Here's the deal: Genshin's 6.1 Phase 2 weapon banner (November 12 - December 3, 2025) is serving up Vortex Vanquisher and Crimson Moon's Semblance. Spoiler alert—if you're an Arlecchino main, Crimson Moon's 36% damage bonus is basically a game-changer. Zhongli fans get shield synergy with Vortex Vanquisher, but let's be real about that 25,600 Primogem investment ceiling.
What's Actually on This Banner?
The Timeline (Mark Your Calendars)
We're looking at November 12, 2025, 11:00 AM (UTC+8) through December 3, 2025, 10:59 AM (UTC+8). That's your window. Both featured weapons are polearms—which honestly makes sense given we're getting Arlecchino and Zhongli reruns.
Quick tip for the spenders out there: Genesis Crystal recharge code services through BitTopup have been pretty reliable for instant delivery. Just saying.
The Pity System (Because Math Matters)
Here's where people get confused. Weapon banner isn't like character banner—it's 80 pulls for hard pity, not 90. Soft pity kicks in around pulls 63-65, and you're looking at 0.7% base rates that jump to 33.7% by pull 79.
The kicker? It's 75% rate-up for featured weapons, not 50/50. But here's the catch—you could still need 160 pulls (that's 25,600 Primogems) if RNG hates you. Fate Points don't carry over between banners either. I've seen too many players learn this the hard way.
The 4-Star Lineup
Five 4-star weapons at 5.1% base rate with that 10-pull guarantee we all know and love. Dragon's Bane stands out here—221 Elemental Mastery at Level 90 is genuinely useful for reaction teams.
Vortex Vanquisher: The Shield Enthusiast's Dream
What You're Actually Getting
608 Base ATK, 49.6% ATK% at Level 90. The passive Golden Majesty gives you 20% Shield Strength plus 4% ATK per stack when you hit stuff (max 5 stacks). Under a shield? That doubles to 8% per stack.
Do the math—that's potentially 200% ATK increase at R1. R5 pushes it to 400%, but we'll talk about whether that's worth it later.
Who Actually Uses This Thing?
Zhongli's the obvious choice. His Jade Shield gets that 20% strength boost while he's sitting pretty with 50,000+ HP builds. You're looking at 4,000+ shield absorption, which is honestly overkill for most content.
Xiao works too—those Plunge Attacks build stacks nicely when you've got shield protection. Team comp wise? Zhongli + Xiangling + Bennett + Kazuha hits different with proper shield uptime.
The Refinement Question
Here's my take after watching countless players burn primos: R5 gives you that 400% ATK bonus, which translates to maybe 10-15% DPS increase over R1 in perfect conditions. But perfect conditions is doing a lot of heavy lifting there. R1 handles 99% of what you'll actually encounter.
Crimson Moon's Semblance: Arlecchino's Best Friend
The Numbers Game
674 Base ATK, 22.1% CRIT Rate at Level 90. But here's where it gets interesting—the passive Ashen Sun's Shadow creates Bond of Life equal to 25% Max HP when Charged Attacks connect (14-second cooldown).
You get 12% DMG Bonus just for having any Bond of Life. Hit that 30% Max HP threshold? Now you're looking at 36% total damage bonus. R5 pushes this to 84% total. Yeah, you read that right.
Arlecchino Synergy (It's Ridiculous)
This weapon was literally designed for her kit. Her Balemoon Rising infusion with that 36% damage bonus? I've seen 300,000+ Burst damage in optimized rotations. It's not even close.
Build path: 4-piece Fragment of Harmonic Whimsy, ATK% Sands, Pyro DMG Goblet, CRIT DMG Circlet. Target those 200% CRIT ratios with 30,000+ HP for proper Bond scaling.
Speaking of resources—Genshin Impact direct top up through BitTopup has been solid for quick Primogem delivery when you need it.
Team Comps That Actually Work
Arlecchino + Xilonen + Yelan + Bennett (stay out of that healing circle!) maximizes Pyro Vaporize while keeping your damage bonuses intact. Proper rotation? Burst > Skill (Bond application) > Normal Attacks. You're looking at 1.5 million+ damage over 20-second windows when everything clicks.
The Head-to-Head Reality Check
Raw DPS Numbers
Crimson Moon's Semblance wins by 15-25% for compatible characters. Period. Arlecchino hits 200,000+ normal attacks with Semblance versus maybe 150,000 with alternatives. Vortex Vanquisher shines in sustained damage scenarios where you can maintain shield uptime—which isn't always guaranteed.
Spiral Abyss Floor 12 performance? Crimson Moon enables 2-3 rotation clears with 9-star runs. Vortex Vanquisher needs 3-4 rotations but gives you that survivability cushion.
Meta Relevance (The Honest Take)
Crimson Moon's sitting pretty in S-tier for Arlecchino specifically. Its Bond of Life mechanics align perfectly with Natlan's reaction systems, and frankly, the DPS ceiling is just higher.
Vortex Vanquisher? A-tier for Zhongli, but it's more about comfort than raw performance. Broader utility through shield enhancement, sure, but you're dependent on that shield uptime.
The Primogem Investment Reality
What This Actually Costs
160 pulls maximum (25,600 Primogems) equals about 1.8 character guarantees. Let that sink in. Crimson Moon gives Arlecchino a 30% DPS increase—that's high value. Vortex Vanquisher's 15% survivability improvement? Moderate value at best.
F2P players get roughly 12,000-15,000 Primogems per version. That covers 75-90 pulls—not enough for weapon guarantees without serious saving.
F2P Strategy (Real Talk)
Don't pull weapon banners unless you're swimming in primos. Character diversity beats weapon refinement every time for account progression. Deathmatch from Battle Pass or Prototype Starglitter (craftable) work fine as Vortex Vanquisher alternatives.
Skip if: you don't have the weapon's optimal character, insufficient primos for guarantee, or upcoming character banners you actually want.
Spender Optimization
Welkin Moon gives you 300 daily primos (9,000 monthly)—that significantly reduces guarantee timeframes. Keep 25,600 Primogems in reserve before pulling, set that Epitomized Path before your first pull, and balance weapon versus character investments based on what your roster actually needs.
Character Compatibility Deep Dive
Vortex Vanquisher Users
Zhongli's the gold standard here. Support build with 4-piece Archaic Petra (HP%/Geo DMG/HP%) or DPS build with 4-piece Pale Flame (ATK%/Geo DMG/CRIT). Xiao works as a secondary option for ATK scaling during burst windows, but it's not his best-in-slot.
Crimson Moon's Niche
Arlecchino. That's it. Her entire kit revolves around Bond of Life mechanics, and this weapon's passive complements her Balemoon Rising state perfectly. The specialization limits cross-character utility, but when it works, it really works.
Common Weapon Banner Traps
Pity Misconceptions
It's not 50/50—it's 75/25 for featured weapons. People forget to set Epitomized Path before pulling (don't be that person). Character banner pity is 90 pulls; weapon banner is 80. Fate Points don't transfer between banners—they just disappear.
The Refinement Trap
R1 to R5 improvements typically range from 10-20% damage increases. Those same resources could secure entirely new weapons or characters. Only refine for your absolute main DPS characters, and even then, think twice.
Opportunity Cost Analysis
25,600 Primogems could get you 1.8 character guarantees instead. Consider your roster completion, upcoming banners you actually want, the weapon's impact on characters you use, and your long-term account goals.
What the Community's Actually Saying
Reddit Consensus
About 70% of discussions favor Crimson Moon's Semblance for meta-focused players. The feedback's pretty consistent—Semblance transforms Arlecchino's damage output significantly, while Vortex Vanquisher provides comfort without major DPS gains.
Content Creator Takes
Most prominent creators rank Crimson Moon higher for account progression. The weapon's ability to enable 36-star Spiral Abyss clears with lower investment resonates with optimization-focused audiences. Vortex Vanquisher gets praised for quality-of-life improvements in overworld content.
Pull Tracking Data
Community tracking shows average 5-star acquisition around 70-75 pulls. About 60% of players using Epitomized Path get their target weapon within 120 pulls. The other 40%? They're hitting that full 160-pull guarantee.
The Bottom Line
Pull If...
You main Arlecchino and have 25,600+ Primogems sitting around. Crimson Moon's Semblance provides genuine S-tier value for her specifically. Pull Vortex Vanquisher if you're heavily invested in Zhongli shield-dependent teams and prioritize survivability over raw damage.
Perfect candidates: Arlecchino mains with sufficient resources, Zhongli users in shield-focused comps, players with complete rosters seeking optimization.
Skip If...
You lack the featured weapons' optimal characters or don't have guarantee money. Also skip if you're F2P prioritizing character acquisition, satisfied with current weapon alternatives, or have upcoming character banners with higher priority.
Alternative Strategies
Battle Pass weapons, craftable options, or saving for future banners with broader appeal all make sense. Consider investing in character constellations for guaranteed improvements, saving for upcoming Archon releases, or building roster diversity with 4-star weapons.
FAQ Section
Q: How much does it cost to guarantee a specific weapon? Maximum 25,600 Primogems (160 pulls) using Epitomized Path. Most players get their target within 120 pulls (19,200 Primogems) on average.
Q: Should F2P players pull weapon banners? Generally no. Character diversity benefits outweigh weapon upgrades. Only pull if you main the weapon's optimal character and have excess primos after securing desired characters.
Q: Which weapon offers better value? Crimson Moon's Semblance for Arlecchino (30% damage increase) versus Vortex Vanquisher for Zhongli survivability. Choose based on your main character and playstyle.
Q: Can I use these weapons on other characters? Both work on other polearm users but with reduced efficiency. Vortex Vanquisher suits any ATK-scaling polearm user in shield teams; Crimson Moon provides high stats but limited passive value outside Arlecchino.
Q: When will these weapons return? Expect 6-8 month intervals between reruns based on historical patterns. Vortex Vanquisher typically returns with Zhongli banners; Crimson Moon aligns with Arlecchino reruns.
Q: What if I forget to set Epitomized Path? You won't earn Fate Points for off-target 5-star weapons, potentially requiring up to 240 pulls for your desired weapon. Always set your path before making any pulls.