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Characters
Just like in the real world, there isn’t just one type of currency to use in the game. And you can’t just spend them all mindlessly either. Some are abundant and easy to find while others are scarce or behind a pay wall.
The most common and narratively relevant currency, Mora is the common trade value for all regions in Teyvat. You can use it to buy items, create new items, or level up your characters and weapons. You receive Mora by opening chests, completing quests and tasks, or defeating enemies. The source is not scarce here, so feel free to use it to your hearts content.
Sigils aren’t as easy to find as Mora. There are currently three types of sigils in accordance to the three regions in the game, Anemo Sigils for Mondstadt, Geo Sigils for Liyue, and Electro Sigils for Inazuma. You can only use them in each regions’ Sigil-specific Souvenir shops to buy materials that aren’t essential, so collecting Sigils shouldn’t be the forefront. You’ll gradually collect Sigils by opening chests, unlocking Statues of the Sevens, and finding scattered debris here and there.
To many players, this is THE most important currency (and the most memed) in the game. There are a variety of uses, but because of their scarcity, they should ONLY be used to roll for characters in the Wishing banners. You can receive Primogems through most quests and certain locations here and there, but you’ll need to do a LOT of quests to get the proper amount needed for rolling the characters you want. More on that later.
Second only to primogems, these are currencies can only be used in character banners. The two types of Fate, Acquaint and Intertwined, are used for the two types of banners, the Standard Banner and the limited-time Character and Weapons Banner, respectively. You can receive these from quests, events, or from the world’s environment.
These are not obtainable in any way except using real money, so they should be a last resort. Genesis Crystals can be used to buy more Primogems one-to-one and starter bundles, but this is ONLY if you have money you are willing to spend on the game. It helps get you the characters you want faster, but you shouldn’t have to lose money over a game. Save money. Live better.
When the term “rolling for a character” comes into conversation, they mean you spend Primogems or Fates to “have a chance” to roll a character of your choice. That’s right, you don’t have a direct choice of whether you’ll receive your wanted character or not. That is up to the gacha system.
By definition, a gacha system is “an in-game monetization mechanic where you use in-game currencies to get a ‘chance’ to get something.” Even if you have all the in-game currency or even real-life money to spend all you want, all you can do with that dough is roll the banners over and over again until, by chance, you character appears.
However, this system isn’t purely a chance game. Genshin Impact, unlike other gacha games, has a system within the gacha that increase the chances to your favor called the Pity System.
First off, never spend Primogems on the Standard Banner. Once you have the characters from the Standard Banner, there is no use for it except when you receive Acquaint Fates only usable for that banner.
In every game update, there is a new limited-time Character Banner with a 5-star characters with 4-star characters in tow. In terms of gameplay quality, 5-star and 4-star characters have no distinction, but 5-star characters are more rare, making them a sought out commodity everyone wants. With every 10 rolls, a 4-star character or weapon is guaranteed, so that isn’t a huge problem. But because 5-stars are so rare, the chance of rolling them normally are usually extremely low. You have a 0.6% chance to roll a 5-star, but even within that, a 50% chance to roll the Banner’s character.
Very low, I know. But with the Pity System, within 90 rolls, you are guaranteed a 5-star character, and if you roll a 5-star that isn’t the banner’s 5-star character, the next 90 rolls’ 5-star will be a guaranteed 5-star banner character.
There’s also a limited-time Weapon Banner. Same schtick, but it’s not necessary unless you have low-quality weapons.
What I like the most about Genshin Impact is that the official, external help comes in the form of their community website. And I’m not talking about questions and answers forums.
As described in a different post, the Interactive Map is very useful in finding items and locations of treasure chests.
There is a daily check-in page that gives daily rewards, from Mora to meals and even Primogems!
This website also keeps track of your game stats such as ‘days active’, ‘achievements’, characters obtained and their respective stats and weapons, a live counter for Resin, Expeditions, and Serenitea Pot currency.
These tools and more are available in their website, or you can download the app on iOS or Android.