Headhunting

Headhunting

Banners

Trivia

Headhunting is one of the two methods for players to obtain Operators in Arknights, aside from recruitment. It is the game's core "gacha" system.

Overview

Each headhunting pull costs 600 or one Headhunting Permit/ Kernel Headhunting Permit (on Kernel banners only). Alternatively, the player can also perform ten consecutive pulls for 6000 or one Ten-roll Headhunting Permit/ Ten-roll Kernel Headhunting Permit (on Kernel banners only). There are functionally no differences between ten individual single pulls and a ten-pull, and the system does not differentiate or incentivize one or the other.

Below is a table showing the rate at which Operators of a specific rarity appears in a headhunting pull, with 1★ and 2★ ones excluded as they can only be obtained through recruitment. As can be seen, headhunting favors 4★ Operators more than 3★ ones, while 5★ and 6★ Operators have a far more reasonable chance to be obtained than high-rarity characters/items in most other gacha games.

Rarity	Percentage	Ratio per pull
3★	40%	2:5
4★	50%	1:2
5★	8%	2:25
6★	2%	1:50

As is standard fare for most gacha games, and to limit the adverse effects of its gambling, Arknights also features mechanics that are colloquially referred to as pity systems:

1. A 5★ (at minimum) Operator is guaranteed to appear in any of the first ten pulls.
   • In other words, if a 6★ or 5★ Operator does not appear in the first nine pulls, then one will appear in the tenth pull. This means that at minimum, a 5★ Operator is guaranteed. This does not guarantee a 6★ Operator, however, a 6★ Operator appearing will also "consume" the 5★ guarantee.
2. If a 6★ Operator does not appear after 50 pulls, each subsequent pull will increase the 6★ Operators' rate by 2%, up to 100%.
   • As such, the 6★ Operator rate will be 4% at the 51st pull, 6% at the 52nd pull, 10% at the 54th pull, 20% at the 59th pull, 50% at the 74th pull, and 100% (guaranteed) at the 99th pull; this effectively gives 6★ Operators a ~3% chance to appear in each pull, or 1:33.
   • The pull count and increased rate (a.k.a. "pity") will be reset as soon as a 6★ Operator appears on any pull.
   • The pity is carried over across different headhunting banners with the exception to limited ones.
     • To clarify, all banners from the Standard Pool, special banner, Joint Operation, and The Front That Was banners share the same pity. Rolling on one of these banners will increase the pity counter for all of these banners. Likewise, "consuming" the pity on one of these banners will reset it for all of them as well.
     • Limited banners do not share pity with the above mentioned banners, and between themselves. Each and every individual limited banner starts with no pity build-up.
   • Kernel banners have their own shared pull count and 6★ Operator rate that carries across only other Kernel banners.
3. On special banners exclusively, the Focused Selection system guarantees that the first 6★ Operator after 150 pulls is guaranteed to be the Operator on rate up.
   • This does not mean that the rate up 6★ Operator is guaranteed on the 150th pull, merely that the first 6★ pull past that point will be the rated up Operator.
   • This guarantee system only applies once. Rolling 300 times will not ensure a second copy of the Operator.
4. From Cremation Last Wish onwards, a mechanic was implemented for limited headhunting banners, colloquially referred to as spark – referencing the similar currency from Granblue Fantasy, where each pull made on the limited banner awards 1 Headhunting Data Contract that can be used to buy the rate-up 6★ and 5★ Operator(s) for 300 and 75 , respectively.
   • This effectively ensures that the player can have the limited Operator if they were unable to pull the Operator after at least 300 pulls.
   • Once the limited banner ends, each Headhunting Data Contract will be converted into 6 Headhunting Parametric Model that can be used to buy T1 to T4 upgrade materials at the Certificate Store.

Tips

Always remember that Arknights is just a video game with virtual rewards. Try to only spend money as one's income and reserves allow, and if it is truly worth it. One should take caution that gacha mechanics are generally seen as predatory and may develop gambling addiction. If the latter is the case, please seek mental and/or spiritual counsel immediately as it can (and will) be detrimental to one's life!

• "Re-rolling" is not necessary in Arknights as all 6★ Operators in the Newbie Pool are applicable in early game situations and worth using.
• Arknights is a purely PvE game, and no Operator is a strict requirement at any point in the game. Higher-rarity Operators only make the game easier, not necessarily more fun or more interesting.
• Do not be disappointed if 6★ Operators are not appearing as expected! The pity system, as stated above, ensures that one will eventually get them over time, so feel free to keep pulling as long as one's resources allow (and don't overdo it).
  • Be mindful that while getting 6★ Operators over time is assured, getting specific Operators is much more difficult, as the standard rate for rate-up operators is 50%, meaning there are as many chances to get an "off-rate" Operator, and 70% on Limited banners, shared between two Operators, effectively lowering it down to 35% per Operator.
    • Standard Pool Banners dilute that chance even further, and are the least advisable banners to pull for a specific Operator on.
• Before pulling for a specific Operator, remember to learn what does that Operator do and whether they interests the player. It would be a waste of resources to pull for an Operator that won't be used often.
• For new players, it is highly recommended to pull from the Newbie Pool banner before other banners due to the discounted price and guaranteed 6★ and 5★ Operator on the first ten pulls. However, try to listen to advice from other players regarding concurrently running banners, as some of these Operators may be good account kickstarters, and rerolling is still an option. The Newbie Pool also remains until 20 pulls, so its 6★ guarantee will still be there no matter what.
  • Additionally, try to avoid using Headhunting Permits on the Newbie Pool Banner, because it devalues the Permits' value, due to the reduced Orundum cost per pull on the Newbie Pool Banner.
• If a banner seems interesting but not worth going all-out on, just go for the guaranteed 5★ in the first ten pulls.
  • Unless one is aiming for the rate-up Operator(s) and for limited banners, it is not advisable to pull past the guaranteed ten.
  • Do not be tempted to do ten pulls at once while still at the guaranteed ten. Instead, try to do one pull at a time; the player might get the guaranteed 5★/6★ Operator before the 10th pull, which allows one to save their Orundum and/or Headhunting Permits for future banners.