Wuthering Waves 5-Star Weapons: 2026 Pull Priority

Why 5-Star Weapons Matter More Than Ever

In the current meta, a 5-star weapon is not merely a stat stick but a fundamental mechanic enabler. Signature weapons often feature exclusive passives that provide up to 48% damage bonuses or specific buffs like Energy Regen that cannot be replicated by standard options. For example, weapons like Thunderflare Dominion offer base attack stats as high as 675 at Lv.90, significantly out-scaling lower-rarity alternatives. Investing in the right weapon ensures your main DPS reaches optimal resonance chains, allowing for faster clear times and more consistent performance in end-game content.

Understanding Weapon Pity & Costs

The gacha system for weapons operates on a separate pity counter from character banners, requiring distinct resource management.

The 80-Pull Hard Pity System

• Drop Rate: 0.8% for 5-star items.
• Hard Pity: Guaranteed at 80 pulls.
• Soft Pity: Reportedly begins around the 70th pull.
• Cost: 160 Astrite per pull. Reaching hard pity costs 12,800 Astrite.
• Independence: This counter is separate from Limited Character, Standard Character, and Standard Weapon Banners.

Navigating the 50/50: Risk vs. Reward

The limited weapon banner features a 50/50 mechanic. When you pull a 5-star weapon, there is a 50% chance it is the featured promotional weapon and a 50% chance it is a standard 5-star weapon.

• Worst Case: Losing the 50/50 requires 160 pulls to guarantee the featured weapon.
• Total Cost: 25,600 Astrite for a guaranteed featured weapon after a loss.
• Currency: Uses Forging Tide. Managing your currency is crucial, and utilizing a Wuthering Waves recharge service like buffget ensures you have enough Astrite to hit pity when it matters most.

Note: The Weapon Permanent Convene offers a safety net, guaranteeing a selected 5-star weapon at 80 pulls without the 50/50 risk, but only for standard pool weapons.

Tier List: Best 5-Star Weapons for 2026

S-Tier DPS Weapons: Essential for Damage

These weapons offer the highest damage output through superior base stats and multipliers.

• Thunderflare Dominion (Broadblade): Base ATK 675 (Lv.90). Passive Thunderblaze Eminence boosts Heavy ATK DMG by 20% after Intro or Resonance Skill and allows shields to ignore 7.2% DEF. Premier choice for Heavy ATK-focused DPS.
• Verity's Handle (Gauntlet): Passive Ad Veritatem provides a massive +48% Resonance Liberation DMG bonus. It also extends the duration of Resonance Skill buffs up to 3 times. Ideal for burst-damage dealers relying on ultimate cooldowns.
• Blazing Brilliance (Sword): 48.6% Crit DMG, 12% ATK. Passive Crimson Phoenix stacks Searing Feather to boost Resonance Skill DMG by up to 56% (14 stacks). Exceptional for sustained skill damage.

S-Tier Support Weapons: Enabling the Meta

Support weapons focus on Energy Regen, healing, and team buffs.

• Starfield Calibrator (Broadblade): 77% Energy Regen, 16% DEF. Passive Definite Solution restores 8 Concerto Energy every 20 seconds and boosts healing based on Crit DMG. Invaluable for sustain-heavy compositions.
• Defier's Thorn (Sword): 72.2% HP increase. Passive A Free Knight's Tarantella allows Intro Skills to ignore 8% DEF and increases Aero Erosion damage taken by 20%. Strong sub-DPS or support for shredding enemy defenses.

A-Tier Niche Picks: Situational Powerhouses

Powerful but often require specific team synergy or playstyles.

• Verdant Summit (Broadblade): 48.6% Crit DMG. Boosts Heavy ATK DMG via Intro and Resonance Liberation. Solid for broadblade users relying on burst windows.
• Ages of Harvest (Broadblade): 24.3% Crit Rate. Boosts Resonance Skill DMG by 24% through both Intro and Skill activation. Reliable for skill-spamming builds.
• Wildfire Mark (Broadblade): Boosts Resonance Liberation DMG and extends duration with Heavy ATKs. Provides a team-wide 24% Fusion DMG buff. Niche but powerful in elemental reaction teams.

Signature vs. Standard: Value Analysis

Performance Gap: Signature vs. R5 4-Star Alternatives

Signature weapons typically outperform fully upgraded (R5) 4-star alternatives. For instance, the 48.6% Crit DMG on Blazing Brilliance provides a raw stat ceiling that most 4-star swords cannot match. The passive abilities on signature weapons, such as the DEF shred on Defier's Thorn or the Energy restoration on Starfield Calibrator, offer utility often absent from standard pool weapons. This gap justifies the high pull cost for players aiming to maximize DPS potential.

The Trap of Standard Banner Weapons

While the Weapon Permanent Convene guarantees a selected 5-star weapon at 80 pulls, standard banner weapons often lack specialized passives. Weapons like Emerald of Genesis or Emerald Sentence offer decent stats (e.g., 24.3% Crit Rate) but their passives are generally weaker compared to limited counterparts like Thunderflare Dominion. Investing in standard weapons is generally recommended only for filling gaps or for specific support needs, rather than for main DPS carries.

Strategic Pull Priority

Prioritizing Main Carriers over Supports

Resource allocation should prioritize weapons for your primary DPS units first. A weapon like Thunderflare Dominion or Verity's Handle directly increases your team's damage output, the primary bottleneck in high-level content. Support weapons, while valuable, can often be substituted with 4-star options or standard banner picks like Starfield Calibrator without as severe a drop in overall team viability. Focusing your Astrite on one or two key signature weapons yields better results than spreading resources thin.

When to Skip: Identifying Diminishing Returns

Evaluate whether a new weapon offers a substantial upgrade over your current loadout. If your current weapon already provides high Crit Value and the new banner weapon only offers marginal stat increases, skip. Additionally, if the weapon's passive does not align with your character's kit (e.g., boosting Basic ATK for a character focused on Resonance Liberation), the pull value decreases significantly. Historical data suggests saving Astrite for weapons with Hard Pity mechanics and high base stats (600+ ATK) is more efficient than chasing every new release.

Budgeting for Future Banners

With version updates occurring every six weeks, planning ahead is essential. The Thunderflare Dominion banner, scheduled from August 28 to September 17, 2025, serves as a reference for future release patterns.

• Savings Goal: Aim to save at least 160 Astrite per week.
• Currency Management: Use Radiant Tide (Character Banners) and Forging Tide (Weapon Banners) efficiently.
• Discipline: Avoiding impulse pulls on standard banners ensures a healthy stockpile for limited releases.

Weapon Resonance & Mechanics Breakdown

How Passive Abilities Define the Meta

Passive abilities are the primary differentiators in the 2026 meta.

• Intro Skill Synergy: Weapons like Emerald Sentence grant a 30% Heavy ATK DMG boost after an Intro Skill, encouraging frequent swapping.
• Stacking Mechanics: Blazing Brilliance relies on stacking Searing Feather up to 14 times, rewarding sustained combat.
• Team Buffs: Wildfire Mark provides a 30-second 24% Fusion DMG buff to the team, acting as a force multiplier.

Stat Distribution: Crit Value vs. Flat Stats

Modern 5-star weapons heavily favor Crit stats over flat ATK or HP.

• High Crit DMG: Blazing Brilliance, Verdant Summit, and Radiance Cleaver offer 48.6% Crit DMG, allowing players to build Crit Rate via sub-stats efficiently.
• Hybrid Stats: Unflickering Valor prioritizes Energy Regen (77.04%) over Crit, catering to supports or battery characters.
• HP Scaling: Defier's Thorn focuses on HP (+72.2%), tailored for characters who scale with health or require survivability.

2026 Meta Predictions & Longevity

Weapons Safe from Power Creep

Weapons with high base stats and universal passives are likely to remain relevant throughout 2026. Thunderflare Dominion, with its 675 Base ATK and DEF shred, is a prime candidate for long-term viability as raw stats rarely depreciate. Similarly, Verity's Handle provides a generic 48% damage buff to Resonance Liberation, a mechanic likely to remain core to DPS kits.

Upcoming Synergies to Watch For

Based on the current weapon roster, future updates will likely introduce characters that synergize with specific mechanics.

• Fusion DMG: The presence of Wildfire Mark suggests an upcoming focus on Fusion DMG team compositions.
• Tune Strain Interfered: Weapons like Laser Shearer and Radiance Cleaver boost Tune Strain Interfered damage, hinting at a new debuff mechanic.
• Shield Synergy: Thunderflare Dominion's interaction with shields indicates a potential strengthening of shield-based supports.

Conclusion: Building Your Ultimate Arsenal

Securing the Best 5-Star Weapons Wuthering Waves 2026 requires a disciplined approach to the gacha system. By understanding the 80-pull pity, calculating the 160 Astrite cost per pull, and prioritizing S-tier weapons like Thunderflare Dominion and Verity's Handle, you can maximize your combat efficiency. Avoid the trap of standard banner weapons unless necessary, and focus your resources on signature weapons that offer definitive power spikes for your main carriers. With strategic planning and smart resource management, you can build an arsenal capable of conquering the most challenging content the game has to offer.

FAQ

What is the pity cost for 5-star weapons in Wuthering Waves? The hard pity for 5-star weapons is guaranteed at 80 pulls, with soft pity starting around the 70th pull. If you lose the 50/50, it takes a maximum of 160 pulls to guarantee the featured weapon.

Are signature weapons worth pulling for in 2026? Yes, signature weapons provide significantly higher base stats and unique passive abilities that often outperform R5 4-star alternatives, making them essential for maximizing DPS in end-game content.

How does the 50/50 system work on the weapon banner? When you pull a 5-star weapon on the limited banner, there is a 50% chance it is the featured weapon. If you do not get the featured weapon, the next 5-star weapon you pull is guaranteed to be the featured one.

What are the best DPS 5-star weapons right now? Top DPS picks include Thunderflare Dominion for its 675 Base ATK and DEF shred, Verity's Handle for its 48% Resonance Liberation DMG boost, and Blazing Brilliance for its high Crit DMG and stacking passive.

Should I pull for a character or their weapon first? Generally, you should prioritize pulling the character first, as a character can perform adequately with 4-star weapons, whereas a weapon is useless without the character who utilizes its passive effectively.

How many pulls are guaranteed for a specific weapon? You are guaranteed a specific featured weapon after 160 pulls. This accounts for the worst-case scenario where you lose the first 50/50 at 80 pulls and then hit the guaranteed featured weapon at the next 80-pull threshold.