Quick Answer: The NIKKE March 2026 Anniversary Event runs March 5–19, 2026, featuring E.H., a Wind Code SSR Attacker (Elysion faction). The limited banner has a 4% SSR rate with 2% E.H. rate-up. Hard pity hits at 200 pulls (60,000 Gems worst-case). F2P players who saved since January can realistically stack 15,000–25,000 Gems — enough for meaningful pulls, but not a guaranteed pity. Whether to pull depends on your roster, gem reserves, and Union Raid priorities.
Event Overview: Dates & Key Activities
The NIKKE 3.5 Anniversary spans March–April 2026. The E.H. Special Recruit banner launches post-maintenance on March 5, 11:00–15:00 UTC+9 and closes March 19, 4:59:59 UTC+9 — exactly 14 days.
Two major co-op events run during this window:
Union Raid: March 6, 5:00 → March 12, 4:59:59 UTC+9
Coordinated Operation: March 13, 12:00 → March 15, 23:59:59 UTC+9
Both generate gems and tickets that supplement your pull income. Union Raid requires Union Level 3 — verify your guild status before March 6 or you'll miss a significant chunk of anniversary rewards.
Featured Unit: Who Is E.H.?
E.H. is a Wind Code SSR Attacker, Submachine Gun, Elysion faction, Burst III. She occupies the critical damage-dealing slot in burst chains.
Her Elysion affiliation pairs naturally with Rapi: Red Hood (Fire, Burst III, Machine Gun) and Label (Defender, Elysion, Iron Assault Rifle), creating a tri-Elysion core that unlocks faction-bonus opportunities in select Union Raid stages.
For comparison, Snow White: Heavy Arms (Water, Burst III, Sniper Rifle, Pilgrim) remains the Burst III benchmark — but E.H.'s Wind Code typing provides elemental coverage Snow White doesn't. She's a complement, not a replacement. If Wind Code Burst III is your weakest slot, her value proposition is high.
Pity System: Numbers You Need to Know
Soft pity: Pulls 80–100. SSR rates incrementally increase beyond the base 4%. Most SSRs land in this window.
Hard pity: 200 pulls. Exchange 200 Gold Mileage Tickets in the Mileage Shop for E.H. directly — no RNG at the exchange step.
Critical mechanic — Mileage carryover: Gold Mileage Tickets accumulate indefinitely across all banners. If you entered March 2026 with 80 existing tickets, you only need 120 more pulls (36,000 Gems) to guarantee E.H. Always audit your Mileage count before calculating your actual gem requirement.
The E.H. banner uses standard limited banner pity — no improved threshold despite it being an anniversary event. That's a common misconception (addressed below).
Gem Cost Breakdown
Step-Up Banner: Do This First
The Step-Up banner is your highest-value spend:
Phase 1: 100 Gems — 1 pull
Phase 2: 1,500 Gems — 10 pulls
Phase 3: 2,000 Gems — 10 pulls
Phase 4: 3,000 Gems — 10 pulls
Total: 6,600 Gems for 31 pulls (vs. 9,300 Gems at standard rate)
Always exhaust the Step-Up before doing standard 10-pulls.
Spending Tiers
F2P: 15,000–25,000 saved Gems covers the Step-Up plus 2–4 additional 10-pulls (51–71 total pulls). With existing Mileage Tickets, some F2P players reach soft pity. Hard pity guarantee is unlikely without supplemental income.
Dolphin: The Monthly Crystal Pass ($4.99) delivers 3,300 Gems over 30 days (300 base + 100 daily bonus). First Purchase Tier 1 adds 640 Gems (320 paid + 320 bonus). Layered on a 20,000 Gem F2P base, these push you comfortably into soft pity range.
Whale/MLB: Full Maximum Limit Break (3 copies) costs up to 180,000 Gems worst-case.
For Commanders topping up before the March 19 deadline, buy NIKKE gems for the anniversary banner through BitTopup — competitive pricing, fast delivery, and secure transactions that experienced NIKKE spenders rely on during high-stakes windows.
Free Gem Income: What You Should Have Banked
Pre-Event Income (January 2026)
New Year's Greetings Mail (Dec 29, 2025–Jan 3, 2026): 30 free pulls
New Year Event (Dec 30, 2025–Jan 14, 2026): 55 free pulls
Total: 85 free pulls from January alone
The Bonus Recruit system (active Dec 31, 2025–Dec 31, 2026) allows up to 10 claims at 1,000 Exchange Points each, featuring Liter, Naga, Alice, Helm, and Tia — ongoing value throughout the anniversary window.
In-Event Income (March 5–19)
Daily missions: 80 Gems/day = 2,400 Gems over 30 days
Monthly passive income: 8,000–12,000 Gems from standard sources
Union Raid rewards (March 6–12): Event currency + gem drops
Coordinated Operation rewards (March 13–15): Additional milestone income
A disciplined F2P player entering March 5 with 20,000 Gems can realistically spend 25,000–30,000 Gems across the banner window depending on event mission completion.
Is the Banner Worth It? The Verdict
Pull If:
You lack a strong Wind Code Burst III attacker
You run an Elysion team with Rapi: Red Hood and Label
You have 15,000+ Gems saved plus existing Mileage Tickets
Union Raid performance matters to your guild
Skip If:
Wind Code Burst III coverage is already solid
You're saving for a confirmed upcoming Pilgrim banner
Gem reserves are below 10,000 with no top-up planned
You're a new player still building core roster fundamentals
On rerun risk: Limited anniversary units don't have guaranteed rerun schedules. If Wind Code Burst III is your weakest slot, waiting carries real competitive risk — especially in time-limited Union Raid content.
On Coordinated Operation timing: E.H. becomes available March 5, meaning she can contribute to your Coordinated Operation score (March 13–15) within days of acquisition. That's a rare and valuable alignment.
To secure your pulls before the March 19 cutoff, top up Goddess of Victory NIKKE tickets fast via BitTopup — trusted by Commanders who need gems delivered quickly during limited windows.
Pull Strategy by Player Type
F2P: Complete the Step-Up first (6,600 Gems, 31 pulls). Use remaining Gems for standard 10-pulls. Stop at soft pity (80–100 pulls) if no E.H. — don't chase hard pity without a clear gem reserve plan.
Dolphin: Layer Monthly Crystal Pass and First Purchase bonus on your F2P base. Target Step-Up completion plus enough pulls to hit soft pity confidently. Avoid MLB unless E.H. is central to your competitive strategy.
Veteran: Audit your Mileage Ticket count first. 100+ carried-over tickets dramatically cuts your effective gem cost. Prioritize the Step-Up, then calculate remaining pulls against your actual Mileage balance.
Beginner: Unless E.H. fills your only Burst III slot, prioritize a balanced roster over chasing one limited unit. The 85 January free pulls may have already covered strong Burst III options.
Event Shop Currency Priorities
Spend anniversary currency in this order:
Upgrade materials — highest long-term value per unit
Recruit Tickets — direct pull value, no expiration risk
Core Dust and Battle Data Sets — essential for limit-breaking existing SSRs
Gems — if available at favorable exchange rates
Cosmetics/collectibles — only with surplus after covering the above
Don't spend event currency on items available through standard progression. It's finite and time-limited — treat it as premium.
Common Misconceptions Debunked
Anniversary banners have better pull rates. False. E.H. banner carries the standard 4% SSR / 2% rate-up — identical to regular limited banners. Anniversary value comes from event rewards and content density, not improved odds.
You can always wait for a rerun. Unconfirmed. Limited anniversary units have no guaranteed rerun schedule. Treating a rerun as certain has cost players access to meta units in past cycles.
Spending more gems improves your rate-up chance. False. Each pull is independent. The 2% E.H. rate applies equally to pull 1 and pull 199. Only the 200-ticket Mileage Shop exchange removes RNG.
Anniversary units are always long-term meta. Not necessarily. E.H.'s value is strongest in Elysion-synergy and Wind Code contexts. Future raid design could shift her relative ranking.
FAQ
Q: How many gems to guarantee E.H.? Worst-case: 200 pulls = 60,000 Gems. Existing Gold Mileage Tickets reduce this — always check your balance first.
Q: Does pity carry over after the banner ends? Yes. Gold Mileage Tickets accumulate indefinitely. Pulls on the E.H. banner count toward your running total even if you don't hit 200 before March 19.
Q: Can F2P players realistically pull E.H.? Reaching soft pity (80–100 pulls) is achievable with 15,000–25,000 saved Gems plus the Step-Up discount. Hard pity guarantee without spending is unlikely for most F2P players.
Q: What's E.H.'s exact rate-up per pull? 2% per pull, within the 4% total SSR rate. Roughly half of all SSR pulls from this banner will be E.H.; the other half are off-banner SSRs.
Q: Is E.H. in the Mileage Shop? Yes. At 200 accumulated Gold Mileage Tickets, exchange directly for E.H. — guaranteed, no RNG.
Q: Should beginners prioritize this banner? Only if E.H. fills a critical Wind Code Burst III gap. New players generally benefit more from a balanced roster. Use the Step-Up for value, then evaluate against your specific needs.