Version 2.3 brings two limited Resonators worth serious consideration: Zani (Spectro Gauntlet main DPS, Phase 1) and Ciaccona (Aero Pistol sub-DPS/support, Phase 2). F2P players can realistically accumulate 45–69 limited pulls from patch events alone — often enough to secure one character near soft pity. Whether you should recharge comes down to your current pity count, roster gaps, and what content you're pushing.
Banner Schedule
The Anniversary Resonator Convene is the sleeper highlight of 2.3. You pick a specific 5★ target, change your selection anytime, and it shares the 5★ guarantee with standard featured banners. If you're missing a cornerstone unit like Carlotta or Roccia, this Convene may deserve your pulls more than either limited banner.
Weapon banners:
Phase 1: Blazing Justice (Zani's signature Gauntlet) + 4★ rate-ups Dauntless Evernight, Overtune, Hollow Mirage
Phase 2: Woodland Aria (Ciaccona's signature Pistol) + 4★ rate-ups Undying Flame, Variation, Relativistic Jet
Weapon banners have a separate 50-pull hard pity — a critical reason not to split resources between character and weapon banners unless you're a heavy spender.
Are Zani and Ciaccona Actually Strong?
Both are genuinely useful. Different ceilings, different team requirements.
Zani — Spectro Main DPS
Zani's kit revolves around Spectro Frazzle stacks. She builds Frazzle through normal gameplay, then detonates it in her enhanced Resonance Liberation burst window. Community testing places her at SS tier on release, projected to settle into S tier as the meta matures.
Her signature weapon, Blazing Justice, directly boosts Frazzle stack generation — meaningful, but not a viability threshold. She functions without it; she just doesn't hit her theoretical ceiling.
Best use case: Tower of Adversity Spectro-weak floors, high-investment main DPS slot.
Ciaccona — Aero Support/Sub-DPS
Ciaccona applies Aero Erosion through her Basic Attack, Skill, and Liberation. Her Outro Skill amplifies Aero Erosion DMG by 100% for the next Resonator — that multiplier is what makes her genuinely valuable. Community rates her S tier as a support, though her personal damage output is low. She's a team multiplier, not a carry.
Her Forte Circuit pulls enemies inward, useful in both Tower of Adversity and open-world. Woodland Aria amplifies Erosion further, but the 100% Outro boost is already strong enough that she works without it.
Best use case: Aero Erosion team enabler alongside Rover (Aero) or future Aero synergy units.
Meta Comparison
Neither dethrones Carlotta or Camellya, but Zani is competitive with them at launch. Ciaccona fills a real gap for Aero teams that lack a dedicated Erosion amplifier.
Pull Math: Exact Costs
Base 5★ rate: 0.8%
Soft pity: Begins at pull 70
Hard pity: Pull 80 guarantees a 5★
50/50: 50% chance it's the featured unit; lose it and your next 5★ is guaranteed featured
Pity carries over between limited banners
One pull = 160 Astrite or 1 Radiant Tide
Cost by Pity State
The 50/50 loss scenario catches players off guard. At 0 pity with no guarantee, budget for up to 160 pulls worst case. Check your pity before deciding to recharge — it's non-negotiable.
Signature weapons: Separate 50-pull hard pity with its own 50/50. Worst case: 100 pulls for a guaranteed signature, up to 16,000 Astrite (~$30–50 on top of character cost). Skip unless you're a heavy spender. Both characters are viable with strong 4★ alternatives.
Free Pulls in 2.3: The Real F2P Count
Community tracking puts the total at 45–69 limited pulls across the full patch.
The Cubie Derby Warmup and Gifts of Grand Celebration events alone contribute 20 Radiant Tides — 20 guaranteed limited pulls from two events. A player who engages with all content can realistically hit 60+ pulls without spending.
Exhaust all free Astrite before deciding to recharge. If you're at 60 pity with a guarantee and 60 free pulls incoming, you don't need to spend anything.
Recharge Guide: Best Value for 2.3
Lunite Subscription — Best Value for Light Spenders
At $4.99, the Lunite Subscription gives 300 Lunite immediately plus 90 Astrite daily for 30 days — roughly 3,000 Astrite (~18–19 pulls) total. No other pack matches this Astrite-per-dollar ratio for regular players. Buy this first, before anything else.
First-Time Purchase Bonus
The double top-up bonus resets after the 2.3 maintenance. Use it on the largest pack you're comfortable buying — don't waste it on a small pack for marginal gain.
Pack Comparison
If you're planning to buy wuthering waves lunite top up, time your purchase to coincide with the first-purchase bonus window — it's the single most impactful spending decision you can make.
Spending tier verdicts:
Minnow ($5–10): Lunite Subscription only. Skip direct packs at this budget.
Dolphin ($20–50): Lunite Subscription + one mid/large pack with first-purchase bonus. Targets one character reliably.
Whale ($100+): Full character + Resonance Chain + potential weapon banner. Budget 160+ pulls per unit.
Team Synergy
Zani's Best Teams
Phoebe is Zani's premier partner — her kit naturally generates Frazzle stacks that feed Zani's enhanced Liberation state. Shorekeeper handles sustain and provides Spectro resonance buffs.
Core team: Zani / Phoebe / Shorekeeper / Flex
Phoebe is available in the Phase 1 Anniversary Convene. If you're missing her, that's a real reason to consider the Anniversary banner alongside Zani's limited banner.
Ciaccona's Best Teams
Rover (Aero) is her ideal partner — consistent Aero damage that benefits directly from Ciaccona's 100% Erosion DMG Outro boost. The team works now and has clear upside as future Aero units release.
Core team: Ciaccona / Rover (Aero) / Sustain / Flex
One thing to flag: Ciaccona's personal damage is genuinely low. She's a pure team multiplier. In non-Aero teams, she'll disappoint — her value is entirely conditional on having Aero DPS to amplify.
The Thing Most Guides Miss: Anniversary Convene Priority
Before committing Astrite to Zani or Ciaccona, audit your roster against the Anniversary Convene Phase 2 lineup: Jinhsi, Changli, Carlotta, Roccia, Brant. The ability to select a specific 5★ and change your selection anytime is genuinely powerful. If any of those units would upgrade your teams more than the 2.3 limited characters, the Anniversary Convene deserves priority.
Pulling the Anniversary Convene for Roccia while saving limited pulls for Ciaccona is a legitimate strategy. Most guides don't acknowledge it as an option — but it's often the correct one.
Should You Pull or Skip?
F2P Players
Pull Zani if you lack a strong Spectro DPS and have 40+ pity. Your 45–69 free pulls give a realistic shot without spending.
Pull Ciaccona if you're running Rover (Aero) as a main carry and need Erosion amplification for Tower of Adversity clears.
Skip both if your roster clears Tower of Adversity comfortably. Pity carries over — saving now means a stronger position in 2.4.
Dolphins
Lunite Subscription first, always. Beyond that, one mid-to-large pack with the first-purchase bonus active should bridge the gap if you're at 40+ pity. At 0 pity with no guarantee, budget for two packs minimum. If you want to recharge wuthering waves astrite cheapest before Phase 1 closes, May 22 is the hard deadline for Zani.
Whales
Zani at C1 meaningfully increases her damage ceiling. Ciaccona's Resonance Chain value is lower since she's support-oriented. If you're investing heavily, Zani's dupes are the better target. Weapon banner after character dupes, not before.
Phase 1 vs. Phase 2 — Which First?
Zani edges out Ciaccona for most players. Main DPS slots are harder to fill than support slots, and her SS-tier launch rating reflects genuine carry potential. Ciaccona is the better pull if you're specifically invested in Aero teams. One character only? Zani is the safer general investment.
FAQ
Are Zani and Ciaccona permanent after 2.3? No. Both are limited Resonators — not available on the standard banner after their run ends. They may return in future reruns, but no schedule is confirmed.
Can F2P players realistically get a 2.3 character? Yes. With 45–69 free pulls and accumulated pity, securing one character without spending is realistic. Engage with all events, especially Cubie Derby Warmup and Gifts of Grand Celebration, and convert Astrite at 160 per Radiant Tide in the Convene menu.
What happens to pity if I skip 2.3? Nothing. Pity and 50/50 guarantee status carry over into 2.4 and beyond. Skipping means you enter the next patch with a stronger position.
Is the weapon banner worth it? For most players, no. Separate 50-pull hard pity, its own 50/50 — worst case 100 pulls for a guaranteed signature. Both characters are viable without signatures. Save weapon banner pulls for when you have surplus resources after securing the character.
How do I check my pity count?
Open the Convene menu → select the limited character banner → view pull history. Count pulls since your last 5★. If your last 5★ was a limited unit, you have an active 50/50. If it was a standard unit, your next 5★ is guaranteed featured.
What's the 2.3 maintenance compensation? 300 Astrite and 2× Crystal Solvent, confirmed in official patch notes. Distributed automatically, separate from event rewards.
Version 2.3 is a strong patch with two useful characters and an Anniversary Convene that adds real strategic depth to pull decisions. The math favors F2P players who engage fully with events — 60+ free pulls is achievable. If you're recharging: Lunite Subscription first, first-purchase bonus second, direct packs only once you've calculated the exact pull gap you need to close.