fates (3,200 value)
- Livestream codes: 300 (Feb 13, 2026)
- Maintenance: 600 (Feb 25, 2026)
- Events/exploration: ~4,000+
Version 6.4 Phase 1 (21 days): 8,735 Primogems
- Daily Commissions: 1,260 (60 × 21)
- Spiral Abyss: 600 (one reset)
- Events/quests: ~6,875
Total F2P (Jan 14 - Mar 17): 23,275 Primogems = 145 pulls
Enough for one guaranteed 5★ + 55 pity toward second, but 35 pulls short of worst-case double pity.
Welkin Moon & Battle Pass
Welkin Moon (USD 4.99):
- 300 Genesis Crystals immediately
- 90 Primogems daily × 30 days = 2,700
- Total: 3,000 Primogems per purchase
Two Welkin purchases (Jan + Feb): 600 crystals + 3,780 Primogems = 4,380 total for USD 9.98 (~27 pulls)
Battle Pass (USD 9.99):
- 5 Intertwined Fates + 680 Primogems = 1,480 value
- Two BP across versions: 18 pulls for USD 20
Combined low-spend: Welkin + BP = 88 pulls for USD 40. Added to F2P (145) = 233 total pulls—exceeds 180 worst-case with 53 spare.
Optimal Purchase Timing
- Buy Welkin at month start (Jan 1, Feb 1) to maximize 30-day duration
- Battle Pass can wait until level 50 confirmed—rewards don't expire
- Late Welkin purchases waste daily Primogems
Top-Up Strategy
First-Time Bonus: Doubles Genesis Crystals once per tier per account lifetime. USD 99.99 package: 6,480 → 8,080 crystals (50 pulls vs 40).
Package Breakdown (without bonus):
- USD 0.99 = 60 crystals = 0.375 pulls (USD 2.64/pull)
- USD 4.99 = 330 crystals = 2.06 pulls (USD 2.42/pull)
- USD 14.99 = 1,090 crystals = 6.81 pulls (USD 2.20/pull)
- USD 29.99 = 1,980 crystals = 12.38 pulls (USD 2.42/pull)
- USD 49.99 = 3,280 crystals = 20.50 pulls (USD 2.44/pull)
- USD 99.99 = 6,480 crystals = 40.50 pulls (USD 2.47/pull)
USD 14.99 offers best cost-per-pull at USD 2.20. First-time bonuses drop USD 99.99 to ~USD 1.24/pull.
Timing: Buy 24-48 hours before banner launch to avoid payment delays. Don't convert to Primogems until actively pulling.
Week-by-Week Action Plan
Immediate:
- Check wish history—count pulls since last 5★ on limited banners
- Note guarantee status (won or lost last 50/50)
- Calculate gap: target (14,400 or 28,800) minus current resources
- Divide by weeks until Feb 25 for weekly targets
January 2026:
- Complete Daily Commissions (1,860 Primogems for 31 days)
- Clear Spiral Abyss Jan 1 & 16 resets (1,200 total)
- Finish Version 6.3 events/exploration (4,000+)
- Redeem livestream codes immediately
- Buy Welkin by Jan 1 if low-spending
February 2026:
- Maintain Daily Commissions through Feb 25 (1,500 for 25 days)
- Complete Lantern Rite fully (1,600 + 10 Fates)
- Clear Feb 1 Spiral Abyss (600)
- Redeem Feb 13 livestream codes within 24 hours
- Collect Feb 25 maintenance compensation
- Buy second Welkin by Feb 1
- Top up Genesis Crystals 24-48 hours before banner
Banners to Skip
Avoid all Character Event Wish pulls before Feb 25 unless at 0-20 pity and willing to risk building unwanted pity. Each pull costs 160 Primogems toward Varka.
Never use Primogems on Standard Banner—uses different currency (Acquaint Fates).
Weapon banners need 240 pulls worst-case (38,400 Primogems). Skip unless heavy spender with surplus.
Common Mistakes
Impulse pulling:Testing pity wastes resources. Every pull counts.
Miscalculating pity: Wish history shows only six months. Count conservatively if uncertain.
Early conversion: Primogems offer flexibility; Intertwined Fates lock to character banners. Convert only when ready to pull.
Ignoring events: Missing Lantern Rite costs 3,200 Primogems value (20 pulls). Set calendar reminders for event ends, livestream codes, Spiral Abyss resets.
If Resources Fall Short
Attempt 50/50: With 80 pulls saved, coin-flip chance at success. Winning secures Varka despite shortage. Losing builds guarantee for rerun.
Rerun strategy: Losing 50/50 guarantees him next appearance (6-12 months). You'll easily accumulate 14,400+ Primogems by then.
Evaluate need vs want: Does Varka fill critical team gap or is he luxury? If you have strong Anemo options (Kazuha, Wanderer, Xiao), his absence won't cripple progression.
FAQ
How many Genesis Crystals guarantee Varka?
28,800 worst-case (180 pulls) from zero pity with no guarantee. If you have guarantee from losing previous 50/50, only 14,400 (90 pulls). Soft pity typically reduces actual costs to 11,840-13,120.
When does Varka banner start?
February 25, 2026, at server reset. Runs 21 days until March 17, 2026, as Version 6.4 Phase 1.
Does pity carry over?
Yes, pity count and guarantee status carry between all Character Event Wish banners indefinitely. Does NOT carry between banner types (Character/Weapon/Standard separate).
Can F2P get enough primogems?
F2P earns ~23,275 Primogems (145 pulls) from Jan 14 to Mar 17. Enough for one guaranteed 5★ + substantial pity toward second. Winning 50/50 at pull 77 secures Varka with surplus. Worst-case (180 pulls) leaves F2P 35 pulls short.
What is soft pity?
Starts pull 74 on Character Event Wish, dramatically increasing 5★ probability each pull. ~90% of 5★ arrive pulls 74-82. Reduces actual costs to 11,840-13,120 Primogems vs 14,400 hard pity.
Is Welkin Moon worth it?
Best value at USD 4.99 for 3,000 Primogems over 30 days (~USD 0.37/pull). Two purchases (Jan + Feb) provide 27 pulls for USD 9.98. Combined with F2P (172 total pulls), comfortably exceeds 180-pull worst-case for less than a full-price game.
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