Genshin Impact players slam “terrible design” of 4 and 5-star pity system

Anna Koselke
Genshin Impact's Nahida on a swing

The four-star pity system in Genshin Impact ensures that players get either an item or four-star character every ten pulls. However, this pull system has its flaws.

One of the most frustrating aspects of games like Genshin Impact is their strong focus on gacha mechanics. Named after gachapon machines, or toy vending machines, gacha is a genre within gaming that involves random pull systems.

These pull systems are similar to actual toy capsule machines. You pay to play, and then receive a random “toy,” or in a game’s case, a relevant item. These can be things like characters or weapons. Understandably, many players find this annoying and wasteful.

Genshin Impact’s 4 and 5-star pity system plays into this, and fans are unhappy with it. It is meant to ensure players receive a four-star character or item every ten pulls, but fans are discussing how banner four-stars are not guaranteed. Pull almost a hundred times, and you can get a five-star character. You may not, however, get the four-star you wanted.

Genshin Impact players frustrated about 4-star pity pull system

Players took to Reddit to express their frustration with the arguably flawed deisgn decision. In a viral post serving to open up discussion amongst the community on the pity system, users discussed their own experiences with it.

The original poster called the system a “terrible design decision,” stating that it had “afflicted a few friends of mine as well, and caused one to quit.” The player stated that over 100 attempts should guarantee any featured supporting character.

Fellow players quickly chimed in, sharing their own frustrations with the system. One person wrote that they “needed 172 pulls for one Gorou,” stating that they ended up lucky to get Kaveh after 48 pulls while their partner unfortunately “didn’t get a single one.”

An image of Kaveh in Genshin Impact.

Another fan commented that they spent over a whopping 200 pulls in an attempt to get Kaveh, only to not “get a single copy.” Other players left suggestions for better systems, with one writing about developer miHoYo, “what they COULD do is have a ‘pick your 4-star’ event in regions other than Liyue.”

Ideally, players would love to see the gacha system go and just be able to pick which four-star they receive, in a manner similar to how the weapon banners work. Unfortunately, the pull system is unlikely to change. If you find yourself needing a break, there are other games like Genshin Impact to check out.

About The Author

Anna is a former Dexerto writer. She studied English Literature and then Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh. As a writer, she specializes in narrative design and video game journalism. She spends most of her free time eating pasta, delving deep into Zelda lore, reading fantasy books, tending to in-game farms, world-building, and daydreaming about befriending every animal.