Punishing: Gray Raven Pity System Explained – How Many Pulls for S-Rank Construct? (40 vs 60 Guarantee)
A comprehensive guide to Punishing: Gray Raven‘s pity system. Learn how the 40-pull beginner guarantee works, the standard 60-pull S-rank pity, weapon banner 30-pull guarantee, 70% rate-up chance, pity carry-over between banners, and exactly how many Black Cards you need to guarantee your next S-rank Construct.
Let's be honest — the worst feeling in any gacha game is pouring all your saved currency into a banner, watching the pulls go by, and coming out empty-handed.
Punishing: Gray Raven (PGR) solves this with a generous pity system that guarantees you'll receive high-rarity items after a certain number of pulls. Compared to other games where you might need 90 or even 120 pulls for a guarantee, PGR's pity thresholds are refreshingly low: 60 pulls for an S-rank Construct, and only 30 pulls for a 6-star weapon. This guide breaks down everything you need to know — from the beginner's 40-pull special to how pity carries over and how many Black Cards you should save.
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1. How the Pity System Works in Punishing: Gray Raven (Overview)
Research & Development (R&D) is PGR's gacha system, where you spend in-game currencies for a chance to pull new Constructs and weapons. Like most gacha games, everything is random — but PGR's pity system guarantees you'll receive high-ranked units after a fixed number of attempts.
Pull Costs
Single pull: 250 Black Cards
10-pull: 2,500 Black Cards
Every banner in PGR follows these base consumption rates. All banner resource types can be exchanged 1:1 from Black Cards, which makes Black Cards the single most important currency in the game.
Pity Thresholds by Banner Type
Base Drop Rates
In character banners, the base chance for an S-rank Construct is 0.5% (1 in 200 pulls). A-rank Constructs have a 13.95% base rate, and B-rank Constructs also have 13.95%.
A-rank units are guaranteed every 10 pulls, which means even if you're unlucky with S-ranks, you're consistently getting useful characters along the way.
Floating Guarantee (Special Event Banners)
Some event banners feature a “Floating Guarantee” mechanic. In these pools, the base S-rank drop rate increases to 1.5% (three times higher than standard), but the pity threshold becomes variable — anywhere from 80 to 100 pulls.
Recommendation for F2P and low spenders: Stick to Guaranteed Event Banners with 60-pull pity. The Floating Guarantee banner's variable pity can be punishing if you hit the upper limit, and the higher base rate doesn't compensate for the risk.
For a more detailed overview of all banner types and drop rates, check out the PGR Gacha Wiki, which provides comprehensive breakdowns of every banner's mechanics.
2. The 40-Pull First S-Rank Guarantee (Beginner Banner Explained)
Every new account in PGR receives a special one-time benefit: the first S-rank Construct on the Member Recruit (Base) banner is guaranteed within the first 40 pulls.
How It Works
If you're lucky enough to pull an S-rank before reaching 40 pulls, the counter still resets, and your beginner guarantee is considered “used.” The banner doesn't disappear — it just reverts to standard 60-pull pity for future S-ranks.
Important to note: Newer accounts on the Global server have their first S-rank Construct pity set at 40 pulls on the Member Recruit banner. After that first S-rank is obtained, subsequent S-rank Constructs will have a pity of 60 pulls, regardless of whether you hit the pity the first time or not.
The S-Rank Selector: Why You MUST Wait
All new players receive an S-Rank Construct Pick Ticket, which lets you choose one S-rank from a predetermined list. The characters available with this ticket include Lee (Entropy), Liv (Luminance), Kamui (Tenebrion), Karenina (Ember), and Nanami (Pulse).
Here's the most important beginner tip: Finish your 40 pulls on the beginner banner before using your S-rank selector ticket.
Why? Because the 40-pull S-rank you get is completely random. If you use your selector ticket first and pick a character, then pull that exact same character from the beginner banner, you've just wasted your selector on a duplicate. Having two different S-rank characters is infinitely more valuable than having one SS-rank character (a dupe).
It only takes 2-3 days of active play to save enough Black Cards (10,000) to finish the 40-pull beginner banner. Be patient — the wait is worth it.
Recommended Strategy for New Players
Day 1-3: Play the story and complete missions to save 10,000 Black Cards
Pull 40 times on the Beginner (Base) banner
See which random S-rank you receive
Then use your S-Rank Selector to pick a different character that complements your first one
You now have two S-rank Constructs — a much stronger start than a single dupe
3. The Standard 60-Pull Pity: Event Banners and Rate-Up Mechanics
Once you're past the beginner's 40-pull bonus, the standard S-rank pity across all character banners becomes 60 pulls. This applies to Event Guaranteed banners, Debut banners for new characters, and future S-rank guarantees on the standard banner.
The 70% Rule (The Most Important Math You Need to Know)
This is where many new players get confused. Hitting the 60-pull pity does not guarantee the featured rate-up character — it only guarantees an S-rank Construct.
When you trigger pity (or pull an S-rank through the base 0.5% rate), there's only a 70% chance that the character you get is the featured rate-up character. The remaining 30% will be another S-rank from the permanent pool.
Real-World Example
Let's say you're pulling on Alpha's debut banner:
You do 60 pulls without seeing an S-rank
At pull #60, pity triggers and gives you an S-rank Construct
70% chance: You get Alpha (featured character) — success!
30% chance: You get, say, Karenina-Ember or Lee-Entropy instead — you've “lost” the 50/50 equivalent and now have to decide whether to keep pulling
The practical implication: To have a 100% guarantee of getting a specific featured S-rank, you should save enough resources for two full pities — that's 120 pulls (30,000 Black Cards). Yes, it's painful to think about, but it's the only way to guarantee you walk away with your target character.
Debut Banners vs. Rotational Banners
An important distinction to note: A character's first banner (Debut Banner) has a 100% chance to be that character when you hit pity. After the debut banner ends, the character gets added to future Rotational Banners where the pity only gives a 70% chance. Always prioritize pulling on debut banners for new characters you really want.
How Many Black Cards Do You Need?
A-Rank Guarantee
On every banner, you're guaranteed at least one A-rank or higher Construct every 10 pulls. This means even if you're having terrible luck with S-ranks, you're steadily building your roster with A-rank characters — many of which are perfectly viable for endgame content.
Pro tip from the community: This pity counter will be reset after you get a guaranteed S-rank character. If you get an S-rank early (say on pull #30), the pity counter resets to zero, and your next guarantee is another 60 pulls away.
4. Does Pity Carry Over Between Banners? (Pity Reset Rules Explained)
This is one of the most frequently asked questions, and the answer is straightforward but has important nuances.
The Short Answer
Yes, pity carries over — but only between banners of the exact same type.
Carry-Over Rules in Detail
What This Means For Your Pulling Strategy
Because pity carries over between banners of the same type, you don't have to worry about “wasting” pulls if you don't get the current featured character. If you did 30 pulls on this month's Event Guaranteed banner without getting an S-rank, those 30 pulls will still count toward the pity of next month's Event Guaranteed banner. Your progress isn't lost.
Important: Pity does NOT carry over between Debut banners (100% featured rate) and Rotational banners (70% featured rate) — they are considered different banner types. If you're saving for a specific character's debut banner, do not “build pity” on an active Rotational banner, because those pulls won't transfer.
Pity Reset Conditions
Your pity counter resets only in the following situations:
You pull any S-rank Construct (at any point, not just at pity)
You never lose progress between banners of the same type — your pity count is saved permanently until you hit an S-rank
5. How to Calculate Your Required Resources for an S-Rank Construct
Let's put everything together into actionable math. Here's exactly how many Black Cards you need for every possible S-rank scenario.
Resource Calculation Table
Where Should F2P and Low Spenders Save?
If you're a free-to-play or low-spender, your monthly Black Card income from daily/weekly missions plus events is roughly 5,000 BC per month. That means:
You can afford one 60-pull pity every 3 months (15,000 BC)
Or you can reach the beginner's 40 pulls in your first week just by playing story mode
Critical advice for F2P and low spenders: Save all Black Cards for new S-rank debut banners. Newly created accounts have an initial pity guarantee of 40 until they receive a 6-star character. After that, the guarantee becomes 60 pulls. Avoid spending Black Cards on the Member Recruit banner — you get free Basic Tickets for that banner through daily logins and level-ups.
Strategy for Guaranteeing a Featured Character
If a new S-rank character is coming that you absolutely must have:
Save 30,000 Black Cards (or the equivalent in Rainbow Cards)
Pull on their Debut banner (100% featured rate when pity hits) if available — this is safer than a Rotational banner
If on a Rotational banner (70% featured chance), accept that you might need the full 120 pulls
If you get the character earlier — congratulations! You've saved resources for the next banner
Weapon Banner Math
For a character's signature 6-star weapon in Target Weapon Research:
Guarantee: 30 pulls (7,500 BC)
When you hit pity or pull a 6★ naturally: 80% chance it's your selected weapon, 20% chance it's another 6★ weapon
F2P recommendation: Skip weapons entirely until you have at least 2–3 built S-rank characters. A new character is always more valuable than a signature weapon.
For a detailed ranking of every in-game pack's value per dollar, refer to Prydwen's Punishing Gray Raven resources for community-verified insights on spending efficiency.
6. FAQ – Common Questions About PGR's Pity System
Q: How many pulls to guarantee an S-rank in Punishing: Gray Raven?
A: 60 pulls guarantees an S-rank Construct (character banner). New accounts get a special 40-pull first S-rank guarantee on the Base banner. All banners cost 250 Black Cards per pull, so 60 pulls = 15,000 Black Cards.
Q: What's the difference between the 40-pull and 60-pull guarantees?
A: The 40-pull guarantee is a one-time bonus for new players on the Base (Member Recruit) banner. After you get your first S-rank from that banner, or if you're pulling on any Event banner, the standard S-rank pity is 60 pulls.
Q: Does the 70% rate-up chance mean I'm guaranteed the featured character after 60 pulls?
A: No. At 60 pulls, you're guaranteed an S-rank Construct, but there's only a 70% chance it's the featured character. There's a 30% chance you'll get a different S-rank from the permanent pool instead.
Q: Does pity reset when a new banner comes out?
A: No — pity carries over between banners of the same type. For example, your pull count on an Event Guaranteed banner carries over to the next Event Guaranteed banner. Pity does NOT transfer across different banner types (e.g., Event Guaranteed → Base, or Debut → Rotational).
Q: How many Black Cards do I need to guarantee an S-rank?
A: 15,000 Black Cards (60 pulls × 250 BC). To 100% guarantee the featured character (in case you lose the 70% chance), save 30,000 Black Cards (120 pulls).
Q: What's the difference between Guaranteed and Floating Guarantee banners?
A: Guaranteed banners have 0.5% S-rank base rate with fixed 60-pull pity. Floating Guarantee banners increase the base rate to 1.5% but have variable 80–100 pull pity. Floating banners are riskier for guaranteed outcomes.
Q: How many pulls for a 6-star weapon in PGR?
A: 30 pulls guarantees a 6-star weapon (7,500 Black Cards). In Target Weapon Research, when you hit pity or pull a 6★ naturally, there's an 80% chance it's the weapon you selected.
Q: Is the PGR pity system F2P-friendly?
A: Yes. Compared to other gacha games with 90–120 pull guarantees, PGR's 60-pull S-rank pity is considered very generous. F2P players earn roughly 5,000 Black Cards per month from daily/weekly activities, meaning you can guarantee one S-rank every 3 months as a free player.
Q: Can I use promo codes to get enough Black Cards for pity?
A: Yes. Active promo codes provide free Black Cards and tickets. Check community resources weekly — codes expire quickly. Redeem in-game: complete the tutorial → tap the notifications icon → enter your code.
Q: Where can I get discounted Rainbow Cards to fund my pity runs?
A: Legitimate third‑party UID platforms offer Rainbow Cards at 25–35% off retail. Top up at Topuplist with UID‑only delivery — no password required, fast processing, and great savings. Browse all games at the Topuplist main shop.
Final Verdict
Punishing: Gray Raven's pity system is one of the most generous in the gacha genre. Here's your cheat sheet:
A-rank guarantee: Every 10 pulls
Beginner S-rank guarantee: 40 pulls (10,000 BC) — one-time only
Standard S-rank guarantee: 60 pulls (15,000 BC)
Featured character chance at pity: 70% — be prepared for the 30% miss
To guarantee a featured character (worst case): Save 120 pulls (30,000 BC)
6-star weapon guarantee: 30 pulls (7,500 BC)
Pity carries over between banners of the same type
Monthly F2P income: ~5,000 BC — save for 3 months to guarantee one S-rank
The most common mistake new players make is using their S-rank selector before finishing the 40-pull beginner banner. Don't be that person. Be patient for 2-3 days, pull your random S-rank first, then use the selector.
Now you know exactly how many Black Cards you need and where to spend them. Plan your pity runs, save your resources, and bring home the constructs you've been waiting for, Commandant.
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