Quick verdict: Cartethyia is a 5★ Aero Sword DPS carry built around the Aero Erosion stacking mechanic. Her next banner is expected in Version 3.1 Phase 2 (reportedly February 26–March 18, 2026). At R0 with solid Echoes, she's a strong Aero carry with excellent team synergy. Pull if you need an Aero DPS or enjoy high-skill-ceiling gameplay.
Who Is Cartethyia?
Cartethyia is a 5★ Aero Sword primary DPS carry. Her kit revolves around Aero Erosion — a stacking damage amplification system that rewards tight rotation execution.
Base stats at Level 90:
HP: 14,800 | ATK: 312 | DEF: 611
Energy Regen: 100% | Crit Rate: 5% | Crit DMG: 150%
She's stat-hungry and scales heavily with Echo investment and team support. Unlike previous Aero resonators who lean support or sub-DPS, Cartethyia stays on-field, accumulates Conviction, and enters a Manifest state (12 seconds) that transforms her combat pattern entirely — one of the more engaging resonators to pilot at high level.
Banner Details: Dates, Featured Characters & Convene System
Banner history:
Debut: Version 2.4 Phase 1 (June 12–July 3, 2025)
Rerun: Version 3.0 Phase 1 (December 25, 2025–January 15, 2026)
Next expected: Version 3.1 Phase 2 (February 26–March 18, 2026) — not officially confirmed at time of writing
Her Version 3.0 rerun featured boosted 4★ resonators Yangyang, Youhu, and Baizhi. Expect a similar or updated lineup if she appears in 3.1.
Convene system: Cartethyia is a limited resonator available only on her Featured Resonator Banner, which uses Radiant Tides — not Lustrous Tides. Spending Lustrous Tides won't progress pity on her limited banner. Don't mix the two currencies.
If you're ready to secure pulls now, buy wuthering waves lustrous tides through BitTopup — a fast, secure platform with competitive Astrite top-up rates to maximize your Convene budget before the banner closes.
Full Kit Breakdown
Normal Attacks & Aero Erosion
Basic Attack Stage 4 generates 1 Aero Erosion stack
Intro Skill instantly applies 2 stacks on entry
Each stack = +20% damage amplification, capping at 5 stacks (+100% total)
This isn't additive filler — it's a core multiplier defining her damage ceiling.
Resonance Skill & Forte Circuit
Resonance Skill (14s cooldown): generates 2 Aero Erosion stacks, feeds Conviction
Conviction caps at 120, consumed during Liberation to power Manifest state
Blade of Howling Squall (signature Forte attack): deals damage at 6.60% × 7 hits of Max HP — making HP investment directly relevant to DPS
Resonance Liberation & Manifest State
Cost: 125 Energy | Cooldown: 25 seconds
Reduces HP to 50%, activates Manifest state for 12 seconds
The HP reduction is a mechanic, not a drawback — it synergizes with her HP-scaling kit. Managing this threshold is a key skill check.
Intro & Outro Skills
Intro Skill: Instantly applies 2 Erosion stacks — she enters combat already primed
Outro Skill: Grants the next resonator +17.5% Aero DMG for 20 seconds — excellent setup for Aero sub-DPS teammates
Pity System & Pull Math
On Cartethyia's limited banner:
Soft pity begins ~73 pulls (drop rate increases significantly)
Hard pity at 80 pulls (guaranteed 5★)
50/50 system: First 5★ is 50% chance Cartethyia; lose it, and the next is guaranteed
Pity carries over from previous limited banners of the same type
Realistic pull scenarios:
Best case (win 50/50 at soft pity): ~73–75 Radiant Tides
Average: ~100–110 Radiant Tides
Worst case (lose 50/50, hit hard pity twice): 160 Radiant Tides
At 160 Astrite per Radiant Tide, worst-case costs ~25,600 Astrite. F2P players: Union Level 5–35 milestones yield up to 40 Lustrous Tides; the 7-day login bonus adds 4 more. Plan your Radiant Tide conversion accordingly.
Resonance Chain: What's Worth It?
S1: +25% Crit DMG at 30/60/90/120 Conviction thresholds — activates naturally during rotation. Most cost-efficient upgrade.
S2: Aero Erosion max stacks increase from 5 to 8 — substantial damage ceiling expansion for players with high uptime. Strong secondary target.
S3: Blade of Howling Squall damage +100% — massive on an HP-scaling hit, but requires three copies. Luxury territory.
Bottom line: R0 Cartethyia is fully viable in Tower of Adversity. S1 is the sweet spot; S2 is for dedicated investors; S3+ is whale territory.
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Best Team Compositions
Optimal: Cartethyia / Ciaccona / Shorekeeper
Cartethyia: primary DPS + Erosion stacking
Ciaccona: Aero resonance synergy + sub-DPS
Shorekeeper: healing + energy support, stabilizes HP management post-Liberation
F2P-friendly: Cartethyia / Aero Rover / Baizhi
Aero Rover fills the Aero resonance slot at zero resource cost
Baizhi (free-to-obtain healer) covers survivability after the HP-reduction mechanic
Lower ceiling, but competitive in most endgame content
Flex option: Yangyang — boosted 4★ on Cartethyia's rerun banner. Her Outro chains well with Cartethyia's own Outro for stacked Aero DMG amplification. Solid budget third slot.
Echo Build Guide
Best-in-slot set: Windward Pilgrimage (5-piece), cost config ④④①①①
Main Echo: Reminiscence: Fleurdelys — prioritize for farming
Main stat priority by slot:
4-COST: Crit Rate or Crit DMG (alternate to balance ratio)
3-COST: HP%
1-COST: Focus on substat quality
Target endgame stats:
Max HP: 48,000–50,000
Crit Rate: 60–70%
Crit DMG: 250–270%
Energy Regen: 115–120%
Substat priority: Crit Rate > Crit DMG > Basic ATK DMG > HP% > Energy Regen
Don't neglect HP% chasing pure Crit — Blade of Howling Squall scales directly off Max HP. Hitting the HP threshold is non-negotiable for full damage output.
Signature Weapon vs. F2P Alternatives
Defier's Thorn (signature):
Max HP +12%
Ignores 8% enemy DEF
+20% DMG amplification at 1 Aero Erosion stack (activates immediately via Intro Skill)
Purpose-built for her kit. The HP bonus feeds HP-scaling attacks; DEF ignore is a multiplicative gain.
F2P alternatives:
Red Spring: ATK +12%, Basic ATK DMG +10% for 14s, stacking to +40% over 10s — strong sustained option
Blazing Brilliance: ATK +12%, Resonance Skill DMG +4% per stack up to 14 stacks — rewards aggressive Skill usage
Unflickering Valor: Crit Rate +8%, Basic ATK DMG +24% for 10s — best for players struggling to hit Crit Rate thresholds
Verdict: Defier's Thorn is a meaningful upgrade, but F2P players using Red Spring or Unflickering Valor won't be locked out of endgame. Skip the weapon banner unless you're a dedicated Cartethyia main.
How to Farm Pulls Before the Banner
Free Lustrous Tide sources:
7-day login bonus: 4 Lustrous Tides
Union Level 5–35 milestones: up to 40 Lustrous Tides
Union Level 8 unlock (Convene Pioneer Podcast): 5 Lustrous Tides
160 Astrite = 1 Lustrous Tide (or Radiant Tide via exchange)
Utterance of Marvels banner: 50 pulls guarantees a 5★ (no single pulls)
For March 2026 prep: Version 3.1 event rewards (reportedly February 26–March 18, 2026) are your primary free Astrite source. Complete all limited-time events, exploration chests, and daily missions — one-time Astrite sources don't refresh.
Final Verdict: Should You Pull?
F2P: Conditional pull. At R0 with F2P weapons and Aero Rover team, she performs well but demands solid Echo farming. Have 80+ Radiant Tides saved? Pull. Below 60? Consider waiting.
Dolphin/casual spender: Pull. S1 is achievable at moderate spend and delivers a noticeable Crit DMG boost. Pair with Red Spring or Defier's Thorn and she's a top-tier carry with room to grow.
Meta-chaser/endgame: Strong pull. Aero Erosion mechanic, HP-scaling damage, and Outro team buff make her one of the more complete DPS packages available. S2 is the recommended stopping point for competitive Tower of Adversity.
Should you skip for Version 3.2+? Version 3.1 Phase 2 reportedly features Luuk, Herssen, and Galbrena next. If none appeal to you, Cartethyia is the stronger Aero investment.
FAQ
What element and weapon type is Cartethyia? Aero element, Sword-type 5★ resonator — primary on-field DPS carry.
How many Radiant Tides to guarantee Cartethyia? Hard pity is 80 pulls. Worst-case with 50/50 system: 160 Radiant Tides (two hard pities). Budget 100–110 on average. Pity carries over from previous limited banners.
Is she viable at R0 without her signature weapon? Yes. R0 with Red Spring or Unflickering Valor performs competently in Tower of Adversity. Defier's Thorn improves output but isn't mandatory.
What's her best Echo set? Windward Pilgrimage (5-piece), ④④①①① config, with Reminiscence: Fleurdelys as main Echo. Target 60–70% Crit Rate, 250–270% Crit DMG, 48,000–50,000 Max HP.
Which Resonance Chain node is most worth it? S1 (+25% Crit DMG at Conviction thresholds) is the most efficient upgrade. S2 (Erosion stacks +3) is a strong secondary target. S3+ is luxury investment.
When does the March 2026 Cartethyia banner end? Based on the reported Version 3.1 Phase 2 schedule: February 26–March 18, 2026 — not officially confirmed. Monitor official Wuthering Waves channels for the confirmed end date.