Wuthering Waves 2.5 Banners: Who’s Worth Your Tides (and When to Pull)

The real story behind Wuthering Waves 2.5’s banners

Two things jumped out at me about Wuthering Waves 2.5: it’s a Havoc-heavy cycle, and the four-star support picks quietly matter more than the flashy five-stars. Phase one stacks Phrolova and Roccia-both Havoc-then pivots to Cantarella (Havoc again) paired with Brant (Fusion). If you’ve been waiting to round out a dark-leaning roster or finally lock in a sword DPS, this patch is basically your window. If not, it’s temptation season-so make your Tides count.

• Phase one (July 24-Aug 14, 2025): Phrolova (Havoc, Rectifier) and Roccia (Havoc, Gauntlets) with Taoqi, Lumi, and Yuanwu as four-star boosts.
• Phase two (Aug 14-Sept 3, 2025): Cantarella (Havoc, Rectifier) and Brant (Fusion, Sword) with Danjin, Mortefi, and Yangyang boosted.
• Signature weapons rotate with each phase: Lethean Elegy/Tragicomedy, then Unflickering Valor/Whispers of Sirens.
• Three-week phases mean quick decisions—pity and guarantee management matter more than ever.

Breaking down Phase One: Phrolova and Roccia (July 24-Aug 14)

Current character banners “Requiem Without End” and “Stage in the Box” headline Phrolova (Havoc, Rectifier) and Roccia (Havoc, Gauntlets). It’s rare to get two banners aligned to the same attribute, but the four-stars make the logic clear: Taoqi (Havoc, Broadblade) is here to feed your Havoc depth, while Lumi (Electro, Broadblade) and Yuanwu (Electro, Gauntlets) cover Electro flex picks for off-field utility and early account stability. If you started WuWa after launch and missed earlier Havoc options, this is a solid consolidation patch.

On the weapon side, Absolute Pulsation features Lethean Elegy (Rectifier) for Phrolova and Tragicomedy (Gauntlets) for Roccia. Four-star rate-ups are Jinzhou Keeper (Rectifier), Lunar Cutter (Sword), and Celestial Spiral (Gauntlet). Signature gear hits harder than generic five-stars in WuWa’s endgame, but if you’re free-to-play or low-spend, think twice before chasing weapons. Character power spikes and roster coverage almost always out-value a perfect stat stick.

Phase Two pivot: Cantarella and Brant (Aug 14–Sept 3)

“Neptune’s Lullaby” (Cantarella, Havoc, Rectifier) and “Blaze Across the Deep” (Brant, Fusion, Sword) make phase two the more balanced split. Brant finally gives Fusion fans a headline sword option, while Cantarella keeps the Havoc train rolling for anyone doubling down. The four-star lineup—Danjin (Havoc, Sword), Mortefi (Fusion, Pistols), and Yangyang (Aero, Sword)—is one of those quietly excellent mixes that helps new or returning players stabilize teams across three attributes without over-investing.

The weapon banner swaps to Unflickering Valor (Sword) for Brant and Whispers of Sirens (Rectifier) for Cantarella, with Variation (Rectifier), Overture (Sword), and Novaburst (Pistol) boosted at four-star. If you already own a strong generic sword, consider skipping Unflickering Valor unless you’re all-in on Brant’s best-in-slot—Fusion swords tend to be more forgiving than Rectifiers when it comes to settling for “good enough.”

Should you pull? The gamer’s perspective

This caught my attention because double Havoc banners in one update can either be a jackpot or a trap depending on your box. If your account lacks Havoc damage or a dedicated Rectifier user, Phrolova/Cantarella offer real upside. If you already have a comfortable Havoc carry, Brant’s Fusion Sword lane may add more value by diversifying attributes and weapon types—particularly useful for multi-team content and future challenge rotations.

• Pull Phase One if you want Havoc depth and like the Taoqi/Lumi/Yuanwu bench. It’s great for rounding out on-field/off-field Havoc-Electro pairings.
• Pull Phase Two if you’re eyeing a flexible sword DPS (Brant) or want a second shot at a Havoc Rectifier (Cantarella) while picking up strong four-stars in Danjin/Mortefi/Yangyang.
• Skip weapon banners unless you’ve secured the character and have Tides to spare—signature weapons are luxury, not necessity, for most players.

Rates, pity, and smart spending

WuWa’s event character banners use a familiar 50/50 structure: miss the featured five-star once, and your next five-star on event banners is guaranteed to be on-banner. Pity carries between event character banners, so your previous pulls still matter this phase. Weapon banners feature the signature options each phase and boosted four-stars, but, as always, they’re the riskiest place to dump currency if your roster isn’t settled.

Practical advice: lock your target now and commit. Three-week phases end fast, and “I’ll just try a few multis” is how you burn your guarantee before the unit you actually want. Use current events and any active codes to pad your Lustrous/Radiant Tides, and don’t sleep on four-star constellations—Danjin and Taoqi in particular are budget workhorses when built properly.

Permanent banners: where they fit

The permanent character banner, Tidal Chorus, houses five-star staples—Calcharo (Electro, Broadblade), Encore (Fusion, Rectifier), Jianxin (Aero, Gauntlet), Lingyang (Glacio, Gauntlet), and Verina (Spectro, Rectifier). New players should absolutely clear the Novice Convene (20% discount) to secure an early five-star, then use the Beginner’s Choice Convene to pick a specific five-star track. It’s not discounted, but the control is valuable if you’re building around a particular weapon type or attribute.

The permanent weapon banner mirrors the odds and lets you set a preferred five-star target—useful if you’re allergic to the variance on event weapons. The current five-star pool includes Abyss Surges (Gauntlets), Cosmic Ripples (Rectifier), Emerald of Genesis (Sword), Lustrous Razor (Broadblade), and Static Mist (Pistols). Again, characters first, weapons later.

TL;DR

2.5 is Havoc-forward: Phrolova/Roccia now (with strong Havoc/Electro four-stars), then Cantarella/Brant next (great balance of Havoc and Fusion plus useful four-stars). Lock your target, respect your pity, and only chase weapons if your roster is already where you want it.