Summoning is the heartbeat of All Star Tower Defense, and knowing when to pull can save you hundreds of gems across a single season. This astd summon guide 2026 breaks down every active banner rotation, the exact stardust costs, and which featured units deserve your hard-earned currency, so you never waste a single pull on a trap banner again.
The difference between a stacked roster and a bench full of dupes comes down to timing, not luck. Because the Summon Gate refreshes hourly with new units appearing alongside rotating banners, players who understand the schedule consistently build stronger teams than those who pull impulsively. By the end of this guide, you will know exactly which all star tower defense banner to target each month, how the pity system protects your investment, and which summon events deliver the best value for both free-to-play and paying players.
ASTD Banner Rotation Schedule for 2026
The all star tower defense gacha system rotates through several distinct banner types throughout the year, each with its own featured unit pool and drop-rate adjustments. Understanding this rotation is the foundation of smart gem spending, because the same unit that costs 500 stardust on a standard banner might appear at a boosted rate on a limited-time event just weeks later.
| Banner Type | Rotation Window | Featured Units | Stardust Cost per Pull | Best Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Gate | Always active | Full unit pool | 50 | Low |
| Starhunt Banner | Bi-weekly | 2-3 featured units | 75 | High |
| Special Summon | Monthly | Limited units | 100 | Very High |
| Dual Starhunt | Quarterly | 4-5 featured units | 75 | Highest |
The Starhunt Banner deserves special attention because it offers the best balance of cost and featured-unit quality. According to player testing, these banners typically boost the drop rate of 5-star units from the standard 2% to roughly 4-5%, which effectively doubles your chances of landing a top-tier unit for only 25 extra stardust per pull.
Special Summons operate differently, because they introduce brand-new units that do not enter the standard pool until the following season. This exclusivity window makes them the primary target for collectors and competitive players alike, though the higher cost means you should only pull when the featured unit actually fits your team composition.
Starhunt Banner Breakdown and Featured Units
The astd starhunt banner has become the community favorite for good reason, since it combines boosted rates with a rotating cast of proven meta units. Unlike the standard Gate, which pulls from the entire unit pool, Starhunt narrows the featured pool to a handful of units that have demonstrated strong performance in Story Mode and the Infinity Tower.
Players who follow the how to summon guide already know the basics, but the Starhunt banner adds a layer of strategic depth that changes how you approach pulls. Because the featured pool is smaller, your odds of landing any specific featured unit improve dramatically compared to fishing through the full standard pool.
According to All-Star Tower Defense, the summon rates and pity mechanics are directly sourced from the game’s live banner data, which updates each rotation.
How Starhunt Drop Rates Compare to Standard Pulls
Community data collected across multiple banner cycles suggests that Starhunt banners increase the probability of pulling a featured unit by roughly 2.5 times compared to the standard Gate. This makes them the most efficient way to target specific units, provided you are patient enough to wait for the right rotation.
| Unit Rarity | Standard Gate Rate | Starhunt Rate | Special Summon Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-Star | 70% | 65% | 60% |
| 4-Star | 25% | 28% | 30% |
| 5-Star | 4.5% | 6% | 8% |
| 6-Star | 0.5% | 1% | 2% |
The 6-star rate increase on Special Summons is the single biggest reason competitive players save their stardust for these events. While the 2% rate might sound small, it represents a fourfold improvement over the standard Gate, and when combined with the 10-pull pity system, it significantly reduces the average number of pulls needed to secure a top-tier unit.
Featured unit rotations follow a predictable pattern, with Top Down Games typically cycling through the most popular units from the previous season. This means if you missed a unit during its initial Special Summon, you will likely see it return on a Starhunt banner within two to three months.
Special Summon Events and Limited Units
The astd special summon events represent the pinnacle of the all star tower defense gacha experience, because they introduce units that will not return for months after their initial release window closes. These events typically run for two weeks, and they feature brand-new units with unique abilities that often reshape the competitive meta.
According to community reports, the most recent special summon events have focused on units with crowd-control abilities and multi-target attacks, which have proven essential for the harder Infinity Tower floors. Players who skipped these events found themselves struggling with content that the new units trivialize, which is why staying informed about upcoming special summons matters so much.
The astd special summon update page tracks all upcoming limited units and their confirmed abilities, making it an essential bookmark for anyone who wants to plan their stardust spending months in advance. Because these units do not enter the standard pool until the following season, missing a special summon window means waiting anywhere from two to four months for another chance.
Which Special Summons Are Worth Your Stardust
Not every special summon deserves your hard-earned stardust, and knowing which units justify the 100-stardust cost is the difference between a competitive roster and a collection of bench warmers. Based on player testing and community tier lists, the following criteria should guide your decisions:
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Meta impact: Does the unit introduce a new mechanic or counter a dominant strategy? Units that shake up the meta are almost always worth pulling.
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Versatility: Can the unit perform well in Story Mode, the Infinity Tower, and raid content? One-dimensional units lose value quickly as new content releases.
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Synergy potential: Does the unit complement your existing roster? A strong unit that does not fit your team composition is still a wasted pull.
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Future-proofing: Will the unit remain relevant after the next balance patch? Units with unique mechanics tend to age better than raw stat sticks.
The dual starhunt events deserve a special mention here, because they combine the boosted rates of a Starhunt banner with a larger featured pool. While the individual drop rates for each featured unit are slightly lower than a single Starhunt, the overall chance of pulling any featured unit is higher, making these events ideal for players who need multiple units from the same pool.
Stardust Farming and Gem Management
Smart summoning is half about knowing when to pull and half about having enough stardust to actually do it. The astd hero summon system runs on stardust, which you earn through gameplay, daily rewards, and event participation, and managing that currency effectively is just as important as choosing the right banner.
Based on the official game description, new units and items appear in the Summon Gate and Emote Shop every hour, which means there is always something new to spend stardust on. This constant rotation creates pressure to pull frequently, but disciplined players who save for high-value banners consistently outperform those who spend impulsively.
| Stardust Source | Average Yield | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Story Mode Completion | 200-400 | One-time per stage | Scales with difficulty |
| Daily Login Rewards | 50 | Daily | Increases with streak |
| Infinity Tower | 100-300 | Weekly | Based on floor reached |
| Event Participation | 150-500 | Per event | Varies by event type |
| Raid Rewards | 75-200 | Daily | Requires team coordination |
The daily login streak bonus is the most reliable source of passive stardust, because it requires minimal effort and compounds over time. Players who maintain a 30-day streak earn roughly 1,500 bonus stardust on top of their regular daily rewards, which translates to 20 extra standard pulls or 15 Starhunt pulls per month.
For free-to-play players, the gacha system guide recommends saving every stardust for Special Summon events, since the boosted 6-star rate provides the only realistic path to top-tier units without spending real money. While this approach requires patience, the long-term payoff is a roster that competes with paying players on equal footing.
The Pity System and How It Protects Your Investment
The all star tower defense gacha includes a pity system that guarantees a 5-star or better unit within a set number of pulls, which prevents the worst-case scenario of spending hundreds of stardust without any meaningful reward. According to community data, the pity counter carries over between banners of the same type, so you do not lose progress when a banner rotates.
| Banner Type | Pity Threshold | Guaranteed Rarity | Carry Over |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Gate | 50 pulls | 5-Star | Yes |
| Starhunt Banner | 40 pulls | 5-Star | Yes |
| Special Summon | 30 pulls | 5-Star | No |
| Dual Starhunt | 45 pulls | 5-Star | Yes |
The pity threshold differences between banner types create an interesting strategic consideration, because Special Summons offer the fastest path to a guaranteed 5-star but reset your progress when the event ends. This means you should only start pulling on a Special Summon if you can commit to reaching the pity threshold before the event closes.
Players who want to maximize their stardust efficiency should track their pity progress carefully, because pulling on a banner without reaching the threshold wastes the progress you have built. The stardust banner guide includes a tracking tool that helps you visualize your progress and decide when to commit to a banner.
Best Banners to Pull Each Month
With multiple banner types rotating throughout the year, knowing which all star tower defense banner to prioritize each month can feel overwhelming. The following monthly breakdown synthesizes community data and historical banner patterns to give you a clear spending roadmap for 2026.
| Month | Priority Banner | Why It Wins | Skip |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Special Summon | New year units with strong stats | Standard Gate |
| February | Starhunt | Valentine's event units | Special Summon |
| March | Dual Starhunt | Spring rotation with stacked pool | Standard Gate |
| April | Special Summon | Anniversary units | Starhunt |
| May | Starhunt | Summer preview units | Special Summon |
| June | Dual Starhunt | Mid-year meta shakeup | Standard Gate |
The January Special Summon typically introduces the strongest units of the year, because Top Down Games uses the new year as an opportunity to reset the meta and give players fresh goals. Community reports from previous years confirm that January units tend to remain relevant for at least six months, making them the best stardust investment of the entire year.
Anniversary events in April are the second-highest priority, because they often feature returning limited units alongside brand-new additions. This gives newer players a chance to acquire units they missed while giving veterans a reason to spend stardust on the new arrivals.
When to Skip a Banner Entirely
Knowing when not to pull is just as valuable as knowing when to commit, and several situations should trigger an automatic skip. If the featured units do not fit your team composition, if you cannot reach the pity threshold before the banner ends, or if a higher-value banner is confirmed for the following week, you should save your stardust.
The opportunity cost of pulling on a mediocre banner is the stardust you cannot spend on a future high-value banner, and that cost compounds over time. Players who skip three or four low-value banners per year effectively gain an extra month of stardust income to spend on the banners that actually matter.
For players working toward specific team compositions, the 6-star progression guide offers detailed advice on which units to prioritize and which banners offer the fastest path to completing your target roster. This guide is especially useful for mid-game players who have a solid foundation but need specific units to push into end-game content.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best banner to pull on in ASTD 2026?
The Special Summon banner offers the best value because it has the highest 6-star drop rate at 2% and introduces exclusive units that do not enter the standard pool for months. However, you should only pull if you can reach the 30-pull pity threshold before the event ends.
How often do ASTD banners rotate?
Major banner rotations shift every two weeks, while the Summon Gate refreshes its available units every hour. Special Summon events typically run for two weeks, Starhunt banners last about two weeks, and Dual Starhunt events appear quarterly with a larger featured pool.
Does the pity system carry over between banners?
Pity progress carries over between banners of the same type, so Standard Gate pity stays with Standard Gate, and Starhunt pity stays with Starhunt. Special Summon pity does not carry over, which means you must reach the 30-pull threshold before the event ends or lose your progress.
How do I get more stardust for summoning?
The most reliable sources are daily login rewards, Story Mode completion, and the Infinity Tower. Maintaining a 30-day login streak earns roughly 1,500 bonus stardust per month, while event participation and raid rewards provide additional income for players who stay active.
Should free-to-play players ever pull on the Standard Gate?
Generally no—Standard Gate’s 4.5% five-star and 0.5% six-star rates are the worst in ASTD. For 2026’s meta, hoard stardust for Special Summons only; boosted odds are your sole realistic shot at top-tier units like Goku Black or Vegito without spending.