The Genshin 6.3 Phase 2 Epitome Invocation (February 3-24, 2026) features Lightbearing Moonshard (Zibai's sword) and Tome of the Eternal Flow (Neuvillette's catalyst). Both share identical stats: 542 Base ATK and 88.2% CRIT DMG at Lv90. With Epitomized Path requiring up to 240 pulls (38,400 primogems) for guaranteed selection and F2P players earning only 14,540 primogems per version, this banner demands strategic planning.
Banner Overview: What's at Stake
Running February 3-24, 2026, this 21-day banner presents critical decisions for resource-conscious players. Both weapons share identical base stats—your choice hinges entirely on character compatibility and passive synergy.
For low spenders, weapon banners represent Genshin's highest-risk investment. Players can top up Genesis Crystals through BitTopup for competitive pricing and instant delivery.
Timeline Critical Info
Unlike character banners, weapon banner Fate Points reset when banners change. Any progress toward Epitomized Path guarantee disappears February 24, 2026—incomplete sessions mean total resource loss.
Featured 5-Star Weapons
Lightbearing Moonshard (Zibai's Sword)
R1: DEF +20%, Lunar-Crystallize DMG +64% for 5s after Elemental Skill
R5: DEF +40%, Lunar-Crystallize DMG +128%
Tome of the Eternal Flow (Neuvillette's Catalyst)
R1: HP +16%, Charged ATK DMG +14% per stack (max 3), 8 Energy/12s
R5: HP +32%, Charged ATK DMG +30% per stack, 12 Energy/12s
Why This Banner Has High Brick Risk
The dual-weapon system creates 50/50 odds even after hitting pity. Without Epitomized Path (requiring 2 Fate Points), you face equal chance of either weapon. Version 6.3's 14,540 F2P primogems equals just 107 pulls—drastically short of 240-pull worst-case guarantee.
Epitomized Path Explained
Before pulling, chart one featured weapon as your target. Each off-target 5-star grants 1 Fate Point. After 2 Fate Points, your next 5-star guarantees your selection. Maximum: 240 pulls across three pity cycles.
Fate Points Mechanics
Fate Points only accumulate from off-banner 5-stars or the featured weapon you didn't select. Chart Moonshard but get Tome? That's 1 Fate Point. Second off-target grants Fate Point #2, guaranteeing Moonshard on third 5-star.
Critical: Fate Points completely reset on February 24, 2026. Partial progress = zero value.
Pity Breakdown
Hard pity: 80 pulls
Soft pity: Starts pull 65
Cost per cycle: 12,800 primogems (hard pity)
Most 5-stars drop: Pulls 65-77
Real Probability
Base 0.7% rate × 50% featured × 50% correct weapon = 0.175% per pull before soft pity. This math explains why weapon banners demand massive resource investment.
Worst Case: 240 Pulls
38,400 primogems for guarantee: 80 pulls (1st off-target) + 80 pulls (2nd off-target) + 80 pulls (guaranteed target). Without this budget, you're gambling, not guaranteeing.
Moonshard Deep Dive
Hyper-specialized for Zibai's Lunar-Crystallize mechanics. Value depends entirely on owning and maining Zibai.
Stats at Level 90
R1:
Base ATK: 542
CRIT DMG: 88.2%
Passive: DEF +20%, Lunar-Crystallize DMG +64% (5s after Skill)
R5:
Base ATK: 542
CRIT DMG: 88.2%
Passive: DEF +40%, Lunar-Crystallize DMG +128%
R1 provides sufficient performance—refinements offer optimization, not capability unlocks.
Passive Mechanics
Triggers after Elemental Skill, granting 5s buff. Zibai's Skill generates 10 Phase Shift Radiance/second; Normal Attacks add +5/0.5s. Spirit Steed's Stride consumes 70 Radiance (15s cooldown).
Rotation: Activate Skill → Moonshard buff → Lunar-Crystallize attacks in 5s window → repeat. Creates ~33% uptime on damage bonus.
Best Characters
S-Tier: Zibai (signature weapon, 100% baseline damage)
B-Tier: Generic sword users (542 ATK + 88.2% CRIT DMG only—wasted passive)
Damage vs F2P Options
Moonshard R1: 100% (baseline)
Uraku Misugiri: 95% (-5%)
Cinnabar Spindle R5: 82% (-18%)
Amenoma Kageuchi R5: 70-75% (-25-30%)
18-30% damage gap over craftables is significant but not transformative. Rarely justifies 10,400-38,400 primogem cost for limited budgets.
Tome Comprehensive Analysis
Neuvillette's signature catalyst, optimized for charged attack playstyles with energy regen. Slightly broader applicability than Moonshard.
Stats and Refinements
R1:
Base ATK: 542
CRIT DMG: 88.2%
Passive: HP +16%, Charged ATK DMG +14%/stack (max 3), 8 Energy/12s
R5:
Base ATK: 542
CRIT DMG: 88.2%
Passive: HP +32%, Charged ATK DMG +30%/stack, 12 Energy/12s
Max stacks: R1 = 42% Charged ATK DMG (3×14%), R5 = 90% (3×30%). Energy regen: R1 = 40 Energy/min, R5 = 60 Energy/min.
Passive Breakdown
Stacks build in 0.9s (0.3s cooldown per stack)—near-instant max damage bonus. HP bonus synergizes with Neuvillette's HP-scaling damage. Energy restoration works off-field, valuable for quickswap teams.
Optimal Characters
S-Tier: Neuvillette (52,300 damage baseline, 100% performance)
A-Tier: Charged attack catalyst users (partial value without HP scaling)
B-Tier: Generic catalysts (stats only, wasted passive)
Damage Comparison
Tome R1: 52,300 (100%)
Widsith R5: 41,700 (79.7%)
Generic 4-stars: 75-80%
21-25% advantage over Widsith R5 translates to faster Abyss clears for Neuvillette mains.
Players planning pulls can buy Genesis Crystals through BitTopup for secure transactions and fast delivery.
Moonshard vs Tome: Direct Comparison
Versatility
Moonshard: Exclusively Zibai (Lunar-Crystallize mechanics). No other current character uses this damage type.
Tome: Primarily Neuvillette, partial value for charged attack catalysts. Energy regen + CRIT DMG offer universal benefits.
Verdict: Tome edges ahead, though both heavily specialized.
Meta Relevance
Current Abyss favors both characters in specific chambers. Neuvillette has established multi-version track record; Zibai is newer with less historical data.
Refinement Value
Both function adequately at R1 for 36-star Abyss. Refinements optimize, don't unlock capabilities.
Moonshard R1→R5: Doubles damage bonus (64%→128%), meaningful but not transformative
Tome R1→R5: Charged ATK 42%→90%, Energy 40→60/min, more substantial scaling
For low spenders, R1 is the stopping point.
Brick Factor
Getting Moonshard without Zibai: High brick severity—only stat stick value, completely wasted passive.
Getting Tome without Neuvillette: Lower brick severity—partial value for charged attack users, but still poor efficiency.
Both outcomes create significant resource loss without corresponding characters.
Primogem Cost Calculator
Best Case: 1-65 Pulls
160-10,400 primogems. Probability: Extremely low (0.175%/pull before soft pity). Statistical outlier, not planning baseline.
Average Case: 100-120 Pulls
16,000-19,200 primogems. Assumes winning one 50/50, losing one. More realistic but still favorable RNG.
Worst Case: 240 Pulls
38,400 primogems guaranteed. Budget planning must use this figure.
Opportunity Cost
38,400 primogems alternatively provides:
240 character banner pulls = two guaranteed 5-star characters (90×2) + 60 pulls remaining
Multiple 4-star constellations or one 5-star constellation
Future banner security
For low spenders, weapon investment sacrifices character acquisition—core progression in Genshin.
Low Spender Strategy Framework
Account Checkpoint Quiz
Answer honestly:
Own signature character? (Zibai/Neuvillette)
Have 38,400+ primogems?
Acquired all desired characters from current/next version?
Consistently 36-star Abyss with current weapons?
Would off-target weapon provide meaningful value?
Any no = high-risk allocation. Prioritize characters over weapons.
Character Roster Assessment
For Moonshard: Must own and main Zibai. Without him, near-zero value.
For Tome: Must own Neuvillette or charged attack catalyst user. Better off-signature value than Moonshard but still specialized.
Lacking both signature characters? Skip entirely.
Primogem Requirements
Recommended: 38,400 (240 pulls) for guarantee completion
Acceptable risk: 25,600 (160 pulls) for experienced players
Danger zone: Below 19,200 (120 pulls)—heavy RNG reliance
Pull/Skip Flowchart
PULL (all must be true):
Own signature character
Have 38,400+ primogems OR accept risk with 25,600+
No desired characters current/next version
Already 36-star Abyss consistently
Off-target weapon acceptable
SKIP (any triggers skip):
Don't own signature character
Fewer than 25,600 primogems
Want upcoming characters
Struggle with Abyss (need roster expansion)
Both weapons are bricks
Common Mistakes
Mistake #1: Pulling Without Guarantee Budget
Starting without 38,400 primogems, assuming early luck. Partial progress = zero value when banner expires.
Solution: Never pull unless you have 38,400 or consciously accept gambling.
Mistake #2: Ignoring Character Ownership
Pulling weapons before obtaining characters. Weapons sit unused indefinitely.
Solution: Character first, weapon second. Always.
Mistake #3: Overvaluing Marginal DPS
18-30% damage improvement = seconds saved in Abyss—rarely success/failure difference.
Solution: Evaluate if damage solves actual problems. Already 36-starring? Weapons are luxury, not necessity.
Mistake #4: FOMO Pulling
Emotional decisions from showcases/hype ignore personal needs and constraints.
Solution: Maintain primogem budget spreadsheet tracking reserves, income, planned expenditures across 2-3 versions. Data over emotion.
Alternative Strategies
Top 4-Star Alternatives
For Zibai:
Cinnabar Spindle R5: 82% damage (-18% vs Moonshard R1)
Amenoma Kageuchi R5: 70-75% (-25-30%)
For Neuvillette:
Widsith R5: 79.7% (-20.3% vs Tome R1)
Other 4-stars: 75-80%
Craftables provide functional performance for all content. Damage gap rarely determines clear outcomes.
Future Banner Planning
Signature weapons return every 6-12 months during character reruns. If Phase 2 presents high brick risk, wait for better weapon pairings.
Building Reserves
Version 6.3 F2P primogems (14,540 total):
Daily Commissions: 2,520 (60/day × 42 days)
Events: 4,200
Spiral Abyss: 1,200 (600/reset × 2)
Other sources: 6,620
Saving across 2-3 versions accumulates 38,400 needed. Requires skipping character banners—difficult but necessary trade-off.
Efficient Top-Up
BitTopup offers competitive Genesis Crystal pricing with secure transactions and fast delivery. First-time buyer bonuses provide best value. Welkin Moon ($4.99 = 2,700 primogems/30 days) and Battle Pass ($9.99) offer superior primogem-per-dollar ratios vs direct Crystal purchases.
FAQ
Is Phase 2 weapon banner worth it for low spenders?
Only if you own Zibai/Neuvillette, have 38,400+ primogems, and don't need upcoming characters. 18-30% damage improvement over 4-stars rarely justifies cost for limited budgets. Prioritize characters over weapons.
How does Epitomized Path work?
Select one featured 5-star before pulling. Each off-target 5-star = 1 Fate Point. 2 Fate Points = next 5-star guaranteed. Max: 240 pulls (38,400 primogems). Fate Points reset when banner changes.
What are chances of getting Moonshard/Tome?
0.7% per pull for any 5-star. Soft pity at 65, hard at 80. Without Epitomized Path: 50% per 5-star pull (50% featured × 50% correct). With 2 Fate Points: 100% guaranteed.
How many primogems for guaranteed weapon?
Worst case: 38,400 (240 pulls). Average: 16,000-19,200 (100-120 pulls). Best: 160-10,400 (1-65 pulls, statistically unlikely). Always budget worst case.
Should low spenders pull weapon banners?
Generally no. Marginal damage (18-30%) at extreme cost (38,400). Characters provide more value. Only pull if: own signature character, have 38,400+, don't need upcoming characters, already clear all content.
What does getting bricked mean?
Receiving the featured weapon you didn't want—wasted primogems on minimal account value. Pulling Moonshard without Zibai or Tome without Neuvillette = brick. You spent 10,400-38,400 for a stat stick with wasted passive.