After NTE's launch, a Reddit post titled "NTE's weapon banner system is actually insane" garnered over 2,400 upvotes and 500+ comments in 48 hours. The core sentiment: NTE's weapon banner has a low pity cap and none of the epitomized path frustration that plagued early Genshin Impact.
This guide breaks down every aspect of the NTE weapon banner, explains why the community reaction has been so positive, and helps you plan your gacha resources wisely.
1. Core Weapon Banner Rules
Pity System
- 60-pull hard pity for gold weapon: Guaranteed at least one S-rank or A-rank gold weapon at 60 pulls
- 80-pull hard pity for featured weapon: Guaranteed the limited featured S-rank weapon at 80 pulls
- No epitomized path: No need to grind 240 pulls like early Genshin to guarantee a specific weapon
- Pity carries over: Weapon banner pity progress transfers between weapon banners of the same type
Probability Distribution
- S-rank weapon base rate: ~0.8%
- A-rank weapon rate: ~6.0%
- B-rank weapon rate: ~93.2%
- Soft pity begins at pull 50 with increasing rates
Average Pull Data
Based on community statistics and official probability models:
- Average gold (any S/A-rank): ~35-45 pulls
- Average featured weapon: ~50-60 pulls
- Worst case: 80 pulls guaranteed
2. Why Reddit Calls It "Insane"
Comparison with Genshin Weapon Banner
| Aspect | Genshin (Early) | NTE |
|---|---|---|
| Guarantee specific weapon | Up to 240 pulls (3 epitomized) | Up to 80 pulls |
| Gold rate | 0.7% | ~0.8% |
| Soft pity start | Pull 63 | Pull 50 |
| Epitomized path | Required fate point accumulation | None needed |
| Average cost | ~105 pulls | ~50-60 pulls |
Genshin veterans remember the pain — up to 240 pulls for a specific weapon with two possible off-banner results. NTE eliminates this entirely: 80-pull cap, no "losing" twice.
Community Reactions
Representative comments from the Reddit thread:
- "Finally a gacha game that doesn't torture weapon banner players"
- "80-pull pity + no epitomized path = I'm willing to invest in weapon banner"
- "Compared to my Genshin weapon pulling trauma, this is heaven"
- "15-25% sig weapon boost is reasonable — not mandatory but noticeable"
3. Is the Signature Weapon Worth Pulling?
Upgrade Estimates
| Role | Signature Boost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Main DPS | 15%-25% | Most noticeable damage increase |
| Sub DPS | 10%-20% | Depends on skill multipliers |
| Support/Healer | 8%-15% | Mostly utility improvements |
| CC/Control | 5%-12% | Smaller gains |
Priority Recommendations
- 1Main DPS signature weapon (e.g., Zero, Sakiri)
- 2Core support utility weapon
- 3Sub DPS weapon
- 4Others
By Player Type
F2P: ~418 free pulls at launch. Prioritize characters first. Only consider weapon banner if main DPS is secured with surplus pulls.
Monthly pass: ~500+ pulls first month. Secure 2 core characters, then consider one main DPS signature weapon.
Dolphin+: Main DPS signature is essentially mandatory — 15-25% boost matters in endgame content.
4. Weapon Banner Strategy
Early Game (Level 1-30)
Skip weapon banner entirely. Story weapons are sufficient. All resources go to character banners.
Mid Game (Level 30-50)
Consider main DPS weapon if you have core characters and surplus pulls. One 80-pull pity is a manageable investment.
Late Game (Level 50+)
Depends on roster gaps. Signature weapons gain value in high-level Anomaly challenges and endgame content.
Practical Tips
- 1Characters before weapons: This is the golden rule. NTE character banner has no 50/50 — 90 pulls guarantees the featured character
- 2Only pull for main DPS weapons: Support and sub-DPS function well with 4-star weapons
- 3Use pity carryover: If current weapon doesn't fit, pity carries to next banner — nothing wasted
- 4Set a stop-loss: Maximum 80 pulls (exactly the pity cap), don't overspend
5. Resource Allocation Formula
Assuming ~120-150 pulls per version (F2P):
- Pure character route: 1-2 limited characters, solid roster
- Character + weapon route: 1 limited character (~54 avg) + 1 signature (~55 avg) = ~109 pulls, with surplus
- All characters route: Skip all weapon banners, stable 2 limited characters per version
6. FAQ
Does weapon pity reset?
Each gold (featured or not) resets the counter, but pity progress carries between weapon banners.
Do character and weapon pity share?
No. Character pity only carries to character banners; weapon pity only to weapon banners.
Can F2P really pull weapons?
Yes, but you'll sacrifice some characters. Save pulls when a version's limited characters don't interest you.
Are 4-star weapons viable?
Absolutely. The gap between max refine 4-star and zero refine 5-star is ~15-25%. Daily content and low-difficulty content are unaffected.
Summary
NTE's weapon banner is among the most player-friendly in the anime gacha genre: 80-pull cap, no epitomized path grind, and pity carryover. The enthusiastic Reddit response validates this design.
But player-friendly doesn't mean must-pull. The core principle remains: characters first, weapons second; main DPS first, supports later. Only invest in the weapon banner when your core roster is complete and you have surplus pulls.