If you’re jumping into Arknights Endfield, you’ll quickly notice the gacha system here doesn’t quite play by the usual rules. It borrows a few concepts from the original Arknights, sure, but it also throws in some curveballs that can either work in your favor or leave you scratching your head. Whether you’re a veteran gacha player or just starting out, understanding how Endfield’s Headhunting and weapon systems work is crucial before you commit your precious resources.
For more essential tips and strategies, check out our complete Arknights Endfield guides hub to master every aspect of the game.
Understanding Endfield Gacha Banners and Rates
Endfield splits its character gacha (called Headhunting) into three distinct banners, each serving a different purpose:
New Horizons Headhunting – This is your beginner-friendly banner. It guarantees you’ll snag a standard 6-star character within just 40 pulls, which is honestly a pretty sweet deal when you’re starting out.
Chartered Headhunting – This is where the action happens. It’s the limited-time banner that rotates regularly and features exclusive characters you’ll want to chase. Think of this as your “limited edition” banner.
Basic Headhunting – Your standard permanent banner containing all the regular units across every rarity tier. Nothing flashy, but it’s always available.
Drop Rates Breakdown
Here’s what you’re working with statistically:
- 6-Star Character: 0.8% (yeah, it’s rough)
- 5-Star Character: 8% (more reasonable)
- 4-Star Character: 91.2% (you’ll see these… a lot)
When pulling on the Chartered Headhunting banner, there’s a 50% chance you’ll get the featured character if you do manage to hit that elusive 6-star pull. That 50/50 coin flip will become very familiar.
If you’re planning your pulls strategically, you might want to review our Arknights Endfield reroll guide to maximize your starting roster.
How the Arknights Endfield Pity System Works
Let’s talk pity mechanics probably the most important thing to understand before spending your hard-earned resources. Endfield uses a system that’s simultaneously generous and punishing, depending on how you look at it.
The Basic Pity Structure
Hard pity kicks in at 80 pulls, guaranteeing you a 6-star character. However, this is where that dreaded 50/50 happens—you’ve got a coin flip’s chance of getting the featured Operator or losing out to a standard one.
The good news? Your pulls carry over to the next banner as long as you haven’t hit that 80-pull mark yet. So partial progress isn’t completely wasted.
The Safety Net (With a Catch)
The Good Stuff:
If you lose the 50/50 at 80 pulls, you only need 40 more pulls—bringing you to 120 total pulls—to guarantee the featured Operator. That’s actually not terrible compared to some gacha games out there.
There’s also a nice bonus: after 60 pulls on a Chartered banner, you’ll earn a Headhunting Dossier that gives you a free 10-pull for the next Chartered banner. It’s a small consolation prize, but hey, free pulls are free pulls.
Oh, and here’s something pretty player-friendly: featured characters stick around for three consecutive Chartered banners. Miss Levatein on her debut? You’ll still have two more chances when Gilberta or Yvonne take center stage.
The Bad Stuff:
Here’s where things get dicey. If you lose your 50/50 at 80 pulls but don’t reach that 120-pull safety net before the banner ends, none of your pulls carry over. You’re essentially reset to zero for the next banner’s safety net counter.
This creates an all-or-nothing gambling scenario once you hit 80 pulls without the featured character. You’re already invested, and backing out means losing all that progress toward the guarantee. It’s designed to keep you pulling, and honestly, it’s pretty rough.
Understanding how to build your team efficiently with these mechanics in mind is crucial—our Arknights Endfield characters guide can help you prioritize your pulls.
Arknights Endfield Weapon Gacha: Arsenal Exchange Explained
Now let’s talk weapons, because Endfield does something completely different here. Forget using your standard gacha currency—weapons operate through a separate system called Arsenal Exchange.
How Arsenal Exchange Works
Instead of Oroberyls or Permits, you’ll need Arsenal Tickets to pull for weapons. You can get these by:
- Pulling from Headhunting banners (they’re awarded as bonus items)
- Claiming them from the Protocol Pass
When you open the Arsenal Exchange page, you’ll see multiple weapon banners called Issues. The featured weapon Issue that matches the current Chartered Headhunting banner sits at the top, with others listed below.
Here’s where it gets interesting: you can directly purchase weapons using Arsenal Tickets instead of gambling. No RNG required if you’ve saved enough tickets. That’s actually a pretty player-friendly option for those who hate the gacha grind.
Weapon Drop Rates
Weapons have notably better rates than characters:
- 6-Star Weapon: 4% (five times better than character rates!)
- 5-Star Weapon: 15%
- 4-Star Weapon: 81%
When you do land that 4% roll for a 6-star weapon, you have a 25% chance it’ll be the featured weapon, and a 12.5% chance for other 6-star weapons.
Pity System for Weapons:
- Soft pity begins at 40 pulls
- Hard pity triggers at 80 pulls
The weapon pity is actually pretty reasonable compared to character pity. Combined with the direct purchase option, gearing up your Operators feels less punishing than building your roster.
For maximizing your overall account progression, don’t miss our Arknights Endfield stats guide and elemental reactions guide.
Tips for Managing Your Gacha Resources
Based on how this system works, here are some practical tips:
Plan Your Pulls Carefully – Once you hit 80 pulls and lose the 50/50, you’re committed. Make sure you have enough resources to reach 120 before pulling further, or you risk losing all that pity progress.
Take Advantage of the Three-Banner Window – Since featured characters appear in three consecutive banners, you don’t need to panic-pull immediately. Evaluate your resources and plan accordingly.
Prioritize Arsenal Tickets – The ability to directly buy weapons is huge. Save your tickets for weapons that perfectly match your main Operators rather than gambling.
Use the Beginner Banner Wisely – That guaranteed 6-star at 40 pulls from New Horizons Headhunting is incredibly valuable for new players. Don’t sleep on it.
You can also grab some freebies through our Arknights Endfield Twitch Drops guide and redeem codes guide.
Platform Availability
You can play Arknights Endfield on multiple platforms:
- Download from Google Play Store
- Get it on Epic Games Store
If you’re playing with friends, check out our multiplayer co-op and crossplay guide to see how platform compatibility works.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Does pity carry over between banners in Arknights Endfield?
Pity carries over to the next banner only if you haven’t reached 80 pulls yet. However, if you lose the 50/50 at 80 pulls and don’t reach the 120-pull guarantee before the banner ends, your progress toward that safety net resets completely. Your base pity counter continues, but the guarantee counter doesn’t.
What’s the best way to get Arsenal Tickets for weapons?
Arsenal Tickets primarily come from pulling on Headhunting banners as bonus rewards and from the Protocol Pass. Since you’ll be pulling for characters anyway, these tickets accumulate naturally. The key is saving them for weapons that truly matter for your main team rather than pulling randomly.
How does the 50/50 system work on limited banners?
When you pull a 6-star character on the Chartered Headhunting banner, you have a 50% chance it’ll be the featured character and 50% chance it’ll be a standard 6-star. If you lose this coin flip at 80 pulls (hard pity), you’re guaranteed to get the featured character at 120 pulls total. This guarantee only applies once per banner.
Can I get old limited characters after their banner ends?
Yes, but with limitations. Featured characters remain available in the next two Chartered Headhunting banners after their debut, giving you three total chances to pull them. After those three banners pass, it’s unclear if or when they’ll return, so plan your pulls accordingly during that three-banner window.
The gacha system in Arknights Endfield definitely has its quirks. The pity reset mechanic can feel punishing, but the three-banner character availability and direct weapon purchase options help balance things out. Just remember to plan your pulls strategically, especially once you hit that 80-pull mark, and you’ll navigate this system like a pro. For optimal performance while playing, check out our best settings guide to ensure smooth gameplay during those crucial gacha moments.
