Genshin Impact — What to Do in Your First 7 Days: Resources, Banners and Early Progress

The first week in Genshin Impact often determines how comfortable your long-term progression will be. In 2026, the core systems remain built around Adventure Rank growth, careful resource management and smart banner decisions. Many beginners waste Primogems, overinvest in weak artefacts or ignore Resin efficiency. This guide breaks down exactly what to prioritise during your first seven days, how to handle banners without regret and how to build a stable foundation for steady progress.

Days 1–3: Adventure Rank, Resin and Core Resource Management

Your first objective is simple: raise your Adventure Rank efficiently. Focus on Archon Quests and key World Quests, as they provide the highest AR experience relative to time invested. Avoid excessive exploration farming in the first 48 hours; story progression unlocks systems such as Domains, talent upgrades and weekly bosses that matter more long term.

Original Resin is your most limited early resource. Do not let it cap at 160. In the first days, prioritise character Ascension materials and weapon Ascension domains over artefacts. Farming artefacts before Adventure Rank 45 is inefficient because five-star drops are not guaranteed. Spending Fragile Resin early is generally a mistake unless you understand event deadlines.

Collect every regional material you encounter, even if you do not yet need it. Local Specialties respawn every 48 hours. Mark them on your map. By Day 3, aim to have at least one main damage dealer ascended to Phase 2 and their weapon upgraded accordingly. A focused investment strategy prevents resource shortages later.

Early Team Building and Role Priorities

In 2026, elemental reactions remain central to damage output. Instead of spreading resources across many characters, build one main DPS, one sub-DPS or reaction enabler, one defensive slot (shielder or healer) and one flex support. Free characters like Xiangling and Traveller still offer strong utility when built correctly.

Do not overlevel everyone to 40 immediately. Bring your main damage dealer higher first. Supports can remain slightly underlevelled early on, as their utility often scales with talents rather than raw stats. Talent upgrades for your main DPS provide better returns than minor artefact improvements.

Energy Recharge is frequently underestimated by beginners. Characters unable to use their Elemental Burst consistently lose significant damage potential. Even early four-star weapons with Energy Recharge substats can outperform higher rarity options if they stabilise rotation uptime.

Days 4–5: Banner Strategy and Primogem Discipline

Banner management in Genshin Impact requires patience. Limited character banners operate on a 90-pull pity system, with a 50/50 chance of obtaining the featured five-star if you hit pity without prior guarantee. Losing the 50/50 secures your next five-star as the featured unit. Understanding this system prevents impulsive spending.

In your first week, avoid splitting pulls between multiple banners. Choose one target and commit. Weapon banners are rarely recommended for new players because the risk-to-reward ratio is unfavourable unless you have strong character coverage already.

Save Primogems from daily commissions, early achievements and exploration. In 2026, average free-to-play players can expect roughly 60–70 wishes per patch cycle if they complete events consistently. Spending early without a clear plan delays power spikes later.

How to Evaluate Whether a Banner Is Worth Pulling

Ask whether the featured character fills a role your account lacks. Do you need a main DPS, an off-field applicator or a sustain unit? Pulling purely for aesthetics can slow progression if your team lacks synergy.

Check whether the character scales with high investment or functions well at baseline. Some units require constellations to shine; others perform strongly at C0. For a new account, flexibility and ease of build are more important than theoretical maximum damage.

Consider upcoming content schedules. If a new region or meta-defining character is announced, holding Primogems may offer greater value. Strategic waiting often produces stronger long-term results than immediate gratification.

Days 6–7: Preparing for Mid-Game and Efficient Progress

By the end of your first week, your goal should be reaching Adventure Rank 30–35. This unlocks more domains, better weekly boss rewards and improved drop tables. At this stage, start planning for long-term artefact farming, but do not heavily invest Resin into it until AR45.

Weekly bosses become a priority once unlocked. Their talent materials are time-gated, and missing a week slows progression significantly. Even if your damage feels low, attempt them in co-op mode to avoid delays.

Begin managing Mora carefully. Talent upgrades and character ascensions quickly consume large amounts. Avoid levelling unnecessary weapons or experimenting excessively with artefacts until your core team is stable.

Common First-Week Mistakes to Avoid

Spreading resources across too many characters is the most frequent error. Focus beats variety in the early game. Depth of investment produces smoother content clears than wide but shallow development.

Ignoring daily commissions slows Primogem income and Adventure Rank growth. Completing all four commissions and claiming the Adventurers’ Guild reward should become a routine habit from Day 1.

Finally, do not farm low-rarity artefacts obsessively. Replace them gradually as better sets unlock. Efficiency in Genshin Impact is about timing—knowing when to invest and when to wait.