Arknights Operator Tier List

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Talent: When deployed, all ally Caster SP gain increased (does not stack with similar effects)<br> + Decreases movement speed of enemies within attack range<br> + S2 and S3: Extremely powerful crowd control<br> + S2: Great synergy with powerful attackers (especially with limited range) as you can hold enemies within their range.<br> + A well rounded AOE caster that can provide both damage and utility.<br></span> = While the damage on her skills is high when active, she plays more of a crowd control role than DPS<br> <span style="color:red;">- Long Skill cooldowns with low up-times (somewhat mitigated by her SP gain Talent)</span>

Overview

<p><em>"Doctor, you don't need to concern yourself with how to have a good relationship with me. For me, friends, family, and love… I have nothing against them, but I don't need them either. Heh, not like that's going to stop you from trying, right? Well, I don't really mind, so give it your best shot~"</em></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Not much is known about Mostima. She keeps a smile on her face and an arm’s-length of distance between her and the rest of the world. Pleasant yet emotionless, Mostima seems to have no objection to acting as a </span></span></span></span></span></span><strong>6★</strong><span><span><span><strong><span><span> AoE Caster</span></span></strong><span><span><span> for Rhodes Island, one who also wields aspects of </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Support</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Crowd-Control</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Mostima manipulates time to sloooooow down her enemies while speeding up the SP generation of her Caster allies. Her first Talent enables the SP recovery, while her second Talent (obtained upon promotion to E2) does the Slowing. Her Skills are the real key to her success, as Skill 2 slams a potent Stun on all enemies in range and deals damage to them every second while they’re stopped in their tracks. Yet her Skill 3 has an even greater range of effects: Mostima’s attack range and ATK increase, she hits all enemies in range, the strength of her passive Slow increases, and her attacks push all targets away from her. It takes a special enemy indeed to make it past Mostima while her Skills are active.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>That being said, there is a lot of time where Mostima’s Skills will </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>not </span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>be active, as they have very high SP costs (especially her Skill 3!) and neither Skill is active for very long (especially her Skill 2), meaning neither has very high up-time. In addition, Mostima suffers from the usual downsides of AoE Casters, including high DP cost and slow ASPD. Her SP generation and crowd control are useful utilities even while her Skills are on cooldown, though, making Mostima a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>timely</span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> addition to any Doctor’s repertoire. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Talent: Increases her ATK every enemy she kills up to a maximum and summons a Little Instinct on the first attack after deployment.<br> + Little Instincts provide great crowd control as they each have 2 block, about 2k health and last for 25s<br> + Comparatively very high ATK for an AOE caster<br> + S2: This deals good damage and hits all enemies in her expanded attack range. If you don't care about the little instincts then this skill can provide better damage and can help stack up her talent when fighting against big waves of enemies<br> + S3: This skill lets you summon a new Little Instinct with each new attack and with her huge attack range you can create a lot of constantly refreshing summons to block enemies for the entire duration. Great crowd control with decent damage for up to 60s of enemy distractions.<br></span> <span style="color:red;">-- Long cooldowns<br></span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><em><span>“I told you, I'm never going outside, so save your breath and stop trying to invite me on outings. I don't care for the outside world anymore. Do I hate it? I love it, obviously. The beauties of nature, the natural scenery, tradesmen and men and women of all ages. There's so much that you cannot paint or see it all. And you can neither overcome it nor break away from it. I've already relished in it plenty.”</span></em></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Dusk drew a door on the side of a corridor in Rhodes Island, walked into it, and has not come out since. Rhodes Island HR is more than a little concerned about having a bad-tempered hikikomori sitting in a magical room in the heart of Rhodes Island, especially since she sometimes loses other Operators in the landscapes she paints (<a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/operator/saga">Saga</a> was wandering one of these paintings for ten years). However, Dusk is <a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/operator/nian">Nian’s</a> sister, and she’s also occasionally helping the Doctor as a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>limited</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>6* AoE Caster</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> with </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>range-expanding</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>minion-summoning</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> capabilities. So she gets a pass.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Dusk’s most notable ability comes from her E2 Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Finishing Touch</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, which causes Dusk’s first attack after being deployed to summon a “Freeling” minion at the attack’s location. Freelings are&nbsp;melee units with Block-2 that exist&nbsp;for 25 seconds before disappearing. It’s fairly hearty and can take a few hits, and it also contributes to Dusk’s first Talent: </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Sublimity</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, which increases Dusk’s ATK every time she or a Freeling kills an enemy (up to a cap). As an AoE Caster, Dusk is meant to take out waves of weak enemies; doing so feeds the </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Sublimity</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> ATK buff, giving her more of a punch later when bosses or elite targets make an appearance.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>To further fuel her offense, Dusk has some very potent Skills. Her </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Flowing Ink</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> S2 increases her ATK, ASPD, and attack range while also causing her to attack </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>all</span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> enemies in her range and granting her bonus damage when hitting enemies with less than half health. </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Flowing Ink</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> is like <a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/operator/gitano">Gitano’s</a> S2 on steroids: it is quick to charge, absolutely destroys groups of enemies (quickly building </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Sublimity</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>), and unlike Gitano’s S2 it does not Stun Dusk when its duration ends! The one thing </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Flowing Ink</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> can’t do is summon more Freelings. To do that, look to Dusk’s S3, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Image over Form</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, a Skill that gives Dusk an even bigger ATK and range increase (at the cost of slower attacks) and, most importantly, summons a Freeling&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>every time Dusk attacks</span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>. </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Image over Form</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> also changes Dusk’s targeting priority so she prioritizes attacking unblocked enemies, bottling all incoming enemies up with Freelings for the Skill duration.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span><span><span><span><span><span>Unfortunately, Dusk still suffers from the drawbacks of AoE Casters with her high DP cost, slow ASPD, and somewhat niche role. To be fair, Dusk’s kit does counter these weaknesses to some degree—Freelings&nbsp;attack a lot faster than Dusk, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Flowing Ink</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> buffs her ASPD, and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Sublimity</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> increases her bossing potential—and summoning disposable blockers is a neat trick. But it’s hard to rely on Freelings for damage or blocking when </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Image over Form</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> has such a high SP cost, and even with </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Sublimity</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Dusk is not ideal for taking down beefy enemy targets. On maps where you need to kill large waves of enemies, Dusk can handle the hordes without breaking a sweat and still bring some respectable chip to the boss fight. When enemies are focusing on quality over quantity, though, it may be better to let her pursue her own hobbies in her mysterious painted room instead.&nbsp; </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Archetype: Attacks Splash to nearby enemies<br> + Talent: For every enemy within attack range, gain ATK (stacks up to a limit)<br> + S2: Reducing RES is very useful in some tough fights, and not many units can do it. Good debuff duration. Can hit enemies outside the range of normal AOE casters<br></span> = His strength is keeping RES debuff up on multiple targets <br> <span style="color:red;">- Other cheaper-to-deploy Operators can provide higher RES reduction.</span>

Overview

<p><em>"Doctor, my buddy, Rhodes Island doesn’t have a mandatory dress code, so there’s no need for you to wear the same old rags all the time. Look at what I’m wearing - this store’s got some pretty tasteful stuff, so how about I help you pick out a new look?"</em></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>In his work as a Catastrophe Messenger, Leonhardt spends most of his time exploring caverns and old mines where Catastrophes have happened. In his travels, he uses his Originium Arts to fight off wild beasts, to shatter large rocks blocking his way, and… to keep his designer wardrobe clean and dust-free. Oddly enough, all three of these abilities are also of use to him on the battlefield, which may be why he’s active in Rhodes Island as a </span></span></span><strong><span><span>5</span></span></strong></span></span></span>★<a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=AoE-Caster##null##cn##stats"><span><span><span><strong><span><span> </span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span><span><span>AoE Caster</span></span></span></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> focused on </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>spammable, wide-range AoE DPS</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>RES debuffing</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The key to Leonhardt’s Originium Arts is making things explode in such a way that the shrapnel hits his other targets. As such, his Talent—</span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Lethal Fragmentation</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>—increases his ATK the more enemies are in his attack range. He applies this principle even more directly with his S2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Deconstruct&nbsp;and Detonate</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>. This Skill, which can store multiple charges, empowers his next attack to hit all enemies within an increased attack range for increased damage. It also applies a RES debuff on all enemies hit, leaving them vulnerable to his subsequent attacks or those of his Arts-DPS allies.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>When it comes to destroying enemy swarms, Leonhardt is one of the best: his Talent shines in these situations, and his S2's increased attack range and targeting area lets him rack up the kills at record speed. Unfortunately, AoE Casters are notorious for their high DP Cost (which limits their deployability) and slow attack speed (which limits their DPS), and Leonhardt is no different. When it comes to damaging a single target, Leonhardt doesn't contribute much.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>However, AoE Casters typically try to compensate for their low DPS with added utility, and Leonhardt's RES debuff is a good example of this. Leonhardt's single-target DPS doesn't compare to the DPS of other Arts damage Operators, so hey—let him focus on killing swarms, then use the RES debuff he leaves behind to soup up the damage of the rest of your team! If you like fielding lots of Arts-based Operators, then this fashion-conscious Cautus might be the perfect Caster for your AoE needs.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Trait: Attacks splash to nearby enemies<br> + Talent: On deployment, randomly gain either ATK, ASPD or HP<br> + S2: a decent ATK boost for a moderate duration. Hits all enemies in range simultaneously. Extended range allows her to hit targets others can't.<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- S2: Can troll yourself with self-stun. Long cooldown.</span>

Overview

<p dir="ltr"><em>“Tarot cards aren’t divine, all-seeing tools. Instead, we use them for guidance when we’re lost.”</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Cool as a cucumber when she reads fortunes but wild with anxiety when she hits the gambling tables, it’s Rhodes Island’s favorite soothsayer: the glorious Gitano. As an <strong>AOE Caster</strong>, Gitano is invaluable for countering large swarms of enemies and small groups of armored foes.</p> <p dir="ltr">Gitano is always gambling with her Talent, <strong>Divination</strong>, which gives her a random buff when deployed. It’s a fun twist, but not something you can count on. Thankfully, her second Skill, <strong>Destiny</strong>, is not RNG-based at all. It amps up Gitano’s Attack power and increases her range to a scope beyond the range of any other AOE Caster. Most powerful of all, this Skill also allows her to attack all enemies within her increased range simultaneously. Be warned, however, that the Skill comes with a major drawback: when the duration expires, Gitano <em>stops attacking altogether</em> for an extended period of time. Used at the right moment, <strong>Destiny </strong>can win a fight, but if used carelessly, it can lose it instead.</p> <p>In addition to the usual weaknesses of AOE Casters – slow attack speed and very high DP cost – Gitano has a few special weaknesses of her own. The RNG on <strong>Divination </strong>can be frustrating, and <strong>Destiny </strong>requires either good intuition or preemptive knowledge of a stage to use safely. Regardless, AOE Arts damage is often vital to have around, and <strong>Destiny </strong>is a powerful tool for the savvy player, making Gitano a worthwhile investment.</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ A 5* version of Lava with an upgraded Talent and some unique mechanics<br> + Talent: After first deployment, immediately gain SP. When deployed, all other Caster operators gain initial SP. Very useful for Purgatory herself, but with her high DP Cost you will usually want to place her down later.<br> + S1: While the raw numbers aren't high, the attack hits 2 targets so the AOE from the two attacks can overlap. The increased range is also very useful as there are not many casters that can reach Sniper range.<br> + S2: When the rings of fire from both Purgatory and the ally overlap the damage over time can be quite high. Good for clearing out a big waves of squishy enemies.<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- S2: When the rings of fire don't overlap the damage is not very high. This skill also requires Purgatory to be up close to the enemy to take full advantage.</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Lava the Purgatory is an alternate version of existing Operator&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/operator/lava"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Lava</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>. This is a Lava from a few years in the future—with much more training and battle experience under her belt, she has developed her own ways of using Originium Arts, becoming a much stronger Operator than her teenage self could have imagined. (She’s also gotten noticeably more goth in the process.) Now she has elevated herself to the status of </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>5* AoE Caster</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, bringing her powers of </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>initial SP increase</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>wide-ranged Arts damage</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> to a whole new level.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Lava the Purgatory’s Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Spell Formation</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, grants her a huge chunk of SP on her first deployment of the map and increases the initial SP of all allied Casters as long as Lava is deployed. </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Spell Formation</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> encourages the player to deploy Lava early on so she can buff other Casters right away, but this can be difficult because Lava’s DP cost is high. However, the SP granted to Lava allows her to quickly activate a Skill after deployment: </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Flame-Quenched Dagger</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> increases Lava’s attack range and allows her to attack multiple targets at a time, while </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Ring of Hellfire</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> surrounds Lava and a nearby ally with 3x3 squares of fire that deal constant damage to enemies moving through them. Since both of Lava’s Skills deal AoE damage, either one is a strong counter to the weak enemy waves that usually spawn first on a map, sweetening the idea of deploying her early.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Gaining better Skills and a much better Talent certainly makes Lava the Purgatory markedly stronger than her 3* version. However, she still suffers from the usual downsides of an AoE Caster: slow ASPD and high DP cost (a cost that is quite a bit higher than her 3* version). It takes a lot of work to deploy Lava the Purgatory early the way she wants, and she doesn’t always have enough firepower to be useful later in a map, which leaves her with only a small window of opportunity to be useful. Nevertheless, if you’re looking for an accessible AoE Caster to carry you through Arknights’ occasional swarm maps, Lava the Purgatory is ready to strut her stuff like&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gfycat.com/oldfashionedunsteadyasianpiedstarling-crisis-core-final-fantasy-vii-sephiroth-final-fantasy"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>a silver-haired bishounen burning down a protagonist’s hometown</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Talent: Attacks slow enemies<br> + Trait: Attacks splash to nearby enemies<br> + A mix of AoE caster and Slower, with decent damage and a consistent Slow<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- He has the Range of an AoE Caster, which is pretty short, so you aren't likely to Slow much before enemies get past him<br> - At E1 his slow is weaker than a Slower Supporter, but it is hard to justify promoting him to E2 since his damage is so low.<br> - Slower Supporter alternatives provide AoE or multi-target Slow and Arts damage at a much cheaper deploy cost.</span>

Overview

<p dir="ltr">Radiating cuteness from the lightbulb atop his scepter to the tip of his puppy-dog tail, Greyy is a light in the dark atmosphere of Arknight’s post-apocalyptic world setting. He functions as an <strong>AoE Caster</strong> whose <strong>Arts </strong>spells can <strong>Slow&nbsp;</strong>enemies.</p> <p dir="ltr">Greyy’s claim to fame is his Talent, <strong>Electrostatic Field</strong>,&nbsp;which inflicts a brief&nbsp;Slow&nbsp;effect on enemies he hits. His Skill 2, <strong>Electrostatic Discharge</strong>,&nbsp;lengthens the duration of the Slows and increases their frequency by granting Greyy an attack speed boost. This Skill also helps to counter one of the main problems for AoE Casters: their slow attack speed.</p> <p dir="ltr">While his Skill is active, Greyy is very&nbsp;effective. However, the Skill suffers from a long charge time, which does not get shorter even after Skill levels. Also, while his Skill helps to make up for Greyy’s slow attack speed, it does nothing for his high DP cost, and if a Slow effect is required, Slower Supporters are much cheaper to Deploy and have a larger range. None of this removes the utility of having a high damage&nbsp;AoE&nbsp;Slow on your side, however, and that’s enough for Greyy to be a worthy consideration for your squad.</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Trait: Attacks Splash to nearby enemies<br> + Talent: Increases Arts damage taken by blocked enemies<br> + S2: Stun offers AoE Crowd Control<br> + Good up-time on Skills<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- S2: trades damage for the stun (does less DPS than S1)<br> - Gitano S2 provides greater DPS potential in some situations.</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><em><span>“The battlefield needs some heating up.”</span></em></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Skyfire first took up the fight against Reunion when they accidentally killed her pet, Phil, during one of their demonstrations. She is determined to burn every speck of Reunion and their movement until it is little more than ash scattered on the breeze, and in order to do so, she’s joined Rhodes Island as a </span></span></span><strong><span><span>5</span></span></strong></span></span></span>★<span><span><span><strong><span><span> AoE Caster</span></span></strong><span><span><span> with limited </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Crowd Control</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> capabilities.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>As she is originally part of the scholarly organization King’s Wand, Skyfire is used to working with other Casters. Her Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Arts Sniper</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, benefits all her Arts-focused allies by increasing the Arts damage enemies take when they are being blocked. She follows this up with her showstopping Skill 2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Fire of Heaven</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, which transforms her regular attack into a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>pinpoint meteor strike</span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> when activated. The meteors deal massively increased Arts damage and also Stun survivors (which seems reasonable, considering they, y’know, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>just got hit with a meteor</span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>).</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>There’s no denying that watching Skyfire in action is a glorious thing. However, it’s not all roses for this sharp-tongued firebug. </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Fire of Heaven</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> looks great and does a lot of damage <em>per hit</em>, but it doesn’t do as much damage <em>over time</em> as you might expect--less damage than her S1, in fact. This is because the Skill also </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span>greatly</span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> increases Skyfire’s attack interval, resulting in </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span>much<span> slower attacks. The Skill has great up-time and the Stun can be useful in control&nbsp;strategies, but in most cases it isn’t as efficient as a 5</span></span></span></span></span></span>★<span><span><span><span><span><span> unit’s Skill 2 ought to be. Still, if you’re looking for big numbers and flashy animations,&nbsp;Skyfire's got you covered.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Trait: Attacks splash to nearby enemies<br> + Talent: Immediately gain SP on deploy - allows quick Skill use<br> + Good stats for a 3*<br> + Wont hold you back on most content if you didn't pull any of the 4*+ AOE casters<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- Not worth using more resources than is required to pass content, as all the higher rarity AOE casters are direct upgrades</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><em><span>“When on the battlefield, you've gotta act like it. I bet those people brought up in greenhouses have never thought about how you're supposed to aggravate or defeat the enemy. Ain't that right, Doctor?”</span></em></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Lava talks and dresses like an antisocial Goth, so you might not be expecting her proactive attitude towards working with other people. At a young age, she started taking care of poor orphans in her Victorian neighborhood, and their many plights touched her deeply. Her fiery commitment to social improvement is mirrored by her Originium Arts, which allow her to conjure flames from her magical athame knife as a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>3* AoE Caster</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The textbook example of an AoE Caster, Lava’s wide-range Arts attacks are perfect for burning through groups of weak enemies that would otherwise overwhelm your Operators by sheer force of numbers. Her Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Quick Skill Usage</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, gives her SP when she is deployed so she can more quickly use her Skill, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Tactical Chant α</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, which increases her attack speed. Slow attack speed is a big weakness for AoE Casters, so this is a helpful Skill indeed.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Lava can be very useful in the early game, when Doctors may not have access to many AoE options. However, she starts to fall behind as AoE Snipers, AoE Guards, and higher-rarity AoE Casters enter the picture. Her Talent doesn’t help her to stand out (most Operators are granted Initial SP for their Skills by default) and she can’t E2-promote, so her long-term growth is limited. Even so, AoE Arts damage is such a tremendously useful tool that Lava can stay relevant for a good long while.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Trait: Attacks splash to nearby enemies<br> + Talent: 50% physical Dodge<br> + A very cheap to develop and deploy AoE Caster (AoE Casters are a relatively expensive to deploy Archetype)<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- Much weaker than his easy-to-get 3 Star counterpart Lava</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><em><span>“12F? That was the day I came to this world. You could say it's my birthday.”</span></em></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Considering the horrors he’s witnessed and the battles he’s fought, 12F was a seasoned soldier long before he beca</span></span></span><span><span><span>me a Rhodes Island Operator. He quietly lends his expertise to the squads he participates in, both on an advisory level and as a </span></span></span><strong><span><span>2</span></span></strong></span></span></span>★<span><span><span><strong><span><span> AoE Caster</span></span></strong><span><span><span>. (Note, however, that he does not have the “AoE” tag for Recruitment, for some reason. Don’t put “Starter” and “AoE” tags together and expect him to show up.)</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>As a 2</span></span></span></span></span></span>★&nbsp;<span><span><span><strong><span><span>Starter</span></span></strong><span><span><span> Operator, 12F has no Skills and cannot be promoted. He does gain a Talent upon reaching level 30, though: </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Dodge Rate Up</span></span></strong><span><span><span>, which grants an enormous amount of passive Physical Dodge. Combined with his surprisingly high HP (even without promotion, his HP is higher than some 3</span></span></span></span></span></span>★<span><span><span><span><span><span> Casters at max level), 12F can be unexpectedly survivable, especially if you stack additional sources of Physical Dodge on him from other Operators.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>As an AoE Caster, 12F’s role is to do damage, usually to counter huge waves of weak enemies, and despite his purely defensive Talent and lack of promotion, his DPS is often sufficient to get the job done in the early game. As a 2</span></span></span></span></span></span>★<span><span><span><span><span><span> unit, he also benefits from low DP cost (high DP cost is a drawback for most AoE Casters) and cheap upgrade costs, causing some Doctors to choose him over his higher-rarity, higher-DPS counterpart Lava. It’s a personal decision whether to raise 12F or Lava (or both), but 12F can certainly pull his weight when you’ve got a mass of Originium Slugs that need slaying.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Trait: Attacks hit all enemies in attack range<br> + E2 Talent: Recover additional SP over time<br> + Talent: All enemies within attack range have reduced Arts Resistance<br> + Huge AoE damage that cuts through a lot of enemy RES<br> + S2 and S3 both provide huge damage and debuff utility (DEF and RES, respectively)<br></span> = Unique AoE attack Range allows her to hit enemies further away than any other Caster, but can limit her effectiveness on many maps.<br> <span style="color:red;">- High Deploy Cost, slow Attack Interval<br> - S3 doesn't hit aerial enemies, and causes her to take a lot of damage</span>

Overview

<p dir="ltr"><em>“What’s this? Promotion Manual for Rhodes Island Operators? What the hell? Why are there so many rules after promotion? Screw this!”</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Though Ifrit’s apologies for burning down parts of Rhodes Island are very heartfelt, the best way for her to make up for her actions is by burning down your enemies on the battlefield instead. And oh boy, is she capable of doing that! Ifrit is a 6* <strong>AoE Caster</strong> who is notable for her <strong>DPS</strong>, her <strong>flat stat Debuffs</strong>, and her <strong>unusual attack range</strong>, where she damages all enemies in a long line straight from her position.</p> <p dir="ltr">Everything about Ifrit is meant to send your enemies straight to the crematorium. Her first Talent, <strong>Spiritual Dissolution</strong>, decreases the RES of enemies within her attack range, while her E2 Talent, <strong>Rhine Loop</strong>, increases her rate of SP gain. Together, these Talents give Ifrit some monstrous DPS potential that is multiplied by her Skills. <strong>Pyroclasm </strong>(Skill 2) increases the damage of her next attack and causes it to inflict a flat DEF debuff and a burn effect that deals damage over time. This Skill greatly enhances the damage of physical Operators on her team and is the skill to choose if you need consistent damage or prefer "set and forget". On the other hand, <strong>Scorched Earth</strong> (Skill 3) temporarily transforms Ifrit’s regular attack into more of an “aura” that deals Arts damage to enemies every second and further decreases their RES, making it better for burning down bosses and elites and benefiting allied Casters. This will often be the skill preferred for very high difficulty play. &nbsp;Keep in mind, wowever, this Skill causes Ifrit to lose HP while it is active&nbsp;and cannot hit aerial enemies, so it must be used wisely.</p> <p>In fact, “must be used wisely” is a good rule of thumb for Ifrit in general. Her straight-line attack range is not easy to utilize on all maps and her Skills work best when others on her team can benefit from them as well. She also suffers from the usual disadvantages of her Archetype: her attack speed is slow, and deploying her is very expensive. The payoff is worth it, however; her DPS is insane and flat stat debuffs are quite uncommon in Arknights. Provide the fuel for Ifrit’s flamethrower and she will put it to very, very good use.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Second Blast Caster in the game, with a focus on the Silence status effect.<br> + Talent: Decent uptime boost which combos particularly well with his first skill.<br> + S2: Very long range Silence with a very long duration and decent damage output.<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- Incredibly expensive to deploy.<br> - No utility and mediocre damage in stages with no Silence-able enemies.<br> - S1: Generally a worse option compared to regular Splash Casters in terms of damage. Stuns self after usage.<br> - S2: Extremely stage-dependant utility. His range forces him into positions where he can hit targets before other Operators.</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Corroserum is an employee of the R&amp;D department at Raytheon Industries who is noted for being “serious and responsible, but lacking enthusiasm.” He is so confident in the quality of his work that, upon finishing his list of tasks for a given day, he would put on an eyemask, lean back in his office chair, and go to sleep. Project leaders at Raytheon were at a loss how to deal with Corroserum’s laissez-faire attitude, but apparently Rhodes Island has figured out the secret: put a canister of highly volatile chemicals in his hand and deploy him as a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>5* Blast Caster</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> with </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Silencing utility</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Corroserum is the first new Blast Caster we’ve received in Arknights since</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/operator/ifrit"><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Ifrit</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>, who has been the only representative of the archetype since launch. His attacks deal Arts damage in a long straight line, and his </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Tactical Resting</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Talent increases his SP regen rate when he hasn’t attacked for a few seconds. This comes into play with his S1, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Focus Overload</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, which is a large ATK buff that Stuns Corroserum for several seconds after it ends. While Corroserum is Stunned, he is not attacking, so </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Tactical Resting</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> is guaranteed to trigger and refresh </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Focus Overload’s</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> duration more quickly! Corroserum’s utility comes from his S2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Conductive Corrosive Blast</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, which grants a smaller ATK buff and causes Corroserum’s attacks to inflict Silence for the duration. Since Corroserum’s attacks are “true AoE” and his Silence duration is longer than his attack interval even at Skill Level 1, Corroserum can keep a lot of enemies Silenced if he is positioned well.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Silence can be very powerful—it debilitates enemies like Glacial Infused Orginium Slugs, for example—but a lot of enemies are immune to its effects. Since Silence is Corroserum’s only utility, this can put him in a tough position. He has high base ATK and his Skills give decent ATK buffs, but his slow ASPD and rigid attack range reduce his actual DPS potential, especially when you consider his massive DP cost. Map composition is crucial to Corroserum’s success. If enemies are immune to his Silence and/or there isn’t a good position for his attack range, he may as well sit back and take a nap. On maps where he can corrode enemy voiceboxes with iridescent Silence fog across four or five grids’ distance, however, his performance review gets noticeably rosier.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ A chain caster with skills that give him a unique range and AOE<br> + Talent: Damage dealt increases against enemies with more than 80% hp. Bonus damage when there are no enemies in the 4 adjacent tiles.<br> + S2: Good for clearing out waves of enemies with its solid uptime and increased damage. The increased range gives him slightly better range than your average sniper.<br> + S3: Great skill range and good skill DPS, despite the skills short duration. Can carry 2 charges and the bolts can bounce to nearby targets just like his regular attacks.<br></span> = Passenger pairs well with SP recovery operators to help cover his SP issues<br> <span style="color:red;">- High deploy cost and slow attack time<br> - S3: very high SP cost for a short time of activation so you will need to make each use count if you depend on him as a main DPS.</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><em><span>“Sesa is still a young person. Of course, I am only older than him by a few years. But his endurance is clearly a little clumsy. His resentment is also not firm enough. If he needs a little bit of truth to ignite his fervor for revenge, I am very glad to be of service... Ah, you don't allow it. Then I won't overstep.”</span></em></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Passenger, the Operator with a dispassionate smile that never changes, has left behind much more than just his real name. He left behind a prodigious academic career to become a research assistant for Originium engineering. He left the research position behind to become a leading figure in the Ibate black market. And he left the black market behind to join Rhodes Island as a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>6* Chain Caster</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Operator, skilled at </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>AoE damage</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>rapidfire Slow</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> effects. What catastrophic events have provoked this man to take on a new identity so many times? And just what does Kal’tsit know about it all?</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The array of complex machinery that Passenger wields is the source of the “chain lightning” Arts attacks of his archetype. These attacks bounce between multiple enemies (though they do not return to a target they have already hit), doing less damage with each bounce and inflicting a minor Slow effect. In addition, when Passenger’s attacks hit a high-HP enemy, his </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Mechanism Analysis</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Talent leaves a debuff that causes them to take more damage from Passenger for a short time.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>When enemies are lined up in the perfect formation for Passenger’s chain lightning, his S2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Focus Command</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, can be quite strong. </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Focus Command</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> increases Passenger’s attack range and the number of enemies his attacks can bounce to while also decreasing his attack interval, resulting in a barrage of quick-chaining strikes (and repeated Slows from his Trait). However, enemies don’t always line up in such a convenient way. Never fear: the rest of the time you can use his S3, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Glorious Shards</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, instead! This majestic Skill conjures a massive lightning storm centered on the highest-HP enemy within a huge range, showering random enemies in the radius with repeated attacks (and, again, repeated Slows). </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Glorious Shards</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> can also store multiple charges, allowing you to summon several storms simultaneously!</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Historically, the Chain Caster archetype has struggled to find a niche between the power of ST Casters and the better area control of AoE Casters, especially with high DP cost, slow ASPD, the brief duration of their Slow effect, and reliance on enemy positioning dragging them down. Passenger suffers extra roadblocks from his high SP costs and the many clunky aspects of his S3 (random targeting, short duration, low number of charges). Passenger's modules, however, can help him&nbsp;to take center stage. When the stars—and the enemies—align properly, however, Passenger can be an electrifying force to be reckoned with.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Astgenne's Dual-Chain feature on her Skills help to ensure the consistency of her damage output<br> + Talent: +ASPD continues the trend of Astgenne's focus on consistency, offering a healthy bump to her average damage output<br> + Astgenne is less greedy for investment to be effective than other Chain Casters, attaining more of her peak performance far sooner than others<br></span> = Skills can target up to 4 enemies without E2/Mastery, meaning she is less impacted by her E1 trait only targeting up to 3 enemies<br> = Weak Mastery gains are a blessing and a curse: she needs less investment to get going, but she benefits less from max investment<br> <span style="color:red;">- High DP Cost<br> - Weak Skill multipliers hamper Astgenne's total damage output<br> - Weak Single-Target damage output<br></span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span>Astgenne is the sister of Astesia, which means she comes from a family with a long history of astrological prowess. As such, it’s quite shocking that Astgenne has renounced astrology and the idea that the stars have anything to do with the progression of the world. After she and her sister contracted Oripathy—a life-changing event that astrology did not predict—Astgenne has lost all faith in the stars and placed it instead in the science of Rhine Lab. Using technology to manipulate her Originium Arts, Astgenne has spread her wings as a <strong>5* Chain Caster</strong> who fires <strong>multiple bouncing attacks</strong> with one sweep of her wand.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Having vowed to make her own destiny from here on out, Astgenne starts the moment she hits the battlefield with her <strong>Passion for Research</strong> Talent, which grants her stacking ASPD at regular intervals. The faster Astgenne attacks, the better—not only do her regular attacks bounce between multiple enemies (inflicting both damage and a brief Slow), but her Skills allow her to shoot two attacks at once, each of which then bounces between multiple enemies. Her S1, <strong>Double Diversion</strong>, is an auto-trigger Skill that can hold multiple charges, with each charge empowering her next attack to do bonus damage and attack two targets simultaneously. Similarly, her <strong>Starlight Intersection</strong> S2 is a manual Skill that increases her ATK and her attack range and causes each attack over the duration to attack two targets simultaneously. When <strong>Passion for Research’s</strong> ASPD buff is fully stacked, Astgenne can send an entire flock of shimmering starlight birds soaring across the field.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Astgenne’s magic is a beautiful sight to behold, and it’s excellent for keeping hordes of enemies under control. However, while she excels at thinning groups of weaker enemies, she struggles against single targets. Her bouncing attacks and Skills allow her to attack <em>multiple</em> targets very adeptly, but she can’t concentrate the hits onto a single target, and the low multipliers on her Skills make it difficult to punch through targets with any amount of RES. On the plus side, between her slew of attacks and the residual Slow they leave behind, Astgenne is well-suited to carving away a boss’ minions one magic bird at a time, leaving the boss vulnerable to a concentrated assault from the rest of your squad.</span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Trait: Arts damage that bounces to multiple enemies and slows them. Damage is reduced with each bounce<br> + Talent: Increases damage against unblocked enemies<br> + S2: ATK increases, damage no longer reduced for bounces. Great DPS if bounces can be utilized<br> + A good slowing and damage option for no-block strategies and teamed up with other slowing and crowd-control Operators<br></span> = She is a middle ground between an AoE and ST Caster. She is only better than an AoE Caster when enemies are too far apart for the AoE splash, and is only better than an ST Caster when multiple enemies are close enough for the bounce.<br> = Attack Interval is faster than an AoE Caster but slower than an ST Caster<br> <span style="color:red;">- High DP cost<br> - Low base ATK<br> - Bounce range is only 1 grid and cannot bounce to previously hit targets</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Leizi is determined to help Rhodes Island, but as a government official, her mere presence threatens to throw Rhodes Island’s careful political neutrality out of balance. Despite this, she insists on wielding her powerful Originium Arts as a </span></span></span><strong><span><span>5</span></span></strong></span></span></span>★<span><span><span><strong><span><span>&nbsp;Caster</span></span></strong><span><span><span>. What kind of Caster? Well, Leizi is technically single-target, but in practice she </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>hits multiple targets</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span> due to her Trait, which causes her lightning Arts to “bounce” between enemies (and <strong>Slow</strong>&nbsp;them</span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>!) at the cost of reducing the damage dealt to each subsequent target in the chain.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>This Kirin Caster capitalizes on her Trait using her Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Unobstructed Flow</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, which increases her ATK against targets who are not being Blocked. This, combined with the slowing effect on her attacks, makes her great for no-Block strategies. Since Leizi’s attacks can travel up a line of advancing enemies, she can easily hit multiple unblocked enemies if they are close enough together. Her damage is increased even further with her Skill 2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Thunderclap</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, which massively increases her ATK and causes her attacks to deal full damage no matter how many times they bounce. Unfortunately, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Thunderclap</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> has an extremely high SP cost and only an average duration, so Leizi doesn’t get many chances to unleash her full power on a given map.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Leizi occupies an interesting middle ground between ST Casters and AoE Casters. If enemies are spread too far apart for her chain lightning to connect, then a ST Caster is more efficient. On the other hand, if enough enemies are bunched up in a group, a true AoE Caster is more efficient. Her high DP cost and the poor uptime on </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Thunderclap</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> can further hamper her usefulness. However, with the attack range of a ST Caster and faster attack speed than an AoE Caster, Leizi’s damage potential is quite high when her chains can be strung together properly. She is especially well-suited for a no-Block strategy, where her Talent is always active and her Slow can keep advancing enemies at the proper range for mass electrocution.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Strong Chain Caster with powerful burst DPS.<br> + Able to hit way outside her range due to the chaining effects.<br> + Excels at taking down exactly two targets at a time. Generally a better option than many Splash Casters.<br> + S2: Huge damage and long Slow uptime when hitting two targets at a time. Can easily burst down armored enemies.<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- Very costly to deploy due to her archetype.<br> - Can accidentally hit targets you don't want to attack yet due to her chaining effects.<br> - S2: Harder to use than most other Caster skills. Requires good timing and practice to hit the two target sweet spot for the highest effectiveness.</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Pudding’s recruitment at Rhodes Island was heralded by the appearance of a huge, fluffy pink tent that took over the Engineering Department. Nobody can complain about the space she’s taking up when they see how effective her work is, however. Not only has she been able to transform Closure’s indecipherable scribbles into organized blueprints (increasing Rhodes Island’s power efficiency by 12%!) but she has also stepped in to help the Doctor as a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>4</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>★</span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span> Chain Caster</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, able to </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Slow multiple enemies</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> and condense her chain lightning so it deals </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>higher damage to fewer targets</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Like other Chain Casters, Pudding’s defining Trait is her special Arts attacks, which bounce to adjacent targets and inflict a brief Slow effect (although the damage is reduced for each new target in the chain). Her </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Electromagnetic Wave</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Talent is a simple but effective ATK increase, and her </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Tactical Chant β</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Skill is an equally simple but equally effective ASPD increase. Since Chain Casters have a slower ASPD, this is a useful buff indeed, though sometimes less useful than her S2. </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Diffusing Current</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> buffs her ATK and allows her attacks to bounce back and forth between the same targets, dealing damage multiple times. </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Tactical Chant β</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> is better for dealing AoE damage to many targets, while </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Diffusing Current</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> is better for dealing with smaller numbers of enemies (in fact, “exactly two enemies” is its sweet spot).</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Chain Casters suffer from many shortcomings. They have high DP cost, slow ASPD, and difficulty finding a niche in between ST Casters (usually better against single targets) and AoE Casters (usually better for groups of targets). However, the archetype has also received several buffs since it first entered the game, and Pudding is in a good position to take advantage of these buffs. She’s obtained through the Red Cert shop, and she has cheaper DP and development costs due to her 4★ rarity. Her two Skills help her to take advantage of her “middle ground” between ST and AoE Casters on different maps, depending on what you need, and her Slow effect can be a nice bonus. Plus, her lightning attacks come with pink sparkles! That’s a big advantage for any Operator.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ A mystic caster that focuses on bursting down elite enemies.<br> + Talent: Can store more charged attacks than other mystic caster. <br> + Huge burst potential when fully charged and can kill many enemies in a single hit.<br> + S2: Great wave clear option when Ebenholz has a wide space in front of him to place remnants. Huge damage per hit and good displacement effect. Can be easily recharged for each wave of enemies. <br> + S3: Great burst option that can be used to quickly recharge his stored attacks. Very good skill uptime with the ability to deactivate to prepare for new waves. Extremely high damage multipliers.<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- S2: Remnants can only spawn in deployable spaces meaning placing allies in his attack range lessens its effects. Can often waste charges attacking a single enemy before skill is available. The skill uses all stored charges regardless of the number of available spaces, often leading to wasted charges.<br> - S3: If you don't kill an enemy in one hit his follow up attacks are far weaker and he will stop storing charges until enemies are out of range.<br></span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span>Ebenholz is a perfectly ordinary college student from a perfectly ordinary town in Leithania who was studying for a perfectly ordinary degree in music. Then an unfortunate (but perfectly ordinary) accident occurred that caused Ebenholz to contract Oripathy, and so he has come to Rhodes Island for some perfectly ordinary treatment.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Got that? Good. Now put any thoughts about the descendant of the Witch King, the cursed music played directly into his head, and the conspiracy to return the Witch King’s bloodline to the throne of Leithania out of your mind. And don’t ask questions about why Ebenholz can play any instrument, what he hears when he does so, or how he has become a <strong>6* Mystic Caster</strong> who charges up devastating, <strong>boss-destroying</strong> blasts of dark magic using an ordinary conductor’s baton.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Ebenholz’s Talents—which are definitely used for playing music, not mass murder—are <strong>Dynamics</strong> and <strong>Appoggiatura</strong>. <strong>Dynamics</strong> is the variation in loudness between different notes (also, it allows Ebenholz to store up “charges” when he is not attacking that will make his next attack stronger, including an extra charge that is used specifically on elite or boss enemies). <strong>Appoggiatura</strong> is a non-chord note inserted into a regular melody (also, it causes Ebenholz to deal bonus Arts damage when there are no other enemies near his attack target). Taken together, Ebenholz has a clear theme: letting other allies clear out trash mobs while he stores up energy to launch at a big solo boss. Er—that is—playing pretty music. Yes. That’s what he’s here for.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>But if he WAS going to blast a solo boss, Ebenholz would need Skills to do it. His S2, <strong>Desolate Echoes</strong>, <em>does</em> give him some potential to clear out small fry: when activated, this Skill transforms Ebenholz’s stored energy charges into traps that detonate when enemies approach, dealing AoE Arts damage and pulling all affected enemies closer. There is some value to this, as clearing enemies with <strong>Desolate Echoes</strong> can allow Ebenholz to then activate <strong>Appoggiatura</strong> on the boss. However, in most cases, Ebenholz would rather let his allies clear out the mooks and save his energy for his <strong>Sound of Silence</strong> S3. <strong>Sound of Silence</strong> is simple and laser-focused: it grants Ebenholz bonus ATK and ASPD, increases the power of his energy charges, and causes him to attack <em>only</em> elite or boss enemies for the duration. No need to worry about accidentally blowing charges on an Originium Slug; while <strong>Sound of Silence</strong> is active, no boss is safe.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>In fact, Ebenholz might be a little <em>too</em> laser-focused. It’s true that his kit does a good job of addressing some of the problems with Mystic Casters: <strong>Sound of Silence</strong> keeps his attention where it matters and helps with his slow-as-molasses ASPD, the extra energy charge from <strong>Dynamics</strong> gives him added punch when he needs it, and <strong>Appoggiatura</strong> is a real threat coming off Ebenholz’s bloated ATK stat. However, he has a lot of difficulty contributing outside of his narrow niche, especially in contrast to many other pre-existing bosskiller Operators. Ebenholz relies heavily on <strong>Sound of Silence</strong> to be a good bosskiller, but <strong>Sound of Silence</strong> is completely useless against any enemy that isn’t a boss due to the targeting paradigm. Contrast with, say, <a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/operator/silverash">SilverAsh</a>, who can <em>schwing-schwing</em> a boss and any enemies that spawn alongside that boss, then do it again two minutes later to clear out another wave whether there are bosses there or not.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>What Ebenholz <em>does</em> do well is deal with bosses that have periods of forced invulnerability—he can trigger <strong>Sound of Silence</strong>, knock them immediately to their invulnerability threshold, use the downtime to charge another mega-blast, and then finish them off as soon as the invulnerability ends. His massively frontloaded burst can also be helpful against enemies that react poorly to taking repeated hits, like <a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/enemy/pocket-sea-crawler">Pocket Sea Crawlers</a> or the <a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/enemy/big-sad-lock">Big Sad Lock</a>. Arknights is a game where overspecialization isn’t always an issue—there are twelve Operator slots on the team, after all. Treat Ebenholz as one instrument in the orchestra, not as a solo act, and you may enjoy the symphony that results. </span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Talent: deals bonus damage against blocked targets.<br> + S1: Can be useful if you need the additional range.<br> + S2: Great AOE slows the area in her attack range with good uptime. Provides a flat damage over time with a moderate increase in damage due to decreased attack interval.<br></span> = S2: Attacks only blocked enemies which can be situationally useful<br> <span style="color:red;">- S1: Since it reduces your per hit damage it weakens the initial burst damage of a charged up mystic caster attack.<br></span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span>Harmonie first showed her smug face in Chapter 9 of Arknights, appearing to be the snarky sidekick to hellbent villainess Mandragora. However, Harmonie quickly demonstrated that she was craftier than your average underling. She played Mandragora for a fool, double-crossed Dublinn, and made a bid to set the Victorian Empire on fire. Alternately playing the part of a noble, a commoner, a spy, and a leader, Harmonie has now arrived at Rhodes Island with an offer they can’t refuse: forget all about that “setting Victoria on fire” thing and she’ll help out as a <strong>5* Mystic Caster</strong> who <strong>Slows enemies</strong> in an area and <strong>focuses her attacks on Blocked</strong> <strong>targets</strong>. </span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>As a sneaky, underhanded schemer, Harmonie’s <strong>Unexpected</strong> Talent makes perfect sense for her personality: she deals bonus damage when attacking enemies who are being Blocked by another Operator. At first glance, this Talent may seem at odds with her S2, <strong>Disaster of Submersion</strong>. This Skill reduces Harmonie’s attack interval and causes her to only attack Blocked enemies, while also creating a powerful Slowing field that inflicts minor Arts damage over time.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><strong>Disaster of Submersion</strong> and <strong>Unexpected</strong> make sense on one level—Harmonie only attacks Blocked enemies during <strong>Disaster of Submersion</strong>, and <strong>Unexpected</strong> does bonus damage to Blocked enemies. However, if the enemy you want to attack is being Blocked, then the Slow from <strong>Disaster of Submersion</strong> doesn’t do anything, right? And if the enemy you want to attack is NOT being Blocked yet, then the Slow from <strong>Disaster of Submersion</strong> prevents the enemy from reaching your Blocker in time, right?</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>This combo takes a bit more of a big-picture approach to work correctly. <strong>Disaster of Submersion</strong> uses its Slow field as a way of managing Harmonie’s Mystic Caster charges. The Arts damage over time weeds out weak enemies so that only the strong ones reach your Blockers… at which point Harmonie nukes them with a full-charged blast empowered by <strong>Unexpected</strong>. If multiple strong enemies are on their way, the Slow field delays them so they arrive one at a time, allowing Harmonie to finish off each one as it gets Blocked. And it’s also worth pointing out that because <strong>Disaster of Submersion</strong> creates a Slow field instead of attaching a Slow effect to Harmonie’s attacks, it can Slow invisible enemies, which is sometimes useful.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Harmonie’s approach to battle is entertainingly tricky, but there are some contingencies that she clearly did not plan for. Obviously, any enemy that is too strong to be Blocked (or just outright unblockable) is a hard-counter to Harmonie’s strategy, and the timing or positioning of enemy waves can sometimes screw up her carefully-laid plans. Harmonie also suffers from the usual Mystic Caster weaknesses of terrible ASPD and a tendency to blow her charged attacks on weak enemies. Despite these issues, her Slow field can be an interesting tech option and she can be easier to use than some of the other members of her archetype, which might be juuust convincing enough to swindle her a space on your squad.</span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ A single target caster that focuses on quick bursts of damage<br> + Talent: Can store up to 3 attacks that deal bonus damage that is released all at once when an enemy enters her attack range<br> + Very high ATK for a single target caster<br> + One of the few operators that can inflict Sleep<br> + S1:The duration is short but so is the SP cost. While active, this also decreases the amount of time to store up her attacks.<br> + S2: Great for clearing waves of enemies if you can pile enemies together around the Sleeping targets.<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- Very slow attack time makes her average DPS rather low</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Twenty years ago, a Rhodes Island Operator lent an old-fashioned radio to a young girl who dwelt in the Castle of Dreams. Twenty years later, that same young girl arrived on Rhodes Island’s doorstep to return the radio, not one day older than when she had borrowed the radio in the first place. Who is this girl? Where did she really come from? What are the full details of the old Victorian fairy tale she seems to be following to the letter? All we know for sure is that she goes by the name Iris, and she has decided to aid Rhodes Island as the first </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>5* Charge Caster</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, putting hostile units to </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Sleep</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> and sending them to a new plane of existence with her high </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>burst DPS</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Charge Casters are so named because they store up “charges” of magic when they aren’t attacking (represented by sparkles around Iris’ staff). Each spark increases the damage of her next attack, and Iris’ Talent—</span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Sealed Treasure</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>—further increases the power of the charges she stores. The charges are stored every time Iris would attack but has no viable targets in range; unfortunately, Charge Casters have a very slow ASPD (on par with AoE Casters!), so it can take a while for Iris to get her burst damage in gear.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Fortunately, that’s where her Skills come in. Her S1, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Fairy Tale Protector</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, reduces her damage but dramatically increases her ASPD for a few seconds. (It also turns her attack range into a long, straight line, reinforcing this as the “machine gun” Skill.) In a situation where Iris isn’t getting downtime to charge her attacks, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Fairy Tale Protector</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> gives her high-speed DPS and charging speed when she needs it. Alternately, Iris can create the breathing space she needs with her S2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Dreamland Cradle</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, which puts up to 2 enemies within Iris’ range to Sleep and deals AoE Arts damage when they wake up. In most cases, Sleep is a double-edged sword, since Sleeping enemies can’t be targeted by most Operators. However, that’s exactly what Iris wants! Taking enemies out of the action gives her a chance to build a charge or two, so when they wake up, they first take the </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Dreamland Cradle</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> damage and then a salvo of Iris’ charged energy straight to the face. The results are a dream come true!</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>It’s not all sweetness and light for Iris, as much as she might try to convince you otherwise. Her terribly slow ASPD is a definite drawback, and her DP cost is not cheap. </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Fairy Tale Protector’s</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> duration is very brief and the damage reduction makes it less efficient than it sounds, and while </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Dreamland Cradle</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> is very helpful for Iris, the Sleep effect can still screw with your other Operators. You can’t argue that Iris isn’t eccentric, either as a person or as an Operator. However, if you’re able to get on her level and take her outlandishness in stride, you’ll have a fierce friend who’s ready to make your dreams of victory into a reality.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Usual archetype strengths: Unusual attack range for a Caster, extremely high base ATK, “charges up” when not attacking to unleash a stronger hit later<br> + Talent gives Indigo’s attacks a low chance to Bind the target<br> + S1 turns her attack range into a long straight line and causes her to inflict many quick, weaker attacks over the duration; can be used to Bind multiple enemies, last-hit a weak enemy, or to quickly build up charges for a strong enemy<br> + S2 makes Indigo’s attacks faster and more likely to Bind, and it also causes Bound enemies in range to take Arts damage over time; great for Binding multiple enemies quickly and increasing Indigo’s damage output noticeably for the duration, especially against bound targets since she won't directly attack them<br></span> = Doesn’t attack Bound enemies; sometimes this is good (i.e., it allows her to more easily Bind multiple enemies or build charges) and sometimes it’s bad (i.e., she stops attacking an enemy she could kill, or a ranged enemy that keeps attacking her)<br> = S1’s altered attack range can allow Indigo to hit enemies that other Casters wouldn’t, but it can also take important enemies out of her range<br> <span style="color:red;">- S1 has a VERY short duration<br> - Usual archetype weaknesses: VERY slow ASPD<br> - S2 has poor uptime<br> - The low chance RNG nature of her Bind means that it cannot be relied upon, even with the increased ASPD of her Skills (especially with S1 because of the low duration)<br> - E2 is required to get any kind of reliability on her Binds, which makes her less competitive at E1 where 4 Stars often compare favorably with higher rarity Operators.</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Indigo is an inheritor of mysteries. There is something unusual about her Originium Arts—something that seems to be different about her on a genetic level—but she has no idea why. There is something unusual about the staff she uses—a staff that was given to her by her long-gone mentor—but again, she has no idea why. Even after observation by Blue Poison, Thorns, and other Operators, Rhodes Island is no closer to finding the answers to these questions. These observations have merely shown that the mysterious light that Indigo channels through her staff can cut off the nervous system responses of her enemies, making her a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>4* Charge Caster</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> who </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>uses the Bind ailment</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> to disable her foes.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>As a Charge Caster, Indigo attacks slowly but with great power. In fact, despite being a 4* unit, she has one of the highest ATK stats in Arknights (although her terrible attack speed greatly reduces her overall DPS). In addition, when Indigo has no eligible targets in range, she begins storing energy, increasing the damage of her next attack. Indigo stores one charge, up to a maximum of three, every time her attack interval comes around with no eligible targets in range. This is important because the rest of Indigo’s kit interacts with this Trait in various ways.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Indigo’s Talent is </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Gentle Binding Gaze</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, which gives Indigo’s attacks a chance to inflict Bind on her target and also </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>prevents</span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> her from attacking Bound enemies. This might sound annoying, but it actually works to Indigo’s advantage. If there are multiple enemies in range, she will spread her Binds around, and if there’s only one enemy in range, she’ll store energy while that enemy is Bound, ready to unleash immediately when it starts moving again.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>This gets even more interesting when you introduce Indigo’s Skills. Her S1, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Lighthouse Guardian</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, turns Indigo’s attack range into a long straight line while also dramatically reducing her attack interval and damage for a few seconds. This Skill can quickly bind several targets (if RNG is on her side) or snipe down a low-HP enemy (if RNG is not on her side), but it can also quickly build a full charge for Indigo’s next attack if there are no valid targets in her range--ready for the next unfortunate enemy to cross her path! Her S2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Labyrinth of Light</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, also reduces Indigo’s attack interval but otherwise has very different effects: it multiplies the chance that enemies will be Bound from Indigo’s attacks and causes Bound enemies in Indigo’s range to take Arts damage-over-time for the duration, even though Indigo still won’t attack them directly. Again, note the reduced attack interval! If all enemies in Indigo’s range are Bound, Indigo won’t attack any of them, so she’ll start building charges, only to release them explosively once the Bind wears off.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Charge Casters tend to be more “quirky and fun” than they are particularly useful. High ATK and the energy-storage mechanic can result in huge numbers for a single attack, but slow ASPD and bizarre Skills usually drag down their DPS. Indigo is a textbook example of this—despite the seemingly good synergy between her Trait and the ASPD increases of her Skills, her actual DPS in practice tends to be pretty low and unpredictable. Her Bind utility does not synergize well with the burst DPS design of her Archetype, and the Bind RNG chance is so low that it can’t be relied upon, even with the increase in ASPD (not to mention the almost comically low duration of her S1). Don’t write off this apprentice lighthouse keeper completely, though. With her unusual attack ranges, ranged Bind, and 4*-unit accessibility on her side, you can never be certain when a niche combination of circumstances will give Indigo a chance to shine.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ A Drone Caster that can perform map-wide ranged attacks<br> + Talents: when skills are active her attacks have a chance to crit which deals large AOE damage. Her drones ignore a decent amount of enemy RES which can be a significant boost in damage against high RES enemies.<br> + Great with buffs. Flat ATK buffs like Skadi Alter will have a huge impact on her overall stats and benefit well from the high damage multipliers. ASPD buffs greatly aid her Trait damage increase and talent explosion damage.<br> + Extremely useful in modes where buffs are accessible: Integrated strategies and Stationary Security Service.<br> + S2: A decent afk DPS skill if you plan to leave Goldenglow on the field for a while. A good skill for annihilation mode and for taking down the more durable elite mobs. The increased range can be useful as it provides a unique attack coverage for a caster unit.<br> + S3: The bread and butter skill for Goldenglow, it provides map-wide crowd control and damage to shut down difficult enemies before they have a chance to get close. Since it targets enemies closest to the protection objective it can also be useful in catching enemies that make it past defenses.<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- S2: It takes quite a while to charge up, and while it has good coverage the damage can be quite mediocre if you aren't fighting tanky enemies that allow you to build up your drone damage<br> - S3: Since it targets the closest enemies to the objective, it can easily swap targets and lose out on some of the buildup damage.<br></span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The long-awaited Pink Korone arrives!! At last, Pink Doggo is here—wait, what do you mean “she’s a cat”?</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Goldenglow (whose design is based on a</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Fold"><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Scottish Fold cat</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>, thus the ears) is a hapless hairdresser who contracted Oripathy while trying to work as a Catastrophe Messenger. The sixth child in her large family, Goldenglow didn’t want to put the financial burden of her disease on her widowed mother, so she joined Rhodes Island as a beautician (presumably working under</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/operator/roberta"><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Roberta</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>). However, Goldenglow’s Originium Arts are shockingly strong (pun intended), and she was eventually moved to work as a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>6* Mech-Accord Caster</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> whose </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>multiple drones</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> go all out with </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>expanded range</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>… at least until they </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>explode into AoE damage</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>That’s right: explode. Thanks to Goldenglow’s </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Beacon’s Wrath</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Talent, her drones have a chance to explode while her Skills are active, inflicting massive AoE Arts damage. Fortunately, the exploded drone instantly returns, ready to go out once more and wreak havoc. The explosion damage is further enhanced by her E2 Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Precise Redirection</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, which causes Goldenglow and her drones to ignore a flat amount of enemy RES.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>All three of Goldenglow’s Skills enable this drone destruction, to devastating results. The </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Scattering Sparks</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> S1 gives Goldenglow one extra drone and increases her ATK and ASPD, making it simple and effective for quick skirmishes. Her S2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Surging Current</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, takes longer to charge but is a permanent Skill that gives Goldenglow one extra drone, bonus ATK, and an expanded attack range. It can be quite good for prolonged engagements, such as Annihilation maps. However, blowing both of these Skills out of the water is the </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Crystalline Shine</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> S3. Goldenglow herself stops attacking, but she gains two extra drones and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>global</span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> attack range, along with a large ATK buff. Pop this Skill and Goldenglow’s electric crystals will zap around the battlefield, striking from every direction, exploding everywhere, and leaving complete destruction in their wake. To top it off, the drones will Slow enemies they attack for the Skill duration. (Assuming any enemies are surviving the explosions, that is.)</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Goldenglow’s amateur status and lack of control does result in some weaknesses. Most noticeably, her explosion mechanic can actually hurt her damage potential. The drones of Mech-Accord Casters deal more damage the longer they spend attacking the same target. Goldenglow’s drones </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>do</span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> preserve their damage bonus after they explode, but </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>only</span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> if they return to attacking the same target. If a different enemy has become Goldenglow’s priority in the interim, the drones will reset their damage buff, even if the first enemy is still alive! Her S3 is particularly susceptible to this, between the global range and the Slow effect.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>So Goldenglow’s targeting can be screwy. How much does this hold back her performance? In truth, not much at all! While Goldenglow’s power can be difficult to control, the power of her explosions and the utility of her infinite range makes her one of the strongest Casters we’ve seen in a long time. It’s a good thing she does free haircuts, though. Repeated application of S3 may result in the rest of your Operators getting unexpectedly frizzy hair.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Extremely high DPS potential for her rarity.<br> + S2: DPS rivals even the 6*s.<br> + S2: Manual deactivation means less wasted time if the key target dies early.<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- Overdrive is a requirement for her DPS which can make timing difficult as well as knocking her out for a brutally long time.<br> - No utility beyond her DPS. No crowd control like with other Mech-Accord Casters.<br> - No built in RES shred really hurts her DPS against some targets.<br></span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span>Rockrock chose her code name to demonstrate that she is twice as resolute and hard-headed as a rock. Whether she successfully got her point across with this choice is up for debate, but don’t argue about it to her face! As the daughter of a mechanic and the founder of the Citizens’ Self-Salvation Company, Rockrock is not afraid to get her hands dirty in pursuit of her goals. She built her laser-spitting Float Unit drone herself, and she built it to do one thing: MASSIVE DAMAGE. Rockrock is a <strong>5* Mech-Accord Caster</strong>, and while most members of this archetype like to splash in a little utility with their damage potential, Rockrock is here to <strong>deal damage</strong> and chew bubblegum. And she never had any bubblegum to begin with.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Right from deployment, Rockrock starts building her attack plan with her Talent, <strong>Upon a Monolith</strong>, which grants her a stacking ATK buff over time. But the real meat of her damage comes from utilizing the Overdrive mechanic with her S2, <strong>Solitary Yoke</strong>. Overdrive is a mechanic where a Skill’s duration is divided into two parts: first, a comparatively vanilla effect is triggered, then halfway through, a more powerful effect is triggered… at the cost of some kind of downside. In Rockrock’s case, <strong>Solitary Yoke</strong> starts out by simply increasing Rockrock’s ASPD. Once it hits Overdrive, however, Rockrock’s ATK is also increased and the damage ceiling on her Float Unit is massively increased, quickly ramping Rockrock’s DPS up to devastating levels. The downside? When the Skill ends (either on its own or by being manually cancelled by the player), Rockrock is Stunned for a duration equal to the amount of time she was in Overdrive.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>There are obvious downsides to this attack plan. Number One: wind-up time. First <strong>Solitary Yoke</strong> must charge the SP gauge, then there’s a period of vanilla ASPD buff to wait through, <em>then</em> Rockrock’s drone has to attack the same target multiple times to ramp up its damage before Rockrock is hitting her maximum damage numbers. Number Two: cooldown time. If you use the entire duration of <strong>Solitary Yoke</strong>, Rockrock will be Stunned for 20 seconds! That’s an incredibly long time to have your Caster out of commission (although at least she can be charging her next <strong>Solitary Yoke</strong> while she recovers).</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Rockrock benefits hugely if she can get some help from other Operators. SP battery units help the cycling of <strong>Solitary Yoke</strong>, and Therapist Medics can give her the Status Resistance buff to cut down the duration of her self-Stun. For a 5* Caster, Rockrock’s damage potential is actually quite impressive, so it can be worth jumping through some hoops to get her off the ground (literally, if she’s slumped over in a self-Stun). Even without assistance, Rockrock can be a potent ace in the hole for dumping burst Arts damage into a tough boss. Deploy her early, time her S2 well, and you’ll see why people were willing to follow this simple train mechanic in her quest for justice.</span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Drone caster with the ability to apply the Cold and Frozen effects<br> + Offers decent crowd control, especially when paired with others operators that apply Cold, or when her ASPD is boosted.<br> + S2: Synergizes well with her Archetype as the drones lock onto the target and Freeze immobilizes, allowing her more time to attack the same target.<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- S2: Freeze chance is RNG based with the low chance to Cold, so it can be unreliable.<br> - Her unique ability to freeze enemies is only active with S2, which has a poor uptime.<br> - Low DPS relative to other Drone casters<br></span>

Overview

<p><em>"'Prayer that will be found, devotion that will be rewarded...' If anything that convenient truly existed, I'd like to see it myself. Me? I'm hardly even perfect knitting sweaters—how could I grant anyone's wishes? Oh, but if you'd like a blizzard, that's something I can do for you."</em></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Kjera is possibly the Goddess Kjeragandr (the one that Pramanix and her family worship). It’s a little unclear why a goddess would choose to take the form of Pramanix’s maidservant, but then again, even a goddess needs a bit of fun once in a while. For example, oh… fighting as a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>5</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>★</span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span> Mech-Accord Caster</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> and bringing the formerly-enemy-only </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Cold status ailment</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> to the field?</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Mech-Accord Casters have quick ASPD but low ATK, relying on dealing lots of small hits quickly with the help of a “drone” that deploys along with her. Mech-Accord drones attack at the same time as their Caster companions, and their damage ramps up the longer they attack the same target. Kjera compensates for the “low ATK” part of the archetype with her Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Deference</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, which gives her a small ATK buff that increases if she is deployed next to two or more ground tiles (typically an easy condition to satisfy). She puts this buff to good use with her </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Unrestrained Heart</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> S2, where she further buffs her ATK and—more importantly—conjures a second drone, attacking </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>three</span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> times with each action! Kjera’s drones can also follow the enemy out of her attack range as long as </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Unrestrained Heart</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> is active, continuing to fire until the Skill ends… or until the enemy’s life does.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Finally, while </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Unrestrained Heart</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> is active, Kjera and her drones have a chance to inflict the Cold ailment on their target. Cold reduces the ASPD of the target, and if it is applied again to a target who already has Cold, that target is Frozen, preventing them from moving and lowering their RES for the duration. The chance to cause Cold with </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Unrestrained Heart</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> is low, but because Kjera unleashes so many attacks during its duration, you’ll see the effect more often than you might think.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>On her own, Kjera is a reliable source of quick, effective Arts damage, especially for a welfare Operator. However, Kjera really shines when supported by other Operators. Kjera’s main strength is causing Freeze with </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Unrestrained Heart</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, and you can bolster this in two ways: Operators who cause Cold, or Operators with ASPD buffs. The former is obvious: layer more Cold effects and you get more Freezes. However, with just a small ASPD buff, Kjera becomes quick enough to land another attack before her own Cold effect wears off, greatly increasing her ability to Freeze targets. Even a goddess can’t do everything by herself—if she could, she wouldn’t need worshippers, now would she?</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Trait: Controls a Drone Unit that also attacks enemies; Drone Unit’s damage ramps up as it attacks the same target and resets when attacking a new target. This makes her damage better than her stats might seem to indicate.<br> + Talent: Increases ASPD for Click and Drone Unit<br> + S2: Increases ATK and attack range, and gives Click and Drone Unit a chance to Stun. Also, Drone “locks on” to the enemy and follows it out of Click’s range, until the enemy dies or the duration ends. Good damage and crowd control, and great for focusing a tough enemy that moves out of range<br> + Good addition to a crowd-control/stall team<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- Low base ATK that requires the Drone ATK ramp-up to be competitive<br></span>

Overview

<p><em>"My unique skill is video editing. Did you wanna do a Rhodes Island promo, Doctor? Got a plan for me? All righty, let’s take a look. Hmm... Rhodes Island precautions, balanced diet videos, fire safety videos... What the hell are these?!"</em></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Click’s hobby of shooting home movies in the great outdoors doesn’t sound very special in our world. However, when “the great outdoors” is ravaged by lethal Catastrophes, insidious Originium pollution, and</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/enemy/infused-originium-slug"><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>mutant slugs that explode when killed</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>, it takes a lot of caution and training to survive—let alone to make quality footage out of it! Click only gets away with it by virtue of being a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>4* ST Caster</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> assisted by a helpful hovering Drone. Working together, the duo is able to </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>lock on</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> to moving enemies and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Stun</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> them with synchronized </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>double Arts attacks</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Click’s Drone fires off a shot every time she attacks. The shot starts out weak, but its damage increases every time it attacks the same target (the bonus resets when hitting a new target). Click has higher base ASPD than other ST Casters, and her </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Coordinated</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>&nbsp;Talent increases her ASPD further. With her quick attacks and the help of her Drone, Click can do more DPS than her low ATK stat would suggest.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Their teamwork culminates with her Skill 2, </span></span></span><strong><span><span>Synchronized Attack</span></span></strong><span><span><span>. This Skill increases Click’s attack range, buffs her ATK, and gives the attacks of both Click and her Drone a chance to cause Stun. The skill also&nbsp;causes the Drone to “lock on” to whatever Click attacks, and&nbsp;the Drone will follow it out of her attack range and continue attacking until either the target dies or </span></span></span><strong><span><span>Synchronized Attack</span></span></strong><span><span><span> ends. This is great against tough enemies that leave her attack range. &nbsp;</span></span></span><span><span><span>Reunion can run, but they can’t hide!</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>While her rapid-fire&nbsp;Arts are both entertaining and effective,&nbsp;Click is not without weaknesses. In comparison to similar-rarity Casters, she has higher DP cost and lower base ATK, and the time she takes to ramp up her damage can be troublesome. Click is at her most effective when she gets to focus-fire a single beefy target for a long period of time. Fortunately, that means she's perfect for boss-killing! In particular, Click excels against bosses who spend a long time walking around the map in circles, since she can lock onto them with her S2&nbsp;to keep up the DPS after they leave her attack range (although many bosses are immune to her Stun).</span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>&nbsp;Overall, Click is a great Operator for her rarity, and if you’re looking for a budget boss-killer, Click might be the Operator to call back from the auditions.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Drone caster with a focus on consistent single target damage<br> + very straightforward unit that deals moderate arts damage<br> + Talent: small probability to do increase damage<br> + S2: The bread and butter skill for minimalist. Good amount of charges with a small SP cost.<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- Doesn't provide anything particularly unique or impactful in the single target caster department.<br> - Unlike other drone casters, he doesn't have a skill that locks his drone onto a target to take advantage of the archetypal damage ramp.<br></span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span>Minimalist is an OCD interior designer from the underground land of Durin (not to be confused with the Operator who goes by the codename <a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/operator/durin">Durin</a>). As his codename suggests, Minimalist insists on a strict spartan design sense for his creations: clean lines with absolutely no clutter, tailored to suit the specific needs of the project. His design sense has also informed his combat style as a <strong>5* Mech Accord Caster</strong> with an extremely simple, <strong>easy-to-use DPS </strong>strategy.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>How simple are we talking? Minimalist’s Talent, <strong>Sudden Realization</strong>, has a chance to increase his damage when attacking, like a critical hit. His <strong>Divine Craftsmanship</strong> S2 causes his next attack to hit twice at increased power. “Two hits” means “two chances to activate <strong>Sudden Realization</strong>,” and the damage boost from <strong>Divine Craftsmanship</strong> stacks with the critical hit from <strong>Sudden Realization</strong>. (Multiple hits also builds the damage Trait of his drone more quickly.) Stack hits, do damage. That’s it! Simple, clean, and elegant—the Minimalist brand.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Of course, with a kit so simple, it’s easy to see the weaknesses. Minimalist brings no support or utility to his team, and while his regular DPS output is good, he has no tricks to deal with bosses, elite enemies, or targets with high RES. Minimalist does exactly one job (baseline single-target Arts DPS) and nothing else… but he certainly deserves his professional pride about how well he handles that one job. </span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Talent: Lin is shielded in a regenerating crystal barrier that breaks and deals AOE damage and stuns when attacks deal enough damage.<br> + Talent: Lin has a chance to gain SP when she is attacked.<br> + Good choice as a defensive DPS option against ranged attackers, as she will be able to charge her skills quickly and easily mitigate their damage.<br> + S3: Good damage and provides a bit of crowd control by stunning enemies in range every time she kills a target. A solid option when you are against large waves of weak enemies as you can continually break and regenerate your shield.<br> + Module greatly increases her bulk, which with her shield, makes her effectively invulnerable as a range tank.<br> + Module upgrades resolve the cycle time issue with her S3.<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- Unless she is being targeted, her skill recharge time is quite poor.<br></span>

Overview

<p><span><span>Lin Yuhsia, daughter of Lungmen’s legendary criminal mastermind the Rat King, has been working publicly as an entrepreneur while she debates whether to follow her father’s footsteps to the Dark Side. Her familial connections, her keen business sense, and her ability to control sand and glass are all factors that make her a dangerous opponent. However, it is that latter ability that interests us most today, as Lin has joined Rhodes Island as a <strong>6* Phalanx Caster</strong> who can <strong>negate damage with a barrier</strong> as well as <strong>shatter her barrier to</strong> <strong>damage and Stun</strong> nearby enemies. </span></span></p> <p><span><span>Phalanx Casters are Casters who flip back and forth between two “modes” depending on whether they have a Skill active or not. When they are not using a Skill, they cannot attack, but they possess massively increased personal defenses. When they <em>are</em> using a Skill, they inflict true-AoE Arts damage attacks around themselves, but lose their increased defenses.</span></span></p> <p><span><span>Lin Yuhsia augments this paradigm with her <strong>Perfect Planning</strong> Talent, which gives her a Crystal Barrier that blocks all damage while it is active. The trick is, if the barrier receives substantial damage in a single attack, it shatters, damaging and Stunning all nearby enemies. Lin will then be vulnerable until the barrier regenerates (which takes several seconds).</span></span></p> <p><span><span>Between her high passive defenses while not using a Skill and the protection from <strong>Perfect Planning</strong>, Lin is an ideal choice for absorbing attacks from a ranged tile. Even better, she has a chance to gain SP every time she is attacked thanks to her <strong>Hidden Talent</strong> E2 Talent, making her an even better choice for a ranged damage sponge. And what does she do with that SP? Preferably, she unleashes her <strong>Shattered Time</strong> S3, which buffs her ATK and expands her attack range (and thus the effect radius of her barrier-shatter as well). But that’s the boring part. The fun part is, she also increases the amount of damage her barrier can absorb before shattering, and she gains the property that she will shatter and instantly regenerate her barrier every time she kills an enemy during the Skill duration.</span></span></p> <p><span><span>Lin really needs her Module (which was not initially available upon her release) to be a competitive Phalanx Caster. Her Module increases the activation rate and SP gain from <strong>Hidden Talent</strong>, making <strong>Shattered Time</strong> both more spammable and reliable. <strong>Shattered Time</strong> is a very cool Skill, offering the possibility of great survivability, high consistent DPS, and repeatable Stuns (depending on how many easily-killable trash enemies are within Lin’s range). However, the uptime is quite bad, so without her Module (or without ranged enemies to target Lin and trigger <strong>Hidden Talent</strong> in the first place), Lin can be quite slow and underwhelming.</span></span></p> <p><span><span>Phalanx Casters tend to be tricky to use well, and Lin is no exception. Take her lightly at your own risk, however. A Doctor whose planning is perfect enough to match Lin’s can certainly find good uses for an Operator who comes packing Arts damage, Stuns, and an invincible barrier in the bargain.</span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Usual archetype strengths: Has DEF +200% and RES +20 while her Skills are NOT active, putting her on par with multiple Defenders<br> + Attacks all enemies within her attack range while her Skills are active (“true” AoE)<br> + Talent heals her every time she uses a Skill<br> + S1 gives her a DEF bonus while active, and Charged S1 retains her Trait buff for the duration; Charged S1 gives her pretty phenomenal defenses (plus a huge heal from her Talent), making this a great skill to support the Archetype’s role of “ranged tank”<br> + S2 inflicts Slow, and Charged S2 inflicts Bind, giving Carnelian good AoE crowd control. With ASPD buffs Charged S2 becomes unrivaled in its Bind uptime.<br> + S3 has expanded attack range; Charged S3 increases damage potential, great against large groups of enemies. It has a faster cycle time than most comparable skills, so it can be available more often.<br> + Has pretty reasonable SP costs for her Skills<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- Archetype drawback: doesn't attack when skills are not active, and defenses drop when skills are active, so careful skill use planning is necessary (though charged S1 retains these defenses).<br> - For Skills to compete against the best available, they must be Charged, meaning they must gain twice the normal amount of SP. This leads to a slower first-time Skill activation and overall Skill charge times that are longer than they might appear to be at first glance.<br> - S3 damage ramps up over time, and the charged effect damage increase requires multiple hits per enemy to stack, making it take a relatively long time to reach its peak damage (if it ever does)<br></span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Carnelian is</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/operator/beeswax"><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Beeswax’s</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> big sister, and as is the custom for their people, Carnelian left home to go on a journey of self-discovery when she reached her majority. And what a journey it was: she accidentally adopted Count Hohenlohe of Leithania as her little brother, and is now working for Rhodes Island to secretly obtain treatment for the Infected Count. Carnelian is determined not to make her younger siblings--adopted and blood-related alike--worry about her. Fortunately, she's more than capable of keeping herself safe, bring a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>6* Modal Caster</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> with a potent </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Charge mechanic</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, great </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>self-sustain</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>AoE crowd control</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>ramping Arts damage</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>As a Modal Caster, Carnelian flips between two “modes” in battle, depending on whether her Skill is active or not. When she is not using a Skill, Carnelian has massively buffed DEF and RES, but she cannot attack. When she IS using a Skill, Carnelian loses her DEF/ RES buffs, but begins unleashing AoE Arts shockwaves in an area around her.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>On top of the Modal Caster mechanics, Carnelian is the first Arknights Operator to use the Charge mechanic. She keeps gathering SP after she reaches the SP cost threshold for her Skills. When she has accumulated twice the base SP cost, the Skill icon changes from yellow to red and the Skill gains a bonus effect when activated. (So, if her Skill costs 25 SP, she can activate the Skill anytime as long as she has at least 25 SP reserved. But if she activates the Skill at 50 SP instead, she gets the bonus effects.) One of the bonus effects is her E1 Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Meal of Life</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, which restores Carnelian’s HP after she activates a Skill. If she is activating a Charged Skill, then the HP restored is doubled! The other Charge effects depend on which Skill she is currently using:</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <ul> <li><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Sandstorm Guardian</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> (S1) is a simple Skill that gives Carnelian a large ATK and DEF boost. If Charged, Carnelian also retains her DEF/ RES buff for the Skill’s duration. This is the skill to use if you want to take advantage of her Archetypal traits and use her primarily as a ranged tank.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Sand Fetters</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> (S2) is a crowd-control Skill that speeds up Carnelian’s rate of attack and causes her attacks to inflict Slow. If Charged, this Skill inflicts Bind on enemies instead. This is a excellent crowd-control skill, and it can be made even stronger with ASPD buffs (i.e., Aak).</span></span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Mark of Gluttony</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> (S3) expands Carnelian’s attack range and gives her an ATK buff that ramps up over time. If Charged, each attack on an enemy increases the damage she deals to them, stacking up to 5 times.&nbsp; This skill has great AoE Arts destructive power, and although it doesn’t quite match some of the most broken options in the game (i.e., Eyjafjalla), its cycle time is shorter, so it can be used more often.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li> </ul> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Carnelian has a lot of potential, but unfortunately the windup time to realize it is a big drawback. &nbsp;S</span></span></span></span></span></span>3 damage ramps up over time, and the charged effect damage increase requires multiple hits per enemy to stack, making&nbsp;it take&nbsp;a relatively long time to reach its peak damage (if it ever does). &nbsp;On the&nbsp;<span><span><span><span><span><span>SP side, her costs look reasonable at first glance, but her Skills aren’t as impressive unless you Charge them first, which means a longer first-use, and twice the downtime between uses--and remember, without a Skill active, Carnelian’s only contribution is damage soaking. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>In addition, Carnelian doesn’t really bring much to the table that other Operators don’t already. Her S2 and S3 are both strong skills, but there are other Operators who can cover those roles just as well or better (especially if Carnelian isn’t supported). In addition, trying to utilize S2/ S3 can be risky if using Carnelian in her archetypal role of damage sponge, since she loses her Trait’s defenses when they are active. Finally, Carnelian’s Charging adds an additional layer of planning and timing, so she is not suited to players who prefer hands-off, low-maintenance Operators.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>On the plus side, Carnelian’s 6* stats make her an incredible ranged-grid tank between Skill uses (or even during them, if using Charged S1) and a Charged </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Meal of Life</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> is basically a free full-heal. It’s rare to have a ranged unit with Carnelian’s level of durability, and this alone can make her a valuable Operator. If Carnelian is given room to breathe, she will assuredly stop her opponents from doing the same. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Archetype: Does not attack normally. Only attacks when Skills are active, dealing AoE Artsl damage to all enemies in range. Massively increased DEF (+200%) & RES (+20) when not attacking (Skill is not active)<br> + Extremely high DEF while a skill is not active allows her to shrug off most ranged physical damage<br> + S2: The Obelisk that she summons has 5000 HP and over 500 DEF at E2, so it can soak a large amount of damage, blocks 3 enemies and doesn't use a deploy slot.<br> + S2: provides some crowd control when her obelisk is summoned, as it stuns nearby enemies<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- Doesn't attack when Skills aren't active, so she is on the low side for consistent DPS and has a very small attack range<br></span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Beeswax came to Rhodes Island looking for a relative who had long ago left home to wander the world. This relative is a Rhodes Island Operator and is currently deployed on a long-term undercover mission—at first, Beeswax was depressed to hear this, but she soon perked up when it occurred to her that she could do the same. And so it was that Rhodes Island recruited its first </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>5* Modal Caster</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, a fascinating young woman with incredible powers of </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>damage mitigation</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>enemy Blocking</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Many Operators are defined by their Traits, but few as much as Beeswax. Her Trait allows her to attack all enemies in her attack range, but only when one of her Skills is active. In return, it </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>massively</span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> increases her DEF (+200%) and RES (+20) when a skill </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>isn’t</span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> active. Don’t be fooled by her unimpressive base DEF compared to Defenders and Guards; with her Trait active, Beeswax has&nbsp;DEF on par with multiple Defenders. Her survivability is enhanced by her Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Shambhala's Sanctuary</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, which causes Beeswax to regenerate HP at an insane rate--though, like her DEF boost, it only activates while her Skills are </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>not</span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> active.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>We’ve mentioned Beeswax’s Skills a few times now, so what do they actually do? Her Skill 1, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Growing Sandstorm</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, buffs her ATK and increases her already-wide attack range even further. This Skill has great uptime, and between Beeswax’s high base ATK, Arts damage, and AoE attacks, she can sweep through enemies quite satisfactorily. For a more defensive angle, turn to her Skill 2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Guardian Obelisk</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, which causes a massive obelisk to erupt from a ground square within Beeswax’s range. Enemies in the area take massive Arts damage and are Stunned, and the obelisk remains afterwards for the duration of the Skill, Blocking 3 enemies and absorbing attacks. Of course, Beeswax will attack for the duration of the Skill as well.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Beeswax would be the first to admit that she’s not perfect. Her DP cost is a little high, and her ASPD is a little slow considering that she can only attack while her Skills are active. The temporary nature of her&nbsp;obelisk can also be a hassle in contrast to deploying a reliable Defender (although the obelisk does not take a deployment slot). These drawbacks are very real, but they don’t detract from Beeswax’s value as a steel wall who can be deployed on ranged grids. She’s perfect for drawing aggro from ranged enemies (Faust, anyone?) or for soaking damage on Challenge stages where ground Operators are banned. Bringing AoE Arts damage and a free Block-3 obelisk is just icing on the cake. Shielded by her unshakeable confidence and the protection of her homeland, Beeswax is an Operator to look out for.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Archetype: Does not attack normally. Only attacks when Skills are active, dealing AoE Arts damage to all enemies in range. Massively increased DEF (+200%) & RES (+20) when not attacking (Skill is not active)<br> + Great crowd control against groups of low weight enemies as she can keep them snared for the full duration of her skill<br> + A counter to enemies that deal heavy ranged physical damage and that you can't cover with a Defender<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- Her skills have a very limited range surrounding her, making it difficult to find good placement for some maps<br> - It takes significant investment(M3) to reach medium pull strength where she unlocks a lot of her power</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><em><span>“Ah, no, you can’t just touch my book, it will bite you. I’m not kidding, it’s for real. See, I usually tie it up like this.”</span></em></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Mint is a geology graduate from the Victorian Institute of Higher Learning, which causes other Operators to subconsciously compare her to fellow graduate Skyfire. However, Mint and Skyfire could not be more different. Mint is a quiet, curious, scholarly individual who prioritizes learning above all else. In fact, when she contracted Oripathy during an expedition, she showed no anxiety about becoming Infected and having to leave her home: instead, her biggest concern was whether the expedition she was on had brought back any valuable data! This intellectual mindset might be part of the reason she makes such a good </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>5* </span></span></strong></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=Modal-Caster##null##cn##stats"><span><span><span><strong><span><span><span><span>Modal Caster</span></span></span></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>, combining a major in </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>survivability</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> with a minor in </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Pulling enemies</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Modal Casters are a fascinating archetype. While they don’t have a Skill active, they do not attack, but gain +200% DEF and +20 RES, making them some of the most durable ranged units in Arknights. This can be considered their “defensive mode.” When they activate a Skill, they switch to an “offensive mode,” losing their defensive buffs but unleashing AoE attacks in a wide area around their position. Mint accents her two “modes” with her Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Geologist</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>: while in defensive mode, Mint gives a small </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=null##cn##DEF-Support##stats"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>DEF buff</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> to adjacent allies, spreading her durability to her teammates. In offensive mode, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Geologist</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> changes to make Mint less likely to be targeted by enemies. This is great, since offensive mode removes Mint’s defensive buffs, leaving her vulnerable to attack.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>So what Skills can Mint use to switch between her modes? First up is </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Wind Whispers</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, which increases Mint’s attack range and increases her damage for the duration. With its high uptime and reliable damage buff, this is probably Mint’s more consistent DPS option. However, the more interesting Skill is </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Swirling Vortex</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, which grants a smaller damage boost but also causes Mint’s attacks to Pull enemies toward her! </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=null##cn##Shift-(Not-Pull/Pusher)##stats"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Non-Specialist Operators who can Shift</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> enemy positioning are very rare, and Mint is the first non-Specialist Operator who can Pull enemies rather than Pushing them. With good positioning, Mint can keep enemies trapped in her </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Swirling Vortex</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> for several seconds, buying the rest of your squad plenty of time to react to their presence.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Mint’s academic brain isn’t the best fit for every circumstance. Her DP cost is a little high and her ASPD is a little slow, and the fact that she can’t attack while her Skills are on cooldown isn’t ideal on maps with consistent enemy reinforcements. Furthermore, Pulling enemies is a tricky business. It’s not useful on all maps, and Mint has a shorter range than Pulling Specialists, which can make her Pulls harder to utilize. Used poorly, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Swirling Vortex</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> can even move enemies closer to your base or out of DPS range, rather than stopping their advance. Even so, Mint’s ability to soak damage from a ranged grid can be invaluable (fighting Faust comes to mind), and her wide-range AoE Arts attacks are well worth the trouble they take to set up properly. Accept her for who she is and Mint is sure to reward your faith in her abilities. (Even if the “reward” is a weird rock left on your desk as a thank-you present.)</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ E2 Talent: Gains 7-16 SP on deploy<br> + S3: Will blow up anything short of the very strongest enemies with 1 use<br> + S2: great consistent damage option<br> + AoE Caster damage at a lower ST Caster Deployment Cost<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- S3: short Duration and long cooldown can leave the team flat if she is the main source of damage</span>

Overview

<p dir="ltr"><em>"Why does there have to be conflict in this world?"</em></p> <p dir="ltr">The volcanology and natural disaster expert Eyjafjalla is a powerful <strong>single target Caster</strong> who can deal <strong>AoE damage</strong>. Her Oripathy infection, presumably due to research near volcanic areas and exposure to particles with Originium, impairs her hearing and other senses.</p> <p dir="ltr">Eyjafjalla’s fantastic kit can obliterate bosses and multiple targets alike. Her first skill, <strong>Duetto</strong>, is an <strong>Attack Speed</strong> Increase, which is also an <strong>ATK Increase</strong> after the first cast. <strong>Ignition</strong>, her second skill, lets her do great <strong>Area of Effect</strong> damage and decrease enemies’ Resistance. &nbsp;It does&nbsp;excellent consistent DPS&nbsp;to both single targets and groups, making it her most commonly used Skill.&nbsp;&nbsp;Her final Skill, <strong>Volcano</strong>, increases&nbsp;damage, range,&nbsp;attack speed, and number of targets by a considerable amount. It does extremely high damage, and can melt&nbsp;down groups and&nbsp;bosses alike. &nbsp;It's short duration and long cooldown, however, can leave you flat in between uses. &nbsp;To top off her amazing Skills, her Talent,&nbsp;<strong>Pyrobreath</strong>, buffs the ATK of all Casters on the field when she is deployed.</p> <p dir="ltr">Eyjafjalla has the Deployment Cost of a&nbsp;single target Caster with AoE Damage potential that rivals the best AoE Casters. This makes Eyj a strong Caster choice in almost all situations. &nbsp;Float this cute little Caster onto the battlefield and enjoy watching things melt!</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Talent 1: deals additional Arts damage to the target based on a percentage of enemy DEF, making her even better at killing high DEF enemies, which is a strength of her Class<br> + Dynamic range of prioritization and utility offered by her 3 Skills makes her very adaptable to different situations.<br> + S1: good crowd control that prioritizes unblocked enemies and binds them<br> + S2: Vaporizes high DEF enemies by prioritizing them and decreasing Attack Interval<br> + S3: Good DPS Skill with a unique Caster ability changes damage to Physical, prioritizes low DEF, and disables enemy special abilities<br></span> = Talent 2: Increases her ATK and ASPD when there are no adjacent allies, a buff that can at times be difficult to activate<br> = Different strengths and utility than Eyjafjalla<br> <span style="color:red;">- S3: has a long cooldown and works counter to her Talent</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Ceobe has a simple list of things she likes to do: eat well, drink well, sleep well, and beat up bad guys. Her disarming smile and sandy tresses are almost enough to distract from the armory of weapons she carries on her back, each one charged with elemental energy. This </span></span></span><strong><span><span>6</span></span></strong></span></span></span>★<span><span><span><strong><span><span> ST Caster</span></span></strong><span><span><span> hurls her various weapons into the fray to deal extreme </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Arts damage</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>crowd-control</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> her opponents. She is especially good at </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>changing the enemies she targets</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> based on what you need her to do.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Casters are already excellent counters to high-DEF enemies, and Ceobe takes this to a whole new level with her first Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Thresher</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, which increases her damage by a percentage of her target’s DEF. She gets a further DPS boost from her E2 Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Lone Journey</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, which increases her ATK and attack speed when she’s not adjacent to another ally. Her Skills give her a variety of options to use all this bonus damage with, and each has its own unique priority for the enemies it will target:</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <ol> <li><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Really Cold Axe&nbsp;</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>is an auto-trigger Skill that increases the damage of Ceobe’s next attack and causes it to Bind the target (stopping their movement). This attack prioritizes unblocked enemies where the Bind will be most effective, making it a good crowd-control option.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Really Hot Knives&nbsp;</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>is a manual Skill with great uptime that dramatically increases Ceobe’s attack speed and causes her to prioritize the highest-DEF enemies in her range. This Skill melts armored bosses like cotton candy in the desert sun.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Really Heavy Spear</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> is a manual Skill with a large SP cost but a correspondingly large effect. Ceobe’s ATK and attack range increase, her damage changes to physical, and her attacks Silence their targets (preventing special abilities). Since she deals physical damage with this Skill, she prioritizes the lowest-DEF enemies in range while it’s active, giving Ceobe an interesting hybrid niche amongst Casters. (Remember that her Talent is less effective against enemies with low DEF, however.)</span></span></span></span></span></span></li> </ol> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Finding an isolated deployment spot to activate </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Lone Journey</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> can be difficult on some maps, and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Thresher&nbsp;</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>doesn’t give much bonus damage against enemies with low DEF. Despite this, Ceobe is an absolute wrecking ball at destroying high-DEF enemies, which is usually the most important task for a ST Caster to fulfill. Give her an inch (of space) and this cerberus-inspired weaponsmaster will take a mile (-long spear and ram it straight through her enemy’s thorax).</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Levitate is one of the strongest forms of control since few enemies are immune to it. Few Operators can apply it, and Ho'olheyak also has a semi-consistent application.<br> + One of few units with the Weightless effect, and isn't reliant on skill activation. Ho'olheyak is usually favored for this when the target has high HP.<br> + S3: Consistent application of Levitate effect. Extended range is a rare utility in Casters.<br> + S2: Decent damage on a shorter cycle time than her S3.<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- S3: Tornados look like they are AoE but are actually each single target. Extremely long downtime. Damage drops off as enemies get closer, requiring more planning and thought than most other skills. Overall poor damage compared to other 6* Casters.<br> - S2: Heavy RNG (both on targeting and on the control) means inconsistent results.<br> - S1: Auto activation limits the ability to use the skill effectively.<br> - No in-built RES shred.<br> - Although she is often chosen over other Operators for the Weightless effect, the HP threshold heavily relegates that to more advanced scenarios.<br></span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><em>“Immoral scientist, disloyal mercenary, double-crossing spy... yes, that's all me. Rules are what bar you from working to your full efficiency, darling, and you must learn to break them. That being said, I'm sure you have more to share with me for what little time we have alone together, other than the rules of Rhodes Island, I suppose?”</em></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Ho’olheyak. Former elite from Maylander Foundation. Possible descendant of the legendary K’uk’ulkans. Potential enemy of Rhodes Island. Unpredictable ally to the Doctor. Sly, slippery, and secretive, this snaky secret agent is undoubtedly joining Rhodes Island with ulterior motives in tow, but the allure of her four centuries of inherited memories and her Arts control over wind and rain is too much for most people to resist. She utilizes her stormy powers as a <strong>6* Core Caster</strong> with many unusual effects, including <strong>Silence</strong>, <strong>Levitation</strong>, <strong>Weightlessness</strong>, <strong>anti-air</strong>, and <strong>expanded attack range</strong> with unique projectiles.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Right from her E1 Talent, <strong>Inherited End</strong>, Ho’olheyak starts displaying her exceptionalism. <strong>Inherited End</strong> gives Ho’olheyak bonus damage and a Silence effect when attacking flying targets. At E2, she adds <strong>Bygone Wings</strong> to this—a Talent that inflicts Weightless on all enemies within Ho’olheyak’s attack range as long as they are above a certain HP threshold. Weightless is a very rare effect, so Ho’olheyak’s access to it is quite special indeed.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Her Skills are all quite different from the norm as well. <strong>In Search of Reason</strong> is an automatic Skill with charges that causes Ho’olheyak’s next attack to hit an extra target with increased damage. However, if only one enemy is in range to be attacked, the attack will also Levitate the target. <strong>Meandering Stars</strong> is a short-duration Skill that changes Ho’olheyak’s attacks into multiple randomly-targeted hits that each have a small chance to Levitate their target. <strong>Well-Read Ravings</strong> is her most visually impressive Skill: it increases her attack range and causes her attacks to summon three tornados in front of her that move forward, gaining increased damage as they move. Each tornado hits the first enemy it touches and launches them into the air with a Levitate effect. For all these Skills, note that Levitating enemies causes them to count as flying, triggering <strong>Inherited End’s</strong> bonus damage and Silence effect as Ho’olheyak continues to attack.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Since Ho’olheyak is clearly intended to be a utility Caster, it’s strange that her utility is gated behind so many bizarre conditions. She can only Silence aerial enemies and she can only make enemies Weightless when they’re at high HP. <strong>In Search of Reason</strong> only Levitates if there’s exactly one enemy in her attack range, <strong>Meandering Stars</strong> hits random enemies and has a very low Levitate chance, and <strong>Well-Read Ravings</strong> slows down her attacks, limits her damage unnecessarily, and only hits the closest enemy in each row (despite looking like the attacks could be AoE). That doesn’t even begin to touch on her poor Skill cycling, her low overall damage, or the low duration on her various ailments.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Despite all these flaws, Ho’olheyak still manages to sneak her way into various high-end strategies just because of how many effects she combines into one provocative package. Silence, Levitate, and Weightless all on one Operator is a surprisingly useful combination. As long as you can keep all her conditions in mind and manipulate them to get the ailments you need on a regular basis—in other words, as long as you can out-manipulate this master manipulator—then Ho’olheyak may indeed find herself being quite useful to you. (Unless, of course, that’s all part of her plan….)</span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Talent: Increased damage when attacking enemies with less than 40% HP.<br> + Great Arts damage potential under the right conditions with multi hit attacks<br> + S1: Infinite duration buff with a decent modifier and unique target prioritization that synergizes with her Talent.<br> + S2: high burst potential.<br></span> = Her niche is finishing off enemies that are already weakened<br> <span style="color:red;"> - S2 and Talent: Their conditions can be very limiting, especially for S2.<br> - She needs a team to be built around her to lower enemy HP in order to take advantage of her high damage potential</span>

Overview

<p><em>"Why do I keep my weapon right here? Didn’t I already tell you? You need to be able to work in peace, and anyone who wants to bother you is going to have to answer to my little friend first."</em></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>One of the few survivors of the </span></span></span></span></span></span>Chernobog<span><span><span><span><span><span> Catastrophe, Absinthe was salvaged from the wreckage of the city by a Rhodes Island rescue team. Starving and skeletal when she was rescued, Absinthe has had a long road to recovery, but now that she’s back on her feet, she’s working for Rhodes Island as a </span></span></span><strong><span><span>5* ST Caster</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>. Wielding a magical Arts firearm left behind by her father, Absinthe specializes in </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>executing injured enemies</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The executions begin with Absinthe’s Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Enforcer</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, which gives her bonus damage against enemies who are below 40% health. From there, her Skills take her down two different paths to the gallows. Her Skill 1, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Enforcement Mode</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, is a permanent buff that increases Absinthe’s ATK and changes her targeting so she always attacks the enemy with the lowest HP percentage in her range. This is an excellent general-purpose Skill, but it does take a long time to charge and activate. If you’d rather go all-out on executing the weak, go for her Skill 2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Terminating Burst</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>. While this Skill is active, Absinthe starts firing multiple shots at a time, all of which can benefit from her Talent! Unfortunately, while it’s active, Absinthe also stops targeting enemies who have more than half their health, so timing the usage of this Skill must be done with care….</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span><span><span><span><span><span>Absinthe has good ATK and the bonus from </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Enforcer</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> is quite large, so her damage output can be rather sizable. However, unlike most Casters, her damage output is tied to her target’s HP more than the activation of a particular Skill (especially with </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Terminating Burst</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>). Sometimes this works in Absinthe’s favor—it certainly makes her useful against enemies with high HP or those that get stronger as their HP falls. However, sometimes you need on-command burst damage to combat a nasty wave of enemies, and Absinthe isn’t able to provide this. In those situations, it would be better to look to another Caster. However, if you can reliably get enemies into the HP range for Absinthe to pop off, you’ll find the numbers of Rhodes Island’s enemies shrinking by the shot.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <h3 dir="ltr"><span><span><span><span><span><span>More&nbsp;GIFs and Art</span></span></span></span></span></span></h3> <p dir="ltr"><span><span><span><span><span><span>See <a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/news/arknights-cn-new-operator-announcement-absinthe-skills-talent-art-gifs">this page.</a></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ E2 Talent: Gain SP when you attack an enemy and when you kill an enemy<br> + S1: has very consistent uptime and good DPS if you E2 Amiya<br> + S2: damage is very strong when paired with ATK buffs<br> + S3: very strong boss killing Skill<br> + Free Operator with Potential guaranteed through story<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- S2 is unreliable with its auto activation and will be very slow to charge without E2<br> - S3 will forcibly retreat Amiya, making it only usable once on most maps</span>

Overview

<p dir="ltr"><em>“Doctor!”</em></p> <p dir="ltr">The de facto protagonist of the Arknights storyline and the player’s most stalwart assistant. For a free unit who is handed to you at the start of the game, Amiya is a surprisingly good 5★ Caster. In fact, she’s one of the better <strong>single-target DPS</strong> Casters in Arknights.</p> <p dir="ltr">Amiya’s unique Skills have the damage potential of nuclear bombs, but they also come with repercussions. <strong>Spirit Burst</strong> fires multiple attacks at random targets for a short time, but Stuns Amiya when the duration ends. The danger is that <strong>Spirit Burst</strong> is automatically activated, meaning you can’t control when Amiya goes on her rampage or when she becomes Stunned and stops attacking. <strong>Chimera</strong>, Amiya’s E2 Skill, is even more dramatic: Amiya gains a massive surge of HP and ATK, her range increases, and her attacks ignore DEF and RES. This is excellent for bursting down Elites and Bosses, since it is one of the few sources of “true” damage in Arknights. However, when the Skill duration ends, Amiya <em>retreats from the battlefield</em>, making <strong>Chimera </strong>a kamikaze move that must be used strategically.</p> <p dir="ltr">You may notice that the SP cost of Amiya’s Skills are very high. This is compensated by her E2 Talent, <strong>Emotional Absorption</strong>, which grants bonus SP when Amiya attacks or gets a kill. This also benefits Amiya’s Skill 1, <strong>Tactical Chant γ</strong>, an attack speed buff with a low SP cost. Players who don’t want the downsides of <strong>Spirit Burst</strong> or <strong>Chimera </strong>can keep <strong>Tactical Chant γ </strong>active through most of a fight due to Emotional Absorption.</p> <p dir="ltr">Knowing that Amiya can be a double-edged sword may warn some players away from using her at all. However, Amiya’s advantages are worth the risk. Since the game hands the player multiple copies of her throughout Story mode, she is both accessible and easy to increase in Potential. Furthermore, though many other Casters have utility that Amiya lacks, few come close to Amiya in DPS. When you need Arts damage, Amiya is not just the easiest-to-obtain option (you can’t get much easier than free and guaranteed!) but also one of the best.</p> <h3 dir="ltr">Potential Tokens</h3> <p dir="ltr">Amiya receives Potential Tokens when completing the following stages:&nbsp;2-10, 3-8, 4-9, 6-17, 7-18</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ An aerial-focused Caster that can inflict Levitate on enemies<br> + Talent interacts positively with Levitated enemies<br> + S2 cycles quickly and inflicts Levitate on enemies for a long duration<br></span> = Heavy enemies will reduce the Levitate duration by half<br> <span style="color:red;">- S2's final explosion doesn't benefit from his Talent, as the Levitate ends before the explosion<br> - Low total damage hurts his viability, Qanipalaat is closer to a support unit than a core DPS option<br></span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span>Qanipalaat was born in the northern chiefdom of Sami, but he left his homeland in order to learn better control over his Originium Arts. Integrating into a modernized world far from his more rural homeland has been an uphill battle for Qanipalaat, but he has found making friends with other Rhodes Island Operators to be more than worth the effort. Not only does he tell his new friends stories and legends from his homeland, but he can fight alongside them as a <strong>5* Core Caster</strong> who can <strong>Levitate enemies</strong> and strike them with <strong>Arts Fragility in the air</strong>.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>There’s a clear direction for Qanipalaat’s kit, and it starts with his <strong>Tundra Survival</strong> Talent, which inflicts Arts Fragility on all aerial enemies within his attack range. From here, he has two options. His S1, <strong>Freezing Winds</strong>, is an ASPD buff that also causes Qanipalaat to prioritize aerial enemies. Aided by <strong>Tundra Survival</strong>, Qanipalaat can rack up a lot of Arts damage against incoming drones very quickly in this way. If his enemies are on the ground, however, the obvious answer is his <strong>Snowfall</strong> S2. <strong>Snowfall</strong> inflicts Levitate on multiple ground enemies—raising them into the air for several seconds so that <strong>Tundra Survival</strong> can affect them—and then slams those enemies down onto the ground, dealing heavy Arts damage to all enemies around the landing points.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>With anti-air Arts Fragility and a long-duration Levitate, Qanipalaat is an excellent utility unit. However, because he lacks direct damage, he is largely limited to a support role in battle. He has no ATK buffs or sustained damage-increasing abilities, and unfortunately, the Levitate on <strong>Snowfall</strong> is cancelled before the damage is inflicted (so he doesn’t get to take advantage of his own Arts Fragility). <strong>Snowfall</strong> also has low overall uptime, and don’t forget that the Levitate effect is halved against heavy enemies.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>These limitations can make it harder for Qanipalaat to pull his weight. But to his credit, he fills two interesting niches as a damage amplifier and an anti-air unit, while still bringing overall Arts damage and some stalling potential to the table. There are a lot of little ways Qanipalaat can help Rhodes Island, and this good-natured Operator is always eager to help.</span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Talent: Attacks lower enemy RES<br> + S2: short cool-down and decent duration gives her nice consistent damage<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- S2: 75% decreased HP means she is very likely to get 1-shot if anything hits her<br> - You can have similar DPS in Amiya but without the HP penalty</span>

Overview

<p dir="ltr"><em>“Hello, I’m Hazel. I like relaxing work environments and employers who know not to bother me with questions.”</em></p> <p dir="ltr">A white-furred Feline with a dark wardrobe and a darker past, Haze takes her codename from the dark fog she is able to generate around her foes. Utilizing this fog as a weapon, she acts as a <strong>DPS</strong>- and <strong>Debuff</strong>-focused Caster unit on the battlefield. She occupies a unique niche as a <strong>RES-debuffer</strong>, <a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/gameplay-basics/arknights-mechanics-behind-numbers-damage-formula">multiplying the effectiveness</a> of the other Arts damage dealers in your team.</p> <p dir="ltr">Haze is most noteworthy for her Talent, <strong>Black Mist</strong>, which reduces the RES of any enemy she hits for 1 second, buffing the DPS of your Arts Damage dealers. Her second Skill, <strong>Crimson Eyes</strong>, gives her an ATK and ASPD boost for a good duration with a decent cooldown. This results in additional direct DPS, as well as increased up-time of <strong>Black Mist</strong>. Pay attention, however: <strong>Crimson Eyes</strong> also slashes Haze’s max HP for the duration, leaving her extremely vulnerable to ranged attacks.</p> <p dir="ltr">Unfortunately, there isn’t always room for Haze in your lineup. Haze is at her best when your team contains multiple sources of Arts damage AND there are enemies with high RES that are worth debuffing. Many Doctors will choose to raise free 5* Caster <a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/operator/amiya">Amiya</a> instead, who has an easier time pulling her weight on a variety of maps. However, Haze is cheaper to raise than Amiya, and Amiya’s Skills can be hard to use. If you’re not a fan of Amiya, or if your strategies tend to revolve around deploying lots of Arts Operators, then Haze might be the perfect Caster for your needs.</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Great skill up-time and high damage multipliers on her S2 and Talent<br> + S2: Potential to constantly stun slow attacking enemies and reset their attacks<br></span> = A niche ST Caster that deals heavy physical close-range damage with her Skills<br> <span style="color:red;">- The reduced range on Skill use is extremely limiting<br> - S2 effect is RNG based and can cause problems if you are relying on her for DPS or Stuns</span>

Overview

<p dir="ltr"><span><span><span><span><em><span>“She could draw people to look directly into her eyes and wouldn't close her eyelids until the blazing flames dried them. That’s probably the type of shining person Gavial is. Oh yeah, I read that description earlier from a book, I thought it was good so I memorized it to use it myself later. It’s still appropriate in this situation, right?”</span></em></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Tomimi considers herself Gavial’s best friend and biggest admirer, and when Gavial disregarded her pleas and went to join Rhodes Island, Tomimi decided to take drastic measures to keep her friend at home. Fortunately, the rocket launcher was unsuccessful, and so Tomimi changed her strategy: if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em! Now Tomimi works at Rhodes Island as a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>5* </span></span></strong></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=ST-Caster##null##stats"><span><span><span><strong><span><span><span>ST Caster</span></span></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>, transforming into a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>physical DPS unit whenever she activates her Skills</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The most distinctive feature of Tomimi is her Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Arts of the Wild</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>. When Tomimi activates a Skill, this Talent changes her attack range, her attack type to Physical, and her ATK stat to “enormous.” Tomimi’s base ATK is nothing special, but at E2 with max Potential, her ATK more than doubles during a Skill, giving her one of the highest ATK stats in the game. So what do her Skills bring to the table? Her S1, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Tribe Skill</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, is simply a massive ASPD buff; in conjunction with </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Arts of the Wild</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, Tomimi can crack skulls in record time. Her S2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Protection Plan for Gavial</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, is more of a grab-bag. While active, each of Tomimi’s attacks has a chance to </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=null##Stun##stats"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Stun</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> the target, deal bonus damage, or inflict splash damage on nearby enemies. Both Skills have quick charge times and respectable uptimes, which is important for maximizing Tomimi’s DPS.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span><span><span><span><span><span>A Caster who turns into a physical fighter is certainly an interesting change of pace, and Tomimi’s strong personal buffs allow her to dish out some impressive burst damage. She’s not ideal for all situations, though. Her DP cost is a little high, and since she is deployed on ranged grids and can’t Block, other Operators must be used to keep enemies in her small skill range. </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Protection Plan for Gavial</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> is also unpredictable: it can trigger splash damage on a single target or deal bonus damage when you really needed the Stun instead. Perhaps the biggest question is: why use Tomimi when there are so many other Operators who can provide more reliable melee physical damage? The practical answer is, “Because Tomimi is a welfare Operator who can provide heavy physical damage from a Ranged grid.” The </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>real</span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> answer is, “Because a crocodile hitting a slug with a stick is funny.”</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Talent: When equipped with Skill 1, gains Physical and Arts Dodge, when equipped with Skill 2, gains ATK<br> + Can be very effective in a Slow stacking team<br></span> + A very unique Caster that acts as an attacking pseudo-Medic with S1, or a higher damage Slower Supporter with S2<br> <span style="color:red;">- Requires high Skill levels to become dependable, which is hard to justify for such a niche Operator<br> - S2 is auto-activation, which is extremely limiting for a skill where timing its use is so important (especially considering its charge time). It also has anti-synergy since slowing the enemies movement reduces the True damage dealt.<br> - S1: The Dodge is interesting, but there are much better options for ranged/caster tanks. Also, pure healing becomes less important in challenging content, so her hybrid nature will rarely be a better choice than a strong utility medic.</span>

Overview

<p dir="ltr"><em>“Stare deeply into my eyes. Feeling sleepy, aren’t you? Hehe… Now, how about you tell me where Rhodes Island stores its “Originium”?”</em></p> <p dir="ltr">An Operator suffering from Multiple Personality Disorder, whose aggressive “Nightmare” personality often hides behind the meek-mannered “Gloria.”&nbsp; “Nightmare” is the source of her codename, as well as the primary user of her Arts, which combine <strong>DPS</strong>, <strong>Healing</strong>, and<strong> Slow</strong> utility into one eccentric package.</p> <p dir="ltr">The key to effectively utilizing Nightmare is understanding her two very different Skills.</p> <ol> <li dir="ltr"> <p dir="ltr">Her Skill 1 is<strong> Drain Soul</strong>, which causes her regular attacks to also heal nearby allies for part of the damage dealt.&nbsp; If a little more healing is required, but not a lot, this Skill may allow the player to use Nightmare instead of a Medic, thus satisfying the healing needs while at the same time increasing overall team damage. &nbsp;While using this Skill she also gains a good amount of Dodge, opening possibilities of using her as a ranged damage soak. &nbsp;Unfortunately, this Skill has a high cooldown and a long initial charge time, so it must be prepared well in advance and can’t be used too often. &nbsp;Better overall options exist for the ranged tank role, and pure healing becomes less effective toward end game content compared to healers that can bring other utility as well.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr"> <p dir="ltr">Her Skill 2 is <strong>Night Phantom</strong>, which inflicts the unique Nightmare debuff on enemies.&nbsp; This debuff Slows targets and deals True damage based on how far each target moves over the debuff’s duration.&nbsp; <strong>Night Phantom</strong> is particularly strong against fast-moving enemies and can be useful against enemy tanks. &nbsp;It also stacks with other common "sluggish" type slows, increasing its effectiveness for&nbsp;slowing strategies.&nbsp;The drawback is that the debuff requires targets to be moving, and&nbsp;reduces it's own damage potential by slowing the target. It does absolutely nothing to targets being blocked. This means skill-timing is very important to its effectiveness, which is extremely hampered by the activation being auto (so it can't be manually timed).</p> </li> </ol> <p dir="ltr">Nightmare should be considered a hybrid support Operator rather than filling the role of main DPS or healing unit.&nbsp; She has better base damage than Supporter Slowing units, but her utility options are harder to utilize. When deployed cleverly, she can be helpful, but her strengths are a bit too niche for her to be included in most teams.</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Talent: Prioritize attacking enemies with the highest Defense<br> + Decent single target Caster who will always go for high DEF first<br> + Good when overwhelmed by mobs hiding a tank, or when you want to take down a high-DEF drone, since he will target them first<br> + Good Skill <br></span> <span style="color:red;">- Everyone gets Amiya, who is a good single target Caster that needs to be promoted eventually to progress.</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><em><span>“Caster Steward reporting in. I’m glad to be working with you.”</span></em></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Guide, servicer, and part-time model (no, seriously, check his bio), Steward isn’t one to shy away from a challenge. In fact, this is his biggest advantage on the battlefield. Steward looks like an ordinary </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>DPS</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Caster at first glance, but his Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Armor Break</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, inspires him to specifically </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>target the highest-DEF enemy </span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>in his range. This is valuable because Arts damage ignores DEF, and so high-DEF targets are usually the ones you want your Casters to attack first.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Steward’s kit is beautifully simple. His </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Armor Break</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Talent gives him a passive ATK buff and inspires his unique A.I. targeting. Then, every few seconds, his </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Power Strike α</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Skill automatically amps up the damage of his next strike. Together, this means his DPS is quite a bit higher than his base ATK power would suggest, and his A.I. means he’s usually going to be leveraging it on the best targets in his range.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Targeting alone does not a strong Caster make, however. You can make any Caster target a high-DEF enemy simply by killing everything else first. Steward’s unique A.I. is usually only important when a high-DEF enemy (i.e., an armored drone) sneaks up to you amidst a bunch of other foes, and you need that enemy to die right away. In most other cases, Steward’s limited potential (as a 3* unit, he lacks an E2 promotion) makes other Casters a stronger choice. However, when his specialty is needed, he can be quite uniquely useful to your strategy.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Plus, who doesn’t want that killer smile in their lineup? No wonder he’s a model!</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Cheap to develop and deploy<br> + Talent: high innate Arts Dodge<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- low damage</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><em><span>“What time is it...? You see, I don't work mornings, noons, afternoons, or nights...”</span></em></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The narcoleptic Durin is allegedly an Arts prodigy but has never been able to stay awake long enough to realize her potential. A </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>2* Starter Caster</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, she uses the power of the earth to attack her foes with </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Arts damage</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>As a 2* Operator, Durin has no Skills and cannot promote. She does gain the </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Lucky Lass</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Talent at level 30, which gives her an enormous amount of Arts Dodge. Combined with her innate RES, Durin can be a surprisingly good early-game option for tanking enemy Casters.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Without promotion gains or Skills, Durin has a tough time competing with free 5* Caster Amiya for a roster spot, let alone other Casters the player may pull. Her biggest selling point is probably her low DP cost, making her a cheap source of Arts damage for maps with limited DP. Such maps are rare, however, so most Doctors prefer to let Durin sleep peacefully in the base rather than disturb her with battles.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Talent: Moderate chance to reduce RES for a few seconds on his attacks<br> + Talent: Gains a large ASPD and ATK boost in IS2<br> + S1: Good skill uptime. Decreases his attack interval and attacks hit multiple targets (equal to his block count) for the skill duration. Offers an additional bit of survival with a boost to max HP.<br> + S2: Great damage with increased range. Synergizes well with his trait to reduce enemy RES.<br> + A DPS/Blocker hybrid that can put out some decent Arts damage.<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- Much less tanky then other Arts Protectors. Lacks mitigation to support the blocking side of the hybrid role.<br> - Misses out on a significant amount of power when not used in IS2<br> - S2: lacks any defensive bonuses. Without a healer, he will die at the end of his skill duration due to the HP loss over time.<br></span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Shalem was a member of the Crimson Troupe back in the day—the same troupe that Phantom was a part of and the same troupe that the Doctor is fighting against in Integrated Strategies #2. If you’ve stepped foot into the IS#2 mode, it shouldn’t surprise you to know that the Crimson Troupe did a lot more than acting… and that they didn’t accept failure in their members. When Shalem failed to complete an assassination mission, he was forced on the run from the Crimson Troupe, which brought him to Rhodes Island as the first </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>5* Arts Protector Defender</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> who is </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>focused on IS#2</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, bringing </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>high burst damage</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> and a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>RES debuff</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Shalem’s E0 Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Land of Memories</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, immediately tells you that he’s built for IS#2 mode, as it grants him an ATK and ASPD buff on IS#2 stages. His E2 Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Proclamation of Doom</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, is more general-purpose, giving each of Shalem’s attacks a chance to inflict a RES debuff. This is useful for the team in general but also for Shalem in particular—as an Arts Protector Defender, he deals Physical damage normally but Arts damage when his Skills are active.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>With </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Rapid Onslaught</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, his S1, Shalem increases his own max HP and ASPD and attacks multiple enemies equal to his Block count. Gaining durability and damage in the same Skill is nice, but you can throw caution to the winds with his S2 instead: </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Carnival of Self-Immolation</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>. Not only does it have a hardcore name, but also a hardcore effect: Shalem starts losing HP every second in exchange for attacking multiple units with ranged Arts blasts over an increased attack range. </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Carnival of Self-Immolation</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>will</span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> kill Shalem from full health if he doesn’t get healed. It should also kill most enemies within its range, especially once the RES debuff from </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Proclamation of Doom</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> gets applied.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Despite being a Defender, Shalem is a very offense-focused unit. He isn’t very durable on his own and even </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Rapid Onslaught</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>’s HP boost doesn’t change that. But is his offense worth investing in? Well… in IS#2, the </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Land of Memories</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> buffs make him quite powerful, and even outside of IS#2 he can be useful for his RES debuff and ranged burst. Be aware, however, that Shalem needs to be E2 to get the full benefits from </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Land of Memories</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>. That’s a lot of investment for a power spike you’ll only see in one game mode—especially when it doesn’t even make Shalem top-tier for said game mode. It </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>does</span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> make him pretty strong, though, especially early in IS#2 runs, where his multi-target Arts Skills can wreak utter havoc on the enemy.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Trait: Attacks deal Arts damage when a Skill is active<br> + Talent: Increased RES. When attacked by an Arts normal attack, recover SP to self<br> + A good counter to Arts damage enemies as she has some of the highest base RES and best mitigation Skills for a Defender in the game. When paired with Nightingale can hit the RES cap of 95% Arts damage reduction.<br> + Great skill uptime, especially when fighting Arts damage enemies<br> + S2: A solid source of Arts damage with a huge AoE range<br></span> <span style="color:red;"> - Many of her benefits are negated when not facing Arts damage<br> - While her DEF is not bad, a full DEF focused Defender will be more survivable for most maps</span>

Overview

<p dir="ltr"><em>"Friends? Who the hell needs those? My life goal here is to just be an absolute jerk to everyone. So, best not try to get chummy with me, since I’m not gonna return the favor. Rather, how ‘bout we go out for a drink instead? Give it to me straight."</em></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>FIRE IN THE… shield?! Introducing the most unusual shield (for now) in Arknights, as well as its foulmouthed wielder, Asbestos! While this shield may look more like an unused character from “</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Brave_Little_Toaster"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>The Brave Little Toaster</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>” than a piece of battle gear, rest assured that it’s more than capable of doing its job on the battlefield. So is Asbestos herself, a former explorer who has joined Rhodes Island as a </span></span></span><strong><span><span>5</span></span></strong></span></span></span>★<span><span><span><strong><span><span>&nbsp;Arts DPS Defender</span></span></strong><span><span><span> with </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>terrific Arts mitigation</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Arts DPS</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> capabilities.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>In fact, not only does Asbestos mitigate Arts damage, she </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>thrives</span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> on Arts damage. Her Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Moist Skin</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, increases her RES and generates SP whenever she gets hit by an Arts attack. Combined with her innate RES and high base HP, Asbestos can shrug off enemy Arts like a light spring rain. She’s not afraid to return fire with her own Arts damage either—as an Arts DPS Defender, Asbestos’ attacks deal Arts damage whenever one of her Skills is active. Her Skill 1, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Resilient Mode</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, blocks the next Arts attack Asbestos would take and reduces damage from subsequent Arts attacks taken while the Skill is active, making her even more durable against enemy Casters. But it’s Skill 2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Thermal Power Mode</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, that her opponents really need to watch out for, since it makes Asbestos’ attacks stronger (albeit slower), longer-range, and AoE. It also grants her a DEF buff, just for fun. </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Thermal Power Mode</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> is also notable for its decent uptime, especially with the SP generation from </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Moist Skin</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span><span><span><span><span><span>Enemies have a lot to fear from Asbestos’ shield, but there are some chinks in her armor that can be an issue. Like other Arts DPS Defenders, Asbestos suffers from a high DP cost and mediocre attack speed. More uniquely, Asbestos also suffers when there is no Arts damage on the enemy team. Her Talent and Skill 1 become mostly useless if Asbestos isn’t taking Arts damage, and charging </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Thermal Power Mode</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> takes a lot longer if her Talent isn’t generating SP. Even at her worst, however, Asbestos is still a powder keg who can Block-3, soak damage, and incinerate enemies en masse with that unholy combination of an oven, an ATM, and a vending machine that she calls a shield. What’s not to love, really?</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ An Arts defender with a focus on counterattack damage.<br> + Talent: built in arts counterattack that is always active<br> + Effective in situations with fast attacking arts damage enemies.<br> + S2: Pairs well with his passive talent to boost counter attack damage and taunt enemies. The burst can deal a large burst of damage when stacked up.<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- S2: Lacks RES or DEF buffing which can leave him vulnerable against harder hitting enemies. The burst damage of the skill can be hard to control.<br> - Enemies that deal arts damage often have higher arts resistance and slower attack speeds.<br> - His counterattack only triggers against arts damage when most other options work against all enemies.<br></span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span>Czerny is a famous and much-loved musician in Leithania, but the opinions of the public mean little to him—both positive and negative. While Czerny seems charismatic and easygoing at first glance, he has quickly become the scourge of the Rhodes Island health department, as he neglects little things like “food” and “sleep” to keep composing at all hours, no matter how many dire warnings the infirmary technicians give him. Perhaps it’s appropriate, then, that his fighting style is that of a <strong>5* Arts Protector Defender</strong> who <strong>taunts his enemies</strong> into attacking him and responds with <strong>Arts counterattack damage</strong>, completely disregarding his own safety.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>As an Arts Protector, Czerny’s Trait is dealing Arts damage with his attacks while his Skills are active. However, he also does Arts damage with his Talent, <strong>Reverberation</strong>, which causes him to deal Arts damage back to any enemy that hits him with an Arts attack (and also gives him passive bonus RES). Reverberation synergizes particularly well with his S2, <strong>Astounding Performance</strong>, which increases Czerny’s Taunt level, forcing most enemies to target him if he is within their range. Each hit Czerny takes increases his ATK for the duration—powering up his Reverberation counters—and when the Skill ends, Czerny does AoE Arts damage around himself. This can be a powerful burst if Czerny takes enough hits during the duration, and if he gets <strong>Reverberation</strong> counters off at the same time, the overall DPS can be quite good.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Czerny’s kit leads him to fill an obvious niche on a team, but situations where you’ll need this niche are rare. He does best when there is a lot of Arts damage on a stage (there usually isn’t) and it’s even better when the enemies have high ASPD to build <strong>Astounding Performance</strong> stacks (they usually don’t). The taunt and end-of-Skill burst from <strong>Astounding Performance</strong> still work against Physical enemies, but he won’t get off <strong>Reverberation</strong> counters. Similarly, he can still taunt and counterattack slow-acting Arts enemies, but he won’t get as impressive a burst out of <strong>Astounding Performance’s</strong> finale. </span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>While his musicality is magnificent, Czerny isn’t that noteworthy on the battlefield unless you can put his entire kit to work at once. In many cases, if you’re looking for an Operator who can survive Arts damage, there are usually other options that can do Czerny’s job while also bringing more to the table for non-Arts situations (i.e., Guardian Defenders). Even so, Arts damage reflection and Taunting—especially at the same time—is an interesting combination of utility that a creative Doctor might find unexpected uses for. (Just don’t be surprised if your Medics go on strike and refuse to keep healing after working with him for a while.)</span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Trait: When Skills are active, attacks do Arts damage<br> + 15 base RES<br> + A DPS Defender (rare) with high base ATK<br> + Very easy to obtain and max potential from purchase with Friend Credits<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- For a Defender, has extremely low DEF, high Deployment Cost, and long Attack Interval<br> - No team utility other than DPS</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><em><span>“Ah, shoot, I'm out of popcorn.”</span></em></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>As Dur-Nar is a connoisseur of both food and fashion, Rhodes Island Operators rely on her to find their favorite snacks, especially ones that are out of season or out of stock. (They may also depend on her to give Orchid a run for her money in the “sweet hat” department.) More importantly, they rely on her on the battlefield, where she is fielded as a </span></span></span><strong><span><span>4</span></span></strong></span></span></span>★<span><span><span><strong><span><span> Normal Defender</span></span></strong><span><span><span> Operator… one who, unusually, focuses on </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>DPS</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> and dealing Arts Damage rather than on defense.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>A lot of Dur-Nar’s power stems from her Trait: while her Skills are active, her normal attacks deal Arts damage instead of physical damage. Her Skills play to this by enhancing her ATK: in particular, her Skill 2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Shielded Counterattack</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, not only offers a large ATK boost but also causes her to attack a number of enemies equal to her Block count (like an AoE Guard). As a Defender, Dur-Nar can Block-3 by default, so with this Skill active, she can tear through a wave of enemies in no time flat. Because AoE Guards take a lot of investment before they can Block-3, Dur-Nar can be an excellent unit for early-game players who lack AoE damage.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Unfortunately, this power comes at a price. Dur-Nar has no damage-mitigating Skills or Talents, and her HP and DEF are unimpressive for a Defender (though she does have some RES to compensate). Her ATK is very high for a Defender, but still lower than pure DPS units (i.e., equivalent-rarity Guards). She also has a high DP cost, and her Attack Interval is slower than Defenders or AoE Guards, which reduces her DPS potential. Finally, her Skill 2 only charges SP when she is attacked by enemies, so it doesn’t charge between enemy waves, which can be an issue when her damage relies upon her Trait so heavily. It’s a lot of weaknesses to surmount, but consider the benefit: an AoE Arts damage Operator who can Block-3 at base level and be deployed on ground squares! Especially on stages where Casters are banned or ranged squares are in short supply, Dur-Nar can be well worth her drawbacks.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Extremely high ATK and HP compared to other Defenders<br> + A strong for dueling powerful enemies<br> + S2: Very long Stun<br> + S3: Eunectes becomes a huge stat stick monster with powerful HP regen on top <br></span> <span style="color:red;">- Block-1, so she wont function well in the same positions as your typical Defender<br> - Very expensive to deploy<br> - Eunectes only gains SP when blocking, meaning she can't charge up her skills in between rounds and needs advanced set up for bosses and tougher enemies</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Eunectes is one of the many fans of Lancet-2’s dour, self-deprecating personality, to the point where her goal in joining Rhodes Island is learning to build more “talking machines.” Lancet-2 is a machine who often doubts her own worth, but she should take heart: recruiting Eunectes to Rhodes Island’s side is the achievement of a lifetime. Eunectes is a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>6* Duelist Defender</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> whose powers of </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>survival</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>crowd-control</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>boss-killing</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> must be seen to be believed.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Right off the bat, Eunectes breaks the Defender mold with her Traits: she can only Block-1, instead of 3 like most Defenders, and her [Per Second] Skills </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>only</span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> charge when she’s blocking. A Defender who can only Block-1?! What is this madness? Oh, just you wait and see.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Eunectes boasts extremely high HP and ATK stats for a Defender, and her HP is the key to her Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Peerless Bravery</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>. When Eunectes is above 50% HP, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Peerless Bravery</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> increases her damage; when she falls below 50% HP, she loses the damage buff and gains the defensive </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=null##Shelter##stats"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Shelter</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> buff instead. Her passive Skill 1, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Tomahawk</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, is a permanent ATK and DEF buff, but it’s much less impressive than her Skill 2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Menacing Slash</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>. For the price of a slower attack interval, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Menacing Slash</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>&nbsp;gives Eunectes a titanic ATK buff and causes her to </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=null##cn##Stun##stats"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Stun</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> any target she Blocks for the </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>entire</span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> duration of the Skill. And yet… that’s still less impressive than her Skill 3, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Iron Will</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, where Eunectes calls out her pride and glory: a mechanical monster made from recycled parts and piloted by her pet parrot (yep, you read that right). Protected by her </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Gundam</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> giant robot, Eunectes gains illegal amounts of ATK and DEF, a </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=null##cn##Block-Count-Up##stats"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Block +2 buf</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>f, and constant </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=null##cn##Self-Heal##stats"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>HP regeneration</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>. Eunectes will be Stunned for a few seconds when the Skill ends, but since she will have killed everything around her at that point, it probably won’t be a huge deal.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Let’s be honest: Eunectes technically has flaws. She can’t fill a Defender’s usual Blocking role, her DP cost is exorbitant, she can only gain SP while blocking, and self-Stunning after her S3 can be an issue. However, in practice, she’s such a massive block of stats that these flaws&nbsp; won’t always matter. She’s specifically designed to crush low-volume lanes and take down bosses—the most powerful enemies Arknights has to offer—shattering their spines with one punch. It’s hard to say no to that kind of overwhelming power!</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Duelist Defender that can either tank or deal heavy damage to Frozen targets<br> + Talent: Gains a large amount of HP regeneration when her skill isn't active and SP is under half. Along with her good DEF this makes her very survivable. Not attacking means she won't kill what she is blocking, making it easier to charge her skills.<br> + S1: Turns Aurora into a very tanky 3 block defender with Status Resistance for a moderate duration.<br> + S2: Deals huge damage with great multipliers. The damage per hit can be incredibly high. Synergizes well with operators that can Freeze to set her up to expend skill charges. Skill uses ammo with a low SP cost, so it can be used more flexibly.<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- Talent: Block-1 along with not attacking make it easy for her to leak enemies<br> - S1: There are many options for 3 block defenders, creating a lot of competition for the role. Her self stun and 1 block when skills aren't active can be a big issue.<br> - S2: Without other operators to Freeze enemies for her, she will miss out on most of the Skills potential damage since she has to Freeze the enemies first.<br></span>

Overview

<p><em>"Doctor, have you ever seen the aurora? When I was a student, I saw it just once in the northernmost tundra. It was very soon after I got sick, and I had to say goodbye to the survey group. If I can ever go back... would you come see the aurora with me?"</em></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Aurora went from a normal, healthy civilian to an Infected in the span of one terrible accident. It’s a bitter pill to swallow, but Aurora has been surprisingly resilient over the matter. She was able to come to Rhodes Island immediately for treatment, and she had no trouble settling in, sketching out plans for an iron piledriver that she could use for combat, and joining the frontlines as the first </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>5</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>★</span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span> Duelist Defender</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>. In keeping with her indomitable Kjerag spirit, Aurora’s plan is simple but effective: </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>heal herself</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, then </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Freeze her enemies</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> solid so she can shatter them with a single blow.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Duelist Defenders are an odd archetype. They have high base stats, can only Block-1, and only generate SP when they are blocking an enemy. Aurora plays even more oddly thanks to her Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Frigid Respite</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, which causes her to stop attacking and regenerate HP when she doesn’t have a Skill active and her SP is less than half its maximum. (Thankfully, she doesn’t stop Blocking.) This Talent gives her some appreciated self-sustain, and it can also help her charge SP on weaker enemies, since she won’t kill them while it’s active. However, it can also result in leaks if you’re relying on her to kill a steady stream of incoming foes, so be careful.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Aurora’s S1, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Homeland Defender</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, is meant to help Aurora act as a traditional Defender, as it increases her Block count, buffs her DEF, and grants Status Resistance for the duration. However, this is a risky Skill to use, because it self-Stuns Aurora when the duration ends. Going from Block-1 to Block-3 is nice, but going from Block-3 to “unable to Block at all” is just asking for trouble. In almost any situation, you’ll be better off with her aggressive S2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Artificial Snowfall</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>. This Skill slows Aurora’s attacks, but it buffs her ATK and inflicts Cold on enemies she hits. If she hits an enemy who is already inflicted with Cold, they become Frozen, and if she attacks a Frozen enemy, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Artificial Snowfall</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> deals </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>massive </span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>bonus damage. To top it off, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Artificial Snowfall</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> uses the Ammo system, giving Aurora great flexibility about when to use the Cold/ Freeze/ bonus damage stacks.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Aurora can be an interesting option when fielded alongside other Operators who can cause Cold, as they help her use </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Artificial Snowfall’s</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> bonus damage more times during its duration. This can be worth the effort, as the burst damage from </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Artificial Snowfall</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> should not be underestimated. However, Aurora’s DP cost is ridiculously high (typical for her archetype) and Block-1 is even more troublesome for her than it is for other members of her archetype due to the way her Talent stops her from attacking. Aurora is extremely prone to letting enemies past her unless she has a lot of support, which makes her less self-sufficient than her high stats and self-healing would suggest. The people of Kjerag don’t like to work alone—place Aurora as one brick in your castle wall and she can contribute to an unstoppable defense.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Talent and S2: Some of the best physical bulk available in the game and one of very few operators with straight damage reduction.<br> + S1: A decent damage skill with true AoE damage.<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- S2: SP cost is high already, further hampered by the archetype trait. Poor uptime is often a significant problem with bulk tanking.<br> - S1: Relatively high SP cost, especially with archetype trait, for this type of skill.<br> - One block on a Physical Defender.<br></span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span>Cement is renowned for two things: her excellent sense of smell, and the durability of her cranium. She came to the attention of Rhodes Island after a mine disaster in Rim Billiton; she survived the cave-in and was able to lead the rest of her team to safety in the pitch-black tunnels, which is enough trauma for any person to handle. Not for Cement, though. She is now the leader of the Shana Engineering Team at Rhodes Island, handling an unending list of excavation and construction tasks for the organization, and she is also classified as a <strong>5* Duelist Defender</strong> who can withstand massive amounts of Physical damage using her <strong>rock-solid DEF</strong>.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Once you see Cement’s kit, it’s no surprise that she was able to survive a cave-in. Her Talent, <strong>Correcting Blueprints</strong>, gives her flat Physical damage reduction and doubles in strength after she has been deployed for a while. This stacks with her S2, <strong>Structural Fortification</strong>, which gives Cement several layers of stackable DEF buffs. One layer of the buff is removed every time Cement takes damage, so Physical enemies still have a chance at damaging her. Eventually. If they survive long enough.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Cement’s abilities are so heavily geared toward her role of soaking Physical damage that you’d expect her to be really good at the job. Well… she is and she isn’t. Being a Duelist Defender hurts her a lot: she’s stuck at Block-1, she has a high DP cost, her base DEF isn’t actually too high, and she can only gain SP while Blocking (until she gets her Module). That last detail is especially bad, since it means <strong>Structural Fortification</strong> has pretty terrible uptime, despite its long duration. That being said, Cement can still achieve levels of Physical protection unmatched by most of her competition, despite her unimpressive base DEF. She certainly has a niche if you care to capitalize on it.</span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Talent: gains a stackable shield every 9 seconds that blocks an instance of damage and heals a percentage of Max HP<br> + Mudrock is a very powerful Enmity Defender that is both incredibly tanky and deals great damage<br> + Due to her completely blocking an enemy attack every 9 seconds she can block some very powerful but slow attacking enemies forever<br> + S2: Great AoE damage that Stuns and also self heals. More effective against multiple enemies as it charges on getting hit.<br> + S3: Great crowd control with an AoE slow duration followed by a stun. During the slowing effect she is invulnerable which provides a window to build up shields if she is taking too much damage. After the stun, ATK and DEF greatly increases and she gains the ability to attack multiple enemies equal to her block count<br> + Great ability cooldowns<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- Extremely high deployment cost<br> - While she can safely deal with large groups of enemies and slow attacking tough enemies, she doesn't deal well with the more powerful faster attacking enemies. Some of the more powerful arts damage enemies can quickly overwhelm her.</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><em><span>“From Kazdel to Leithanien, so much discrimination is etched onto those who suffer, and when they have to take up arms, they find that they actually have nothing. What did you think of me, Doctor? Trust? Trust ...... Will it keep me alive?”</span></em></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>If you haven’t clicked on Mudrock’s E2 art to see the face under the Hazmat suit, you might want to go take a look. Don’t worry, we’ll wait.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>So, Mudrock! She’s fought against Rhodes Island in the past, specifically during the “</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/event-banner-hub/twilight-wolumonde-event-page"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Twilight of Wolumonde</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>” event. However, sometime after that, Mudrock and her soldiers were taken captive by a Leithanien noble and subjected to horrific Arts experimentation. To save her followers (at least, those that were still alive), Mudrock cut a deal with Rhodes Island, joining their ranks as the first </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>6* </span></span></strong></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=Enmity-Defender##null##cn##stats"><span><span><span><strong><span><span><span><span>Enmity Defender</span></span></span></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>. She brings many of the same strengths as an ally that she had as an enemy: </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>DPS</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>damage blocking</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>invulnerability</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, with </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>self-sustain</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>crowd-control</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> thrown in to sweeten the deal.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Mudrock is an Enmity Defender, like rare Recruitment-only Operator </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/operator/vulcan"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Vulcan</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>, which means that she cannot be directly healed by other Operators. Because she can’t be directly healed, it’s up to Mudrock to heal herself, which she does with her Talent: </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Ward of the Fertile Soil</span></span></strong><span><span><span>. Every few seconds, </span></span></span><strong><span><span>Ward of the Fertile Soil</span></span></strong><span><span><span> grants Mudrock a shield that will block the next instance of damage she would take and </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=null##cn##Self-Heal##stats"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>recover some of her HP</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> when it is consumed. Mudrock can hold multiple shield charges at a time, which gives her a lot of protection when facing enemies that have high ATK but slow ASPD.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>If you need some more healing, equip Mudrock’s S2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Crag Splitter</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>. This auto-trigger Skill charges when Mudrock gets hit, and when it activates, it recovers Mudrock’s HP while simultaneously damaging all ground enemies around her with a chance to </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=null##cn##Stun##stats"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Stun</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> them. There’s a much more reliable Stun on her S3, however: the legendary </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Bloodline of Desecrated Earth</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>. This complicated Skill has several effects:</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <ol> <li><span><span><span><span><span><span>When activated, Mudrock stops attacking and becomes invulnerable to all attacks for several seconds. During this time, she emits an aura that </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=null##cn##Slow##stats"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Slows</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> all nearby enemies.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><span><span><span><span>When the invulnerability ends, Mudrock slams her hammer on the ground, Stunning all nearby ground enemies for several seconds.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><span><span><span><span>For the remaining skill duration, Mudrock has buffed ATK and DEF, a faster attack interval, and the ability to attack a number of enemies equal to her Block count, like an AoE Guard.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li> </ol> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Between her shields, her on-demand invincibility, and her capacity for AoE damage, Mudrock seems unstoppable on paper, but it can be harder to leverage her power than you might expect. Even with S2, Mudrock’s self-sustain is relatively infrequent (remember, S2 has the [Getting Hit] SP type). She relies on negating damage with her passive and S3 to survive against strong opponents, and both of these methods require careful timing to be successful. Her HP is very high, but her DEF is surprisingly low, more on par with a Healing Defender than a Normal Defender. And Mudrock has a very high DP cost—one of the highest in Arknights—so if you mess up and she dies, you’ll be paying through the nose to redeploy her.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>There are ways to help her, however. Enmity Defenders can’t be directly healed, but they can be healed by </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=null##cn##HP-Regen##stats"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>passive regeneration</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>, such as the Talents of Perfumer or Angelina. Even a little bit of regeneration goes a long way to keeping Mudrock in the fight, and the longer Mudrock is in the fight, the more hopeless the enemy’s battle becomes. If you can properly use her shields, her Stuns, and her crushing hammer blows, you’ll be as invincible as Mudrock herself!</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Very tanky<br> + Barrier effect lets her reach incredible values of HP<br> + S2: Huge tankiness boost through shelter<br> + S3: Grants barrier instantly, deals huge damage, has taunt and an actually worthwhile reflect effect.<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- Cannot be healed or heal herself by conventional means. Relies on barrier generation.<br> - S1: Doesn't interact with Barrier<br> - S2: Stops attacking directly, doesn't interact with her Barrier<br> - S3: Defensive SP Recovery. Needs to get going before she can snowball.<br></span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span>Penance, a former Siracusan judge by the name of Lavinia Falcone, has struggled to uphold the spirit of the law throughout her life. With the Siracusan courts thoroughly embroiled in the affairs of the various mafia families, however, she has come to realize that even judgments that she thought were fair and impartial have often had twisted consequences that had nothing to do with “justice.” Disgusted with herself, she has left Siracusa and joined Rhodes Island as a <strong>6* Juggernaut Defender</strong> who uses <strong>barrier HP</strong> to dramatically extend her survivability.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>As a Juggernaut Defender, Penance cannot be directly healed by external sources (though <a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=null">regeneration</a> effects still work on her). To compensate for this, Penance relies on her <strong>Guardian of the Law</strong> Talent, which gives her barrier HP upon deployment and adds to the barrier every time she defeats an enemy (from E1 onward). At E2, Penance also gains the <strong>Wreathed in Thorns</strong> Talent—when Penance is attacked and has her barrier active, the attacking enemy takes Arts damage in return.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Penance’s Skills are fairly simple and have fairly obvious use cases. Her S1, <strong>The Final Word</strong>, is a charged skill that inflicts increased damage and can Stun when charged, making it suitable for dueling a large target. Her S2, <strong>Firm Asceticism</strong>, is the opposite—Penance stops attacking for the duration but gains a Shelter effect and creates a field around her that does constant Arts damage to enemies within it. If an enemy is killed by this field, Penance will gain increased barrier HP from the kill. In most situations, however, the <strong>Overcoming Obstacles</strong> S3 is where it’s at: <strong>Overcoming Obstacles</strong> gives Penance an immediate infusion of barrier HP, then slows down her attack interval in exchange for a massive ATK buff and Taunt priority.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>In keeping with her black-and-white view of the world, Penance tends to be niche but wildly effective in her niche. She is one of the least teamwork-oriented Operators in Arknights, since she can’t be healed by allies and she doesn’t want anyone to steal her kills, lest she miss out on barrier HP. This makes her an ideal solo-lane-holder—she is almost impossible to kill if she has a steady flow of opposition, and she can pull out <strong>Overcoming Obstacles</strong> to beat elite enemies within an inch of their lives. The value of the “solo-lane-holder” unit has fallen over time, but Penance can still bring a lot of value to the table as an Operator who requires little to no attention and can “stockpile” her survivability for when she really needs it later.</span></span></span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Very very high damage potential<br> + Very high HP<br> + Skills: A strong defensive (S1) and offensive option (S2) that scale well with development and Regen HP<br> + Talent: Passive HP Regen and Physical Dodge while Skills are active<br></span> = Extremely rare, <a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/core-gameplay/arknights-operator-recruitment-guide">recruitment only</a> Operator<br> <span style="color:red;">- Can't be healed directly, though passive regen works (e.g. Perfumer's Talent)<br> - Very high Deployment Cost<br> - Relatively low DEF for a Defender, which can cause problems in tough content.</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><em><span>“Only weapons that are never in use will remain undamaged. Therefore, leaving a weapon spotless is actually the worst sacrilege for it.”</span></em></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The single-minded blacksmith who takes care of all of Rhodes Island’s weaponry and tactical gear, Vulcan rarely gets close to anybody. However, if you’re able to find her through Recruitment (the only way she can be obtained,) she’ll fight for you as a </span></span></span></span></span></span><strong>5★</strong><span><span><span><strong><span><span> Enmity Defender</span></span></strong><span><span><span> of uncommon strength and skill, excelling in both </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Defense </span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>DPS</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>A quick note about getting Vulcan: She can only be gained through Recruitment, and she is very rare and hard to get. See our </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/core-gameplay/arknights-operator-recruitment-guide"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Operator Recruitment Guide</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> or </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/arknights-recruitment-tag-filter"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Recruit Tag Filter</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> for more details.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Vulcan’s body has been replaced with so many prosthetic parts that she cannot be healed by other Operators (except some very rare cases like Perfumer’s Talent). Don’t worry, though; she takes care of herself with her sky-high stats and her Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Self-Defense</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, which regenerates her HP and (at E2) gives her Physical Dodge while either of her Skills is active. </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Guardian Mode</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> is her Skill 1, increasing her Block number, her DEF, and the amount of HP she regenerates. This Skill is incredible for defensive purposes, not just for the survivability but for the rare and much-coveted “Block +1” quality. However, her Skill 2 is no less tempting: </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Combat Mode</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> increases her ATK, restores HP when she attacks, and allows her to hit as many enemies as she can Block. (It also sets her hammer on fire, which is hardcore.) Though this Skill also has the downsides of reducing her Block by 1 and slowing the attack interval of her hits, it’s still a massive increase in DPS and well worth using.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Vulcan’s main draw is her self-sufficiency, but keep in mind that it’s not a bonus: it’s a necessity. The fact that other Operators can’t heal her is a big drawback for a Defender Operator who’s meant to soak damage. If you trigger Vulcan’s Skills at the wrong time and waste her healing, you may end up watching her die without being able to do anything about it. She is also one of the most DP-expensive units to deploy in the entire game, and you won’t be reducing her DP cost with Potential anytime soon because of how rare she is. Since she is only accessible through very specific tag combinations in Recruitment (or incredible luck), plenty of Doctors never even realize she exists, let alone pull multiple copies of her.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>However, if you’re fortunate enough to stumble across her required tags, don’t let her slip away from you! Vulcan is a positive steamroller of a unit, and she’s capable of herculean feats if given the right investment and team composition.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ An extremely flexible DPS unit, combining several fairly rare niches all into one.<br> + High hit physical splash damage, rare on a melee unit.<br> + Massive range, even rarer on a melee unit.<br> + Unusually bulky for a DPS unit that doesn't lose her blocking ability. + S3: One of the best DPS skills in the game for when range is needed.<br> + S2: Can be used as a massive instant nuke, for when you really can't wait.<br> + S1: High damage multiplier means it works very well with buffs (IS and SSS especially).<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- S1: Despite its invisibility reveal, Horn can't target invisible units so it's only effective if there are visible units to target as well.<br> - S3: Requires timing considerations to maximize thanks to Overdrive. If you don't time it right, the target can potentially just move out of her range.<br> - Her talent is a large factor to her DPS, but also leaves her more fragile.<br> - Although she remains an effective blocker, her DPS suffers unless using S2, which is usually her weakest skill.<br> - Range can be limiting on some maps since she can't target close.<br> - Expensive to maximize since all skills are potential Mastery targets.<br></span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><em>“Doctor, does a commander as outstanding as you ever feel sorrow? Or anger? Or... hate? I try as hard as I can not to let personal emotions sway me, but I can't forget. I promised them I would never forget.”</em></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>Horn has been through the wringer. As a division commander in Victoria’s Tempest Platoon, she made the mistake of digging too deep into the nobility’s dark web of lies and treason, where her commitment to honor almost got her killed multiple times. When Victoria was laid waste by Dublinn, Horn went missing, presumed dead. We won’t go into the circumstances that lead to her becoming a soldier in the employ of Rhodes Island, but suffice it to say that she’s coming back swinging as a <strong>6* Fortress Defender</strong> with absolutely <strong>jawdropping damage capabilities</strong>… as long as she can keep going through the <strong>backlash Overdrive damage </strong>she inflicts on herself.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>The moment she is deployed on the field, Horn is gunning for offense. Her <strong>Military Fortress</strong> E1 Talent gives a surprisingly large ATK buff to all other allied Defenders (deploy her with Mudrock and see what happens) as long as she is deployed, and her <strong>Bloodbath</strong> E2 Talent makes sure she’ll stick around. Once per deployment, <strong>Bloodbath</strong> restores Horn to full HP when she would take a fatal blow and increases her ASPD and DEF… at the cost of half her max HP.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><strong>Bloodbath</strong> may seem somewhat counterintuitive at first glance. As a Fortress Defender, Horn fires very powerful splash damage projectiles at great range, but only when she isn’t Blocking an enemy. If she isn’t Blocking, she shouldn’t be taking damage, right? Don’t worry: Horn’s ready to do that damage to herself! Her only Skill that doesn’t hurt her is her S1, <strong>Flare Grenade</strong>, an automatic Skill that turns Horn’s next attack into a flare that does greatly increased damage and creates an illuminated zone that reveals Invisible enemies inside of it.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><strong>Flare Grenade</strong> is consistent and reliable damage, but when you need to pull out the big guns, it’s S2 and S3—specifically their Overdrive mechanics—that you’ll be looking for instead. As a reminder, Overdrive is a mechanic where a Skill offers one effect for the first half of its duration, then increases in potency (but also often gains drawbacks) for the second half of its duration. Horn’s S2, <strong>Tempest Command</strong>, is a perfect example. An Ammo-based Skill, <strong>Tempest Command</strong> simply increases Horn’s damage for its first half. During the second half, however, Horn will also deal extra Arts splash damage with each attack. As an Ammo Skill, <strong>Tempest Command</strong> can be manually deactivated. Do this during the regular phase and you can skip the Overdrive effects. Manually deactivate during Overdrive instead and Horn will fire all remaining ammo <em>at the same time</em>, inflicting <em>massive</em> burst damage on her unlucky opponents. Oh yeah, and also taking damage equal to 60% of her max HP. Trigger an Overdrive <strong>Tempest Command</strong> twice with no healing in between and bam, you’re in <strong>Bloodbath</strong> mode now.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>If that’s not enough DPS for you, however, there’s <strong>Ultimate Line of Defense</strong>. During its vanilla mode, <strong>Ultimate Line of Defense</strong> simply increases Horn’s ATK and reduces her attack interval—powerful enough on its own. When it goes into Overdrive, the ATK boost is <em>doubled</em>, absolutely shredding anything within range for the remainder of the duration. However, Horn will also constantly lose HP during Overdrive. Like <strong>Tempest Command</strong>, two uses of <strong>Ultimate Line of Defense</strong> without healing in between will put Horn into Bloodbath mode—and if you thought <strong>Ultimate Line of Defense</strong> was powerful on its own, try it with an ASPD boost. Go ahead. We’ll wait.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>Okay. So this Operator is (literally) a loose cannon with way too much power, and even the HP damage of her Skills serves to propel her to greater power levels. Is she completely invincible or something?! Not quite. First off, Horn has to deal with the shortcomings of her archetype. Fortress Defenders have very long range, but they also have a huge blind spot in front of them. On narrow or crowded maps, it can be difficult to find a good spot to place a Fortress Defender to take advantage of their range. And they need their range, because once they start Blocking an enemy, they cannot use their awesome ranged splash attacks until their Block is clear.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>In short, Fortress Defenders are pretty bad at the whole “being Defenders” thing, despite their Block-3, because they become markedly less effective when Blocking. And Horn takes this to a new level. Yes, her self-inflicted wounds are very useful for triggering <strong>Bloodbath</strong>, but once she’s used the <strong>Bloodbath</strong> revive, she has no other tools in her kit for mitigating or surviving incoming damage. And considering how much damage she does to herself, Horn can die very quickly all on her own, let alone when there are enemies up in her face. To add insult to injury, her DP cost is very high, so if you slip up and let Horn die, you’ll be paying through the nose to get her back on the field. (Also, you’ll have made Bagpipe sad. You monster.)</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>Using Horn requires building your team around her needs (heck, even <em>deploying</em> them around her needs, since you’ll probably want to hold off on deploying any healing in her vicinity until she triggers <strong>Bloodbath</strong>). Is the tradeoff worth it? YES, one thousand percent. Remember that whole “<strong>Ultimate Line of Defense</strong> with an ASPD boost” thing? Yeah, go try it again. Don’t worry. We’ll be here when you get back.</span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ The first Fortress Defender: performs long range splash attacks when not blocking<br> + Very high ATK for a Defender<br> + Unique normal attack range that reaches farther than any other current melee unit<br> + S2: Moderate ATK modifier with a large reduction in ATK interval.<br></span> = A middle ground between an AOE sniper and standard defender<br> <span style="color:red;">- To be effective as DPS she can't be blocking.<br> - Long base attack interval and lower than average DEF for a defender<br> - S2: Cannot block while S2 is active. Very short skill duration and not great uptime.</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Ashlock was born into a prestigious family in Kazimierz, but her relatives disowned her when she contracted Oripathy, so she had to enter the underground fighting scene to pay for her treatments. A hard worker who keeps her eyes on the prize, Ashlock fought all the way up to the official major league tournaments, where she caught the eye of Rhodes Island. Now Ashlock is going all out as the first </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>5* Fortress Defender</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, raining down </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>AoE Physical attacks</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> at </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>long range</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> whenever she isn’t Blocking enemies.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Do you like siege weaponry? (Not</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/operator/siege"><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Siege’s weaponry</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>, that’s a different Operator.) Ashlock is essentially a living siege weapon: as long as she isn’t Blocking enemies, she can attack from a distance, firing missiles that deal explosive AoE damage to ground enemies from several grids away. She starts with a 2x3 attack range and Block-2, but gains Block-3 at E1 and an extra tile of range at E2, enhancing her performance as both a DPS unit and as a Blocker.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>When it comes to her kit, Ashlock is clearly all about that DPS. Her </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Bombardment Studies</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Talent increases her ATK, with a further bonus when she is surrounded by ground tiles, and her </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Focused Bombardment</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> S2 makes her attacks faster and stronger for the duration while also giving her Block-0 so she won’t stop firing to Block. Ashlock is essentially a ground-deployed AoE Sniper (who can’t hit air enemies).</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Unfortunately, anybody who knows the reputation of AoE Snipers in Arknights probably feels a little worried by that comparison. The concern is not unjustified—Ashlock has comparable ATK, ASPD, and DP cost to similar-rarity AoE Snipers, meaning she is expensive to place and attacks slowly. The attack interval decrease from </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Focused Bombardment</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> helps with this, and the Skill’s low SP cost gives it good availability, but the brief duration is a problem. Ashlock does bring her Block-3 to the table, but if Ashlock is Blocking, she’s not using her ranged attacks, meaning another Defender with a faster ASPD or more utility is probably a better option for the job.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Considering the quick cycling of </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Focused Bombardment</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, Ashlock is at her best when handling successive hordes of ground-based enemies. Place her behind other Operators, where she can lob missiles onto the frontlines but still Block if an enemy leaks through the first line of defense. From an efficiency standpoint, there’s usually other options that can do Ashlock’s job better, but for Doctors who like percussive cannonfire, Ashlock can be a fun Operator to send into battle.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Skills provide mixed AOE damage types which is not common in the Class.<br> + S1: Decent AFK option that can usually finish off most weak enemies in the initial burst or during the burn.<br> + S2: Attacks ignite the ground under targets and surrounding tiles to deal a moderate amount of arts damage over time to enemies that walk on them. <br></span> <span style="color:red;">- S1: large SP cost and no AOE area increase means you often only hit a few enemies per wave.<br> - S2: No ATK modifier, so a significant amount of the physical part of the damage can be mitigated by enemy DEF. Poor skill uptime.<br></span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span>Firewhistle is so friendly and approachable that passersby often think she must be trying to sell them something. They’ll get a quote from her for a defense contract, go on their merry way, and then get a shock weeks later when they find out they were talking to the <em>president</em> of the security company, not a mere salesperson. Of course, this is nothing compared to the shock her enemies probably get when they see the cannon Firewhistle brings to battle. Firewhistle is a <strong>5* Fortress Defender</strong>, and she’s toting that huge gun for one reason: to <strong>set things on fire</strong>.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>As a Fortress Defender, Firewhistle fires off ranged AoE attacks from a distance when she IS NOT Blocking, and she switches to a single-target melee attack when she IS Blocking. Her Talent, <strong>Combat Adaptability</strong>, follows this pattern by increasing her ATK when she is not Blocking or increasing her DEF when she is. The increased ATK comes in very useful, as it affects not only the damage of Firewhistle’s attacks but also of the Ignite effect she causes with her Skills.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Ignite is an ailment that deals Arts damage over time equal to a certain percentage of the user’s ATK stat, and both of Firewhistle’s Skills inflict it. Her S1, <strong>Wildfire</strong>, is an automatic Skill that inflicts a weak Ignite upon all targets hit by her next attack. <strong>Scorched Earth</strong> is her manually-triggered S2, and it causes all of Firewhistle’s attacks to inflict a stronger Ignite effect for the Skill duration. <strong>Scorched Earth</strong> has a high SP cost and a short duration, but if used well, its more powerful and spammable Ignite effect can result in a lot more damage than <strong>Wildfire</strong>.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Firewhistle is a very simple member of a rather complicated class, which can be a good or bad thing depending on how you look at it. Her simplicity means she has very limited utility, but it can also make her a good introduction to the Fortress Defender archetype, which has an odd attack range and rather contradictory ways it can be used. Though she doesn’t come with many bells and whistles (pun intended), Firewhistle can deal a fair amount of AoE Arts damage across multiple ticks, which can make her quite useful for (literally) burning down Waregeists, souls, and other “only dies after taking X number of hits” enemies.</span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Trait: Heals allies with her Skills<br> + E2 Talent: Grants +1 SP to Operators she heals (HP must be restored)<br> + Great stats all around that, with her Talent, further increase as she is on the field<br> + S1: Great single target healing skill that doesn't get wasted because of the HP threshold requirement.<br> + S2: Large coverage area, and good for "poison mist" stages or other light damage/non burst healing situations<br> + S3 provides good stackable slow and an extremely strong Arts damage boost along with the healing<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- No DEF boosting Skills means she has a hard time surviving the strongest Physical Damage enemies<br> - Does not restore SP if she heals an ally already at full health<br> - S2: the nature of the healing of this skill and the lack of utility make it a less desired choice in challenging content than the other 2</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><em><span>“All things are bound to evolution by the laws of nature. Yet Rhine Lab attempted to change it; take control of it, even. What a foolish plan....”</span></em><br /> <br /> Saria used to be the head of security at Rhine Lab. She may be hard to get along with, but Operators fielded alongside her know that she will protect them with her life—as well as with her calcium-manipulating Originium Arts. Saria holds the record for fewest casualties on her watch, and any Doctor who’s seen her in action should be able to understand why. This fiercely protective Vouivre is a stalwart <strong>6* Healing&nbsp;Defender</strong> who <strong>heals as much as a Medic</strong>, destroys enemies with her <strong>powerful debuffs</strong>, and even <strong><span>generates SP for her allies</span></strong>.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>The amount of healing Saria can output with her Skills is incredibly impressive for a non-Medic Operator. Her S1, <strong>First Aid</strong>, automatically heals a nearby ally when they fall below half HP, and it stores multiple charges. Because of the HP threshold, Saria will save this Skill for when somebody really needs it, and she can blow through multiple charges in a row to rescue her ally if necessary. On the other extreme is her <strong>Medicine Dispensing</strong> S2, which is an automatic AoE healing Skill. <strong>Medicine Dispensing</strong> does not have an HP threshold nor charges, but it heals a sizable amount of HP over a wide range on a short cooldown, making it very useful on maps with poison mist.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Finally there’s <strong>Calcification</strong>, an S3 of terrifying power. <strong>Calcification</strong> is a manually-activated Skill that debilitates all enemies across a huge area down to their very bones, reducing their movement speed and increasing the amount of Arts damage they take. (These are both unique debuffs, so they stack with other Slows and RES debuffs!) And that’s not all: any allies in <strong>Calcification’s</strong> range are constantly healed for the duration. As if the Skill wasn’t good enough already.&nbsp;</span></span></span><span><span><span>Making Saria’s healing even more appealing is her E2 Talent, <strong>Refreshment</strong>, which restores 1 SP to any ally that recovers HP from one of Saria’s Skills. </span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>As an infinite fountain of HP and SP for her allies, Saria is one of the most ubiquitous Operators in Arknights, able to pull her weight on almost any map and in almost any situation. She’s a shining star for Challenge maps and Contingency Contract events, especially when Medics are banned, and her solid durability combined with Block-3 means she is perfectly able to soak&nbsp;hits from enemies while she keeps her allies healthy. Her S2 does lose its luster in harder content, but with S1 and S3 to fall back on, Saria always has something useful to do.&nbsp;Between her healing, her survivability, and her debuffs, there’s no question that Saria is the keystone for any formation she is a part of.</span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Talent: Can attack Sleeping enemies for increased damage<br> + Talent: Adds [On Attack] SP Charge for Operators on the team that have [Getting Hit] SP Charge skills, potentially a large improvement to their cycle and uptime.<br> + A well rounded operator that can provide interesting utility and fill multiple roles including tank, DPS and support.<br> + S3: Some of the most powerful healing potential in the game along with high dps and a DEF boost<br> + S2: Increases ATK and inflicts Sleep on nearby enemies. Great AOE health regen that can heal Operators that can't be healed directly.<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- All of her skills (and thus healing) are tied to being attacked or attacking enemies. This means she constantly needs enemies in her face to use her skills consistently. If not engaging enemies, or if there are downtimes, she does not function as well.<br> - The generalist nature of her kit often makes her situational Operator.<br> - S2: Sleep as a form of crowd control has its limitations, and can cause as much harm as good if not used properly.<br> - S3: While Blemishine is great at keeping other Operators healed, she can't heal herself , and so can't tank damage without an additional healing source. Mixed damage quickly loses effectiveness against enemies with both RES and DEF, which most difficult enemies have.</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Blemishine is Nearl’s sister and Whislash’s niece. When Nearl contracted Oripathy and was forced to leave Kazimierz, Blemishine had to step up and take her sister’s place as the lead knight of the family. This position has dragged Blemishine through a crushing grind of backstabbing gloryseekers, obsessive fans, and the massive corporate system the Kazimierz knighthood has become. Perhaps it’s no surprise that she has left it all behind and come to Rhodes Island, joining her disgraced sister as a very versatile </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>6* Healing Defender</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>: she smites her enemies with </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>physical and </span></span></strong></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=null##cn##Arts-Ability-(Phys-Attacker)##stats"><span><span><span><strong><span><span><span><span>Arts</span></span></span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span><span><span>DPS</span></span></span></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>, provides </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>HP and </span></span></strong></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=null##cn##Ally-SP-Gen##stats"><span><span><span><strong><span><span><span><span>SP restoration</span></span></span></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> for her allies, and gently lulls her opponents to </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=null##cn##Sleep##stats"><span><span><span><strong><span><span><span><span>Sleep</span></span></span></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The Sleep status stops its targets from moving or acting, but it also makes them invincible to incoming damage. Well, not anymore! Blemishine’s </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Mercy</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Talent allows her to attack Sleeping targets—in fact, she prioritizes them and has bonus ATK when striking them. This broadens the range of targets that Blemishine can hit, which is important because Blemishine is very attack-dependent for her Skills.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <ol> <li><span><span><span><span><span><span>Her S1, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Surging Brilliance</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, is an automatic Skill that can hold multiple charges. It increases the damage of her next attack and also recovers the HP of a nearby ally.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><span><span><span><span>Her S2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Deterring Radiance</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, has the [Getting Hit] SP charge type and a fairly short duration. When activated, it inflicts Sleep on all enemies in the same tile as Blemishine; it buffs Blemishine’s ATK; and it regenerates HP to all nearby allies every second. This Skill is the only way for Blemishine to inflict Sleep, and it’s also the only way for her to heal allies without having a target in range to attack. (Also, because it is “regeneration,” it can heal Operators who can’t be directly healed, like Hellagur.)</span></span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><span><span><span><span>Her S3, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Divine Avatar</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, also has the [Getting Hit] SP charge type. It massively increases her DPS, granting an ATK buff while also causing each hit to deal bonus Arts damage. In addition, it increases Blemishine’s DEF (rare for a Healing Defender) and heals a nearby ally (but not herself!) every time she attacks for the duration.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li> </ol> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Two of Blemishine’s Skills have the [Getting Hit] SP charge type, which can be a bit risky on a Healing Defender, since it means they need to take hits before they can do any healing. It’s less of a problem for Blemishine thanks to her </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Sword and Shield</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Talent, which causes all deployed Operators with the [Getting Hit] SP type to gain SP while attacking as well (making her Liskarm’s best friend). Combined with her potent damage buffs and her extra square of attack range, Blemishine is a surprisingly damage-oriented Healing Defender.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>In a way, this focus on attacking is Blemishine’s biggest weakness. Her burst healing is phenomenal, but S1/ S3 can only heal when she has an enemy to hit and S2/ S3 can only be charged while in combat. If she isn’t swinging her sword, Blemishine can’t contribute much to her team, which means that Blemishine isn’t always able to replace a Medic the way some Healing Defenders can (i.e., on maps with poison mist). Also, don’t forget that the </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Mercy</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Talent only allows </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>Blemishine </span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>to attack Sleeping targets, not the rest of your Operators! Don’t put your enemies to Sleep in the middle of a SilverAsh </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>schwing-schwing </span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>or an Eyja Volcano, or you’ll be one sad Doctor.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Does this emphasis on attacking make Blemishine a bad Operator? Absolutely not! With her enhanced attack range and terrific DPS, Blemishine is basically a Guard who can Block-3, heal allies, and crowd-control her opponents. She’s not a main healer like Saria: she’s a constant Holy Hand Grenade that happens to heal allies in her explosion radius. What’s not to love?</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Trait: Can heal allies with her Skills<br> + Talent: Boosts healing taken by herself, and at E2 all allies<br> + Similar to Gummy but with stronger healing Skills, but less HP<br></span> <span style="color:red;"> - Saria is a pure upgrade<br> - Low HP and no DEF boost Skill means she can get 1-shot by some endgame Challenge bosses</span>

Overview

<p dir="ltr"><em>“I request you send me to the most dangerous place available. My shield shall protect everyone.”</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Once known as the Radiant Knight of Kazimierz, Nearl is a warrior who fills her allies with the strength and courage to keep fighting. In gameplay terms, Nearl is a <strong>Healing Defender</strong>: an Operator who blocks multiple incoming enemies, soaks a beating, and restores the HP of herself and nearby allies.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>First Aid,</strong> Nearl’s first Skill, is a cheap, spammable heal that can quickly pull an ally back from the brink of death. Her second Skill, <strong>First Aid Mode</strong>, shifts Nearl into full-on Medic mode – she stops attacking altogether and will only heal for the Skill duration. These two Skills means Nearl is an excellent choice for shoring up allies who need extra healing (or are even outside of Medic range entirely). As a Healing Defender, Nearl also has natural RES, making her a good defense against enemy Casters. &nbsp;Her Talent at Elite 2,&nbsp;<strong>Pegasus's Halo</strong>, can be&nbsp;useful for tough&nbsp;healing maps, as it&nbsp;increases the healing gained by all allies from direct heals.</p> <p dir="ltr">On some maps, Nearl’s combination of tankiness and healing is enough to make her virtually invincible. However, Nearl’s healing isn’t always a substitute for an actual Defense-boosting Skill. Her HP and DEF are surprisingly low for a Defender, so high-DPS enemies like Hateful Avengers can burn right through her healing and knock her flat. She may not always be able to take point, but in many situations, Nearl has the perfect combination of healing and protective utility to shore up a defensive formation.</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Higher HP than her 5* equivalent Nearl. Can help her to survive some 1-shot type abilities<br> + Relatively cheap and easy to raise and max potential. Comes with .99 starter pack.<br> + Basic Attack has a chance to stun<br> + S2: Has a +DEF component, rare for Healing Defenders<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- Low Base DEF<br> - S2: Phased Skill that must be timed correctly</span>

Overview

<p><strong>Name in Cryllic:&nbsp;</strong>Гум</p> <p><strong>Meaning of name in Russian:</strong>&nbsp;her name is an&nbsp;English-to-Russian phonetic transcription of (bubble) gum, which in Russian&nbsp;would be Жвачка.</p> <p><span><span><span><span><em><span>“Those baddies wreaking havoc in our city... unforgivable! I'll smash them with my frying pan!”</span></em></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Gummy fights back anxiety, depression, and tragedy by throwing herself wholeheartedly into life at Rhodes Island, especially by cooking for her fellow Operators. Meanwhile, she also fights slugs, spiders, and Reunion soldiers by being a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>4* Defender</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> of the </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Healing Defender</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> archetype. Armed with her trusty frying pan, an abandoned vault door, and enough tasty snacks for everyone, this adorable Pollyanna is determined to do her best!</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The theme of food runs throughout Gummy’s kit. Her Skill 1, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Provisions</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, tosses healing snacks to nearby allies, giving a quick sugar rush of HP when they need it. Her Skill 2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Cooking</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, causes Gummy to stop attacking and increases her DEF for a short time while she cooks up breakfast. DEF-up Skills are rare among&nbsp;Healing Defenders, so this is a nice bonus. After her prep work is complete, Gummy’s ATK increases and she begins healing nearby allies by doling out portions. (Her Adorableness is also increased throughout both parts of the Skill.) Then there’s her Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Frying Pan Specialist</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, which gives Gummy a chance to Stun enemies she attacks, which can be surprisingly effective with a lucky RNG streak.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Though Gummy is trying hard to be reliable, her kit can be shaky on some points. The proc rate for </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Frying Pan Specialist</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> is a little low, and the two phases of </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Cooking</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> can be difficult to time correctly. Like other Healing Defenders, Gummy also suffers from lower defensive stats than Normal Defenders, so she can’t always survive heavy-hitting opponents. On the plus side, though, Gummy has very high HP for her rarity (they say never to trust a low-HP cook), and she is available in the Store for $0.99 as part of the Starter Pack. No Operator should go to battle with low health or an empty stomach, and Gummy is determined to make sure neither happens!</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Trait: Skills heal allies. Healing Defenders can cover multiple roles, especially useful for CC and some Challenge Modes.<br> + Talent 1 and 2: Increase DEF, typically a weakness for Healing Defenders<br> + Talent 2: Increases healing received<br> + S2: a Skill that increases DEF, something most Healing Defenders lack. Healed allies gain 1 SP<br></span> = SP charges when “getting hit” which means they will charge faster when blocking many fast hitting enemies, but slower when blocking slower hitting enemies, and not at all when not being hit.<br> <span style="color:red;">- Since he needs to be getting hit to charge his Skills, he cannot heal if he’s not blocking, limiting his options for use as a healer<br> - Generally, worse healer than same-rarity-or-higher Healing Defenders, and worse damage mitigation than same-rarity-or-higher Normal Defenders</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>It’s a pet dog! No, it’s a guard dog! No, it’s Hung: bodyguard, big brother, and baker extraordinaire! Considering how much time he spends taking care of his obnoxious little brother Aak, it’s probably not a surprise that Hung takes care of the other Operators on his team as well. As a </span></span></span><strong><span><span>5</span></span></strong></span></span></span>★<span><span><span><strong><span><span> Healing Defender</span></span></strong><span><span><span> with a whole lot of </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>survivability</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> and a little </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>SP generation utility</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, Hung brings a lot more to the table than just a well-cooked dinner.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>One of the shortcomings of most Healing Defenders is that they’re less durable than Normal Defenders. Hung works hard to circumvent this weakness, starting with his Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Gatekeeper</span></span></strong><span><span><span>. At E1, this Talent gives him a DEF buff, and&nbsp;at E2&nbsp;any unit deployed directly behind him on a ranged grid gains extra healing, synergizing well with healers (including himself!) His Skill 1, </span></span></span><strong><span><span>Treatment Countermeasure</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, heals one adjacent ally and triggers every few times Hung is attacked (thus the “Counter” part of the name). If Hung is Blocking multiple enemies, this Skill can charge at astounding speed! His Skill 2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Medical Mode Countermeasure</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, takes this concept to the next level: it gives Hung a huge ATK and DEF boost, causes him to stop attacking and start healing adjacent allies instead, and grants 1 SP to every ally Hung heals. This Skill gives Hung enormous battlefield presence in terms of durability, healing, and utility, making him a strong centerpiece for your defensive line.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Hung loses a lot of power when </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Medical Mode Countermeasure</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> is not in effect, however, and this can lead to problems. Hung’s ATK is low for a Healing Defender, which affects the strength of his heals, and his HP and DEF are low in comparison to equal-rarity Normal Defenders, which hinders his ability to soak damage. This is especially noticeable if you can’t deploy him in front of a ranged grid to maximize his Talent.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Of course, the other side of the coin is that Hung can soak damage better than most Healing Defenders due to his S2’s DEF boost, while his healing and SP generation brings utility that few Normal Defenders can equal. Very few Healing Defenders have any kind of damage mitigation, and this alone gives Hung a worthwhile niche in the archetype. On maps where you can utilize his strengths, you’ll be happy to let this good boi lead the rest of his pack to victory.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Trait: Can heal allies using his Skill<br> + Talent: After healing an ally, grants them Physical Dodge for 3s<br> + If you are only looking for an early game Healing Defender to swap out for a high-rarity one later, then Spot is cheap and doesn't require much investment<br></span> <span style="color:red;"> - Gummy is easy to acquire, and has stronger Skills and more HP at similar levels.<br> - Low HP for a Defender</span>

Overview

<p dir="ltr"><em>"Got something, Doctor? I could probably lend a hand. But I'd rather it not eat up too much of my time. I got a lot of comics to read."</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Spot’s punky outfit and hangdog expression belie a hyena (dog? Jackal?)&nbsp;who can always be coerced into lending a helping hand. This 3* Operator is a <strong>healing Defender</strong> with a particular emphasis on helping his <strong>allies survive physical damage</strong>.</p> <p dir="ltr">In order to heal his allies, Spot makes use of his Skill, <strong>Secondary Healing Mode</strong>, which causes him to heal instead of attacking for the Skill’s duration. This Skill activates his Talent, <strong>Smoke Installation</strong>, which grants allies Physical Evasion after Spot heals them. Between these two abilities, Spot supplements the frontline well: he can bottleneck enemies with his Block-2 (Block-3 after promoting), he has innate RES to stand up to enemy Casters, and when the chips are down he can function as an extra healer. <strong>Smoke Installation</strong> works especially well when paired with other Operators who have or grant Physical Evasion, since the buff can stack.</p> <p dir="ltr">Spot’s low rarity makes him easier to max out in Potential than higher-rarity Defenders, but unfortunately it also hampers his maximum power. As a 3* Operator, Spot can never promote to E2, limiting his stats and abilities. The unreliability of Physical Evasion is also an issue. Early players in particular may find good use for Spot, since his combination of tankiness, extra healing, lucky buffs, and accessibility can be a lifesaver when resources are limited. However, he’ll have difficulty keeping up with other units when taking on more challenging content.</p> <p dir="ltr">For even more detailed info about Spot, see our <a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/operator-spotlight/arknights-new-operator-spotlight-spot-he-good-boy">Operator SPOTlight:</a> <a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/operator-spotlight/arknights-new-operator-spotlight-spot-he-good-boy">Spot</a>.</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Talent 1: significant boost to HP of all Defenders<br> + Talent 2: Blocks first 3 attacks (no damage), great for soaking special attacks or high-damage phases<br> + DPS/defense/support hybrid enables flexible use<br> + S1 and S2: deal Arts Damage.<br> + S2: disables enemy special abilities and increases her block count<br> + S3: buffs all nearby allies in a large range, increasing their block count, giving them status resistance, and increasing their DEF. Especially good for Defenders and Operators with abilities that hit multiple enemies based on Block count. Useful for helping Operators survive Aak buffs.<br></span> = Pure DPS and Silence roles are usually more effectively provided by other Operators<br> = Talent 2 shield use can be tricky to optimize when used as a core Defender<br> <span style="color:red;">- Being a Limited Operator makes increasing Potential very difficult<br> - S2: Silence not effective against enemies with very long attack intervals<br> - S3: Increasing Block can be detrimental to some Operators</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Most of the time, Nian is something of a slacker, preferring to play mahjong and plan independent movies rather than focus on work. However, when the chips are down, Nian shows her true colors as a draconian </span></span></span><strong><span><span>6</span></span></strong></span></span></span>★<span><span><span><strong><span><span> Normal Defender</span></span></strong><span><span><span> whose unique blend of </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>survival tools</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>defensive buffs</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Arts damage</span></span></strong><span><span><span> can change the flow of battle.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>First, a special note: Nian is Arknight’s first limited gacha unit. She was available only on a special Chinese New Year banner and was not added to the regular gacha pool after the banner ended.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Nian’s E1 Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Tectonic Armor</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, is a useful but generic buff that increases the HP of all allied Defenders, and her E2 Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Clairvoyance</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, grants her three “shields” upon deployment that block the first three hits she takes. This allows Nian to be used to absorb crushing enemy special abilities or to give your healers some breathing room when deployed in high-damage situations.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span>Even after her <strong>Clairvoyance&nbsp;</strong></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>shields are consumed, Nian has a lot to offer. Her Skill 1, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Tin Burning</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, increases Nian’s ATK and already-high DEF and causes her attacks to deal Arts damage. Since Nian’s&nbsp;ATK is good for a Defender, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Tin Burning</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> can deal a decent amount of damage, especially against armored targets. Her Skill 2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Copper Seal</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, is more defensive: while active, Nian stops attacking, gains a huge DEF boost and Block +1, and counters enemy attacks with an Arts-damage blast that also Silences the attacker (preventing their special abilities). However, all of this pales in comparison to the utility of her Skill 3, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Iron Defense</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>. It grants Nian a large ATK buff, but more importantly, it supports allies in a wide area around Nian by giving them bonus DEF, the Resist buff (halves duration of Stun, Cold, and Freeze), </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>and Block +1</span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>. Nian giving herself Block +1 is already strong, but giving it to allies can be game-changing.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The power of a dragon is staggering, but it’s not always easy to harness. Like all Defenders, Nian costs a lot of DP to deploy, and her shields can be under-utilized if using her as a core team Defender. Her second and third Skills have pretty high SP costs, and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Iron Defense, </span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>though strong,&nbsp; needs to be used with care: giving an AoE Guard (like Specter) Block +1 is great, but giving a Controller Specialist (like Manticore) Block +1 can get her killed.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Is Nian worth the effort? YES. Her great stats and potent Skills pack a punch that cannot be ignored. For this year and all others, here’s wishing you all good luck for your Chinese New Year pulls!</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ DPS Defender<br> + Talent: Chance to resist Physical and Arts damage<br> + E2 Talent: Buffs the DEF of all other Defenders<br> + Great DPS and DEF option with S3 that doesn't have the penalties like other DPS Defenders<br> + Very high HP makes her a nice meatball tank<br></span> <span style="color:red;"> - As long as Liskarm can survive, she usually provides more utility as a DPS Defender than Hoshi</span>

Overview

<p><em>“Anyone who wants to hurt my friends must answer to this shield.” </em></p> <p>And answer they will. Armed with a triangular shield adorned with the motif of her Oni heritage, Hoshiguma is a powerful, offensively-oriented Defender who can reflect damage or deal AoE damage.</p> <p>Hoshiguma’s kit embodies her ferocity, granting her the offensive capabilities to literally grind her enemies down. Hoshiguma's first Talent, <strong>Tactical Armor</strong>, grants her a chance to resist both physical and arts damage. Her first Skill, <strong>Warpath</strong>, provides a standard Defense and Attack buff. Her second skill, <strong>Thorns</strong>, is a passive Skill that grants her a slight Defense buff and deals a portion of her Attack in physical damage to all enemies that attack her. In particular, this Skill fills a niche when dealing with invisible ranged enemies at a distance, as these enemies cannot normally be attacked by other Operators without first being blocked, or by having a rare detection Skill/Talent. Hoshiguma’s third Skill, <strong>Saw of Strength</strong>, turns her into a literal grinder, allowing her to attack all enemies in front of her while simultaneously granting large buffs to her Attack and Defense. This Skill allows Hoshiguma to quickly deal with large groups of enemies, significantly decreasing the burden on your defensive line.</p> <p>Hoshiguma is a very straightforward Defender Operator, but this is also her greatest weakness. She excels at being an effective tank that also deals good damage, but does not provide much unique support or utility outside of her second Talent, <strong>Special Operation</strong>, which grants a slight Defense buff to all other Defenders. Despite having a niche use for dealing with invisible ranged enemies, Hoshiguma does not fill many other irreplaceable roles.</p> <p>Despite her honest Skill-set, Hoshiguma is an excellent choice for a standard Defender. Her fierce skills will protect the defensive line and open up the way to begin the counter-offensive.</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Talent: Physical and Arts Resist with half applied to adjacent allies<br> + Very durable DEF and HP with a strong DEF S1 option<br> + Extremely useful S2 that can replace the need for Specialists on some maps</span><br> <span style="color:red;">- S2 knocks enemies away from Croissant in all directions so enemies can be thrown in unintended directions if they aren't grouped together in front of her.<br> - S1 is automatic so it is not guaranteed to be active when you need it most, though it does have good up-time.<br></span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><em><span>“My name's Croissant, and by golly yer in luck, Baws! Ya won't find many as good at their trade as I am! I'm strong, last forever, 'n if ya hire me right now, ya get a 20% discount!”</span></em></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Casual, carefree, and coin-obsessed, Croissant brings her complacent attitude and her considerable strength to Rhodes Island as a 5* Defender Operator. In addition to her crazy </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>durability</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, Croissant dabbles in a few part-time odd jobs, including </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Pushing enemies</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> and even a little </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>team support</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Croissant supplements her top-tier HP and DEF with her </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Miracle Field</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Talent, which gives her and any adjacent allies a chance to resist incoming damage, be it Physical or Arts. Her Skill 1, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Auto Defense</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, increases her DEF and the activation chance of her Talent. The Skill’s automatic activation means it cannot be timed, but the long duration and short cooldown help to make up for this. Skill 2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Magnetic Hammer</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, is her big-payout Skill, pushing enemies away from her in all directions&nbsp;and Stunning them for a few seconds. Using </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Magnetic Hammer</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, Croissant can serve the same Pushing role as a Specialist like Shaw while also being an immovable tank. &nbsp;Be careful when using this Skill, however, as enemies can easily be launched in unintended directions!</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Unfortunately, Croissant does have some shortcomings compared to a pure tank or a pure Pusher. </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Magnetic Hammer</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> doesn’t help Croissant to mitigate damage and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Auto Defense</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> is not guaranteed to be used when you need it, so she can sometimes struggle as a tank. Meanwhile, she costs more DP to deploy than most Push Specialists and can only be deployed on ground tiles, which sometimes limits her pushing options. </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Magnetic Hammer</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> also has a long cooldown, so she may not be able to push enemies as often as you’d like. That being said, all Doctors need good Defenders, and raising Croissant gives you both a good Defender and a Push Operator – a two-for-one deal! How can you say no?</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Talent: lowers attacker's ATK stat for 5s<br> + A very tanky defender similar to Cuora and Bison<br> + S2: Her niche is that she becomes a high priority enemy target and reflects damage back to attackers as physical damage based on 50% of her DEF stat.<br></span> = Compared to others in the same role she has higher Max HP but lower DEF<br> <span style="color:red;">- Because the reflected damage is physical it is reduced by enemy DEF<br> - Poor skill up time</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Bubble is the daughter of the strongest warrior in her tribe… and she’s a complete disgrace. She’s known as “Bubble” because just one poke can knock her right over, bursting her like a soap bubble. To be fair to poor Bubble, her life hasn’t been easy: first she contracted Oripathy, then she got bundled off to Rhodes Island for her own safety, and now she has no idea when she might see her father again. Does that justify her rampaging around Rhodes Island, breaking down doors and knocking over the</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=1"><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Robots</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>? Well… if nothing else, at least she can put in work as a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>4* </span></span></strong></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=Normal-Defender##null##cn##stats"><span><span><span><strong><span><span><span><span>Normal Defender</span></span></span></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> with </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>ATK debuffs</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>damage reflection </span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>to make up for it.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>To protect her fragile body from attack, Bubble carts around a giant spiky shield, which happens to be the source of her Talent. Her </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Spiked Shield</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> triggers whenever Bubble is attacked, and it inflicts an </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=null##cn##ATK-Debuff##stats"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>ATK debuff</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> on anything that damages her. As long as Bubble can survive the first hit from an opponent, she’ll take reduced damage the rest of the time they’re attacking her, greatly enhancing her survivability. Also enhancing her survivability are her Skills. </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>“Beaten Up”</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> is particularly interesting: Bubble stops attacking enemies, she gains an enormous DEF boost and a </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=null##cn##Taunt##stats"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Taunt buff</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>, and any enemy that attacks her takes Physical damage equal to a percentage of her DEF in return. Considering the DEF buff this Skill gives her, that damage can add up fast! </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>“Beaten Up”</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> gives Bubble a convenient way to retaliate against ranged enemies—it can even be used to kill flying enemies like Raptors—and the damage can be boosted even further with </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=null##cn##DEF-Support##stats"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>DEF buffs</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> from characters like Shining, Nian, or Aak.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Letting enemies literally kill themselves on Bubble’s spiked shield can be very entertaining, but it’s not a strategy without risks. Bubble isn’t quite as survivable as some of her fellow Normal Defenders: she can’t recover her own HP and she has no protection from Arts damage. </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Spiked Shield’s </span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>ATK debuff is very helpful, but she does have to take at least one attack at full damage before it activates, and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>“Beaten Up”</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> has poor uptime. She’s also less accessible than fellow 4* Defender Cuora and doesn’t necessarily offer much more in return other than her </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>“Beaten Up”</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> gimmick. Still, don’t dismiss this little troublemaker out of hand. Her battle strategy may be singleminded, but it can be quite potent when aided by a creative Doctor’s placement and timing! </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ A unique Normal Defender with the ability camouflage nearby allies<br> + S1: The skill can potentially give frontline vulnerable units a safeguard to heal up incase they get too low.<br> + S2: A very interesting skill that camouflages Heavyrain and all adjacent allies. It's got high potential to be useful against enemies that you're DPS can't normally get near.<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- S1: The requirement for allies to be under 50% HP makes it risky against tougher enemies that can burst down your squishy DPS before the effect can go off. The healing offered by this skill is mediocre.<br> - S2: Your squishy units could become vulnerable if they are not adjacent to Heavyrain when she camouflages, but are still in range of enemy attacks. .</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Heavyrain, the zebra-inspired frontline soldier, can appear shy and retiring when you first talk to her. In actuality, she’s not shy at all—she’s simply bad at expressing herself, especially after she was betrayed by the person she thought was her best friend while fighting in the Sargon army. This betrayal resulted in Heavyrain’s entire unit being massacred, a memory that now fills her with rage and panic when her Rhodes Island allies are put into danger. It’s no surprise that Heavyrain now fights as a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>5* Normal Defender</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> focused on </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>protecting allies from ranged attacks</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> with the </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Camouflage buff</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Right off the bat, Heavyrain’s </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Striped Camouflage</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Talent supports adjacent allies by offering some bonus Physical Dodge. Her Skills kick this up to the next level by granting the </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=null##Camouflage##stats"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Camouflage</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> buff, which prevents ranged enemies from targeting the buffed ally (although splash damage aimed at an adjacent target can still hit a Camouflaged Operator). Her S1, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Emergency Camouflage</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, automatically grants Camouflage and minor </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=null##HP-Regen##stats"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>regeneration</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> to a nearby ally when they fall below 50% HP. The Skill charges quickly and can hold multiple charges, which—if activated on the same Operator—can prolong the duration of the Camouflage buff quite effectively. If multiple allies are in danger, pull out Heavyrain’s S2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Group Camouflage</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, which grants Camouflage to Heavyrain and any allies in the four adjacent grids (as well as boosting Heavyrain’s HP and DEF for the duration).</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The Camouflage buff is powerful, but it has to be used carefully. Heavyrain’s Skills have short durations and both have the potential to Camouflage Heavyrain herself, which can cause issues: if you deployed Heavyrain last so she would attract enemy aggro, but then she Camouflages herself, other allies might be targeted instead of her (even with S2, since it only covers directly adjacent allies). </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Emergency Camouflage</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> (S1) can even backfire against enemies with splash damage; Heavyrain protects her ally, so the enemy targets Heavyrain, and the splash damage still hits Heavyrain’s ally anyway.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Like real-life zebras, Heavyrain’s stripes aren’t a perfect defense. However, Heavyrain’s capacity to shield Operators from the wrath of enemies--even big bosses like Skullshatterer or Talulah--can buy valuable seconds to unleash a tide-turning Skill like Eyjafjalla’s </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Volcano </span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>or SilverAsh’s </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Truesilver Slash</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Extremely durable 4* with the highest DEF potential in the game<br> + Viable through all content<br> + 4 Block while skill is active<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- Very low ATK and dps<br> - S2: Doesn't attack during the duration</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><em><span>“Hm? Where am I? Who am I?”</span></em></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>In most video games, mysterious girls with amnesia are delicate waifs with healing powers. In Arknights, resident amnesiac Cuora is a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>4</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>★</span></span></strong></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span> Defender</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> who smacks everything with a baseball bat and magically toughens her skin to resist incoming attacks. You’ve got to give her points for originality.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>You’ve also got to give her points for sheer sturdiness. Cuora is one of the most durable physical tanks in the game, between her DEF-increasing </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Defense Specialist</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Talent and her outstanding Skill 2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Shell Defense</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>. This Skill gives Cuora a massive DEF boost, steadily restores her HP, and increases her Block by +1. Being able to Block-4 is an extremely rare and powerful tool, and it makes Cuora useful to players of all skill levels in any level of content. Although </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Shell Defense</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> does stop her from attacking, it allows Cuora to handle strength and numbers of enemies that would outright kill many other Operators (even other Defenders).</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Keep in mind that while Cuora has enough DEF to shame a conch shell, she couldn’t kill a paper bag without help, and all that DEF doesn’t matter one whit when Arts damage enters the fray. With no innate Arts Resistance and no Arts mitigation in her kit, Cuora is very vulnerable to enemy Casters. High DEF doesn’t make her invincible, either; some physical enemies hit so hard and so fast that even Cuora can’t keep up with their damage output without heavy aid. However, this doesn’t change the fact that Cuora is one of the most commonly used Defenders in Arknights. Don’t take her lightly because of her 4</span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>★</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> rarity: Cuora is reliable enough to serve players well into the lategame.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Talent: Increases own DEF and the DEF of any Guard or Vanguard deployed in the grid behind him<br> + Extremely durable Defender that rivals the DEF of Cuora<br> + Great when paired with frontline Guards like Astesia to give them a DEF boost (face him away for the buff)<br> + One of the few Operators with a "Taunt" Skill<br></span> = Considered a sidegrade to Cuora<br> = The usefulness of "Taunt" is very niche<br> <span style="color:red;">- High Deployment Cost<br> - Talent and S2 buffs have restrictive deployment requirements.<br> - Much more expensive to develop than Cuora who is just as durable, if not more.</span>

Overview

<p><em>"After getting to know more about the people at Penguin Logistics and talking to them, I began to understand that the world is much broader than I had thought. There's nothing wrong with structure and rules, but they don't necessarily apply to everyone."</em></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>As the executive manager of Fengchi Logistics, friendly rival to Penguin Logistics, Bison has responsibilities far beyond those of an ordinary teenager. Though he is very mature and diligent, the inability to roam free as a courier weighs heavily on his heart. This may be why he puts himself in danger to help Rhodes Island as a </span></span></span></span></span></span><strong>5★</strong><span><span><span><strong><span><span> Normal Defender</span></span></strong><span><span><span>. His specialties of </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>protecting nearby allies</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Taunting enemies</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> make him one of the more traditional-feeling tanks in Arknights.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Positioning is very important with Bison. His Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Cross Cover</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, gives him extra DEF when he is deployed, but he will also grant the extra DEF to an ally in the space directly behind him if that ally is a Guard or Vanguard. Because Bison can Block-3, he can hold multiple enemies in place, allowing the Guard/ Vanguard behind him to rack up kills safely. (Protip: If you want him to buff a frontline Guard, just face him backward!) He doubles down on this concept with his Skill 2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Entrenchment</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>: Bison stops attacking in order to gain a massive DEF boost, buff the DEF of all adjacent allies, and become a higher-priority target for enemies (in other words, Taunting them). This Skill has decent uptime, and the DEF boost multiplies Bison’s already-high base DEF to ludicrous levels. The Taunt ability of the Skill can also come in handy, especially if Operators get deployed out of order in a fight because you have to change strategies or plug a gap in your lines.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Bison resists physical attacks like a champ, but he’s terribly vulnerable to enemy Casters. His Skills only raise his DEF, he has no base RES, and he has no self-healing through his Talent or Skills, so enemy Arts damage tears him up like a wet paper towel. This can be particularly problematic if you activate his Skill 2 at the wrong time and aggro multiple enemy Casters at once! He’s also hard to put down on the field--not only is his DP cost rather high, but positioning him for maximum efficiency of his Talent and his S2 can be tricky. If you can keep Bison from biting off more than he can chew, however, you’ll have a Defender on your side who will never </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>hide</span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> (sorry, bad pun) and does an excellent job of protecting not only himself, but his allies as well.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Talent: Passive Arts Resistance<br> + Huge HP and Arts Resist make him a great Arts Damage tank<br> + He's a middle ground between the Healing and DEF Defenders<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- Too niche to warrant heavy investment<br> - Lacks strong physical damage mitigation, so DEF Defenders are more durable<br> - Healing Defenders can usually handle Arts damage while providing more utility</span>

Overview

<p dir="ltr"><em>“I will not step back, not even if this shield shatters the very next second. Not because of my loyalty, but because of my conviction.”</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Matterhorn, trained from a young age to be bodyguard and protector of the SilverAsh family, now lends his shield and strength to Rhodes Island as a representative of the Karlan Trading Company of Kjerag.&nbsp; Matterhorn is a 4★ Defender who can block 3 enemies.</p> <p dir="ltr">Matterhorn specializes in tanking Arts Damage.&nbsp; He has base passive Arts Resistance (rare for non-healing Defenders), and his Talent, <strong>Snowfield Guard</strong>, raises it even more.&nbsp; When increased even further by his Skill 2, <strong>Cold Resistance</strong>, he boasts one of the highest Arts Resistance stats of any Defender.</p> <p dir="ltr">Unfortunately for Matterhorn, the need to mitigate Arts Damage is a very niche role, and it can often be handled just as well by a Healing Defender (who would bring the additional benefit of being able to heal allies).&nbsp; Hard-hitting Physical damage Elite and Boss enemies are much more common, and Matterhorn lacks Skills to significantly raise his Defense. For physical damage mitigation, he even lags behind some lower-rarity options.</p> <p dir="ltr">Overall, Matterhorn is not a bad option for early-game players as a well-rounded defender (especially since Heal Defenders can only block 2 before E1).&nbsp; In the mid- to late-game, min/maxers may enjoy finding ways to utilize his great Arts Resistance to the best effect, but for most players his niche use likely will not justify the investment costs.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Good HP, especially if you max Trust and Potential<br> + Useful on some early-game Challenge Modes with her self-sustain<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- A DEF-focused Defender is almost always preferable to an HP Defender except vs Casters, and against them Healing Defenders are usually best.<br> - Harder to max potential because she is not available in recruitment.</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><em><span>“Heeellooo! I've never been in such a huge mobile facility before! I'm so excited! Merry of the Cardigan here. Are you the Doctor?”</span></em></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>A skiing fanatic and a former member of the Leithanien Bobsled Patrol Team. Clumsy but cheerful, Cardigan supports Rhodes Island’s Team A4 as a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>3* Defender</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> with an emphasis on </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>HP</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Perhaps as a representation of her boundless energy, Cardigan’s Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Max HP Up</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, passively increases her maximum HP after E1 promotion. This works well with her Skill, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Regeneration α</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, which restores a percentage of Cardigan’s max HP when activated. Judicious use of this Skill can make Cardigan a decent option for tanking enemy Casters despite her lack of RES, as she can shrug off their Arts with a self-heal and keep face-tanking for a while longer.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Cardigan runs into problems when facing strong enemies that hit harder than her HP pool can handle. Her self-heal is great for sustain, but it doesn’t increase her ability to mitigate damage. Lacking an E2 promotion also limits Cardigan’s ability to contribute in the long term, and at present she is not available from Recruitment, which makes her a little less accessible than her 3* ranking would suggest. Despite this, all Doctors should have at least two sturdy Defenders to form the backbone of their squad, and Cardigan is a good early choice for the job.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ The default early-game Defender if you don't get someone better<br> + Decent stats with passive DEF and DEF increasing Skill<br> + Easily to max Potential, and cheap to develop and deploy<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- Fairly long Skill cooldown</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><em><span>“Finally, FINALLY! Now nobody's going to call me "the Rookiest Rookie in the Rookieverse" anymore!”</span></em></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Like her namesake, Beagle is a sweet, loving individual who just wants to be useful to the people she cares about. She, Fang, and Kroos used to work together at a Columbian outskirts garrison, but when Beagle came down with Oripathy, all three were banished. Beagle used to blame herself for ruining Fang and Kroos’ careers, but now that the trio have come to Rhodes Island, Beagle has been able to blossom as a <strong>3</strong></span></span></span></span></span></span><strong>★</strong><span><span><span><strong><span><span> Normal Defender</span></span></strong><span><span><span> specializing in </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>physical defense</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Beagle is the baseline unit for Defenders in Arknights. Everything about her kit is focused entirely on mitigating physical damage. She gains bonus DEF from her Potential bonuses, her Trust bonuses, and her Talent—appropriately called </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>DEF Up</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>—and her Skill, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>DEF Up α</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, offers another DEF buff on top of everything else. Because she can Block up to 3 enemies and shrug off their attacks fairly easily, she’s often one of the best Defenders for Doctors to raise early in their Arknights careers.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Being a 3* unit, Beagle can promote to E1, but not to E2, which limits her ability to keep up with higher-rarity Operators. She also has no way to mitigate enemy Arts damage, which becomes increasingly common in higher-end content. Despite this, Beagle remains useful for a surprisingly long time. Doctors often need multiple Defenders to cover different parts of a map, and Beagle’s low rarity means she is cheap to raise and has a comparatively low DP cost. With just a little love, this loyal Defender can put in a lot of good work. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Very cheap to deploy and develop Defender and effective for early game<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- Getting max potential Beagle is easier as you don't need to fish for Starter tag</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><em><span>“There's always the need for guys like me, you know? Nah, I'm not trying to act high and mighty. What I'm saying is: when you have a VIP plus a lot of danger, you need a guy to stand between them, that's all.”</span></em></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>His mask may make him seem distant, cold, and a little too much like the Phantom of the Opera, but nothing could be farther from the truth. Noir Corne (meaning “black horn”) is a Rhodes Island veteran who treats his juniors with warmth and generosity, watching their backs as a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>2* Defender</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> and one of the </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Starter</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Operators in Arknights.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>As a 2* Operator, Noir Corne has no Skills, nor can he be promoted. However, he does earn a Talent at level 30: </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Improved Armor</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, which passively increases his HP and DEF. This gives him a tanking power spike that allows him to be useful for longer than his low maximum level would suggest. Combined with his ability to </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Block up to 3 enemies</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> at once, Noir Corne can be a good low-investment meat shield, but his inability to promote means he won’t be able to survive high-level enemy fire.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>He is valuable enough early on that it can be worth leveling him, especially if you are short on other Defenders. Early in the game, he can spearhead your main defense; in the midgame, he can still be used to guard alternate enemy routes or catch enemies that slip past your main lines.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ DPS Defender<br> + Performs ranged attacks that can hit aerial enemies<br> + E2 Talent: Passive Arts Resistance<br> + Talent: When attacked, grants +1 SP to self and random adjacent ally<br> + S2: Strong Arts damage and stun<br> + S1: Good DEF Skill<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- S2: Self-stun can troll you<br> - S1: Automatic activation means it is not completely reliable<br> - Not as durable as the other 5 and 6* DEF Defenders<br></span>

Overview

<p dir="ltr"><em>“Thunder ROAR!”</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Often underestimated because of her race and small stature, this pragmatic yet determined Blacksteel security consultant has an electrifying stare that surges across the battlefield. Liskarm is a 5★ Defender specializing in DPS, ranged attacks, and SP generation.&nbsp;</p> <p dir="ltr">Through the use of her pistol, Liskarm has extended range and can hit aerial enemies making her unique in the Defender lineup. Her Talent, <strong>Tactical Defense</strong>, is one engine in the SP-charge-and-skill-spam meme machine; it restores one skill point to her and a random adjacent operator when she gets attacked. At Elite 2 she gains an additional Talent, <strong>Thunder Resistance</strong>, which makes her one of the few Defense/DPS Defenders to have innate Arts Resistance.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her first Skill, <strong>Charged Defense</strong>, significantly increases Liskarm’s defensive capabilities automatically. Her second Skill, <strong>Counter Arc</strong>, turns her into a multi-attack thunderstorm dealing <strong>Arts</strong> damage to multiple units with a small stun chance. Because of the offensive nature of the skill, Liskarm relies on the stun to help alleviate damage taken. This skill is especially useful against groups and heavily armored enemies. The price Liskarm pays for the power surge is exhaustion; she is stunned for 5 seconds after the skill duration. Since she cannot block while stunned, there is a danger that enemies will leak past her if it is used recklessly without proper back-up. &nbsp;With careful positioning Liskarm can turn&nbsp;the tide of battle, while empowering her allies while&nbsp;blocking, stunning, and dealing massive damage to her&nbsp;enemies.</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ A DPS oriented Defender with the ability to AOE stun targets<br> + Bonus damage on Stunned targets and bonus physical block when there is a high tile behind or to the side of Blitz<br> + long range basic attacks and ability to attack drones<br> + S1: Good AOE stun and silence with a short cooldown. Decent sized AOE and at m3 can be used immediately after deployment.<br> + S2: Long duration Stun on enemies that he has blocked. Huge ASPD and damage increase on the stunned targets can dish out good damage.<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- S1: limited to 4 uses per deployment<br></span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><em><span>"Rainbow member, codename Blitz. Give me the order, and I'll slap this shield into the target's face!"</span></em></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Elias Kötz, codename Blitz, is one of the Rainbow 6 members who has been signed onto Rhodes Island for a limited time after the Watchtower 33 incident. Known among his teammates for being silly and optimistic, quick with a joke as well as a flashbang, Blitz has taken to Rhodes Island fairly well… although the state of technology in the Arknights world has left him a bit baffled. Regardless, he’s doing his best as a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>5* Normal Defender</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> for Rhodes Island, one who focuses on </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>disabling enemies</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> with </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Stuns and Silences</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Blitz is the first gun-wielding Defender since Liskarm, which means he has a two-grid-long attack range instead of the usual 0-grid attack range of a Normal Defender. His Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Shielded Shooting</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, makes this increased range more important: Blitz prioritizes attacking Stunned enemies and has increased ATK when hitting them.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Obviously this works great with other Operators who can Stun enemies, but Blitz can also do it himself with his Skills. His S1, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Flash Shield</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, Stuns and Silences all enemies in an area in front of him, and at max Skill Level, it can be used immediately upon deployment. Meanwhile, his </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Shield Bash</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Skill inflicts Stun on all enemies Blitz is Blocking, then buffs his own ASPD and the bonus ATK he gets from his Talent for a few seconds. With </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Shield Bash</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>&nbsp;active, Blitz can output some impressive damage for a Defender.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Stuns are very powerful, so Blitz’s focus on them gives him a lot of general-purpose utility. However, the trade-off is that Blitz lacks any boosts to his personal survivability, other than the unreliable Physical Block from his Talent 2. Since Defenders are often employed to Block and survive multiple enemies, this is a bit of a drawback. Furthermore, Blitz’s S2 has poor uptime and his S1 can only be used 4 times per deployment, so choosing when to use his Skills is very important. It’s clear that tactical positioning and timing are vital for using Blitz. If you can bring both of these qualities to the field, then Blitz’s explosive shield-bashes should serve you well indeed.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ A centurion guard with a diverse kit able to handle larger waves of enemies<br> + Talent: gains ATK and DEF buff that increases the more enemies blocked. Gains bonus healing when on low HP<br> + S1: This provides gavial with some powerful self healing, especially when attacking multiple enemies.<br> + S2: Greatly expands her range, and boosts her ATK and DEF. The pull effect on this skill also provides many useful benefits such as crowd control and the ability to group enemies from multiple lanes together.<br> + S3: This skill is good for large waves of enemies due to the increased DPS and block count. Its damage reduction also provides her with a much needed boost to her survivability.<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- S1: Will often still need support healing against enemies with higher DEF or when caught with the skill down.<br> - S3: She can easily die to the after effects of this skill if she has taken a lot of damage.<br></span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span>Some of you might remember that <a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/operator/gavial">Gavial</a>, a 4* Medic Operator, used to be a mercenary before she joined Rhodes Island. Stories have abounded about Gavial’s incredible physical strength, up to and including concussing people with her healing staff, but the Doctor has never been able to use her old skills on the battlefield… until now! Her Alter Form, Gavial the Invincible, is going back to those roots, wielding a wicked axe as a <strong>6* Centurion Guard</strong> who gets <strong>stronger the more enemies she Blocks</strong>, strikes in an <strong>increased attack range</strong>, and <strong>delays damage she takes</strong>.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Centurion Guards can attack a number of enemies equal to their Block count. Gavialter leans into this role heavily with her E1 Talent, <strong>Battle Axe</strong>, which increases her ATK and DEF for every enemy she is currently Blocking. She hasn’t forgotten her time at Rhodes Island, however; her E2 Talent is her <strong>Medical Background</strong>, which increases the amount of healing she receives. This Talent increases in potency when Gavialter is below a certain percentage of HP, helping to prevent Gavialter from being overwhelmed by all the enemies she’ll be Blocking.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Gavialter is capable of healing herself with her S1, <strong>Precision Strikes</strong>, which increases her ATK and heals her for a percentage of the damage she deals. However, you’re missing out on a lot of power with this Skill. Consider instead her <strong>Chainsaw Assault </strong>S2, which <em>massively</em> increases Gavialter’s ATK, DEF, and attack range. This Skill also pulls unblocked enemies toward Gavialter, putting them in Block range sooner to pump up the <strong>Battle Axe</strong> buff. Then there’s her <strong>Jungle Spirit</strong> S3, which gives a large ATK and ASPD buff along with increased Block count (for more <strong>Battle Axe</strong> shenanigans). <strong>Jungle Spirit</strong> doesn’t give a DEF buff like <strong>Chainsaw Assault</strong> does, but it DOES increase Gavialter’s survivability in a different way: it “delays” half of the damage that Gavialter takes and inflicts it slowly over a period of several seconds after the Skill ends. The slowly returning damage can easily be healed off by a Medic, making Gavialter literally twice as hard to kill while <strong>Jungle Spirit</strong> is active.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Like many Operators, Gavialter has some tough decisions to make for maximizing her effectiveness. She’s very powerful, but she needs support to really shine—she has no reliable self-sustain (even with <strong>Precision Strikes</strong>, she will have periods of downtime where the Skill is not active) and she has to choose between the increased attack range on S2 versus the increased Block/ survivability on S3. Her Skills have good uptime, but none are permanent buffs, so timing them correctly is important (you don’t want S3’s Block +2 to wear off while Gavialter is Blocking too many enemies, for example).</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Fortunately, there are a lot of good partners (and some truly <a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/operator/mlynar">exceptional ones</a>) who can cover Gavialter’s blind spots. On her own, Gavialter is pretty good. With minimal support from a healer, Gavialter is <em>very</em> good. Paired with Operators who can sustain her and back up her Skill downtime, Gavial the Invincible is… well, virtually invincible.</span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Trait: Attack multiple enemies equal to block number<br> + Talent 1: The first time HP falls below 25%, recover 50% HP and prevent HP from falling below 50% for the next few seconds<br> + Talent 2: A short time after deployment, gains [Resistance] effect which reduces stun, snare, and freeze duration by 50%<br> + Very durable and one of the highest DPS Operators in the game<br> + S2: Increased Attack Range allows her to attack enemies from behind Operators or over walls<br> + S3: High burst damage<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- Typical Archetype drawbacks of high DP Cost and wanting E2 to shine.</span>

Overview

<p><em>"If you need my help, no need to be shy - just spit it out! Put your faith in me, and I put my faith in you. You command, I fight, simple as that! Right now, we're the best partners in Rhodes Island! Oh, but don't tell Amiya I said that just now."</em></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>She may not be good at explaining her powers, but there’s no denying that she’s aces at using them! </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>6* AoE Guard</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Blaze uses her combustive Originium powers to turn her chainsaw-on-a-stick into a weapon of mass destruction, dealing enormous amounts of </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>DPS</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> while also ensuring her own </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>survival</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> with various tools and tricks.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Blaze’s main survival tools are her Talents. Her E1 Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Emergency Defibrillator</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, triggers the first time she falls below 25% HP; when triggered, it heals Blaze and prevents her HP from falling below 50% for a few seconds. Her E2 Talent is </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Harsh Training</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, which grants Blaze the Resistance buff (halves the duration of Stun, Snare, and Freeze) after she’s been deployed for a while.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The temporary immortality from </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Emergency Defibrillator</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> and the Resistance buff from </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Harsh Training</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> help Blaze to deal damage in just about any circumstance, and her Skills take full advantage of this. Her Skill 1 is </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Powerful Strike·Type γ</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, and it simply amps up the damage of Blaze’s next attack by an enormous amount—perfect for short, violent engagements. If you’re expecting a long, drawn-out battle, try </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Chainsaw Extension Module </span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>(also known as “</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Texas_Chain_Saw_Massacre"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Blaze’s Chainsaw Massacre</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>”). This Skill takes a long time to charge, but it grants a permanent buff to Blaze’s ATK, DEF, and attack range (allowing her to attack from behind walls or other Operators) when it finally activates. Finally, and most dramatically, is </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Boiling Burst</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, a kamikaze-type Skill where Blaze starts attacking everything within her range at once while steadily charging ATK and DEF for a few seconds. When she finishes charging, she EXPLODES, inflicting enormous physical damage to everything within burning distance and sacrificing 25% of her own HP.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>In return for harnessing Blaze’s awesome power, Doctors have to pay the price with the usual weaknesses of AoE Guards. Blaze costs a lot of DP to deploy, and she doesn’t hit her full power until E2-promotion, which is when she finally gains Block-3 and can attack 3 enemies simultaneously. As a 6* unit, this costs a lot of resources. However, rest assured that Blaze will pay back this investment in spades. You may notice this overview is mentioning “enormous damage” a lot. After you’ve taken Blaze’s mighty chainsaw for a spin, you’ll start thinking we didn’t mention it </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>enough</span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>!</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Trait: Attack multiple enemies equal to block count<br> + Talents: Increase Max HP +10% and recover HP every second<br> + Extremely high damage potential<br> + S2: Great Survivability with period of "unable to be killed"<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- S2: applies self-stun after Duration, where she cannot attack or block<br> - High DP Cost</span>

Overview

<p dir="ltr"><em>"Ahahah... I am Specter, that is what the spirits call me... That kind doctor informed me that I may only receive further treatment by serving Rhodes Island... Yes, of course, my powers are yours to command."</em></p> <p dir="ltr">The mentally unstable nun of Rhodes Island and The Abyssal Hunters' finest killing machine, Specter prowls&nbsp; the battlefield looking for her next prey. Specter is an <strong>AoE Guard</strong> who specializes in Survival and damage output. The number of enemies she can attack simultaneously is equal to her block number,&nbsp;which is two targets at base level,&nbsp;increasing&nbsp;to three upon promotion to elite 2.</p> <p dir="ltr">Specter’s playstyle is all about dishing out damage. Her&nbsp;first<strong>&nbsp;</strong>Skill:<strong> Attack up Y</strong>, increases her already good ATK, but it is her<strong>&nbsp;</strong>second skill:<strong> Bone Fracture</strong>, that&nbsp;truly makes her unique.&nbsp;It triggers her mental instability and she refuses to die for&nbsp;the duration of the Skill while increasing her ATK. The drawback to immortality is that once she regains her consciousness,&nbsp;Specter becomes incapacitated, and is unable to block or attack until she recovers (this can also prevent her from dying immediately when her immortality wears off, however, so it isn't all bad). Her E2 Talent,&nbsp;<strong>Abyssal Regeneration</strong>, also aids her survival and recovery by restoring a percentage of her Max HP every second (also quite useful for stages with "poison fog" that damages all Operators over time)</p> <p dir="ltr">Like all AoE Guards, Specter pays for her increased damage potential with a higher Deployment Cost, making her harder to get into battle on maps with tight DP constraints, and a less valuable play if her AoE cannot be fully utilized. Despite her drawbacks, Specter has high ATK and can&nbsp;do some serious damage. &nbsp;In the hands of an experienced Doctor, her high damage potential and tactical undeath can help lead the team to victory. This is one crazy nun you want on your squad... Just don't get on her nerves.</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Trait: Attack multiple enemies equal to Block count<br> + Talent: When blocking 2 or more enemies, ATK and DEF increase<br> + S2: Deals extremely large amounts of multi-target Arts damage for a Melee unit and the manual activation allows it to be saved until needed. The extended range can provide some crowd control and allow for protection.<br></span> <span style="color:red;"> - Very easily killed when blocking compared to Blaze and Specter due to his lack of strong defensive abilities<br> - S2: Needs to be timed since the self-stun causes hm to stop blocking.</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Does Broca’s scary expression unsettle you? As a bodyguard for a gang leader, Broca trained himself to maintain a sinister expression at all times in order to look intimidating. Of course, who needs a scary expression when you’ve got a giant electrified drill? As a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>5* AoE Guard</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, Broca strikes fear (and metal) into the hearts of multiple enemies at once, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>attacking as many enemies as he can Block</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> and dealing both </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>physical and Arts damage</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> to his victims.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Broca is built for mass murder. Not only can he Block-3 once he E2-promotes, but his </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Drill Fortification</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Talent increases his ATK and DEF whenever he is blocking 2 or more foes at the same time. His Skills ensure that he has enough DPS for every combatant to get a piece, especially his Skill 2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>High Voltage Current</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>. In addition to a huge ATK boost and a Slow effect, it also turns Broca’s attacks into Arts damage and extends his attack range, allowing him to attack from safely behind another Operator if he so desires. Even with the downsides (the Skill reduces Broca’s attack speed and self-Stuns once it ends), the DPS from this Skill is simply insane.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>In order to attain this kind of damage potential, Broca has had to min-max for DPS over survivability. Most AoE Guards have some kind of defensive tool to help them survive Blocking multiple enemies at once, but Broca only gets a small DEF boost from his Talent, which usually won’t save him if things go south. Using </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>High Voltage Current</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> also requires an excellent sense of timing or an extra Operator to block for Broca, as anything he doesn’t kill can walk right past him once he is Stunned. However, “things Broca doesn’t kill” is a pretty small pool of names. Very few enemies can survive Broca’s full voltaic fury, making him well worth the effort to deploy and use.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Trait: Attacks multiple enemies equal to block count<br> + Talent: When an enemy dies within 8 grids of herself, recover HP<br> + Decent self sustain vs large quantity of weak mobs<br></span> = Recruit only, but the Tags are fairly common<br> <span style="color:red;">- Low DEF combined with S2's "unable to be healed" makes her a risky choice that must be well handled</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><em><span>“H-hello... Uh... s-sorry, my horns... I accidentally broke your office door with my horns...”</span></em></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Estelle is horribly self-conscious about her giant horns, which are not natural to her race but were triggered by her Oripathy infection. It’s a constant struggle for her not to withdraw from her friends and allies due to her anxiety and self-loathing. However, she’s not anxious during battle, where she stands firm as a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>4* AoE Guard</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, able to </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Block-3</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> after E2 promotion and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>survive</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> through waves of enemies.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Because Estelle doesn’t want her allies to see her fighting, she has adopted a self-sufficient fighting style. Her Skill 2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Sacrificial Strike</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, gives her a large ATK buff, but prevents her from being healed by allies for the duration (although passive healing from Talents like Perfumer’s </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Lavender</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> or Angelina’s </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Part-Time Job</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> still work). While </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Sacrificial Strike</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> is active, Estelle relies on her Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Self-Healing</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, which restores HP whenever an enemy dies in a square surrounding her. Because Estelle can attack multiple targets, she can rack up multiple kills at once and heal herself for a large chunk of HP.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Despite her 4* rarity, Estelle is not a very beginner-friendly Operator. Like other AoE Guards, in order to really shine, she desperately needs to be promoted to E2 so she can Block-3 and attack 3 targets at once. Her high DP cost (another common trait for AoE Guards) can be a barrier as well. Even once you get her on the field, triggering </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Sacrificial Strike</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> at the wrong time can mean certain death, especially if she’s blocking multiple enemies at the time. However, because of her self-sustain and AoE strikes, a skilled Doctor can rely on Estelle to hold off hordes of weaker enemies virtually indefinitely.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Trait: Attacks multiple enemies equal to block count<br> + Talent: Increases ATK and DEF when adjacent to 2 or more raised grids<br> + Decent multi-target killing with either S1 or S2<br></span> = Very average Stats<br> <span style="color:red;">- S1: has a 4 Star power grade<br> - S2: has a long cool-down for an on-attack Skill<br> - Doesn't stand-out at either DPSing or blocking.</span>

Overview

<p dir="ltr"><em>"Was I able to protect everyone? … Thank goodness … Hope I can continue to stay with you and Amiya forever and ever!"</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Savage is an old friend of Rhodes Island and she&nbsp;cared for&nbsp;Amiya when they both lived in Rim Billiton. She now lends Amiya her destructive strength as an <strong>AoE</strong>&nbsp;<strong>Guard </strong>using her special hammer Mjölnir-3 to deliver<strong>&nbsp;multi-target&nbsp;damage</strong> and <strong>one-hit burst</strong> attacks.</p> <p dir="ltr">Savage's first Skill,&nbsp;<strong>Power Strike • Type β,&nbsp;</strong>delivers a powered-up blow every few attacks. &nbsp;Most 5-star operators have more powerful Type <span><span><span><span><span><span>𝝲</span></span></span></span></span></span>&nbsp;skills, but Savage is stuck with a <span><span><span><span><span><span>𝝱</span></span></span></span></span></span>. &nbsp;Her second Skill, <strong>Precise Blast</strong>, deals massive damage on command to up to 5 enemies on the 3 tiles in front of her.&nbsp; While this&nbsp;Skill is undeniably powerful,&nbsp;it cannot be used consistently due to a&nbsp;long charge time for an on-hit Skill. &nbsp;Her&nbsp;prowess is bolstered by her Talent,&nbsp;<strong>Valley</strong>, which increases her ATK and DEF when she adjacent to&nbsp;2 or more raised&nbsp;grids. &nbsp;The Talent buffs are welcome when they can be gained, but this can sometimes be an annoying Talent to try to activate and work around.</p> <p dir="ltr">Savage has fairly average stats compared to other Guards, but her potential is held back a bit&nbsp;by the drawbacks of her&nbsp;Skills and Talent, along with the fact that her Potential cannot be increased. Savage does have points in her favor though,&nbsp;like being a free pre-registration reward and&nbsp;being useful for&nbsp;blocking tight choke points. &nbsp;Overall, Savage is typically outclassed by Guards with more broadly applicable Skills, but she still has all the strengths of an AoE Guard, and&nbsp;it's incredibly&nbsp;fun to watch her pound&nbsp;enemies into the dirt.</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Trait: Attack multiple enemies equal to block count<br> + At equal levels she has better ATK than Savage and Estelle<br> + She has good enough raw stats to clear out early game enemies<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- Limited to 2 block<br> - She cannot be promoted to E2, and AoE Guards gain a <i>huge</i> boost on promotion to E2 because they gain an extra block, increasing their potential damage by 50%. They also gain a higher percentage of their total ATK at E2 levels than other Guards.</span>

Overview

<p dir="ltr"><em>"I have a special ability? And it's super strong? When I want to stop my friends from fighting, I use my power, and lose control, and then forget everything that happened...? Wow, okay, I get it now. Right! I can't let this power go to waste!"&nbsp;</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Although she appears mild mannered at first, Operator Popukar will become a raging berserker to keep the peace.&nbsp; In combat, she is a 3* <strong>AoE Guard</strong> who can deal <strong>Physical damage</strong> to <strong>two enemies at once</strong>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Like most 3* Operators, Popukar's skillset is straightforward.&nbsp; Her talent provides a percent HP and Attack buff, while her skill <strong>ATK Up α</strong> provides a manual attack buff on a medium cooldown and no starting SP.</p> <p dir="ltr">As a 3* AoE Guard, Popukar cannot reach Elite 2, missing out on blocking/attacking three enemies like her higher rarity peers.&nbsp; Although this may seem like it defeats the purpose of using an AoE Guard, Popukar has a comparable statline to her Archetype peers at Elite 1, making her as effective as a pure attacker at a much lower investment cost.&nbsp; As Popukar is also easier to obtain and level, she bridges the gap for an earlygame multi-unit melee attacker until promoting another AoE guard to E2 is possible.</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ An Arts Guard so powerful that all future content needs to be balanced around her<br> + Passive 20 RES ignore means that she is still doing good damage even against the highest RES targets<br> + S3: Some of the highest Arts damage in the game that can last as long as you can keep her alive. Long range for a melee unit and hits up to 3 targets. Only requires 5 sp to activate, so it can be used quickly after deploy for assassination purposes. The Max HP gain also makes her incredibly tanky, and it is not reduced by things like Contingency Contract Risks.<br> + S2: Great for when you want consistent Arts DPS on the front line.<br> + Talent: Prevents death for 8 additional seconds when at 1 HP allowing her to hold back even the most difficult enemies for a short time<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- Can get very DP expensive to redeploy her multiple times for her S3</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><em><span>“What I hate most are those who will not stop asking why. I hope you are not like this.”</span></em></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Surtr is an Infected who has dozens of memories that contradict each other, practically no talent for Originium Arts, and a giant flaming broadsword that can casually destroy anything that gets in her way. To say she is an enigma would be an understatement: nothing is known about her (or the giant flaming broadsword) and there doesn’t seem to be much chance of finding answers anytime soon. This doesn’t bother Surtr, though. She’s happy to kill some time at Rhodes Island as a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>6* Arts Guard</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, bringing her </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>unstoppable DPS</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>undefeatable survivability</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> to the table. And then slicing the table in half.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>For a person who can barely use Originium Arts, Surtr is a stupidly powerful Arts DPS unit. Her first Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Molten Flame</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, causes her to ignore a flat amount of enemy RES, making it that much more difficult for enemies to withstand her onslaught. Her E2 Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Remnant Ash</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, gives Surtr several seconds of immortality when she takes lethal damage and then retreats her from the field; even death will not stop Surtr from killing a few more foes!</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>And there’s no doubt that killing her foes is exactly what Surtr will be doing. Her first Skill, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Laevatain</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, is a quick-charging auto Skill that dramatically increases her ATK for her next attack. If she kills her target with this Skill, it immediately recharges. If facing a steady stream of enemies she can one-shot, Surtr can keep using this Skill forever—and that’s just her first Skill! Her second, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Molten Giant</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, widens the scope of her attack: her ATK increases, her attack range increases, and the number of targets she can hit increases. Furthermore, if Surtr is only hitting one target, the ATK buff increases in strength, making this a great general-purpose Skill. But let’s be real: you’re here for her Skill 3, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Twilight</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>. </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Twilight</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> increases Surtr’s max HP and restores her to full HP, then pumps her ATK, attack range, and number of targets through the roof. The Skill charges very quickly and is </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>permanent</span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> once activated, turning Surtr into a one-woman Catastrophe burning the world to the ground.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>There must be a drawback to </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Twilight’s</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> immense power, right? Sadly, there is. </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Twilight</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> constantly drains Surtr’s HP once activated—and remember, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Twilight</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span> is permanent, so once you’ve hit the ignition switch, you can’t stop it. The self-damage starts out small but ramps up over time, up to 20% of Surtr’s HP per second. It’s possible to heal through this damage, but it’s not really the point. Sooner or later Surtr will run out of HP, activate <strong>Remnant Ash&nbsp;</strong></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>for a few final seconds of destruction, and then retreat so she can cool down and do it all over again.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span><span><span><span><span><span>You can get pretty consistent DPS out of Surtr with </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Laevatain</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> or </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Molten Giant</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, but </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Twilight</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> changes the playing field, making her more of a drop-in assassin. This is an expensive proposition—Surtr’s DP cost is already high, and it skyrockets if you start deploying her multiple times in a fight (to say nothing of waiting for her redeployment timer to run down). Used recklessly, Surtr can burn through all of your resources as easily as she does the enemy forces, leaving you scrambling for the fire extinguisher. But used well, who can resist the siren song of Surtr’s true power—the melody, you might say, of a</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Song_of_Ice_and_Fire"><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Song of Fire and, er, Fire</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Talent buffs ATK and DEF of all allies when deployed. Effect doubles during skill use<br> + Attacks deal Arts damage normally and True damage with S2<br> + Great counter to heavy Arts damage enemies as her skills provide a lot of Arts damage mitigation.<br> + S1: Amiya gains an ATK boost, her attacks hit twice, and she gains 60% Arts Dodge. The Arts Dodge is particularly useful in some CC stages where Arts damage can 1 shot units. Strong dps buffs with good up time.<br> + S2: Similar to Ch'en's S3 in that it causes Amiya to deal 10 hits. However, it also boosts her ATK and RES for up to 3 enemy kills and deals True damage for a moderate duration afterwards. Great effects, especially if you can manage to get 3 kills with it.<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- S2 can only be used one time per fight so you have to make it count<br> - Fairly squishy against non-Arts damage enemies</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><em><span>“Doctor... recently... have I been a little less like myself? The nameless anger that rises up, time and again... is that mine? If so... no, even if so, I won't give up. I will protect you, Doctor, by this sword.”</span></em></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Amiya’s been hiding some tricks up her sleeve! When the situation becomes dire in Chapter 8, our favorite Cautus Caster uses her Arts to create a magical sword and transforms into a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>5* Arts Guard</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> specializing in </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>teamwide buffs</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>mitigating Arts damage</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>dealing Pure damage</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>In order to unlock the “Guard Amiya” transformation, the player must clear the secret Chapter 8 stage JT8-2 with an E2 Caster Amiya in the squad. When the battle is successfully completed, Caster Amiya will be automatically transformed into Guard Amiya; afterwards, the player can freely switch back and forth between the two versions of Amiya in the Operator menu. Note that Caster and Guard Amiya share their level, Trust, and Potential, but have separate Skill Mastery levels (due to having different Skills).</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Having Guard Amiya on the battlefield is enough to fill other Operators with determination. Her Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Wrathful Cerulean Flame</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, imparts an </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=null##cn##ATK-Support##stats"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>ATK</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> and </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=null##cn##DEF-Support##stats"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>DEF</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> buff on all allies that is doubled when Amiya has a Skill active. This Talent typically sees the most benefit from Guard Amiya’s S1, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Ying Xiao – Fleeting Night</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, an ATK and Arts Dodge buff with great uptime that also turns Amiya’s strikes into double attacks. Considering her higher-than-usual base RES, this Skill makes Guard Amiya quite good at surviving Arts damage while still outputting heavy DPS. You may get an even greater effect out of her S2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Ying Xiao – Shadowless</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>. When activated, Guard Amiya flies at the nearest enemy and attacks multiple times in succession, gaining increased ATK and RES for every enemy she kills during this time. After her Ch’en-inspired slashing frenzy ends, she retains the buffs and deals Pure damage for the remaining Skill duration. It’s a tempting Skill with oodles of flair, but there is a drawback: it can only be used </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>once per map</span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, so players must choose carefully when to unleash its power.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Guard Amiya can be a useful welfare unit due to her respectable DPS and her ability to soak enemy Arts damage. However, because Guard Amiya is locked behind Chapter 8 content and E2ing Caster Amiya, players may have better options for her role by the time they can use her. The fact that </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Ying Xiao – Shadowless</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> can only be used once per map can be inconvenient as well (don’t forget that this reduces the uptime of double-strength </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Wrathful Cerulean</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Flame</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> buffs). On the other hand, being handed an easy-access Arts DPS/ tank hybrid is nothing to sneeze at, especially since Guard Amiya doesn’t have to be leveled up or E2’d once you unlock her. And who </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>doesn’t</span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> want to invoke a magical-girl samurai transformation and watch Amiya shank mooks with some flashy sword moves?</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Trait: Attacks do Arts damage<br> + Talent: 20% chance to attack twice<br> + A good source of melee Arts damage if you don't have the higher-rarity options<br> + S2 makes her fairly strong for a long duration<br></span> = Arts Guard Archetype: block-1<br> <span style="color:red;">- Arts Guard Archetype: high DP Cost, low ATK and ATK modifiers on Skills<br> - much weaker than the higher rarity melee Arts damage Operators</span>

Overview

<p dir="ltr"><em>“Good day… p-please call me Mousse. And… and please don’t look at my hands...”</em></p> <p dir="ltr">The intensely self-conscious Mousse was once an apprentice baker, but when she became Infected, her wealthy family confined her to an isolated garden for her own safety. Now she fights for Rhodes Island as a <strong>DPS </strong>Guard who deals <strong>Arts damage</strong> at melee range.</p> <p dir="ltr">Because she deals Arts damage, Mousse is extremely capable at assassinating high-DEF enemy targets. Her Talent, <strong>Combo</strong>, buffs up her damage by giving her a chance to attack twice on every strike. Meanwhile, her two Skills both increase her offensive and defensive capabilities. <strong>Scratch </strong>is an Automatic Skill that buffs Mousse’s next hit and also debuffs the Attack of her victim, while <strong>Fury </strong>is a Manual Skill that increases Mousse’s Attack and Defense for the duration.</p> <p dir="ltr">Like other Block-1 Guards, Mousse isn’t able to hold the frontline by herself, despite her Arts damage and good survivability. She is also expensive to deploy, especially for a 4* unit. In fact, she’s even more expensive than some higher-rarity 5* and 6* Guards, which can be a problem on maps with DP limitations. Despite this, Mousse is still an excellent Guard with a useful niche, especially when you need Arts damage in a battle where Casters are disadvantaged for one reason or another.</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Attacks deal Arts Damage<br> + Every 20 seconds after deployment, Attack speed +5, stacks up to 5 times<br> + High DEF and Arts damage makes her perfect for placing on the front lines<br> + Strong counter to Tanks as she takes relatively little damage from them while s2 is active and hits them very hard<br> + Low CD skill that gives great stat buffs, extra block and multi-target damage<br> + Has innate RES</span><br> = Arts Guard Archetype: Block-1, higher DP Cost, lower base ATK and ATK Skill Modifier<br> <span style="color:red;">- Relatively low HP for a frontliner<br></span>

Overview

<p><em>"The night is over and the stars are about to fade. If this is the end of everything, I should start doing something meaningful. Such as? Well, do you mind me waking you up every morning, Doctor?"</em></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Astesia thought she knew everything about the future from reading the stars with her family’s knowledge of astrology. However, her confidence was shattered when she and her sister were infected with Oripathy and had to be sent to Rhodes Island for treatment – something she had not seen in her predictions. As part of her bid to reclaim her future, she now fights for Rhodes Island as a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>5* Arts Guard</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> who deals </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Arts Damage</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> and is particularly adept at </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Defense</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>When you need an Operator to duel high-DEF foes to the death, Astesia is ready with either of her Skills, both of which increase her ATK and DEF. Her Skill 1 takes longer to charge, but also has a longer duration, making it better for keeping Astesia alive against a single strong opponent. In contrast, her Skill 2 gives her +1 Block (at base she can only Block-1) and allows her to attack a number of enemies equal to her Block Count, turning her into an AoE Guard for short bursts of time. Astesia’s dueling prowess is further boosted by her ASPD-increasing Talent, which rewards the player for using her DEF buffs to keep her alive and on the field.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Especially when her Skill 2 is active, it’s easy to feel like Astesia can do anything. However, she does suffer from the weaknesses of her archetype when compared with other Guards: high DP cost, low base ATK, low ATK multipliers on her Skills, and innate Block-1. Despite this, she is simply stellar for countering difficult, high-DEF enemies. If you deploy her in the right time and place (and perhaps check her horoscope for good luck), Astesia can soar among the stars as an unstoppable goddess of battle.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Archetype: Attacks do Arts damage<br> + After killing enough enemies, ASPD increases and gains Status Resistance effect<br> + A tanky Arts Guard with very high HP recovery and regen<br> + Higher than average max HP for an Arts Guard<br> + S2: Decent skill uptime with a high ATK boost<br></span> = Archetype: Block-1<br> = Better at dueling high Arts damage enemies because of her high RES and HP regen<br> <span style="color:red;">- Typically enemies that do high Arts damage also have high RES, which lowers her DPS<br> - There are usually better options for her role (such as Enmity Guards) to 1v1 powerful enemies</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Sideroca became a mercenary to see the world beyond her Minoan hometown, and as part of Rhodes Island, she’s certainly seeing a lot of wild and crazy things. Fortunately, she’s able to take care of herself when the situation gets hairy, being a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>5* </span></span></strong></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=Arts-Guard##null##cn##stats"><span><span><span><strong><span><span><span><span>Arts Guard</span></span></span></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> who can </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>heal herself</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> in an emergency.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>As an Arts Guard, Sideroca’s basic attacks deal Arts damage instead of physical damage, giving her an advantage against enemies with high DEF but low RES. Her </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Mercenary’s Tenacity</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Talent also grants bonus ASPD and the Status Resistance&nbsp;buff after Sideroca kills a certain number of enemies, giving her a bit of a power spike later in a fight. However, most of Sideroca’s power comes from her Skill 2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Restorative Surge</span></span></strong><span><span><span>. This Skill has fairly good uptime and offers a massive ATK buff and constant healing for its duration. Even at Skill Level 1, </span></span></span><strong><span><span>Restorative Surge</span></span></strong><span><span><span> heals Sideroca for more than her maximum HP, and at max level, the amount healed is frankly ridiculous. The Skill does reduce Sideroca’s attack range, but this is hardly an issue considering the Skill’s other benefits.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Sideroca has other issues instead. Her base ATK is extremely low, reducing her damage output and the effectiveness of </span></span></span><strong><span><span>Restorative Surge’s</span></span></strong><span><span><span> ATK buff. This is especially annoying because Sideroca has to get the killing blow on enemies to activate her Talent. Her high DP cost is also an imposition, as is having Block-1, which limits her ability to hold enemies on the frontline.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Usually, a high-HP self-healing Guard is a perfect unit for assassinating enemy Casters, but Sideroca’s snowballing Talent, Arts damage attacks, and high DP cost make her a poor fit for this role. Instead, use her to duel with heavily-armored targets. Her high HP and self-healing help her survive their attacks, and her Arts damage coupled with </span></span></span><strong><span><span>Restorative Surge's</span></span></strong><span><span><span> ATK buff helps her cut through them quickly. She is especially good against Defense Crushers, since her Talent’s Status Resistance&nbsp;buff reduces the duration of their Stun. Working with Sideroca is a unique prospect, but for a Doctor who understands her strengths, she is certainly capable of pulling her weight.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Mountain overcomes many of the common drawbacks to the brawler archetype while providing some very resilient dps<br> + Talent: has a chance to critical hit, dealing bonus damage and decrease enemy ATK as well as a chance to evade physical attacks<br> + Strong AOE DPS with either S2 or S3 along with a low DP cost and the ability to activate his skills quickly after deploy means he is well suited to handle early waves.<br> + S2: A toggle skill that Slightly lowers DEF and Attack Range but grants an ATK boost, block+1, splash attack and a huge regen bonus. With this skill, Mountain is able to hold lanes of small to medium enemies very well as most enemies can't out-damage his regen.<br> + S3: His attacks deal 2 hits with increased ATK, increased Talent activation rate and ATK interval and pushes up to 4 enemies away. Very effective against slow enemies as your knockback will reset their attack timers.<br></span> = S3: he will knock enemies back on all sides.<br> <span style="color:red;">- S2: Switching to Defender range means he will always need to be in the enemy path to do DPS, unlike others that can rely more on Defenders to block<br></span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Between his spiked jacket chains and brass knuckles, it’s easy to assume that Mountain is some kind of criminal, street brawler, or mafioso. He has indeed spent several years in jail, but not because of any crime he has committed! Mountain was born into the lap of luxury as the son of a Columbian CEO, but his family was framed for illegal activity and he was sent to Mansfield Prison to take the fall. Now Mountain is on the loose and hiding in plain sight at Rhodes Island, working as a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>6* Brawler Guard</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> who can </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>debuff enemy ATK</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>hit multiple targets</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> at once, and/ or </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Push enemies</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> to their deaths.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Brawler Guards haven’t had the best reputation in Arknights up to this point, but Mountain is looking to change that. There are three weaknesses that Brawler Guards have had to surmount:</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <ol> <li><span><span><span><span><span><span>Block-1 limits the number of enemies they can realistically fight in a single battle.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><span><span><span><span>Low DEF makes it hard for them to stand toe-to-toe with the difficult enemies you’d like them to duel.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><span><span><span><span>Low ATK means they struggle to dent high-DEF enemies. Their ASPD doesn’t mean much if each hit fails to do meaningful damage.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li> </ol> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Mountain’s kit puts in a lot of work to combat these weaknesses. His E1 Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Forceful Fist</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, gives his attacks a chance to be a critical hit and inflict an ATK debuff on his target, while his E2 Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Sturdy Constitution</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, permanently grants him a DEF increase and a small chance of Physical Dodge. Moving onto his Skills, his S2 is a state-shifting Skill called </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Sweeping Stance</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>. When activated, Mountain loses some DEF and attack range in exchange for a large ATK buff, HP regeneration, Block +1, and the ability to hit multiple enemies equal to his Block count. This allows Mountain to handle large waves of enemies like a mini-AoE Guard. If you need more power in a shorter time, however, try </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Earth-Shattering Smash</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>. Mountain attacks more slowly for the duration of this Skill, but his attacks target up to three nearby enemies with two hits per punch. He also gains increased ATK, an increased chance to trigger </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Forceful Fist</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, and a moderate Push effect on his hits. The Push is especially important—it can be used to Push enemies into lethal pits, but it also increases Mountain’s survivability by interrupting enemy attacks and giving him a breather while they run back up to him.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Even with all these advantages, Mountain isn’t immune to his archetype’s weaknesses. His base ATK is still relatively low for a 6* Guard, so he has trouble defeating high-DEF opponents without help. His survivability can also be iffy when his Talents don’t trigger or when his enemy is too heavy to Push with </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Earth-Shattering Smash</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>. However, between his low DP cost and multi-target damage, Mountain can easily be deployed early in a battle to chew through hordes of foes without breaking a sweat, giving his allies space to focus on a stronger boss or elite that Mountain may not be as well-equipped to handle.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Talent: gain 3 SP when you deal the killing blow, allowing you to charge skills quickly in large waves.<br> + Talent: Attacks have a chance to apply a special debuff to enemies that boosts the damage of his attacks.<br> + Skills have big damage multipliers which work well with ATK buffing units.<br> + S2: A unique AOE burst that does two shockwaves that can temporarily levitate enemies and deal huge burst damage.<br> + S3: Great choice for a consistent single target damage and the default skill choice in most situations. The increased range is very useful to cover multiple lanes and allows you to protect Chongyue by placing units in front of him after his attack range expands.<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- S2: The secondary effect that levitates enemies and deals most of the the skills’ damage only triggers on enemies affected by his talent, which will only be activate on the enemy that he is currently hitting.<br> - S3: Getting to 5 uses can be a huge pain on many maps as he often needs to be placed early in the map to reach 5 skill activates.<br></span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span>Chongyue is one of Nian’s eleven dragon siblings, and the first brother of hers to appear in Arknights. A quiet, meditative man who excels at martial arts, he has become one of the combat instructors at Rhodes Island—a role he excels at. Unfortunately for his students, he forces his rigid scheduling upon their lives as well as his own, leading to many complaints among the more free-spirited Operators assigned to his care. While his obsessive diligence may be cause for annoyance, there is certainly no room to complain about his combat skills, however. Chongyue is a <strong>6* Brawler Guard</strong> who <strong>amplifies his own damage</strong> to opponents and attacks with<strong> massive damage multipliers</strong>, qualities that compound one another with dramatic effect.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>The most important thing to note about Chongyue is how his kit uses damage multipliers rather than ATK multipliers for most of its effects. His E1 Talent, <strong>To End a War</strong>, has a chance to debuff enemies that Chongyue attacks so that they take bonus damage from him for a few seconds. His S1, <strong>Void and Full</strong>, stores up multiple charges and multiplies the damage of his next attack when used according to the number of charges consumed. His S2, <strong>Hossu</strong>, does damage to multiple nearby enemies and Levitates them, then slams them to the ground, dealing even more damage and activating <strong>To End a War’s</strong> debuff on all of them. Most impressively, of course, is his S3, <strong>One’s Non-existence</strong>. The first several times it is activated, <strong>One’s Non-existence</strong> is a simple splash damage attack. Afterwards, however, the Skill becomes an infinite-duration passive that increases Chongyue’s attack range into a four-directional cross and causes his attacks to hit twice, including subsequent uses of <strong>One’s Non-existence</strong> (which will activate automatically from there on out).</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Because Chongyue’s kit uses damage multipliers instead of ATK multipliers, Chongyue has <a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/core-gameplay/arknights-mastery-priority-guide-where-vernal-winds-will-never-blow">incredible synergy with ATK-buffing units</a>, whose buffs are further multiplied by his mechanics. Considering how high his DPS is even without assistance, Chongyue can reach some truly impressive numbers with the right backup. That being said, even with assistance, Chongyue can struggle in high-level content. He only has Block-1 and lacks any kind of self-sustain, which can limit his ability to hold a lane, and he has no DEF-ignore or ATK-buffing properties, so high-DEF enemies can be a problem for him. Remember also that <strong>One’s Non-existence</strong> has the [When Attacking] SP charge type and must be triggered several times before it grants expanded attack range and double-hits. On fast-paced maps, <strong>One’s Non-existence’s</strong> ramp-up time can be too long to be useful.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>When you’re able to contribute support to Chongyue’s performance—buffs, debuffs, external healing, Block count increase—he returns your investment tenfold, allowing for some absolutely ridiculous YouTube clears. Even on his own, Chongyue is a fairly reliable unit who has a lot of room to grow even stronger as your squad develops. </span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ A Fighter Guard whose damage ramps up as enemies die nearby.<br> + Talent 1: provides a huge damage boost once fully charged.<br> + Talent 2: Great self-sustain when in Episode 11 thanks to healing on damage dealt.<br> + S2: Increases her ATK, number of hits and boosts the crit chance on her talent. <br></span> <span style="color:red;">- Outside of Episode 11, a major part of her usability disappears.<br> - S1: With SP recovery on being hit, she is only reducing damage every fifth hit and it only affects physical damage.<br> - S2: It takes quite a while for her talent to reach its full potential. Poor skill uptime.<br></span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span>Dagda, a diehard member of the <a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/taxonomy/term/13191">Glasgow Gang</a> and <a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/operator/siege">Siege’s</a> biggest fangirl, has been assisting Rhodes Island on dangerous missions for several years. However, she refused to join Rhodes Island officially, as her first loyalty is to Victoria and to Siege specifically. It took a lot of coaxing from the other members of the Glasgow Gang before Dagda finally agreed to make her relationship to Rhodes Island official as a <strong>5* Brawler Guard</strong>. Naturally, she is best when <strong>fighting alongside other Glasgow Gang</strong> members, where she can <strong>multiply her damage</strong> and <strong>decrease Physical damage</strong> she takes from enemies.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Considering her intense loyalty to the Glasgow Gang, it’s no surprise that Dagda’s main strength is her <strong>Gang Mentality</strong> Talent. The Talent randomly increases the damage of her next attack, and the damage multiplier is increased every time an enemy is defeated next to a fellow Glasgow Gang Operator, up to a cap. Dagda also gains a boost from fighting for Victoria in Chapter 11 stages, where her <strong>Knight’s Will</strong> Talent gives her bonus HP and self-sustain when attacking.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Pairing well with the sustain from <strong>Knight’s Will</strong> is Dagda’s <strong>Counter Technique</strong> S1, which reduces the damage Dagda would take from the next Physical attack by a certain percentage and then causes Dagda’s next attack to deal massively increased damage. If <strong>Gang Mentality</strong> procs at the same time, the counterattack can be an absolute sledgehammer of a blow. On the other hand, you can stack the deck for <strong>Gang Mentality</strong> better with the <strong>Precise Hunting</strong> S2, a short-duration Skill that buffs Dagda’s ATK, causes her attacks to hit twice, and increases <strong>Gang Mentality’s</strong> activation chance.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>In Chapter 11 stages, where Dagda heals from <strong>Knight’s Will</strong> every time she punches, this Glasgow knight can be a force to be reckoned with. <strong>Counter Technique’s</strong> damage reduction is sizable and <strong>Precise Hunting</strong> can rack up a lot of hits even in its short duration. However, outside of Chapter 11, Dagda can struggle (especially if she doesn’t have her Glasgow allies around for backup). <strong>Precise Hunting</strong> has a short duration and poor uptime, and without <strong>Knight’s Will</strong> for self-sustain, there isn’t much to recommend Dagda over other Block-1 DPS options. It doesn’t help that a lot of the Glasgow Gang fills a similar niche, causing them to step on each other’s toes in some situations. Dagda has some uses, but outside of Chapter 11, she’s unlikely to make a huge impact.</span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Talent: Passive Physical Dodge. Increased ATK for first attack after a successful Dodge.<br> + Very low DP Cost<br> + S1 and S2: Great against high DEF enemies<br> + S2: Good sub tank option with Dodge and the HP restore<br></span> = Extremely rare, <a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/core-gameplay/arknights-operator-recruitment-guide">recruitment only</a> Operator<br> = Block-1 Brawler Guard Archetype<br> <span style="color:red;">- S2 has a long cooldown</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><em><span>“Whoa, whoa, chew before you swallow, mate! HEY! SOMEONE BRING US MORE FOOD! This girl's got an empty belly to fill!”</span></em></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Brash, boisterous, and brass-knuckled, Indra isn’t the first Operator most people would think of as an example of loyalty. However, her loyalty to her leader Siege and the rest of the Glasgow Gang is second to none. When Siege decided to help Rhodes Island, Indra followed her, registering as a </span></span></span></span></span></span><strong>5★</strong><span><span><span><strong><span><span> Brawler Guard</span></span></strong><span><span><span> who specializes in </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>piercing armor</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>surviving attacks</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>A quick note about getting Indra: She can only be gained through Recruitment, and she is very rare and hard to get.&nbsp; See our </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/core-gameplay/arknights-operator-recruitment-guide"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Operator Recruitment Guide</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> or </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/arknights-recruitment-tag-filter"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Recruit Tag Filter</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> for more details.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Indra doesn’t like it when she can’t punch people, so her kit is all about helping her punch people as much as possible. Brawler Guards are unique for their very high attack speed and low DP Costs. Her </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Quick Fists</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Talent gives a chance to dodge an enemy’s physical attack and makes her next hit stronger after successfully dodging. It works well with her automatic Skill 1, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Armorcrusher</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, which causes her next attack to deal increased damage and ignore part of her target’s DEF. However, it works even better with her Skill 2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Sundered Soul</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, which turns Indra’s attacks into Arts damage and causes them to recover her HP based on damage done. Once this Skill is activated, Indra can tear through heavily armored opponents like they’re made of paper, especially with her high attack speed. </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Sundered Soul</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> also gives Indra a lot of survivability, with the HP she regains being protected by her Talent’s innate dodge.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Indra’s Skills help her get around high-DEF enemies, which are one of the main weaknesses of Brawler Guards. However, they can’t fix all of her problems, especially since they can’t be active all the time. Her S2, in particular, pays for its power with high SP cost and mediocre up-time. When her Skills are on cooldown, Indra may struggle to make an impact due to her low base ATK and only being able to Block-1. Her incredible rarity is also a downside: not only is it difficult to recruit her in the first place, but it’s even </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>more</span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> difficult to obtain duplicates to increase her Potential. Don’t let that turn you off of using this ferocious feline if you happen to recruit her, however. With her low DP cost, potent offensive presence, and fun-loving attitude, Indra is a great Operator to have around.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Talent: Increases damage dealt to enemies she is not blocking<br> + Very cheap to deploy<br> + S2: sets her Block Count to 0 so she can DPS more safely on the front line. Good single target DPS with a short slow.<br> + S1: Can push enemies with small force<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- ineffective against high DEF enemies<br> - Poor skill uptime</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><em><span>“Doctor, do me a favor, up there, the flower basket on the top, get it for me. Oh, you can’t reach it either? This is troublesome…. What if I tried lifting you up?”</span></em></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>To be honest, it’s a wonder Flint is still alive, considering that the first thing she did when she came to Rhodes Island was start picking the flowers from Perfumer’s greenhouse. Flowers are commonplace in Flint’s rainforest home, so she saw nothing wrong with picking some pretty specimens. The Rhodes Island botanists, like Perfumer and Flamebringer, were ready to go to war with whoever was despoiling their greenhouse, but fortunately the truth of Flint’s actions was revealed and no hard feelings remain. Good thing, too, or else Rhodes Island would have been deprived of a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>5* </span></span></strong></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=Brawler##null##stats"><span><span><span><strong><span><span><span><span>Brawler Guard</span></span></span></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> with some awe-inspiring </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>DPS</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> against </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>enemies she isn’t Blocking</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Flint’s damage potential revolves around her very fast ASPD and her Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Featherweight</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, which increases her damage against enemies she isn’t Blocking herself. There are several ways to activate this Talent. One is via positioning: simply place Flint to the side of a Defender (or some other Blocker) and let Flint punch the enemies as they pile up. Another way is with her S1, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Ceaseless</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, an automatic Skill that </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=null##cn##Shift-(Not-Pull/Pusher)##stats"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>pushes</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> an enemy away from Flint with her next attack. Finally, there’s her S2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Rampage</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>. This Skill gives a large buff to Flint’s ATK and ASPD, causes her attacks to </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=null##cn##Slow---Sluggish##stats"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Slow</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> enemies briefly, and reduces her Block count to 0! Not only does Block-0 help Flint activate her Talent, it also helps her survive (something Brawler Guards can have trouble doing) by letting melee enemies pass by her. Just make sure there’s someone behind Flint to catch enemies that make it through her rain of punches!</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Brawler Guards can be hard to use well. They have low base ATK to compensate for their high ASPD, so their damage suffers against high-DEF opponents, and having Block-1 and mediocre durability means they are easily overwhelmed on the frontlines. Flint leans into these issues by embracing her role as a supplemental DPS unit. Because she gets rewarded for standing off to the side rather than blocking directly, and because she can boost her damage so high with her Talent and S2, Flint is able to work around these downsides in a creative way. She’s not ideal for every circumstance, but with a little planning and foresight, this Liberi punches high above her weight class.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Talent: Multiple attacks on the same target increase ATK<br> + Very cheap to deploy Guard that can pack a big punch<br> + Extremely powerful when paired with ATK buffers, can melt bosses in seconds<br> + Fast attack speed, Oraoraoraoraa!<br></span> = Brawler Guard Archetype: Block-1<br> <span style="color:red;">- Without significant investment she will do low damage due to her low base ATK, especially against enemies with DEF<br> - To take maximum advantage of her potential damage needs a lot of support</span>

Overview

<p><em>"Yo! Boss, you know a winner when you see her! You got the world's strongest underground fighter, me, Beehunter! "</em></p> <p>With a remarkable passion and a fire burning in her bones, Beehunter will never give up. As a <strong>Brawler</strong>&nbsp;<strong>Guard</strong> Operator of Rhodes Island, she specializes as a pure Single Target physical DPS fighter that prefers one-on-one matches.</p> <p>Beehunter’s kit is built around her extremely fast attack speed and her Talent <strong>Boxer’s Concentration</strong>, which is a damage buff that stacks when she repeatedly strikes the same foe. Both of her Skills are designed to allow her to go toe-to-toe against a strong enemy and come out the victor. <strong>Skill 1: Flexibility</strong> allows her to dodge Physical Attacks, allowing her to survive long enough to finish off hard-hitting brutes. <strong>Skill 2: Soaring Fists</strong>, on the other hand, significantly increases her attack speed, allowing her to quickly dispatch her victims.&nbsp;</p> <p>Beehunter’s biggest weakness is targets with high Defense. She has a low ATK stat, but an extremely fast attack speed. This means targets with some Defense are going to give her a tough time, and her S2 isn’t going to help much. . However, she will shine against Casters and other enemies with low Defense that she can shred to her heart’s content.&nbsp;Beehunter is a special pure DPS Operator who will do very well if played where she can take-on and take-out high value units.</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ A 4* Brawler Guard with a heavy focus on Physical evasion <br> + Talent: Passive Physical Dodge. Increases ASPD after successful evasion.<br> + S2: Stops Jackie from attacking but gain a large amount of physical dodge and counters on successful dodges for bonus damage. Strong against fast attacking low DEF enemies<br></span> = While she can function as a dodge tank against some stronger foes, she will need additional firepower support to kill them.<br> <span style="color:red;">- Due to her low base ATK and low damage modifiers she will have a hard time killing medium and higher DEF enemies<br> - S2: She won't be able to utilize her attack speed versus most enemies since she can only counter attack at the speed of enemy attacks.</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><em><span>“Hello Doctor! I'm the new operator, codename Jackie! I used to be an auxiliary police in Columbia, let's get along!”</span></em></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Many Operators join Rhodes Island because they are banished from their homes and families, due to the rampant prejudice against the Infected. Jackie has had to leave her home behind because of her Oripathy, but she has not lost her family: her father insisted on visiting Rhodes Island as well, wanting to see where his daughter would be living and meet her new friends. Bolstered by his unflinching love and acceptance, Jackie has thrown herself into her new job as a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>4*&nbsp;</span></span></strong></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=Brawler##null##cn##stats"><span><span><span><strong><span><span><span><span>Brawler Guard</span></span></span></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>, using her martial arts training to </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>evade physical attacks</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>retaliate</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> with great force.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Jackie-chan (</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackie_Chan"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>get it?</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>) has an active fighting style that revolves around avoiding incoming attacks. Her Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Extreme Evasion</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, gives her passive Physical Dodge and grants her a short burst of bonus ASPD every time she dodges an attack. The trick is using this in combination with her S2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Pay Close Attention!</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> During this Skill, Jackie stops directly attacking, but she gains a massive burst of additional Physical Dodge and the ability to counterattack upon successfully evading. This can make her an option for stalling bosses or elite enemies whose attacks are so strong that they can’t be tanked directly.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The idea of an Operator who can dodge any physical attack is very appealing, but Jackie has several limitations on her power.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <ol> <li><span><span><span><span><span><span>Her HP and DEF are not very high, so she relies entirely on dodging to survive powerful attacks., However, her Talent’s base Dodge chance is not very high, and even with </span></span></span><strong><span><span>Pay Close Attention!</span></span></strong><span><span><span> Jackie’s Dodge is not guaranteed due to the way Dodge buffs stack.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><span><span><span><span>Many bosses and elite enemies have high DEF, so Jackie’s counterattack damage will barely scratch them. She can distract them for a while, but if she isn’t backed up by stronger allies who can kill the boss before </span></span></span><strong><span><span>Pay Close Attention!</span></span></strong><span><span><span> ends, then she’s in trouble.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><span><span><span><span>Finally, note that Jackie can only dodge Physical attacks. She has no protection against Arts damage whatsoever.</span></span></span></span></span></span></li> </ol> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>There are a lot of provisos on Jackie’s performance. However, she’s a low-DP option for stonewalling nasty Physical attackers, and as a 4*, she’s fairly accessible. Few Doctors will find themselves needing Jackie-chan’s services, but she may be a decent early-game option for players who lack better alternatives. Plus, she’s so gosh-darn cute!</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Extremely high HP and ATK stats are sometimes useful.<br> + S2 has a decent stun, despite RNG.<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- Complete lack of DEF makes her very fragile. Probably more fragile than you think. Her high HP does not make up for it.<br> - Low DPS that does not even come close to making up for her fragility.<br> - S2: Makes her even more fragile!<br> - S1: Lower DPS with less control than S2.<br> - 150 Red Certificates makes her more expensive than other 4★s.<br> - Most players will be better off raising a Centurion like Estelle or Specter instead.<br></span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span>Quartz cuts quite an imposing figure with that giant longsword slung across her back. If you took one look at that huge hunk of metal and thought, “I definitely don’t want to mess with this woman”… then Quartz’s gamble succeeded! In truth, she is not very good at wielding the massive blade, but she insists on carrying it anyway, hoping the intimidation factor will help her avoid fights. She <em>does </em>know how to use the longsword when she has to, though, serving as the very first <strong>4* Crusher Guard</strong> with a focus on <strong>high HP</strong> and <strong>high ATK</strong>.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Crusher Guards are similar to Centurion Guards in that they attack a number of enemies equal to their Block count. However, their stats alone cause them to feel dramatically different. Crusher Guards excel at HP and ATK; even as a 4* unit, Quartz has more HP and ATK than most 5* and 6* units. To compensate, however, Crushers have <strong>0 DEF</strong>, forcing them to rely entirely on their vast HP pools to survive incoming damage. Crushers also have slow ASPD, above-average DP cost, and 0 RES, and they can Block-2 at any level of promotion (more on that in a bit).</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Quartz leans into the lopsided Crusher Guard stats with her <strong>Wilderness Action</strong> Talent, which further increases her HP and ATK. Her <strong>All-Out Attack</strong> Skill is more oriented toward shoring up her weaknesses: the Skill gives a large ASPD boost, increases the damage she deals, and gives her attacks a chance to Stun their target. Unfortunately, <strong>All-Out Attack</strong> also increases the damage that Quartz takes for the duration, so she really needs that Stun to land in order to survive.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>And “surviving” is something Quartz has a lot of trouble doing. Even aside from the extra damage she takes during <strong>All-Out Attack</strong>, having 0 DEF and 0 RES makes Quartz a sitting duck for many of Arknights’ more powerful enemies. With no defenses to reduce incoming damage, her huge HP pool gets burned through very quickly, especially against enemies with high ASPD. On top of that, her slow ASPD greatly reduces the effectiveness of her high ATK stat, much like Mystic Casters. The Crusher archetype tries to get around this by having her hit multiple enemies at once, but having Block-2 limits the value of this trait, especially in comparison to the Block-3 of Centurion Guards or the AoE of Reaper Guards. Quartz might be better off if she could Stun reliably, but the activation chance on her Stun is terribly low and the poor uptime on <strong>All-Out Attack</strong> doesn’t help either.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>If you like to see high (or just lopsided) numbers in your Operators’ stats, Quartz is the girl for you. Her archetype is a very interesting idea and it can be satisfying to watch her chop down weak enemies like a lumberjack. As far as functionality goes, however, Quartz needs a colossal amount of assistance to function in a fight. Considering that she doesn’t even want to be fighting in the first place, it might be kinder to let her tend to business in the RIIC Base instead.</span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Talent: good ATK modifier that can be easily maintained as long as a healer is nearby<br> + S2: Stops attacking for 5s, gain shelter and builds ATK to unleash a slash that travels 3 tiles ahead dealing damage to enemies on the path. Good single hit burst that can easily deal with small mobs.<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- S2: A buildup time that can be awkward to time for incoming enemy waves. Between the buildup time and the SP cost there's long delays between activations without a battery.<br></span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span>Wind Chimes is a fierce Forte mountain climber who worked as a messenger in the Yan Kingdom, where she was born. Strong-bodied and strongminded, she had aspirations of opening trade routes between her home village and the big city. She blazed several trails through the mountains to accomplish this goal, but much to her shock, her home village ignored her efforts, with many of her neighbors signing contracts to work for metropolitan factories instead. The memory still stings, and she tries to forget it as she swings her sword in the employ of Rhodes Island as a <strong>5* Crusher Guard</strong> who <strong>buffs herself</strong> with <strong>Vigor and Shelter</strong>.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>The Crusher archetype is a massive ball of HP and ATK stats that suffers from 0 DEF and slow attacks that can hit multiple targets. Wind Chimes enhances these stats with her <strong>Mountain Traveler</strong> Talent, which increases her base HP and grants a Vigor effect when her HP is above a certain percentage. The Vigor effect can multiply powerfully with her <strong>Unchanging Rural Heart</strong> Skill—a very unusual Skill that causes Wind Chimes to stop attacking for a wind-up period, then unleash an enhanced blow in front of her that also inflicts Stun. During the wind-up period, Wind Chimes protects herself with a Shelter effect and also gradually ramps up her ATK before releasing it all in the final burst.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Unfortunately, this Skill is laden with drawbacks. It has an unforgivably high SP cost and atrocious DPS, since Wind Chimes stops attacking during the wind-up period. The Shelter effect does little to protect Wind Chimes from actually dangerous enemies, and the Stun is bafflingly brief considering how long it takes to pull off. In many cases, you may be better off using her generic <strong>ATK Up γ</strong> S1 instead. Worst of all, <strong>Unchanging Rural Heart</strong> in no way makes up for the downsides of the Crusher archetype, which tends to be extremely fragile due to their 0 DEF and already has poor DPS due to their slow ASPD.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Though she has an appealing visual design, Wind Chimes is extremely ill-suited to Rhodes Island’s increasingly intense battles. Think carefully before you decide to invest in her combat abilities—they are not this Forte’s forte.</span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Talent: Attacks can ignore up to 50% of enemy DEF, allowing her to easily burst high DEF enemies.<br> + Talent: Large increase to ASPD, which doubles against seaborn enemies<br> + Great with buffs and SP recharge skills, particularly in IS and SSS modes as she scales heavily with the provided bonuses.<br> + S1: Surprisingly strong, allows her to continuously launch some tougher small and medium sized enemies into the air.<br> + S2: An AOE stun with good damage and crowd control that lasts up to 4s with 2 charges.<br> + S3: Huge AOE damage that takes full advantage of her passive DEF penetration. Her shots hit aerial units so it can be effective against both ground and air enemies.<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- S1+S2: She doesn't attack enemies after they are launched into the air during these skills, so she can't take advantage of the crowd control on her own.<br> - All skills require on attack recharging which can be difficult to build up on some stages<br> </span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span>“<em>Hm... Are these all your Operators? Is it just me or do some of them seem like an actual security risk? Alright, fine. I will try my best to focus on their combat techniques….</em>”</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Irene was a helpless little girl the first time she encountered Skadi and the terrible plots of the AEgir under the sea. She was a fully trained member of the Iberian Inquisition the second time she encountered Skadi and was a key member of the hunt for the Stultifera Navis, where she actively foiled the plans of the deep-sea AEgir once again. Now Irene has left the Inquisition and sees Skadi daily, fighting alongside her at Rhodes Island as a <strong>6* Swordsman Guard</strong>, flinging foes into the air with the new <strong>Levitate crowd control ailment</strong> and countering <strong>airborne enemies</strong> with <strong>DEF-ignoring</strong> gunshots.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>While Irene brings both a rapier and a willpower-fueled handcannon to the battlefield, she is a Swordsman Guard, not a Lord Guard. She only attacks ground enemies using her rapier and is not capable of making ranged attacks. With this in mind, her <strong>Flames of Castigation</strong> E1 Talent may seem a bit odd. It gives her Physical damage a 50% chance to ignore part of her target’s DEF, with the chance increasing to 100% against aerial units. (Her <strong>Sword of Cleansing</strong> E2 Talent is a simple ASPD buff that doubles when there are [Sea Monster] enemies on the map; much easier to understand.) If Irene doesn’t make ranged attacks, how can she hit aerial units? The answer is in her Skills and their new status ailment: Levitate.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Levitate is an effect that turns the target into an aerial unit for a certain duration, while also preventing the target from being able to move, attack, or activate special abilities. The downside is, Levitate’s duration is halved when used on targets above a certain weight class. All three of Irene’s Skills inflict Levitate, which is how Flames of Castigation can come into play in a big way.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>The simplest use of Levitate is Irene’s S1, <strong>Gust</strong>. This automatic Skill empowers Irene’s next attack and causes it to inflict Levitate, then immediately inflicts another empowered attack on the target as they are held in the air, guaranteeing <strong>Flames of Castigation’s</strong> DEF ignore (if the enemy is not immune to Levitate, of course). In contrast, Irene’s S2—<strong>Shattertide</strong>—uses Levitate purely for crowd-control. This Skill deals damage to multiple enemies in front of Irene and then Levitates all targets below a certain weight class. (Note that because there is no follow-up attack, <strong>Shattertide</strong> won’t trigger <strong>Flames of Castigation</strong> like <strong>Gust</strong> does.) Her <strong>Judgment</strong> S3 combines aspects of both Skills: it deals Physical damage to all nearby ground enemies and Levitates them, then unleashes a flurry of randomly-targeted splash-damage attacks within the same area. Spread out between multiple targets, <strong>Judgment</strong> easily cuts the herd down to size; focused on one opponent, <strong>Judgment</strong> can shred even the largest of health bars.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>The way that Irene’s kit revolves around Levitate holds her back in some situations. She is an excellent counter to lightweight enemies, especially since Levitate prevents attacks and special skills from being used, but she suffers against heavier enemies (who halve Levitate’s duration) or targets who are flat-out immune to her tricks. In particular, since <strong>Judgment’s</strong> multiple attacks take several seconds to complete, heavier enemies will likely run out the Levitate duration partway through the Skill and return <strong>Flames of Castigation</strong> to a coinflip rather than a guarantee, reducing the total damage done. Irene needs to know when she’s outmatched—much like in the “Stultifera Navis” event, she can’t just duel every enemy without an issue. As long as the Doctor is paying attention to the weight and immunities of the enemies Irene is facing, however, she <em>will</em> make her mentor Inquisitor Dario proud of her conduct.</span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Trait: Regular attacks deal damage twice<br> + Talent: When deployed, all Skills with [On Attack] and [When Hit] Charge Type gain 1 SP over time<br> + E2 Talent; +ATK, +DEF, +Physical Dodge<br> + Excellent when paired with other Operators that have [On ATK] or [When Hit] charge skills<br> + S2: Strong burst group assassination<br> + S3: Great multi-target and Boss killing<br></span> = While her attacks hit twice, they only charge 1 SP per attack, and her ATK stat is lower than other Guards to compensate, putting her at a disadvantage against high DEF enemies<br> = As a Nuker, her best Skills are instant bursts, and she lacks Skills for sustained damage<br> <span style="color:red;">- Expensive Deploy Cost<br> - [On-Attack] charge Skills with moderate SP Costs can be slow to charge</span>

Overview

<p><i>“Such evil must be stopped, and by any means necessary.”</i></p> <p>Onee-san, tsundere, waifu, and all-around badass of the early Arknights story, Ch’en is not just a high-ranking Lungmen official but also a 6★ <s>Specialist</s> <br>Dualstrike Guard</br> with an outstanding and diverse kit.</p> <p>Of her two Talents, Ch’en’s first, <b>Scolding</b> is potentially her most potent: it causes all allies with Skills of the  “Attacking Enemy” or “Getting Hit” SP Charge Type to gain 1 SP every 5 seconds. This can be used solo or stacked with other SP-gain abilities to allow more frequent Skill use.  Just call her the SP Energizer Bunny (though maybe not within her hearing).</p> <p>Along with her trait that allows her to deal damage twice with each attack, what makes Ch’en so unique is the variety and effectiveness of her Skills.  Her role in battle changes based on the Skill she uses, and she is solid at all of them.  <ul> <li>Her Skill 1, <b>Sheathed Strike</b>, boosts her single-target DPS with a nice Attack steroid and adds fairly consistent stuns.</li> <li>If she equips her Skill 2, <b>Chi Xiao - Unsheath</b>, Ch’en turns into a multi-target burst assassin.  The Skill deals a lot of Physical and <b>Arts</b> damage to multiple enemies in range (both ground and <b>aerial</b>!), and at max Skill Level it is available to use <b>immediately</b> on deploy.</li> <li>Need some multi-attack burst with crowd control?   Ch’en’s ready with her Skill 3, <b>Chi Xiao - Shadowless</b>, which divides several hits between targets over a large area and ends with a Stun.  Use it and watch low-Defense bosses melt before your eyes!</li> </ul> <p>Ch’en’s greatest weakness is that she <s>hasn’t joined me yet</s> pays for her amazing Skills by only being able to charge them when she is attacking.  Although her Talent does soften the blow, it can be frustrating during breaks in battle watching Ch’en get no closer to her next Skill use while other Operators are charging.  Ignore Ch’en at your peril, however. Given the chance, her skillful swordplay can completely dominate the battlefield.</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Trait: Regular attacks deal damage twice<br> + Talent: Increase ASPD every killing blow, up to cap.<br> + S2: Great crowd-control: low SP cost and ability to store charges allows her to rapidly launch AOE stuns<br> + Mixed damage types with Physical damage on basic attacks and Arts on skills.<br> + Fast ASPD and low SP cost skills<br></span> = While often compared to Ch'en, Bibeak's strength is more in AOE crowd-control than damage<br> <span style="color:red;">- S2: Fairly weak nuking power for an AOE burst skill<br> - Typical Archetypal drawbacks of low base ATK and relatively high DP costs</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Fashion designer Bibeak was exposed to Originium by accident when she was caught up in a factory riot, which ended her promising career long before its time. Now that she's&nbsp;Infected, she has few options available to her, but she’s making the best of it by joining Rhodes Island as a </span></span></span><strong><span><span>5</span></span></strong></span></span></span>★<span><span><span><strong><span><span>&nbsp;Dualstrike Guard</span></span></strong><span><span><span> with </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>quick attacks</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>multi-target Skills</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, and a killer Gothic Lolita aesthetic.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>As a <a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=Dualstrike-Guard##null##cn##skills">Dualstrike Guard</a>, Bibeak has the Trait of dealing damage twice every time she attacks. In addition, her Talent—</span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Soul Drinker</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>—gives her stacks of an attack speed buff (up to a cap) every time she deals the killing blow to an enemy unit. Her Skills are perfect for getting these killing blows: her automatic Skill 1, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Plumage Pins</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, increases the damage of her next attack and also deals Arts damage to another enemy behind the first, while her manual Skill 2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Blade Swap</span></span></strong><span><span><span>, deals Arts damage to multiple enemies (ground or air!) and Stuns them. The really impressive thing about both these Skills is how fast they charge. Both have the sometimes-inconsistent “Attacking Enemy” SP generation, but they also have incredibly low SP costs. </span></span></span><strong><span><span>Blade Swap</span></span></strong><span><span><span> even holds multiple charges, so you can build its SP on weak early waves and spam it later when you need it.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Bibeak suffers from the usual weaknesses of Dualstrike Guards: high DP cost, lower base ATK to compensate for hitting twice, and “Attacking Enemy” SP generation. Her lower base ATK also means she can have trouble with high-DEF enemies. However, much like she adapted to being Infected, Bibeak has adapted to her low ATK by loading her Skills with Arts damage, which allows her to tear right through high-DEF opponents. She also benefits from being an Event Operator, which makes it easier to max out her Potential buffs. Don’t let her delicate, frilly appearance fool you: Bibeak is a warrior to be respected.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Archetype: Regular attacks deal damage twice<br> + Talent: Normal attacks have a chance to recover 1 additional SP<br> + S2: Very high AOE damage on drones<br> + Good SP cost on Skills for a burst damage Guard<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- Specializes in clearing groups of flying enemies with Skills, but needs to attack ground units to charge the Skills.<br> - Low DEF and no damage mitigation can be a problem since she needs to be on the front line to attack to charge her Skills<br></span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>In exchange for Oripathy treatment, Cutter has signed on to work with Rhodes Island. She may be a disaster in the kitchen, but as a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>4* Dualstrike Guard</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, Cutter has quite a bit of talent at </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>DPS</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, particularly against </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>aerial units</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Cutter specializes in quickly charging her Skills, which have low SP costs and charge when she attacks an enemy. Her Trait causes her to strike twice with each attack, and her E1 Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Photoetched Marks</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, gives each hit a chance to recover an extra SP. This Talent can speedily charge Cutter’s Skill 1, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Redshift</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, which deals four hits in an extended range to random enemies in front of her, including aerial enemies. Her Skill 2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Crimson Crescent</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, is only slightly more expensive, and it damages multiple enemies in a large area around Cutter, with twice the ATK scaling against flying targets. Considering she has surprisingly high ATK for a Dualstrike Guard, Cutter can output a lot of damage in a short time, and her ranged Skills allow her to shut down flying enemies more easily than most ground-based Operators--very useful in Challenge stages where Snipers or other ranged units are banned.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>That being said, Cutter’s high DP cost (typical of Dualstrike Guards) and the random nature of her damage can be drawbacks. Her Talent has a fairly low activation chance and you can’t choose targets for her Skills, so she’s not the most reliable answer for aerial units on a regular basis. Nevertheless, Cutter’s Skill-centric playstyle gives her a lot of potential for Doctors to utilize on the battlefield. Don’t sell her short because of her weaknesses… or because she accidentally blew up the kitchen once or twice.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Uniquely long range for a dual-strike guard<br> + S1: DEF ignore compliments his dual-strike attacks well since he doesn't have high base ATK. Good sized AOE for the burning zones.<br> + S2: Fires about 20 attacks in 4s. It will potentially deal great damage when buffed or facing very low DEF enemies.<br></span> = All skills have on-attack charging SP but thanks to his increased range he can charge them easier than other dual-strike guards<br> <span style="color:red;">- S2: No damage multipliers means a lot of his damage will be mitigated by enemy DEF<br> - Longer than normal redeployment time<br> - Long Skill cooldowns and poor uptime<br></span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><em><span>“If you invited me, you must not be looking for a tactician.”</span></em></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Alexsandr Senaviev, codename Tachanka, is one of the Rainbow 6 members who has been signed onto Rhodes Island for a limited time after the Watchtower 33 incident. An easygoing man who likes to share pictures of his nieces and nephews, Tachanka has had no trouble fitting in at Rhodes Island… other than difficulties with getting his rocket launcher working. (Closure has ordered that none of Rhodes Island’s Sankta Operators be allowed to examine his rocket launcher because they’ll get ideas about making one for themselves.) At least he still has his modified machine gun, which he wields as a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>5* Dualstrike Guard</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> with </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>increased attack range</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> and some </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>DEF-ignoring capabilities</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Tachanka differentiates himself from other Dualstrike Guards right off the bat with his Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Heavy Firepower</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, which gives him +1 attack range at E0 and +2 attack range at E2. (It makes sense, considering that Tachanka is attacking with a gun, rather than swords like most Dualstrike Guards.) The downside is that this Talent also increases his redeployment time—which is already longer than average, like other welfare units—so be careful about retreating him unnecessarily.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Tachanka’s firepower is also a key part of his Skills. His S1, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Incendiary Grenade</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, sets a small AoE on fire, dealing Arts damage to ground-based enemies that walk through it and allowing Tachanka to ignore a flat amount of DEF when attacking these enemies. Dualstrike Guards typically have trouble with high-DEF enemies due to their low base ATK; ignoring DEF helps Tachanka to compensate for this weakness. Alternately, Tachanka can simply unload into a crowd at full strength with his S2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Spray and Pray</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>&nbsp;dramatically increases his rate of fire, and gives his attacks a chance to deal critical damage. </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Spray and Pray</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> has an extremely short duration and causes Tachanka to hit random targets within his range rather than focusing on just one, but between his double attacks and the critical hit chance, a short duration is often all that is needed to get at least one kill off on the enemy team.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>There are some disadvantages to using a gun instead of a sword as a Dualstrike Guard. One of them is DP cost. Tachanka has a weirdly high DP cost for a Dualstrike Guard—coupled with his increased redeployment time, this makes retreating especially punishing for him. There are flaws in his battle performance as well: his Skills have short durations and the [Attacking Enemy] SP charge type, leading to low uptimes. His increased attack range is his main draw, but this isn’t always useful, considering that other Dualstrike Guards tend to have Skills with increased attack ranges as well, helping them to close the gap.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Between his attack range and his potential for burst DPS, Tachanka certainly occupies a unique space in the Dualstrike Guard archetype. Whether that space is useful to the player will differ on a case-by-case basis, but there’s no harm in giving Tachanka a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>shot</span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> (or two, or</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://rainbowsix.fandom.com/wiki/DP27"><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>seventy</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>) to see if he can benefit your team composition. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Dreadnought Guard with very high damage and survivability.<br> + Very effective against bosses and elite threats thanks to her damage output.<br> + Talent: All attacks ignore some Defense so she can mow down armored enemies with ease.<br> + S2: Consumes no deployment slots and gives 4 Shields. Can easily handle dangerous enemies with helidrops thanks to a high Attack buff.<br> + S3: Extremely high burst damage with wide range and the possibility of True damage that creates a very tanky summon.<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- Usual archetype weaknesses: 1 Block count, not too great at holding lanes.<br> - Generally outclassed by Surtr as a boss killer.<br> - S2: Retreats self when the skill ends, and has increased redeployment time if the last Operator deployed wasn't Kazimierz.<br> - S3: More limited in usage compared to Surtr. The conditional True damage cannot offset her flat Resistance ignore.</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>It is well known that Margaret Nearl was renowned for her ferocity when she fought as a Knight in Kazimierz, but up until now her focus in Rhodes Island has been on</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/operator/nearl"><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>supporting her allies</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> rather than taking point in battle. After much training to perfect her Originium Arts, however, Nearl is returning to the frontlines in a big way: as Nearl the Radiant Knight, a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>6* Dreadnought Guard</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> with a dazzling display of different talents: </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>dueling potential</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>helidrop potential</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>True damage</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>extra attack range</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>extra Blocking</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Stuns</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Shields</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, and more.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Dreadnought Guards have typically been hard to use well in Arknights, as they usually combine Block-1 with limited toolsets. Nearl the Radiant Knight (we’ll call her “Nealter” from here on out) has observed this and resolved not to make the same mistake. Her kit is bursting with unusual tools, starting with her E1 Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Brave the Darkness</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, which inflicts True damage and a Stun on adjacent enemies when she is deployed. (We’ll come back to this.) Her E2 Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Daybreak</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, allows her to ignore part of her enemy’s DEF. Along with Nealter’s sky-high base ATK, this gives her a noticeable bite even against tough opponents.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>However, Nealter’s Skills are where she really shines (pun intended). Her S1, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Flaming Edge</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, is a slow-charging permanent buff that increases Nealter’s attack range, ATK, and ASPD once activated. It pales in comparison to her other Skills, however. Firstly, there’s </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Night-Scouring Gleam</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, arguably one of the more unique Skills in Arknights. This on-deployment Skill dramatically increases Nealter’s already-high ATK and gives her layers of Shield. In addition, it passively causes her to </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>not use a deployment slot</span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>. The downside is that Nealter will automatically retreat once the Skill duration ends, and her redeployment time will be increased unless the last Operator to be deployed before she retreated was a Kazimierz Operator (fortunately, Nealter herself counts for this purpose). </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Night-Scouring Gleam</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> turns Nealter into a powerful helidrop Operator, utilizing her gargantuan ATK and her </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Brave the Darkness</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Talent repeatedly without needing to leave a deployment slot open for the purpose.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Finally, we have </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Blazing Sun’s Obeisance</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>. This Skill summons a “Blazing Sun” minion on an open tile next to Nealter, inflicting True damage and Stunning nearby enemies (are you noticing a pattern here?) For the Skill’s duration, Nealter boasts increased ATK, DEF, and attack range, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>and</span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> she deals True damage when attacking any enemy blocked either by herself or the Blazing Sun. </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Blazing Sun’s Obeisance</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> covers many of the Dreadnought Guard archetype’s weaknesses: the Blazing Sun has Block-2 and is quite tanky, allowing it to soak damage for the more fragile Nealter and Block swarms of enemies while Nealter kills them. Dealing True damage allows Nealter to cut through high-DEF enemies that usually stonewall Dreadnought Guards, and the expanded attack range also helps her kill small fry before they reach her and take up her precious Block-1. It even has a surprisingly low SP cost for such a powerful Skill.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>It says something about the state of Dreadnought Guards that Nealter needed all this power and utility just to stay competitive. The archetype’s Block-1 and very low base DEF still makes her a risky choice for lane holding, and she has some special disadvantages all her own. Her True damage is largely conditional, she eats up a lot of DP with S2 or multiple grids on the map with S3, and she needs other Kazimierz Operators in her squad for maximum effect. Make no mistake, however: when used correctly, Nealter’s abilities reach dizzying heights that few other Operators can match. The sun may not shine every day, but that doesn’t make it any less blinding when it’s out in full force!</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ S2: Huge on-deploy damage makes her great for boss killing or dueling big enemies<br> + S3: turns her into a raid boss for the duration<br> + Very high ATK and HP stats<br></span> = Duelist Guard: Blocks 1<br> = Glut of 6* Guards gives Skadi a lot of competition, and makes her somewhat replaceable<br> <span style="color:red;">- S2: High DP cost can limit redeploy potential<br> - low DEF</span>

Overview

<p><em>“Prepare yourself to face the endless darkness with me.”</em></p> <p>Operator for a Rhodes Island Assault Team who prefers solo action, Skadi the bounty hunter is ready to dethrone your enemies. As a <strong>Duelist Guard</strong>, Skadi specializes in <strong>DPS</strong> and <strong>Survival</strong>.</p> <p>Skadi is a 6-star Operator who can become an assassin or emergency drop depending on her equipped skill. Her Skill 2, <strong>Wave Strike</strong>, gives her a massive Attack buff for a short time right after she is deployed. This Skill is perfect for assassinating unarmored targets. Drop Skadi on top of the most dangerous enemy as they advance and her increased Attack will shred them into fish food. Skill 3, <strong>Tidal Elegy,</strong> turns Skadi into an unstoppable juggernaut with boosted HP, Attack, and Defense. This Skill makes Skadi virtually invincible: your enemies will break upon her like waves upon the shore. <strong>Tidal Elegy</strong> is very expensive, so don't expect to use it several times in one fight, but it starts off with a huge chunk of SP, making it easy to use soon after Skadi is deployed.</p> <p>Skadi has one of the highest ATK&nbsp;and HP stats&nbsp;in Arknights, but the same can’t be said for her Defense. She is more on the fragile side when it comes to taking hits, despite her huge health pool. Along with only being able to Block-1, Skadi clearly&nbsp;excels at attacking rather than defending. &nbsp;She is&nbsp;an Operator who can take some heat behind enemy lines while taking out priority targets. To look into the face of Skadi is to look into the face of death.</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Talent: Chance to ignore DEF on attack<br> + Good option vs the very heavy armored enemies with 2k+ DEF<br> + S2: makes her DEF ignore very consistent <br></span> = Duelist Guard: Block-1<br> <span style="color:red;">- The big tanks tend to have high physical damage, making your Medics work overtime to keep her alive (especially during S2)<br> - Most of the time it will be easier to use Arts damage against high-DEF</span>

Overview

<p dir="ltr"><em>“Heavily armored enemies are SO scary...! Hah, just kidding!”</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Franka is a 5★ Single Target Block-1&nbsp;<strong>Duelist Guard</strong> whose scorching thermite blade penetrates all defenses.&nbsp; She specializes in high damage output and Defense-ignoring capabilities.</p> <p dir="ltr">Franka has extremely high Attack, giving her exceptional sustained DPS.&nbsp; Her Talent, <strong>Thermite Blade</strong>, and her second Skill, <strong>Vorpal Edge</strong>, combine to give her fairly consistent Defense-ignoring damage, making her an excellent tank killer.&nbsp; She can only block 1, but her job is typically to take down enemies quickly rather than delaying them.</p> <p>Since armored enemies usually hit rather hard and her S2 has the drawback of reducing her own Defense to 0, Franka needs a lot of support to stay alive if she is required to block as well as kill them.&nbsp; Thus, if you need a unit to block armored enemies, it’s usually better to go with a Defender who can survive their attacks. That being said, however, Franka’s sheer DPS output makes her an excellent Guard who scales well into end-game content.<br /> &nbsp;</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ S1: Strong cycle time makes her overall damage output decent, assuming you can keep her alive.<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- S1: Requires outside healing or she will kill herself in a single cycle (at M3), even assuming she takes no outside hits.<br> - S2: Barrier decays in only 6 seconds, making it nearly useless.<br> - S2: With no reduction in redeploy, the effective cycle time is one of the worst in the game.<br> - Talent 2: The one good thing about her kit is only available in a single story chapter where it just isn't needed.<br></span>

Overview

<p><strong>Credits:&nbsp;</strong>&nbsp;Jetroyz and Setsura</p> <p>"Hi, Doctor, I'm Morgan. Vina said you want me to help? Whether you need ideas or machete, just say it."</p> <p>------------------------------------------------</p> <p>"Who didn't have a fantasy of charging into the battlefield when they were young? When we followed Vina to fight in the Norbert District, we broke a lot of jaws.</p> <p>"War is just like two gangs fighting it out! How could it be different?</p> <p>"When we return to the Norbert District, our Glasgow Gang will protect everyone in the block!"</p> <p>…</p> <p>Morgan looked at the scene in front of her. A familiar block, a familiar people, but she couldn't find any familiar feeling.</p> <p>War is different.</p> <p>"Can we still keep going, Vina?"</p> <p>------------------------------------------------</p> <p><strong>Illustrator:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://weibo.com/n/infukun">Infukun</a></p> <p><strong>CV:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://myanimelist.net/people/37303/Mayumi_Kaneko">Mayumi Kaneko</a></p> <h3>Talents and Skills</h3> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Rarity:</strong>&nbsp;5★</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Archetype</strong>: <a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=Duelist-/-Dreadnought##null##cn##stats">Guard [Duelist / Dreadnought]</a></p> <p><strong>Trait:</strong>&nbsp;Blocks 1 enemy</p> <p><strong>Talent 1:</strong>&nbsp;When deployed, gain a certain amount of ATK [Tenacity] effect (reaches maximum effect after losing a certain amount of HP)</p> <p><strong>[Tenacity]:&nbsp;</strong>Gain the corresponding percentage of stat increase based on HP lost. Reaches the maximum effect after losing a certain percentage of HP (strongest effect takes precedence)</p> <p><strong>Talent 2:</strong>&nbsp;In EP12, does not use a deployment slot</p> <p><strong>Skill 1:</strong>&nbsp;When skill is active, every attack deals a certain amount of Physical damage and Morgan loses a certain percentage of current HP</p> <p><strong>Skill 2:</strong>&nbsp;After deployment, immediately lose a certain percentage of Max HP and gain a certain amount of Barrier (decays over several seconds). Within the skill duration, every attack deals a certain amount of Physical damage</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ High base ATK, and with great ATK buff from S2 she can reach over 2k ATK when maxed<br> + Her HP is monstrous, and combined with S1 she is very durable<br> + Can scale to endgame <br></span> = Duelist type Block-1<br> <span style="color:red;">- Weaker than Melantha at the same levels<br> - The farther you get into the game, the less you will need a dedicated guard to fight enemy Casters<br> - Many higher rarity Guard options.<br></span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><em><span>“You don't even recognize me on the battlefield? I just start cutting through enemies one by one with a blank expression on my face? Wow! Sounds hella badass! Wish I could watch myself out there.”</span></em></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Off the battlefield, Matoimaru is a hyper-cheerful ball of energy who indulges in sparring matches, soccer games, and flower arrangements (on display every Saturday at 3pm!). On the battlefield, she is a stone-cold </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>4* Duelist Guard</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> designed for </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>single-target assassination</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Matoimaru is a rather lopsided Operator who has put all of her stats into HP and ATK, completely neglecting DEF. Her E2 Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Demonic Physique</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, passively increases her HP and lowers her DEF, and both of her Skills play into this dichotomy further. Her Skill 1, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Regeneration β</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, is a simple self-heal that gives Matoimaru incredible self-sustain. When you need her to cut loose and kill everything, use her Skill 2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Demonic Power</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, which offers a crazy ATK boost in exchange for lowering her DEF to 0 for the Skill duration.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Dropping to 0 DEF can be an issue for an Operator like Matoimaru. With </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Demonic Power</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> active, engaging the wrong opponent or being in range of one extra ranged unit can swiftly lead to her death. However, if you don’t overextend her, Matoimaru’s deep HP pool can absorb quite a few hits. And of course, her lack of DEF is no problem at all when it comes to killing enemy Casters. In fact, her huge HP pool and quick-charging Skills make it easy for her to tank a few magic bolts while she’s cutting a key enemy Caster to ribbons.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Talent: Stacks increasing HP for every enemy he kills<br> + Huge HP and ATK stats<br> + S1: decent damage and self-sustain<br> + S2: Significant DPS boost once it activates<br></span> = Duelist Guard: Block-1<br> <span style="color:red;">- Trait: Single Target, block 1, and requiring the killing blow make this slow to charge.<br> - S2: long charge time means it won't have time to make a significant difference on many maps<br> - Very low DEF<br> - Players with Melantha already developed may be better served waiting to acquire a more widely applicable front-line DPS</span>

Overview

<p><em>"Ahh, I've longed for a hurricane of blood."</em></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Flamebringer is every dual-wielding, leather-wearing, battle-crazy anime character all rolled into one. He has a mysterious past, only smiles on the battlefield, and spends his spare time taking care of flowers (probably so he can make speeches about how ephemeral the life of a flower is before he shanks somebody). He is also a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>5* Duelist&nbsp;Guard</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> who strikes a balance between </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>DPS</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Survival</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> by </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>gaining max HP when he kills an enemy</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Flamebringer has one of the highest maximum HP stats of any Operator in Arknights, and his Talent,&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span><strong>Bloody Slaughter</strong>,<span><span><span><span><span><span>&nbsp;buffs it up higher for every enemy unit he kills. Given the chance to massacre some weaklings early in a fight, Flamebringer can survive hits that would flatten most other Operators. His Skill 1, </span></span></span></span></span></span><strong>Blood Pact</strong>,<span><span><span><span><span><span>&nbsp;shores up his survivability further by recovering his HP every few attacks. In contrast, his Skill 2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><strong>Blade Demon</strong>,<span><span><span><span><span><span>&nbsp;rewards his survivability by giving him a massive, </span></span><em><span>permanent</span></em><span><span> buff to ATK and ASPD after he successfully attacks enough times in one battle.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>That being said, don’t expect Flamebringer to be hitting his max potential in every battle. As a single-target Guard who can only Block-1, Flamebringer isn’t great at quickly amassing a lot of kills unless you go out of your way to feed them to him. On short, frantic maps where he doesn’t have the time to power-up, Flamebringer may not be much help to Rhodes Island. Then again, when you’re in for the long haul on a map like Annihilation, Flamebringer can snowball into the deadly dark knight of your most angsty teenage dreams.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Mel serves as a nice Caster assassin for early chapters of the game.<br> + High ATK and HP for her level<br> + S1: Decent ATK boost Skill<br> + Cheap to develop and deploy, and easy to max Potential<br></span> = 1-Block Duelist Archetype<br> <span style="color:red;">- very replaceable<br> - S1: has a long cool-down</span>

Overview

<p dir="ltr"><em>“No, it's not that I don't want to become close to others... It's just that... I don't know what to do...”</em></p> <p dir="ltr">A proper young lady with a love for art and a shy personality may be an unexpected choice to lead Rhodes Island’s Op Reserve Team A4, but any doubts disappear once she starts dicing enemies with her katana. Despite being a humble <strong>3★ Guard</strong>, Melantha is one of the stronger low-level <strong>DPS</strong> Operators in Arknights, and many Doctors continue deploying her long after they have stopped using other 3★ units.</p> <p dir="ltr">Melantha is what some players call a “stat stick”: rather than fancy tricks, she packs her power into her raw stats. Her HP and ATK are ridiculously high for her rarity and DP cost, and the ATK buffs from her <strong>ATK Up</strong> Talent and <strong>ATK Up α</strong> Skill boost her already-high DPS to even more impressive levels.</p> <p>Despite this, Melantha does fall off in high-end content. Her kit lacks the utility that many higher-rarity Guards bring to the table, and her lack of an E2 promotion limits her potential in the long run. That being said, with the accessibility and low investment cost of a 3★ rarity on her side, it’s no surprise Melantha carries so many Doctors on her well-bred shoulders.</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;"> + Very cheap to Deploy with decent stats and high attack modifiers<br></span> = S1: Very high damage burst, but at an extremely low proc rate. Damage is mediocre without lucky procs.<br> = Talent: Reduced Deployment Cost and Re-deployment time, but Self-stun for 10 seconds on deployment.<br> = Duelist Guard Archetype<br> = More for memes/fun Operator than practical in combat, as they are too RNG reliant to be useful<br> <span style="color:red;">- S2: 50% chance to stun every nearby ally for a long duration. It is very troll.</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>A nonbinary character from an old Arknights fairy tale, mysteriously appearing in the modern day for reasons unknown! This small frame belies powers the likes of which you’ve never seen! Rhodes Island has been graced by the presence of this </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>4* Duelist Guard</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, and Conviction’s mythical powers of </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>DPS</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>crowd-control</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> will leave an impression that will never be forgotten!</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Right from their first moment on the battlefield, Conviction makes a splash with the </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Safe Landing</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Talent, which decreases Conviction’s DP cost and redeployment time so that all Doctors can have them on the field as much as possible. </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Safe Landing</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> does have the </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>teensy</span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> downside of Stunning Conviction for 10 seconds after deployment, but it’s a small price to pay for having the legendary Conviction on your side! After all, their Skill 1 is </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Offensive Conviction</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, an automatic Skill that increases the damage of the next attack. There’s a large chance this Skill grants a small damage boost, but there’s also a small chance that this Skill will grant the </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>largest ATK boost in Arknights</span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>! Yet even this pales in comparison to the game-changing power of the fast-charging Skill 2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Genesis</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>. This explosive Skill rocks the fabric of space and time, dealing massive Arts damage to all nearby enemies and Silencing them to prevent their special abilities! There may also be a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>minor</span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> 50% chance that the Skill will backfire and Stun all nearby allies instead, but that just makes using Conviction more exciting! Obviously nothing could possibly tarnish the majesty of the great and powerful Conviction! Right?</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>…Right?</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Okay, so Conviction is an April Fool’s joke Operator who probably shouldn’t be fielded in a serious fight. The unreliability can be a major issue, the self-Stun on deployment can be a major issue, lack of Potential buffs can be a major issue, and let’s not even </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>talk </span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>about </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Genesis</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>. However, as far as joke characters go, Conviction </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>is</span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> better than you might think. Their stats are pretty good for rarity and archetype; their low DP cost is convenient; and the massive damage from </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Offensive Conviction</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> is incredibly satisfying when it procs, especially against something like a Hateful Avenger. Conviction may not be the most efficient use of your Operator resources, but their wildly unpredictable fighting style can make them fun to use anyway!</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Does not count toward the Deploy Limit<br> + Decent melee buffs on deployment<br> + Good for suiciding or baiting if you don't have room for another Operator.<br> + Extremely cheap to develop and deploy<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- Very ineffective at fighting anything outside the beginning chapters</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><em><span>“Well done, Doctor. Castle-3 is your best choice on the path of justice!”</span></em></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>One of the mechanical mascots of Rhodes Island, Castle-3 has been programmed to do two things: to adore “Master Closure” above all others, and to help the Doctor as a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>1* Robot Guard</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Like fellow </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Robot</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Lancet-2, Castle-3 works by different rules than most Operators. He does not count against Unit Limit when deployed on the field, but he has an extremely long Redeploy Time. He cannot be promoted, and he has no Skills. His value lies in his Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Tactical Configuration</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, which buffs the ATK and DEF of all melee Operators for a short time when he is deployed. Deploying Castle-3 at an opportune moment can allow your Operators to defeat waves that might otherwise overwhelm them.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>After his buff has expired, Castle-3 can still serve as a Block-1 melee Operator, but with his terrible stats and lack of Skills, this is rarely useful. It’s usually best to drop Castle-3 for his buff, then retreat him so he can potentially redeploy later. He can also be used as bait for enemies like Bombtails or boss units, as delaying or distracting these opponents for even one attack can sometimes be critical. Castle-3 is a great candidate for these suicide missions because he is incredibly cheap to deploy and can be used even at full team deployment. If you don’t plan to bring him to battle, leveling Castle-3 to max is still worthwhile for his second RIIC building buff, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Combat Guidance Video</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, which greatly increases the production rate for Battle Records.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Trait: Heal HP on every hit<br> + Talent1: Based on HP lost, increase attack speed<br> + Talent2: When not blocking enemies, recovers HP every second<br> + Extremely high HP and ATK<br> + Great for Contingency Contract (CC) as he keeps most of his effectiveness through CC debuffs<br> + A solo character that can be placed on his own and if leveled high enough can 1v1 most enemies with no help<br> + Strong counter to enemies like the Avenger and Rockbreaker as his dodge and high dps allows him to 1v1 them effectively (with some RNG)</span><br> = Enmity Guard Archetype: Block-1<br> <span style="color:red;"> - High DP cost<br> - Fairly niche outside of CC. When healing and Operator choices are less limited, solo 1v1 Operators are less valuable<br> - Can't be healed directly (passive regen works)<br></span>

Overview

<p><em>"I was born to fight battles.&nbsp;Only butchers thirst for blood. We're merely paying a price for survival."</em></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The venerable Ojiisan of Arknights, Hellagur is a former war veteran of the Ursus army, the victor of countless battles, and a tragic hero who has taken the lives of friends with his own hands for the sake of an Empire he now stands against.&nbsp; Hellagur is the first Operator of the </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Enmity Guard</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Archetype, which </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>cannot be healed by other Operators</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> directly and</span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span> self-heals on hit</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span>Hellagur is a self-sufficient DPS-oriented Operator whose damage increases as he loses HP.&nbsp; His first Talent, <strong>Waxing Moon</strong>,&nbsp;is the engine of his enmity machine, increasing his attack speed significantly at lower HP percentages.&nbsp; The self-sufficiency and self-healing are powered by his Trait, which restores HP on every hit, and his second Talent, <strong>Ingenious Strategist</strong>,&nbsp;which restores HP over time when he isn’t blocking an enemy.&nbsp; His self-healing is important, as he cannot be healed directly by other Operators (though it is important to know that he </span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>can </span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>still be healed by global healing effects, such as </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/operator/perfumer"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Perfumer</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> or </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/operator/angelina"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Angelina</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>’s Talents).</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Hellagur’s Skills are tailored to increase his DPS in different situations.&nbsp; Skill 1, <strong>Crescent Moon</strong>,&nbsp;is consistent and automatic, hitting twice and adding a </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/gameplay-basics/arknights-mechanics-behind-numbers-attack-modifiers"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>multiplicative ATK modifier</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> when triggered. Skill 2, <strong>Half Moon</strong>,&nbsp;is better for burst needs; it grants 2 hits, an additive ATK modifier, and physical evasion for its duration.&nbsp; Skill 3, <strong>Full Moon</strong>,&nbsp;turns Hellagur into a multi-target killing machine by extending his range, boosting his attack, and allowing him to hit 3 targets at once.&nbsp; Skills 2 and 3 both have relatively short cooldowns and good up-time, and it is worth remembering that the increased hit counts of all Skills indirectly increase his Trait’s healing as well.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Hellagur’s biggest drawback is the most obvious: he can’t be healed directly by other Operators, meaning he can’t withstand heavy direct damage.&nbsp; He does make up for this a bit by having </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>extremely</span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> high HP, though his DEF stat&nbsp;is&nbsp;nothing too special.&nbsp; Also, being a Block-1 means it is easier to moderate his melee damage input, at the cost of making him tactically more difficult to deploy early (which is also not helped by his relatively high DP Cost).&nbsp; Despite his drawbacks, underestimating Hellagur’s strength and experience in battle is a deadly mistake that an enemy will not survive to make twice. After all, healing isn’t necessary if all of your enemies are dead.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ S2: Solid burst on a short cycle.<br> + S2: Has some non-obvious utility. He is invulnerable during the jump, and can hit air.<br> + S1: Controllable damage blocking is very rare and potentially powerful.<br> + S1: Offensive-Recovery works well with the Musha trait and can have a very fast cycle in the right conditions.<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- S1: Very situational to get maximum value out of. It is not an easy skill to use well.<br> - Musha archetype is in a tough place meta-wise. Ultimately he is an expensive, unhealable, 1-block unit.</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span>Noir Corne has donned the Rathalos S armor set as part of the Monster Hunter collaboration event, an event which required taking off his mask—the mask he is always seen wearing—in order to replace it with the Rathalos S mask. Much to the surprise of his fellow Operators, Noir Corne had no problem taking off his mask and showing the ordinary face underneath. A particularly enterprising Operator dared to ask, if Noir Corne doesn’t want to keep his face a secret, why does he always wear the mask? Noir Corne replied only, “This… is a secret.”</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>We can’t explain Noir Corne’s mask-wearing habits, but we can explain his fighting style in the Rathalos S armor, which has transformed him from a 2* Defender to a <strong>limited 5* Musha Guard</strong> who can <strong>negate attacks</strong> and build <strong>stacks of an ATK buff</strong> that he can <strong>convert into more hits</strong>. His <strong>Tenacious</strong> Talent is par for the course as far as Musha Guards—a Talent that grants bonus ASPD and Tenacity as his HP falls—and it fits in nicely with the Musha Guard Trait of recovering HP every time they attack rather than being healed by other units. The ASPD helps him to attack faster, while the Tenacity helps him resume attacking rather than dying if he gets Stunned by an enemy and can’t attack to heal himself.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>There are other interesting interactions with his second Talent, <strong>Spirit Gauge</strong>. On its own, this Talent is simple: Noir Corne gains a stacking ATK buff (up to a cap) by attacking while his Skills are not active. The interesting part is how this Talent interacts with his Skills. His S1, <strong>Iai Spirit Slash</strong>, is a defensive Skill that causes Noir Corne to stop attacking and assume a counterattack stance. When attacked, he negates the hit, gains an immediate stack of <strong>Spirit Gauge</strong>, and counters by inflicting multiple hits on a nearby enemy. Notably, if Noir Corne defeats an enemy with this Skill, it is automatically reactivated, potentially allowing him to deflect several attacks in a row. His S2, <strong>Spirit Helm Breaker</strong>, is simpler and much more aggressive: it consumes one charge of <strong>Spirit Gauge</strong> to inflict several strong hits on a nearby enemy. Since both Skills inflict multiple hits, they repeatedly trigger the Musha Trait, resulting in some bursty self-sustain that can help to keep Noir Corne alive in bad situations.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>It is unfortunate that Noir Corne must pick between his two Skills, as he feels somewhat incomplete with only one. The Musha Guard archetype is held back by Block-1, high DP cost, and the inability to be directly healed by allies, so its Operators need a lot of damage and survivability to stand out. Noir Corne has the potential for both, but because he has to pick between one or the other, he never gets to take full advantage of his kit. (The interaction with <strong>Spirit Gauge</strong> feels especially odd; he can get extra stacks or use his stacks as a resource, but not both.) His Skills are strong enough individually that he can pull his weight, but not strong enough to compensate for the Musha Guard drawbacks, which must be compensated for if he’s going to stand out on the battlefield.</span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ An Enmity Guard with more defensive oriented skills<br> + Higher than average DEF and abilities to boost it much further than average enmity guards<br> + Fast skill cycle means her skills are easier to time (as long as the duration is enough to take out the tough target) + S1: Allows Akafuyu to remain on the front lines to deal damage against enemies that would otherwise kill or disrupt her. A good choice as a DPS option, so long as you don't mind not being able to block.<br> + S2: This can raise her DEF far higher than most enmity guards can reach. Good for dueling faster attacking physical enemies so she can mitigate a lot of their damage<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- S1: requires enemies to either stand still or for someone else to block for her, limiting her 1v1 or solo lane ability, which this archetype is often used for.<br> - S2: Her DPS will be quite low compared to other enmity guards - no HP regeneration when not attacking can limit her solo abilities</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Akafuyu is a short-sighted, game-obsessed, sword-wielding, alcoholic crab girl, which even for Rhodes Island is a pretty unusual hire. She steadfastly refuses to admit that her vision is less than 20/20, and indeed her performance on the battlefield doesn’t seem to suffer for it. Her denial seems to have sharpened her other senses to compensate, allowing her to engage the enemy as a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>5* Enmity Guard</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> who can </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>reduce her Block count to 0</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>grant herself Shields</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> to deflect attacks.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Like other Enmity Guards, Akafuyu’s defining Trait is that she cannot be healed by allies (except by those who use</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=null"><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>HP regen</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> instead of regular healing). Instead, she recovers HP whenever she attacks an enemy, and her </span></span></span><strong><span><span>Nobukage-ryu – Hatobu</span></span></strong><span><span><span> Talent increases her ASPD as she loses HP. So the lower her HP, the faster she’ll heal herself. Both of Akafuyu’s Skills play with this setup in different ways. Her S1, </span></span></span><strong><span><span>Nobukage-ryu – Kaminari Gatana no Zei</span></span></strong><span><span><span>, reduces her Block count to 0 while also increasing her ATK and causing her attacks to hit twice. Block-0 prevents melee enemies from attacking her and allows enemies that might otherwise kill her to pass through. Meanwhile there’s </span></span></span><strong><span><span>Nobukage-ryu – Juumonji Masaru</span></span></strong><span><span><span>, her S2, which halves Akafuyu’s current HP—guaranteeing her Talent triggers—buffs her ATK and DEF, and gives her a Shield that negates one instance of damage.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Akafuyu is a solid unit on paper, but in practice she can be difficult to use well. Block-1 reduces her overall battlefield contributions, the inability to be healed by allies can be a big annoyance, and her Skills have short durations (though they also charge quickly). Considering how many other Operators can output high Physical DPS, it can be hard to justify using Akafuyu for the role. Although S1’s Block-0 can allow her to survive where she otherwise might not, it also requires allies to back her up by Blocking for her or crowd-controlling enemies to stay in her range. This limits her ability to 1v1 or solo lanes, which this archetype is often called upon to do. Even within her archetype, Akafuyu will often be outdone by Utage’s Arts damage and/or Hellagur’s better soloing capabilities. If you’re willing to put up with the minutiae of using her, though, the synergy between Akafuyu’s Trait, Talent, and Skills can make her an effective frontline DPS, 1v1, or low-flow solo-lane holder.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Trait: Gains HP with every attack<br> + Talent: increase ASPD based on % of HP lost<br> + Powerful 4* Enmity Guard and one of the best 1v1 operators in the game, able to do Arts DPS rivaling a 6*<br> + S2: one of the strongest on-deploy skills in the game<br></span> = She doesn't passively heal when not blocking enemies, unlike hellagur, so damage she takes sticks around longer<br> = S2: By losing 50% HP on deploy she can potentially get overwhelmed immediately if placed on top of a hard hitting enemy.<br> <span style="color:red;">- S2: Compared to other Operators with on-deploy Skills, she has a long re-deploy time and a high DP Cost<br> - Trait: Can't be healed directly (passive regeneration abilities work)</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Utage is a girl who isn’t afraid to try new things. Her particular sphere of knowledge is fashion, but after she became infected with Oripathy on an ill-fated school trip, she decided to try something new: using her Originium-enhanced powers to help Rhodes Island. Having developed a unique fighting style as a </span></span></span><strong><span><span>4</span></span></strong></span></span></span>★<span><span><span><strong><span><span> Enmity Guard</span></span></strong><span><span><span>, she now brings </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>DPS</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>survival</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, and a Gothic flair to the Doctor’s lineup.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Enmity Guards have the Trait of not being able to receive healing from allies (except with some rare mechanics such as Perfumer’s Talent). To make up for this, they recover HP when attacking and have Talents and/or Skills that make them stronger as their HP falls. Utage’s Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Serious Mode</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, increases her attack speed as her HP falls. The lower her HP, the faster she attacks, and the faster she attacks, the more quickly she recovers HP—a feedback loop working in Utage’s favor. Her Skill 1, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Space Out</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, is a defense mechanism: Utage stops attacking and her Block becomes 0, but her DEF is massively increased and she recovers a large chunk of HP over a few seconds. This Skill allows Utage to heal up in between enemy waves, avoid enemies that are too much for her to handle, or act as an effective ranged physical damage soak. On the other hand, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Descending Strike - Earth Splitter</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>&nbsp;is an offensive Skill that triggers immediately when she is deployed. Utage’s current HP is cut in half (triggering her Talent), her ATK increases, and her attacks change to Arts damage, giving her a massive on-deploy power boost.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Like other Enmity Guards, Utage can be very self-sufficient, but her Trait can also be a double-edged sword. Not being able to be directly healed by other Operators severely limits the amount of damage Utage can safely handle. Her high DP cost hampers the usability of </span></span></span><strong><span><span>Descending Strike - Earth Splitter</span></span></strong><span><span><span>; since it triggers on deployment and doesn’t last very long, you’ll have to retreat and redeploy Utage if you want the benefits again, which quickly becomes an expensive prospect. Weaknesses aside, Utage can be a good counter to enemy Casters due to her high HP and ability to ignore ground units with </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Space Out</span></span></strong><span><span><span>, and the enormous Arts-Assassin power of </span></span></span><strong><span><span>Descending Strike - Earth Splitter</span></span></strong><span><span><span> should not be underestimated. She’s not ideal in all situations, but Utage can be a potent asset to a Doctor who is willing to invest in her education.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Talent: Provides increased deployment flexibility thanks to his taunt, allowing Mlynar to hold enemy attention even when you place squishy units after him.<br> + Extremely potent DPS Operator<br> + Powerful synergy between his damage reflection, taunt and overall durability.<br> + S2: Great option if you need to use Mlynar to 1v1 enemies. Holds the passive trait ATK buff if you are able to kill at least one enemy allowing you to reuse it immediately when it is off cooldown with full effect.<br> + S3: Powerful AOE skill with great uptime, huge damage, and range. Strong helidrop potential due to high initial SP. With his high durability and 0 block he can survive being dropped near most dangerous enemies.<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- S3: When fighting a large number of weak enemies his damage bonus can decrease fast.<br></span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span>Mlynar Nearl, uncle to Margaret and Maria, is a direct member of the Nearl family and could have used the name to climb to meteoric stardom. However, he detests the idea of the knight competition circuit and has largely withdrawn from Kazimierz society to avoid it. Despite this, he is a very talented fighter, and after much deliberation, he has decided to help his nieces by joining Rhodes Island. His fighting style is quite unique—as the first <strong>6* Liberator Guard</strong>, he <strong>does not attack or block</strong> most of the time, biding his time for the perfect strike. When the opportunity presents itself, however, Mlynar is a blazing sun of vicious glory, <strong>striking a large range for massive damage</strong> and <strong>adding True damage</strong> onto the attacks of other Kazimierz Operators.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Liberator Guards are one of the strangest archetypes in Arknights. They have very low ATK, but their ATK gradually increases over time (due to their Trait) and resets to the base value after they use a Skill. They have Block-3, but they can’t attack or Block unless they’re using a Skill. This makes them extremely bursty Operators, but also makes them tricky to use, since they rely heavily on the timing of their Skill cycle.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Mlynar plays into the Traits of a Liberator perfectly with his Talents. His E1 Talent, <strong>Wanderer</strong>, gives him an ATK buff when he’s attacking. When there are multiple enemies nearby, the ATK buff increases and Mlynar also gains damage reduction for himself. At E2 he gains the <strong>Indifferent</strong> Talent, which increases his Taunt level and causes all Kazimierz Operators to inflict True damage (based on Mlynar’s ATK) on enemies that attack them. <strong>Indifferent</strong> gives Mlynar some utility while his Skills are down, and the damage reflection can be useful against enemies with long range but low HP (like those annoying Corrosion archers from the Near Light event).</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>However, both his Talents pale in comparison to what Mlynar can do with his Skills. He has three Skills, but only one of them matters: his S3, <strong>Unilluminated Glory</strong>, which gives him an enormous attack range and causes his attacks to deal truly ludicrous amounts of damage to multiple targets for the duration. The combination of increased Trait effect and damage multiplication, paired with the buff from <strong>Wanderer</strong>, is absolutely sickening in its effectiveness. <strong>Unilluminated Glory </strong>also deals bonus True damage when any enemy within range is attacked by a Kazimierz Operator, but this is assuming any Kazimierz Operator has an enemy left to attack once Mlynar unsheathes his sword. (Spoilers: They won’t.)</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Mlynar’s great power is concentrated into short windows. This is one of the reasons he’s so good, since Arknights rewards high burst damage, but it also makes him very high maintenance. While <strong>Unilluminated Glory</strong> is down, the rest of your squad must pick up all the attacking and Blocking responsibilities, since Mlynar won’t be doing either. If you have good Operators who can cover for Mlynar’s downtime, however, he is sure to catapult himself to the top of the power rankings. (Try not to boast about him too much, though. He hates that.)</span></span></span></p> <p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ A Guard archetype that builds up ATK to release powerful skills. Does not attack or block when skills aren not active.<br> + Talent: Reflects Arts dmg onto enemies when attacked and has good base defenses, so can be used as a ranged tank.<br> + Low DP cost and very tanky with high HP, DEF and Block Count<br> + S1: Potentially good single target damage, but far overshadowed by his S2<br> + S2: turns Tequilla into a mini Silverash hitting up to 3 targets with increased range for high damage. Great uptime and powerful skill multipliers which time fairly well with his ATK scaling trait.<br></span> = Even though his base ATK stat is very low, when he is allowed to fully charge his ATK stat it is above average for guards<br> <span style="color:red;">- While skills are not active he does not attack nor block, meaning he can't hold a lane on his own and misses out on the non-skill dps that other units have<br> - Skills require a fairly long time to fully charge up to their full potential because of his Trait, as it takes 40s to fully charge both his S2 and his Trait bonus<br> - S1: Due to having to wait for his Triat to charge up after the skill is ready, the skill ends up having poor uptime if you want to use it at full power</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>“Tequila” is the new code name for the former Director of International Trade for the city of Dossoles, Ernesto Salas. Tequila’s sunny smile and playful attitude bely the serious circumstances that led him to Rhodes Island: he was “dismissed” from his position during a citywide riot and barely escaped alive with his sister, Rafaela (now known as </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/operator/la-pluma"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>La Pluma</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>). One can only assume that under his calm demeanor there lies a torment of negative emotions, especially based on his fighting style as a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>5* Liberator Guard</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> who </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>does not attack until his Skills are activated</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> but then unleashes a fury of</span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span> high-burst-damage </span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>strikes.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Tequila is our first example of a Liberator Guard, whose Trait is that they cannot attack and have Block-0 while their Skills are not active. However, they also gain a stacking ATK buff while their Skills are not active, which then resets when they use a Skill. In other words, Liberator Guards build power over time and then unleash it in one climactic burst.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>That’s not to say that Tequila is defenseless without a Skill active. His Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Waiting Game</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, deals Arts damage to foes that attack Tequila while his Skill is inactive, punishing ranged enemies (since Tequila usually has Block-0 from his Trait, he usually won’t be attacked by melee enemies, and he has good base DEF and HP for soaking those attacks). Of course, this can’t hold a candle to the frenzy of Tequila’s Skills, which restore his ability to attack enemies as well as his archetype’s innate Block-2 (which becomes Block-3 at E2). His S1, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Decisive Action</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, greatly increases Tequila’s ASPD and the damage of his attacks for the Skill duration. But his S2—</span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Esoteric Bladework</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>—is his signature Skill: it increases his attack range and causes his attacks to hit multiple targets. Sound familiar? That’s right: it’s a miniature</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/operator/silverash"><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Truesilver Slash</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>! (Though it can only hit ground enemies, unlike TSS.) Furthermore, Tequila can Overcharge his SP cost for </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Esoteric Bladework</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> (like</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/operator/carnelian"><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Carnelian</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>) to increase the number of enemies he can hit and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>double</span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> the Skill duration. An interesting note: once it reaches SL7, the overcharge time lines up exactly with time it takes his Trait to maximize his ATK….&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Tequila is a tall drink of water (er, bad choice of liquid?), make no mistake. An Overcharged </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Esoteric Bladework</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> at full Trait-charged ATK can positively lay waste to the field. You can probably tell there’s some drawbacks to his style, however. Neither attacking nor Blocking without a Skill active means Tequila is more or less deadweight for half of any map, and while his SP costs are pretty low, waiting to Overcharge </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Esoteric Bladework</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> for maximum effect can be aggravating. The long duration it takes for his Trait to hit maximum effect can also mess with your expectations for his damage, especially since his base ATK is very low. You have to be patient with Tequila to get below the unruffled surface, but once you find the wild animal he can unleash on the field of battle, you’ll understand why he survived the Dossoles riots where others did not.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Trait: Can perform ranged attacks at 80% power<br> + Talent: Buffs his own Attack and reduces redeploy time of all Operators<br> + E2 Talent: Reveals Invisible enemies within range<br> + Incredibly strong skills with high damage, range and duration.<br> + Great overall stats<br> + S2: makes him a very strong subtank<br> + S3: Erases everything<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- Very long cool-down on S3<br></span>

Overview

<p><em>“Compassion saves no one on the battlefield.”</em><br /> <br /> The calm and collected owner of Karlan Trade is educated not only in economics but in battle tactics and fighting as well. Now serving under contract with Rhodes Island, this <strong>Ranged&nbsp;</strong><strong>Guard</strong> specializes in both <strong>burst DPS</strong> and <strong>taking down cloaked enemies</strong>. He can also perform <strong>ranged attacks</strong> that will deal 80% base damage.<br /> <br /> SilverAsh’s first skill is <strong>Power Strike γ</strong>, which causes the next attack to deal much more damage when charged. His&nbsp;relatively high base attack makes this skill good for sustained damage, although it’s outshined by his other skills. His second skill, <strong>Rules of Survival,</strong> toggles SilverAsh to a defensive mode, raising his Defense immensely and granting him passive HP recovery while reducing his attack range. &nbsp;This&nbsp;allows him to hold positions by himself or function as a DPS-tank hybrid. SilverAsh's third Skill <strong>Truesilver Slash</strong> is the most powerful in his arsenal, and is what SA memes are made of. It reduces&nbsp;Defense but greatly increases his attack and attack range. When this skill is active, SilverAsh's attacks will deal death to&nbsp;multiple enemies and the ranged attack penalty won’t be applied. While&nbsp;this Skill turns him into an AoE damage monster&nbsp;with a relatively long uptime, the&nbsp;Defense penalty and long cool-down means it must be used carefully. &nbsp;Another part of his kit that should not be ignored&nbsp;is his&nbsp;second Talent <strong>Eagle Eyes, </strong>which&nbsp;removes Invisibility from&nbsp;enemies, allowing them to be taken down much faster and easier.<br /> <br /> SilverAsh is a very versatile Guard, having strong defensive&nbsp;and offensive&nbsp;options as well as useful Talents. &nbsp;Using SilverAsh optimally&nbsp;requires players to plan ahead and know when to activate his Skills, especially in later stages, but his amazing&nbsp;abilities will change your game forever.</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Great source of mixed damage with natural bonus damage against slow or bind which are built into her kit.<br> + Offers utility by binding or slowing enemies depending on the skill choice.<br> + Works well with allies that provide AOE slows to help activate her talent.<br> + S2: Deals a burst of boost ATK and arts damage against ground targets. Leaves a mark on the ground that slows ground targets and gives her a line ATK range for its duration.<br> + S3: Boosts her ASPD, ATK, range, talent arts damage and attacks 2 times. Can take some time to ramp up but offers some of the highest potential DPS when targeting 1-2 enemies.<br></span><span style="color:red;">- S2: The on attack SP charge means you cant charge up the skill between waves with certain characters deployed.<br> - S3: A large part of its damage is arts, and she lacks RES ignore of many other ARTS damage sources. The attack bonus is quite low, and can have trouble with higher DEF enemies. Poor recharge time.<br></span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span>Qiubai is a walking wuxia movie, from her impeccable swordsmanship to her over-the-top clothing styles to her recruitment into Rhodes Island. Several Rhodes Island Operators were about to enter a business agreement with a seemingly-innocent medicine merchant who was secretly dealing in corrupt contracts and illicit substances. Qiubai just <em>happened</em> to be applying for a position as this merchant’s bodyguard, and she just <em>happened</em> to almost behead the merchant in the process of demonstrating her skills. The merchant terminated his agreements with all parties involved, and Rhodes Island was able to press charges against the merchant and uncover his shady deals. Due to her performance, Qiubai was quickly offered a position at Rhodes Island as a <strong>6* Lord Guard</strong> who inflicts <strong>hybrid damage</strong>, can <strong>Bind her targets</strong>, and <strong>changes her attack range</strong> in different situations.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Qiubai’s two Talents fit together like two puzzle pieces. Her E1 Talent, <strong>Find an Opening</strong>, adds bonus Arts damage to her attack when she hits an enemy who is Slowed or Bound, and her E2 Talent, <strong>Falling Petals</strong>, gives her attacks a chance to Bind their targets. In practice, these two Talents do not help each other as much as they sound, because <strong>Falling Petals</strong> has a low activation chance and a short duration. On the other hand, if Qiubai is paired with another unit who is a more reliable source of the ailments—such as a Decel Binder Supporter—then <strong>Find an Opening</strong> produces an enormous amount of bonus damage, especially when multiplied by her Skills.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><strong>ChengYing</strong> is Qiubai’s S2, a [When Attacking] SP-charge Skill that immediately does damage to ground enemies in front of Qiubai and then buffs her ATK and changes her attack range to a long straight line in front of her. All ground enemies in this new attack range are Slowed for a few seconds until the Skill ends, after which Qiubai deals another blast of damage to them. If you don’t have another source of Bind or Slow, this is a good way for Qiubai to reliably provide it for herself. If you <em>do</em> have a better source, however, then her <strong>Questioning Snow </strong>S3 is certainly superior. It expands her attack range, buffs her ATK, turns her damage to pure Arts, and causes her attacks to hit multiple enemies. Her ranged attacks do not suffer a damage penalty during <strong>Questioning Snow</strong>, and she gains ASPD after every attack (up to a cap). In addition, the Arts damage inflicted by her <strong>Find an Opening</strong> Talent is increased once <strong>Questioning Snow</strong> is leveled to S7M1 or higher.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>On her own, Qiubai is somewhat unremarkable. <strong>ChengYing</strong> is decent, but doesn’t bring much to the table that another Operator can’t handle, and <strong>Questioning Snow</strong> loses a lot of punch without a reliable way to trigger <strong>Find an Opening</strong> during the duration (<strong>Falling Petals</strong> does not count). If you can support Qiubai with another Operator who can provide Slow or Bind for her (and maybe debuff enemy RES in the bargain), then her damage potential skyrockets. During a fully-enabled <strong>Questioning Snow</strong>, Qiubai outputs massive Arts damage across multiple targets at an ever-increasing speed, with no downsides or limitations other than Skill duration. Like any good wuxia protagonist, Qiubai cannot simply unleash her full power on a whim, but when she has room to cut loose, few can stand against her.</span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;"> + Trait: Can perform ranged attacks at 80% ATK<br> + Talent: Attacks deal Arts damage per second for 3s (Doubled against enemies possessing ranged attacks)<br> + Talent: If Thorns has not actively attacked for 2s, recovers a percentage of Max HP every second. Great self sustain that allows him to regenerate his health between waves<br> + S2: A good defensive DPS option for large waves of fast attacking enemies.<br> + S3: While active, Thorns performs like a ground sniper dealing large amounts of physical damage very quickly and some Arts damage over time<br> + A very solid meta unit that can be brought to almost any map, so long as he has enough time to build up his on-attack SP to activate his skill<br></span> <span style="color:red;"> - S3: Thorns needs to build up his SP through attacking for quite a while before he becomes strong and his range is expanded infinitely</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><em><span>“Quickly and efficiently reduce the opponent’s ability to act and win victory with the lowest cost—I think I fully understand your command. So what is the problem with me using this paralytic neurotoxin to pair with my attacks?”</span></em></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>It’s a common occurrence for Operator Thorns to stumble around Rhodes Island HQ with his clothes accidentally inside-out and his hair filled with smoke from a failed experiment. Shockingly, this hot mess has chosen to use an Iberian school of swordsmanship that is impossibly physically and mentally demanding. And even more surprisingly, he’s incredibly good at it, wielding his massive spiked blade as a 6</span></span></span></span></span></span><strong>★&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=Ranged-Guard##null##cn##stats"><span><span><span><strong><span><span><span><span>Ranged Guard</span></span></span></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> and demonstrating his prowess at </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>damage over time</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>self-defense</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, and increasingly powerful </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>ranged DPS</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, especially when </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>countering ranged enemies</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Thorns’ attacks trigger his </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Nerve Corrosion</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Talent, which deals </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=null##cn##Arts-Ability-(Phys-Attacker)##stats"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Arts damage</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> over time to his targets. The damage dealt is doubled against enemies with ranged attacks, making it a potent threat. His E2 Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Echoes of Ancestral Waves</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, is almost the complete opposite: it </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=null##cn##Self-Heal##stats"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>regenerates Thorns’ HP</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> over time after he hasn’t directly attacked for a while. </span></span></span><strong><span><span>Echoes of Ancestral Waves</span></span></strong><span><span><span> allows Thorns to heal up in between enemy waves, but it also works beautifully with his sea-urchin-based S2, </span></span></span><strong><span><span>Protective Spikes</span></span></strong><span><span><span>, which causes Thorns to stop attacking for a long duration. During this time, he gains bonus ATK and DEF and, when attacked, will shoot spikes at multiple enemies within an increased range. These spikes do not count as direct attacks, so </span></span></span><strong><span><span>Echoes of Ancestral Waves</span></span></strong><span><span><span> will activate during </span></span></span><strong><span><span>Protective Spikes</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, allowing Thorns to take a defensive role if desired.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span>Of course, if you’re looking for more offense instead, look no further than his Supreme Arts<strong>&nbsp;</strong></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>S3, which removes the damage penalty for his ranged attacks and increases his ATK, ASPD, and attack range. Use this Skill twice in one battle and the buffs double in strength and become infinite in duration, making Thorns a gatling gun for the remainder of the battle. Between his increased attack range and the bonus damage from </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Nerve Corrosion</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, Thorns is an excellent choice for outranging and annihilating ranged enemies, but he’s quite capable of destroying melee enemies as well.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Considering the power and variety of his tricks and tools, Thorns is an Operator who excels in a variety of circumstances. His DP cost is a little high and his direct damage can be a little unimpressive without his S3, but his ability to dominate in either a defensive or offensive role makes him a very flexible Operator. In any battle where you can trigger Supreme Arts</span></span></span><span><span><strong>&nbsp;</strong><span>twice, Thorns will demonstrate his mastery of Iberian swordfighting—much to the regret of his opponents. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Talent: Attacks disable the target's special abilities. very useful against exploding enemies and stun attacks.<br> + Trait: Can perform ranged attacks at 80% power<br> + S2: A very strong source of melee Arts Damage<br> + S1: Can become fairly tanky<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- S2 can be very unreliable since it has a fairly long cooldown and auto activates</span>

Overview

<p dir="ltr"><em>“If there's someone out for revenge against you, don't hesitate and just do it. Once they pick up a weapon, you don't need permission to kill.”</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Supposedly Rhodes Island has very strict psychological tests, but Lappland's examiner has clearly never heard her maniacal laugh. Or maybe they made an exception for her unique ability to deal <strong>Arts</strong><strong>&nbsp;Damage</strong>&nbsp;and <strong>Silence </strong>enemies.</p> <p dir="ltr">Whatever the case may be, Lappland now serves under Rhodes Island as a <strong>Ranged</strong>&nbsp;<strong>Guard</strong>. Her range&nbsp;allows&nbsp;her to hit flying enemies or be positioned&nbsp;behind a blocker, though her ranged attacks will deal 80% damage. <strong>Sundial</strong>, her first skill, is ideal for a frontline position, as it&nbsp;permanently increases her&nbsp;damage and grants&nbsp;a chance to resist&nbsp;incoming Physical attacks. Her second skill,&nbsp; <strong>Wolf&nbsp;Spirit</strong>, increases her DPS potential by switching her damage to Arts, allowing her to hit an extra target,&nbsp;and removing the ranged attack penalty. This makes it a great&nbsp;option when&nbsp;placing her in the backline.&nbsp;</p> <p dir="ltr">While these skills are useful in their own right, Lappland's most impressive&nbsp;technique&nbsp;is disabling the enemy's special abilities with her <strong>Mental Destruction</strong> talent. This is invaluable for challenging content and shutting down enemies with devastating specials.&nbsp; While Lappland's damage output may not be as high or consistent as other Guards, she&nbsp;remains irreplacable because of&nbsp;&nbsp;with her unique Talent. &nbsp;Lappland is a highly sought after Operator that you will be thankful to have as part of your squad (as long as you don't get in between her and Texas)</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Can inflict "critically wounded", an uncommon debuff.<br> + S1: Decent option for an SP battery when fighting weak groups of enemies. Dodge can be useful against tougher enemies but shouldn't be relied on. Low SP makes it quick to switch between forms.<br> + S2: A more damage focused option that can provide him a boost against enemies with low HP, allowing him a better chance to get last hits. <br></span> <span style="color:red;">- S1: Offers no ATK bonus on skill, which makes him particularly weak against higher DEF enemies.<br> - S2: Poor skill uptime and requires enemies to be under half HP to trigger a large portion of its damage.<br> - To benefit from his critically wounded effect, he must deal the final blow, which can be difficult as his damage isn't the best.<br> - No option to finish off critically wounded enemies himself.<br></span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span>Luo Xiaohei, the titular character of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Legend_of_Luo_Xiaohei">The Legend of Luo Xiaohei</a> animated webseries, is an unexpected choice for a crossover with Arknights! As part of his dream to become an Executor, Luo Xiaohei was assigned three tasks by his mentor Wuxian—unfortunately, he failed the very first task and had to rely on a human girl named Luo Xiaobai to nurse him back to health. Now both of them, along with their friend A’Gen, find themselves unexpectedly in the world of Terra. Though Luo Xiaohei is small in stature, he’s not afraid of a big challenge. He’s thrown in with Rhodes Island as a <strong>4* Lord Guard</strong>, using his otherworldly Spirit Abilities to cause the <strong>Critically Wounded</strong> ailment, <strong>attack multiple enemies</strong>, and/or <strong>ignore enemy DEF</strong>.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>There’s a lot of unusual utility loaded into Luo Xiaohei’s kit (probably since he’s a weirdo from another world outside of Terra). His Talent, <strong>Executor-in-Training</strong>, applies the Critically Wounded effect to enemies when Luo Xiaohei deals the killing blow. This effect (previously exclusive to <a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/operator/saga">Saga</a>) leaves the defeated enemy at 1 HP, reduces its movement speed, prevents it from being blocked, and causes it to give SP to the ally that deals the finishing touch.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>To help Luo Xiaohei defeat enemies and Critically Wound them, he has his Skills. First up is <strong>Tail Afterimage</strong>, which turns Luo Xiaohei into his cat form. As a cat, Luo Xiaohei changes his attack range to the 4 tiles around him, gains bonus ASPD and Physical Dodge, and can attack all Blocked enemies. This Skill is convenient for Critically Wounding multiple trash enemies at once, but it struggles against tougher targets. In those situations, try the <strong>Broken Blade</strong> S2, which increases Luo Xiaohei’s ATK and causes him to target multiple enemies per attack. Targets that are low on health will be attacked twice, with the second hit ignoring a flat amount of DEF in the bargain.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Luo Xiaohei is a pretty unique Operator, between his two different forms and his use of Critically Wounded. It’s not always easy to put his strengths to good use, however. Critically Wounded is tricky to leverage properly, since Luo Xiaohei first needs to get the “first killing blow” and then needs another ally nearby who can get the “second killing blow.” <strong>Tail Afterimage</strong> lacks any ATK buff and <strong>Broken Blade</strong> has a somewhat low uptime, so getting kills with either Skill is not always easy. Luo Xiaohei also noticeably lacks any ability to defeat his own Critically Wounded targets, which can result in leaks if you place him too close to a Base panel (since Critically Wounded enemies can no longer be Blocked). With direction from a perceptive Doctor, however, Luo Xiaohei has a lot to offer his teammates: free SP batteries, DEF-ignoring ranged attacks, and of course, innate feline cuteness.</span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Ranged guard that excels in killing drones.<br> + Talent: Attacks prioritize drones and deal bonus damage to them.<br> + Niche ability to temporarily reduce his block to 0 so he can safely position in some enemy paths that other ranged guards can't.<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- Against non-drone enemies his damage is lackluster and he deals far less damage than similar Ranged Guards.<br> - Many alternative Operators can fill this role in most situations.</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><em><span>“It’s strange for a Sankta to use a staff? Don’t be influenced by those guys who only know how to shoot away all day and rely on violence to resolve everything. I don’t like guns, and not every Sankta will choose to use them as weapons.”</span></em></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>When passing Arene in the halls, an astute Operator might notice he smells faintly of perfume. Don’t be fooled, however—it’s not a fashion statement, but rather the aftereffects of his extremely toxic Originium Arts. This is the reason for his codename: in chemistry, an “arene” is a hydrocarbon that gives off a scent. His Oripathy got him exiled from his homeland of Laterano, and he was brought to Rhodes Island by Executor, where he has registered as a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>4* </span></span></strong></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=Ranged-Guard##null##stats"><span><span><span><strong><span><span><span><span>Ranged Guard</span></span></span></span></strong></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> who specializes in </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>targeting</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>destroying drone-type enemies</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Arene’s Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Structural Decomposition</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, causes him to prioritize targeting drones and deals bonus damage to such enemies from E1 onward (similar to the Talent of Supporter </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/operator/glaucus"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Glaucus</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span>). His Skills enhance his ability to bring down these flying foes: his S1, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Just Kidding</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, causes his attacks to deal two hits at increased damage for the duration, rapidly burning down single targets. </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Just Kidding</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> also reduces Arene’s Block to 0, so it can be used to avoid damage from heavy-hitting melee enemies. On the other hand, if you’re counting on Arene to Block, you might prefer his S2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Deadly Prank</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>. This Skill increases Arene’s attack range, eliminates the penalty for ranged attacks, and turns his attacks into ranged </span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=null##Arts-Ability-(Phys-Attacker)##stats"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Arts damage</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> that hits an additional target. Activating this Skill allows Arene to burn through hordes of drones in no time flat.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>As a cross between a regular Ranged Guard and an Anti-Air Sniper, Arene has to compete with both archetypes, and he definitely falls short in some key ways. Compared to Anti-Air Snipers, Arene has a higher DP cost, a slower ASPD, and reduced damage on his ranged attacks (although his Talent does make up this difference against drones). Meanwhile, Arene is relatively fragile for a Ranged Guard, and his Skills have low uptime, reducing his overall effectiveness. Furthermore, Ranged Guards are so strong that most Doctors will have already raised at least one Operator of the archetype, which might make raising Arene less appealing.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>On the other hand, Arene is the first ground-based Operator to prioritize drones. He can be a godsend on Challenge stages where Snipers (or all ranged units) are banned, or on maps with limited ranged grids available for deployment. If you’ve struggled with drone-heavy Challenge stages in the past, Arene might be a good fit for your team—especially since he’s a 4* unit, so he’s relatively accessible and cheap to upgrade. Having ranged, multi-target Arts damage on a ground unit is nothing to sneeze at either, and his ability to switch between heavy Physical or Arts damage based on his Skill makes him quite flexible. This bad-tempered teen needs a mentor: are you willing to take up that responsibility, Doctor-senpai?</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Trait: Can perform ranged attacks at 80% power<br> + Talent: Buffs ASPD of Ayerscarpe and allies in the 8 tiles adjacent to him<br> + S1: Damages multiple targets and inflicts Slow.<br> + S2: Attack range increases and damage becomes Arts. Also, bonus Arts damage is inflicted to enemies being blocked by nearby allies every time Ayerscarpe attacks.<br> + Ayerscarpe is a rare melee Slow source<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- Getting the bonus damage from S2 requires specific positioning, enemy timing, and a high-block strategy; not viable on all maps, and not common in current meta<br> - Has trouble competing with fellow 5* Ranged Guard Lappland, who also deals Arts damage, has stronger ATK modifiers, and causes Silence instead of Slow</span>

Overview

<p><em>"My ears are standing up? Don’t worry, *bzzt*, it’s just the static, and it actually feels pretty good. It’ll, *bzzt*, come down on its own after a while."</em></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>When seeing childhood friends Leonhardt and Ayerscarpe together, you might conclude that Leonhardt is the ditzy airhead and Ayerscarpe is the practical one who keeps his friend on track. This impression might last until you saw Ayerscarpe eating salted edamame whole in the shell. Or calling his experimental Rhine Lab taser-sword “darling.” Or purposely shocking himself to see if his body can store electricity. The point is, Ayerscarpe is a weirdo. He’s also a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>5* Ranged Guard</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> who unleashes </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>AoE DPS</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> with the help of </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>teamwork</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> from his allies.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Ayerscarpe’s role as a Guard is quite literal: he is Leonhardt’s Guard, employed to protect his friend on their geological digs. His protection begins with his Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Seek Aid</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, which increases the attack speed of Ayerscarpe and nearby allies. His automatic [Attacking Enemy] Skill 1, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Shrapnel Burst</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>,&nbsp;damages and Slows multiple enemies within his range. The skill does decent DPS and crowd control, and melee sources of Slow are not exceedingly common.&nbsp;If that seems too normal for you (or for Ayerscarpe), try his Skill 2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Activate Phase Blades</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>. Not only does this increase Ayerscarpe’s attack range and change his damage to Arts, but it also causes Ayerscarpe to shoot lightning at all enemies that are being blocked by nearby allies when he attacks. (An easy way to utilize this Skill is to place Ayerscarpe behind a Defender; let the Defender block multiple enemies, then </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Activate Phase Blades</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> and fry your foes to a crisp.). &nbsp;The DPS of this skill can get quite impressive if a large number of enemies are being blocked.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span><span><span><span><span><span>While Ayerscarpe has a lot of potential, he can be tricky to use properly, especially his Skill 2. </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Activate Phase Blades</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> can deal boatloads of damage, but the requirements for activating the extra lightning attack can be counterintuitive,&nbsp;as blocking large numbers of enemies is neither a common necessity&nbsp;nor typically effective strategy.&nbsp;The uptime on the Skill isn’t that great either. However, with a little creative positioning, Ayerscarpe shouldn’t have any problem bringing the thunder to the battlefield. He works especially well with his pal Leonhardt: Ayers helps Leon attack faster, Leon debuffs enemy RES, and with their combined Arts damage the two make fireworks all night long.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Trait: Can perform ranged attacks at 80% power<br> + Talent: Passive crit chance<br> + A Ranged Guard with Arts damage is rare and if you don't get lucky with Lappland, he can do similar things but weaker<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- Low ATK boost on his Skill means he may not be able to completely bring down big enemy tanks.</span>

Overview

<p><em>“There’s only one thing that’s impossible for me: being imperfect.” </em></p> <p dir="ltr">Covering up his hard work with a barrage of quips, former host club member Midnight brings style, sexiness, and flexible ranged damage to the battlefield. An accessible 3★ <strong>DPS</strong> Guard who can deal Arts damage on demand, Midnight is a low-investment damage dealer whose unique talents may still be helpful on later maps with tight DP constraints.</p> <p dir="ltr">Midnight only has one Skill, but he knows that what really matters is how you use it. <strong>Enchant Weapon α</strong> gives Midnight a damage boost and turns his attacks into Arts damage. It’s a simple effect, but very useful against high-DEF enemies. Having range and being able to block 2 enemies makes placing him very easy, and the critical hits from his <strong>Targeting -&nbsp;Primary</strong> Talent further capitalize on his DPS role.</p> <p dir="ltr">Unfortunately, when you try to please two clients equally, you run the risk of pleasing neither. While Midnight can deal both physical and Arts damage, he sacrifices power in both areas for his flexibility. In some situations, it is better to have dedicated DPS units for both roles rather than trying to combine the two, especially since Midnight’s Skill is expensive and doesn’t last very long. That being said, on maps with a low Unit Limit or a particularly wide variety of enemies, you might be quite glad indeed that Midnight swings both ways.</p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+E2 Talent: Increased attack range at the cost of increased attack interval<br> + Decently durable<br> + Slow and freeze can be very useful against enemies with extremely high ATK<br> + Offers melee grid deployment option different from Slower Supporters.<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- When compared to a Slower Supporter, her slow has limited up-time (only active during Skills), smaller range, and has no multi-target. The Freeze is unreliable with relatively low proc chance.<br> - Lower DPS than 3 Star Midnight at equal levels.<br></span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><em><span>“I began wielding this axe before I even learned to read.”</span></em></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Child soldier Frostleaf feels blessed to have had the chance to blossom into a music-obsessed goth under the care of Rhodes Island. To repay her perceived debt, she wields her rime-encrusted poleaxe as a 4* </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Ranged Guard</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> with the ability to </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Slow</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> her enemies.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Frostleaf keeps enemies under control from a distance with a barrage of Slows. At E2, she gains the </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Covered Strike</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Talent, which delays her attack interval slightly in return for expanding her attack range beyond that of most Ranged Guards. Her Slows come from her two Skills. </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Frost Tomahawk</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> (Skill 1) triggers extra damage and a Slow effect on her next attack every few seconds. The stronger but slower-to-charge </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Ice Tomahawk</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> (Skill 2) offers a large ASPD boost, a stronger Slow effect, and a chance to Freeze (cannot move but can still attack) enemies in place with each attack made while the Skill is active.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>This gives Frostleaf an interesting niche, but it’s not a niche all Doctors will need. Frostleaf only Slows enemies while her Skills are active, so a Supporter Operator like <a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/operator/earthspirit">Earthspirit</a> is more reliable when Slows are needed. On top of that, Frostleaf compensates for her utility with relatively low damage output, and she doesn’t deal Arts damage to make up for this like most Supporter Operators do. That being said, Frostleaf can be deployed on ground tiles, while Supporters cannot, and she has a very different range pattern, which is sometimes important. Frostleaf shouldn’t be a priority investment for most Doctors, but she brings together useful qualities that can lead to some fun strategies.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ An Archetype that has an interesting attack range, AOE damage and heals on hit<br> + Trait: Heals self when she hits an enemy, up to her block count, and hits ALL enemies in range<br> + Talent: Gains ASPD when she kills enemies which stacks up quite high<br> + A great cornerstone unit and lane holder, especially for her rarity.<br> + S1: Great for consistent DPS, when she hits twice she heals on both hits so it can provide quite a bit of sustainability for lane holding<br> + S2: significantly reduces her Attack interval, increases ATK and gives bonus damage against enemies with less than 50% hp. This is great for clearing out large waves of enemies and scales well with her talent ASPD boost as she kills enemies.<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- Lower than average base ATK so she can have some trouble dealing with high DEF enemies without buffs<br> - Can't be healed normally</span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>La Pluma is</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/operator/tequila"><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Tequila’s</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> adopted sister, and most Operators come away with the impression that she’s a complete airhead. (This opinion often changes when they see the giant scythe come out for battle.) While her personality is quiet and dreamy, she was raised amidst the wars of Bolívar, and the only way she knows to stop a fight is to join it. And you’d better believe she’s going to join it, as Rhodes Island’s first </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>5* Reaper Guard</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, with more </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>self-sustain</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>AoE damage</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> than her enemies can handle.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The “Reaper Guard” archetype is something of a cross between an AoE Guard and an Enmity Guard. La Pluma cannot be directly healed by allies, like an Enmity Guard, and she can attack multiple enemies in an AoE. She has an interesting attack range that strikes three grids horizontally in front of her, and she hits </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>all</span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> enemies within that range with every attack. Her Trait causes her to recover HP for each enemy that she hits, up to a maximum of her Block count (she has Block-1 at E0 and Block-2 at E1/E2). So, if La Pluma is E0 and she hits three enemies with one swing, she’ll heal herself once (because Block-1). But if she’s E1 and she hits three enemies, she’ll heal herself twice (because at E1 she has Block-2).</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>La Pluma’s Trait is actually the hardest part of her kit to explain. The rest is quite simple. Her Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Into the Groove</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, increases her ASPD (up to a cap) for each enemy she kills on a given map. With her true AoE attacks and good damage output, this won’t be too difficult to get stacked up most of the time. Her S1, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Rapid Slashing</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, is an automatic Skill that causes her next attack to hit twice for increased damage. And her S2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Reap</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, reduces her attack interval (and her attacks are already quite quick!) while increasing her ATK. The ATK buff from </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Reap</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> is increased further if La Pluma is attacking enemies with less than half their HP. Both Skills result not only in increased damage but also increased healing, as dealing multiple hits and attacking faster will trigger La Pluma’s self-healing Trait more often. Her self-sustain and high damage potential make her an excellent cornerstone unit for soloing lanes and holding off enemies without much support (S2 especially makes her a nigh-unkillable damage machine for its duration).</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>As with Enmity Guards, La Pluma’s biggest weakness is her inability to be directly healed by her allies. While</span></span></span></span></span></span><a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/tools/interactive-operator-list#tags=null"><span><span><span><span><span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>regeneration effects</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span><span><span><span><span><span> still work on her, La Pluma can be easily overwhelmed by burst DPS that she can’t heal through on her own. Her true-AoE attacks make her good against swarms, but a swarm that survives her attacks can quickly overwhelm her Block count. You have to pay attention to this flighty Liberi to make sure she doesn’t get in over her head… but someone with scythe skills like La Pluma isn’t afraid to cut through most problems on her own.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Talent 1 gives Highmore some staying power against elemental damage<br> + Talent 2 offers +ASPD and +1 Block Count in IS3<br> + Unique range offers some interesting decisions with positioning<br> + S1: A great skill that leans into the strengths of the Archetype.<br></span> = +1 Block Count only aids with self-sustain, not killing power<br> = Worse outside of IS3, but still a pretty good unit<br> <span style="color:red;">-- Talent 2 is exclusive to IS3, meaning Highmore loses a significant portion of her power anywhere else<br> - S2 is an oddly defensive skill on an otherwise very offensive Archetype<br> - Will struggle to kill high DEF enemies quickly<br> - Can't be healed normally<br></span>

Overview

<p><span><span><span>Highmore was injured during a Rhodes Island operation in the Iberia region, and she was brought back to HQ for medical care. The Rhodes Island medical department was able to assess that Highmore does not suffer from Oripathy, but unfortunately, she may have something worse: Seaborn tissue growing out of her arms. (Her purple right hand? Yeah, that’s not a glove.) Rhodes Island quickly decided to keep Highmore close for observation, and what better way to do that than to sign her on as a <strong>5* Reaper Guard</strong> Operator who <strong>self-heals Elemental Damage</strong> and <strong>gives herself Physical Dodge</strong>?</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>The Reaper Guard archetype comes with some noticeable Traits: they cannot be directly healed by allies, their attacks are AoE, and they recover HP for every enemy they hit (up to a cap of their Block count). Highmore’s first Talent, <strong>Reap and Nourish</strong>, adds to this by recovering Elemental Damage as well as HP for every enemy she hits (subject to the same cap of her Block count). This Talent applies everywhere, but Highmore also has a second Talent that applies specifically within the IS#3 game mode: <strong>Tainted by Malady</strong>, which gives Highmore bonus ASPD and Block +1. The Block count increase is highly influential for Highmore, since it influences the cap on her self-healing and her Elemental healing, making her surprisingly durable in IS#3.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Highmore’s S1, <strong>Look Back and Cast Aside</strong>, is her primary Skill. It has the [Attacking Enemy] SP charge type, it has a very low SP cost, and it automatically causes her next attack to hit twice for increased damage: simple yet highly effective. The Skill is good enough for its damage alone, but each hit also counts for Highmore’s HP and Elemental healing, making it even more useful. In rare circumstances you may resort to Highmore’s S2, <strong>Foaming into Oblivion</strong>, which gives Highmore bonus ATK and Physical Dodge, along with restoring her HP every time an enemy is defeated within her attack range. This Skill can make Highmore more durable against Physical enemies, but it is a little too RNG-based and low-uptime to compare to <strong>Look Back and Cast Aside</strong> in most situations.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span>Reaper Guard is a powerful archetype, and Highmore is a solid (if not exceptional) example of the archetype for most content due to her Trait and her strong S1. However, she specifically comes into her own by getting the awesome benefits of <strong>Tainted by Malady</strong> from IS#3. A Block-3 self-healing monster who multiplies her damage every few attacks and recovers from Elemental Damage? Who doesn’t want that?</span></span></span></p>

Summary

<span style="color:green;">+ Talent: Mixed with the Reaper trait, his Talent allows him to build up a solid barrier to take on harder threats.<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- S1: Unlike Highmore and La Pluma's S1, Humus' S1 remains a