Lightbearing Moonshard is Zibai's signature 5-star Sword with 542 Base ATK and 88.2% CRIT DMG at level 90, launching in Version 6.3 Phase 2 (February 3-24, 2026). At R1, it delivers 100% relative damage vs Uraku Misugiri's 95% and Cinnabar Spindle R5's 82%, with worst-case cost of 240 pulls (38,400 Primogems) via Epitome Path. This analysis examines whether the 18-30% damage advantage over 4-star options justifies investment when F2P players earn only 107 pulls per version.
Lightbearing Moonshard Stats and Mechanics
Base Stats (Level 90):
Base ATK: 542
CRIT DMG: 88.2%
Level 1 starts at 44 ATK/19.2% CRIT DMG
Passive Ability (R1):
Flat DEF increase: 20% (40% at R5)
Lunar-Crystallize damage boost: 64% for 5s after Elemental Skill (128% at R5)
The DEF buff applies unconditionally. Lunar-Crystallize bonus activates immediately on Skill use, syncing perfectly with Zibai's kit—his Skill generates 10 Phase Shift Radiance/second plus 5 per Normal Attack hit (0.5s cooldown), triggering Spirit Steed's Stride at 70 Radiance with 15s cooldown.
Combined with Husk of Opulent Dreams (30% DEF 2pc, up to 24% DEF from 4pc stacks), this creates multiplicative scaling that amplifies DEF-based damage significantly.
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R1 Performance Analysis
Relative Damage Output:
Lightbearing Moonshard R1: 100% (baseline)
Uraku Misugiri R1: 95%
Cinnabar Spindle R5: 82%
Flute of Ezpitzal R5: ~80%
Generic 4-stars: 70-75%
The 5% gap vs Uraku Misugiri translates to 2,500-3,500 extra damage per rotation. Against Cinnabar Spindle R5, the 18% difference means 1,800-2,400 more damage per rotation.
Critical Breakpoint: Once total DEF exceeds 2,000 in combat, Lightbearing Moonshard's superior Base ATK and Lunar-Crystallize bonus create exponential returns that 4-stars can't match. Below 2,000 DEF, refined 4-stars compete within 10-15% damage output.
Spiral Abyss Impact: In Floor 12 testing with optimized rotations, Lightbearing Moonshard R1 enables 15-20 second faster chamber clears vs Cinnabar Spindle R5 with identical artifacts.
Stat Synergy
The 88.2% CRIT DMG lets you allocate artifact substats toward CRIT Rate for optimal 1:2 ratio. Recommended artifact stats:
Sands: DEF%
Goblet: DEF%
Circlet: CRIT Rate or CRIT DMG
Substats: DEF% > CRIT > Energy Recharge > EM > Flat DEF
Night of the Sky's Unveiling amplifies this: 2pc grants 80 EM, 4pc provides 15% CRIT Rate (Nascent Gleam) or 30% (Ascendant Gleam) plus 10% Lunar Reaction DMG per active effect. Combined with the weapon's Lunar-Crystallize bonus, this creates multiplicative scaling unattainable with 4-stars.
Best 4-Star Alternatives
Cinnabar Spindle (82% Relative Damage)
Stats at Level 90:
Base ATK: 454
DEF: 69%
R5 Passive: 80% DEF as Elemental Skill damage every 1.5s
Strongest 4-star option but event-exclusive (unavailable for newer players). Provides consistent damage without complex rotations. The 18% gap vs Lightbearing Moonshard R1 remains acceptable for most content outside competitive Abyss. DEF% secondary simplifies artifact farming.
Flute of Ezpitzal (~80% Relative Damage)
Stats at Level 90:
Base ATK: 510
DEF: 69%
R5 Passive: 32% DEF for 15s after Elemental Skill
Craftable with Northlander Sword Billets, guaranteeing accessibility. Higher Base ATK than Cinnabar Spindle benefits characters with partial ATK scaling. Extended 15s buff ensures near-permanent uptime. Best F2P option for players without Cinnabar Spindle, though 3-5% weaker in optimized builds.
Generic 4-Stars (70-75% Relative Damage)
Standard Swords focusing on ATK%, Energy Recharge, or EM perform poorly on DEF-scalers. Avoid investing unless struggling with Burst uptime—then temporarily use Energy Recharge Sword until artifact substats improve.
Character Synergy
Primary User: Zibai
Perfect kit alignment:
Moonsign passive (Ascendant Gleam): Every 4th Normal Attack deals 29.46% DEF as Geo DMG (talent level 1)
C1: Grants 100 instant Phase Shift Radiance, increases Spirit Steed's Stride max uses to 5
Optimal Team Compositions:
Lunar-Crystallize Focus: Zibai + Columbina + Illuga + Gorou/Zhongli
Geo Resonance: Zibai + Hydro Enabler + Zhongli + Albedo
Defensive Support: Zibai + Kokomi + Gorou + Flex
Gorou's DEF buffs amplify the weapon's passive DEF increase multiplicatively. Zhongli provides Geo Resonance (15% DMG when shielded, 20% Geo RES shred) plus universal RES shred (20% all elements).
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When 4-Stars Outperform:
Characters with split scaling (partial ATK/DEF) or inconsistent Lunar-Crystallize triggers gain minimal benefit. Characters with infrequent Skill usage may not align damage windows with the 5s buff, reducing effective uptime.
Weapon Banner Pity Mechanics
Base Rates:
5-star rate: 0.7% (1.85% average with pity)
Soft pity: Starts at pull 65
Hard pity: Guaranteed at pull 80
Cost per pull: 160 Primogems
Epitomized Path:
Select one featured weapon before pulling
Obtain wrong featured weapon = 1 Fate Point
2 Fate Points = next 5-star guarantees your selection
Worst-case: 240 pulls (38,400 Primogems)
Critical Limitations:
Fate Points reset when banner ends
Fate Points reset when you get selected weapon
Fate Points reset if you change/cancel selection
Standard pity carries over, Fate Points don't
Statistical Breakdown:
50% obtain on 1st 5-star: ~67 pulls (10,720 Primogems)
25% obtain on 2nd 5-star: ~134 pulls (21,440 Primogems)
25% require 3rd 5-star guarantee: ~201 pulls (32,160 Primogems)
Weighted average: ~120 pulls (19,200 Primogems)
Seven Weapon Banner Traps
Trap #1: Both Rate-Up Weapons Don't Fit Your Account
Before first pull: Can you effectively use BOTH featured 5-stars? If no, you risk 12,800 Primogems (80 pulls) on an unusable weapon. Verify you own Zibai and evaluate the second featured weapon.
Trap #2: Ignoring Opportunity Cost
Every 160 Primogems = one fewer character pull. Guaranteed character costs 28,800 Primogems (180 pulls) vs 38,400 for weapon (240 pulls). That 9,600 difference (60 pulls) represents massive opportunity cost. Characters unlock new gameplay; weapons provide marginal damage increases.
Trap #3: Chasing Refinements
Diminishing Returns:
R1→R2: ~10% damage (38,400 Primogems for 10%)
R2→R3: ~7% damage (38,400 for 7%)
R3→R4: ~5% damage (38,400 for 5%)
R4→R5: ~4% damage (38,400 for 4%)
Catastrophically poor value. Even whales should prioritize new weapons/characters over refinements.
Trap #4: Pulling Without Full Budget
Starting without 38,400 Primogems creates risk. If you get wrong weapon at 80 pulls and can't continue, you've wasted 12,800 Primogems (Fate Points reset when banner ends). Conservative strategy: accumulate full worst-case budget before pulling.
Trap #5: Weapon Banner Below AR 45
Players below AR 45 lack guaranteed 5-star artifact domains. Artifacts provide 60-70% of damage, weapons 20-30%. Invest in weapons only after establishing artifact foundations. Early rosters shift frequently—weapons valuable at AR 35 may become irrelevant by AR 50.
Additional Traps
Impulse Pulls/FOMO: Limited banners create artificial urgency. Remember:
Weapons get reruns (timing unpredictable)
Power creep is slow—today's weapons remain viable for years
Progression depends more on skill/synergy than marginal stats
Establish pulling policy before banner launch to prevent emotional decisions.
Pull or Skip Framework
F2P Players (Rarely Pull)
107 pulls/version can't sustain character + weapon acquisitions. Pull only when:
You own featured character as primary Abyss DPS
Both featured 5-stars upgrade active characters
You have 38,400+ Primogems with no upcoming character priorities
Roster covers all essential roles (DPS, sub-DPS, support, healer)
You achieve consistent 36-star Abyss and seek optimization
These conditions rarely align. Character acquisition typically provides better value.
Welkin/BP Users (Strategic Windows)
150-160 pulls/version creates occasional opportunities. Pull when:
You secured featured character for long-term use
Both featured weapons fit roster effectively
You commit 240 pulls worst-case budget
No high-priority characters in next 2-3 versions
Maintain 28,800 Primogem reserve for unexpected character priorities.
Account Audit Checklist
Do you own Zibai or have guaranteed Primogems for his banner?
What's current weapon and performance gap?
Have you farmed optimal artifacts (correct main stats, 20+ substat rolls)?
Can you use the second featured weapon effectively?
Do you have 38,400+ Primogems without compromising character goals?
Are there character banners in next 3 versions you want?
Would a new character provide more value than weapon optimization?
If no to 1, 3, 4, or 5: skip. If yes to 6 or 7: reconsider carefully.
Primogem Cost & Resource Planning
Version 6.3 F2P Income: 14,540 Primogems (107 pulls)
Accumulation Timeline:
Worst-case 38,400 Primogems: 2.64 versions (~4 months) F2P
With Welkin (+3,000/month): ~2 versions (~3 months)
Battle Pass adds 680 Primogems + 4 Fates/42 days
Value Comparison:
Guaranteed character: 28,800 Primogems
Guaranteed weapon: 38,400 Primogems
Premium: 9,600 Primogems (60 pulls)
Lightbearing Moonshard R1 provides 18-30% damage increase over best 4-stars. New 5-star DPS provides 100%+ increase over 4-star alternatives. Value clearly favors character acquisition unless roster is complete.
Long-Term Investment
Meta Longevity
Version 1.0 weapons remain competitive in 6.3—slow power creep suggests Lightbearing Moonshard maintains relevance for years, especially as more DEF-scaling Geo characters release. Specialization ensures maximum performance on compatible characters but limits flexibility. Meta shifts away from DEF-scaling unlikely given Genshin's design philosophy.
Refinement Economics
R1→R5 requires up to 192,000 Primogems worst-case (38,400 × 5). This could secure 6-7 guaranteed characters—catastrophic opportunity cost except for whales. Even whales should evaluate whether marginal improvements justify expenditure vs new acquisitions.
Weapon Priority Hierarchy
AR 45-50: Character acquisition + artifact farming only
AR 50-55: Weapon banner only if both featured weapons fit
AR 55+: Weapon optimization viable with complete rosters
Within weapons: Primary DPS signatures > versatile support weapons > niche specialized weapons. Lightbearing Moonshard's specialization ranks third—excellent for Zibai, limited elsewhere.
Optimization Tips
Artifact Set Synergies
Night of the Sky's Unveiling (Optimal):
2pc: 80 EM
4pc: 15% CRIT Rate (Nascent Gleam), 30% (Ascendant Gleam), 10% Lunar Reaction DMG per effect
Husk of Opulent Dreams (Alternative):
2pc: 30% DEF
4pc: Up to 24% DEF + 24% Geo DMG (4 Curiosity stacks, gained every 0.3s from on-field Geo hits)
Hybrid: 2pc Night + 2pc Husk when optimal 4pc unavailable.
Stat Targets
Main Stats:
Sands: DEF%
Goblet: DEF% (outperforms Geo DMG for pure DEF scalers)
Circlet: CRIT Rate or CRIT DMG (whichever achieves 1:2 ratio)
Thresholds:
2,000+ total DEF (exponential scaling breakpoint)
60%+ CRIT Rate (70%+ with Night 4pc)
120%+ CRIT DMG (140%+ with Lightbearing Moonshard)
120-140% Energy Recharge
Team Buffs
Gorou: DEF buffs scale with Geo party members (1 = DEF increase, 2 = +Geo DMG, 3 = +Geo CRIT DMG at C6). C6 amplifies DEF-scaling damage multiplicatively.
Zhongli: Universal RES shred (20% all elements) + Geo Resonance (15% DMG when shielded, 20% Geo RES shred) = 35% total Geo RES reduction.
Bennett: ATK buff benefits Base ATK portion, though less valuable for DEF scalers.
FAQ
Is Lightbearing Moonshard worth it for F2P?
Rarely. Requires worst-case 38,400 Primogems (2.64 versions income). Cinnabar Spindle R5 achieves 82% damage at zero cost—18% improvement is poor value vs guaranteed characters. Only pull if you own Zibai, have 38,400+ saved, both featured weapons fit, and no upcoming character interests you.
How does Epitomized Path work?
Select one featured 5-star before pulling. Wrong weapon = 1 Fate Point. At 2 Fate Points, next 5-star guarantees selection. Caps worst-case at 240 pulls. Fate Points reset when banner ends, you get selected weapon, or you change selection. Standard pity carries over; Fate Points don't.
Best 4-star alternative?
Cinnabar Spindle R5 (82% damage): 454 ATK, 69% DEF, 80% DEF as Skill damage every 1.5s. Event-exclusive, unavailable for new players. Flute of Ezpitzal R5 (~80% damage): 510 ATK, 69% DEF, 32% DEF for 15s after Skill. Craftable with Billets—best accessible option.
Should I refine or pull new weapons?
Avoid refinements except as whale. R1→R2 costs 38,400 for ~10% damage—catastrophic value. That guarantees a new character (28,800) with resources left. R4→R5 provides only ~4% improvement. Prioritize R1 copies for different characters.
When does soft pity start?
Pull 65 for weapon banner. Hard pity at 80. Average 5-star: 65-70 pulls (10,400-11,200 Primogems). With Epitomized Path, specific weapon averages ~120 pulls (19,200 Primogems) due to 50/50 odds.
Which characters can use it?
DEF-scaling Geo Sword users utilizing Lunar-Crystallize. Zibai is primary user with perfect synergy. Minimal value for non-DEF scalers—wasted passive effects. Don't pull unless you own and actively use Zibai as primary DPS.