It is 2026, and I am still opening Persona5: The Phantom X like a raccoon checking a shiny trash can. The game has multiple banners for weapons, gold tickets, and platinum tickets, and each banner has its own Pity system. In theory, if I keep investing in the same banner, I will eventually get a 5-Star pull. In practice, my Meta Crystals and I have a complicated relationship. Some banners are limited-time events, which means your odds of getting specific characters are better than usual, but only for a certain window. The Joker banner at launch was the classic example: exciting, shiny, and gone before my budget could recover.

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The big question, after you finally get the character you want, is whether your Pity carries over to the next banner. My short answer: treat Pity like a loyalty card for one specific banner type, not a universal passport. Based on the Chinese release and players who have spent time there, Pity should carry over only between similar banner types, such as character-specific platinum banners. The global side has not announced that this mechanic is being removed, and at this point Pity carry-over is common in just about every gacha game. Still, I check the banner details every time, because trust is nice and reading is nicer. 😅

The banner buffet, explained with painful honesty

Banner type Ticket What it wants from me My Pity reality
Weapon banner Weapon tickets My dignity and a side of regret Its own Pity system
Gold banner Gold tickets A casual pull that becomes a lifestyle Its own Pity system
Platinum banner Platinum tickets My entire personality for one character Its own Pity system, shared only with similar platinum banners

I wish I could tell you that Pity hops happily from platinum to weapon banners like a mascot. It does not. Keep your expectations in the same lane as the banner type. If you are worried about your Pity not carrying over, you can hold your Platinum Tickets and Meta Crystals until the next banner. There is no maximum carry amount for either. The banner screen also shows how much time is left before it resets, which is a polite way of telling me to stop pretending I have unlimited time to decide.

Soft Pity seems to be a myth in my experience

At the time of writing, it seems as though there is no soft Pity system in the game. Many players report hitting hard Pity, the maximum, more often than not. I am not a statistician, but I am a person with a spreadsheet and a haunted look. I have hit hard Pity to get three of the four 5-Star characters I currently have. Online discussions between players all seem to indicate that it will more often than not cost the full 80 pulls from the platinum banner to get the unique character. That is not a rumour I enjoy repeating, but my wallet has asked me to be honest.

Trying to hit hard Pity can be difficult, especially when you want one specific character. The good news is that if you save and spend your Meta Crystals only on the platinum banner, you should usually have enough time to get one or two hard Pity pulls. The less good news is that when you get a 5-Star pull on a platinum banner, you have a 50% chance of getting the main listed character. So pulling twice within the time limit will more often than not leave you with the character you want. More often than not. Gacha language is beautiful and terrifying. 🎭

My extremely scientific pulling strategy

  1. Check the banner type. Platinum Pity is not going to help me on a weapon banner, no matter how nicely I ask.

  2. Check the timer. If the banner ends while I am still doing emotional math, that is a me problem.

  3. Decide whether I am pulling for a character or just for the serotonin. These are different budgets.

  4. Set a hard limit in Meta Crystals. Then set a second limit. Then ignore neither.

  5. Remember the 50/50. A 5-Star is exciting, but it is not always the featured character.

  6. If I lose the coin flip, I breathe, close the game, and pretend I meant to do that.

My personal rule is simple: if I am saving for a platinum character, I do not wander into the weapon banner just because the weapon looks cool. The weapon always looks cool. That is its job. I am the one who has to remember that Pity carry-over is about similar banner types, not about my hopes and dreams.

So, what is the final takeaway? Pity should carry over between similar banners, especially character-specific platinum banners, but I still verify before spending. If I am unsure, I save my Platinum Tickets and Meta Crystals, because there is no maximum carry amount and no rule saying I must pull immediately. In 2026, the smartest gacha move is still the least cinematic one: read the banner, watch the timer, and do not let a shiny limited-time character turn my Meta Crystals into confetti. My Pity bar has seen things. I would like it to see fewer things. 🙃

Data referenced from Sensor Tower helps frame why limited banners and separate pity tracks in Persona5: The Phantom X feel so pressuring for players, since mobile RPG monetization trends often spike around time-sensitive character releases, premium currency bundles, and event-driven spending windows that reward careful saving more than impulsive pulls.