genshinguide
1 post
Oct 23, 2025
6:51 AM
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Introduction: The Free-to-Play Weapon Conundrum
Welcome, fellow Travelers! If you’ve spent any significant time in Teyvat, you know the thrill of pulling a powerful 5-star character. But right behind that excitement comes the nagging question: "What weapon should I give them?"
For those of us who choose to stay resolutely Free-to-Play (F2P) or low-spending, the gacha weapon banner often feels like a tempting, yet dangerous, rabbit hole. Rolling for a signature weapon can drain your Primogems faster than a Hilichurl can scatter when approached.
Fear not! Genshin Impact is incredibly generous when it comes to providing fantastic, often near-BiS (Best in Slot) weapons for F2P players. You just need to know where to look—whether it’s through crafting, in-game shops, or the highly underrated Battle Pass.
This comprehensive Genshin Guide will break down the absolute best weapons available to you without spending a single dollar on the Weapon Banner. We'll cover everything from beginner-friendly options to late-game powerhouses that can rival their 5-star counterparts.
Understanding F2P Weapon Tiers
Before diving into specifics, let’s define what makes an F2P weapon "good":
1. Accessibility: Can it be obtained reliably without relying on the Weapon Banner? (Crafting, Paimon's Bargains, Reputation, Battle Pass).
2. Refinement (R5): F2P weapons usually shine brightest when refined to R5 (Refinement Rank 5), often surpassing low-refinement 5-star weapons.
3. Versatility: Can it be effectively used by multiple characters within its weapon type?
We'll categorize these weapons by the method of acquisition, focusing on those that offer the best return on investment (time or minimal paid currency).
Craftable 4-Star Weapons: The Forge is Your Friend
The blacksmith in every major city is your most reliable source of top-tier equipment. Crafting requires specific Midlander or Northlander Billets, which are rare drops from weekly bosses, but these weapons are worth the wait.
1. The Amenoma Kageuchi (Sword)
The Amenoma Kageuchi is arguably the king of F2P craftable swords, especially for characters who rely heavily on their Elemental Burst.
How to Get: Blueprints are obtained from a questline in Inazuma (specifically related to the Sayu questline). Requires Midlander Sword Billets.
Why It’s Great (R5): Its passive grants Energy Recharge (helping you use your Burst more often) and, crucially, restores Energy upon landing a Normal Attack combo (after using your Burst). This self-sufficiency is huge for characters like Jean, Kaedehara Kazuha (as a solid placeholder), or even early Ayaka setups.
Who Uses It Best: Energy-hungry Sword users needing a reliable source of Burst uptime.
2. The Prototype Amber (Catalyst)
This weapon is a lifesaver for early-to-mid-game players who struggle with Catalyst user Energy needs.
How to Get: Blueprints are available from the Mondstadt blacksmith. Requires Northlander Catalyst Billets.
Why It’s Great (R5): It provides a massive chunk of flat HP%, which is excellent for defensive catalysts, and its passive regenerates a significant amount of energy and HP for the entire party upon using an Elemental Burst.
Who Uses It Best: Barbara (making her an incredible healer/battery), Mona (if you need emergency energy), and as a temporary solution for early Wanderer or Nahida builds.
3. The Hamayumi (Bow)
The ultimate F2P Bow for main DPS characters who don't rely heavily on their Elemental Burst for damage contribution.
How to Get: Blueprints are obtained through a hidden quest on Yashiori Island, Inazuma. Requires Midlander Bow Billets.
Why It’s Great (R5): It offers a massive boost to Normal and Charged Attack DMG (up to 50% at R5) as long as the user's Energy is full. This effect is easily maintained if the user's Burst isn't needed constantly.
Who Uses It Best: Fischl (for her on-field time), Ganyu (for Charged Shot DPS builds), and Tighnari (as a surprisingly effective alternative to 5-star options).
4. The Amenoma Kageuchi (Polearm) - Wait, that's a Sword! Let's pivot to a better Polearm option: The Kitain Cross Spear.
The Kitain Cross Spear is the craftable choice that enables more Elemental Reaction damage.
How to Get: Blueprints are obtained through a quest in Sumeru. Requires Midlander Polearm Billets.
Why It’s Great (R5): It offers a solid Elemental Mastery substat, and its passive grants an Elemental Skill DMG bonus and restores Energy upon triggering an Elemental Reaction.
Who Uses It Best: Xiangling (as a fantastic early-game option before catching up to the Spiral Abyss meta), Candace (to boost her Skill damage), and any general off-field DPS needing EM.
Paimon’s Bargains: The Monthly Investment
Twice a year, during the shop refresh (usually January and July), Paimon's Bargains offers two powerful 4-star weapons: The Sacrificial Series and the Royal Series. While they cost Starglitter (which you earn from wishing), they are not gacha pulls, making them reliable F2P purchases.
5. The Sacrificial Weapons (Sword, Bow, Catalyst, Fragments)
The Sacrificial weapons are defined by their incredible utility through their Skill-resetting passive.
How to Get: Paimon's Bargains (4 Starglitter).
Why It’s Great (R5): The chance to instantly reset the cooldown of an Elemental Skill is game-changing. This provides unparalleled energy generation and reaction setup potential.
Who Uses It Best:
Sacrificial Sword: Xingqiu (Massive energy generation) and Kazuha (for double Skill usage for high Swirl damage).
Sacrificial Bow: Fischl (If you need more uptime for Oz) or Venti (to gain more particles).
Sacrificial Fragments: Sucrose (Her bread and butter, allowing for two quick A-E combos for huge EM buffs and energy).
6. The Royal Series (Various Weapons)
While often overlooked for the Sacrificial weapons, the Royal Series weapons provide a powerful, albeit situational, damage boost.
How to Get: Paimon's Bargains (4 Starglitter).
Why It’s Great (R1): They offer a 60% chance to generate a 'Fate Point' upon hitting an enemy with a Normal or Charged Attack. Stacking three Fate Points grants a massive 36% CRIT Rate bonus. This is excellent for characters who can reliably hit enemies multiple times.
Who Uses It Best: Characters who hit frequently with Normal/Charged Attacks, like Tartaglia (Childe) in his melee stance, or any character needing a burst of Crit Rate to fix their ratios.
The Battle Pass Bounty: Paid but Reliable (BP Weapons)
While the Battle Pass (Gnostic Hymn) requires a small monetary investment, these weapons are often so strong they are considered standard F2P gear by many long-term players, as they are guaranteed rewards.
7. Serpents Spine (Polearm)
The go-to damage option for nearly every physical or consistent on-field attacker who doesn't strictly need Energy Recharge.
How to Get: Paid Battle Pass (Level 30). Refined to R5 over several seasons.
Why It’s Great (R5): Provides a huge Crit Rate substat. Its passive grants up to a 66% damage bonus by stacking a 'damage taken' buff, which is incredibly easy to maintain in Genshin’s combat flow.
Who Uses It Best: Xiao (excellent damage boost, though healing management is needed), Raiden Shogun (for Physical DPS builds), and Hu Tao (if you can manage the incoming damage).
Home page: https://genshin.guide/
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