When a fresh-faced adventurer boots up AFK Journey in 2026, the gacha banners can feel like a slot machine with way too many buttons. But here's the deal—each banner serves a different purpose, and knowing the ins-and-outs will keep you from blowing your hard-earned diamonds on pulls that just aren’t worth it. So let’s dive in and break down every summoning option currently available, with a look at rates, pity systems, and the smartest ways to spend your currency.
🎴 All-Hero Recruitment – The Everyday Workhorse
This is the standard, always-available banner where you can pull almost every hero except the elusive Celestials and Hypogeans. You’ll be using Invite Letters or 💎 Diamonds here. A single summon costs 300 Diamonds, but a 10-pull only sets you back 2,700—so doing singles with Diamonds is a total newbie trap. Don’t be that player.
After you’ve done 30 pulls on this banner, the Wishlist System unlocks. This lets you favorite two S-Level and two A-Level characters per faction. Once it’s filled, every character you pull will match those on the wishlist. No more random junk—just the heroes you actually want. It’s a game-changer for building a targeted team, plain and simple.
The pity system starts at 10 pulls, increases every time you snag an S-Level hero, and caps out at 60 pulls. Do a 10-pull and you’re guaranteed at least one A-Level unit, which softens the blow of a dry streak.
| Rarity / Drop | Total Rate (including pity) | Base Rate |
|---|---|---|
| S-Level Hero | 2.05% | 0.72% |
| A-Level Hero | 22.5% | 20.68% |
| Faction Acorn x30 | 0.5% | — |
| Faction Acorn x4 | 15% | — |
| Faction Acorn x1 | 59.95% | — |
While it’s not the flashiest banner, the All-Hero Recruitment is your daily workhorse—especially early on when you’re filling out your roster.
✨ Epic Recruitment – Better Rates, Tighter Wishlist
This is the banner that makes veteran players say “now we’re talking.” The Epic Recruitment uses Epic Invite Letters—no Diamonds allowed, so you’ll snag these letters from shops, various game modes, and the main story.
Right out of the gate, the Wishlist is unlocked, but here you can only place five characters total. The trade-off? Way better rates. Pity starts at 10 and caps at just 30 pulls, meaning a dry spell ends much faster. Every time you pull an S-Level hero, pity resets, same as the standard banner.
The numbers don’t lie: this banner is a solid investment for getting specific A- and S-Level heroes.
| Drop | Total Rate (incl. pity) | Base Rate |
|---|---|---|
| S-Level Hero | 5.22% | 3.43% |
| A-Level Hero | 18.75% | 17.75% |
| Faction Acorn x30 | 1% | — |
| Faction Acorn x4 | 25% | — |
| Faction Acorn x1 | 50.03% | — |
Pro tip: hoard those Epic Invite Letters and wait for a rate-up that overlaps with your wishlist—easy peasy!
🚀 Rate-Up Recruitment – Chasing the New Hotness
When a shiny new hero drops (or an old favorite gets a spotlight), this is where the action is. You can pull using Rate-up Invite Letters or 💎 Diamonds. Fair warning: there’s no discount for a 10-pull here, so every summon costs the full 300 Diamonds. No shortcuts, no bulk deals.
If the rate-up hero is S-Level, pulling any S-Level hero guarantees you’ll get the featured unit. If the rate-up is A-Level, you’ll walk away with 8 copies of them—straight up.
There’s a twist: the number of rate-up heroes you can actually obtain is capped by the highest Ascension tier of your other heroes. The game shows this limit clearly on the banner info screen (see below). So you can’t just endlessly farm copies without building the rest of your roster first.
The pity here is deliciously simple: 40 pulls, fixed forever. It doesn’t increase after you trigger it, making this one of the most predictable banners in the game.
| Drop | Total Rate (incl. pity) | Base Rate |
|---|---|---|
| S-Level Hero | 3% | 0.97% |
| A-Level Hero | 10% | 3% |
| Omni Acorn x30 | 1.5% | — |
| Omni Acorn x4 | 15% | — |
| Omni Acorn x1 | 70.05% | — |
If you’re gunning for a limited-time powerhouse, this banner is the straightest path. Just mind that flat 300 Diamonds per pull and plan your stash accordingly.
🌠 Stargaze Station – The Celestial & Hypogean Jackpot
This is the holy grail for endgame players. The Stargaze Station is the only banner where you can pull Celestial and Hypogean heroes, but you don’t just walk in—you need to complete 400 pulls across the other banners to unlock it. It’s a long-haul goal, no doubt.
Here’s the kicker: you cannot use Diamonds. Instead, you need Stellar Crystals, a rare currency that comes mainly from Guild and Recruitment stores, with a strict monthly purchase limit. So patience is the name of the game.
You pick whichever Celestial or Hypogean you want, and each pull gives a 3.25% chance (including pity) / 1.4% base rate to land them. The pity is a rock-solid 40 pulls—doesn’t climb, doesn’t mess around. Besides the hero, you can also pull Diamonds, Dazzling and Ruin Stones (for Exclusive Equipment upgrades), and universal Acorns.
For late-game power spikes, Stargaze is the real deal. Just don’t rush it—build a solid roster first, because those Stellar Crystals take time to pile up.
🤔 So Which Banner Should You Pull On?
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Newbies: Stick to All-Hero Recruitment until your wishlist is dialed in and you’ve got a decent team. Only spend Diamonds on 10-pulls.
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Mid-game players: Lean on Epic Recruitment whenever you have enough invite letters—it’s the best return on investment for targeted heroes.
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Limited heroes you must have: Rate-Up Recruitment is your best bet, but budget those Diamonds carefully because every single pull stings.
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Endgame chasers: Hoard Stellar Crystals and save for a top-tier Celestial/Hypogean. Don’t spread yourself thin.
Gacha games are marathons, not sprints—especially in 2026 where every resource counts. With a solid plan, you’ll build a squad that slays PvE and PvP without emptying your wallet. Now go forth and may your 10-pulls be ever orange. 🍀