Should You Pull Lucia: Inverse Crown or Save for Helentine: Lacrimosa? — PGR Banner Guide
PGR banner decision guide: Lucia Inverse Crown (S-Rank Ice Attacker, ~15,000 BC, Phylotree Nexus limited) vs. Helentine Lacrimosa (S-Rank Lightning Amplifier, FREE via Service Shop). Covers meta roles, team fits, cost comparison, 6-star weapon requirements, and who to pull based on your roster.
1. The Two S-Ranks — Side-by-Side Comparison
Punishing: Gray Raven players in July 2026 face a critical banner decision: pull for Lucia: Inverse Crown — the limited Ice/Ignition Attacker on the Phylotree Nexus Research banner (ending July 17) — or save Black Cards for future banners and claim Helentine: Lacrimosa for free via the Journal of Promise / Service Shop system. Based on data from the Gray Ravens wiki and Lootbar's Lucia build guide, here's a direct comparison:
The Cost Difference Is Massive: Lucia costs ~15,000 Black Cards just for the character (60-pull pity), potentially ~22,500+ BC with her 6-star weapon. Helentine costs 0 Black Cards for the character + weapon + CUB combined (3,300 Service Certificates from farming). This is the single most important factor in your decision.
2. Lucia: Inverse Crown — The Investment Case
Why Pull Lucia
Dual-element DPS: Excels in both Ice teams and Ignition teams — one character covers two elements.
Best Ignition Attacker: At equal investment, she outperforms every existing Ignition Attacker in the game. If you have Nanami: Startrail, she's the perfect Ignition DPS.
Ice Team Upgrade (SS3+): At SS3, her rotation speed doubles and she overtakes Teddy: Spectre as the Ice team's primary damage dealer. At SS, she matches SS3 Teddy.
Limited Availability: Phylotree Nexus units are Follow Tree limited — they do not enter the standard pool. Miss this banner, and Lucia may not return for 6+ months.
6-Star Weapon — Lightless Dusk: Provides +10% ATK, 360 Blade Intent on entry, up to 6 extra Signal Orbs per deployment, and doubles the first Myriad Calamity finisher damage. The weapon is considered mandatory for competitive play — it enables two full ultimate rotations per deployment vs. one slow rotation with a 5-star weapon.
Why Skip Lucia
Heavy Investment Required: Base S-Rank Lucia is strong, but her true potential unlocks at SS3 with 6-star weapon. That's potentially 90+ pulls on the character banner plus weapon banner pulls — a massive Black Card sink.
You Don't Play Ice or Ignition Teams: If your main teams are Physical, Lightning, Dark, or Fire — Lucia doesn't fit. An off-element Attacker sitting on the bench is wasted Black Cards.
Helentine Is Free: Every Black Card spent on Lucia is a Black Card you can't spend on something that has no free path. Helentine costs nothing — if you have to choose, the free option always wins on efficiency.
3. Helentine: Lacrimosa — The Free Alternative
Why Save for Helentine
Completely Free: Character (2,500 Service Certs) + 6-star weapon (500 certs) + CUB (300 certs) = 3,300 total, 0 Black Cards. Farmable in 4–5 weeks.
First Glaciation Amplifier: Fills a role that literally did not exist before her release. If you have Glaciation units, Helentine enables their full potential.
Lightning Team Upgrade: Lightning has lacked a meta Amplifier — Helentine replaces the outdated support slot and brings healing + buffing.
Nihil Team Completion: Described as the "final piece of the Nihil team."
No Banner Pressure: Service Shop is permanent. Even if you focus on Lucia now, you can farm Helentine later — though it takes longer without the 1,500 limited-time certs.
Why Helentine Alone May Not Be Enough
She's an Amplifier, Not a DPS: Helentine buffs and heals — she doesn't carry teams the way Lucia does. If you lack a strong Lightning or Glaciation Attacker, Helentine's value is diminished.
No Urgency: Since she's free and permanently available, there's no FOMO. You can get her anytime — Lucia's banner closes July 17.
4. Verdict — Decision Matrix by Player Type
Optimal Strategy for Most Players: Farm Helentine for free → use saved Black Cards on Lucia. This is not an either/or decision for anyone with BC reserves. Helentine costs nothing but time. Lucia costs BC but brings limited DPS value. If you can afford Lucia's banner (60-pull pity = ~15,000 BC), pull her. If you can't, skip her and claim Helentine — you'll get an S-Rank either way, one just costs BC and the other doesn't.
5. Top Up for Lucia's Banner — Topuplist PGR
Lucia's banner ends July 17 — and Helentine is free either way.
Top up Rainbow Cards (RC) through Topuplist to secure Lucia before her limited banner expires. With Helentine costing 0 Black Cards, every BC you save goes toward Lucia's 60-pull pity. Secure payments, fast delivery, best rates.
Visit Topuplist's PGR top-up page and pull Lucia before she's gone.
The math is simple: Helentine = free. Lucia = ~15,000 BC. If you want both, you need BC for Lucia and time for Helentine. Topuplist provides affordable RC top-ups so you're not choosing between the two — you're collecting both. With instant delivery and competitive rates, you can fund Lucia's banner while Helentine farms herself through the Service Shop.
Lucia's banner closes July 17, 2026. After that, she enters the Follow Tree limited pool — no standard banner, no off-rate spooks. Top up at Topuplist and don't miss the best dual-element Attacker of 2026.
6. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Is Lucia: Inverse Crown really worth 15,000 Black Cards?
Yes — if you play Ice or Ignition teams. She's the best Ignition Attacker in the game and matches SS3 Teddy in Ice at just SS-rank. If you don't play either element, she's a luxury pull. Her 6-star weapon (Lightless Dusk) is considered mandatory for competitive play — factor in the additional weapon banner cost.
Q: Is Helentine: Lacrimosa really free?
100% free. Character (2,500 Service Certificates), 6-star weapon Hear the Bell (500 certs), and CUB Grand Duke (300 certs) — all obtainable through the Journal of Promise limited-time missions and permanent weekly Service Missions. Zero Black Cards required.
Q: Can I get both Lucia and Helentine?
Yes — and this is the optimal path. Farm Service Certificates for Helentine (costs time, not BC). Use your Black Cards on Lucia's banner before July 17. Since Helentine has no BC cost, they don't compete for the same resource. The only competition is your playtime.
Q: What happens if I skip Lucia's banner?
Lucia: Inverse Crown is a Follow Tree limited unit — she does not enter the standard pool. She may return in 6+ months on a rerun banner, but there is no guarantee of when. Skipping means potentially waiting until 2027 for another chance.
Q: Do I need Lucia's 6-star weapon?
Highly recommended for competitive play. Lightless Dusk enables two full ultimate rotations per deployment (vs. one slow rotation with a 5-star). It provides entry orb fill, extra Signal Orbs, and doubles the first Myriad Calamity finisher damage. Without it, Lucia's rotation speed and damage output are significantly reduced.
Q: Where can I buy Rainbow Cards for Lucia's banner?
RC can be purchased through the in-game shop, but for competitive pricing and instant delivery, Topuplist is the recommended platform. Their PGR top-up page offers RC at the best rates — ideal for funding Lucia's 60-pull pity before the July 17 deadline.
