QUICK LINKS

6★s
Vanguards Guards Defenders Snipers Casters Medics Supporters Specialists
4 & 5★s
Vanguards Guards Defenders Snipers Casters Medics Supporters Specialists

Most Recent Update - Episode 14

Lookahead Revisions

Introduction Hello, and welcome to TacticalBreakfast's Mastery Guide - Google Sheets Edition! This page was born out of the Gamepress site being down for an extended period of time. My first and
foremost goal with this guide has always been to help people, and that's difficult to do with the current uncertain state of GP. I had formerly hosted this guide on Reddit, but these days it's
simply too big! So, for the time being, it seems to make the most sense to host it as a Google Sheet.

A few notes:

* This guide contains the same exact information as the main guide which is still accessible on GP (most of the time). There might be a few updates here and there (for example, I've
updated the category definitions), but the intention will be to keep this and the main guide identical once I'm able to update the main guide again.

* I plan to keep this Google Sheet updated for the forseeable future. Feel free to bookmark this instead of the main site! Of course this could change in the future depending on work load
and such, but I'll give plenty of notice.

* This intentionally does not have images in it. The biggest downside of Google Sheets is they tend to be a bit slow. By excluding images, I hope to keep the load times somewhat
reasonable. It also reduces my workload in both now and down the road. I may update it in the future as this matures thouigh.

* Similarly, this sheet is intentionally barebones. I tend to be a perfectionist which can have the unfortunate side effect of burnout, so I'm forcing myself to not dive *too* deeply into hyper
specific formatting.

* I do not know the future of the Gamepress site. Us writers are just as in the dark as you are. I am not abandoning the site (yet anyway) and plan to continue updates if and when the site
does come back. If you are unaware, I have been posting my updates to Reddit in the interim and I will post the links here as well. Check the Current Event / Most Recent Update tab
below!

* If you spot any mistakes please let me know! My preferred way to get in touch with me is Discord (username TacticalBreakfast). I am also available on Twitter (@TacBreakf1) and Reddit
(/u/TacticalBreakfast).

Categories

The Story category is for players who are only focused on rewarded content. This means all normal stages, challenge modes, the SSS mode, minimum CC clears, and other similar
content.

Note that this does not necessarily imply simplicity. For example, special favor is not given to AFK skills just because they are easy to use. Rather, the focus is on the best skills for the
Story most typical scenarios.

The major exception here is Integrated Strategies (i.e. the Roguelike mode). Although rewarded, the pressures in this mode tend to be different so they have their own category. Also note
that there may occasionally be difficult events not included despite being "rewarded". The biggest example of this is Design of Strife (DOS). The high end rewards are minimal and the
mode was generally considered to be a mistake, so despite the top-end technically being "rewarded", no consideration is given in the Story grades.

The Advanced category is for any player interested in non-rewarded gameplay. By its nature, this is a less well defined category. It can include things like high-risk Contingency Contract,
niche clears, or self-limited clears. Really any sort of min/maxed gameplay can be considered!

Advanced Due to the less-defined nature of this category, the grade should not be taken as *specific* advice to a specific event or specific type of clear. High-risk CC or particular niche clears
occasionally involve very unusual Operators or skills, however just because they are used once does not mean they are generally a good investment!

The Advanced category is a very broad one and can mean different things to different people, so some measure of personal judgement will be needed.

The Roguelike category is speccific to the Integrated Strategies mode. The pressures of the mode tend to be very different and so it justifies its own category. While Story grades focus on
rewarded content as the baseline, the Roguelike grades are a bit different. The Roguelike grades can all be obtained by playing at the lowest difficulty, but that consideration isn't useful to
many people! Further, max difficulty is also not considered. The considerations at max difficulty are often very specific so focusing on it is not as generally useful. Instead, the Roguelike
grades focus on whichever difficultly level is needed to attain the trimmed medal.
Roguelike
The pressures in IS can vary quite a bit over iterations of the mode. Being great in one version does not necessarily mean they will be great in the next! That level of granularity is
impossible in this guide, so that is something to keep in mind. However, it is a safe bet that high graded units will be generally useful across all iterations! I will try to make mode specific
notes in the write-ups when possible, but be aware that due to the changing nature of the game and size of the rosters, that is not guaranteed.

Grades

These Masteries are the cream of the crop. They are Masteries that everyone with the unit should do and give a high priority to. Units with S tier Masteries get an outsized value from them,
S
either because the skill is incredibly powerful or because it changes how the unit is used.

These Masteries are powerful Skills that most players who have the unit should do. These are among the most powerful Masteries in the game, but less overtly overpowered than the S-tier
A
Masteries.

These Masteries are reasonably powerful and worthy of consideration, but have a factor which hold them back. The impact may be relatively small for the cost, the unit may not be
B
especially powerful already, the unit may not fit well into the meta, or there may be a better version available, among other examples.

These Masteries are strong enough to be noted, but should only be done by the most end game of players with nothing else to do. There's value in them, but most players will have
C
something better to be doing.

Not a true grade, but these are sometimes used for Skills which are noteworthy but not worth Mastery. Either the skill or unit is not worth using, or the Mastery has very poor Mastery gains.
None
It is often used with ungraded operators to indicate which skill is the preferred, even if it is not worth Mastery in general.

Not a true grade, but a designator given to an M1 (or rarely an M2) that gives an unusually large benefit. In most cases, these should be prioritized immediately after the E2, thanks to their
Breakpoint low cost and high value. Note that there are many M3 breakpoints but they are not considered breakpoints for this purpose as the cost is much more expensive. Also note that some
breakpoints on valueless skills are excluded as well.
 Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Absolved Will Be The Seekers

Full Article Lungmen Dragons Reddit

Wiš'adel is an insane unit. There's no other way to describe it. She is insane even with just E2 but then has ridiculous Mastery gains and a ridiculous
Module on top. Everything about her is so ridiculous that she breaks existing ranking systems, including these Masteries grades. She has the highest grade
in this guide, but know if there were higher grades available, she would have whatever the top is.

S3M3 S++ S++ S++ This actually makes Wiš'adel really easy to evaluate in terms of priority. She is the best unit in the game, so you should treat her main skill with the highest
priority, and it's so ridiculous that there is little reason to consider a secondary Mastery! Easy peasy.

Her S3 is that main skill. Don't be scared off by the ammo count, the damage it does is ridiculous on top of a massive splash range with no drop off. As said,
the Masteries on it are as ridiculous as the rest of her kit. It is the best skill on the best unit with insane gains. When you're ready to start Masteries, this is
the starting point.
Wiš'adel Now, setting aside hyperbole, Wiš'adel is actually an interesting case when it comes to secondary skills. Wiš'adel is so ridiculous that even if she didn't have
her S3, she would likely still be the best unit in the game. So in an absolute ranking, her S1 and S2 would rank pretty highly. However, for most people, her
S3 is just so dominant that there isn’t a lot of reason to justify further investment. It is not often necessary to look beyond her S3.

However, she is so strong that her other skills still must be discussed and have value. Of particular note, her S2 has a lot of value when it comes to the
Roguelike mode. Wiš'adel is such a pervasive pick and her S2 can come out ahead in certain maps. Of course, at lower difficulties her S3 is still more than
S2M3 None B A- enough to blow everything away, but if you’re interested in higher difficulties and maximized gameplay, it can be worth the cost. It has insane total damage
on a much better (and controllable) cycle.

Her S1 brings up the rear, although it too is worth acknowledging. However, it will only really find use as an AFK skill or a low-step skill. For a vast majority
of people, it’s safe to skip her S1.

Be aware that before you begin with Logos' Masteries, you should look towards his Module first. His Module is one of the best in the game and represents a
S3M1 Breakpoint far larger gain to his DPS than any of his Masteries. If you can only afford to do one, start with his fully upgraded Module instead. That said, Logos has
some really good Mastery gains too and all of his skills are worth considering. He is not cheap by any means! But at least there is a fairly clear order of
priority.

Start with his S3 which is by far his best skill. It's a pretty straightforward one (if you ignore the projectile part anyway, which has no effect on Masteries),
dealing massive damage to multiple targets in a wide area. Logos gains an above average amount of ATK over Mastery and it's his skill that works best with
S3M3 S++ S++ S++ his insane Module, ultimately making it one of the most valuable Masteries in the game. Make note of an M1 breakpoint here which adds a fourth target.
Grab it ASAP.

Logos Next up comes his S1 which is a pretty crazy and fun AFK skill. Again, he has very strong Mastery gains here, gaining both a large amount of passive ATK
as well as greatly improving the insta-kill threshold. A word of warning though. There are some players that may be tempted to value his S1 over his S3, but
I would encourage otherwise. While the insta-kill is very cool, it is somewhat more situational. Even at S1M3, the threshold is only 1.5 attacks so the value
S1M3 S A+ S mainly comes in against high RES, swarms, or places his ATK can be buffed. That is great and absolutely worth Mastery, but his S3 is the skill that makes
Logos special. Don't be afraid of the burst skill just because of the fancy insta-kill!

Rounding things out is his S2. Again, he has quite good gains here, however his S2 is much more situational than his other skills. It can out DPS his S3, but
only against a single target. Of particular note is the 20 RES improvement between SL7 and M3. Because RES is % based, this is a huge jump in effective
HP and can give Logos some tanking presence few other ranged units have. That said, his S2 does bring up the rear in priority on what is already an
S2M3 B A- B- extremely expensive unit. Logos is an insane unit, so the full M9 is something to consider, but because he's so insane, in most cases his S3 is more than
sufficient burst while bringing much more overall benefit. Compared to his other skills, S2's Mastery is much more situational.

Fang the Fire-Sharpened is a decent unit in a tough spot. She's pretty good for a 5★ Charger, but Chargers are largely left in the dust by Agents and
S2M3 B B B Flagbearers, and as a 5★ she doesn't bring quite enough to make up that gap. Still, she is a fantastic cheap to deploy unit with good DPS and decent DP
generation and so she can be a solid consideration for people who favor more off-meta approaches.
Fang the Fire- While most people shouldn't bother, if the above applies to you, then Fang will likely be an M6 consideration as both of her skills are good but with differing
Sharpened use cases. Her instantly available S2 is probably the starting point as it plays best into her low cost. She can be first on the field in tight DP situations with
solid bulk and attack. However, it has a long effective cycle since it can only be used once which gives room for her S1 to shine as well. S1 still has solid
S1M3 B B- B+ overall damage and gives her much more staying power on the field, and the extra DP generation on top of her Module boost can be very nice on certain
maps.

Amiya's third iteration is yet another solid showing from our beloved daughter, and perhaps the most useful thanks to her viability in Integrated Strategies (i.e.
the Roguelike mode). Since she can be chosen on Caster, Guard, or Medic tickets regardless of form, plus reduced Hope costs in IS5, she becomes the
most accessible Medic options while also boasting strong sustain and True Damage utility. She is a strong M6 consideration but with very different uses so
S2M3 A- B+ S-
the better skill to start with will depend on what you're doing.

Most people will probably want to start with her S2. Her Caster form S3 does quite a bit more damage so it should generally be used over it in the general
game, but the situation flips in IS. There, the much shorter wind-up on S2 is more valuable, but more importantly, it's attached to her Medic form so you don’t
Amiya (Medic) have to choose between healing (swapping forms) or damage.

However, if you don't care for the Roguelike at all, her S1 may be the better target. It has an absurdly high SP cost which is odd in the modern game, but it
also has a massive uptime of massive sustain. Her skill alone (pre-Module) is among the best HPS in the game, then adds her Talent on top. It's an insane
S1M3 A- A- A- bit of sustain that makes the full M6 well worth considering.

And besides, she's our beloved MC. You are doing the full M21 regardless, aren't you?

Civilight Eterna (CE) is a bit tricky when it comes to Masteries. All of her skills are viable options without a clear winner, so the priority depends on what you
S2M3 A S- B want out of her and what you have already.

Most people will likely want to start with her S2 which is the typical ATK buff skill along with decent True Damage and control. However, it is also the most
similar to Skadi the Corrupting Heart's S3 and Inspiration does not stack, so if you have Skadi2 there is much less reason to pursue CE's S2. Even in that
case it can still have value though since the Bind is enough to permanently stall for the duration with the right setup, so most people will find it the best
starting point regardless.
Civilight Eterna S3M3 C C+ C
Alternatively, S3 is a powerful healing skill. Its effects may not be terribly obvious simply by reading it, but by rebalancing the HP, she can spread her
healing out, multiplying the effective total healing by however many units are in range. For one example, it is one of the best Surtr healing skills available!
This is probably her most unique use, although a bit more advanced in usage than typical.

Finally, her S1 may be worth a look as well, although I would not generally recommend it. It's a reasonably strong AFK healing skill, and these sorts of
S1M3 C+ None None infinite duration AFK skills are very appealing to some people. It's definitely not a bad choice if that's you. However, it's a sub-optimal way to play, it already
works pretty well at SL7, and regular Medics will usually do just as well, so the extra investment is a luxury compared to her other skills.

OTHER UPDATES
Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary
Unit/Event Rarity Unit Type Summary and tl;dr
TODO ULPIPI EVENT NAME
Estimated Date December

Underflow is a decent enough 5★. She mixes good bulk and reasonable damage (for a Defender, at the rarity) along with some pretty solid control
and can act as an AoE Guard. That's a pretty solid combination, and her Slow will be especially potent in some niches. However, her uptime is pretty
poor so in the meta context she still won't be anything too special. Her S2 will probably end up with a mid-level grade. The gains are somewhat
Underflow 5★ Welfare modest, but cover a lot of ground and will make her much more usable if she interests you. Her S1 might be worth a look for niche players as well.
While nothing special in the meta, that sort of bulky burst on a reliable cycle is actually somewhat rare.

tl;dr S2 will likely be modestly graded. S1 ungraded but maybe worth a look for some niche players.

We can't have a patch with two good 5★s. Underflow gets the "good" check this time, while Lucilla just further pollutes the gacha pool with another
awful 5★. The fact she only affects non-elites and non-boss enemies means that any of her effects are more or less useless, especially with so much
burst DPS in the game these days. Why do you need to apply Fragility to some random dog when half the roster will one-shot them anyway? That
remains true even in high-risk CC where basic mobs can get pretty stat bloated. They just aren't the real threat and not worth spending a team/deploy
slot on. And if that weren't bad enough, her S1 which might actually have some use, gets saddled with Attack Recovery. Yeesh.
Lucilla 5★ Gacha
It's worth a note that the phrasing of her kit is confusing. It's confusing in Chinese too and isn't a translation issue. However, based on testing in
game, she does NOT affect boss enemies. Her effects are limited to basic mobs only.

tl;dr Ungraded. Go with S2 if you really must.

How do you finally make a good Crusher? Make them Abyssal Hunter with a gimmick that makes them act like a FRD but with Guard levels of
damage! Ulpianus' kit is deceptive. It looks simple enough, but the flexibility in his S3 is really rather insane and leads to a whole host of options that
will appeal to big hitters and creative players alike. In addition to the movement, the burst it inflicts is incredible and raises his ATK so much there is
very little DEF he can't decimate.

On the downside, the fragility Crusher's is known for is still here. Gladiia is a tremendous asset to Ulpianus in casual usage as the regeneration
provided by her HOK-X Module is insane on his massive HP pool. However, all of that creative power from his S3 works just fine without Gladiia so
she isn't required for his most powerful usage either. However, extended usage such as a laneholding with his S2 does make Gladiia's presence a
Ulpianus 6★ Gacha bigger deal so that aspect does depend on you and your usage of him.

S3 is his main skill, and in my opinion, the only one that will be worth Mastering for most people. His S2 has also gotten a lot of chatter, however, and
will likely be graded in the guide. A lot of people like to say "wow it's Blaze but better!" and that is true, but the reason Blaze isn't a meta-pick right
now wasn't because of her damage. In the current game with so much burst, a 70s windup laneholder just isn't that useful anymore. His S1 will
probably be worth discussing alone, but due to his reliance on Gladiia who does the same thing but better, it will be relegated to only some extreme
niches.

tl;dr S3 is a top-graded skill. S2 mid-graded and skippable if funds are tight. S1 maybe worth a look but probably ungraded.

TODO NYMPH EVENT NAME

Estimated Date Februrary - (NOTE: This event is likely to be rescheduled until after the summer event. Since the summer event must be on the anniversary, there is not enough room to run them in order)

My initial review of Mitm was maybe too harsh, but not by much. I called him worse than Beanstalk, but he's shown up in enough niche clears that I
guess I have to revise that slightly. However, I do still think Beanstalk is the better promotion target for most people so nothing really changes in the
big picture. He is still mostly a bad unit. However, there's enough stall potential in his kit to at least acknowledge. To be very clear, he will still be
ungraded, and if you are reading this article for actual advice, you should neither roll for Mitm or spend the resources to promote him. Still, there is
Mitm 5★ Gacha *something* there in terms of bulk block stalling that Beanstalk can't quite reach. Even accepting that though, he will still be ungraded. Most of the
stall value comes from his Talent and both of his skills are very low quality. However, lean towards S2. His S1 doesn't give any sort of benefit to his
stall potential.

tl;dr Ungraded, but S2 if you're going to raise him anyway.

Nymph might be the most interesting new unit for me personally in quite a while. There's so much to potentially analyze with her kit! I am greatly
looking forward to writing her full article. For the short lookahead though, she is a victim of Logos who many people will have already when Nymph
comes out. Logos breaks the whole Elemental Damage setup which really hurts the general value of Nymph. However, looking beyond Logos, we
have a new unit with a ton of potential. Her S2 and S3 both have quite a bit of use. Her S3 deals an absolute boatload of pseudo-True Damage.
Significantly more than Logos even! However, it's completely reliant on having Virtuosa (Valarvaqin can work but it's far less effective) who is a
Nymph 6★ Gacha
Limited unit. Unit combos in Arknights have always been weird, and Nymph's S3 brings it to another level of weird! Her S2 is also really strong, and in
fact should be favored if you don't have Virtuosa. It is a strong and unique control as well as a decent Necrosis applier. Being charge based and low
cost means it's relatively easy to get to 100% uptime with it.

tl;dr S2 and S3 both well graded. S2 a bit higher for general use, S3 higher if you have Virtuosa

Integrated Strategies 5
Estimated Date Februrary (NOTE: IS5 should release immediately after Nymph's event)

Perhaps the most surprising recent Operator. He has been both surprisingly popular, and surprisingly decent, in a new surprising archetype! Not too
bad for a welfare 5★, especially considering the recent mediocrity of the rarity! He's actually good enough, along with his mode specific buffs, to be a
top pick on the all-powerful Specialist ticket in IS5. He has good range, a variety of useful utility, decent true-AoE damage, a bit of healing, and fast
cycle times. S2 will be his main skill. The skill begins to charge immediately on use since the uptime is tied to the summon rather than the skill (like
Shamare or Podenco) so along with the charges, it has a remarkably good uptime. S1 is good as well but a bit more situational. The persistent
Tin Man 5★ Welfare Enfeeble is very powerful, and he can easily reach 100% uptime (supposing he's attacking continually). However, it is probably sufficient at S1M1
which is already 100% uptime since the extra two Masteries are only a bit stronger Enfeeble and a bit more damage.

tl;dr - Well graded M6 and one of the top graded 5★ s (Kroos2-tier). S2 is more important overall. S1M1 is probably sufficient for secondary
with S1M3 a luxury.

Inudi Harek Horaknet

Estimated Date mid-Janurary (NOTE: This event serves as the global anniversary so this date is almost certain)

She's a Chain Medic with no utility. Great. Her Barrier is something at least, but not enough to really matter. There's just too many good Medics out
there with strong utility to ever consider Papyrus. At least she has the decency to be a Welfare, but even new players are better off sticking with
Perfumer (who is also great in IS5). If you're a niche player or just like her, then both skills are options. S2 has some alright burst and the lock on
Papyrus 5★ Welfare nature might have a few niche uses now and then. S1 meanwhile is the better day to day skill thanks to its consistency.

tl;dr Ungraded. Focus on Perfumer or Medic Amiya instead. Both skills are options if you really want.
Unit/Event Rarity Unit Type Summary and tl;dr

Sand Reckoner is a 5★ version of Magallan which... is not a great start. While Scene and Mayer focus on melee blockers with pretty good utility,
Sand Reckoner focuses on ranged summons that deal bad damage with pretty poor control. The fact the birds deal Arts damage along with the Slow
might give him some niche usage now and then, but for the most part he is yet another garbage 5★ with ungraded Masteries.
Sand Reckoner 5★ Gacha

tl;dr Ungraded. If you want a 5★ Summoner, raise Scene instead. Go with S2 if you really want, which at least has some control.

I would like to do this write up without mentioning Wiš'adel, but it isn't easy. So understand that Wiš'adel warps the discussion around any future
Sniper. That aside, I actually quite like Narantuya. Loopshooters do the most damage up close, and she takes advantage of that in a way that's both
novel and interesting. Who needs a Phalanx Caster when you can just dodge everything? The Sniper space is pretty crowded which inherently
devalues Narantuya, even if it weren't for Wiš'adel. Like Pepe, Narantuya is not a must pull. Still, she is a solid option with good damage and some
unique niches. She will likely be a graded M9, with S3 as her main skill, although it’s not clear how well or which order her secondary skills will be
graded. S3 is her best DPS and plays into her archetype the best. For secondary skills, it seems to be a situation where it depends on the type of
Narantuya 6★ Gacha
player you are. S1 is a solid AFK skill, akin to Typhon’s S2 with less wind-up (and also less impact). That will definitely appeal to some, but less to
others. S2 meanwhile has some differing peak usage since it’s her highest DPH skill. It will be the better choice for people who want to get the most
out of Narantuya, although Attack Recovery holds it back.

tl;dr S3 highly graded. Both S1 and S2 are options as secondary, probably both mid-graded.

Pepe would be a monster of a unit in another year. Compared to a large part of the roster, she is a fantastic unit with fast cycles and massive DPH.
However, on the heels of some intense powercreep she isn't even the best upcoming Guard. But being a Namie drawn Limited will be more than
enough for many people, and I for one am happy with some more restrained design! Well, at least restrained relative to the recent. Pepe's main skill
is her S3. It has her massive DPH and huge uptime Stun that significantly raise her ceiling from mere "trash cleaner". Her other skills will pick up
grades as well, although with fairly low priorities. S2 will probably be higher. It's her trash clearing skill with some pretty meaningful gains. S1
meanwhile will have some situational use, but the gains aren't terribly important.

As an aside, Pepe and Narantuya are the sorts of units that may make me consider rebalancing the top Mastery grades. To date, I've mostly just put
Pepe 6★ Limited the top units into S++ without adjusting the old units down. After all, they're still good. However, if Pepe is better than an old S++ unit like SilverAsh
but worse than a new gen unit like Ulpianus, should she also be S++ or does it make more sense to rebalance the top tiers? Hmmm... food for
thought.

It's also worth noting that Pepe does not have her Module yet. With few branches remaining, it's reasonably possible we know what they are before
her global release, so the lookahead perception may change.

tl;dr S3 well graded but probably not top graded. Both other skills will be graded, but neither are essential. S2 over S1.

Delicious on Terra
Estimated Date early March

Another 5★ Guardian... it's getting to be a crowded space. It's a natively good archetype, and Senshi is a fairly good take on it, but as typical with
them, investment in the first place (over just using Gummy) is questionable. He's a slightly different take compared to the existing options, with a
longer more impactful S1 but a shorter less impactful S2. He also has a lot of off-skill bulk, which mixed with his self-healing boost, sees him being a
solid self-sustaining blocker. As mentioned, his skills are a bit different than the typical 4-5★ Guardian spread. His S1 gets compared to Gummy a
lot because of the cooking lag but the real comparison is actually that he spends it right away which drastically lowers the value. The buff on it is nice,
Senshi 5★ Welfare
but it's ultimately a long cycle with a lot of wasted healing. The Masteries on it are pretty minor too compared to the more typical Guardian S1.
Instead, I would suggest his S2 for Mastery. It's a pretty good burst healing skill on a short cooldown (only 2.2 S1 activations) which gives him some
mid-sustain value that Nearl and Bassline don't really have.

tl;dr Possible M6, although the gains on S1 are minor. S2 > S1.

Laios will probably end up ungraded. Dreadnoughts are a tough archetype and what Laios brings to it are pretty gimmicky. You can theorycraft
situations where either skill is possibly useful, but in general use, neither has much impact. It's the sort of thing where meta minded players won't
want to Master either skill, but niche minded players may find value from both! I would lean towards S2 which has more potential. Even in ideal
Laios 5★ Collab Gacha circumstances that make use of his Talent while keeping his Vigor up, S1's DPS just isn't that impressive. S2 meanwhile brings Frighten to the lower
rarities with a pretty good cycle that has some stall potential.

tl;dr Ungraded, but possible M6 for some. Favor S2.

In perfect circumstances, Chilchuck can reach higher DP generation than Cantabile or Puzzle which has led some to talk him up quite a bit, however
he lacks the consistency and ancillary value of them which, to me, puts him in third. Of course, Agents are natively strong and if you want to use
Chilchuck you'll have no trouble with that, but I do think some of the chatter about him tends to be a bit over the top. S1 the more interesting skill
(although not necessarily the better one). At M3 it activates instantly which is some of the fastest DP gain in the game (if that's useful or not is
another question). After that though, the 10 Attack Recovery is daunting. If he can consistently attack, it matches Flag's in terms of overall generation
(on average) but that is a big if and something similar already exists in Puzzle's S1 which barely sees use. His S2 meanwhile is a more typical Agent
Chilchuk 5★ Collab Gacha skill, but it just isn't as good as Cantabile's S2 which has both stealth, ammo, and more damage.

To circle back to the base point (which may have gotten lost by now), Chilchuk is a good unit and will be a graded M6 with a lengthy writeup. He is
the best of the Meshi 5★s and the most likely to have a meta impact. However, don't overreact either and he'll be graded under Cantabile and
probably under Puzzle as well.

tl;dr Graded M6. Favor S2 for now, but this evaluation could change by release depending on content.
Unit/Event Rarity Unit Type Summary and tl;dr

Marcille's kit can be confusing on first read. I don't like to discuss mechanical details here, but real quick, her MP can be thought of like SP that
generates only when she's off the field up to 80. Chanting can be thought of as just a wind-up.

That out of the way, we can get to Marcille herself who is actually... kinda bad. After almost two years of insane unit after insane unit, the bar by
which we judge units has significantly moved. I'm sure she would be great in year 2 or 3 instead, but among so many powerful DPS units she seems
a bit unimpressive. Her DPS isn't that high, her effective cycles are pretty long, and her utility is either common (Stun) or missing (no RES shred). If
she wasn't a collab unit from a very popular anime, we would be talking about what an easy skip she is.
Marcille 6★ Collab Gacha
However, she isn't awful either and many people are going to want to raise her regardless! All three of her skills will be worth considering, but her S2
is by far the standout. The important thing with it is only the activations take MP (while S1 and S3 consume MP based on attacks) so after the second
activation you have a powerful AFK Arts skill with some built in control. Not too bad. Her S3 meanwhile makes a much bigger boom, but with an
extremely long cycle and no RES-shred, it's just not that valuable. Finally her S1 has some extremely high HPS which gives it some meme potential.
Worth acknowledging, at least, although maybe not worth grading.

tl;dr All of her skills will likely get a grade, but none of them will be particularly high. S2 (likely A-tier) > S3 (low A or B tier) > S1 (C tier or ungraded).

A Grand Overture
Estimated Date April

How based is HG? An actual grandma operator? Insane. The mere fact a unit like Catherine is in the game is one reason why I love Arknights.
Anyway, she's a pretty decent welfare unit and shows HG can learn from their mistakes as she fixes a lot of the flaws Windflit had, although she isn't
too special meta-wise either. She's a bit different from the other Artificers since she has no way to renew her devices and instead relies more on
stability. As far as Masteries go, she's likely to end up ungraded due to poor gains. S1 is her buff skill, but the Mastery gains on it are negligible. S2
Catherine 5★ Welfare meanwhile is a pretty good sustain skill. Notably, it can also be used on ranged allies (while Roberta only works on melee) which gives it some
additional value. However, the Mastery gains are still fairly low (only around 25 more barrier-per-second per device) plus requires CEU for Mastery
which still makes it a pretty unappealing investment.

tl;dr Probably ungraded due to poor gains, but S2 > S1 if you want.

At long last we have a Burn Ritualist! It only took 9 months but I can finally use Warmy! Hooray! Bobbing is a pretty good first take on it, especially
for a 5★, but with two very important notes. First, Burn competes with Necrosis. When one element triggers, both are cleared, so Bobbing is
competing with all the busted Necrosis units currently out. Second, and a first for the Mastery guide, one of his skills may be potential gated which
is... crazy.

So that all said, he should be a pretty decent unit for niche players and I'm personally looking forward to him. His S2 will likely be his main skill. It will
require some creative play to use effectively since enemies can move out of his range, but it applies a lot of Burn on a very fast cycle in a true-AoE.
Bobbing 5★ Gacha
It's not easy to use, but has a big impact when used correctly.

His S1 is a more open question. It requires potential 4 and max level to trigger it in one activation along with his Talent. If it can trigger in one, it's
amazing, but requiring two activations makes it almost worthless. Fortunately, his Module has just been announced the patch after his release. It is
likely to change the whole equation with his S1, but as of this publishing we don't yet no the details. So stay tuned for if his S1 is worthwhile or not.

tl;dr S2 only for now. S1 TBD as we wait for Module details.

I hate Vina. Why you might ask? Because she's the first alter that doesn't incorporate the original name. My habit is to call her Siege2 but that will be
confusing to some people so I have to force myself to call her Vina regardless for clarity! Thanks for nothing, Siege! Oh wait, this section is for
Masteries? Right...

Vina isn't particularly insane compared to the recent trend of units, but that's to be expected since her kit is built around True Damage. It's a
troublesome mechanic to be built around because by its nature it has to be less effective than normal damage so any unit with it intrinsically becomes
more situational. She isn't bad by any means, and is likely to be very useful in those situations, but between regular damage that's so insane it
doesn't really matter if it's True or not and Elemental damage, Vina isn't likely to be a must pull or especially well graded.
Vina Victoria 6★ Gacha
All of her skills are likely to end up notable, but only her S3 will have a standout grade. It's basically an upgraded version of Nearl2's S3 and is by far
her most impactful skill. S2 is a fine infinite duration skill, but it's somewhat low value. It doesn't do True Damage like the rest of her kit, it's worse
than comparable skills like Ulpianus' S2 or even Blaze's S2, and long wind-up skills are already not that often used in the meta. Finally, her S1 is
likely to have some use (plus funni flip) due to S3's extremely long cooldown, but if the True Damage isn't needed, it's actually worse than her
Vanguard form's S2 (and it can’t even one shot the ch10 slugs).

tl;dr S3 first (A-ish-tier), maybe S1 or S2 secondary but probably unnecessary.

Unit/Event Rarity Unit Type Summary and tl;dr
Unit/Event Rarity Unit Type Summary and tl;dr
Unit/Event Rarity Unit Type Summary and tl;dr
Unit/Event Rarity Unit Type Summary and tl;dr
Unit/Event Rarity Unit Type Summary and tl;dr
Unit/Event Rarity Unit Type Summary and tl;dr
Unit/Event Rarity Unit Type Summary and tl;dr
Unit/Event Rarity Unit Type Summary and tl;dr
Unit/Event Rarity Unit Type Summary and tl;dr
Unit/Event Rarity Unit Type Summary and tl;dr
Unit/Event Rarity Unit Type Summary and tl;dr
Unit/Event Rarity Unit Type Summary and tl;dr
Unit/Event Rarity Unit Type Summary and tl;dr
Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Muelsyse operates more as a laneholder than a typical Vanguard does, which makes her considerations a bit different than most other Vanguards.
Fortunately though, her DP generation is identical between skills which simplifies her evaluation despite her unusual role.

S3M3 S+ S A+ While heavy Muelsyse users will definitely want to do the full M6, S3 makes a better starting point. Both her S2 and S3 are very similar. They have identical
SP costs, uptime, DP generation, and ATK gain. They also both have different effects depending on if the clone is a Melee or a Ranged clone, so the
difference in the skill comes purely down to which effects (and which clones) are better.

For melee clones, S3 comes out pretty far ahead. Tanking is already not Muelsyse's best use, but even in such situations, S3 is the better effective tanking
skill so long as the enemy is stunnable. The healing on S2 isn't especially valuable either considering the clone can be refreshed as normal with Tacticians.
Muelsyse For ranged clones, the gap is much closer with only a slight favor towards S3. S2 has higher peak DPS, which may not be apparent at first glance, although
S3 will usually have more effective DPS due to S2's wind-up, as well as the additional Bind. The difference instead comes down to tile-availability. The less
available tiles for clones to spawn on, the more appealing S2 looks in comparison.

So given S3 is far better for melee, and slightly better for ranged, it makes sense as the starting point. More casual Mumu users won't find S2 use cases to
be worth the cost compared to just using a different option. However, the flexibility from her S2 will be something that regular Muelsyse users shouldn't
S2M3 A A- A- ignore.

For purely IS gameplay, be a little cautious. While certainly not a bad pick, the nature of the tickets to build your team restricts clone options which lowers her
value some. Although the potential of a self-sustaining strong-DPS laneholder is still worth considering.

Ines is the best single Vanguard in the game which is really saying something given how long Flagpipe has been at the forefront of the meta. She is really
the best of all worlds across the board, mixing good DP generation, strong damage, and a huge heap of good quality utility. Of particular note are her Steal
and Bind utilities, which make her incredibly valuable in both early holds and late holds, a value no other Vanguard can match.
S2M3 S++ S++ S++
As far as Masteries, she is a solid M6 consideration, but her S2 comes out ahead by fair margin. Both S2 and S3 have comparable DP generation during skill
uptime, thanks to the ASPD Steal on S2. However, the charge time on S2 is so short that it tends to come out significantly ahead, in addition to Invisibility
and Attack Range utility. Bagpipe even mitigates the potential windup problem. Mastery is particularly important on S2 as well, upping the Steal, damage,
and very important SP cost.
Ines
In comparison, S3 leans a bit more towards the gimmick-y side. It has more damage potential and similarly strong Mastery gains, which on a unit as powerful
as Ines, makes S3 a worthy secondary Mastery consideration. However, much of that is reliant on the flying dagger which makes it more situational, and you
lose a lot of flexibility in exchange since her redeployment time is much longer than S2's cycle time.
S3M3 B+ A+ B+ Pass on her S1. It may find some occasional value as an AFK skill or as a source of Arts damage, and is an improvement over Puzzle's similar S1, however
it just doesn't compare well to S2 or S3. If you need damage, you won't be using the skill, and if the initial activation matters, you'll be using the instantly
available and more impactful S3 instead (or S2 + Bagpipe) leaving relatively little space for S1 to be useful.

Vigil has the extremely dubious honor of being the first completely ungraded 6★ in this Mastery guide. His summon is weak, his already mediocre DPS is
reliant on that weak summon, his DP generation is low, and his main skill has a horrific initial ramp-up. There is no meta justification for spending your
resources on Vigil.
S3M3 None
Should you opt to pursue him anyway, you could go with either S1 or S3. His S3, is his better DPS skill and will probably be more generally useful. If you only
do one (or rather, insist on doing at least one), S3 is the one to go with. In good conditions it can even reach some respectable DPS. However a bad cycle
time, low DP generation, a reliance on his weak wolves blocking, and an absolutely horrific initial activation time seriously hinder what would already be a
Vigil fairly niche skill.

His S1, meanwhile, is better for DP generation owing to a relatively forgiving cycle, and renewing a wolf does work around one of his kits' major flaws.
However, his DP generation is still pitiful compared to other commonly available Vanguards, and it’s his lowest DPS skill. It's something you should only
S1M3 None pursue if you're insistent on using Vigil over better options.

Pass on his S2. While you might initially think that it would be a nice, consistent AFK DP generation skill, it doesn't actually trigger if the wolves haven't spent
the previous activation. This makes its effective DP generation extremely unreliable.

In the age of Flagpipe, Flametail brings a shocking amount of utility that has continually proven itself in the end game since her release. Dodges don't usually
have a lot of value but her very high chance on S3 makes her virtually invulnerable a third of the time while maintaining good DPS (for a Vanguard).
S3M3 A+ S+ A
Mastery in her S3 has the best return on value of any Pioneer Vanguard skill, providing relatively large improvements to her cycle time which is vitally
important to her role. Her grades are relatively high here compared to her meta value as a unit. The strength of the Flagpipe meta really hurts her overall
value so she is not a must raise. However her S3 Masteries are incredibly valuable if you do choose to raise her, bringing her grades up a bit.
Flametail
Her S2 is modestly popular for its team support, but the associated dodge chance is far lower and adds an unpalatable amount of RNG to the mix. The
Mastery gains on it are also far lower, so it is a very low end consideration for only those who use Flametail a lot and want some more flexibility from her.
S2M3 C C+ C+
Although capable in the Roguelike, she is on the weaker end of picks. Vanguards as a class are just not that valuable thanks to Myrtle and the restrictions of
Hope costs. Still, she is a competent fighter, and her sustain and DPS are both useful. S3 Mastery is still the key skill for that mode.

Saileach has the biggest gulf in priorities between Story and Advanced players.

S3M3 S- S+ S- In all cases, S3 is her best skill. It brings valuable utility on a very short cooldown along with decent DP generation. The 20s downtime on her weakening
effect is a unique aspect to her that has lots of broad application. Mastery is quite valuable here. In addition to the all-important "first activation" times with all
Flagbearer's, she gains a significant increase in utility effectiveness as well.

After that though, things get more nuanced. The DP generation on S3 is actually fairly poor relative to other Flagbearer skills which gives room for her other
skills to shine. Her S1 is identical to Elysium's S1. It also has among the most expensive M3 material cost in the game so far. For most players this means
it's something to avoid, especially if you haven't already found a reason to do Elysium's S1 Masteries. Outside of high-risk CC and certain memes, the
intensity of DP generation that her S1 brings in addition to the other Flagbearers is never necessary. Your resources are better spent elsewhere. But for
players who do care about pushing risk, her S1 is essential, often being chosen over her S3 to maximize DP generation among small deploy limit rotations
Saileach S1M3 None A+ None
where her S3 is just too slow.

Her S2 is a similar case. It gets mixed into high risk CC only slightly less than S1 does. The DP gen on it is only slightly worse than her S1 (and significantly
better than S3) so it can be the better choice when DP pressure is high, but with a little bit of flexibility. For Story players though it is again an expensive thing
for fringe usage at best and relatively small gains. If you haven't found a reason to use Myrtle's S2 before, you probably won't find any reason to use
Saileach's S2 either.

With an eye towards the Roguelike, her S3 is still king, though Saileach is only a modest pick herself thanks to a high Hope cost. If you wanted to do a
S2M3 None B+ C- second Mastery after S3, then S2 would be the goal. Like Story mode, the extra DP generation on S1 just isn't necessary and you'd be better off taking
Myrtle for less Hope anyway. Meanwhile S2 can provide a valuable healing utility that can oftentimes be in short supply. Even then though, the less
expensive Myrtle tends to be the better choice for emergency healing given the lesser costs involved, both in Hope and in materials.

S2M1 Breakpoint Saga has two viable skills, though I favor her S3 in most scenarios. Her S3 first activation can have DP generation similar to a Flagbearer Vanguard, and it
greatly increases her combat prowess, which is the main reason to be running a 6★ Pioneer Vanguard.
Saga S3M3 A- A+ B+
Her S2 can still be quite valuable at times since it hits in a true AoE on a fairly large range with a big attack multiplier, though for the most part it will be fine at
M1 with further investment being a niche luxury. She is a weak pick in the Roguelike, but if you do intend to use her, the consistency of her S2 will likely be
S2M3 B B+ A+ more valuable given the relatively long cooldown on her S3.
Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Bagpipe is one of the best units in the game. It can be easy to assume that is only because of her talent’s relevance to the Flagpipe meta, but her skills are
S3M3 S++ S++ S++ every bit as important. Prioritization between S2 and S3 has long been a point of significant debate, with strong opinions on both sides. Notably, I used to
grade her S2 very low to encourage people towards her much better S3. However, her Module upgrades force me to reconsider.

To be clear, you should still prioritize Bagpipe’s S3 over her S2, even when accounting for her Module. It is the better and more impactful skill and Mastery
Bagpipe without question. With S3M3, she is one of the best early laneholding options because of her low DP cost, short wind-up, massive bulk, and incredible
damage. That damage is then strong enough for her to double as a flexible late-game assassin.

S2 is a strong skill, but places it’s better than S3 are much more niche. Although her S3 already has a very short windup, the difference between "instant"
S2M3 A- A+ A+ and "almost instant" can matter for a unit as strong as Bagpipe. Notably, the SP cost is reduced at M3, which means that you start with more charges upon
deployment. This is especially relevant with her Module upgrades, which provides a full additional charge at S2M3.

S2M1 Breakpoint
S2 is the key skill for Siege since her S3 doesn't produce any DP. It has a strong breakpoint at M1, and stopping there will be sufficient for most players.
Further Mastery only offers some damage and initial SP, so they aren't especially valuable for the cost.
Siege S2M3 B B+ B+
She is a weak pick for the Roguelike mode and for Advanced content, though those intent on using her in those scenarios may want to consider her S3
Masteries. It has the highest consistent attack multiplier among Vanguard skills and can be instantly activated with Bagpipe at M3. However the places it is
useful in are quite niche so most players will want to look elsewhere for their investments.
S3M3 None C- C-
Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

 Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Since near launch, Soloblades have had it rough. While not necessarily an awful archetype, their kits haven't exactly blended well. Their dueling capacity
increases at lower HP, but that in turn raises their HP back up, meaning they very rarely operate at their peak performance. Along with no control, 1-block,
S3M2 Breakpoint and being unhealable, it leaves a fairly narrow range of targets that Soloblade’s are effective against. Zuo Le solves almost all of that and brings new life to
an otherwise dead end archetype!

His main skill is his S3 which is the skill that addresses almost all of those flaws. Primarily, it converts the Trait healing into Barrier, which gives him sustain
while allowing him to maintain that low-HP peak performance. In Zuo Le's case, that's especially powerful thanks to his Talents, and the whole setup feeds
Zuo Le into itself, allowing extremely fast and spammable cycles on his powerful burst and control.

This guide rarely notes M2 breakpoints. The cost goes up quite a bit compared to M1 and there are rarely particularly large gains at M2 (they're usually
reserved for M3). However, Zuo Le has a very unusual gain to his Stun at M2 and marks him the first M2 breakpoint in the guide since Mulberry!
S3M3 S+ S S A secondary skill is unnecessary with Zuo Le. His value is almost entirely in his S3, and pursuing his Module level 3 is by far the better return on investment
since the Module effects and upgrades all feed into that powerful S3 spam cycle. However, if you particularly like him or find his S3 troublesome to use, look
to his S2 for a secondary. It’s less impactful than his S3 but the HP-to-Barrier conversion on a fast cycle can easily maintain his Soloblade buffs.

When it comes to meta units, there tends to be two kinds. There's the complex ones that have multiple skills and lots of nuance. Then there's the dead
simple ones. Press the button and win the game. Degenbrecher is the latter. Every 30 seconds you activate her S3 and nearly everything in range will die.
Her S3 is one of the best burst skills in the game and that's really all there is to it. It should be one of your highest priorities when it comes to Masteries which
represent a significant increase to damage on an already top-tier skill.

Along that line of thinking, there's really no need to pursue a secondary skill on Degenbrecher. If you particularly like her, then both of her other skills are
reasonable and she could justify the M9 consideration. However, her S3 is just so powerful that it's rare that it isn't the best choice. In terms of return on
investment, you should look to her Module over any secondary Mastery! If you do favor Degenbrecher enough for the extra investment, though, the choice
Degenbrecher S3M3 S++ S++ S++
between S1 and S2 is mostly preference. S1 has better DPS and is good for AFK-clears, while S2 has a reliable Frighten trigger which may have some
ancillary value.

It isn’t noted in the grades since her S3 is just so dominant to her kit, however do note that if her off skills interest you, S1 has a valuable M1 breakpoint.

Note that most Swordmasters have Offensive Recovery skills which tend to add some priority to their Masteries. That's true of Degenbrecher's S1 and S2,
but her S3 is Auto Recovery instead. However, she is so powerful that the nuance has no effect on the Mastery considerations for Degenbrecher or her
priority.

While oft maligned thanks to the exploding top level power of the game, Viviana is far from a bad unit. She's just a bit average, that's all. Nothing wrong with
that! While some flaws do hold her back in end-game scenarios, she still does very solid Arts damage on a good rotation with above average bulk.
S3M3 A+ B+ A
Most of that potential is tied to her S3 which simply has better total effects than her other skills. Its Mastery gains are very significant too. Her skill DPS alone
improves a whooping 27% on top of significant enhancements to her bulk and cycle time. While her lack of RES shred is a significant problem when
Viviana compared to her contemporaries, her S3 is still a valuable Mastery if you have any interest in using Viviana.

There's no need to pursue a second Mastery with Viviana. If you did want to do a second, then her S2 would be the target, however it's only really useful if
you are purposefully using Viviana over better options. The extra block on it is good for lane-holding purposes, but that isn't her best use. In her more typical
S2M3 B- None B-
use, the extra block results in her all important shields getting eaten by whatever random trash she is blocking instead of the dangerous threats she is
theoretically meant to take on. But as said, the laneholding role is better filled elsewhere.

Lessing is only the second 6★ in this guide to have no graded Masteries. That should give you a good idea of what Lessing's value is already, but if it wasn't
clear, it is best to avoid spending your resources on him. He is a weak unit with poor DPS, awkward bulk, and a limited niche.

However, unlike Vigil, he does at least have a niche, and if you want to promote Lessing, against better advice, it's best to stick into with that niche, and thus
his S3. Of special note, the process of becoming immune to status effects also breaks existing effects, meaning he is the only unit that can clear effects like
Stun and Freeze on his own. However, Arknights is designed in a way that specific units are never required, and so Lessing will only ever be an alternative
Lessing S3M3 None
option rather than a useful addition.

And that's about where the upside ends. Without any form of reduced deployment time, his S2 is extremely costly to use for DPS that isn't even all that
impressive with no other meaningful utility, although niche players with limited options may still find it useful. His S1 is a generic Power Strike skill which on a
modern 6★ is just... well, the word that comes to mind is better left unsaid on a family friendly website. Avoid investment into Lessing unless you know what
you're doing.

Hoederer is not an easy unit when it comes to Mastery investment. While most 6★s have a standout skill, Hoederer's main skill doesn't stand out to near the
S3M3 A A- B+ same degree. All of his skills have potential value depending on the situation! If you want to maximize your Hoederer usage, then you will likely want the full
M9. However, that is extremely expensive so most people won't want to go that far. So be aware that selecting the skills to pursue is tricky! Use your best
judgment here for what you want out of him.

That said, his S3 is still generally the skill to start with. It's a weird skill. Its uptime compared to downtime is very unusual, mixed with health drain on an
already fragile body and some RNG. However, while up, it has a ton of damage, sustain, and control. The bigger flaw is actually the 50 second downtime,
during which he has no form of sustain. But supposing you can survive that, his S3 has the most impact in total which tends to make it his primary skill.
Hoederer S1M3 B B- B+
As for secondary skills, the split in usage between his S1 and S2 is fairly even, however I would suggest his S1 for Mastery over S2. His S2 is more
commonly used and still has worthwhile Masteries. The additional ATK on an always up passive is valuable. However, it is mainly used for its reliable stun
which isn't affected by Mastery. If you're trying to stunlock a long wind-up enemy, S2 will usually be just as effective at S2SL7 as it is at S2M3.

Meanwhile, his S1 is a great sustain skill for when S3's downtime is unmanageable. While the long attack interval of a Crusher can be a problem, it still
triggers a huge gain in HP every third attack which makes up for a lot of the Crusher's flaws. As long as he can attack, he can sustain through some pretty
S2M3 C C C harsh lanes. Mastery is a big factor for that since the SP cost drops from 3 to 2 at S1M3. That's huge on an Attack Recovery skill on a 2.5 second interval!
Compared to the Mastery gains on his S2, the Mastery gains on his S1 matter much more if you can't afford the full M9.

Executor the Ex Foedere can be tricky to evaluate. He has a ton of potential between his super strong self sustain and incredible theoretical DPS which is
True-AOE, high-hit Physical, and from a Melee tile - all very valuable attributes. But those benefits come with hefty drawbacks which complicate the overall
picture. He has a high Attack Recovery cost, inconsistent RNG, and can't be healed. Those are all potentially big problems!

S3M1 Breakpoint However, while that overall assessment is muddy, his Masteries are actually very straightforward. His S3 is his standout skill because it has by far the best
damage potential and sustain, and its Masteries are extremely important to effectively using him. Accordingly, his S3 Masteries are a high priority, although a
touch lower than the very top of the meta still. In addition to above average DPS increases, the biggest drawback of his S3 is the absurdly high Attack
Recovery cost. At S3M3 it's still a painful 24 SP (note 1), but that's a vast improvement over the 30 SP (note 1) at SL7. Executor2 is a unit who oftentimes
can “feel bad” to use, but he will feel much worse at SL7 than at S3M3.

Executor the Ex Also note that S3 has a breakpoint at M1. The sustain during the skill increases by a full 33%. While relatively minor among the world of breakpoints, it’s still
Foedere worth grabbing ASAP.

Pass on his S1 and S2 Masteries. Both will likely have some fringe usage for heavy Executor2 users, but S3 just does too much. The opportunity cost of not
using S3 limits any potential value that an expensive 6★ Mastery might have.

Be aware that Executor's fully-upgraded Module is nearly as valuable as his Masteries. His Module and upgrades actually edge out Masteries in terms of
S3M3 S+ S S DPS gain, but the reduced SP cost still make Masteries a higher priority. Regardless, plan to do both to get full use out of Executor.

(1) Note that Executor2 gains an extra SP when his double attack Talent triggers. In the above discussion, I used the displayed base values to avoid
confusion, but in practice, the values will be lower. Without Module, S3 has an “effective average” SP of 25 at SL7 and 20 SP at S3M3. With Module level 3
and S3M3, the effective average is 18 SP. So Masteries reduce S3’s cost by 5 SP while Module reduces it by an additional 2 SP.
 Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Qiubai has some unique pressures when it comes to Mastery consideration. With her S3, she can reach above-Surtr-tier DPS on multiple targets with range.
Her Masteries are essential to that purpose, representing a staggering 33% increase in DPS and a 58% increase in total damage. With her strong archetype,
S3M1 Breakpoint Qiubai can be an end-game caliber DPS unit. Yet a brutally long cycle, an RNG Talent, and a reliance on external help to maximize her potential can really
bring her value down on some rosters.

To the first point, she has a uniquely powerful breakpoint on her primary skill that actually adds a facet to the skill which is not otherwise present. But do not
take the presence of a breakpoint to indicate that you should stop at only S3M1! Qiubai's S3 Masteries all the way up to S3M3 are some of the most valuable
in the game.

However, to the second point and despite those massive gains, Qiubai’s priority still suffers due to some major drawbacks on her kit. The 55 SP downtime is
Qiubai S3M3 S+ S+ S the most obvious, but less obvious is that her S3 has no internal mechanism for Bind or Slow to trigger the extra damage on her first Talent. This leaves her
reliant on her second Talent, which has fairly low RNG odds and will only trigger for about a third of her total attacks during an S3M3 activation. With the aid
of an external source of control such as Ethan or Suzuran, Qiubai can hit a peak DPS of around 3000 DPS per target. But on her own that total is a much
more modest 2100 DPS per target. That’s still extremely good, and Qiubai does have strong value when alone, but not quite as crazy as most other top meta
units.

If you are only interested in Qiubai for her meta value, then you can stop there. In situations that you can not abuse her S3, a different unit is likely the better
play. However, if you are interested in Qiubai as a regular member of your team, lack a reliable and strong external slower, or want to use her as an IS
S2M3 B- None B starter (which she is quite good at) then you may also find value in her S2 given S3’s long cycle and inconsistent control. The 10 SP Attack Recovery is quite
reasonable given her Lord range, and the AoE Slow triggers her Talent resulting in very good damage for such a low SP skill. While it lacks the crazy total
damage of her S3, it makes for a good alternative skill.

Chongyue's primary skill is his S3. When fully ramped up, he's tough to beat in sustained DPS and his unique and large range will make you look at stages in
a whole new way. While there are some drawbacks to his kit that tend to suppress his value in the high-end meta, he still has a top Mastery grade on his
primary skill. He is a powerful unit and his Masteries are *essential* to his usability. The upgrades from SL7 to M3 grant a triple threat of oversized value.
First, his damage per activation bumps an above average ~25%. Second, his all critical ramp-up reduces by ~20%. Third, once he is fully ramped up, he
activates those already harder punches ~20% more frequently!

Chongyue S3M3 S++ S++ S++ Keep in mind that his drawbacks (wind-up, scaling vs DEF, lack of sustain) tend to be exacerbated in high-end gameplay. Chongyue will blow away most
Story content, but Advanced and Roguelike players will find him to be a relative luxury.

Most can stop at the simple S3M3, although those who find Chongyue personally appealing may find some niche value in his other skills, particularly S2.
Both S1 and S2 are decent skills in isolation and both have similarly valuable Masteries to S3, however it's a situation where his S3 is just better. S1 in
particular has few places it shines compared to S3, except for a few one-punch IS gimmicks, leaving S2 as the primary secondary Mastery. S2 has an
incredible total damage multiplier, on top of a short cooldown and stylish animation, which makes it a fun alternative.

Mlynar is the best Physical Melee DPS unit in the game, and possibly the best DPS unit period, depending on who you ask. His S3 is his key skill, and the
Mastery gains on it are big. Units of Mlynar's caliber are simple to evaluate because of how game-defining they are. Their primary skills should be your
highest priority among Masteries. Simple as that.
Mlynar S3M3 S++ S++ S++
I would not bother with his S2 Masteries and they are ungraded here. It has a fairly high Mastery rate among secondary skills, but that is more a reflection of
his overall power and popularity as a unit. Compared to S3, niches that his S2 might be useful in are much more narrow compared to other secondary skills
on other top-tier units. His S2 Masteries will be an expensive alternative you're not likely to ever practically use.

Gavial is a modestly strong M6 consideration, but if you can only afford one Mastery, start with her S2. S3 has significantly higher DPS, but Gavial is a
relatively rare situation where the utility of her S2 more than makes up the difference. S2 still has very good damage, but also has range, control, a higher
attack multiplier, and an absurdly high up-time. Mastery makes an especially large difference to that all-important up-time.
S2M3 S+ S+ S+
In addition to all of that utility, there is another reason to prioritize S2 first. It is extremely rare in this guide that another operator influences any suggestions.
However, in this case, Gavial’s S2 uptime at M3 almost perfectly synchronizes with Mlynar’s S3 downtime. This allows for two very strong units to cover each
Gavial the other, and it is enabled by the improvements to uptime over Mastery. Combos in Arknights tend to be gimmicky and easy to overrate, but this specific
interaction should not be ignored.
Invincible
However, don’t forget about her S3. It has better raw damage, and the DPS gains on its Masteries are well above average. Since Gavial is a Centurion, that
increased block count means more targets as well, which greatly improves her damage potential. It doesn't quite see as much use as S2 (especially in IS),
but it is one of the more worthy secondary skills out there.
S3M3 S- A+ A-
Last, her S1 garners a mention as a self-sustain option, but remains ungraded because the skill doesn’t play to her better role. Most players shouldn’t bother
with it, but if you particularly like Gavial you may want to give it some consideration. The gains on it aren’t too impressive, though, so even then it will
probably be fine without Mastery.

S3M1 Breakpoint Irene's best skill is her S3, and it badly needs Mastery to be effective. The M1 breakpoint is incredibly important, representing a massive 20% increase to her
skill DPS on its own. The damage increase across M2 and M3 may seem anemic in comparison, but the reduced SP cost is vitally important to using her
effectively since her biggest drawback is Attack Recovery on a high SP skill.
S3M3 S+ S+ S+ Although Irene has two other serviceable skills that both have valuable Masteries, there isn't much reason to go beyond S3M3. Her other two skills have
niches, but the damage on her S3 is her main selling point. Further investment doesn't have much value with Irene, with related niches being far and few
Irene between, and certainly not worth giving up her S3 for. Even the breakpoint at S1M1 may not be worth much for the use you would get out of it.
S1M1 Breakpoint
** A word of caution related to Dorothy. There is a combo with Irene and Dorothy where Irene's levitate allows you to place a new Dorothy mine, thereby
extending a stall for as long as Dorothy has mines. This can work with S1M1/M2 or S2M3 (S1 preferrable), but S1M3 actually loses effectiveness since you
end up needing to use mines more frequently. If you would like to use Irene on her own, it is fine to go with S1M3 for use as an AFK skill, but if you want to
S1MX None ** None use her with Dorothy, keep her at the much cheaper S1M1.

S3M3 S+ S- S Nearl's alter form has two skills that are definitely worth Mastery, and a third also well worth considering. The best option to start with will depend on how you
intend to use her, the type of player you are, and what other tools you have available.

Her S3 is her daily driver skill. It is another great option in the realm of big DPS nukes which are very valuable. However the issue with it is that it tends to be
a slightly weaker version of Surtr's S3 and a slightly harder to use version of Kal’tsit’s S3. For more established teams, the value that damage bomb brings is
S2M1 Breakpoint somewhat limited. Though those who are newer and less established will find tremendous value in it.

Nearl the Radiant Advanced players will find quite a bit more use out of her S2 which is her unique niche and will want to prioritize it above S3 (if not passing on S3 entirely).
Purely Story players will still get use out of it as well, but may not find investment into Mastery nearly as valuable as the deploy limit bypass is a lot less
Knight important under normal conditions.
S2M3 A+ S+ S-
She is a strong Roguelike pick, only hurt by how common place meta Guards are. However she brings a level of flexibility and tankiness that the other top
picks don't have. For use there, you'll likely want to Master both skills, especially if you lack the other end game nuke Guards like SilverAsh and Surtr.

Finally, her S1 is a good skill with surprisingly high and consistent damage. It is her best skill for laneholding. That flexibility is especially powerful in IS,
S1M3 B+ B- A- where options are limited and her role flexibility shines. However, it’s a bit of a luxury for the rest of the game, and isn’t typically why she’s on used.

Pallas is a rough unit. Her intended design niche seems to revolve around buffing with her S3. However, her reliance on Vigor for her buffs is a huge
drawback, the cycle time is excessively long, and she offers little else during her skill downtime. It is little surprise then that her S1 is often suggested as her
S1M3 B C+ A-
best skill, which at least adds a dose of hard hitting consistency.

Her S1 is often touted as an extremely good skill for the Roguelike mode. That was true in IS#2 where the interaction with a large number of relics gave her
strong damage, low DP cost, and healthy self-sustain. However, she is nowhere near as valuable in IS#3 which drops the value of that investment
Pallas significantly.

There is no easy answer with Pallas, other than not investing at all. However, if you decided to promote her anyway, all three of her skills are potential
options. Start with her S1 which at least has circumstances it stands out in. S3 is a luxury option. She has strong burst damage with it, but the buff is
ultimately too situational to be generally useful. Even her S2 could have some value to someone intending to maximize Pallas against other options, though
that is so far off of the meta that anyone considering it probably doesn't need this guide for help.
 Pallas is a rough unit. Her intended design niche seems to revolve around buffing with her S3. However, her reliance on Vigor for her buffs is a huge
drawback, the cycle time is excessively long, and she offers little else during her skill downtime. It is little surprise then that her S1 is often suggested as her
Quick Jump to Start best skill, which at least adds a dose of hard hitting consistency.

Her S1 is often touted as an extremely good skill for the Roguelike mode. That was true in IS#2 where the interaction with a large number of relics gave her
Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary
strong damage, low DP cost, and healthy self-sustain. However, she is nowhere near as valuable in IS#3 which drops the value of that investment
Pallas significantly.

There is no easy answer with Pallas, other than not investing at all. However, if you decided to promote her anyway, all three of her skills are potential
options. Start with her S1 which at least has circumstances it stands out in. S3 is a luxury option. She has strong burst damage with it, but the buff is
S3M3 C C None
ultimately too situational to be generally useful. Even her S2 could have some value to someone intending to maximize Pallas against other options, though
that is so far off of the meta that anyone considering it probably doesn't need this guide for help.

S2M3 S+ S+ S+
Like the other cornerstone units, Mountain's value in that role comes down to a specific skill which for him is S2. And like Blaze/Thorns, since cornerstones
are so central to team comps, S2M3 should be highly prioritized. It is incredibly valuable in his role, greatly amping up both his damage and sustain.
Mountain S3M1 Breakpoint
His S3 is a fairly strong DPS skill, but it's a situation where you have to give up his better skill and better role in order to make use of it. With so many strong
DPS skill these days and the high cost of 6★ Masteries, investment beyond the M1 breakpoint is a luxury for most.
S3M3 B B- B+

S3M3 S++ S++ S++ Surtr is utterly broken and it is mainly because of her S3 and it gets a lot out of M3 as well. On top of ever increasing damage, she hits another target, and
most importantly reduces her wind-up to a very helidrop worthy 5 seconds. Everyone who has Surtr (and intends to use her) should do S3M3.
Surtr Her S2 is a strong skill, but since there is the lost opportunity cost of her S3, it's not worth considering... usually. She is still one of the strongest picks in the
Roguelike mode, but the forced retreat can be a big drawback which gives some space for S2 to be useful. S2 Mastery is still a luxury as SL7 is usually more
S2M3 None None C+ than sufficient in those scenarios, but alternatives on the most powerful units available always have some value.

Although not the first cornerstone unit, Thorns is the one that really broke the role into the forefront of the meta. He is an absolute monster of a unit, and like
his predecessor cornerstone Blaze, that power comes down to a single skill which for Thorns is his S3. In terms of power, there's really no reason to do
anything else. Thorns only gains DPS from his Masteries, but keep in mind the second activation doubles all the values so the DPS gain is tremendous and
since his regen only kicks in when he's not attacking it makes a sizable difference to his sustain as well.
Thorns S3M3 S+ S S+
Thorns is probably the best starter unit in IS#2; however, he’s lost a lot of value in IS#3. While he is still quite good at the lower difficulty levels of IS#3, the
removal of E2 starts tremendously hurts his value, especially as the Ascension (difficulty) level increases. Thorns is still very strong and well worth
maximizing, but in the current content, he is nowhere near as essential as he was in IS#2.

In her role as a cornerstone unit, Blaze's S2 is her key skill and Mastery is very important to her output. Like most infinite duration skills, the gain is linear, so
Blaze S2M3 S S S S2M1 and S2M2 offer quite a bit more value and should be highly prioritized (though they are not 'breakpoints' in the traditional sense). Unfortunately with
the proliferation of cornerstone units, the value of her S2 Mastery has fallen a little bit, especially the more expensive M3.

The whole Soloblade archetype is in a tough spot these days. There aren't many meaningful targets they can self sustain well against, so they largely just
S2M3 B B- C+ end up as a 1-block, low damage-per-hit, unhealable holes in the team. Any investment into Hellagur is not high in the recommendations, but if you do so
anyway, then his S2 is the preferred starting point for Masteries. In addition to strong burst, the fairly high dodge chance on a short cooldown gives him a
good amount of survivability which can mitigate some of those Soloblade flaws.
Hellagur
Most should stop there. However, his other two skills can make appealing alternatives if you are particularly intent on using him. His S3 is a strong burst skill
S3M1 Breakpoint with some range utility, as well as a particularly strong M1 breakpoint. Meanwhile, his S1 gives him strong consistency and is his best tool for tackling high
DEF, a notable flaw in his kit. They are still luxury options, however, and not recommended for most people.

* Note that these skills are graded assuming this unit has her Module level 3. If you do not plan to get this unit's upgraded Module, treat the priority of these
skills significantly lower.

S3M3 B+ * B+ * B+ * Ch'en has the peculiar honor of having the most full re-writes in this guide. Her value in the game has shifted significantly as the game has gone on.
However, her Guard form made an unlikely comeback thanks to her Module upgrades and the removal of alter restrictions. Her Module in particular is a big
upgrade to both her uptime and her team support which warrants reconsidering her place in Mastery priority.

S3 is the better skill to pursue Mastery on, regardless of Module. The rapid burst, invulnerability frames, and long reach make it far more powerful and
Ch'en unique. Mastery has always been valuable on Ch'en due to her skills being Attack Recovery, but high SP costs are a massive drag on her uptime which
normally bring that value down. However her Module upgrades greatly improve its uptime, and thus the value of the Mastery.

Her S2 is notable due to being instantly available on deployment at M3, but its damage is paltry for the current meta. Her Module lets her spam it with more
regularity, but at that point it's best to just use her more powerful S3. The difference in their SP costs matters much less with her Module. That leaves S2 as a
S2M3 C C+ B far more niche option.

However, be wary of overreacting. Just because Ch'ens Module takes her off life support does not mean she is suddenly meta. She is greatly improved, but
when fully accounting for all related costs and competition, Ch'en's base form is still much a matter of personal desire when it comes to priority.

* Note that these skills are graded assuming this unit has the DRE-X Module level 3. If you do NOT plan to get this unit's upgraded DRE-X Module, treat the
priority of these skills significantly lower.
S2M3 A- * A* B+ *
Skadi's fully leveled DRE-X Module is one of the best in the game in terms of how it upgrades the base unit. Without it, Guard Skadi is a very weak unit with
terrible skill cycles and no real niche. However, with it, Skadi becomes a uniquely powerful Fast(ish)-Redeploy, and her S2 becomes a much more appealing
Mastery target. In addition to an above average attack increase, Mastery also improves her S2's duration. Between that and her massive HP pool, Skadi
lasts much longer than other Fast-Redeploys.
Skadi
S3 also is worth considering. While her S2 will cover a majority of situations, her S3 has much more bulk and a much longer duration which can give it
several viable use cases where it is superior to S2. The redeployment time reduction from DRE-X also works around the skill's biggest drawback. However,
Masteries are expensive and S2 will cover a lion's share of the work on its own.
S3M3 B- B- C Finally, be aware that the above write-up does not apply to her DRE-Y Module. While it does have some uses, DRE-Y is far more situational since it doesn’t
mitigate her extremely long cycle time. Should you choose to pursue that Module instead, treat her Mastery priorities (S2 especially) much lower, even on an
Abyssal Hunter team.

Despite being at the center of the discussion of powercreep, SilverAsh is still one of the top DPS units in the game. In addition to two extremely powerful
Talents, he has historically been *the* high Damage-per-hit (DPH) Physical damage unit, the most valuable form of damage. For much of the game's life, this
guide has suggested SilverAsh's S3 as the more important Mastery in the game. That probably isn't true anymore due to newer units; however, SilverAsh is
no weaker for it. He is still one of the best units in the game, and still has some of the most important Masteries. There are just more options these days.

In addition to the all important damage increases on one of the best DPS units, as well as an extra target, his S3 Masteries drastically improve his skill’s
initial wind-up time. Like many early units, SilverAsh's SP cost is abhorrently high after its first use. However, the large improvement to the initial wind-up
SilverAsh S3M3 S++ S++ S++ means that he can instead retreat and then redeploy after his initial skill use, which not only improves his effective cycle time but also frees up a deployment
slot in the interim.

While he may no longer be the *best* target for Mastery anymore, he still has some of the most important Mastery gains in the game. SilverAsh at S3M3 is a
different monster than at SL7 and he should be highly prioritized.

Finally, consider Mastering his S2 if you like off-meta builds or his character. Even though it’s ungraded, his S2 gives a ton of self sustain that few other units
have. It makes for a fun alternative. Just remember it is a fringe option. His meta usage is his DPS, not his tanking.
Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Shu is an extremely powerful support unit. She brings a variety of strong buff effects, massive healing, two game breaking features, and that's all built into a
S1M1 Breakpoint reasonably bulky frame. Guardian's have always been one of the strongest support archetypes in the game, and Shu elevates that to a new level.

Due to that elevation, her Masteries are different from most other Guardians. The non-Blemishine Guardians typically rely on their S1 for strong consistency
while their S2/S3s are reserved for more situational moments when their utility is particularly applicable. However, Shu is different. In her case a lot of her
consistency comes from her sown tiles which are more easily and quickly applied by her S3. In addition, it gives absolutely ridiculous healing, range, buffs,
AND a game-breaking stall. It makes it one of the best support oriented skills in the game, if not THE best.
S3M3 S- S+ S
Unusually though, Shu's S3's Mastery gains are notably poor. From SL7 to S3M3 she only gets 16% more personal ATK, 5 ASPD and ATK to her buff, and a
10% reduction to SP costs. Compared to other top skills in the game (especially DPS skills) those upgrades are extremely poor. The big gain across Mastery
Shu is actually improving her stall potential, but the difference will rarely matter outside of especially advanced situations. As one of the best skills in the game, it
is still extremely worth Mastery. However, if you're early on in your Masteries, it's better to focus on your primary DPS skills first.

S1M3 S- A+ A+ Looking beyond that, her S1 is still valuable. It goes by a new name, but is identical to Saria/Nearl/Bassline's S1. However, the value of its Mastery is
reduced a bit in comparison since her S3 is so much more important. While S1 is the main go to for the other three, it's a secondary option for Shu. The 50%
threshold (which, to be clear, is a good thing) means the application of sown tiles is slower. As with the other units, be sure to grab the cheap and very
valuable breakpoint at S1M1.

Finally is Shu's S2. It's a worthy skill if you're interested in maximizing your fertile fields, but isn't really necessary otherwise. While Saria's S2 makes her a
S2M3 B C B very worthy M9 as it provides a middle ground between her skills, Shu's S3's SP cost is low enough and the sown tiles strong enough that the middle ground
isn't really necessary. S3 is just far more impactful, which leaves her S2 without any special place to shine.

Jessica the Liberated is one of the more flexible units in the game. She has a well rounded kit that is sufficient at covering an awful lot of scenarios. As with a
lot of flexible generalists, her total Mastery grades are fairly high which reflects the broad investment needed to cover a broad variety of roles. In other words,
the gap between her primary and secondary skills is very low. However, keep in mind her individual skill grades are a touch low since Arknights is both a
S3M3 A+ S- S-
DPS first game, and has a meta which favors the "best" specialists in any given scenario.

Her Primary skills are S2 and S3, with S3 coming out ahead in general usage. They are quite different, and as said, you want flexible options in a unit built
around flexibility. In fact, the differences are too many and too wide ranging to cover here without this write-up becoming a full article of its own. However,
Jessica the that said, her S3 is usually more impactful. S2 has higher DPS, but often struggles against armor, while S3 has a very high DPH and a long stun that's easy
to time which allows her to tackle a wider variety of enemies.
Liberated
With special note to the Roguelike mode, you really want the full M6 if you intend to use Jessica the Liberated there. She is a decent option thanks to her
flexibility and wide range of roles she can cover, and there's a fairly even split in situations that each skill is useful in.
S2M3 B+ B A+ Her S1 may be worth a look if you really like Jessica or AFK skills. Mastery drops the wind-up time by a whopping 20 seconds which is badly needed if you
plan to use the skill. However, her S2 and S3 are much more impactful and have pretty forgiving cycle times, so there isn't a lot of space for her S1 to be
particularly useful.

Penance is a little tricky to evaluate. She is extremely strong and is one of the best solo lane-holders available. However, there's an emphasis there on "solo"
which makes her somewhat more situational compared to other lane-holders. Since she has no form of self or external sustain, she needs a fairly steady
stream of enemies that she can kill or tank to maintain her barrier. This puts her in that somewhat awkward tier where her potential strength may not
completely align with her priority.

Her S3 is by far the standout skill and the only one to strongly consider. It does so much and is really the "glue" that brings everything great about her kit
Penance S3M3 S S+ S together. It adds a massive chunk of barrier, gives her a massive amount of attack that lets her take on extremely hard targets, and super-charges her reflect
thanks to said attack boost and increased Taunt. Mastery makes a big difference here too, improving all aspects of the skill, and reducing her SP cost to a
very reasonable 20 SP. Defensive Recovery is no problem here either since she *wants* to be taking hits.

Her other skills aren't bad if you were interested in extra investment into Penance. However, you give up a lot by not using her S3, so most people won't find
it worthwhile to pursue their Masteries. If you did, you could go with either skill. Most people favor S1, but be aware that a not insignificant portion of that is
because of the attack animation rather than the merits of the skill itself.

S1M1 Breakpoint Horn is an extremely powerful unit, but also a very expensive one. She is perhaps the strongest M9 candidate when considering her relatively meta value
with all of her skills giving different and valuable niches and all of them having pretty strong damage increases over Mastery.

Aside from the S1M1 breakpoint, if you only Mastered one skill, it should be her S3. It is her skill with both the highest total damage and her highest DPS and
S3M3 S+ S+ S+ the one you'll be using overall most of the time. It has very high grades by being the best skill on a meta unit, but there isn't too much nuance with it either.
Big attacks go boom.
Horn Nuance settles in after that with there being a division between S1 in S2 for the best secondary target. Most polling shows S2 is the more popular choice
which is understandable since it's also a powerful nuke skill. However I would favor S1M3 as the secondary Mastery choice if you don't want to do the full
S1M3 S A+ S M9. While S2 has some valuable niches over S3 that most definitely makes it a worthy consideration, the two skills do have a lot of overlap. S1 meanwhile
has a more unique niche in giving her a very strong sustain, better scaling, and utility which are all very valuable in both IS and SSS.

As said, Horn is an extremely viable M9 candidate, but that is an expensive proposition for your average player. So the ultimate suggestion for Horn is to
S2M3 A- A A grab S1M1 and S3M3. If you like her and find yourself using her a lot, grab S1M3 next, and if you really like her, grab S2M3 as well.

S2M1 Breakpoint
Mudrock is an absolutely ridiculous Defender with two very strong Masteries that you will want to highly prioritize regardless of the type of player you are. S2
is her "daily driver" skill which has a massive breakpoint at M1 (do it ASAP). It greatly contributes to her lane holding ability, offering big AoE damage, stun,
Mudrock S3M3 S S+ S and sustain. S3 is her "big hitter" skill that is more often (though not always) used against big baddies on the front line. The improvements to her damage,
stats/bulk, and stun are very valuable. Mudrock has two of the best non-DPS Masteries in the game and is the strongest Defender pick in the Roguelike. You
should highly prioritize her and her Masteries.
S2M3 A S- S+

S1M1 Breakpoint
Blemishine is a more offense-oriented take on the Guardian archetype. However, that offensive nature is not as powerful as other DPS units, which puts her
in an uncertain middle-ground of usability. Add onto that a set of skills which all have uses, but also all have major drawbacks, she can be a daunting unit in
terms of investment. Most players probably shouldn’t raise her at all.

If you do raise her, there is no definitive “best skill” to Master, but her S2 plays to her niche the best. Her Sleep niche is unique, and it gives the best DPS
S2M3 A S- A+
among her skills while still offering some self-sustain. However Sleep is a tricky status effect, and it can often hurt more than it helps since few other units
can contribute damage during the stall. Because of this, it is often best when used as a solo lane-holding skill.
Blemishine
Meanwhile, S3 is a strong DPS skill, and a very rare Guardian skill that improves DEF. It also has some of the highest healing-per-second (HPS) in the
game. However, its fatal flaw is that it can't heal herself, so she requires another unit for sustain, largely defeating the purpose of bringing a Guardian to
S3M3 B+ B+ B+ begin with. It can be a fantastic skill if you prefer to use Blemishine in a front-line role over other options.

Finally, her S1 strikes a nice balance across her skills. It can heal herself for a nice measure of consistency while still maintaining respectable DPS. It is also
her only skill that isn't Defensive Recovery. While it can't benefit from her Talent, it does make it more reliable and can provide a nice burst when allowed to
charge between waves.
S1M3 B+ C B+

Eunectes acts as more of a Duelist Guard (Dreadnought) than a Defender. With her S3 up she has an absolute mountain of stats that few units can beat
which allows her to do some crazy things like 1v1 Patriot. Unfortunately she also has several drawbacks that hinder her viability such as cost, uptime, 1-block
without skill up, and an awkward trait that prevents a lot of reliability. Her S3 is her bread and butter and maximizing it is important to her, however as a
Eunectes S3M3 A- B- C+ Mastery it's best to treat it lower priority than many due to her difficult usage.

Her S2 deserves a note since it's an absolutely ridiculous stun that no one else can match. It has found use in high risk scenarios before, but at least looking
ahead now it's best not to invest into Mastery outside of personal desire since it can be difficult to properly set up.
Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Nian and Hoshiguma are two of the most rewritten units in this guide, which reflects how the role of Protectors has changed over the years. What was once a
fringe option that didn’t matter because it was better to just DPS down the enemy is steadily becoming a more and more important role. There are a lot of
S2M3 A- A A reasons for this, which are mostly beyond the scope of this guide at this point, but the bottom line is that the best bulk Defenders are worth considering when
you reach the midpoint of your career, where you begin to consider support options over DPS options.

For Nian, her S2 is the preferred skill for Mastery. It has better bulk and a much better cycle. It also increases her block count which lessens the need for her
+Block Module, PRO-Y. Her bulk Module, PRO-X is generally better, so the extra block from her skill has a pseudo-double impact. However, while her S2 is
preferred, the Mastery gains aren’t too special for the costs. They’re still worth pursuing, but much of the “value” is either overkill on the bulk or centered on
Nian the Silence duration, which isn’t why you use the skill.

Note that the S2 Roguelike grade is specific to IS#4, where blocking is especially valuable. In the older Roguelike iterations, Protectors are much less
valuable.

S3M3 None Her S3 is currently ungraded but may be worth a look if you like using Aak. The general effects of the skill are nice, however it has an incredibly long cycle
and doesn’t buff her own bulk which really limits its general value. However, it’s one of the best sources of protection for Ranged units against Aak, allowing
them to receive his S3 buff. That value is mostly limited to memes, but is worth considering if that appeals to you.

Nian and Hoshiguma are two of the most rewritten units in this guide, which reflects how the role of Protectors has changed over the years. What was once a
fringe option that didn’t matter because it was better to just DPS down the enemy is steadily becoming a more and more important role. There are a lot of
S2M3 A- B A reasons for this, which are mostly beyond the scope of this guide at this point, but the bottom line is that the best bulk Defenders are worth considering when
you reach the midpoint of your career, where you begin to consider support options over DPS options.

For Hoshiguma, her S2 tends to be the preferred skill for its simplicity and uptime. While the total DEF increase over Mastery is only 10%, which would be
considered paltry on most skills, the 100% uptime effect gives that otherwise modest increase quite a bit of map-long value. It easily justifies the cost despite
Hoshiguma “low” gains.

Her S3 occupies a notable place in the history of this guide. It has long been the main suggestion here since this guide favors burst skills. However, that’s
always been at odds with her S2 which is unique in the game for its raw simplicity. Hoshiguma’s S3 is still worth Mastery since its peak performance is so
much higher than S2, however these days, Nian’s S2 is favored when that raw bulk ceiling really matters. But Nian is an old Limited that not everyone has,
S3M3 C+ B C so lacking her, Hoshiguma’s S3 is a very reasonable consideration still.

Note that the Roguelike grade is specific to IS#4, where blocking is especially valuable. In the older Roguelike iterations, Protectors are much less valuable.

S1M1 Breakpoint
Saria is one of the strongest units in the game with a wide variety of applications across all of her skills. She is the best M9 candidate in the game, even after
three full years! However at the same time, some restraint is warranted, especially for newer Story centric players. Although she is strong, she is still a
support unit with expensive 6★ upgrades. DPS should still be prioritized higher which is why her grades are somewhat low despite her meta value.
S3M3 A S+ A+
The standard suggestion with Saria has been her S1M1 breakpoint, followed by focusing on her S3M3 which is her end-game skill. However the arrival of the
Saria second iteration of the Roguelike mode has given new life to her S2M3 which muddies the waters. S2M3 tends to be overkill in a lot of situations which is
S1M3 A- A+ A- why it fell from favor, though it is now also her most used skill in the new mode!

I would suggest you still do S1M1 first, followed by S3M3, then S2M3. However if the Roguelike is your overriding goal, there is nothing wrong with bumping
S2M3 up first. Just remember to exercise some restraint with Saria's Masteries until your key DPS roles are firmly established.
S2M3 B B A+
Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

True to her archetype, Ray excels in hunting down single targets. Her main value comes in her incredibly high damage-per-hit (DPH) and strong control, both
S3M3 S++ S++ S++ of which are focused into a single target you really want dead. Her S3 is the key to that value and is one of the best (if not the best) Physical ST skill. Mastery
doesn't influence the control and only has a minor impact on the cycle time, but it has a huge impact on Ray's damage. That's vitally important for Ray who is
all about her DPH so her S3 will be something you definitely want to maximize.

In terms of graded skill, Ray is very straight forward. The nuance to her kit instead comes in with her secondary skills. For most players, it is unnecessary to
go beyond her S3. As said, S3 is the core to her meta value and how a vast majority of players will use her. However, the creatively inclined who look to use
Ray S1M3 C C None units beyond their standard niches will find use in both of her other skills. Along with her Sand Beast, S1 can shift enemies are very unusual angles and
allows for Shift shenanigans that were previously not possible. The force increase at M3 makes it especially notable if you're only choosing one secondary
skill.

Meanwhile, her S2 allows for nearly continuous uptime from the Hunter ammo mechanic. It doesn't hit as hard as her S3 which also cycles very fast, but with
a well managed Sand Beast, she can virtually continuously fire without falling back in the reloads. That can matter when trying to do speciality clears such as
S2M3 C C+ None low-operator or niches without blockers. S2 similarly has a valuable M3 breakpoint, so the choice of secondary skill primarily comes down to preference and
what you plan to use Ray for.

Typhon is a powerful DPS unit with a lot of flexibility that will appeal to all kinds of players. She has huge DPS and DPH on a big range and a kit that works
S3M1 Breakpoint just as well against waves of trash as it does against bosses. To that end, she has two extremely powerful skills which makes her one of the strongest M6
considerations in this guide.

Her S3 is usually the skill to start with for Mastery. While there is a relatively even divide in usage between her skills, the upgrades to her DPS via S3
Masteries are quite a bit higher. Notably she gains extra ammo at M2 and M3 which are particularly valuable given the tracking nature of the skill and
significantly increase her total damage. When activated, S3 "locks on" to the target and follows it, including if it moves out of her normal range or through a
phase change. The extra ammo through Mastery is a big gain to usability on one of the most powerful boss killing skills available.
Typhon S3M3 S++ S++ S++
Make special note of the breakpoint on S3M1 which adds an additional instance of damage. That's a whopping 20% damage increase alone which makes it
one of the most valuable breakpoints in the game.

If there's any knock against Typhon's Masteries, it's that her S2 Masteries aren't terribly impressive. The reduction of SP cost by 1 and initial SP improvement
by 2 make it almost seem like they wanted to draw attention to it, like tipping a penny instead of nothing which might otherwise imply you just forgot. That
S2M3 S+ S S++ oddity aside though, the ATK increase on such a huge quality-of-life skill makes Mastery well worth pursuing. It's especially important for IS use where you
really want to maximize the flexibility of one of the top Sniper picks.

Pozëmka (Pozy) is one of the best DPS units in the game. There isn't a lot of nuance when it comes to that tier of unit. The best skill on one of the best units
S3M3 S++ S++ S++ has one of the best ranks, and most people won't need to look beyond that. S3 has sizable Mastery gains too, with big improvements to damage, cycle time,
and initial windup. How much more convincing do you need to make it a high priority upgrade?

Her S2 can be an appealing secondary Mastery. It is difficult to give up the damage that S3 brings, but S2 gives her quite a bit more flexibility. The M3
Pozemka upgrade in particular drops the redeployment time on her typewriter by an additional 4 seconds and comes with a nice SP cost reduction, which makes it a
huge upgrade in terms of flexibility. For a unit of Pozy's pedigree, it’s something worth considering once you're done with your team's primary upgrades.
Keep in mind, however, that she cannot activate S2 if nothing is in her own range (not the typewriter’s range) which is pretty limiting compared to S3.

S2M3 B- B+ B- Finally, Pozy's S1 is ungraded since the niches it fills over S3 or S2 are miniscule. However, you might consider it as a luxury extra if you particularly like
Pozy and find yourself using her a lot. Burst is almost always better in this game, but with S1 Pozy has some of the highest consistent DPS in the game.

While Fiammetta is a viable M6 consideration, her S2 is the far better choice for Mastery and her S3 isn't nearly as good as many people think it is. That's an
understandable thing since it's rare these days that a 6★s key skill is NOT their S3 and Fia's S3 is certainly a flashy looking skill. However her S3 has a
S2M3 S A+ S+ pretty bad positioning problem. It's only really her best DPS in a small tile-and-a-half sized circle at the impact point, and given it's so far away from her it
becomes highly map dependent if ideal positioning can be achieved. In many cases she just gives a few chip shots as enemies pass. Though it does still
have value, especially if you favor the lazier variety of clears, be aware the Mastery gains on it are fairly small as well and it comes out as a luxury overall.

Fiammetta Instead, focus on her S2 Masteries. Her S2 has its own issues, but they are less restrictive than the S3 issues. The straight line where damage is at its
highest is far easier to deal with than S3's ranged pinpoint. S2 is also the go to skill in the IS mode where it interacts better with the ASPD relics since she
can double dip with her second talent, along with the better flexibility. And last, S2 has far better gains over Mastery than S3. While the improved sp cost on
S3 barely matters on an infinite duration skill, it makes a very sizable difference for a skill used as often as S2.
S3M3 A+ A- A+
Fia gains a lot of value in IS#3. She was always a very strong IS pick, but range is especially valuable in the third iteration. Also, related to IS, be aware that
her S2 does not typically work with Spinach-type relics. The damage takes too long to apply, so the buff is lost before the damage happens.

Fartooth overlaps a lot with Schwarz, but does the main job of damage quite a bit worse, leading to an ultimately disappointing unit. Her range advantage
niche is obvious, but the stages in Arknights are never designed where a specific solution is required, so the places she can really excel with that unlimited
range are pretty small, and generally better resolved by other means, and her targeting talent often means wasted shots against weaker enemies that cross
into the expansive range.

Worse, her S2 is an awkwardly designed skill. It lacks a damage multiplier, limiting the targets she can be effective against, and imposes a harsh
requirement that no other global range unit has to deal with. It's ungraded here, though it's worth pointing out that it can be a valid Mastery to pursue if you're
aiming to make regular use of her. It can be used similarly to Schwarz' S2, that is, a high DPS skill without the range restriction of S3, since the blocking
Fartooth S3M3 A- A+ B
requirement is only for units outside of her normal range, and it has the much bigger Deadeye range.

To be clear, none of that is to say she's bad. She can actually be a very valuable asset to many teams and has pretty reasonable value in her S3 Masteries.
There's just very often better options out there and is quite costly for what is ultimately a narrow niche.

She is a poor pick in the Roguelike. Snipers are a crowded group full of lots of better choices for the Hope cost, and her talent becomes useless in some of
the stages. All while having the same problem she has in the main game of limited places to apply her niche. Certainly she is usable, but is a sub-optimal
pick.

Ch'en the Holungday, regardless of any controversy, is one of the best DPS units in the game, so her skills are among the highest Mastery priorities. Her S3
hits incredibly hard, has a high total damage, and is further enhanced by its flexible, resource-efficient ammo system. Put simply, it’s one of the best DPS
skills in the game, and it has priority grades which reflect that.

Ch'en the S3M3 S++ S++ S++

With that said, a small bit of caution is warranted. Her Mastery gains are a touch worse than others in the S++ tier of priorities. If you have them, you should
Holungday consider starting with the likes of Texas2, Mlynar, or Surtr instead. Just keep in mind that doesn’t mean she isn't an S++ tier unit — she is still among the
highest priority units.

Her other skills aren't really worth considering. While both are good skills on their own, there's almost never any reason to consider either over S3. If you
really wanted to do a second skill, her S1 would be the one to go with since it works with the various ASPD buffs in modes like IS or SSS.

Ash's main skill is her S2. The short cycle and on-demand Stun can be very useful for Elite killing, especially with her new MAR-X Module. However, she
has faltered a bit in the meta as the power continues to scale up. Her DPH isn't as impressive as it once was and the reliance on enemies being Stunnable
makes her more situational. With so many options these days, Marksman are just not as special as they used to be, and Ash is no exception there. Her
niches are still good in everyday content, but in any sort of advanced content, she is very situational, if used at all.
Ash S2M3 S- A A-
Secondary skills are a luxury on Ash with neither seeing special use, but I would go with S3 if you really want a second Mastery. S1 might have some use
for maximalists, but its DPH is too low to ever be more than a meme. S3 meanwhile has some niche value despite its limited uses. The big boom and
extended range can be a fun alternative to play around with. However, it is extremely fringe, so most shouldn't bother with either.

S2M3 A+ A S- Both Archetto's S2 and S3 are strong skills with strong Masteries and if you regularly use her, you will want to do both. S2 especially can feel very
underwhelming without Masteries. Of course a 6★ M6 is quite expensive, so as a matter of priority, favor her S3 if you do not have Exusiai (or don't want to
use her), and favor S2 if you do. Although Archetto's S3 maintains some strong and important niches, it has a lot more overlap with Exusiai, while S2 is her
more unique option if she is acting as a compliment instead of being your main Marksman Sniper.
Archetto S3M3 A- A+ S
Her S1 may also be worth considering as well. While less unique than the other two skills, it does have several things that work in its favor. It is Auto
Activation which may appeal to those who find her S2 to be tedious, it handles armor best among her skills, and it can significantly out-DPS S2 in dense
crowds. Archetto won't be worth the full (and expensive) M9 for most people, but she is still a reasonable low-priority consideration for the honor.
 Both Archetto's S2 and S3 are strong skills with strong Masteries and if you regularly use her, you will want to do both. S2 especially can feel very
underwhelming without Masteries. Of course a 6★ M6 is quite expensive, so as a matter of priority, favor her S3 if you do not have Exusiai (or don't want to
Quick Jump to Start use her), and favor S2 if you do. Although Archetto's S3 maintains some strong and important niches, it has a lot more overlap with Exusiai, while S2 is her
more unique option if she is acting as a compliment instead of being your main Marksman Sniper.
Archetto
Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary
Her S1 may also be worth considering as well. While less unique than the other two skills, it does have several things that work in its favor. It is Auto
Activation which may appeal to those who find her S2 to be tedious, it handles armor best among her skills, and it can significantly out-DPS S2 in dense
S1M1 C C- C- crowds. Archetto won't be worth the full (and expensive) M9 for most people, but she is still a reasonable low-priority consideration for the honor.

Rosmontis was never the most meta of units to begin with, but time has been fairly unkind to her. Her niche is still quite unique and so she is worthy of
S3M3 A- B- C investment, but her damage isn't where it should be and there are usually simpler solutions to what she solves. Her rating only falls further with the Roguelike
mode where her inability to hit drones becomes a much bigger problem.
Romontis
Although both her S2 and S3 are usable skills, focus only on her S3 for Mastery. It is her more unique niche as well as having far superior gains. Her S2 is a
S2M3 C- None None popular skill for its better uptime and lack of reliance on deployable tiles, but is somewhat notorious for its rather poor Mastery gains and poor damage
relative to other current options. It is an easy skip for any reason except waifu desire.

S2M1 Breakpoint
W is a powerful DPS unit, but not exactly top tier. This makes her Mastery rankings a little less absolute than others. You will find plenty of opinions on both
sides of the debate of S2 vs S3 and many will recommend the M6 on her. Personally, I think S3 is the better skill as it has better controllable damage, but the
S3M1 Breakpoint utility and consistency on S2 tends to be more popular. Which skill to begin with is largely a matter of preference. Somewhat unusually, both skills have M1
Breakpoints, so start there and see which you like better before diving in further.
W
S3M3 A+ A+ A+ She gains a lot of value in IS#3 that she didn't have in IS#2 thanks to her long range and stun, which are both very valuable, although the debate between S2
and S3 remains. Further, S1 becomes a consideration as well. It is still ungraded since the usage is very fringe, but it does strike a nice balance of cooldown
and stun that her other skills lack.

S2M3 A A A+

* Note that these skills are graded assuming the unit has her SIE-X Module level 3. If you do NOT plan to get this unit's upgraded Module, treat the priority of
these skills significantly lower. Rosa's Module should be done before Masteries.

At a time when most OG units are declining in value, Rosa picked up an amazing Module. It caters directly to her already valid niche and supercharges her
S3M3 S+ * S- * S*
damage to an extreme degree, granting her new relevance despite all of the hyper-powerful DPS units in the current meta. It is difficult to overstate how good
her Module is. It nearly doubles her already solid damage! It’s so good, in fact, that Rosa is one of the few units where Module should take precedence over
Masteries!

Now, while Rosa's Module is tremendous, there are still a few drawbacks to her kit. High-caliber DPS units are plentiful, Modules are expensive, she's still
mediocre against low-weight enemies (although her targeting does relieve this), and her skill cycles are awful. This ultimately leaves Rosa as a fairly high-
Rosa priority consideration, but not quite a slam dunk either, especially if you're low on resources.

If you are ready for that investment then Rosa is a decently strong M6 consideration, but S3 is her primary skill and the main starting point for Masteries. It
has a bigger impact in total, but the uptime is quite short, so the total damage tends to be a little low. This gives good value to her S2, which has similar DPS
but a much longer uptime. However, S3 still remains her best skill in most scenarios. S2 has an extremely long downtime to go along with the uptime, while
S3's is quite forgiving. The total damage on S3, while a touch low, is still sufficient to kill most elites in a single activation, and she can activate S3 almost 3.5
times in a single S2 cycle, which usually makes up the difference over the course of the map. S2 does have some additional value in the Roguelike since S3
S2M3 B+ * B* B+ *
does not benefit from ASPD relics.

If you do not intend to get her upgraded Module, you can safely leave her at just S3M3. There's just too many better replacements for what her S2 does
without the benefits of her Module.

S3M1 Breakpoint Schwarz has a reputation as a boss killer, which I admit my own previous writeups have perpetuated. And it is true to a point, but her rapid cycle times make
her an excellent general purpose DPS unit as well, just one that can take on harder targets. Her S3 is her bread and butter skill to that end, and Masteries
give her quite large damage and uptime gains.
Schwarz S3M3 S+ S+ S
For most, there is no need to go further with her Masteries, but her S2 has some value for those that want to use Schwarz regularly. Her S3 is the superior
skill, and the range is usually a benefit, but that is not always the case and sometimes it can be a problem. Particularly in the Roguelike mode where
S2M3 B- B B flexibility is important, her S2 can be an enticing alternative.

Exusiai's S3 is the only skill to bother with. It is what makes her good. Occasionally someone will advocate her S2 but the DPS difference between the two
S3M3 S+ S+ S+
skills is staggering. It's almost never worth it and even Advanced players will find almost no value in Mastering S2. Timing issues are easier to solve than
DPS issues and S3M3 adds a lot of forgiveness.
Exusiai
Now that said, I actually have added her S2 here with the Roguelike update, but only for the Roguelike mode. I want to strongly emphasize that S2 Mastery
S2M3 None None C+ is a luxury that very few should pursue. However the mode can be an unforgiving sort and Exusiai is one of the strongest options available. The added
flexibility of her S2 is something to at least consider. But I say again, 99% of the time you should be using her S3.
Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Ho'olheyak is a pretty off-meta unit with some pretty bad Mastery gains on her primary skill. Her damage just isn't up to snuff, and while her utility does have
some meaningful value, it tends to be very content dependent rather than generally applicable.

S3 is her main skill and really the only one worth pursuing. It has a higher damage potential, good range, and a relatively predictable amount of control. The
flaws on the skill are what keep her low on the meta-scale, however. Although the skill "looks" like it’s area-of-effect, each tornado is actually single-target.
The cycle time is also brutally long, and positioning is vital to maximize her damage. Her secondary skills don't make up the difference either with some
major drawbacks of their own.
Ho'olheyak S3M3 C C+ B-
To make matters worse, her Mastery gains on S3 are anemic. The only good part of her S3 Masteries is the initial activation which drops by a meaningful
(but still low) 7 SP. The rest is quite bad. Her uptime barely moves, the gain to Levitate duration is practically unnoticeable, and even in ideal circumstances,
the DPS gain is a substandard 10%. Ho'olheyak is a fairly rare 6★ where you can largely get away with using her at SL 7, especially given how rare ideal
usage scenarios are for her.

If you want to fully invest in her regardless, start with S3. Despite the poor gains, it is still her primary skill by a good margin, and the consistent Levitate
application will find the most usage on her kit. Secondary skills, if you do one at all, are mostly a matter of preference, but favor S1 which has stall potential
with her CCR-Y base effect. Her S2 may have some use as well since it has better DPS, but the RNG nature of it can be more frustration than it's worth.

* Note that this skill is graded assuming that Lin has her PLX-X Module at level 3. If you do not plan to get this unit's upgraded Module, treat the priority of
this skill significantly lower.

Lin is a unit who is reliant on her Module to truly reach her potential. Without it, she is nowhere near as valuable. She is very vulnerable when her main skill
is up, which already has relatively poor damage and a long cycle. Fortunately though, her Module addresses the biggest flaws of her kit and turns her from a
mediocre and expensive option, into one of the most powerful Casters available with a strong niche as an effectively invulnerable range tank!

All that said, it's important not to overreact. Lin is a very powerful unit in the current metagame, but she is reliant on her niche which makes her value
Lin S3M3 A+ * A* S- * dependent on the current game content (notably, she is very good in IS#4). At times she may seem like the best unit in the game, and at others she may be
collecting dust at the back of the roster. If there is no range tanking opportunity, she is just another low damage, long cycle, mediocre Caster.

Regardless of Module, S3 is by far her best skill and the only one worth Mastery. It has the best damage among her skills by quite a bit, with the only major
flaw being the cycle time, which her Module upgrades address. The damage and minimal utility on her other skills just don't hold up in comparison.

Her other two skills are not worth investment. They did have some debatable utility pre-Module, but only to cover flaws in a weak base kit. S1's modal switch
covered her frailty, and S2 covered her cycle time, However, since her Module covers both of those niches and the damage potential on either is far lower,
there's little reason to invest in them.

In the realm of 6★ DPS, Ebenholz is pretty middling. There's just so many good options these days, and he can seem anemic and difficult to use in
comparison. However, his targeting is unique and useful, and he can hit like a truck, which is quite satisfying. Just be aware that your resources are probably
S3M3 A B+ B+
better spent on more mainline-meta units. That leaves his grades a bit lower than most 6★ DPS units, especially for the IS and CC game modes.

All that said, Ebenholz has two skills worth Mastering should you decide to pursue him. S3 is the obvious first choice, as it caters strongly to his boss/elite-
killing niche. It also has pretty significant gains that improve pretty much all aspects of the skill. However, the skill can be tricky to get the hang of. Timing and
Ebenholz map knowledge are critical to keeping him from blowing his charges on trash. It isn't a skill for the impatient or lazy.

When that elite-killing niche isn't needed, his S2 is a very strong alternative, and can often be the better daily driver skill. It can be difficult to wrap your head
around at first, but it's not really that complicated. He essentially summons a bunch of proximity mines that explode for big damage. There is the ever present
problem with such skills where they're difficult to control and often wasted on trash mobs, but the cooldown on the skill is short enough that it remains quite
S2M3 B B- B+
usable. Mastery is a pretty big increase to S2’s damage, so Ebenholz is a strong M6 candidate, supposing you plan to actually use him over more meta
options.

Goldenglow's go to skill is her S3 thanks to its extremely strong burst and rare global range (the first global range skill with no condition or targeting priority).
It has important Mastery gains as well thanks to a fairly high attack multiplier that applies to all of her drones (both their base attack and their explosion
S3M3 S+ S S++ damage) which makes it a high priority Mastery on one of the strongest units in the game.

Her S2 makes an excellent alternative for when the global range isn't necessary (and you can afford the wind up time of course). However it has fairly weak
Mastery gains with no improvements to the wind-up time and somewhat small Attack gains for an infinite duration skill. Additionally her S3 has fairly short
Goldenglow downtime for a skill of its power which drives S2 to be relatively more niche. Goldenglow is so powerful that she is worth the M6, but her S2 has much lower
priority and doesn't at all need to be rushed.

S2M3 A B B It's worth noting her S1 since it has absolutely massive single target DPS. It's among the best in the game among Casters. However it ultimately remains
ungraded since the situations it is better than S2 or S3 (or another operator like Surtr) are very small. It has good gains and a niche so it's something to
consider to maximize waifu, but for most players S3 will cover the same needs as S1 already.

Carnelian is a decent Story mode unit but has some significant design issues that keep her out of the upper tiers of the meta. Long wind ups, a lack of
S3M3 A+ B B synergy with the archtype, and a charged effect that's basically mandatory all contribute to what would seem to be at first glance a very good unit. Instead
she is left as a decent Story mode unit who gets picked less than her little sister in end game scenarios.

Despite the issues with her kit, it has some pretty interesting skills for consideration. A majority of players will want to stick with S3 for Mastery and go no
Carnelian further. Damage is by far the biggest asset that she has, so maximizing it is key, as well as reducing her hampering wind up time.

S2 is an interesting option providing a good stall with some supplemental damage. Carnelian combines with Aak well since she can natively survive his buff,
S2M3 C C C and with it, S2 becomes a permanent stall for the duration. However, that's ultimately a niche usage. It requires two units at a high cost and unimpressive
uptime when there's almost always a better solution available and has yet to find its way into high end gameplay.

Passenger is a unit with a long and storied past, full of ups and downs. It's all worthy of its own article, but for now the end result is a very decent mid-to-high
level Arts DPS unit, with good burst and a flexible range.

His main value is in his S3 which is where your Mastery focus should start. The description can be a little daunting, but it is fairly straightforward: it basically
dishes out strong burst damage in a very short interval. It warrants special note for the Roguelike mode, where it interacts with the Hand of Diffusion relic,
Passenger S3M3 A- B+ S- resulting in near infinite uses (which is where the Passenjesus or Godhand nicknames originate). However, in the rest of the game, a long charge time and a
rather middling gain from Mastery keep the priority somewhat low for a DPS skill.

His S2 is also pretty good as a more “typical” Chain Caster skill; however, it is ultimately not what Passenger is known for. It’s less valuable in its niche than
S3 is, less necessary on stronger teams, and only marginally better than the 5★ alternatives. It’s a luxury option for those who want a bit of off-meta
flexibility.

* Note S3 is graded assuming Dusk has her SPC-Y Module level 3. If you do NOT plan to get this upgraded Module or prefer her SPC-X, treat the priority of
S3M3 B* B+ * B* S3 lower. See the write up below for more details.

Dusk is one of the weakest 6★ Caster options, so her investment priority is generally quite low. However, she is still sufficiently usable should you favor her
or lack the more meta options. Like many off-meta 6★s, the best Mastery to put first depends on how you intend to use her.

Her S1 is a popular Mastery choice for those who wish to use Dusk as a daily driver. It is similar to the very meta Eyjafjalla's S2, though it lacks many of the
features that make Eyja’s S2 so good. It gains an extra charge at M1 which is worthwhile for everyone, but the reduced SP cost at M3 will be important if
Dusk S1M1 Breakpoint you're making regular use out of Dusk. It pairs best with her SPC-X Module, but the expensive upgrades are not essential to using S1 effectively.

Meanwhile her S3 is the far more unique skill. It adds a huge amount of blocking utility, something that Casters typically lack. It is the best skill to target if you
only plan to use Dusk in the situations where she stands out from the rest of the cast. While low damage and a brutal SP cycle time badly hurt most of its
potential, her SPC-Y Module upgrades can make a big difference here. You still need to keep the SP lockout during skill duration in mind, but the leftover
Freelings with SPC-Y level 3 can jumpstart the following cycle which makes a huge difference in viability.

Finally, her S2 is worth discussion, though it remains ungraded. The extended range and true-AoE can be very valuable at times, so the skill may be worth
pursuing as well if you particularly like using Dusk. However, most won’t find the damage to be worth the cost.
 * Note S3 is graded assuming Dusk has her SPC-Y Module level 3. If you do NOT plan to get this upgraded Module or prefer her SPC-X, treat the priority of
S3 lower. See the write up below for more details.

Dusk is one of the weakest 6★ Caster options, so her investment priority is generally quite low. However, she is still sufficiently usable should you favor her
or lack the more meta options. Like many off-meta 6★s, the best Mastery to put first depends on how you intend to use her.

Her S1 is a popular Mastery choice for those who wish to use Dusk as a daily driver. It is similar to the very meta Eyjafjalla's S2, though it lacks many of the
features that make Eyja’s S2 so good. It gains an extra charge at M1 which is worthwhile for everyone, but the reduced SP cost at M3 will be important if
Duskto Start
Quick Jump you're making regular use out of Dusk. It pairs best with her SPC-X Module, but the expensive upgrades are not essential to using S1 effectively.

Meanwhile her S3 is the far more unique skill. It adds a huge amount of blocking utility, something that Casters typically lack. It is the best skill to target if you
Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike only
Summary
plan to use Dusk in the situations where she stands out from the rest of the cast. While low damage and a brutal SP cycle time badly hurt most of its
potential, her SPC-Y Module upgrades can make a big difference here. You still need to keep the SP lockout during skill duration in mind, but the leftover
Freelings with SPC-Y level 3 can jumpstart the following cycle which makes a huge difference in viability.

S1M3 B C+ C+ Finally, her S2 is worth discussion, though it remains ungraded. The extended range and true-AoE can be very valuable at times, so the skill may be worth
pursuing as well if you particularly like using Dusk. However, most won’t find the damage to be worth the cost.

* Note that this skill is graded assuming the unit has her CCR-X Module level 3 ("Very Dry Bread"). If you do NOT plan to get this unit's upgraded Module,
treat the priority of this skill lower.

While Ceobe has always had a solid niche thanks to her good ST DPS, her value in the meta has declined over time as stronger DPS options with more
utility have come along. However, Ceobe is one of the lucky old units who got a meaningful buff from her Module. While her niche remains the same, and
thus limits her meta value in the age of wide sweeping heavy DPS, the raw boost to her damage that her CCR-X Module brings warrants a second look at
Ceobe.

Ceobe's main skill is her S2 since it synergizes so well with her Talent. Against high DEF enemies, each rapid fire attack adds large amounts of damage,
Ceobe S2M3 S+ * S- * A+ *
compounding into very solid totals. Both Mastery and Module are very important to reaching those damage potentials. Her S2 Masteries provide a well above
average amount of additional DPS, adding close to 33% or more DPS (depending on enemy DEF), compared to a more typical 10-20% gain on other units.

Her S1 and S3 will have various niche usages for Ceobe adherents and Nicheknights players, but ultimately their damage is way too low to consider. They
don't synergize with her Talent nearly as well, resulting in subpar performance.

Be cautious of Ceobe in Integrated Strategies. While her DPS still warrants a decent grade here, she has nowhere near the value of the other 6★ Casters
who are already low value. Unfortunately the gimmicks of the various boss enemies in both IS#2 and IS#3 work against her, made worse by increasing RES
at higher difficulties. She is generally not worth the Hope cost.

Historically, Mostima has been one of the lowest graded units in this guide. Since nearly launch, she has epitomized early design mistakes, with her paltry
damage, long downtime, and high costs. That is still mostly true. While most basement dweller 6★s picked up good Modules, Mostima is a unique case. Her
SPC-Y Module is quite good, and it does give her a strong niche that even appears in some end-game scenarios like CC#12. However, it does not have a
Mostima S3M3 C+ B B-
huge influence on her skills such as with someone like Guard Ch'en. Even with full Mastery, her damage is still weak and her cycle time is still brutally long.
In other words, her SPC-Y Module niche is worth almost as much at SL7 as it is at M3. It's worth enough to note with a grade here, but it’s not something
most players should consider, given the costs of Modules and her general weaknesses.

S2M1 Breakpoint
It took five years for Eyjafjalla to even be challenged as the top general use Caster in the game. Although there are many reasons for this, a big one is that
she also has two of the best Caster skills which gives her a lot of flexibility in how she deals out damage, and you'll definitely want to Master both of them.
Eyjafjalla S3M3 S+ S++ S++ After the S2M1 breakpoint, focus on her S3M3 which is one of the best burst DPS skills in the game for both Story and Advanced clears. Her S3 needs
Mastery to really reach its potential since it has some pretty incredible gains including an extra target at M3. Don't cheap out on the remaining S2 Masteries
though, especially for more Story and Roguelike-centric players who need consistent Arts DPS.
S2M3 S- A S+

S2M1 Breakpoint
Ifrit has two very good skills. In many places you will find her S2 Masteries favored over S3. Although Ifrit is most definitely a worthy M6 candidate, I strongly
disagree with that assessment and suggest starting with her S3 after grabbing the inexpensive S2M1 breakpoint. Her S3 has far stronger DPS on a super
Ifrit S3M3 S+ S+ S- short cycle time. Far shorter than most other skills of its kind which makes timing it significantly easier than most. The RES shred is also frequently more
important, especially in the end game. Of course, her S2 is still quite good and oftentimes better, especially in the Roguelike where the required team support
can be a problem, so look to pursue both.
S2M3 A A A+
Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

 Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Eyjafjalla’s alter is an interesting unit. Across this priority guide, the top graded units are almost all DPS units. It takes something truly special for a support
oriented unit to shine. Eyja2 is that sort of special where the usual top priorities fall into question… or she would be if not for being ridiculously overtuned. As
a general rule, Eyja2 already does her job spectacularly well at SL7, which keeps her overall grades down compared to other meta-caliber units. For those
just beginning their journey into Masteries, DPS units should still take priority in spite of Eyja2’s high-end station in the meta.

S3M3 S S+ S+ For those further along and with more resource flexibility, the skill to start with depends on your philosophy as a player. S1 is her most commonly used skill,
but her S3 (which is also extensively used) has much better gains. So what to invest in first, the skill you’ll use more often or the gains you’ll get more out of
when needed? There isn’t an absolute answer to that! That said, this guide does ultimately have to assign grades, and I favor S3 here. The point is, adjust to
your own preferences!

To go into more detail, S1 is her more commonly used skill which aligns with Eyja2’s quality-of-life attribute. Her healing is so ridiculous already that as long
as you can survive the wind-up time, no other attention is usually needed regarding healing! However, the Mastery gains are notably poor. The only gain to
her normal healing occurs at M3 and it’s a paltry ~7.5% difference. Most of the Mastery gain instead lies in the Elemental healing aspect, but that aspect is
Eyjafjalla the Hvít already strong, plus best left to her S3 when it’s insufficient. Her S1 is a great skill and any great skill is worth pursuing, but as a matter of priority, you will
Aska usually be perfectly fine with it at SL7.

Meanwhile, it’s tempting to call S3 her burst skill compared to S1’s consistency, but a very long uptime and a longer downtime make it unusual compared to
other burst skills. Nevertheless, it is by far her most unique application. The global range is the most noticeable aspect, but the healing numbers are
absolutely ridiculous as well. While it isn’t as “set and forget” as her S1, the burst outcomes are far better and S3’s Masteries represent much bigger gains
than S1s. S3M3 clocks in at around ~17% more HPS during the skill, more than twice S1M3’s gain. Simply put, S3’s Masteries will matter more when you
need them.
S1M3 A+ A S-
You can pass on her S2 Masteries, although they might be justified if you personally favor Eyja or are a true end-game maximizer. It’s a good skill, but it’s
also the most overtuned. Even at SL7 the shield covers enough Elemental damage to protect against three full triggers of fallout and there is virtually nothing
in the game that deals out that much that fast. Investing into the Masteries is simply overkill that’s unlikely to ever be practically useful. Note that S2M3 can
allow for 100% shield uptime which might theoretically have some value, but places where that would matter over SL7 or one of her other skills are basically
non-existent.

Reed the Flame Shadow is the most powerful Caster in the game, which is weird since she's a Medic and thus also happens to have some of the highest
healing output too. That alone makes her a high priority investment, but the situation is compounded by two distinct roles via two different skills that both
have some of the largest gains over Mastery in the game. The result is one of the highest graded M6's in this guide.

S2M3 S++ S++ S++ You have to start somewhere, and her S2 is her better skill. It does more damage, has better sustain, and is her more unique skill. In ideal scenarios she can
break 8200 DPS. For comparison, Texas the Omertosa's S2 "only" hits about 3800 DPS. It isn't as difficult to set up as it appears either. While there's a lot of
talk of "sandwiching", the enemy units don't actually need to be blocked for the damage to apply. It can be temperamental at times, but the nature of the skill
actually increases the potential here. Imagine sticking the fireballs and additional sustain onto Surtr's S3, for just one example. The sustain (applied via her
shared Trait) is just as ridiculous as the damage, and easy to overlook. If that all doesn't sell you enough, Mastery represents a 24% increase to her total
damage and DPS, which is above average to comparable Masteries.
Reed the Flame
Shadow On the other hand, her S3 is certainly the flashier skill. It is a tremendous skill for clearing out crowds of weaker enemies. The mechanics of the skill imply
that it is best used when the brand can be spread easily, which is true, but in practice the DPS is high enough that the skill is still great even if it can't be
effectively spread in those flashy cascades of fiery death. It is still very effective as a general purpose skill. The main knock against S3, and why it tends to
tail behind S2 in priority, is just that what it does is more replaceable. The raw DPS and HPS that her S2 brings is where she really shines. Advanced players
especially, with well established teams, may find her S3 Masteries unnecessary.
S3M3 S+ S- S+
A final note, some people suggest starting with S3 because it has stronger Mastery gains. That statement (about the gains) is true, and by quite a bit. S3
gains about 51% DPS, while S2 "only" gains about 24%, but be aware that the suggestion misses a key piece. The gains on S2 may not be as high as S3,
but they are still well above average. More typical DPS gain from Masteries is around 15%. Mastery on both skills is essential to their effective and
maximized use, so the consideration for first Mastery should be primarily given to the better role (S2) rather than the by-the-numbers gains.

Lumen's best skill is easily his S3. Supposing you can afford the long wind-up time, it ends up with massive healing-per-second that usually lasts the entire
S3M3 B A A+ duration of the map. It will stay active until his ammo is depleted, which only happens when removing a status effect. Of course, it can run out if there's heavy
status effects in the map, but that just ends up playing to the main strength of the skill, which is instantly clearing status effects! His S3 Masteries are quite
important, granting additional ammo (i.e. lasting power) and reducing the windup time, as well as significantly improving his healing. Lumen is not a 'must-
raise' sort of unit, especially for purely Story players (focus on Nightingale or a Berry first), but his S3 Mastery is important if you are using him.
Lumen Those who particularly like Lumen might also find some value in his S2, but it usually ends up being too weak in comparison to his S3. Lumen has two main
values: his very strong healing and his status removal. Even at S2M3, he requires 26 SP to remove status (due to the Charged effect) which is already
halfway to S3's activation. There are certainly places that can matter, but they are far and few between and you give up a lot of healing effectiveness to get it.
On top of that, status effects rarely pile up all at once, which is the main scenario his S2 would be particularly effective. It just has so few places where it is
S2M1 Breakpoint better than his S3, and fewer still that justify the Mastery. His S2 does have an M1 breakpoint, but its usage is so much lower that even that is probably not
worth pursuing for most.

Kal'tsit has two very good skills, but focus first on her S3 which is the most potent True Damage skill in the game. Most other True Damage skills have a
significant drawback (Franka, not really True Damage I know, and Skalter on the same banner), limitations (Weedy), low total damage (Cliffheart), or limited
S3M3 S+ S++ S++ uses (Amiya). Kal has none of those, doling out a ton of True Damage on a pretty short timer. S3 is her best skill, and the reason Kal is special in the meta.

Her S2 is a great Mastery in terms of the gains, especially if you wish to use her for more general purpose since it allows her to operate as a pseudo
cornerstone unit, but in the wider scope of the game, it fits in awkwardly. Given the involved restrictions of two deploy slots, micromanagement, and reliance
on tile layout, it's rarely the best choice if the flexibility of Monst3r's fast-redeploy is not needed. Even semi established players with a decent unit selection
Ka'tsit will most likely want to redirect the resources elsewhere and just bring a ground cornerstone instead of Kal S2. However it is still a very good skill, and the
fact Monst3r is essentially a fast-redeploy (with more block and better stats than any full FRD), means S2 provides a ton of flexibility that few others can
match.

S2M3 A+ S S Although that said, if you intend to use Kal'tsit in the Roguelike mode, especially as your starter option (which is a very strong course of action), you'll want to
prioritize her S2 Masteries more highly than normal. Her S3 is still her key skill, but especially early on in the run, her S2 will be more valuable when you
need Monst3r to act in that cornerstone role.

In an era where straight tanking is generally not the ideal solution, Shining has seen a dramatic drop in viability. She is almost always outclassed by the far
S3M3 C- B C-
more versatile and lower rarity options. On top of that, her Mastery gains are fairly unimpressive and best left to personal desire. This is especially true for
Roguelike players where her Hope cost only lowers her value further. The exception to this, and the place she still holds value, is in enabling Aak buffs. It is a
modestly popular strategy in Advanced situations (or just for fun), and S3 Mastery is frequently required for ranged units to survive the stim. But if that
Shining doesn't interest you, she is a pretty safe skip.

Alternatively, if you have no interest in Aak buffing, S2 can be an appealing option due to S3’s ludicrous SP cost. However, it is a very low priority option.
S2M3 C- C- C- There are many better ST Medics to consider Mastering before Shining such as Warfarin, the Elemental Medics, and the Therapist Medics.

In some ways, Nightingale is the most broken unit in the game. No other unit can shut down an entire mechanic (Arts Damage) as well as she can. Her
S3M3 A A+ A+ extreme ability to do so is likely why it took over four years before another unit, Bassline, also got the ability to directly buff friendly RES, and even he is a
minor footnote in comparison.

However, some caution before Mastery investment is warranted. With how the game is balanced, Nightingale is never a necessary solution outside of some
extreme end-game circumstances. In many of the places she is most powerful in (eg. Chapter 8), she is sufficient at SL7, and in situations where the RES
Nightingale S2M1 Breakpoint
isn't necessary, she is frequently worse than lower rarity Medics. This makes Mastery tricky. Generally speaking, you should prioritize DPS above all else,
but Nightingale's S3 is so powerful in the situations it matters that it is worth considering among the first support-type Masteries. Advanced and Roguelike
players especially will want to prioritize her higher, and she is particularly valuable in IS#3.

Another consideration for Mastery is her S2. While it is nowhere near as powerful as her S3, its consistency can be appealing given S3’s massive cooldown.
However, investment beyond the M1 breakpoint is a luxury, even if the gains at M3 are quite nice.
 In some ways, Nightingale is the most broken unit in the game. No other unit can shut down an entire mechanic (Arts Damage) as well as she can. Her
extreme ability to do so is likely why it took over four years before another unit, Bassline, also got the ability to directly buff friendly RES, and even he is a
minor footnote in comparison.

However, some caution before Mastery investment is warranted. With how the game is balanced, Nightingale is never a necessary solution outside of some
Quick Jump to Start extreme end-game circumstances. In many of the places she is most powerful in (eg. Chapter 8), she is sufficient at SL7, and in situations where the RES
Nightingale isn't necessary, she is frequently worse than lower rarity Medics. This makes Mastery tricky. Generally speaking, you should prioritize DPS above all else,
Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike but
Summary
Nightingale's S3 is so powerful in the situations it matters that it is worth considering among the first support-type Masteries. Advanced and Roguelike
players especially will want to prioritize her higher, and she is particularly valuable in IS#3.

S2M3 C C C+ Another consideration for Mastery is her S2. While it is nowhere near as powerful as her S3, its consistency can be appealing given S3’s massive cooldown.
However, investment beyond the M1 breakpoint is a luxury, even if the gains at M3 are quite nice.
Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Virtuosa is an oddity when it comes to Masteries. She is a meta caliber unit, but one who already works very well at only skill level 7! If you check any sort of
S3M3 S- S+ A+ Mastery rate polling, Virtuosa polls more similarly to mid-tier units rather than the top-tier! Relatively speaking, her Masteries are much less necessary than
other units of comparable power. This is because the Necrosis trigger threshold is capped (1000 for most enemies, 2000 for bosses) so further enhancing
her application doesn't change much.

Now, to be clear, Virtuosa still has Masteries worth pursuing. There is plenty of ancillary value to her Masteries there and those matter on a unit as powerful
as she is. You should also not take her grades here as any sort of negative to her overall power. Remember these are Mastery grades, and not meta grades!

Now that said, let's get into her skills. All three have value, but the Mastery decision primarily comes down to her S1 vs S3. They are both worth pursuing, but
the skill to start with is one of those questions that depends on your philosophy as a player. Most players would start with her S3 since it's her main skill,
S1M1 Breakpoint however the Mastery gains on her S1 are more important to its use, so if you only pursue one skill, it comes down to the type of player you are.

First, her S3 is her main skill. The expanded range applies Necrosis in a True-AoE over a wide area which makes it one of the best wave clearing skills in the
game. As said though, the Masteries are oddly low. The difference from S3SL7 to S3M3 drops a whooping one second off of the application time. However,
Mastery is still worthwhile. While not as vital as some other meta Masteries, it still improves her duration, wind-up, and buffs which are important
Virtuosa considerations.

Meanwhile, her S1 Masteries allow her to deploy with a full 3 charges which is enough to apply Necrosis to even bosses as a helidrop. It's a significant
upgrade over the skill at SL7, although quite a bit more situational than her S3. And again, even at S1SL7, she still already helidrops a significant amount of
Necrosis damage. While the Masteries do matter more for S1, it's a bit less commonly used than S3. It is worth noting that S1 is not solely used as a helidrop
S1M3 A S S skill, but can also be used for consistency when her S3’s downtime is too much. A single charge plus her Talent is enough to apply Necrosis to regular
enemies. This use is especially notable in IS where S1 is her primary skill. Within that mode she tends to be used more for handling irritating elites than the
wave clear that S3 provides.

Do note how her S1 has a breakpoint at M1 which allows her to store an extra charge. That's very valuable for the low cost and it's worth grabbing regardless
of the rest of the discussion.

Finally comes her S2. It's not as generally useful as her other two skills since they are much better at applying the Necrosis effects. However, the ability to
extend that application to another unit can allow for some interesting ranges that she isn't capable of on her own. That is quite a bit more situational, but is a
S2M3 None C C+ flexibility well worth looking at on a unit as powerful as Virtuosa. Its Mastery gains are easy to overlook too given the oddities of her S3, but the boost at M3
drops 2 full attacks to apply Necrosis off of the number required for the buffed operator.

Silence the Paradigmatic is a rather tough unit. She isn't necessarily bad, however she has the ever present problem that most buffers do. The solutions she
brings are roundabout without bringing good ancillary benefit that justifies either the cost or team space over just bringing another DPS instead. Silence's
invulnerability is potentially very powerful, but she suffers additionally in comparison since the better solution is often to just... play better and not have the
DPS unit die in the first place. With how Arknights is designed, there is effectively never a situation such a buff is required.

Silence the S3M3 C- C+ C-

Should you want to invest in her anyway, S3 is a decently strong Mastery despite her overall weakness. While her healing output does not change, it's also
the least important part of her skill. Meanwhile her initial activation and downtime both drastically improve, as does the invulnerability duration.
Paradigmatic
If you want to use Silence more regularly, her S2 might be worth a look as an alternative since S3's activation limit can be a problem. It’s less valuable in a
meta-context since Abjurers are a pretty weak support option, but the total Shelter effect with the range of her drone can be quite useful, it has a short cycle,
and it can be used multiple times per map (unlike S3). It is a good alternative to Shining for Aak buffing as well since her cycle is much better. However that
is an extremely fringe option on an already fringe unit, so a vast majority of people won't want to extend beyond S3.

Stainless is a tricky unit to give Mastery suggestions for as he is reliant on other units to be effective. All of his skills are support oriented, to include his S3.
While he can, of course, use S3 on his own, the DPS without someone else is quite poor. S3 is the standout here, but the support nature and some odd
S3M3 A- A- B Mastery gains makes him quite nuanced and he could reasonably range from "don't raise at all" to "full M9", depending on what you want out of him.

His DPS support role with S3 is the best starting point due it's extreme flexibility, and some flaws in his other skills. The first thing to note is that his S3 has
significantly better Mastery gains than it appears. This can't be seen in his operator page directly so it is easy to overlook, but the turret's internal skill that
deals the damage also improves over Mastery. From SL7 to S3M3, the direct damage increases from 260% to 300% and the splash damage increases from
120% to 150%. You can see these details over on the the CN wiki.

That out of the way, his turrets add a huge amount of flexibility to your DPS units. For some examples, he can safely extend the range of more fragile DPS
units. He can convert low damage-per-hit (DPH) units like Exusiai into high DPH units to help them overcome armor. He can double dip on multi-hit units like
Mlynar or La Pluma. He can charge Offensive Recovery skills like Thorns S3 or Ines S1. There are many more, but it would be a fool's errand to attempt to
list them all.
Stainless S1M3 C+ B C
However, that all can seem gimmicky if there isn't a good place to take advantage of these things. With the way AK is designed, these sorts of things are
never a necessity, and it is not always easy to come up with these trickier solutions. While it is his best skill, ultimately his S3 is still a luxury relative to its
potential.

Meanwhile, his S1 and S2 are more typical support skills. While not bad skills on their own, they do suffer from some fatal flaws that keep them out of meta
consideration. Primarily, it is that Stainless is not a good unit on his own. Since deployment slots are limited, the best support units are those that justify the
spot on the field. In Stainless' case he does nothing outside of turrets and has relatively poor stats. Compare that to Operators like Warfarin or Ptilopsis who
are amazing Medics with strong general purpose Talents. This makes the Mastery gains on his S2 especially poor since a bulk of the "benefit" is focused on
his own stats and the actual buff gets no benefit aside from a tiny cycle time improvement. His S1 meanwhile has better gains, but again since he is a fairly
poor unit, it relegates that role to meme comps instead of being more general purpose like Skadi2 or Warfarin.
S2M3 None
In summary, start with S3M3 (if you do any at all) and stop there. Use S2 regularly, but it will be fine at SL7. Only pursue Mastery as a matter of luxury.
Finally, consider S1 as a secondary option if you want to open up a few more possibilities with him.

For all of the discussion surrounding Ling, she is quite a simple unit as far as Masteries go. Her S3 is far and away her key skill and the one that makes her
as powerful as she is. The Higher Form dragons are absolute monsters of stats, and those giant stat sticks are key to her usage. Masteries on the skill go a
long way too, giving significant boosts to the already inflated stats (though keep in mind the base stats depend on her level and not skill). Her Summons are
S3M3 S++ S+ S++ quite powerful still at SL7, but you'll need M3 to truly bring out her potential.

A small aside on the matter of Advanced players. She is a somewhat tricky unit for those sorts as it depends what "Advanced" means to you specifically. For
CC specifically she has yet to make a meaningful high risk appearance and is fairly unlikely to in the future given some of the more common risks. However,
how hard she carries low-OP clears keeps her Advanced grades up significantly, so adjust the grade here depending on your goals.
Ling
Although her S3 is her main skill, it does have limitations which gives good value to her S2. However her S2 plays much more similarly to other Summoners
like Magallan so the types of players who will get value out of it are more limited. It is especially important for players looking to use her in the Roguelike
since melee-only S3 dragons are not good on all stages. Outside of that mode though it tends to be more of a luxury option if you don't consider Ling a waifu-
S2M3 B+ A+ S tier unit.

Finally, pass on her S1. It does have some niche value that Ling extremists may find useful from time to time, but a vast majority of the time it is inferior to
S3. For most players it is an easy skip.

Gnosis is a powerful unit that offers an easy and powerful solution to many irritating mechanics. Freeze is one of the best forms of crowd control, and Gnosis
reliably applies it with very high uptime. Along with a powerful damage amp, and good damage of his own, he has proven to have a ton of value across all
S3M3 S- S S- game modes. S3 is his main skill to that effect. Its Masteries can seem a bit on the weak side, but the improvements to uptime and cycle time are important
to the role he fills.

His S2 is another good skill. In most situations it doesn't have the meta value of his S3, but has one of the best crowd control uptimes in the game, and its
Gnosis Mastery gains are crucial. This results in a grade slightly higher than the skill’s value. It’s definitely worth pursuing Mastery if you intend to make regular use
of Gnosis, but you can often treat it with lower priority. However, it is a very valuable skill in IS#3 where control is often necessary, so he becomes a much
stronger M6 consideration there.

Finally, note that Gnosis’ S1 is used fairly frequently, but it doesn’t need Mastery. S1 is primarily used for its shorter cooldown Freeze, which Mastery doesn’t
improve.
 Gnosis is a powerful unit that offers an easy and powerful solution to many irritating mechanics. Freeze is one of the best forms of crowd control, and Gnosis
reliably applies it with very high uptime. Along with a powerful damage amp, and good damage of his own, he has proven to have a ton of value across all
Quick Jump to Start game modes. S3 is his main skill to that effect. Its Masteries can seem a bit on the weak side, but the improvements to uptime and cycle time are important
to the role he fills.
Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary
His S2 is another good skill. In most situations it doesn't have the meta value of his S3, but has one of the best crowd control uptimes in the game, and its
Gnosis Mastery gains are crucial. This results in a grade slightly higher than the skill’s value. It’s definitely worth pursuing Mastery if you intend to make regular use
of Gnosis, but you can often treat it with lower priority. However, it is a very valuable skill in IS#3 where control is often necessary, so he becomes a much
stronger M6 consideration there.
S2M3 A A- S-
Finally, note that Gnosis’ S1 is used fairly frequently, but it doesn’t need Mastery. S1 is primarily used for its shorter cooldown Freeze, which Mastery doesn’t
improve.

Unlike her base form, all of Skadi the Corrupting Heart's skills are worth Mastery. She is the latest entrant into the growing M9-ables. Though like all M9s
S2M3 S++ S++ S++
there are still skills that are a cut above the rest.

S2 is Skalter's standout skill. It does so much and going into all of the details is a guide worthy all on its own. I would argue it's one of the strongest Masteries
in the game, with only Surtr and SA tier Masteries beating it out. Quite simply, it elevates your entire team to another level while nearly eliminating the need
for Medics at all. For just one example, a max level S2M3 Skadi gives Popukar better stats than an unbuffed E2 90 Blaze, and Skadi gives more stats to
Skadi the S3M3 A+ S B
Blaze than she gets from all 90 of her E2 levels! It is one of the most powerful skills available in the Roguelike mode.
Corrupting Heart S3 is next up. It will be the skill you want to use when you need the buff army to kick into overdrive. The True Damage is nice too, especially with the deploy-
almost-anywhere Seaborn, but it's somewhat weak and the skill overall has a relatively long cycle time. This is a very strong Mastery, but it does tend it
towards more Advanced situations. Most of the time, especially in the Roguelike mode, you'll want to stick with S2.

Last comes S1. It's the weakest of the three skills, though it is still very good. You can probably pass on Mastery, even for Advanced players. In the
S1M3 C C+ C+ situations you would use S1, it is probably fine still at SL7. It's very hard to justify the Mastery costs here unless you're a whale.

S3M3 S S+ S This guide strongly favors beginning with your key DPS first when it comes to Mastery priorities. Once those are done though, Suzuran should be among
your first support role considerations. She is, by and large, considered to be the best support unit in the game. This is due to her flexible S3, which covers a
lot of ground. The improvements to her damage amp from Mastery can be a little tough to appreciate, but they are sizable and important, and her S3 Mastery
is an important meta investment.
Suzuran S2M1 Breakpoint
Her S2 is also an option for those who want to use her as more than just a debuffer. It has decent DPS and good control, but that role has tough competition
these days. In most of the game it isn't worth the resources unless you personally want to use Suzuran in a more general team role. However, it is extremely
good in the SSS mode. Arts damage is favored there and it is easy to stack ASPD on Suzuran, giving her strong damage and 100% uptime slow on multiple
targets. That still won't justify the extra costs for a lot of people since she can still fill that role without the full M3, but at least grab the breakpoint at M1. It
S2M3 B- None None adds an additional target which is a huge upgrade for the cost.

Magallan is a unit that has fallen on hard times. While she has always been potentially powerful, she has also always been a tricky unit since the Summoner
S1M3 B A+ B
gimmick tends to fit in poorly with most people's play-styles. However, even that role is heavily eroded by Ling who decimates the Summoner landscape.

The niche Magallan still holds over Ling is in the stall of her S1. It is a very strong stall that Advanced players will find appealing, and Mastery is quite
Magallan important for its use. Her S3 is the real victim though. While it is still her best DPS skill for general use, it is generally inferior to Ling and is now left only to
those who specifically want to use Magallan, a crowd of people who were already quite small.
S3M3 C- C- C-
Pass on her entirely for the Roguelike mode. Limited deployment slots and the fact her drones can't block means she is a far bigger liability than a help.

S3M3 A+ A A+ Angelina was a historically strong unit. In the game’s early days, there were not many sources of strong Arts damage and in the original guide she was a top
graded unit. Unfortunately, her niche and value have continually fallen since launch. These days what she does is done better elsewhere, which makes her
Masteries a low priority for her rarity. While she is still certainly serviceable, investment in her Masteries is often a luxury or due to a lack of better options.
Angelina Should you decide to invest into Angelina despite her middling value, both S2 and S3 are worth considering. As a DPS replacement, her S3 is the standout.
Mastery grants it a huge increase to uptime and damage. However, if you already have more powerful damage options, S3 can feel unnecessary. When it
comes to more Advanced situations, it is often her S2 that stands out due to its extremely high uptime Slow. The Mastery gains on it can seem rather
S2M3 None A A- anemic, but the reduced SP cost improves the skill's best value — its uptime.
Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

 Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Ascalon is a powerful unit, mixing some of the best control available on top of strong lingering DPS that often sees enemies killing themselves before
S2M3 S+ S+ S+ reaching the blue box with no further interaction, allowing you to focus on more pressing threats. The main skill to that effect, and Ascalon's only Mastery of
high-priority note, is her S2. It is her strongest DPS skill as well as reinforces her movement speed debuff on top of an absurdly good cycle. The Mastery
gains are significant as well with a large improvement to damage, an additional 20% to the movement speed debuff, and dropping the initial windup to only 5
SP. Note that one reason S2 is so effective is that the DoT from her Talent scales off of her current ATK, so S2's ATK improvement provides a double dose
of improvement, especially considering the skills massive uptime.

While her primary Mastery is a clear slam dunk, options for secondary skills, if you do any at all, get much more nuanced. Her S1 is the typical suggestion
for secondary Mastery and some may even balk at the low grade here. It is similar to Mizuki's S1 which is often his main skill, so it can be tempting to think
Ascalon S1M3 B+ B- B- of Ascalon's S1 as a similarly high priority and indeed, her S1 was often the early suggestion. However, in Ascalon's case she has an actually good S2 so
her S1 is devalued quite a bit. Unlike Mizuki, her S2 actually hits harder and her S2's cycle is so fast that it devalues the consistency such skills bring. It can
still make the most sense as her secondary skill since it is better for rapidly applying Talent stacks as well as being an AFK skill (on top of her S3 being
extremely situational), but is relegated to more niche (or lazy) scenarios. Although it is a popular Mastery, you would be fine sticking with just her S2. There
are very few places where her S1 is actually more effective than her S2.

Finally, and despite being much derided, her S3 may be a Mastery to consider as well, particularly for more Advanced players. In fact, it may even make
more sense for a secondary Mastery over S1, depending on how you want to use her and the type of player you are. It's not necessarily a bad skill, just an
S3M3 None C+ None awkward one that isn't why you typically want to use an Ambusher. It's certainly an easy skip if you only want to use Ascalon for her meta value, but if you
are the sort of player who likes unusual or off-meta approaches, then her S3 still has some niche appeal.

Despite being a Trapmaster, Ela is more akin to a modern Marksman. She specializes in high DPS via dealing rapid fire hits at a low DP cost. But unlike the
S3M1 Breakpoint older Marksman, she hits hard with strong team utility to boot. In total, it makes Ela an extremely meta and powerful everyday operator, although one slightly
more at risk of being optimized out compared to the other top meta units.

While there is a lot of nuance with Ela's total kit and optimal usage, her Masteries are straight forward. S3 is by far her best skill and is the key to why she is
so good, and likely the only one most players will want to spend their resources on. Her fully upgraded Module should be your target after Mastery instead of
a secondary skill! Her S3 has so much going for it that it's hard to address it all in a write-up this size, but suffice to say, it deals a boatload of damage (with
ammo!) on a rapid cycle, with tons of utility. The gains on it are not actually too crazy among the S++ tier of skills, but Ela is so good that it is still a top
S3M3 S++ S++ S++ priority skill.

Note that she does have a breakpoint on her S3, although as far as breakpoints go, it's fairly low value. At S3M1 the Fragility gains 5% and lasts a second
longer. Those differences will be somewhat tough to notice alone. Were these gains on her off skill, this guide probably would not note them. However
Ela given how strong Ela is and that S3 is her best skill, it's worthwhile to grab ASAP regardless.

As for secondary skills, go with her S2, however within the realm of secondary skills on meta units, it's a rather unusual one. In most cases, secondary skills
S2M1 Breakpoint provide some lateral use to what the unit fundamentally does, but in Ela's case, she's essentially a different unit with her S2. Even that form is very unusual
with few comparables, but ends up being relatively situational, largely due to how versatile her S3 is already, so the extra investment is not required.
However, it does have some pretty nice gains, especially in initial windup, so it can still be a nice option if you like using Ela. Also be aware of the S2M1
breakpoint that extends the Stun duration. That alone makes S2 fairly valuable even for occasional use with a portable AoE Stun that can be deployed
almost anywhere.

Pass on her S1. While the skill itself may have some occasional value, the Masteries are fairly unessential. If you are in a situation where you are
S2M3 B+ B B- attempting to make use of the accuracy hit, it's unlikely the extra time or probability will matter as opposed to just running it again. In other words, it's
cheaper to grind RNG than it is to Master a third skill on a 6★.

Swire the Elegant Wit is a unit struggling to find a niche. Her kit does a whole lot in aggregate, but none of it stands out as particularly useful and her grades
here reflect that unfortunate reality. She is the sort of unit that most players won’t want to raise at all, but could also be a potential M9 for those players that
like creative units or just Swire herself.
S2M3 A- A A
If you are raising Swire, then start with S2. That is largely because it has the highest damage potential, but it’s also in part because of flaws in her other two
skills. At first glance you might assume the bottles behave the same as Trapmasters, but Swire will continually place the bottles on even enemy-occupied
tiles which allows her to stack up some pretty respectable damage. The Mastery gains aren’t too crazy here, but they do matter for the skill’s usability. The
extra damage means fewer bombs are needed which allows her to sustain longer without getting overwhelmed.
Swire the Elegant Unfortunately, things decline from there. S3 is the next Mastery target after S2, but it ends up being less appealing despite a valuable Force increase at M3.
Wit The skill has a lot of interesting tech attached thanks to extremely short wind-up burst potential mixed with the push, but it’s also quite difficult to use
effectively. At M3, it’s still only Force level 1, which even at 10 hits won’t meaningfully move most dangerous enemies. Although a useful skill worth
maximizing if you’re planning to raise and use Swire, S3 is largely a gimmick with fairly limited use-cases.

Her S1 is an unfortunate pass. There’s some interesting fringe tech here as a FRD-melee-healer, but it’s fairly poor in general use. The obvious comparison
S3M3 B- B- B-
is with Jaye’s S2. No wind-up and not having to worry about DEF would seem to be quite beneficial. However, since the effect only triggers by consuming
Coins, which only generate every 3s, Swire2’s net healing is usually significantly lower than Jaye’s. She only comes out ahead at over 1000 DEF and that’s
on top of costing three times as much. S1 also doesn’t increase her offensive value, and her Talent is a better form of personal sustain to begin with. It all
makes her S1 far less valuable than it should be.

The discussion about which of Kirin R Yato’s skills is the best one is an interesting one. However, the nuance behind it is ultimately a largely academic thing.
S3M3 S++ S++ S++ The practical answer to S2 vs S3 is that Yato is one of the strongest (if not the strongest) M6 in the game. Plan to Master both skills.

Now that out of the way and getting into the nuance a bit more, the choice can be compared to Texas2, although the difference is less obvious. It only takes
a few deployments of Texas2’s S3 to appreciate the utility it brings. However, the first time you deploy Yato’s S3 and she spins across the map doing
minimal damage, you can’t be blamed for coming away unimpressed, especially compared to the absurd AoE damage of her S2.

Yet time and again, the utility of her S3 proves to be the better choice. The range from a melee tile is extremely valuable and especially rare on Fast-
Redeploys. She is completely invulnerable (except for tile-bans like Frostnova) during S3, so can be deployed in extremely dangerous situations, especially
Kirin R Yato S2M3 S+ S- S+ compared to how vulnerable she is during S2. S3 handles DEF better, especially important for a Physical attacker. Finally, smart deployment and planning
can make up the damage difference. For example, deploying her so the path is the same direction as an enemy's movement will maximize her output.

Depending on your play style though, that can be tough to appreciate at times. Her S2 is far more straightforward and many people who do not like planning
out stages (clear once blind and be done) will probably find it generally superior. However, the bottom line still is that Yato2 should be M6’d so don’t cheap
out!

Last, her S1 has some interesting applications that make it a fringe option to consider. It can be thought of as something like a Fast-Redeploy Exusiai; it has
S1M3 None C C insane DPS and total damage, but only against relatively low-DEF targets. However, places that it shines over her other skills are rare so Mastery investment
is a luxury. On top of her frailty that will make it hard to exploit in the first place, the base damage at SL 7 is usually strong enough already.

Texas the Omertosa is one of the highest graded M6s in this guide. That can be a scary thing for many players due to the extremely high cost of 6★
Masteries. After all, most similarly meta units only have one skill that stands out. However, Texas is one of the top units in the game, and she owes part of
that to just how flexible she is between her two best skills. She is absolutely worth the M6 investment for everyone who is using her.
S3M3 S++ S++ S++
S3 is the higher graded skill here and should be your starting point. While it technically does less single-target damage than S2, it’s still an absurd total, and
the utility more than makes up the difference. The sword rains hit multiple targets in a relatively wide area and can even hit aerial enemies. Even better, the
microstuns provide tremendous control and can often keep her alive long enough to actually reach her damage potential in dangerous situations, something
Texas the FRDs typically struggle with. Note also that S3 has particularly important Mastery gains due to the extra target at M3.
Omertosa On the other hand, S2 does an absurd amount of damage along with a ludicrous amount of RES shred. On paper it can seem like the easier skill to use
since it’s more straightforward, but the lack of any stun makes her much more vulnerable when compared to S3. Note that the Mastery gains here are
primarily centered on the RES shred. That is important, but it can make the gains “seem” poor. Mastery on S2 is less essential than it is on S3, but it should
still be a high priority. That’s just how absurd Texas is.
S2M3 S S+ S+
There isn't much need to invest into S1. While certainly not a terrible skill, it just doesn't compare to her other skills. Why would you need Silence when you
can just kill pretty much everything flat out?
Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Dorothy is one of those units whose priority will depend on the sort of player you are. She is a high cost and high effort unit for results that can usually be
found elsewhere. Most players likely won't want to invest deeply into her at all. However, if you're one of those players that finds satisfaction in that sort of
gameplay, Dorothy can be extremely valuable with near mandatory Masteries. Trapmasters are reliant on renewing their traps to be effective, so the reduced
S3M3 A+ S- A+ SP cost alone is worthwhile before even looking into the effects, and Dorothy has big gains to the effects as well.

Should you be one of the few brave enough to pursue Dorothy, she is a very strong M6 consideration. Both S2 and S3 have strong use cases, and regular
Dorothy users will definitely want both. However, start with S3 if you only do one as it is her main source of damage. It oftentimes requires extensive planning
to optimize, but the results are as satisfying as they are effective. The gains from Mastery are massive too. In addition to the previously mentioned renewal
Dorothy rate, Mastery is also a well above average improvement to both damage and control.

S2 is a similarly solid skill, though it is of lower importance than S3. It trades some damage for better control, but the most effective form of control is a dead
enemy and the damage potential loss is quite large. This makes places where S2 is the better choice a little less common. With that said, the global reach of
a solid duration bind on top of large Mastery gains makes it a strong secondary consideration.
S2M3 A- S- A-
You likely won't want to bother with her S1. It's best focused on single hard targets, which just isn't the value of her kit as well as being hard to execute. It will
likely only ever find value with hardcore Dorothy users. However, it does look a bit more appealing if you also plan to maximize her Module. The higher
multiplier gets more value out of the crit mines, which does increase the value of that fringe potential.

* Note that these skills are graded assuming the unit has at least one Module level 3. If you do NOT plan to get this unit's upgraded Module(s), treat the
priority of these skills significantly lower. Priority depends on the Module. See the write up below for more details.

S2M3 S* S* S+ * More than any other unit, Specter the Unchained's Mastery priority depends on if and which Module you upgrade for her. With only her base kit, there just
isn't any value when compared to her 5★ form. Specter’s base kit is very mediocre and would only garner B or C-tier grades; however, both Modules are
excellent and have differing niches that influence the grades. In particular if using PUM-X, favor S2. For PUM-Y, favor S3. Keep this in mind when deciding
where to invest.

Supposing you do plan to get at least one of her upgraded Modules, Specter the Unchained is a worthy M6 consideration with the better first target (and
Specter the Module) depending on how you want to use her. The generally better option would be to go with her S2 and PUM-X Module upgrades. This setup improves
Unchained upon the invulnerability niche of her base form, while also making her a very effective lane holder. With the heavy snare and damage improvements on her
doll from PUM-X that help stop leaks, and much improved cycle time on her invulnerability, she can excel in the role in a way few others can. S2 Mastery is
very important here, representing large improvements to her cycle time and DPS.

Her S3 is a bit of a tricky skill. It is her DPS skill, and taken on its own and in the context of similar DPS skills on other 6★s, it has quite poor numbers. If she
can't trigger the HP threshold condition, it performs worse than her 5★ form and without the invulnerability or 3-block. However, her second Module, PUM-Y,
S3M3 A* A- * A+ * gives a pretty significant upgrade to her S3. It markedly improves S3 cycle time while also making her more bulky, which helps avoid her weak doll effect.
This combos especially well with Gladiia's upcoming Module, which furthers her bulk. With PUM-Y and S3M3, Specter can maintain close to 50% uptime on
a high DPS skill while being nigh unkillable to all but the biggest threats. Mastery also represents a well above average DPS increase for her, so don't skimp
out if you plan to use her for that DPS role.

Lee is a good but fairly clunky unit, made even clunkier by subpar Masteries on his best skill. His S3 is typically the main reason to use him. It's already a
S3M3 A A+ A+ quite situational skill, being very abusable in some circumstances but an inconsistent annoyance in others. As his key skill, it is of course worth maximizing
for regular use, but the gains on it are fairly poor which suppress the overall grades. In many situations his S3 is used, it would work just as well at SL7,
making him a fairly rare M0 consideration among 6★s, especially surprising since he's still a pretty decent unit!
Lee
His S2 is his DPS skill, but that has only limited secondary usage for a unit like Lee. It's the best alternative when his S3 can't be abused, and it does have
pretty reasonable damage even without outside help. However his main role is not DPS and he can fit in very awkwardly in scenarios outside of his S3 since
S2M3 B- C C it can be difficult to maximize. That relegates his S2 Masteries to just above luxury grades despite some really good gains (especially at M3). It's a great skill
if you intend to regularly use him, but can be skipped if he will only be doing part-time work.

S1M1 Breakpoint Mizuki is a weaker unit, so most players should avoid investing in him altogether. He has limited control utility compared to the stronger Ambushers like
Ethan or Manticore, but not enough damage to make him a core DPS unit. However, if you wanted to promote him anyway, all of his skills are viable options.
Most people who regularly use Mizuki prefer his S1, which has by far the highest Mastery rate of his skills. It gives him a much needed measure of
consistency and tends to deal the most damage. I personally like his S2 which adds some decent control on a short cycle time, though it isn't as good as
Mizuki S1M3 B C+ B+
Ethan and has lower damage versus armor than his S1.

Surprisingly, the flashier S3 is also his weakest skill and is ungraded here. Its damage is subpar, its cooldown is brutal, and it necessitates team support. It
S2M3 C+ C+ B- does have some uses if you’re trying to maximize Mizuki for all situations, but the vast majority shouldn’t bother.

S2M3 S- * S- * A+ * * Note that this skill is graded assuming the unit has her HOK-X Module level 3. If you do NOT plan to get this unit's upgraded Module, treat the priority of this
skill slightly lower. See the write up below for more details.

Gladiia’s Masteries are tricky to evaluate. Shifters tend to be very situational, but unlike the other Shifters, she is much more capable of acting like a Guard.
This is especially true with her HOK-X Module upgrades, which make her one of the bulkiest pseudo-Guards even before accounting for its buffs to other
Abyssal Hunters.
S3M3 A- A+ A
Traditionally, the choice of Mastery came down to how you intended to use Gladiia. S3 was more unique, while S2 was more consistent. In previous versions
of this guide before her Module, I suggested S3 for her first Mastery. That is still true if you have no plans to get her Module upgrades. However with her
Gladiia Module upgrades the consideration changes quite a bit, and S2 becomes the suggested first Mastery. Her S2 is the far better skill when using her in that
Guard role. It has the better utility, overall damage, and uptime.

S1M1 Breakpoint Although S2 is now the first suggestion, if you are spending the resources to upgrade her Module, you will most likely want to Master S3 as well. In addition
to its more unique application, it is also her better burst skill. Her Module gives a large amount of additional damage. Having both at your disposal gives
Gladiia quite a bit more flexibility.

S1 is also a strong skill but is ultimately just expensive and redundant. Being charge based gives it a lot of value over similar low-SP Shifter skills, but like
those skills, it is very situational. Even in the rare situations where S1 would be valuable, S2 will often fill the role just as well. Its relatively high grades are
S1M3 B- B None largely a reflection of the force gain and SP reduction, but Mastery outside of the breakpoint is best left to those wishing to maximize Gladiia.

S3M3 S- S+ S- Weedy is a very tricky unit. There is no bigger split in the game between her Story usage and her Advanced usage. She is one of the most common CC
units, appearing frequently across all risk levels. This gets a lot of people to invest a lot of resources into her, yet very few end up using her in the general
game. Not to say she's bad elsewhere, but she tends to be a more roundabout solution than most people prefer. She has strong grades because her
Masteries are vitally important and she has a ton of potential, but be cautious with your investments here, especially if you're newer. You'll probably want to
S2M3 B+ S+ None put your resources elsewhere if you aren't willing to put in the extra effort.

If you are willing to go that extra mile though, Weedy is an easy M6 with the potential for a full M9. Start with her S3, which has the most general application.
Weedy When properly used with her cannon, it has far and away the best Shift force in the game and great damage to boot. Her S2 is next up. It is a strong stall
skill, but one that requires planning to use. Players only interested in Story content in particular will likely not find it worth the high price of Mastery. Last in
S1M1 Breakpoint priority is her S1. Most won't want to bother beyond the M1 breakpoint as the skill has limited use, and FEater's S1 is usually better in the rare situations
where either would see play.

Weedy is a pretty tough unit for the Roguelike mode. Especially in IS#2, there isn't any place for her to really shine, even before factoring in her expensive
S1M3 C- C None Hope cost. However, in IS#3, there are a few spots for some Shift shenanigans, which she will need S3 to exploit. It is still a quite off-meta strategy though.

Phantom has seen his relative value decline quite a bit thanks to the recent abundance of other high-caliber Fast-Redeploys. His DPS was always a little
S2M3 A A- A questionable thanks due the cheaper Projekt Red having a strong minimum damage niche, but he has only fared worse since the introduction of ridiculously
powerful units like Texas the Omertosa, Kirin X Yato, and Ines. His value has especially fallen in the Roguelike thanks to how strong Specialists have
become in general.
Phantom
Should you want to promote Phantom anyway (and he is still more than usable), he has two skills worth consideration. S2 is his primary DPS skill, but S3 is
his more unique skill in the context of the current FRD landscape. Previously, his S2 was the clear winner here, but that DPS role is so minor these days (the
stacking aspect is a big issue for general usability) that you will likely want to pursue his more unique S3 instead. However, the extra layer at S2M3 makes a
big difference to his damage, so it will still be worthwhile if you want to regularly use Phantom.
 Phantom has seen his relative value decline quite a bit thanks to the recent abundance of other high-caliber Fast-Redeploys. His DPS was always a little
Quick Jump to Start questionable thanks due the cheaper Projekt Red having a strong minimum damage niche, but he has only fared worse since the introduction of ridiculously
powerful units like Texas the Omertosa, Kirin X Yato, and Ines. His value has especially fallen in the Roguelike thanks to how strong Specialists have
Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike become
Summary in general.
Phantom
Should you want to promote Phantom anyway (and he is still more than usable), he has two skills worth consideration. S2 is his primary DPS skill, but S3 is
his more unique skill in the context of the current FRD landscape. Previously, his S2 was the clear winner here, but that DPS role is so minor these days (the
S3M3 B+ A B stacking aspect is a big issue for general usability) that you will likely want to pursue his more unique S3 instead. However, the extra layer at S2M3 makes a
big difference to his damage, so it will still be worthwhile if you want to regularly use Phantom.

Aak is a curious unit. He has an incredibly powerful buff but tied to a steep cost. The best buffers in the game are usually the best because they do
S3M3 C+ B+ C- something of value in addition to their buffing (Warfarin and her SP feeding, for example). Aak struggles with that ancillary team value, which makes him a
tough sell who often doesn’t justify the opportunity cost of simply running another DPS. This unfortunately relegates Aak largely to meme clears and hurts the
grades on his primary buffing skill. Favor S3 for this purpose, as its offensive buffs are far more valuable than S2’s defensive buffs.
Aak
If you particularly fancy Aak, he can actually be a functional DPS unit thanks to his S1 and his Module. The chance to trigger all of the Talent effects (granted
S1M3 C C C by his Module) results in much better overall outcomes. It gives him good damage, good control, and enough sustain to keep himself alive without outside
help. Of course that is a very expensive and fringe consideration, but is at least a solid option for a secondary husbando skill.
Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

5★s

Wanqing continues the recent trend of 5★s that aren't bad but tend to be just a touch worse than older options. That means for older players there isn't much
S2M3 A S- A value here (stick with Elysium), but he still has value for relatively newer players who are ready to move beyond just Myrtle for their DP printing purposes.
Like all Standard Bearers, both of Wanqing's skills are strong Masteries due to the all important upgrades to wind-up and cycle time, with the only difference
between them being what matters more for the stage - the utility (S2) or the DP printing (S1).
Wanqing
For those new players, be aware that similar to Elysium, Wanqing's priorities tend to be the opposite of Myrtle's. The utility on Myrtle's S2 is quite a bit more
situational and her main value is in just how cheap she is for the rapid DP which favors her S1. For Wanqing, that utility is quite a bit more generally
S1M3 A- A+ A applicable and thus his S2 makes the better starting point, while just sticking with Myrtle's S1 for quick ramp-up purposes. However, unlike Elysium,
Wanqing's utility isn't quite as good, so the gap between his S1 and S2 is a touch smaller.

Due to a long initial wind-up and relatively bad DP gen, Puzzle is in an awkward middle ground where he is not as beneficial as other Agents, but also less
S1M1 Breakpoint powerful than a regular Fast-Redeploy. However, decent damage, a strong-by-default archetype, and good gains means Puzzle is still a Mastery
consideration, albeit on the low end of priority.

Puzzle Despite the drawbacks, S2 is still his primary skill because of its damage. The poison DoT can really add up, and Mastery from SL7 to M3 can result in
almost 50% more damage. The improvement to his long initial wind-up is only 4 SP, but every second counts when it comes to Vanguards. While Puzzle can
work decently at E1, full Mastery can make him feel quite a bit better to use. Meanwhile, S1 can be nice for AFK DP gen if there's an appropriate target, but
S2M3 C C C it's fine to leave at M1 for that purpose. The 2 initial SP at M1 means it can activate after one attack on a full health enemy, however further Mastery only
adds more damage, which is better found on his S2.

Cantabile is a very powerful and flexible unit, and is very worthy of an M6 consideration, a rarity among 5★s.
S2M3 S+ S++ S+
Most people will want to start with her S2. It is the better skill and has very important Mastery gains. Notably, it can be instantly activated at M2 with Bagpipe
(regardless of Bagpipe's potentials). Although that is a big point, you will want the full M3 due to ammo and ASPD gains.
Cantabile
If you do not have Bagpipe, you may want to consider starting with S1 Masteries instead. Without Bagpipe, S2 is quite a bit less appealing. The initial cost on
S2 can be quite high for the role she fills so the instantly activated S1 can be more appealing. However, even if you do have Bagpipe, you should still
S1M3 B A A+ consider S1 for Mastery in addition to S2, albeit with lower priority. It has the higher attack multiplier and produces more DP, and for a unit of Cantabile's
power, that difference can matter.

Blacknight's main skill is her S2. It is the centerpiece of the pseudo-meta sleep stall strategy that has occasionally arisen. But even outside of that it is a
strong skill with a very high uptime stall on a low DP cost unit, even if she is operating alone. She has a ton of value as an early hold unit, especially
considering her rarity, and holds her value as the stage progresses. Her M3 Mastery is quite important to that end, though the M1 and M2 are somewhat
mediocre alone, so be sure to go all the way with her Masteries.
Blacknight S2M3 S- S+ A+
In previous versions of this guide, Blacknight's S1 was a decently graded alternative, but it has since been removed. It might be something to consider still if
you are using Blacknight over other, better, options. After all, it does have better DP generation and it improves her Slumberbeast’s combat prowess.
However, her value ultimately lies in her S2. Even outside of sleep stall comps, S2 is the superior skill, being able to reliably stall many dangerous enemies
at all phases of a stage. This makes S1 only worth it for Blacknight diehards.

Elysium's Masteries can be a little confusing because at first glance it looks as if they would follow the same logic as Myrtle, yet the logic ends up being the
opposite. Although S1 is the better DP generation skill, his S2 utility is miles ahead of Myrtle's. Additionally Myrtle is often the better choice for tight DP
S2M3 A+ S- A+ because her base cost is cheaper. The times where DP is SO tight that you need both S1's is very rare in Story scenarios, so Elysium's S2 is the better
choice for its utility.

Elysium However for Advanced situations such as high-risk CC, his S1 gains a lot of priority. DP management is extremely important, and with the introduction of
Saileach, his S1 has become a far more important option, often being preferred over Myrtle (unless you run all three of course). Advanced players will want
to prioritize Elysium's S1M3 quite a bit higher, whereas Story players may not want to bother at all.
S1M3 A- A+ A
Finally note that Elysium lacks an important feature of Myrtle which is cost effectiveness. Being higher rarity, his Masteries cost quite a bit more, and
although his S2M3 is an important Mastery, key DPS should be put ahead of it in most cases.

Being defensive oriented with low DP generation and a long skill windup kills a lot of Zima's value in the current meta. However she does occasionally creep
Zima S2M3 C C None
in with her strong buff and talent, though most players will be fine sticking with cheaper options.

S2M1 Breakpoint Despite being a 5★, Texas is probably the most valuable Pioneer Vanguard in the game. While her stats are middling, her Talent and her S2 are assuredly
not. Despite that, her Masteries can be tough to appreciate since the damage is nothing special. Texas gains an extension to her stun duration at M1 which
Texas is powerful for the cost, but the benefits beyond that are not nearly as impressive. Advanced and Roguelike players will want to prioritize her fairly highly
anyway. The upgrades to her wind-up and DP generation are not huge, but they do matter, especially when using her in tandem with Bagpipe. However,
S2M3 A- S- A+ Story-only players may find that not particularly worth the cost as that super rapid setup is often nowhere near as necessary there.

4★s

S1M3 B B B As far as Tacticians go, Beanstalk is pretty straightforward. While neither her DP generation nor her combat ability are at the level of her melee-tile
counterparts, her summon is renewable on a relatively short cycle which allows for persistent cheap blocking and stall. Both of her skills are viable for this
Beanstalk purpose, but S1 tends to be more generally useful. It generates more DP overall and does so quicker, and instantly renewing the crab tends to be more
valuable. S2 is worth considering as well and can give more blocks, but it is slower along with tile restrictions. The Mastery gains on S2 are also fairly poor,
S2M3 C C C so the full M6 on Beanstalk is a luxury.

Myrtle is the ultimate queen of the 4★s, having appeared all over the game since her release, from the easiest of Story stage to the highest risk Advanced
S1M3 S+ S+ S+ CC clears. She is the only 4★ that everyone should E2 and Master. The focus of that Mastery should first be her S1. The benefits of it can be deceptive at
first and seem small, and to be fair she will work at SL7 just fine most of the time. However that initial wind up makes a big difference in usability, plus 4★
Mastery is very cheap which makes it one of the most valuable in the game.
Myrtle
While her S1 is the primary reason to use her, Myrtle's S2 can occasionally have some good niche value. The overall DP generation is quite a bit lower, but
S2M3 C C+ C+ the extra healing can really come in handy. It's particularly (although still only occasionally) clutch in the Roguelike when Medic tickets are elusive, especially
considering how pervasive of a pick Myrtle is. Her S2 is definitely a luxury, but for the low cost, is a luxury at least worth a look.

Vigna has some surprising value and is one of the few low-rarity operators who has enough ATK to punch through high enemy DEF. She ends up being
more useful, especially after Modules, than most of the 5★ Chargers, even before accounting for investment value. Her S2 Masteries are actually pretty
Vigna S2M3 B B B valuable as well. They are a significant improvement to her damage and ability to tackle high enemy DEF. In general, the 4 and 5★ Chargers have a tough
time in the game, so exercise some caution before investing in Vigna. However, she can have some pretty nice returns for the low cost if you favor off-meta
or low-rarity approaches.

4★ and 5★ UNGRADED
Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Kestrel fills a gap that’s been missing at the 5★ Vanguards since launch. There was never an offensively oriented one at the rarity (as opposed to burst like
Texas). Unfortunately though, Kestrel is too little, far too late. Pioneers have long fallen out of favor and Kestrel brings nothing particularly special to the
Kestrel S2M3 None equation. Worse, much of her kit is tied to Reclemation Algorithm 2 where the mode design itself doesn’t need what she brings. So instead, Kestrel is just
roster filler that will struggle to find use on even meme teams. If that applies to you, then go with her S2. Like the other 5★ Pioneers, her S1 is a generic skill
that has no value since it does nothing but generate DP and there are far better ways to go about that task.

As the first Vanguard with an infinite duration skill, you might think that Poncirus would have a niche as the premier AFK-team Vanguard, but unfortunately
her DP-generation numbers are quite undertuned for that potential. The 1 DP per 4 second rate once her skill comes online is well below even the default
4★ Vanguard skill, Charge β, which clocks in at 1 DP per 3.6 seconds at SL7 (let alone M3). Instead, she’s mainly useful as a stat-stick, which is a rather
odd role considering she is a Vanguard who takes 70 (note 1) seconds to come fully online. Vanguards need to be quick to hold their value and Poncirus is…
not. Still, her total stats are decent which will no doubt give her at least some potential value in niche clears.

Poncirus S2M3 None Regardless of her lack of meta potential and the flaws of her skill, S2 is the skill to go with for Mastery should you want to raise her. It is her unique value and
the gains are reasonably solid. It may take a while to come online but she can crack 750 DEF and 3000 HP (when fully invested, including Module) which is
at least satisfying to see! S1 meanwhile is a generic Charge skill which has no value outside of AFK clears, and even if that interests you, the much cheaper
Courier or Scavenger’s S1s are a better starting point.

Note 1 - Note that this number is a simplified version of the total picture. Poncirus does have 15 seconds of uptime on her stat increases within that window
for the first activation.

I spent a lot of time debating whether or not Wild Mane deserves a full-fledged grade or not. She has some really useful niches with her skills; her S2 in
Wild Mane S2M3 None particular has an extended reach, can stall lighter units, and interrupt heavier ones. However, her Mastery gains are pretty poor, so even within her narrow
niches, it's hard to justify the extra cost of Mastery.

Chiave is on the cusp of being promoted to the main guide. He finds a lot of niche usage among various gamestyles, however, he just doesn't have quite
enough broad appeal given the strength of the Vanguard class in general. If you do play in those niches or personally favor him though, his S2 is by far the
Chiave S2M3 None
better skill and a pretty valuable Mastery. When paired with Bagpipe it gives him a quick activation burst, a strong debuff, and a rare way for Vanguards to
deal with drones.

Poor Reed. She is an interesting and popular character with one of the best sprites in the game. She isn't even a bad unit, taken alone, but she is just
constantly beaten down by the strength and utility of her competition. Even the 4★ Vigna is significantly better. The gap only grows bigger with the Module
Reed S2M3 None upgrades since Reed’s is a joke while her competition’s are amazing, and intrude on her lone useful niche! It makes investment in Reed really tough to
recommend. If you are a true Soldier of Dublinn at heart though, then her S2 is the clear choice. There isn’t any reason to pursue S1 which is worse in nearly
every way.

Grani can be a pretty nice unit for VanguardKnights, but she has a tough time competing otherwise. Unfortunately for Grani, she is a victim of early design
choices. Her S2 SP cost would be unthinkable on a modern kit. Despite that, S2 is still the obvious choice for Grani, but even then, the Mastery gains are
Grani S2M3 None
pretty poor. Promotion should be considered a matter of personal desire only. Generally, the cheaper Vigna is far better for a role that's already pretty fringe,
given her sky high attack and much better cycle time.

A lot of people will have probably used Scavenger or Courier in their early careers. Indeed, they do have value in the early going of the game. However,
Pioneers in general (even the high rarity ones) do not have any lasting power. They just don't hold up in the meta and have little ancillary value as your team
Scavenger S2M3 None
grows. There isn't any reason to raise either of the 4★ Pioneers beyond mid-E1 unless you have a specific niche or are a low-rarity player. Although if you
do like either enough to spend the resources, S2 is the obvious target for Mastery.

A lot of people will have probably used Scavenger or Courier in their early careers. Indeed, they do have value in the early going of the game. However,
Pioneers in general (even the high rarity ones) do not have any lasting power. They just don't hold up in the meta and have little ancillary value as your team
Courier S2M3 None
grows. There isn't any reason to raise either of the 4★ Pioneers beyond mid-E1 unless you have a specific niche or are a low-rarity player. Although if you
do like either enough to spend the resources, S2 is the obvious target for Mastery.
Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

5★s

Odda is a pretty nice welfare unit, although his Mastery priority is pretty low. A lot of his value is in how effective he is at only E1 as an early stand-in, so the
S1M3 B+ B- B+ extra investment is largely something best left to niche players. There's just too many higher ceiling units (especially laneholders) out there.

It is still reasonable to invest further into Odda though, and if you do, both of his skills are options for Mastery. His S1 vs S2 is a typical consistent vs burst
spread, but the gap between them is far lower than in comparable units. In fact, his S1 actually has a higher average DPS as well as a significantly higher
Odda DPH. Instead, the main value in his S2 is in defense and control which are both completely absent from his S1.

If you only do one Mastery, I would give a slight favor to his S1. The reduced SP cost at S1M3 make his Masteries a bit more essential to its effective use.
Meanwhile, while his S2 gains significant stat boosts over Mastery, his cycle doesn't improve much and his control doesn't improve at all, so you can often
S2M3 B B C+ get by with just SL7 if you aren't doing a more min-maxed style clears. Further, keep in mind that his Levitate effect doesn't work on his main target which
can make the skill far less effective against tough enemies who are most likely to be the last ones standing.

Fuze is a unit with a heavy mix of pros and cons. He is in a natively strong archetype (Centurions) with a useful gimmick (can hit air) but his overall kit is just
full of weird choices that result in him not measuring up that well relative to his competition. Most players will probably want to avoid investment into Fuze,
S1M3 B+ B- B but he is serviceable for niche players or those with any sort of affinity for him.

For daily and general use, stick with his S1 which is a more typical Centurion skill. The ATK improvement is quite low so he'll struggle against any sort of
DEF, however it still outputs a ton of DPS, at a relatively good range, that can hit air, with a huge ammo pool. As far as bulk trash clearing skills go, it's a
Fuze really nice option. However, the gains over Mastery are fairly unimpressive so Mastery is less vital than it is for other 5★ laneholders.

His S2 meanwhile is the more uhh... "unique" skill. It's an incredibly odd one, flavorfully based on Fuze's abilities in Rainbow 6 (but it doesn’t kill civilians,
S2M3 None 0/10 flavor), but it translates awkwardly into Arknights. The tile restrictions greatly limit the places it can be used to any effect. However, when things line up
it can make some satisfying booms and will certainly be the more highlight skill for niche players. Fuze's S2 is the sort of skill where if you have to ask, you
shouldn't spend the resources on Mastery, but there are some players out there who will find it great fun.

Rathalos S Noir Corne is a quality 5★ with two good skills, but is ultimately held back by a bad archetype. He is the sort of 5★ that will be more than usable
S2M3 B- B- C for those who like him, especially as a collab unit, but is still far from a must promote. If you do promote him, he is an M6 candidate without a clear winner as
both bring different strengths to the table.
Rathalos S Noir
If you only want to do one, lean towards his S2. The burst is uncommon at the rarity and Mastery is more essential to its output, plus the Auto-Recovery will
Corne make it more reliable. However, his S1 brings a lot of uncommon utility. Few units can match the potential sustain in the right conditions, and the Soloblade
S1M3 C+ B- C Trait aids in the Offensive Recovery. S1 can make for some very fun highlights in the right conditions, although it may be tough for many players to
appreciate compared to the more straightforward S2.

Outside of IS#3, Highmore is fairly inferior to La Pluma. La Pluma's Talent is just far better in the general game. However, Highmore is still an excellent unit
due to a strong archetype, and her IS#3 mode specific Talent elevates her above her competitor there. While mode specific effects are rarely worth pursuing,
Highmore is an exception, due not only the scale of IS#3 but also her decent value outside of it.
Highmore S1M3 A A- S
While La Pluma is a strong M6 candidate, Highmore is not. The debate of burst versus consistency isn’t here, and the defensive nature of her S2 is too
situational. There will be rare places it excels in, but in a vast majority of cases you should stick with the consistency that her S1 brings. With S1 and her
mode specific buff, she is one of the stronger starter picks due to her good damage, strong self-sustain, and functionality at E1. However, the reduced SP at
S1M3 is big, so even if she works well at E1, she is well worth the extra Mastery investment.

Tequila's S2 is often called a mini-TSS, and for good reason. Ground based, high Physical damage per hit, in an AoE, is quite rare and quite valuable.
However he can be tough to use, still doesn't compare to the strong 6★s, and doesn't have especially strong Mastery gains thanks to his essentially
mandatory 40 second trait (no uptime or cycle time improvements over Mastery). Like La Pluma, he is a strong unit that will benefit weaker teams more
compared to stronger teams, however weaker teams often have greater resources pressure which can make the investment here a bit less appealing for the
smaller gains. His E2 talent gain is already comical and his low base attack scales poorly with levels. His S2 Mastery gains, especially M3, can seem to be
Tequila S2M3 A- B A-
quite small for the cost. The difference between him at E1 max SL7 and E2 max M3 is important, but nowhere near as big as comparable DPS units (La
Pluma for example is a much more drastic difference).

None of this is to say he's bad by the way. He's amazing, in fact, especially since we get him for free! Just be aware the Mastery gains aren't all that
impressive and he still doesn't compare to the 6★s. A small bit of caution is warranted before heavy investment.

La Pluma has two very good skills, and the choice between them is not an easy one, so prepare yourself for the full M6 investment. Her skills occupy the
S2M3 S- A- A+ fairly typical "consistent vs burst" divide. This guide typically favors the burst skills in these situations, but in La Pluma's case, the gap is much narrower. On
top of that, both have extremely strong Masteries (among the best in the game), so most people using La Pluma will definitely want to Master both.

Her S2 is probably the better starting point. It has an eye-watering 37% increase in DPS over Mastery (most skills average only about 15-20%), and the
La Pluma interval reduction also adds a huge amount to her sustain. However, her S1 is no less strong. In addition to many people preferring consistent skills to begin
with, it also tackles armor better, works extremely well with various IS relics, and sustains herself better on average. Owing to her lack of external sustain,
S2's downtime can often be extremely dangerous, so S1 is favored in blind runs. Its Masteries aren't quite as insane as S2, but are still well above average.

S1M3 A+ A- S- La Pluma is not a mandatory unit. There are so many strong 6★ Cornerstone units these days that she may struggle to find a role on stronger teams.
However, should you lack those options (or simply not want to use them), then La Pluma has some of the highest priority 5★ Masteries out there.

It pains me to grade Akafuyu because she's one of my personal favorites. But ultimately I'm forced to come to terms with a weak archtype, and a long
S1M3 C C C
standing 6★ counterpart that's still better in most ways. She is quite strong relative to other 5★s, and newer players with weaker teams will find value in her
strong self-sustain, but at this point in the game that doesn’t mean as much as it used to.
Akafuyu
Both of Akafuyu's skills are good, and if you raise her, the one to go for first will largely depend on how you play. I give a small favor to S1 since I personally
S2M3 C C C feel the 0-block niche is an underrated and underutilized niche and it has stronger DPS, though the bulk of her S2 is appealing. Ultimately though, both are
luxury options.

While not the strongest Arts Guard (Surtr makes for some stiff competition), Amiya's Guard form is a powerful DPS option for the rarity, not to mention easily
S1M3 A- B B accessible as part of the story progression. S1 is the best starting point for Masteries. It has strong Arts DPS, and the drawback of only using S2 once per
map is significant. Despite that, her S2 is likewise worthy of Mastery for when that near instant burst is necessary.

Amiya (Guard) Be aware that while her Guard S2 is a good skill that is well worth pursuing, her Caster S3 is the better starting point if you are looking for a True Damage
skill. The initial S2 slashes are regular Arts Damage, while the True Damage slashes are restricted to her immediate (and much smaller) attack range. This
makes Caster S3 the much better skill for the purposes of True Damage, and her Guard S2 more situational.
S2M3 B- B- B-
The typically favored Mastery progression for Amiya is Caster S3 followed by Guard S1, with Guard S2 a somewhat distant third.

Bibeak is a powerful unit. Few can match the utility of her reliable AoE stun on a short cooldown, short activation, and stacking charges. This has been
especially true in Advanced situations when combo'd with Liskarm, though there are a number of other stall alternatives these days as well. Still, she is quite
Bibeak S2M3 A+ S- S-
powerful and her S2 Masteries are very important to that end. Story players won't find this niche to be quite as valuable as Advanced and Roguelike players
will, but Story players should not underestimate her either.
Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Broca is one of the most underrated operators in the game which likely stems from heavy overlap with both Specter and Lappland, two of the most popular
Broca S2M3 A A B+
units in the game (and more common too). Still, judged alone he is tremendously powerful, and his S2M3 is a significant power spike.

Specter's S2 is the strongest 5★ Mastery in the game. It massively increases her damage and is required to effectively use her for helidrop immortality. Even
Specter S2M3 S S+ S+ despite her popular higher rarity counterpart, Specter continues to be one of the best units in the game, and S2M3 is a big reason why. Nothing else can do
what Specter's S2 does and it absolutely should be maximized.

Because Lappland's S2 is attack recovery, the gain in SP cost reduction from Mastery is a significant difference to her damage output. She takes a small hit
on her grades though because there are many better options these days, though Roguelike players will still find her very powerful with certain relics.
Lappland S2M3 A+ A+ S-
Although not really a Mastery topic, I'd like to take a small digression. Older players often incorrectly say that Silence has become useless, though that isn't
really true. Their observation has more to do with the power creep of the game which has made Silence less important. There are still plentiful situations for
Silence to shine, and Lappland continues to be the best unit to apply it, so I still rate both her and her Masteries quite highly.

4★s

Luo Xiaohei is a reasonable unit, though generally inferior to his easily available counterpart Arene; invest with a bit of caution. However, since he is a collab
unit at an inexpensive rarity, that won't deter many people. If you plan on promoting him, his S2 is the best Mastery option. S1 will be popular due to the
Luo Xiaohei S2M3 C C C-
transformation, but the effects are just not worthwhile. It has low damage-per-hit due to lacking an Attack modifier, and it can't handle anything beyond basic
trash mobs. His S2 is the significantly better DPS option. However he still lacks the utility that make other Lords like Arene and Lappland so good.

Arene's value has declined since his release. The base Lord kit was relatively unique, which made Arene a useful low rarity alternative despite a lack of
meaningful utility. However, the general archetype things that made Lords special are more easily replaced these days which puts Arene in a tougher spot.
Arene S2M3 B B B
He isn't a bad unit by any means, and his S2 is still a notable skill for Mastery. But in the big picture, there isn't a lot of reason to promote him beyond a
basic E1 to fill in for the early going. Even within niche and low-rarity clears his modern role is limited.

Cutter is one of the best low-rarity melee options. She does lack a bit in ceiling, as to be expected from the rarity, and a lack of utility makes her less apt to
S2M3 A A A be valuable in a mature team compared to other high end 4★s like Ethan or Myrtle. But she can cover a lot of ground in the meantime thanks to some really
ridiculous damage for her rarity. She is especially valuable in the Roguelike where she works very well with the best relics on top of being an inexpensive
and powerful pick, even without said relics.
Cutter
Unlike many 4★s, her Masteries are also very powerful since they both have big gains to her damage and reducing her expensive Attack Recovery costs.
S1M3 A A A There is not a clear winner between them, and anyone using Cutter will want to do the full M6 with her. S2 covers a wider area while S1 does more focused
damage, and both will find plenty of use for anyone using Cutter.

Utage's helidrop S2 is a useful tool, particularly early on. It has historically let her avoid a lot of the discussion on if SoloBlades (formerly Mushas) were
actually any good or not. However, she wanes in value as your roster matures which limits any reason to E2 or Master her skills. Still, she is a popular
Utage S2M3 B B B
character with some use and S2 is her main skill. Her S1 may be worth a look for niche players as well since the ability to let dangerous enemies pass may
be useful in some situations.

Mousse is an often overlooked unit. Her DPS is not especially great and she otherwise just appears to be 1-block roster filler. However, her ATK down
debuff is actually very powerful and rather unusual too. Mousse can make the otherwise unthinkable, tankable! She can tremendously reduce the pressure
of a dangerous enemy, if not outright tank it herself.
Now, as a 4★ she is not necessarily a suggested promotion for everyone. Proper tanks, or properly working around event and stage gimmicks still come out
ahead. However, Mousse is still quite powerful for her rarity. Her S1 Mastery makes a significant difference in that regard. The reduced SP cost at M3
Mousse S1M3 B B B
greatly improves her uptime, not to mention the improvement to the debuff itself.

It's worth noting that Mousse's uptime is not 100% at S1M3. Many people often forget to include the activation attack itself as well as the fact her interval is
1.25 (instead of 1). This means her skill cycle is 6.25 seconds (5 * 1.25) with a 5 second uptime. That's still a very high uptime, but can make it inconsistent
against some enemies if you are not careful (or just unlucky).

4★ and 5★ UNGRADED

Like the other Instructors, the only winning move with Doc is not to play. It is just not a good archetype, and Doc’s take on it, while novel, isn’t enough to be
useful. In particular, the usage restriction on both skills really limits any potential and relegates him to desire status only. If you find yourself in that desire
Doc S2M3 None situation, then both are skills to consider depending on what you want out of him. There isn’t a clear winner between them, with the use cases being very
different. Since his S2 has no benefit to his own damage output, favor S1 for solo usage which helps his own damage and sustain. However, S2 is a more
unique utility in niche clears since it is a rare bit of healing out of the Guard class and can give a rather large helidroppable Barrier.

Leto is a serviceable unit, but has a lot fundamentally wrong that sees her lag behind other options. Generally, you should avoid deep investment into her.
There's better options out there. The cheaper Arene is more likely to have value to any given starting team and Lappland is a common choice from the
starting 5★ selector. However, if you are a fan of the USSG, then Leto’s S2 is one to Master. Her S1 is a generic Swift Strike skill and is of no value, which
Лето / Leto S2M3 None
makes the choice easy. Additionally, the gains on her S2 Mastery are actually quite large. The ATK bonus improves by 35% which is well above average. It
results in around 20% more DPS and a significant improvement to the DEF she can handle. It drops a whole 7 seconds off of her downtime too which is a
pretty large improvement. While investment into Leto isn't generally a good idea, her Masteries are worthwhile if you even slightly fancy her.

Perhaps symbolically, Bryophyta is a type of moss, and this unit is about as useful as some moss to your team. He is the most recent entrant into “worst 5★
in the game” territory which has seen many recent contestants in the race to the bottom. Buffing is already a fairly weak niche in this game. Limited team and
deployment space means a buff (or the unit attached to it) needs to have a very strong value to justify bringing over another unit that simply achieves the
intended task independently. Not only does Bryophyta not pass that benchmark, but he doubles down on it by focusing on the worst stat to buff as well.
There’s just almost no value in a DEF buffer in Arknights, and Bryophyta isn’t even good at it!
Bryophyta S2M3 None
If Bryophyta’s kit appeals to you anyway, then the skill to target is one of Whislash’s skills. She is also a welfare (freely available in Record Restore of the
Maria Nearl event) who is better than Bryophyta in every meaningful way. At least Whislash’s S2 has some offensive value that lets her carry her own weight
and has the courtesy to not stun herself at the end! That isn’t really a joke either. Their kits are slightly different, but in practice, there will be very few spaces
Bryophyta performs better. Bryophyta is a unit to avoid, and like other units of his caliber, there just isn’t a good skill suggestion to make.

The Glasgow Gang gets another subpar member. Morgan is not generally worth investing in, although for a Dreadnaught, she could be worse. With her S1
she has a strong cycle that hits hard for the rarity. She can do some decent damage! That still isn't worth too much given her reliance on external sustain in
order to not outright die, but it's still at least worth acknowledging if you'd like to raise her. Pass on her S2 which is just a poor-man's pre-Module Skadi (not a
Morgan S1M3 None
compliment). While it has a higher damage potential, the barrier effect only lasts a few seconds which makes it useless, and the practical cycle time is
incredibly poor since she has no redeployment time reduction. Perhaps S2 might find some use if her Talent 2 wasn't restricted to one chapter, but in the
general game, it ends up being a very poor option.
Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Wind Chimes is a design failure, suffering from the worst of multiple worlds. Her archetype is incredibly fragile without offering much upside, and her rarity
often suffers from being undertuned for the price. The result is a nearly unusable unit, featuring low damage, low survivability, and negligible utility. If you
Wind Chimes S1M3 None have an affinity for promoting awful units, I'd suggest going with her S1 despite being a basic Attack Strengthening skill. The damage and "utility" on her S2 is
just so brutally undertuned that her S1, which at least has a good cycle, will outperform it a majority of the time. However, while extremely undertuned, her
S2 is the more unique option, so the choice really depends on why you’re promoting her in the first place.

Dagda is not a unit you should be investing in. There just isn't any value in a one-block, low Physical attack, single-target unit. Her S2 DPS actually isn't
terrible on paper, but enemies of any consequence that she'd be useful against are far and few between. If you plan to raise her anyway, S2 is the obvious
Dagda S2M3 None choice. It does have decent DPS, a decent cycle, and hits a bit harder than most other Brawler skills. Meanwhile, her S1 being Defensive Recovery kills any
potential value it might have (except for meme combos with Blemishine). However, even her S2 Mastery gains are fairly paltry, so invest here with extreme
caution.

Tachanka has the highest DPS in the game. He IS the meta! Well, not really, of course. His downtime is massive and his uptime is only 4 seconds, which
Tachanka S2M3 None means the total damage is very low compared to the DPS. He’s more of a novelty than anything, but if you throw a few buffs on him he can really tear into
things. It's not usually the best solution, but it is a very fun one, and his S2 Mastery is very important to making it happen.

S2M3 None
Whislash is an off-meta unit. Instructors in general just aren't very strong, with middling combat abilities and clunky buffs. However, Whislash is fairly popular,
Whislash so if you wanted to invest in her anyway, both skills are viable Mastery considerations. Lean towards S2 first which makes her a better combatant. S1 is the
better buff skill, so it also has some use, but the Mastery gains on it are fairly poor.
S1M3 None

There isn't much reason to use Flint. Her no-block niche can work alright in some cases, but those cases are rare, she scales really poorly with enemy DEF,
Flint S2M3 None and she's pretty pitiful when her skills aren't up. If, despite that, you still want to pursue her Masteries, go with her S2. Her S1 doesn't play to her niche at all
and has very poor Mastery gains which improve neither the force or SP cost.

Here's a fun fact: Ayerscarpe has the highest theoretical DPS in the game with his S2. Of course, it's totally impractical and will never be remotely viable, but
it's at least a fun bit of trivia. That isn't really useful for a Mastery decision, but it does illustrate how his S2 is his more impactful skill; it's difficult to set up, but
Ayerscarpe S2M3 None
it has a lot of (cheesy) potential. You might consider his S1 for Mastery as well if you plan to make regular use out of him. His S1’s consistency is better
found elsewhere, but it becomes appealing for die-hards on stages where S2 can’t be put to good use.

Sideroca is a unit I've always considered to be underrated. Most people ignore her entirely but she brings decent Arts damage with tremendous sustain and
is a very rare (and often useful) HP tank. There aren't many good HP tank options, with most prefering to bulk up directly on DEF or RES instead. It’s a
Sideroca S2M3 None
strong niche, though still not terribly meta. While both of her skills have use, her S2 is largely better. It gives more total healing as well as more damage. S1
has its uses, but they are far less frequent, so Mastery is a secondary consideration on an already off-meta unit.

Flamebringer is a historically contentious unit. He had an outsized, and often vocal fan base compared to other early off-meta units. That has waned with the
S2M3 None game’s general power-creep, but in fairness, those fans had a point. While Flamebringer’s S2 is active, he can be a really good fighter with solid DPS and
DPH. Unfortunately, a 40 SP Attack Recovery skill is very difficult to charge and he's a dead spot on the team while waiting for it. On many maps it won't end
up activating at all without special planning. Still, if you can learn to work around it, S2 is his best skill.
Flamebringer
You can also consider raising his S1 if you're intent on using him frequently. S2’s high SP cost is often prohibitive, and his S1 gives a healthy dose of self
S1M2 None sustain and consistency. Note that he has a rather rare S1M2 breakpoint, which is the most important milestone for the skill. The M3 is much more of a
luxury, even before considering cost.

Astesia used to be in the main Mastery guide with solid grades, but her value has unfortunately plummeted since her release. Amiya's Guard form is superior
Astesia S2M3 None to Astesia in most ways, and Amiya is free and must be raised to progress. That said, Astesia is a popular character and is still very viable. Her S2 is by far
her better skill and it has pretty good Masteries to boot. In fact, it is almost strictly better than S1, which should only be Mastered for pure completionism.

Despite her popularity as a character, Swire has always been a bad unit and she has only gotten worse as time has gone on. Her buff is minor, her skills
have poor uptime, and she herself lacks much combat ability. Raising Swire is entirely a matter of personal desire, and even then she is hard to make regular
use of. I speak from extensive personal experience here!
Swire S1M3 None
However, if you insist on trying anyway, stick with her S1. Although her S2 has a bigger buff and makes her a better combatant, 45 SP Attack Recovery is
just too brutal to overcome. S1 may have less impact, but at least you'll be able to activate the skill at some point. Note that her level 3 Module upgrade does
help resolve the charge time issues with S2, which then makes it the better choice for Mastery. But I would not recommend spending your limited Module
resources on Swire. There's just too many better Modules to grab and Swire is extremely mediocre even when fully maxed out.

Indra has a nice niche with her S2. It's a unique combination of very strong self sustain and Arts damage. However, her extremely long cycle time and low-
Indra S2M3 None stat one-block baseline makes her very tough to use once her initial skill cycle runs out. If you plan to regularly use Indra, consider her S1 as well. Her S2 will
generally come out ahead, but S1 can add a nice measure of consistency in situations where S2’s cycle time is too long.

Way back at launch, it used to be a matter of trivia that Franka didn't actually do True Damage. There just wasn't any place where that distinction mattered.
Since then, real True Damage has grown in value, which hurts the already off-meta Franka. Her relatively low total damage and RNG component just don’t
Franka S2M3 None
justify the “not-true-True-Damage” utility. Still, her S2 Masteries represent some important gains, both in damage, but also in the initial SP at M3, so if you're
intent on using her, it is a Mastery worth considering.

Savage is one of the tougher units to make a suggestion for because her main flaw is her rarity. She is essentially a 4★ with 5★ costs. Her S1 is quite
literally the 4★ version of the Power Strike skills. Even if you don’t have any of the better Centurions and wanted one, you should just use the much cheaper
Savage S1M3 None
Estelle. However, if you are really insistent on using Savage, go with her S1. It’s way overpriced for its power, but it is a relatively rare “consistent” Centurion
skill. Her S2 has way too high of an SP cost on an Attack Recovery skill for what it does (which isn’t much).

Reapers are a natively strong archetype, which means Humus is usable should you want. However, since he is inferior to Highmore who is freely available,
there isn't much other reason to raise him. This guide tends to grade units on their own merits, yet despite that, Humus remains ungraded due to some truly
atrocious gains over Mastery. Even the lower 4★ Mastery costs are difficult to justify here. Should you want to Master a skill on him anyway, go with S1.
Even if you can maintain S2's Vigor threshold, which is difficult, S1 will generally outperform it overall. Even then, as noted, the gains are incredibly poor, with
Humus S1M3 None S1M3 barely cracking 5.5% more DPS than SL 7 (for reference, 15% is a more typical number).

Humus does gain some value compared to Highmore thanks to IS5 where he can be recruited for free. He is the best self sustaining 4★ Guard that also
works at only E1. However, those awful returns on investment remain true. Even with that new usage, he should not be promoted or Mastered and simply
left at E1 where he is essentially just as effective.

The first Crusher (and the second) miss the mark on design pretty hard. While Quartz may appear to be an HP tank, a complete lack of DEF or RES
eliminates most scenarios that would actually be useful. She is, instead, incredibly fragile, and doesn’t even have the DPS to make up for it. Even fully
maximized, her DPS is very low, although the stun on her S2 at least provides some decent control. Pass on her S1, which has worse DPS and will only
Quartz S2M3 None
outperform S2 against high DEF enemies that Quartz is unlikely to survive against anyway.

The correct priority decision with Crushers is to promote a Centurion instead. You will get much more value out of Estelle than you will out of Quartz.
Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Jackie is an alternative to the already weak Beehunter, trading uptime for a higher dodge chance and some damage. That niche is both hard to use and
Jackie S2M3 None extremely small; furthermore, Jackie has the usual struggles that most lower-rarity Brawlers do. You shouldn't be investing in her, but if you must, her S2 is
the better choice.

Conviction is an April Fools unit. The big slaps on her S1 can be intensely amusing but are far too inconsistent for regular use, so investment is most
Conviction S1M3 None certainly a luxury. If you are looking for a little fun though, go with S1. It has more important Mastery gains, a ludicrously massive damage multiplier, and
won't destroy your team half the time in the process.

S1M3 None
Matoimaru's massive HP pool is one of the best in the game, which is quite impressive for a 4★. She is still quite a bit off-meta, but that at least gives her
some valid and useful niches, should you want to raise her up anyway. In such a case, both of her skills are potential Mastery targets. Both have differing
Matoimaru niches and very strong gains. Her S1 is a strong self sustain skill which directly contributes to her HP tanking abilities, while her S2 is a decent (for a 1-block
4★) DPS skill. Most players shouldn't bother raising Matoimaru, but those who do will want the full M6.
S2M3 None

This is an honorable mention skill. Don't raise Frostleaf beyond her E1 base skill. She's one of the worst 4★s in the game. HOWEVER, S2M3 is also one of
Frostleaf S2M3 None
the biggest Mastery gains in the entire game (over 600% effectiveness over SL7, not a typo) so I'd be remiss to not mention it at all.

Beehunter’s low brawler stats make her a pretty poor fighter and unworthy of investment outside of personal desire. While her S2 offers a notable DPS
Beehunter S1M3 None increase, it tapers off quickly against harder targets. Stick instead with her more useful and unique niche as a 100% uptime dodge tank using S1, with
Mastery adding a good bit of consistency.

Estelle is a strong unit in a strong archetype. However, like all Centurions, she really needs E2 for the extra block count. Even though 4★s are comparatively
inexpensive to promote, that's still a significant chunk of resources that are usually better invested elsewhere, especially for those newer players most likely
Estelle S2M3 None to still find her useful. That keeps Estelle in the off-meta category. If you did want to invest into her anyway, S2 is the better choice. The higher Attack
multiplier helps her punch through tougher enemies and kill quicker, both of which help her self-sustain despite the skill's drawback, and Mastery on S2
represents a well above average gain in Attack.

If you're using Dobermann, you probably don't need my advice. Just in case, though, you shouldn't be using her. Her buff only works on already weak units,
Dobermann S2M3 None and there are better standalone fighters. If you insist, the best skill option depends on what you're doing; S2 for the 3★ meme comps and S1 for her own
DPS.
Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

5★s

Bassline is very similar to Defender Nearl and thus their assessment ends up similar. He is a solid unit that forms a natural bridge across rarities and
S1M1 Breakpoint represents a meaningful impact over Gummy. However, Gummy is an extremely efficient unit for what she costs, so those resources tend to be better spent
elsewhere. Still, Bassline and Nearl both represent reasonable upgrades should you be looking for something a bit outside the typical "insane DPS"
promotions.

As with Nearl and similar skills across the Guardian archetype, his S1 is his best skill. It provides strong and consistent healing that allows him to sustain
Bassline S1M3 B A B+
both himself and others against reasonable amounts of pressure without downtime concerns. Make special note of the breakpoint at S1M1 which drops a full
SP off of the cost; a valuable upgrade on skills such as these.

His S2 won't be worth Mastery for most players, but is worth a look for particularly advanced niche players. It is a powerful stall skill along the lines of Nearl
S2M3 None and Hung's S2s. His HPS is comparatively lower, however the duration lasts a whooping 60 seconds on a very short windup. That means he can last nearly
an entire redeploy cycle which is a huge benefit in those sorts of stall comps.

FireWhistle can feel worse compared to the other Fortresses due poor burst and a long attack interval. While Horn has overpowering damage, and Ashlock
has a super short cycle and reduced interval, Firewhistle only attacks, with no multiplier, a grand total of 6 times during an S2M3 activation, with 40 seconds
down after. However, the extended burn creates good total AoE Arts damage while making use of the Fortress strengths. It makes Firewhistle a solid 5★
that will find a good home on many teams, although like Ashlock, not quite up to the meta standard of the 6★s either.
Firewhistle S2M3 A- B+ B+
S2 is the better Mastery for this adorable pyromaniac, and it gets a grade slightly greater than her overall value thanks to very strong damage gains. If you
intend to use her, you will definitely want to pursue her Masteries which add almost 26% more damage to that total burn. Most players can pass on her S1.
Some diehards may find use in its consistency due to S2's long cycle, and it has similarly good damage gains, however her total DPS is quite a bit lower with
S1. S2 is also better when she is forced to block. S1 only ignites the enemy hit, which is single-target when blocking while her S2 ignites the tiles for AoE
damage regardless.

Ashlock is an interesting unit. She has the longest range of any melee unit in the game, and has pretty high Physical AoE damage to boot (many qualities in
why SilverAsh is so good)! However she can be quite a hard unit to use and her range can be just as much of a hindrance as it is a help, making her the very
definition of "niche". She can do some very impressive things, working around stage mechanics and clearing waves other units at her rarity struggle with. But
for a lot of people, she just won't be worth the effort or resources (which are really really high compared to most other 5*s).
Ashlock S2M3 A- A A-
Now that said, if you do intend to use Ashlock, her S2 Masteries are incredibly important. There's a huge jump in damage between M2 and M3, so don't
skimp if you want her to be a regular on the team.

One final note, her Advanced grade is high because this is a skill that creative players will favor, but be aware it is certainly not a meta CC skill.

S1M1 Breakpoint Nearl is a great basic unit that forms a natural bridge across rarities, but as a result she fits in the meta somewhat awkwardly. She has no niche over Saria,
who is one of the best units in the game, and is only incrementally better than Gummy, who is much more cost effective, especially in the Roguelike mode
Nearl where Hope is a factor as well. Nearl’s Defender form is by no means a bad unit and her priority grades reflect that; however, she does lean a bit more to the
luxury side than a unit of her caliber might normally be. Stick with her S1. The short cooldown consistency is where much of the value of the archetype lies.
S1M3 B A B+ Her S2 has value as well if you intend to maximize your Nearl usage, but the long cooldown makes it much more situational compared to just using a Medic.

Croissant is a somewhat unusual unit when it comes to priorities. The gulf in power between the rarities is much lower across the Protectors than it is among
other archetypes. It’s for the same reason that Protector priority has historically been somewhat low. Tanking is often a matter of diminishing returns. An E1
S1M3 B- B B Cuora is good enough in a majority of the game, so why invest into the more expensive options? That leaves Croissant in a somewhat awkward gap where
the cheaper options are usually just as good, while also not justifying the costs of the best available option like the higher rarities.

All that said, Croissant is still an amazing bulk blocker. With her Module and S1 Masteries she has a very high DEF and a very high Dodge chance on a very
good uptime. With just minor amounts of luck, she can even be bulkier than Nian or Hoshiguma in spots! While she is neither the optimal Protector, nor the
Croissant most cost effective, she is a very reasonable consideration still.

Although ungraded, consider her S2 as well if you plan to invest into Croissant. It is quite a bit more situational. It doesn’t help her bulk and the high
Defensive Recovery cost can make it unreliably available. However, it is also quite fun, and if the Defensive Recovery can be abused, makes for an
S2M3 None interesting alternative. It gets a Shift force increase at M3, which is always at least worth a look.

Note that the Roguelike grade is specific to IS#4, where blocking is particularly valuable. In the older Roguelike iterations, Protectors are much less valuable.

S1M3 C B+ None Liskarm is a slightly peculiar unit. She is a very valuable and very meta unit, yet a majority of that comes from her talent and not her skills. Even in Advanced
high risk situations she is usually sufficient at SL7 with Masteries only adding some level of comfort or flexibility. In this regard, both of her skills are viable
options depending on what is needed more: defense to take pressure off or supplemental DPS.
Liskarm
For purely Story players, neither is a necessary Mastery and, in fact, you may find the gains to be quite lackluster for the cost. Advanced players will want to
favor S1 though, since the enemies she needs to take hits from in high risk CC scenarios are frequently the hardest hitting in the game. Roguelike players
S2M3 C C None
likely won't want to do either, as pure blocking Defenders have pretty low value there.

4★s

Enmity (unhealable) operators need a special level of "oomph" to justify their use. This is particularly a problem for lower rarity iterations like Lutonada. She
isn't a bad unit per se, however she lacks the impact that might justify her over more typical options. In other words, she doesn't do enough that's special to
justify the downside.

Should you want to promote Lutonada regardless, then her S2 is the clear choice. Her S1 is a generic (and bad) Attack Recovery Power Strike skill. The
Lutonada S2M3 None high DPH on S1 may have some value to true low-rarity min-maxers, but in general her S2 just wins by default and it has some pretty significant stat gains
over Mastery. The DPS is fairly low, but the washing machine and true-AoE give it some situational potential at least.

However, something to note is that the force level does NOT improve over Mastery. At S2M3 it is still a rudimentary force level of 0 and will shift only the
lightest enemies. While the stat gains are significant and will make the skill feel better to use, Mastery does not fundamentally change the skill if you find her
underwhelming already at SL7.

The traditional advice with Protectors has been to not spend the extra resources on Cuora or Bubble's E2 or Masteries. They did their jobs fine at E1 and
blocking wasn't favored compared to DPS. However, their value is steadily increasing as the game evolves. There are more and more situations that demand
bulk blocking. Further, unlike DPS, bulk blocking tends to be a situation where "good enough" is all you need, so inexpensive options like Bubble and Cuora
can look very appealing, especially in the Roguelike where Hope considerations come into play as well.
Bubble S2M3 B B+ B+
Bubble vs Cuora is a long standing debate without an objective answer. It's really content dependent. Cuora has better DEF, extra block, and some self
sustain. Bubble's Talent means she can effectively have better bulk and her Taunt effect can be a useful tool. This guide gives a slight edge to Cuora since
her utility tends to be a bit more generally applicable. Regardless of who you choose however, S2 is the clear choice for Mastery as both have generic S1's
of little value.
Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Gummy is a great unit when you're first getting started. She is most people's first interaction with the value of role compression. The mix of bulk and sustain
resolves a lot of problems in a single team slot. However, despite a relatively good Mastery grade here, she probably is not worth the extra resources to E2
and M3. She does what she needs to do well enough at E1 already and her bulk does not hold up well as the difficulty increases. However, if you do
Gummy S1M3 A A- A+ promote her, which is an option with growing appeal thanks to reduced Hope costs starting in IS5, her S1 Masteries are quite valuable.

Pass on her S2. While the 5★ Guardians tend to have some niche stall value with their S2's, Gummy's S2 is far more awkward. The windup, which also
results in less uptime, makes it far less effective so it's generally a skill to avoid.

The traditional advice with Protectors has been to not spend the extra resources on Cuora or Bubble's E2 or Masteries. They did their jobs fine at E1 and
blocking wasn't favored compared to DPS. However, their value is steadily increasing as the game evolves. There are more and more situations that demand
bulk blocking. Further, unlike DPS, bulk blocking tends to be a situation where "good enough" is all you need, so inexpensive options like Bubble and Cuora
can look very appealing, especially in the Roguelike where Hope considerations come into play as well.

Cuora S2M3 A A- A- Bubble vs Cuora is a long standing debate without an objective answer. It's really content dependent. Cuora has better DEF, extra block, and some self
sustain. Bubble's Talent means she can effectively have better bulk and her Taunt effect can be a useful tool. This guide gives a slight edge to Cuora since
her utility tends to be a bit more generally applicable. Regardless of who you choose however, S2 is the clear choice for Mastery as both have generic S1's
of little value.

Note that Cuora Masteries are particularly valuable since she gains an improvement on her HP recovery at M3.

4★ and 5★ UNGRADED

Duelist Defenders do not have an easy go of things. One-block with their trait restrictions (even with Modules) puts all of them in a tough spot across the
S2M3 None board, yet their stats are often high enough that they manage to at least carve out meaningful niche usage. In Cement's case, she has actually found some
use in her raw defensive bulk whose potential is unmatched even at higher rarities. Now, that is rarely an essential thing, and a relatively bad downtime time
further shrinks that potential niche, so it's hard to recommend investment, but if you are looking to raise a nicher option, Cement's S2 is the target and
Cement Mastery adds a huge amount to her potential bulk.

Additionally, Cement is a fairly popular character thanks to a variety of memes, so if you are looking to use her as a more every day option, then her S1 is a
S1M3 None passable damage skill. However a relatively high SP cost mixed with the archetype trait make it a very suboptimal option, so most people won't find it worth
the cost.

Czerny has a few uses if you like niche clears, but in the broader game he’s difficult to use for a mediocre payoff. If you want to raise him anyway, his S2 is
the better option for Mastery. HP tanks are somewhat rare and there are few that can reach Czerny's total. The nuke is difficult to control but at least does
Czerny S2M3 None
decent damage. His S1 ultimately only offers improved RES, since his personal DPS is too low and his reflect too conditional. That might have some value
now and then to some people, but RES tanks are just not that viable, so most shouldn't bother.

Shalem's main problem is consistency. S2 is the better skill, but Defensive Recovery skills are always tough and the RNG component of both his skill and his
Shalem S2M3 None talent can make him tough to use. Most people shouldn't raise Shalem, even within the context of IS2, but if you did want to, his S2 has pretty important
Masteries that he needs to be effective. If you're using him regularly, consider S1 as well for better consistency.

Aurora’s entire archetype is in a pretty tough spot. A one-block elite-killer just doesn’t have much value in the current metagame, especially when considering
that many recent mechanics favor not blocking at all. Aurora can certainly be an impressive stat stick, but she is difficult to set up and frequently useless,
Aurora S2M3 None which leaves her quite off-meta. Masteries aren’t too vital to her usage either, though they do look a bit more impressive when she is combo’d with other
Chillers. Her S1 has some very fringe value as well due to the extreme defensive bulk on a short wind-up, but situations where that is necessary are
extremely rare.

Camouflage is a very powerful effect, and Heavyrain is the only unit who can grant it to others. That niche isn't always useful or easy to use, so she is
ungraded and off-meta, but it can be very fun when it is. Stick with her S2, as it better enables her niche. She’s a solid Protector as well with strong base
DEF and HP, both of which are improved with her S2. The latter is quite rare across the whole game. It’s rather niche, but HP tanking is useful to have in
Heavyrain S2M3 None reserve and there are very few skills that help with it.

Her S1 has better Mastery gains but is more for aggro management than stealth shenanigans, and aggro management is usually easier to solve by other
means such as paying attention to your deploy order. It ends up being a much less valuable consideration.

Blitz isn’t a particularly meta general-use operator, but his S1 has an absolute ton of value if you are interested in more Advanced content, and its Masteries
are very important. S1 stuns everyone in a wide range for a long time on a very short cooldown, which makes him an important part of many stall strategies,
Blitz S1M3 None despite only having four uses per deployment. Mastery is important to that role, improving pretty much every aspect of the skill, as well as making his first
activation instantly helidroppable. Although Blitz is ungraded, his S1 Mastery is essential if you're interested in him or those strategies. His S2 is also
noteworthy, though its uses are much less common.

Asbestos used to be graded in the main guide, but she was always a fringe consideration. Her damage just isn't up to snuff these days. That said, her S2 is a
good skill that benefits greatly from Mastery, and it’s incredibly important if you want to use her. Although the damage might not total up to much, the weird
Asbestos S2M3 None
combination of stats and range she has is valuable, especially in various NicheKnights clears. Be sure to grab the breakpoint at M1 at the very least for extra
range.

Hung’s main problems are stiff competition and Defensive Recovery on his main skill, but his reputation as a bad unit is unfair. While he is still off-meta
compared to the other Guardians, he has some legitimately valuable niches using his S2 and its Masteries. At S2M3, he only needs 2 SP to activate, which
Hung S2M3 None makes him the most helidroppable Guardian. S2 also has a very rare (among Guardians) DEF buff, plus the fact he stops attacking makes him the best no-
damage stall option. His S2 Masteries are vitally important to those due to the greatly reduced initial SP cost. However those niches are still of fringe usage,
so most people should avoid investment, especially those more Story-oriented.

The one thing Bison does well is tank, but there's a ton of units who can do the same and offer more utility. As a result, Bison is a matter of personal desire
only, and you'll get much more value out of the cheaper Cuora or Bubble. If you insist, I'd suggest S2 for Mastery, which has the bigger impact between his
skills, but do note that his one meta appearance in CC#8 involved his S1, due to its shorter windup. That's unlikely to be needed again, though, so invest with
caution.
Bison S2M3 None
A more fringe use for Bison is helping ranged units survive an Aak S3 buff. There are much better options for this role, but they tend to be higher rarity or
limited, so Bison can fill in if you lack those options. He will need S2M3 for this since the DEF buff doesn't increase until M3. However, that is a role that will
appeal to very few people.

It can be easy to overlook the flaws of an archetype when the 6★s (Mudrock and Penance) are so absurdly powerful. Unfortunately for Vulcan, that inability
to be healed sticks out much more when you account for high SP costs and no available sustain outside of those skills. It makes her tough to use and even
tougher to recommend. She is certainly not for the faint of heart.
Vulcan S2M3 None
That said, if you wanted to raise her, it's usually best to go with her S2. The archetype lends itself more towards solo adventures rather than stalling, and, as
the saying goes, the best defense is a good offense. With S2, Vulcan can dish out some solid damage in tandem with really strong sustain. This can be
pretty decent with only 10 SP initial windup at M3, but once the skill is over, the base cycling is abysmal. Her S1 is also pretty good, but with such low killing
potential, it's usually not worth using over similar options that can actually be healed, like the much cheaper Cuora.
Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Dur-nar can be a handy unit early. The AoE Arts damage from a melee tile on a long duration skill is useful. However, Dur-Nar really doesn’t really need
Dur-Nar S2M3 None extra investment to do that, and her damage is so low that it has no staying power. Like many 4★s, any promotion beyond a basic E1 (if you even do that) is
a luxury. S2 is the clear choice if you wanted to push her beyond that.

RES tanks like Matterhorn are quite rare, so he has a pretty strong niche simply due to the lack of competition. However, that niche isn't frequently relevant,
Matterhorn S2M3 None and Nightingale solves the problem much better, so investment in Matterhorn is unnecessary. If you do personally like Matterhorn though and want that extra
investment, his S2 is the clear choice since it plays to that niche and has some very solid gains.
Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

 Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

5★s

In an era of absurd DPS, it can be easy to overlook Marksman, but for the life of the game they have always been a reliable source of cheap basic damage.
Insider joins their ranks as another solid low-rarity option who’s worth strong consideration for anyone without a strong Marksman core. His uniquely high
ATK (for a Marksman) and targeting priority even gives him some potential value in already established teams.

Insider S2M3 A- A A- Insider is a unit who works pretty well at E1 already. Unfortunately, that’s because his E2 and Mastery upgrades are fairly poor. However, he is still good
enough to justify the resources. If you do opt to promote Insider, his S2 is a decent Mastery target. It's his main skill and the only one to Master. As stated
though, the gains over Mastery are poor, and S2SL7 to S2M3 is a below average 9% gain to DPS with no change to uptime or ammo capacity. There's no
reason to pursue his S1, even as a secondary skill. While it is damage-scale which often has more value, it has a far lower ammo count and is Attack
Recovery, which limits any potential benefit it might have.

Melanite has some unique value. She is the only non-6★ with dodge-ignore and the only unit with an AoE dodge-ignore. That makes her something to at
least note, however those niches are very content dependent and she is otherwise fairly difficult to use effectively, especially compared to other hard hitting
Melanite S2M3 C C+ C+
5★ Snipers such as Provence or Andreana. Her damage drops off harshly with range and her dodge-ignore only works on frontal tiles. In many situations
and for many players, she will seem quite weak. Nevertheless, her niche value gives her S2 some low end Mastery consideration.

Jieyun is a solid 5★ with respectable uptime, utility, and damage for the rarity. However a non-essential archetype and the fact that Shirayuki covers all of
those at half the price still leaves Jieyun as a fairly expensive luxury promotion. She's more likely to find use in niche teams such as Welfare-only or 5★-only
teams where her utility is more unique, but most general purpose players won't find her worth the cost.
Jieyun S2M3 B+ B B-
Still, she is perfectly usable if she appeals to you, and her S2 has solid enough gains to warrant Mastery consideration. The skill damage gain is actually a
touch below average, but the improvements to her uptime are vital to comfortably using her. Since her S2 is Attack Recovery and her attack interval is long,
the difference between SL7 and S2M3 is huge. Pass on her S1. It has no special application and the only benefit over S2 is Auto-Recovery.

Lunacub’s permanent Camouflage can be a decent tool to have access to, but the lack of a damage multiplier on her primary skill is a huge drawback that
makes her largely inferior to the other 4 and 5★ Deadeyes. For example, she will only out DPS Firewatch against sub-200 DEF, and only out DPS the much
Lunacub S2M3 C C C cheaper Ambriel at sub-450 DEF. Considering how both are highly available, and have much more forgiving cycle times, it becomes difficult to recommend
any of Lunacub’s Masteries. Still, she is not awful, so if you did want to invest in her, S2 is the clear choice. The Mastery gains on it are sizable and S1
doesn’t work with her Camouflage.

Greyy has gotten quite the glow up. He started as a bad 4★ only to get a mediocre 5★ alt. Fortunately for him, his Module has elevated Greyy the
Lightningbearer to the higher tier of 5★s. It's an upgrade that went under the radar for a while for whatever reason, but regardless he is now a decent
Mastery option featuring good damage, big range, and solid control.

Greyy the S2M3 A A A

S2 is the clear choice for Mastery. While the SP cost is somewhat high for a skill of its type, the charged based nature and persistence of the ball, which
Lightning Bearer does not halt his SP recovery, results in a high effective uptime. Mastery is particularly valuable as well. At M3 the ball gains an additional 20% duration.
Mastery also cuts 4 SP off of the skill cost which may not seem that much, but is a significant improvement considering the charges double that value.

A fully upgraded Module is also an important upgrade for Greyy. The base effect greatly improves the consistency of his control and the upgrades are large
improvements to his damage. If you intend to use Greyy the Lightiningbearer, grab his base level Module first, S2M3 second, and mo2/mod3 last.

Kroos the Keen Glint is a rare spot of value out of a welfare unit. She is both reliable in her core role as a Marksman while having utility that extends her
potential value into some endgame scenarios. Her microstuns and massive total damage are both incredible boons that see Kroos as one of the more meta
S2M3 A+ A- S- 5★ options in the current game. This is applicable across many parts of the game, but is most notable in IS#3 where she is a top Sniper pick thanks to how
she manages the dangerous Skimming Sea Drifters (the floaty guys). She is only really held back by her low ATK value which really neuters her damage in
more difficult content. It's a problem for all Marksmen, but hits Kroos2 especially hard.

Kroos the Keen To that end, Kroos2 has quite valuable Masteries on both skills, but S2 is the standout between them. It has the much higher total damage, but more
importantly, is far better at applying her stun which otherwise has an annoying RNG component. Normally, her stun has a relatively small 20% chance of
Glint hitting, but the rapid fire nature of her S2 makes the application far more reliable. S2's Masteries are particularly valuable as well, specifically at M3 which
features both a 5 SP drop in cost and an extremely valuable interval reduction that adds a lot to her damage and her stun.

Her S1 is also valuable, although tends to be a more technical skill. It has several aspects that can make it better than S2, but they're more situational.
S1M3 B B+ A- Camouflage is great, but not always useful. The higher ATK is important versus DEF, but that's not her key role (and she still isn't very good at it). The SP
costs and initial SP required are lower, but are Attack Recovery instead. Kroos2 is a very powerful 5★ so that technical aspect is worth considering, but is
ultimately less important than the easy stun application of her S2.

Toddifons has good damage... if the right conditions are met, but falls off pretty sharply otherwise (most notably, if there are no Sarkaz enemies). S2M3 is
Toddifons S2M3 C C None the best option for Mastery, though the gains on it are modest. Although S1M3 is actually a pretty interesting consideration, but it requires a very specific
setup to make work. S2 out damages S1 significantly in all but the most specific of circumstances.

Although the same archtype, April should be considered outside of the other Marksman Sniper's role because the role she fills is quite different.
S2M3 S- S- S-
April is a very powerful unit. She is a rare 5★ unit that holds significant value even in a team full of 6★s, but one that requires a good bit of investment for
that power to be realized. Her value is pretty much entirely in her on-deploy S2 and she is dramatically less useful once that skill runs out, so maximizing
April that skill is vital for her to be as good as she is. It's tough to call April a mandatory unit despite her very strong and unique role, but her Mastery is near
mandatory if you intend to raise and use her. The relatively high grade here reflects that.

S1M1 Breakpoint For more typical Sniper use, S1M1 is a big breakpoint, however the DPS and utility pales in comparison to others of the role. Still, it can be occasionally
useful to fill in gaps if your Marksman core is on the weak side for a unit you may want to E2 anyway.

High damage per hit Physical damage is frequently the most valuable source of damage since it can overcome both high DEF and high RES, and it’s what
Andreana excels at. There are few units who can hit as hard as Andreana does, even at higher rarities; it gives her a valuable niche despite her clunky
Andreana S2M3 B+ B B targeting and HP Restriction. Of course, her half HP drawback is a doozy, so she is hardly a mandatory unit, especially on more meta teams. But even
softening high threat targets can be extremely valuable, and with the growing strength of the Abyssal Hunter tribal thanks to Modules, Andreana is a viable
consideration.

GreyThroat has the highest single target DPS among the 5★ Marksman Snipers, but she is most similar to Exusiai, and the gains on her Masteries are a
touch lower, which downgrades her priority a little relative to the others. Stick with her S2 here which is the better skill for both damage and controllability.
Being Attack Recovery makes the Mastery gains quite impactful as well.
GreyThroat S2M3 A- A- A-
Her S1 used to be graded in this guide since it has quite high gains, but there just isn't really a good place to use it in the current game and it has since been
removed. She mag dumps the charges early which leaves her playing catch up later and the Auto-Recovery is worse in the Roguelike where the consistency
might actually have more value.

Because of how Platinum's damage scales with her talent, she gains more damage out of Masteries then the numbers might imply at first glance. Further, as
an infinite duration skill, the damage increase here is very important (especially at M1 and M2), as is the lowered wind up time. Don't be scared off by the
Platinum S2M3 A+ A+ A
wind up time. This is a monster of a skill and is why Platinum is often considered the best 5★ Marksman Sniper to compliment Exusiai. Some of that value is
lost in the Roguelike, however, since the best relics work counter to her talent.
Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

S2M1 Breakpoint Blue Poison is reliant on her Masteries to be as good as she is so they should be highly prioritized if you intend to use her. Which is better is a matter of
significant debate though, a debate that has been ongoing for nearly three years with little sign of letting up. She is perhaps the most pure example of the
"consistency vs burst" debate. Her S1 allows her to deal out fairly strong DPS for the entire map with no downtime, while her S2 has a MUCH higher peak.

For regular users of Blue Poison, you will probably want to do the full M6, but that is an expensive proposition for most people given how many strong
Blue Poison S2M3 A+ A+ A+
options exist these days. I personally favor S2 here, as burst DPS is much harder to replace, but her S1 is certainly a worthy skill still and will often be the
better choice in the Roguelike. That is reflected in the grades here, but really, you could go either way depending on your own preferences.

As a matter of trivia, by the way, Blue Poison's S2M1 might be the biggest breakpoint in the game with an absolutely massive increase to total damage.
S1M3 A- A- A+ Definitely do that breakpoint first regardless of what skill you favor.

The first note for Provence is that if you have Schwarz or Fartooth, don't waste your resources Mastering Provence's skills. Those units do the job better in
all regards and to a significant degree. However not everyone has them, so there is still value in the hard hitting Provence for some. She can be a relatively
Provence S2M3 B+ B+ B difficult unit to use though, with a very long initial wind-up, short range, and stringent HP requirement, so exercise significant caution before investing.

Avoid her S1 which, while a nice idea, has really poor numbers.

S2M1 Breakpoint
Firewatch is a tough unit to use and most people will want to avoid investing into her. But if you do, her S1 is a tremendous skill, with Mastery giving her a big
Firewatch damage boost and a really short cycle time. S2 is a fun skill though and gains a third nuke at the M1 breakpoint so it is definitely worth doing as well.
S1M3 B B B

In previous versions of the guide, I favored only S1, and while S1 is still a very strong option, I've since grown to appreciate S2 quite a bit more as the
advanced option. Because of her long attack interval, and the fact S1 is attack recovery while S2 is per second recovery, the skills actually have nearly
S1M3 A- C B identical DPS. In fact, S2 can more easily reach a higher DPS since it charges between waves.

This means that the decision between them most often comes down to the utility they bring. For S1 it's consistency and range. S1 has a big Mastery gain
and will continue to be the better choice for Story players looking for a simple option to help clear out trash. However, for Advanced players who wish to get a
Meteorite bit more out of Meteorite, S2 becomes the much more valuable option. It provides better burst, better armor penetration (more damage per hit and the debuff
applies to the attack itself), and better team support. And with how the game has crept in power, most Advanced players have more than enough options for
clearing out trash.
S2M3 B- A None
However, that said, her S1 can still come out ahead in some situations. It works particularly well with Archetto. It is also her better option in the Roguelike,
should you intend to use Meteorite there since it works much better with the various relics.

4★s

Caper is a pretty nice DPS unit for her rarity and will be worth a look for anyone who favors more off-meta approaches, although newer players will probably
find the extra Red Certificate cost to be unpalatable for a unit with limited utility. Still, she has very solid damage on a flexible and unique range, and the
Loopshooter Trait works in a way that limits the effect of ASPD debuffs which can be quite beneficial against certain enemies.
Caper S2M3 B B B
S2 is her main skill. The high Attack Recovery SP cost can be troublesome, so the reduction over Mastery is quite nice to have. However, it still charges
acceptably fast thanks to her short interval and wide-range. It is much more impactful compared to her very generic Power Strike S1, which brings no
particular benefit to her kit.

Besiegers can seem daunting, but they’re actually pretty straight forward. Totter especially. He does good basic damage on a big range that scales well on
S2M3 B B B tough targets. His utility of attacking invisible units is also extremely valuable (and extremely rare), especially given his large range. While not as insane as
his higher rarity counterparts, Totter is a solid and reliable low-rarity option with unique utility to boot.
Totter His S2 is his main skill. It does good damage on a reasonable cycle along with meaningful Mastery gains across the board. His S1 falters due to being
Attack Recovery on top of his long attack interval, however it may be worth a look if you use him a lot in the Roguelike mode. Totter's invisibility killing niche
S1M3 None None C is particularly valuable in certain maps which makes him a strong general pick and his S1 can sometimes come out ahead with the powerful Spinach-type
relics.

If you are doing 4★ only clears, who do you think is the best everyday carry? Jaye? Maybe Cutter? Nope! It's adorable little Pinecone. While she lacks
the ceiling that some of the other 4★ Snipers have in more meta oriented teams, she is an amazing general purpose unit thanks to her S1. She does true
AoE damage that scales reasonably well to tougher enemies and has the benefits of charge based skills that allow for both sustain and burst as needed.
Mastery is particularly valuable as well thanks to the reduced SP cost at S1M3.

Pinecone S1M3 A A A+ Pass on her S2, however. Occasionally it tricks someone since the total damage seems pretty decent, but the fact it is Auto Trigger on a relatively long cycle
makes it extremely unreliable and removes a lot of the benefit in using Pinecone at all.

Of course, as with nearly all 4★s, exercise some caution before investment. Only a few are truly worth Mastery in the broad meta sense, and of the S and
A-tier 4★ Masteries, Pinecone is the most vulnerable to being replaced. However, Pinecone is one of the best options if you are looking at more off-meta
approaches.

Global range is really rare, and really powerful. That alone makes Ambriel worth consideration. Even if you have one of the more powerful options like
Goldenglow, her targeting priority can still give her a pretty powerful niche. While Ambriel's DPS is fairly low among the 4★ Snipers, her utility alone makes
Ambriel S2M3 B B+ B
her a worthwhile, if mid-level, consideration. Mastery on her S2 is especially important for using her (as well as her Module base effect). Her interval is
extremely long, so the more damage you can squeeze out of each shot, the better, and she gains an above average amount of ATK over Mastery.

May is the best of the 4★ Marksman choice, however the value of that role has waned significantly since her release. There are now multiple 4★ Snipers
S2M3 B- B- B- who do the various jobs better with higher ceilings, and even within the narrow realm of Marksman, Kroos the Keen Glint is now freely available from Record
Restoration and is significantly better at the task.
May
But she is still a decent option if she fits into your team better for whatever reason. The control built into her kit gives her a significant leg up over the other
S1M3 C C C+ 4★ Marksmen. Go with S2 for this purpose. The Stun is more valuable, and it cycles incredibly fast which devalues the nature of S1. However, S1 is still
something to consider if you're regularly using May, especially in the Roguelike where it interacts extremely well with both ASPD and Spinach-type relics.

For her rarity, Shirayuki is a pretty decent unit. You obtain her very early on and her mix of Arts damage plus stall is useful at the start of the game. It's
Shirayuki S2M3 C C C enough value for her to pick up a grade if you enjoy using her, but unless you are doing particularly niche clears, she just doesn't hold up as well in mature
teams as some other 4★ Snipers do. For where Shirayuki is generally used, mid-E1 SL7 is more than sufficient.

4★ and 5★ UNGRADED
Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Coldshot is a unit who is outperformed by most other hard-hitting 5★ Snipers, so there isn't much reason to invest in her Masteries outside of personal
desire. If you do particularly like her, then her S2 is the clear choice for Mastery. She hits very hard with it and Mastery helps with that all important DPH,
which is the only thing that sets her apart. Unfortunately, there is little other upside. Unusually, Mastery doesn't affect anything except her damage, so if you
don't enjoy her performance at SL 7, Mastery probably won't change your mind.
Coldshot S2M3 None
While not directly related to Mastery, it's worth noting that her S2 also has an excruciatingly long attack interval when she runs out of ammo. A Hunter's
reload interval is the same as their attack interval, so once Coldshot spends her existing ammo, her total interval becomes 1.6 + 1.6 + 0.8 = 4 seconds!

Her S1 is a generic skill with no upside and worse numbers, so despite the flaws of her S2, the Mastery choice is very clear with Coldshot.

On paper, it would appear that Erato slots nicely into sleep stall comps, but in practice she doesn't really fit into many of them. Her S1 is Single Target while
the meta sleep stall options are all AoE. That ST nature can still be useful, especially thanks to her range, but tends to be much more niche. Most importantly
for Masteries though, there is no improvement to the sleep uptime at all after SL7. The expensive S1 Masteries only add some damage, which is not why the
Erato S1M3 None skill is used. Erato does have some decent meta value with her S1, especially in IS#3, however the extra investment is almost completely unnecessary.

If you would like to use Erato regularly you could consider S2. There are much better DPS options out there, but it is certainly a usable option for when her
Sleep niche is unnecessary.

Aosta is a bad unit. You shouldn't be using him for any reason other than personal preference. Seriously, use Pinecone, or even Executor.
Aosta S1M3 None
Okay, if you really insist, you could go either way with his skills, but I'd favor S1. It has slightly better DPS and significantly better total damage. You lose the
bind on his S2, but his attack interval is so long that most enemies will just walk out of his range even with the bind.

Sesa can trip people up at first, as many people discovered in the monthly IS#2 squad. But once you get the hang of it, he is a surprisingly solid unit. Paired
Sesa S2M3 None with a good blocker, his S2 can not only dish out damage but also give a surprising amount of team support. That said, Sesa is still off-meta, and his Mastery
gains aren't very special. His S2 is the obvious Mastery choice if you want one since his S1 is a generic skill with no particular use or niche.

Although Executor has some decent DPS while his skills are active, his total damage and cycle times are abysmal by modern standards. His skills also have
alternating use-cases, which makes investment an expensive proposition. One doesn’t really stand above the other. This makes suggesting a Mastery really
Executor S1M3 None
tough here, and honestly it's a coinflip. The best option is to raise Pinecone instead, but if you insist on using him, pick your poison since there isn’t a clear
choice. I would lean towards S1 which has a lower DPS but a similar total damage, better cycle time, and higher damage per hit for dealing with armor.

Vermeil used to be a decent starting option, but as the game has grown, there's just no reason to use her anymore. Kroos the Keen Glint is now freely
Vermeil S2M3 None available from Record Restoration and is significantly better overall at the same role. Vermeil just has no usage these days even in low-rarity niches as her
kit lacks any utility that might otherwise elevate a unit like May. If Vermeil personally appeals to you though, stick with her S2.

Aciddrop is a situation where her niche used to have some value, but the DPS is so insane these days that it's easy for any halfway meta unit to do more
Aciddrop S2M3 None damage than she does against even the toughest targets. This limits her to low rarity niches only where those options may not be available, but even then
it's extremely situational. If that applies to you, go with S2 which has much higher minimum damage along with her Talent.

S1M3 None Everyone freely gets 4★ Jessica early on, so nearly everyone has used her to some degree. However, once you get rolling, her value evaporates against
better options. Kroos the Keen Glint is now freely available from Record Restoration and is significantly better overall at the same role. This leaves Jessica
Jessica with extremely limited usage that rarely comes into play, even in low-rarity niches. That value, as fringe as it is, lies in her S2 which should be the focus for
S2M3 None Mastery, if you do any at all. Although, her S1 may be the better daily driver, despite being a generic skill, if you personally must use her over better options.

Even among the 4★ Marksman, Meteor's damage is extremely low. It makes any use she has relatively fringe. However, unlike Jessica and Vermeil, she
Meteor S1M3 None still has some niche usage thanks to her S1. It can apply the DEF debuff at an extremely high uptime which does have value. However, Mastery does not
affect the uptime and only improves the debuff by a paltry 5%, so even within that niche realm, it is still an extremely fringe option.
Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

5★s

Our first Primal Caster is in a bit of a tough spot. While Elemental Damage at large is very powerful, the reliance on another unit such as Virtuosa or
Valarqvin, and an overall short Necrosis uptime, really limits Diamante's potential value.
S2M3 C C+ C
Both skills are potential options, but his S2 is the better choice in most situations since Ritualists are much better at applying Necrosis and there is little
benefit in stacking more. Instead, his S2 provides better overall DPS on a better cycle, along with the potential of applying additional pseudo-True damage. It
even has better damage outside of the context of Elemental damage, if you're just trying to use Diamante on his own due to niche or husbando reasons.
Diamante
If you think you're interested in Diamante's S1, which is his skill that applies to Necrosis, look to Valarqvin instead. Diamante's Necrosis applies after enemy
RES, so he is significantly worse at the task than a Ritualist. Valarqvin is freely available and at the same rarity, which makes Diamante's S1 a distant third at
the task. However, that said, his S1 has a surprising breakpoint at M1 which ups his Necrosis percentage from 10% to 15%. This is enough to allow him to
S1M3 None apply Necrosis against bosses with a single cycle of S1M1, whereas he would come up short at S1SL7. This works up to 10 enemy RES, with the jump to
M3 extending that up to 20 RES. However, most bosses do have well over 20 RES, so this value is still very limited. It is best left for true niche maximalists
only.

Yet another 5★ Caster to join the ever bloating group, although Santalla manages to stand out a little due to the potential power of Chill/Freeze and decent
DPS. She makes a reasonable consideration for promotion and Mastery, although a long cycle and RNG ultimately make that relatively low in priority. S2 is
the skill to go for to that end. All of the unique aspects of her kit are tied to her S2 and Mastery is a slightly above average benefit to DPS. However, Mastery
doesn't change any core aspect of the skill so if you find her unsatisfying at SL7, Mastery is unlikely to change that opinion.

Unfortunately, her upsides are mitigated by the random nature of her S2. It actually isn't totally random. The icicles occur in a rotating fashion of parallel lines
along her orientation (that is, columns if she is positioned up/down and rows if she is positioned left/right). They fall, relative to her, left > right > center, then
Santalla S2M3 C C+ C+
repeat. Within that column/row it is still random. This pattern, along with the splash, allows her to still apply Freeze relatively consistently, although the RNG
can still result in frustrating misses.

The Freeze additionally benefits her via RES reduction, although that only ends up applying to a relatively small portion of her total attacks.

There's no reason to pursue her S1. It's a generic skill that removes all unique aspects of her kit as well as having significantly lower overall DPS. The only
benefit it has over her S2 is uptime, but at that point you're better off just using a different unit.

💢💢 Smug cat 💢💢 in need of... modest consideration for promotion? 💢? While it's unlikely another 5★ Caster will ever reach the 'must-promote' tier,
Harmonie mixes solid damage, uptime, and control in an elegant package. The result is a very usable unit, and yet another option among the lower rarity
Casters who is good enough to at least warrant secondary investment consideration.

Harmonie’s S2 is a key component to that elegance, as it slows and clears trash mobs so that they don't clog blockers or waste her charges. Harder targets
Harmonie S2M3 B B+ C+
can then be singled out by blockers, which she can now hit hard thanks to her Talent and stored charges. Without S2, she is no different than any other
Mystic Caster, including the much cheaper Indigo who also has good control. However, while her S2 is essential for Harmonie's usage, her Masteries are a
touch unimpressive. The additional DoT is a paltry difference, uptime remains the same, and SP cost is only reduced by 4 SP. The main value is in the
additional attack interval reduction at M3, which is important enough to make the Mastery worth pursuing, but isn't enough to be make or break either. Not
everyone will like how Harmonie plays, and if you don't like her kit at SL7, the full investment probably won't change your mind.

Qanipalaat is a nice little 5★ Caster with an interesting kit that has a good mix of control and damage. Levitate is a strong control status effect, and seven
seconds on a 30 SP cost mixed with good damage can be pretty appealing. However, Levitate does have shortcomings, and the duration loss for heavier
enemies is significant since his base duration is so long. In addition, 5★ Casters will forever be in an awkward spot thanks to Amiya and solid 4★ options,
and Qanipalaat has an expensive 600 red certificate cost on top of the already expensive 5★ promotion costs. While he is decently usable, few will find him
Qanipalaat S2M3 C+ C+ C+
worth the price of admission.

Pass on his S1 unless you're a heavy Casterknights player. It has the exact same damage and cycle as Amiya's S1, with only the targeting priority setting it
apart. The fact that his S1 has no way to inflict the Levitate means that it has no value that a good Marksman Sniper couldn’t cover better.

While the 5★ Caster class is crowded and full of questionable value, the Chain Caster archetype has been increasingly useful of late. They combine decent
damage with decent control that stacks especially well with the ASPD buffs common in IS and SSS. Astgenne brings a measure of reliability to that role
which her rival, Leizi, sometimes lacks. S2 is the go to skill for Astgenne, but the Mastery gains are notably poor, with low damage gains and no
improvement to uptime. That keeps her grades down a bit when compared to similar units, so the grades don't necessarily reflect her total value. For most
people, she will work perfectly fine at SL7.
Astgenne S2M3 B- B- B-
Pass on her S1, even the M1 breakpoint. While charge based skills tend to have some value, the higher SP cost significantly narrows the gap on Astgenne.
There are vanishingly few places where S1 will outperform S2.

A related aside, be aware that Chain Casters only bounce to three targets at E1. It only increases to their usual four targets at E2. While Astgenne can work
well at SL7, she still needs E2. If left at E1, S1 looks significantly more appealing since the extra target is built into the skill itself.

The 5★ Casters tend to be a crowded group, but also a decidedly mediocre bunch. Rockrock stands out among them with her incredibly high damage so
she can be a modestly strong consideration among the chaff. Her S2 is really the only skill to consider with her S1 performing worse in all situations except
Rockrock S2M3 B B B+
when you just don't let her go into Overdrive ever (at which point, why bother using her over Kjera or Click). However despite her damage potential, her
overall role is still a fairly tough one and promotion + Mastery costs are expensive for an only slightly above average unit and that's reflected in her grades.

Kjera, although a decent unit, is one who has a serious value problem. When considering promotion costs, there are more cost-effective options for lower
rarity Casters that people will already have available, such as Amiya and Click. That makes the investment value of Kjera quite a bit lower. Given her very
high promotion and Mastery costs, it's difficult to give Kjera high grades here. However if you can stomach the costs she can be a surprisingly reliable
Kjera S2M3 B- B- A- Caster, especially in IS. Most people though, will want to stick with Click and put those resources elsewhere.

It's worth noting that along with Gnosis, she can pretty reliably Freeze enemies for her S2 duration which is a pretty powerful combo. If Gnosis is a regular on
your team she can look a lot more appealing despite the costs.

Mint is far from a mandatory unit, but her S2 is a super fun skill that gets a big force upgrade at M3. It does not have much meta use, but is worthy of
Mint S2M3 C C C investment if you plan to use her or just want something quirky. Her S1 may be worth Mastering as well. It has better damage and range; however she is left
much more vulnerable without the Shift on S2 so only go for it if you plan to use Mint over better options.

Beeswax was perhaps the best designed Phalanx Caster (Lin with Module finally surpasses her design-wise). Only her low damage really holds her back.
She makes an excellent ranged tank between her bulk and her powerful regeneration. Her S2 is the skill to use because it plays directly into that role,
allowing her to switch to a DPS role while the obelisk mitigates her reduced bulk. However, her DPS is relatively weak and her S2 Masteries don't do much to
Beeswax S2M3 B B B address that. The improved stun and cycle time are nice though, so it is still worth pursuing.

While it doesn't play to her Phalanx role nearly as well, you could also consider S1 if you'd like to use Beeswax regularly. It has much improved damage and
a better range, however it leaves her much more vulnerable, meaning it's usually better to bring someone else instead.

S2M1 Breakpoint
Leo might actually be better than his higher rarity counterparts, though that says more about the archtype than it does about him. He badly needs his S2
Leonhardt Masteries to be even remotely good since they give massive gains, so while he is not a mandatory unit to raise, consider his Masteries mandatory if you
want to use him.
S2M3 B+ B+ B+
Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

* Note that these skills are graded assuming the unit has her CHA-X Module at least level 2. If you do NOT plan to get this unit's upgraded Module, treat the
priority of these skills significantly lower.

Leizi has spent many years loitering at the very bottom of the meta. Her 80 SP cost made her unusable despite decent skill up damage. However, in rare
form, Hypergryph actually gave Leizi a Module upgrade that addresses her core issue in a big way. At Module level 2, she gains 1 SP per bounce (not per
attack) which makes a huge dent in that otherwise abhorrent downtime. While being reliant on a constant flow of unblocked enemies makes her somewhat
Leizi S2M3 A- * B* B+ * unreliable, it also lets her shine in some circumstances with a ridiculously high uptime on good damage and solid control. In SSS, she is especially ridiculous
and is one of the top “carry” picks, despite her rarity. Keep in mind that Leizi’s S2 Masteries provide a well above average amount of ATK, so her grades are
a touch higher than her overall value. The 5★ Caster group is a crowded and dubious set, but Leizi is one of the few that manages to stand-out… if you’re
willing to go the extra mile with investment anyway.

While ungraded, S1 may be worth considering as well if you plan to maximize your Leizi usage. Although it has significantly less damage, it can have really
ridiculous uptime thanks to her Module.

Amiya’s base Caster form is an interesting unit. We get her for free (obviously) and have to promote her to progress in the story. She’s pretty decent too,
S2M1 Breakpoint which has historically hurt the value of the other 5★ Casters. Given that she is the main character and a required E2 promotion, many would opt to pursue
Masteries on her regardless of her power. Lucky for us then that she’s actually incredibly good as well!

True Damage is extremely powerful (and rare) and has grown in value of late. True Damage not only bypasses all DEF and RES, but also bypasses most
Amiya dodges and damage reductions, which are both common mechanics in recent content. While her total damage and DPS are a touch low, she is the best 5★
Caster simply for how many mechanics she works around. That is something well worth maximizing, though only after more mainline DPS options.

Since Amiya is popular, her other skills are worth a look as well. Her S1 can have ridiculous uptime between her Talent and Module, while her S2 has good
S3M3 A+ A A+ DPS without the forced retreat. However, aside from the S2M1 breakpoint, they are luxury options for maximizing our beloved CEO. S1 ultimately has low
DPS and the RNG and auto-activated nature of S2 can be extremely frustrating.

4★s

On her release, Pudding was a pretty decent option even compared to the higher rarities, but Modules really changed the landscape around Chain Casters.
Pudding was already a non-essential option and now she looks worse (and more expensive) by comparison. Even lacking Passenger or Leizi (both gacha
units), taking the welfare Astgenne off of Record Restoration (when available, NOTE 1) is the better choice. This leaves Pudding as a niche or desire only
unit, albeit a decent one if that's something that appeals to you. In such a case, go with her S2 for Mastery.
Pudding S2M3 C C C
NOTE 1. As of this writing, the Record Restoration for Dorothy's Vision is not yet available. It is expected by March 2025 at the latest. Regardless of when
you read this or if Astgenne is available yet, I would still suggest waiting and saving your Red Certificates. The role is non-essential, so waiting a few months
still makes sense.

* Note this skill is graded assuming you have Indigo's fully upgraded Module. This Mastery is still powerful if you do not yet have it, but her Module upgrades
are worth just as much as Mastery and both are essential to her effectiveness.

What Ethan is to AoE Bind, Indigo is to ST (or at least low-target) Bind. That value has gone quite a bit under the radar in comparison to Ethan and relative
to the common place Click (and not for no reason), but it is nevertheless a valuable niche to have among the rarity. It is a very strong bit of control on top of
some pretty decent damage, particularly for the low cost. With her Module, her Bind chance is a healthy 75% and the reduced interval allows her to build up
charges if it is the only target or juggle the Bind against a few additional targets. It isn't quite as good as Ethan's, but it is nevertheless a good bit of control
Indigo S2M3 A* A* A- * and DPS that easily gives Indigo the highest ceiling among the 4★ Casters.

Both Mastery and Module are essential to this purpose. S2M2 gives a significant boost to her Bind chance (a 12.5% improvement assuming mod3) and
S2M3 gives a big boost to her damage output. Like Ethan, Indigo requires a lot of investment for her rarity, but the results are well worth the investment for
even slightly off-meta approaches.

Be a little cautious of her in the Roguelike, however. She is far less effective at E1, so can be trouble if you are not doing dedicated low-rarity clears. Click is
still the favored 4★ IS Caster since she handles the early parts of a run better and later Caster tickets can be spent on more potent options.

Click is a historically interesting unit. For around a year or so after launch, Casters were really mediocre outside of a few high-end exceptions. This was
especially true of the low rarity Casters. HG just seemed really afraid of overtuning Arts damage! Click was really the first viable low-rarity option, featuring
both reliable basic damage and control utility, and that's a role she continues to fill to this day. It’s even improved a bit in recent times despite an explosion of
Click S2M3 A A A
top end power thanks to reduced Hope costs in IS5. Click’s reliable pervasiveness and relatively strong Mastery gains makes her a low-rarity promotion that’
s worth considering. However, for the most part she performs very well for the tasks you need her for at E1 alone, so the extra investment leans towards
being a luxury still.

4★ and 5★ UNGRADED

Aroma is the sort of unit that's so bad it's hard to even suggest a skill. Her DPS is poor on top of high costs, and her Talent only triggers once at the worst
possible time for a unit with her range. Neither skill does much to help those problems so you should really be spending your resources elsewhere. S2 has
Aroma S2M3 None more combo potential, but has terrible uptime and does little on her own. Even when you can properly combo it with a consistent Levitater, she still does
worse damage than nearly any other 5★ Caster alone. S1 works a little better with her own Talent, but the DPS is so bad that it still isn't worth anything.
The only suggestion with Aroma is to spend your resources on someone else.

Warmy is a unit whose evaluation will likely change in the future. At her release and for several months after, no other unit can apply the Burn effect, and the
suggestions here reflect that reality. Without another unit to inflict Burn, Warmy's S2 is essentially worthless, so her S1 wins by default. However, her S1 is
pretty mediocre, and should the situation of Burn change, it's far more likely her S2 will be the better option.
S1M3 None
Warmy's S1 is her skill which inflicts Burn while her S2 cannot inflict Burn but rather gains additional effects to those already under the effects of Burn. With
no other unit able to inflict Burn her S2 is nothing but a multi-target Arts damage skill with fairly poor DPS and cycle time. However, her S1 is not much
better. With no source of RES shred outside of the Burn effect, she can only inflict Burn on regular enemies up to around 50 RES, and only on bosses up to
about 5 RES. Without the benefit of her Talent and extra Burn damage, her DPS is just not there to have any impact right now.
Warmy
If you are dedicated to using Warmy right now over better options, then go with her S1. It is at least her unique place and the burst Elemental damage, which
acts as True damage, has some potential value. However, if you are looking for the skill with future potential, look towards her S2 instead, although the best
option overall is to just wait and see what's released on CN before investing anything into Warmy. Until then, she isn't much more than a novelty with poor
S2M3 None DPS and no utility.

As of her release, another unit on CN is able to inflict Burn. This is Ifrit's Module Delta. However, Ifrit's low total damage actually puts her in a similar situation
to Warmy, so the above evaluation does not change.

Delphine is a decent 5★ with a good design and reasonable damage. However, a complete lack of utility means she's still relatively low value in a meta
context, and thus ungraded. However, she is reasonably popular and her damage is good enough to reasonably consider her Masteries as a personal desire
upgrade. In such a case, you will likely want to stick with her S2 which is where a lot of her damage will come from. The HP threshold may be annoying at
Delphine S2M3 None times, but it synergizes well with her Talent, and will result in better outcomes when properly planned.

Her S1 is a typical Mystic Caster S1. It can build charges fast when the ranges properly line up, but that isn't an easy thing to accomplish and her S2 will
usually be better. S1 Masteries are for Delphine maximalists only.
Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Within the very crowded realm of 5★ Casters, Minimalist does have a niche. There are not many "consistent" Caster skills at the 4★ or 5★ rarity, such as
with his S2. That does have *some* value, especially if you favor niche clears. However, it’s not enough for him to pick-up a grade. He ultimately has pretty
low damage in an already crowded class of units and the Mech-Accord archetype is not well suited for that consistency role.
Minimalist S2M2 None
If you are raising him anyway, he has a rare breakpoint at S2M2 due to the reduced SP cost. The much more expensive M3 is only a small damage
improvement.

Corroserum is an unfortunate unit. His damage is too low to justify investment, and his niche beyond damage is better found elsewhere. There is not much
Corroserum S2M3 None reason at all to raise him, though if you wanted to raise him for personal reasons you could go either way for his skills. His S1 has a higher damage output,
but his S2 plays to his theoretical niche (small as it is) better, so pick your poison.

S2M3 None Grown up Lava still suffers from the core problems of the Splash Casters archetype, but she at least has some pretty good niches that make both of her skills
Lava the viable considerations if you like her enough to overlook those flaws. Favor her S2 for Mastery. Although it can be difficult to set up and has somewhat low
DPS, it does have a high total damage and can be helidropped to nice effect when the stars align. Many people prefer her S1 instead, which is more
Purgatory generally practical, but the Mastery gains on S1 are pretty poor, so spending the resources there doesn’t have as much value.
S1M3 None

Mystic Casters are a bit off-meta since they are fairly hard to use for only modest DPS. Their skills are often confusing too, like with Iris' S1. Theoretically, the
Iris S2M3 None short interval and restricted range lets her build a fully charged attack rapidly, but it’s very clunky in practice. Instead stick with her S2, which is far easier to
use (the Sleep allows her to charge up) and offers big gains with Mastery.

Tomimi has decent damage, but her restrictive range and RNG effects really hold her back, even before accounting for her competition. If you're willing to put
Tomimi S2M3 None up with these shortcomings, stick with S2. Mastery, importantly, eliminates the talent activation RNG, and the net damage and DPS end up being better than
S1 regardless of variance.

At one point in history, Absinthe was considered a viable alternative to Amiya. She was popular and there weren't many good Caster options at the time.
She's still decent, and has a surprising consistency that's rare for Core Casters, but there are now many better options, and Amiya is required to be raised for
Absinthe S1M3 None
the story. As a result, raising Absinthe is a matter of personal preference only. Stick with her S1. Although her S2 can be useful, the HP restriction will often
let full health enemies leak. The consistency of her S1 is far more valuable, despite the long windup.

Nightmare is a fairly interesting unit, but she is not only incredibly hard to use but also subpar even with optimal play. It's really tough to recommend either
S1M1 Breakpoint skill. Both have serious flaws which limit their viability. Her S2 is a DPS skill with a reasonable cycle time, but it is auto-activated and only catches units
already in her range. That makes it incredibly hard to properly use, and worse still, the snare works against her damage.

Conversely, her S1 has pretty strong HPS, and it's something to consider if you favor more niche-style clears, as she is the only Caster who can heal.
Nightmare However, this niche has little value in the general game and the skill has an absurd SP cost. It's a matter of picking your poison with Nightmare, with the best
option being to invest your resources elsewhere.

S2M3 None S1 does have an extremely strong breakpoint at M1. She gains an extra target which doubles her output. It's worth grabbing if you are raising Nightmare,
even if you don't think you will use her S1 very often.

For an expensive offensive unit, Skyfire has truly atrocious DPS. She is a true illustration of all of the problems early AoE Casters faced, and unfortunately
not much has been done since then to correct that. Even in the context of niche clears, her DPS is too low for her to have much value. If you did want to
Skyfire S2M3 None
invest in her, the stun on her S2 is her best use and the Mastery gains across the skill are massive (weirdly, some of the best in the game). You shouldn't be
investing in Skyfire, but her S2 Masteries are vitally important if you insist.

You really really really shouldn't be using Greyy. He's one of the worst units in the game. Among the low rarity Casters, Gitano, Pudding, and Click are all far
Greyy S2M3 None better options. Even if you like him, just wait for his alter form instead which is actually useful. If you *really* insist, go for his S2 for Mastery. Along with
Module 3 (also not recommended), S2M3 can get up to 100% uptime slow in his AoE area.

Gitano sometimes sees early usage over the 3★ Lava, however for most, the weakness of Splash Casters quickly becomes apparent. She is a unit where
even her early game value is questionable, so almost no one should pursue further upgrades with her. However, if you particularly like her, go with her S2
Gitano S2M3 None
for Mastery. The downtime on the skill is mind numbing. It was massive even at launch and is basically unthinkable now. However, the true AoE and
expanded range give it some use at least.

Overall, the launch Casters were not a strong group. Haze was actually not terrible among them, but she was weaker than Amiya, so despite some
potential, she has never really been a great option. That's only worse now in the modern game with even more options such as Click. There's little general
Haze S2M3 None
reason to raise Haze, however she is a serviceable unit if you like her or like low rarity niches. If that applies to you, go with S2 for Mastery. It's better in
every practical way than her generic S1. Just keep deployment order in mind so she doesn't get one-shot!
Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

5★s

Harold comes up a little bit behind Honeyberry and Mulberry. Considering that most people who aren't brand new will have one of them or the busted
Eyjafjalla the Hvit Aska already raised, that leaves little room for Harold to shine since it is rare that you need more than one Wandering Medic. However,
Harold is still good at the job and if you are newer to the game or have simply delayed raising one, he can be an attractive promotion choice. In fact, the gap
from him to the Berries is small enough that the best one to raise is the cheapest one to obtain, which will often be Harold!
Harold S2M3 A- B- B+
If that ends up applying to you, then Harold's S2 is the skill for Mastery. His S1 is a generic skill so isn't really worth considering. The two skills actually have
extremely similar baseline numbers, but the boosted threshold healing on his S2 means that overall it is the far better choice. The Masteries on it are a touch
below average in general healing, but the boosted threshold Elemental healing is quite a big improvement which makes his burst worth the cost of Mastery.

The 5★ Wandering Medics are very valuable, especially in the Roguelike mode, and the choice between Mulberry and Honeyberry is an interesting one with
proponents on both sides. Mulberry works better as a regular Medic with much better base healing, while Honeyberry is significantly better at the unique
Elemental healing role but with fairly underwhelming normal healing. There is room for both, but that amount of investment into Medics is unpalatable for
most people. Whichever you choose, both have well above average Masteries, especially for Medics which typically grade very low.

While her regular healing is fairly weak, Honeyberry is so good at that raw Elemental healing role with her S1, that she will usually work sufficiently at SL7. Of
Honeyberry S1M3 A- B- A course, it is always good to max out strong skills, and her S1 Masteries bring sizable total boosts. However, be aware that those boosts can be deceptive
due to a quirk in her skill animations. S1M1 is not the breakpoint it first appears. Under constant pressure, it still activates every third attack, the same as it
does at SL7, and since she cannot stack charges like Mulberry can, the benefit is usually lost. Instead, the real benefit is at S1M3 where the SP cost is
reduced enough that she can activate S1 every two attacks, resulting in a large boost to her Elemental healing output.

Pass on her S2 Masteries entirely, unless you particularly favor using Honeyberry over better options. While not an awful skill, the total healing is still very
low compared to more mainline Medics, and the skill does not help her core Elemental healing role.

S1M1 Breakpoint The 5★ Wandering Medics are very valuable, especially in the Roguelike mode, and the choice between Mulberry and Honeyberry is an interesting one with
proponents on both sides. Mulberry works better as a regular Medic with much better base healing, while Honeyberry is significantly better at the unique
Elemental healing role but with fairly underwhelming normal healing. There is room for both, but that amount of investment into Medics is unpalatable for
most people. Whichever you choose, both have well above average Masteries, especially for Medics which typically grade very low.

Mulberry has two good skills that split a somewhat typical burst vs consistency divide. This guide typically favors the burst skill in situations like this.
However, in Mulberry's case, her value is primarily in her consistent S1. Her S1M1 breakpoint is very valuable and it is reasonable to stop there in the short
Mulberry S1M3 A- B- A
term, but it should eventually be pushed to the full M3. At S1M3, Mulberry can consistently maintain S1 activations for almost 75% of her heals, which gives
her the highest consistent, conditionless single target healing-per-second (HPS) in the game (others still do better in burst or under certain conditions).

Her S2 is still a valuable skill and worthwhile Mastery. For its duration, S2 has a better total effect against Elemental damage than Honeyberry does, but the
long cooldown makes it much more situational. It also has far less necessary Masteries than S1, with her S2M3 being notably one of the worst upgrades for
the price in the game. The interval reduction at M2 is valuable and worth pursuing in addition to S1M3, but the only reason to do S2M3 is for the sake of
S2M2 A- B+ A+ completionism.

Whisperain's S2 is her best skill by a large margin. There's very little reason to ever spend the resources on her S1 even despite an M1 breakpoint. For her
Whisperain S2M3 C C C-
S2 most of the gain is at M3 with M1/M2 gains being very modest, so don't bother to only go part way. Generally she works just fine at SL7.

While Ptilopsis is primarily known for her Talent, she also has one of the best pure healing skills in the game. Her S2 Masteries represent big gains too. The
interval reduction at M3 results in around a 30% improvement, and the 10 SP initial cost improvement is a meaningful difference in tight spots. So why isn't
she graded higher? Well, aside from pure healing skills being generally among the lowest of priorities, Mastery can be expensive overkill. There aren't many
scenarios where she can't already outheal at SL7.
Ptilopsis S2M3 C+ B- B-
While her S2 is almost exclusively preferred from a meta perspective, you could also consider S1 if you're an especially heavy Ptilopsis user. It is much
weaker in terms of healing, but has significantly better uptime. Given that her S2 is usually overkill, S1 can at times be preferable. However it is still a waifu-
tier only Mastery.

S2M3 B A+ A+ There's very few Medic Masteries worth pursuing, and Warfarin has two of them. Her S1 is the strongest ST pure healing skill in the game, but healing skills
Warfarin are rarely worth Mastery and the gains are quite small for most targets (however the extra charge at M3 is quite a nice boost). Focus instead on her S2 buff
S1M3 C+ B C+ skill which is one of the most viable buff skills in the game, particularly if you are a more Advanced player.

4★s

For low rarity Medics needs, there is little reason to go beyond E1 SL7 Perfumer and Sussurro. Purestream wouldn't even be the third suggestion if you
were only going to E1 SL7 her. However, among the 4★ Medics, Purestream may have the highest ceiling when fully invested thanks to a really good
Module. At max investment, she can heal everyone in a large range, on demand, instantly, for around 2.1k health every 20 seconds. That's pretty darn good
for the rarity and makes Purestream's S1 worth a look for Mastery. S2 may be worth a look as well since it has a longer burst, but a very long cycle and
Purestream S1M3 C C C
wind-up make it more situational.

To be clear, that level of investment is not broadly suggested into the 4★ Medics. Most players should invest into their low-rarity Medics only to a basic level
while putting resources towards more DPS-oriented units. Purestream is powerful, but she is a tool that mainly only niche players will take advantage of.

There's not a lot of complexity to Sussurro's kit, which makes her evaluation pretty straight forward. She has a shockingly high HPS. Among the best of the
game, in fact, and that alone sees her as the second low-rarity Medic suggestion after Perfumer. It's so good that even the usage restriction isn't enough to
Sussuro S2M3 B B B change the situation since the other 4★s probably couldn't keep up with that much pressure either! The extra investment to E2 and Mastery is unnecessary,
even with an eye towards IS5. Sussurro is fantastic already at E1. However, if you did want to go the extra mile, S2 is the clear choice. It's what gives
Sussurro her value, and it has fairly large Mastery gains as well.

Among the 4★ Medics, Perfumer is the standout. AoE Medics are very strong by default, so even with no utility, she would still be valuable at the rarity, but
as it happens she has a very powerful bit of utility to boot thanks to her global heal. This gives her tremendous value for all sorts of players, both new and
S2M3 B B B
old alike, a value that only extends further with the reduced Hope costs in IS5. This alone will make her an appealing investment for many people!

However, Perfumer is somewhat odd in the world of Masteries. She is one of the few units whose Masteries don't match her value as a unit. S2 is her more
Perfumer commonly used skill. The large ATK boost supercharges her global heal. But the difference between SL7 and M3 is largely negligible. It is only about 7 HP
per second (max level, no Module) which only comes out to around 220 HP for the skill duration. Even for the low cost of a 4★ Mastery, that investment is a
stretch. Were it not for this poor improvement, Perfumer's Mastery grades would likely be A-tier. As it is, even the B given may be too generous.
S1M3 C C C
In fact, her S1 may be worth a look instead. It does not buff her global heal by nearly as much, but has basically the same HPS as S2 on a much shorter
cycle. It does not play into her niche as strongly as S2 does, but comes out ahead in more typical Medic usage.

4★ and 5★ UNGRADED
Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Vendela is a weak showing of the potential of Incantation Medics. Her utility is extremely situational, and not very useful even in those situations, which
leaves her with just OK damage and OK but unreliable healing. While that mix is enough to make her usable, it leaves Vendela as a desire-only promotion.

Vendela S2M3 None In that case, either of her skills are options, which is often the case in units with weak utility. Her S2 is that weak utility, but it is relatively unique and is the
skill more likely to matter in those special situations she can potentially excel in. Her S1 may make for a better daily driver skill if you want to maximize your
Vendela usage. It has a better uptime and does not rely on the reflect. However, the gap between her two skills is not particularly great. Without the reflect,
S1M3 only out-DPS's S2M3 by less than 100 DPS, a total easily made up by the reflect. For most, S2 will be sufficient.

Paprika's archetype is an odd one. While on occasion it can be useful to reach out further than the normal range, in a large majority of cases a Chain Healer
will just be worse than an AoE healer. Add on the fact that Paprika has no utility to speak of beyond healing, she becomes really tough to recommend. Her
one saving grace, at least, is a fairly high amount of healing-per-second (HPS), but that is almost never worth the investment and multiple other 5★ Medics
Paprika S2M3 None have her beat along with better utility. If you are looking to raise her anyway, the best skill is sort of a toss up. The improved trigger at S2M3 makes her
healing numbers more reliable and the extra bounce will allow her to reach out of her range further. However the improved speed at S1 will allow her to
better cover more units within her own range if they aren't close together and generally has better total healing if it can reliably trigger her Talent. Pick your
poison here, but I would ultimately suggest her S2 since being able to reach out of her range is at least a unique aspect compared to other Medics.

Hibiscus' alter is a nice idea, but her kit ends up leaving her neither as a reliable healer nor anything special as a damage dealer. In the context of the
broader game, her hybrid role doesn't have anywhere near the value that standard single-role units have. While her HPS is actually pretty good thanks to the
lower attack interval, she can't heal without attacking, her healing is reduced by enemy RES, and she lacks the typical utility that make the meta Medic
Hibiscus the S2M3 None
options so good. Meanwhile, her Arts damage is also pretty decent, but only for a 5★, and that isn't a terribly high bar.
Purifier Her S2 is the better Mastery choice overall, with better burst, Slow, and multi-targeting. However in addition to the drawbacks of her base kit, the gains on
Mastery are also somewhat unimpressive. It only gains a single second of cycle time, and the Slow isn't strong enough to be a good selling point of the skill.
Thus Hibiscus ultimately remains ungraded, but just barely. She is still quite usable and will find value on many niche teams.

Pure healing has limited value, but Tuye’s niche can actually be pretty useful. Her emergency healing on her S2 is large and the heal activates outside of her
Tuye S2M3 None normal attack interval which can really save your bacon. It's her better skill, though Mastery gains on it are pretty poor. Her S1 does have some value as well,
but it requires a lot of micromanagement that is unappealing for what it gives.

S1M3 None Folinic is one of those units with two valid skills that play to different niches, so the "correct" choice depends entirely on why you're raising her. Her S1 is her
healing skill, and it's actually a pretty valuable one. That sort of absurd range is really rare. But pure healing has limited value overall and her S2 is her more
Folinic unique niche, being one of only three (as of this writing) Medics who can deal damage. Folinic is far from a meta unit, so the choice of Mastery is ultimately
S2M3 None up to why you chose to raise her in the first place.

Although Breeze has always been off-meta, and never suggested as a worthwhile red cert purchase, she's never been bad either. She has good numbers in
a good archetype. She's just extremely costly for a pure healing Medic with no other utility. Both of her skills have drawbacks and both have pretty poor
Breeze S1M3 None
Mastery gains, which can make selection difficult. I'd suggest going with her S1 since her S2 has an absurdly long cycle and effectively limits much of her
range, but again, the gains are poor enough that Mastery is not suggested, even if you use her.

S2M3 None
Early units frequently suffered from cruel balancing decisions, and Ceylon suffered even worse as a welfare unit. Even before wide range Medics and Resist
were common, Ceylon was an extremely off meta choice. She just doesn't heal for enough and her best skill has a mind boggling SP cost. You really
Ceylon shouldn't be using Ceylon at all. There's just too many good Medic options these days, many of which are free. If you insist, go with her S2, which is at least
decently impactful while active. True Ceylon lovers might find use in S1 as well thanks to a more consistent application when S2’s SP is just too much.
S1M3 None

Among units that lack a Mastery grade, Silence is the best of the bunch. She isn't off-meta at all, really. Unfortunately, she has abysmal Mastery gains, on
Silence S2M3 None top of a terrible E2 promotion. The drone's healing is based on her level and not her skill, so an expensive 5★ Mastery gains you only a few seconds of cycle
time. That will only matter if you're trying to do some very extreme stuff, so she is safe to leave at SL7.

Chestnut is the sort of unit that proves even strong archetypes can be occasionally bad. Wandering Medics are one of the better Medic archetypes, but
Chestnut manages to be such a terrible iteration of it that it is better to spend the 600 Red Certificates to pick up Honeyberry instead. His numbers are
Chestnut None None
situational and are poor even in those situations. He is the sort of unit where it's difficult to even make a skill suggestion. Even in low-rarity niches it's almost
always better to work around an Elemental Damage instead of trying to out heal it with him.

With three high quality 4★ Medics ahead of her (Purestream, Perfumer, Sussurro) there really isn't much room left for Gavial. Her numbers are just not as
Gavial S1M3 None good. However, she is still above Myrrh so may have some use in low-rarity niches. Most people shouldn't invest the extra into Gavial beyond a basic E1 in
the extremely early going, but if you do, go with S1. S2 just has a horrific uptime (10 seconds up for 60 seconds down!) which makes it nearly unusable.

Myrrh brings up the rear of the standard 4★ Medics. She isn't awful, but everyone else is better which just doesn't leave her any place to matter, even in low
Myrrh S2M3 None rarity niches. If, for whatever reason, you want to raise her anyway, then probably go with S2 despite its long cycle. Neither skill is a great option, but S1's
healing is really anemic which gives S2 the favor, despite its faults.
Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

5★s

Valarqvin is our first introduction to friendly Necrosis damage. For a 5★ introducing a new mechanic, she's pretty decent at it too since her Necrosis damage
is calculated before enemy RES (unlike Primal Casters). In the broader assessment, her total damage isn't all that special and her skill cycle is too long for
the duration the debuff lasts. However, the ability to reliably apply 12k damage which bypasses traditional DEF and RES is pretty powerful for the rarity. It
makes her a unit worth noting, especially for those who favor more off-meta approaches, although she is mainly just a novelty for more meta focused
players.

S2 is Valarqvin's better skill by quite a bit, primarily due to how S1 struggles to build Necrosis damage in a timely manner. At max level and S2M3, she will
only require 6 attacks during S2's duration to trigger the Necrosis fallout which is just over 6.5 seconds. A decent pace! That's down from 8 attacks at SL7 so
Mastery makes a fairly large difference as well.
Valarqvin S2M3 B- B B
In comparison, she requires 3 charges of S1 to trigger the Necrosis Fallout against regular enemies. At best, this takes 8 seconds at S1M3 which is already
slower than S2 along with a lower target count. This also assumes all 3 charges hit the same target and she's allowed to build up two (her max) before the
target comes in range. Any benefits to consistency that these charge skills typically have is mostly lost to S2's pretty forgiving downtime time. And finally, all
these numbers stack up much much worse versus elites. Even against elites and bosses, she can still still trigger Fallout in a single S2 activation while S1
requires a whopping 8 charges at 7 SP each!

The one exception here is within IS#4 where her mode specific Talent will allow her to apply Necrosis Fallout on regular enemies in two charges and elites
within three thanks to the extra build-up. That might have some value if you're aiming for low-rarity IS#4 clears, but is just too fringe of a scenario for most
people to consider.

Given how valuable her base skill is, many people will promote Proviso anyway, which makes the Mastery decision relatively interesting. Proviso is
essentially a slightly better Podenco. She has better damage and duration, but a worse cycle time. That isn't amazing, given that her promotion and
Masteries cost twice as much, but it still makes her a more than functional utility option. Her S2 Masteries are very important to using S2 since they provide
Proviso S2M3 B- C+ B- big boosts to both damage and uptime. The interval reduction at M3 is especially valuable for her DPS, though her overall damage is relatively low still. While
she is not as cost effective, her Masteries are reasonable, if low-priority considerations to make a unit you likely are investing in anyway capable on the field.
Her S1 is ungraded. It may be useful to those who want to use Proviso as a regular member of the team and has big Mastery upgrades, but it’s easily
outclassed by a myriad of other, better options.

* Note that this skill is graded assuming the unit has at least her base BLS-X Module, and preferably her upgraded Module. If you do NOT plan to get this
unit's upgraded Module, treat the priority of this skill slightly lower.
S1M3 B- * C* C+ *
The base Abjurer Module effect has a great impact on Quercus. It removes the reduction to her healing, which mixes extremely well with Quercus' infinite
duration S1 and Shelter Talent. With her Module and S1 active, Quercus has some of the highest effective-Healing-per-Second in the game, which makes
her a remarkably good off-Medic and a viable 5★.
Quercus A few points of caution are worth discussing before you spend all of your resources, however. First, she still lacks the utility that other top of the line Medics
tend to have. It's rarely pure healing that makes a Medic truly good. Second, her wind-up time can be a really big issue compared to DPS oriented infinite
duration skills. There isn't much way to make up for the loss of early sustain without a second Medic already. Finally, her S1 Masteries are relatively low in
value. They only increase her healing output by around 7% which is a very poor number among Masteries.
S2M3 None
Her S2 may be worth a look as well due to its SP charging potential, which this guide previously suggested, however it is quite hard to make optimal use out
of. It might be something to consider if you are looking for some extremely Advanced sorts of situations, but her value these days is almost entirely in her S1.

Scene is an interesting unit as far as Summoners go, as she is the only one other than Ling (who is limited) who can recover her own summons if they die.
On top of that she fills a niche neither Magallan or Mayer can by offering melee-focused summons that she directly buffs for longer on-field deployments
(instead of blowing up). This makes her both more forgiving and more flexible, and thus the better choice for a majority of players looking to use a
Summoner.

S2 is Scene's key skill since it is the one that gives her additional summons. She does not need Masteries to be effective since the main value is in the
Scene S2M3 B A A-
drone recovery, but S2M3 certainly helps, giving her summons big stats on a better uptime. It is sometimes asked if the increased cycle time is worth it (since
it lengthens the drone recovery time) and the answer is yes. The loss in time is small and if drones die less, less drones need to be replaced!

Scene is often touted as a strong starter pick in the Roguelike mode since she is an easy to use unit that can carry many of the early floors on her own.
However that role has waned quite a bit. Ling is far better, Deepcolor can do the same with her Module for less cost, and Mayer has more long term value in
IS#3 due to her stun. She is still more than usable, especially at lower difficulties, but is no longer a recommended starting point.

Shamare's S2 is an extremely strong Mastery. The key with Shamare is that her cooldown timer begins when the doll is deployed instead of when it expires.
At M3 this effectively means she has a 50% uptime (15s while the doll is active, only 15s remaining while the doll is down). In addition, she gains a lot to her
Shamare S2M3 A+ S- S- debuff values over Mastery. Since the DEF and ATK debuff is a high percentage base, Shamare can really neuter some of the most dangerous threats in
the game with a ton of flexibility to go with that. This is a worthwhile Mastery for nearly everyone across all game modes, though as with almost all support
skills, you should still put key DPS before her.

Summoners tend to be a love 'em or hate 'em group, with most people falling into the latter. I really wouldn't suggest pursuing Mayer too hard unless you
S1M1 Breakpoint specifically wanted to do Supporter or Summoner specific clears. A majority of people will just find Mayer too tough to use for the reward she gives. And even
if you did want to dabble with Summoners, Scene is the better starting point.

So that said, if you did want to use Mayer, her S2 Masteries are fairly important. Mastery gives her a much longer stun, better cycle time (very important),
Mayer and a big boost on damage. Her S1 is used far less, but it has a really interesting breakpoint at M1 which can give her a bit of team support, though Mastery
beyond that initial breakpoint isn't recommended.

All of that said, Mayer gains a lot of value with IS#3. Her remotely activated stuns are very valuable against one of the biggest threats, so she becomes more
S2M3 C+ B C+
appealing than Scene despite being more difficult to play. However, keep in mind that her main value is in the stun, so extra investment over E1 and SL7
may not be particularly valuable unless you are using her as a starter.

Pramanix is a powerful debuffer, but not everyone will find what she brings to be particularly useful. Advanced players will find decent value in her, and she
is a component of many buff comps due to a higher DEF debuff than Shamare, and a quite rare RES debuff. Story and Roguelike players won't find
anywhere close to the value though, especially if you have Shamare already. In Story content, the debuff values tend to be overkill, while her general
Pramanix S2M3 B A B- weakness outside of debuffing is a problem in the Roguelike.

Although Shamare is generally the better investment, if you did want to pursue Pramanix, S2 is her best skill for Mastery. The defensive debuff improvement
is significant, but most of her Mastery value lies at M3 with the RES debuff improvement.

4★s

Artificers are an interesting group. They exist outside of the typical team comps of damage/block/heal, but in general they don't tend to be powerful enough
to justify their outside roles. In Roberta's case, the shields provided by her Stylers can have some pretty nice value, but only occasionally. Further, Mastery
Roberta S2M3 C- C- C does not help at all with the purpose. S2 is the clear skill choice with her as it is her only way to obtain new Stylers, however her skill cycle only barely
improves over Mastery and her own bulk is not why you use her. While Roberta can justify the E2 on niche teams for the extra shield, Mastery is a harder
sell. Still, it has enough fringe value to at least be of note.
 Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

This most adorable little war criminal is a solid 4★. There are a lot of Decel Binders in the game, but among them she may be the most generally useful as
the higher rarity ones tend to focus on differing gimmicks with various degrees of success. She gains particular value thanks to IS5's reduced Hope costs
S2M3 B B B
which sees her replace Orchid as the go to 0-Hope Supporter. For that purpose, and general purpose in the game, she is completely fine at E1. Her
promotion and Mastery are nothing too special in terms of her basic usage. Still, for as pervasive as she is, the extra investment will be appealing to many.

Podenco S2 is her main skill. It is particularly valuable because it begins to recharge instantly as soon as the gas bomb is thrown, rather than having to wait out its
duration. This effectively means its downtime is a very small 17 SP at S2M3 resulting in a high uptime skill with good damage and good control.

With an eye towards the Roguelike mode, her S1 may be worth a look as well, although Mastery is especially unnecessary. You really should put your
S1M3 None None C
resources elsewhere since she will rarely get to E2 in the first place. Still, it can be occasionally useful on those odd runs where Medic tickets seem to never
come around.

Deepcolor is a unit whose value has gone up and down with time. Before Module, she just didn't have the staying power to do anything useful, especially
with Scene being freely available. Her Module opened up some options for her as she now has enough summons to not be a waste of space. Now her
value largely depends on IS content unless you're playing in low-rarity niches. Lately, that has been on the decline. In IS4 she costs too much Hope to be
an effective starter, and in IS5 costing no Hope is actually a detriment since you're probably starting with a full complement!
Deepcolor S1M3 B B B
In total, it makes Deepcolor a somewhat questionable investment. She's certainly usable if she appeals to you or if you like low rarity niches. In fact, she
can be quite powerful in those situations. However, for general summoner usage, Scene is better, and for general IS usage Podenco is better for the rarity.

If you'd like to raise her, go with S1 for Mastery. It makes her tentacles more potent and the regeneration provides just as much bulk. Her S2 may
occasionally have use in niche clears for more "burst" oriented bulk, but those situations are rare and the extremely long cycle time is tough to generally use.

4★ and 5★ UNGRADED

Grain Buds is a stalling Decel Binder. There are a couple aspects to her kit that distract from that (such as the Sleep or Wild Beast buff, neither of which has
much value). Looking beyond that though, S2M3 increases her ASPD enough that she can hit 100% Slow uptime for the skill duration against three targets
Grain Buds S2M3 None which is at least worth noting. However, it's not especially strong either due to a short uptime, and in the modern era of ridiculous damage and control, Grain
Buds won't often have special value even in meme-oriented teams. Pass on her S1. It has both poor damage and control, and the low SP cost of her S2
reduces the impact of such charge based skills.

With poor numbers, a completely unnecessary restriction, and a gimmicky kit (in the bad way), there really isn't any reason to raise or use Windflit. Even if
you were dedicated to raising him, it isn't easy to make a suggestion since his skills are so poor. Forced to pick, I would probably go with S1. Artificer stats
Windflit S1M3 None
are decent, so he can be a serviceable blocker with some AoE damage in a pinch. Also, the Mastery gains on his S2 are just atrocious, with less than 5%
gain on his buff and no improvement to either uptime or cycle time, so Mastery is unnecessary even if you want to try to use him as a buffer.

Heidi is an interesting unit that will appeal to the more creative types, but her Inspire buff isn’t strong enough to justify the investment for most, not to mention
that it doesn’t stack with the far better Skalter. That leaves her ungraded and purely a matter of desire. If you did want to raise her, stick with her S1 first.
Heidi S1M3 None
Aside from ATK generally being more valuable, it does have some competitive numbers for the role and it has some unique niches with its 0-block and its
extremely fast initial activation and likewise fast cycle time. Her S2 has uses as well, but is far more niche.

NCD is best left in the base for her base skill or on the assistant screen for her beautiful art, because she isn't very effective on the field. If you really wanted
to, I would lean towards her S1 which makes her a modestly effective healer. However, since her archetype doesn't heal while skills aren't active, the SP cost
Nine-Colored Deer S1M3 None
can feel like it takes forever. Her S2 might be occasionally useful, but Shelter is just not a significant factor in the game, and Mastery doesn't notably improve
the skill's usability.

Some people consider Tsukinogi to be the worst unit in the game. They are incorrect. Sort of. She isn't very good, but she does at least have a niche since
Tsukinogi S1M3 None no other ranged unit has stealth reveal (Scene doesn't count since she needs to deploy her buggies). S1 is the skill with that niche, but Mastery is
unnecessary for that role even before accounting for its poor Mastery gains.

Original readers of the Mastery guide may remember a time when Glaucus had a Mastery grade. Honestly, that was probably a mistake even then.
Glaucus S2M3 None Bypassing class bans and roles just doesn't have much value outside of CC and she isn't strong enough to be useful there. That said, her S2 is a decent
enough skill with a very long AoE bind and some very strong Mastery gains, so it's worth considering if you particularly favor the seaslug.

Sora was never a particularly good unit since her cycle time is RNG dependent, but she's only grown worse as the game has gone on. Crucially, Inspiration
doesn’t stack with itself, meaning that she has to fight for her team slot with Heidi (better cycle time) and Skalter (better in every way). Even ignoring the
Sora S2M3 None
competition, though, her overall attack buff is unimpressive. You should probably just bring another DPS. If you are intent on using Sora, S2M3 is pretty
valuable due to a huge improvement on uptime. Skip her S1. Although it does have some niche usage, it has very poor Mastery gains.

Istina lacks the utility of most Supporters. Her kit is really only her archetype slow and some mediocre damage. That mattered a bit more when class bans
were more common and options were more limited, but it has little value in the current game. However, Istina is reasonably popular and still more than
Istina S1M3 None usable should you desire. Both of her skills have value, but I strongly favor her S1 for Mastery. It has higher DPS, total damage, and at M3, 100% uptime
slow against one target. Of course, her S2 can hit three targets in a bigger range, so it has value as well. Her Module brings S2 to *almost* 100% uptime on
the slow, but S1 remains the better skill for where you might actually use her, and doesn’t require a costly Module.

The one good thing Earthspirit does is Slow, but with a limited range and no damage, she is not even particularly special there. Look towards Ethan or
Earthspirit S2M3 None Indigo instead for your 4★ stalling needs, or Podenco for your Supporter needs and avoid investment into Earthspirit unless you really know what you're
doing.
Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

5★s

Iana is an interesting iteration of the Dollkeeper archetype, which is already natively interesting! But before evaluating Iana's skills, it is extremely important
to note there is a part of her kit which is not stated in her in-game descriptions. If her S2 is ready, then it automatically triggers when her Talent is triggered.
Also, regardless of how it is triggered, the substitute lasts for 20 seconds, but S2's duration is only 10 seconds, so she must wait out the second half of the
S2M3 B- B B- substitute before triggering again. This also means S2's effective charge time is 25 seconds with 15 seconds of downtime. Finally, if S2 is triggered
manually, the Fragile from her Talent does not apply.

Additionally, be aware that even though flavor-wise, "she" is the "doll" that comes in, mechanically, the swap is still considered the substitute. This has some
nuanced effects on various stat increases, but that's beyond the scope of this writeup.
Iana
OK, that out of the way, we can finally discuss her skills! Iana's S2 is her main skill, and if you are not a niche player intent on using her, probably the only
one worth Mastery. S1 cannot be manually triggered, which inherently makes it more situational. Also, as discussed above, S2 similarly triggers
defensively, so it, in total, gives the strong favor to her S2. S2's Mastery is a meaningful gain to her DPS, but since it does not enhance her ATK or uptime,
is less essential than other comparable Masteries (thus her relatively low grades). She is the sort of unit that functions fairly well at SL7 already.
S1M3 C B- C+
Niche players will likely find some value in her S1 as well. As said, it is situational since it can only be triggered via her Talent which requires her being
attacked, but when it does trigger, the boom has a global range. That's a useful tool for things like the NL archers or mortar soldiers. However, only the
initial boom is global, and waiting out her Substitute means a 20 second downtime, so it will less often have use for the general player than S2 will.

Enforcer's no-damage and directional shifts are his key advantages over the other Push Strokers, and the directional shift is only available on his S2.
S2M3 B- A- None Additionally, those niches tend to favor less common scenarios. That is, they’re best to save for specific high impact moments, so the additional control and
larger shift force also help make it by far his best skill.
Enforcer
Without the directional shift, his S1 only has a tiny niche that is inferior to other options like FEater’s S1, Weedy S1, or Shaw’s S1, so it is mostly not worth
S1M3 C+ B None the resources. It does maintain modest grades due to the important shift force increase, however, and can be a reasonable target if he is your only raised
Push Stroker. Like most Shifters his Masteries are quite important for his usage.

Kazemaru's main skill is her S2. Her clone's ATK is based off of her own and the skill enhancement effect is applied before the nuke from her Talent,
resulting in a triple whammy of damage increase, though the total increase is still somewhat modest for the cost which keeps her grades down just a touch.

Kazemaru S2M3 B+ A- A- Her S1 is ungraded due to it being quite a bit more niche on a non-meta unit, but it's something to consider for those who particularly favor Kazemaru. In
addition to strong gains and superior single target damage, it is a rare example of a Dollkeeper skill that is available immediately after the doll summon ends.
Since the doll doesn't gain SP, it can make skills like her S2 or Bena's skills have deceptively long cooldowns. A majority of people won't find what her S1
brings to be terribly useful, but for a few, the gains will be worthwhile.

Bena is a very curious unit. She has a strong kit with lots of potential, yet is very hard to get full value out of and hasn't really made a showing in end game
content yet despite the potential. She is a very appealing unit to the more creative players, but likely to be frustrating to players who prefer brute force.
Something to remember is that when she 'dies' and brings in her substitute, she loses all SP and doesn't begin gaining SP again until her base form returns.
Her cycle times can be deceptively long.
Bena S2M3 B B+ B
Her Masteries present a tough problem of priority. Neither directly affects her bait potential, but both are solid choices in different ways and do different
things. I also hesitate to grade both though for fear of giving the wrong impression. I would lean towards S2 as the better Mastery though. S2 has significantly
better Mastery gains, and significantly better damage against low to medium defense enemies (S1 doesn't overtake S2 until around 1100 enemy DEF, and
by 1500 most of the advantage is lost) leaving S1 a costly alternative only better in a narrow band. Either way, though she has lots of potential, her Masteries
are very much luxury options.

Mr. Nothing has a bit of a bad reputation. I’m not sure where that came from, exactly. He has really solid DPS, a great talent, and a super interesting kit.
However, he's still tough to suggest Mastery investment for. His main meta value is in his talent, which can be used to great effect in IS#3 or various
Advanced stall strategies, but doesn't gain anything meaningful from Masteries. Furthermore, there just isn't a lot of reason to use him over Jaye who is
Mr.Nothing S2M3 C+ B- B ridiculous and half the cost. As a value prospect, you almost certainly have better places to put your resources.

All that said, if you do want to Master a skill, S2 is the better option. S1 is a very interesting skill that's fun to play around with, but ultimately the Mastery
gains just aren't worth it in all but the most niche situations. S2 meanwhile gets a good DPS gain and solid upgrades to all of his various effects.

Kafka is a good unit, but one that can be a questionable investment for Masteries. She has low gains on S1 that don’t affect its primary use case, and S2 is
harder to use than comparable skills. You likely don’t need Masteries at all with Kafka. Many people even leave her at E0 for the reduced DP cost since the
Kafka S1M3 B- B A- Sleep duration remains unchanged. However, if you do promote her, both skills are reasonable options for Mastery. I would ultimately favor S1 first. While
the total damage gains are quite small for the cost of Mastery, it is still her best skill and the primary reason to bring her. The gains on S2 are better, but it is
much harder to use and best left for waifu purposes.

Frost is a damage focused trapper which is a problem since the other 5★ trapper, Robin, is control oriented which is much more useful for what the class
does. There is ultimately little reason to raise Frost if you have Robin who is a freely available. Additionally, like Robin, Frost won't appeal to a lot of players.
She is a high effort, high reward unit which for a lot of people is simply not worthwhile.
Frost S2M3 B- B B
Now that said, if favor meme comps, or simply like Frost better, than her S2 Mastery is quite valuable. The reduced SP cost especially makes trappers much
easier to use. Stick with S2 though as the stun on S1 is just not that useful on trappers since traps cannot be placed below enemies and so can't be used to
interrupt attacks. Plus the duration increase on S1M3 is rather anemic for the cost.

Trapmasters are high effort units that will not appeal to many players, but they are also very high reward for those willing to invest the resources and time.
S1M3 B- B A-
Many players will be fine skipping Robin entirely, but if you find her kit and playstyle appealing, you will want to prioritize Robin's Masteries quite highly. The
reduced recovery time for her mines is extremely important to using Trapmasters effectively. Both skills are very good with valuable Masteries, but stick with
Robin S1 if you only intend to do one. S2 is capable of better overall stall since traps can be replaced when the enemy is pushed off of the tile, but it requires the
enemy in question to be lightweight. Since bigger threats tend to be heavier, S2 will often be completely ineffective against the targets you'll actually want to
S2M3 C B B stall.

Pullers are in an awkward spot, and Cliffheart is no exception. However, her S2M3 is shockingly powerful outside of the typical puller niche. A 3 second stun
on a 15 second cooldown is already good, then she gains very rare True Damage on top of it. The skill even maintains its value in a post-Gladiia world. She's
Cliffheart S2M3 B- B+ A a tough unit to use effectively though and Advanced players will find quite a bit more value here than Story players will. Finally, while Shifters typically
struggle in the Roguelike mode, Cliffheart has quite a bit of usage in IS#3. Her short cooldown stun on big range helps to mitigate one of the more dangerous
threats. It makes her one of the best non-Texas Specialist picks there, even at high difficulties.

S1M3 B- B+ None For most players there is not a lot of investment value, but Advanced players will find use for both skills even despite Weedy. FEater's S1 has a better pure
stall than Weedy's S1 and her S2 fills a gap in terms of charge time that Weedy can't cover with any of her skills. Further her S2 actually synergizes with
FEater Weedy's S3, stacking force along with Weedy's damage. FEater's role is not as overt as many, and there's many units that should be prioritized higher, but
there are few people who ultimately regret the investment, especially those looking for more creative clears. Don't bother at all with regards to the Roguelike,
S2M3 C+ B+ None however, as shifting has very little value there.

There aren't many slows in the game with 100% uptime. Manticore's S1 is one of them and it is very good for that reason. More Story-centric players might
Manticore S1M3 B A+ C+ not notice a massive difference though, especially as the cost increases sharply at M3, and she is especially weak in the Roguelike where the cheaper Ethan
is usually the better pick.
Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Projekt Red has had her ups and downs in the meta since launch. At times her damage has seemed inconsequential and her niches extremely fringe. At
other times, such as the current here and now, her niches seem so valuable that she is useful even in an era of the hyper-meta Texas2 and Yato2. These
S2M3 A+ S- S- days, she is very frequently more useful than Phantom. Being better than a 6★ is not something many 5★s can lay claim to!

Both of Red's skills are good, and the niches they fill are different which makes her one of the better graded 5★s. S1 will play better to her "minimum
damage" Talent, and the dodge will let her get that damage in on some very dangerous targets that other FRDs would quickly die to. Meanwhile, her S2 is
Projekt Red unique in how rapidly it applies stun. Many similar Operators have very noticeable activation times, and that difference in time can make a huge difference.
To this day, no crowd-control is as rapidly applied as Red's S2. Be aware that the stun duration scales with Mastery level, so the later stages can seem
extremely expensive for the gains.

S1M3 A- A+ S- All that said, Projekt Red’s total DPS is still fairly low, and the benefits she brings are most most appreciated in more Advanced content. For many players,
she can seem a bit too "subtle" for the expensive costs when compared to more straightforward solutions. Investment into Red is not mandatory, but she will
be extremely rewarding for those who value her unique skills.

4★s

There is a very interesting question as to whether Jaye should be raised at all or left at E0 for his superior base skill. That discussion is well beyond the
scope of this guide, however I favor raising him as a unit. The very high grade here assumes you have decided to raise him (and accounts for his low cost),
however Jaye is not nearly as mandatory as most other units with S tier Masteries. Keeping him at E0 for that sweet TP buff is absolutely a reasonable
course of action.

If you do raise him though, Jaye is a ridiculous unit for his rarity. The level of shared sustain built into his kit is unheard of at the rarity, and unusual even at
the higher rarities. Add on really good consistent damage and the flexibility of a FRD body, and you have a very powerful general purpose unit.
Jaye S2M3 S S S-
Jaye works pretty well at E1 already, like many 4★s, but he gains a deceptive amount out of the E2 promotion thanks to his Module base effect, so his
inexpensive S2 Masteries look quite appealing. The Masteries boost his ATK and healing amount, both of which directly influence his sustain. They also
reduce his wind-up which can actually be a significant problem in his usage. In total, E1 SL7 Jaye is powerful, but E2 Mod1 S2M3 is significantly more
powerful.

Pass on his S1 unless you're a heavy niche player. It does have some situational usage now and then, but the sustain on his S2 is why he is special, so S1
Masteries will rarely justify the cost for most people.

* Note this skill is graded assuming you have Ethan's fully upgraded Module. This Mastery is still powerful if you do not yet have it, but his Module upgrades
are worth just as much as Mastery and both are essential to his effectiveness.

Thanks to an incredible Module, Ethan is probably the best 4★ in a high end meta context. Of course, units like Myrtle or Jaye may be better for growing
teams, but in the long run they end up being supplanted by better options. But Ethan brings a level of stall that is unmatched even at the higher rarities.
With a fully upgraded Module and S2M3 he can reach an essentially permanent stall for his skill duration and uses a form of control that very few enemies
Ethan S2M3 S* S* S*
have immunity to. It makes Ethan one of the few 4★s that basically everyone should at least consider. Mastery (and Module level 3) are both extremely
important to this usage. His base Bind chance is fairly low, and the boosts from both Mastery and Module are essential for it to reach the absurd levels he's
known for.

His S1 is a skill that may be occasionally useful, particularly against hit-count based enemies like the IW spawns. However, Mastery is unnecessary.
Mastery only improves the damage, which is not why the skill is ever used over his generally far better S2.

Shifting is one of those awkward mechanics in Arknights that's never quite fully been realized. On its own, the mechanic is map dependent and useless
otherwise. The best Shifters in the game have other utility that makes them solid general purpose units, but as as 4★, Shaw lacks that sort of utility. Any
pusher at all is a useful unit to have in the pocket still and Shaw is the most readily available, but you only need her at E1 SL7 to fill in for a handful of stages.
Shaw S1M3 C- C- C-
The extra investment into E2 or Masteries is just exceedingly unnecessary with very little upside. However, most Shifter skills get a force increase at M3
which innately gives them some value and for Shaw, that is her S1. Unusually however, Shaw's S2 is one of the only Shifter skills which has no force
increase at M3. Very few people, even in the most extreme niches, will ever find Shaw's S2 to be worth Mastery despite it being a generally useful skill.

S2M3 C C C As discussed in Shaw's writeup, the 4★ Shifters occupy an unrealized corner of the game, however Rope suffers even worse. In her case, there is not one,
but two (Cliffheart and Gladiia) high quality free units who bring that extra utility that Rope lacks. It makes any investment into Rope, even early investment,
very questionable outside of certain small niches. However, like most Shifter skills, her skills gain a Force increase at M3 which makes them both something
Rope to consider if you find yourself in one of those niches. Further, while it is an extremely small niche, Rope's S2 does technically have value over her higher
rarity counterparts thanks to its longer range. Meanwhile her S1 is directly inferior to those higher rarity options so should only be considered by the extreme
S1M3 C- C- C- niche players.

Gravel is one of those units that literally everyone has used. She is uniquely powerful as a bulk Fast-Redeploy, such that even if you started with one of the
high-powered DPS oriented FRDs, you probably still have raised and used Gravel! For many people, the extra investment into Gravel for E2 and Mastery is
simply a matter of affection! However, in strict terms of meta return on investment, that extra mile is unnecessary with Gravel. It is overkill. She is one of
Gravel S2M3 B B B
those 4★s who does her job exceedingly well at E1 SL7 already, so there's a good chance you have better places to spend your resources. Still, Mastery
into Gravel's S2 represents a large increase to her bulk at a relatively low cost and on occasion she finds some advanced meta usage, so it's at least
something worth a look.

4★ and 5★ UNGRADED

There isn't a lot of reason to invest resources into Almond's Masteries. Unfortunately for her, the Hookmaster archetype is a crowded one, and she comes
dead last in value among them even before considering that all of her competition is given out for free. If you particularly like Almond, for whatever reason, or
fancy yourself one of those extreme niche players, then both of Almond's skills are viable options, and you will likely want to invest in the full M6 despite her
S1M3 None otherwise poor performance.

Her S1 has the most potential if you're aiming for a niche that doesn't include Gladiia. Charge based Shift skills (such as Gladiia's similar S1) are potentially
very powerful, and at S1M3 along with her Talent, Almond can have as many as four charges immediately available. Unfortunately, she's stuck at a basic
Force level of 1 with no upgrade via Mastery that most other Shift skills get. This really limits where it can be used and Hookmaster's are already quite
situational. Gladiia's S1 is just straightup better because of this.
Almond
Note that while her S1 does not get a Shift increase at M3, it does get a reduction in SP cost on a charge-based skill, so it's still valuable if you're planning to
use Almond.

S2 is unfortunately rather awkward. It's pretty significantly inferior to either Cliffheart's or Snowsant's S2, which both can catch multiple enemies and have
much lower SP costs. Catching only one target is a huge usability problem, and she will often not hook who you want on top of far lower availability. The Bind
S2M3 None uptime is pretty negligible as well for being single-target on such a long cycle. The one upside potential it has is the triple pull. This potentially can give it a
leg up, but situations that's useful in are quite rare due to how pulling works. The net distance an enemy moves when pulled actually decreases with how
close the enemy gets, so the total distance pulled is not a simple 3x like you might expect. Mastery will still be worth a look if you plan to use Almond due to
the Force increase, but the average player should strongly consider any of the other Hookmasters instead.
Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Spuria is awful. Do not raise her. Seriously. In this Mastery guide, every unit at least has a skill suggestion, even if they are ultimately ungraded. I can't even
make a suggestion with Spuria as both of her skills are awful. She is almost always actively detrimental to have on the field, pulling healing away from other
units for nearly no return on investment.

I suppose if you *really* insist on promoting her, then S2 is the one to go with. Mastery reduces the stun chance and duration, so it will be less actively
Spuria None None
damaging to your team. You might theoretically be able to get some value out of S1 Mastery too, if you really enjoy the madness of RNG, since at least her
DEF ignore is relatively high.

But seriously. Do not promote Spuria unless you know what you're doing. You’ll get more value from your resources by spending them on literally anything
else.

Kirara is infamously one of the worst units in the game. Her damage is just too low to justify her supposed niche (which is already questionable). Her S1
suffers from her archetype's long attack interval, so even the consistency it can provide is lost. On the other hand, her S2 has far too high of an SP cost for
Kirara S2M3 None
the damage it deals. Since neither skill works all that well, it’s hard to make a Mastery suggestion. If you are still intent on raising her, I ultimately would lean
towards S2, which is at least reliable when you need it. Just be aware that Kirara is one of the most 'desire only' units out there.

You should not be using Snowsant. Unfortunately for the destitute bird, Cliffheart and Gladiia are both better, and are both free to boot. If you insist though,
stick with her S2. The improved range and longer slow are much more impactful, and her S1 is straight inferior to Cliffheart's S1 (higher SP cost) which
Snowsant S2M3 None
already has only niche usage. That said, her S1 gets the typical force increase at M3 so if you were really intent on using Snowsant over better options, it’s
still worth pursuing.

Waai Fu's main value isn't in her combat skills, but rather her base ski- err, I mean to say, in being an extra Fast Redeploy body. Her skills are nowhere near
as impactful as the similar rarity Projekt Red. Extra investment into Mastery just isn't necessary to use her. If you did want to go the extra mile though, her S2
is the better choice for the extra damage. While the rare and powerful ATK down on her S1 also has use, she doesn't have the stats to reliably get much
Waai Fu S2M3 None
damage out of it, even before accounting for her counterproductive talent.

Oh and in case the joke wasn’t clear, do not raise her for her base skill alone. It is never worthwhile.

Verdant is a bad unit. He has poor damage on bad cycles and should not be invested in. With S2 his damage is only average for a 4★ which is already off to
a bad start. In addition, while using S2, he kills himself in 20 attacks (13.3 seconds). This is a problem in the archetype since it extends their downtime by an
additional 20 seconds when changing to the doll, but at least on other Dollkeepers, they have good DPS and other mitigations to make up for that downside.
Verdant has no such benefit, resulting in incredibly poor total DPS damage on a very long cycle time and no other upside.
Verdant None None
There's very little reason to invest any resources into Verdant. If Dollkeepers interest you, every other Dollkeeper is better, including the freely available
Bena. But, if you really insist on pursuing Mastery on Verdant, you could go with either. S2 is still his DPS skill, albeit a bad one. S1 makes him tankier,
which may be appealing due to how bad his effective DPS is. Neither is a good choice though. Even 4★ only players will rarely find any use out of either.
Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Quick Jump to Start

Unit Skill Story Advanced Roguelike Summary

Date Change
10/28/2024 Added Episode 14 units.
10/5/2024 Updated Ho'ol's writeup to reflect her second Module. Added Babel units.
8/31/2024 Downgraded Ash's Advanced and IS grades and updated her writeup. There's many old units that need overhauled, but she'll be a common
question coming up so I did it in advance of a broader planned update.
8/30/2024 Changed Musha to Soloblade in Hellagur and Noir Corne. Made a small fix to a dated reference in Frost's write-up. Changed Magallan's and
Shining's IS grades from None which felt inconsistent with the rest of the guide. Fixed a dated sentance in GG's S1 writeup and another in her S2
writeup. Updated a dated reference in Eyja's writeup. Removed a SUPER dated line from Archetto.
8/30/2024 I have completely overhauled the 4★s. There are too many individual changes to list here, but a vast majority of them have been updated in some
way. The 4★s historically have had a weird place in the guide. In the initial version of it way back when, I only mentioned four of them at all.
Gradually more were added, but the long neglect led to some odd inconsistencies. For the most part, this went under the radar since there aren't
many new 4★s nor is it what most people are interested in, but in the creation of this Sheets guide the mistakes and flaws really started to become
apparent. In the end, it made the most sense to just redo the 4★s from the ground up. Most have been adjusted down (some significantly so)
since I think they were broadly over graded. Also note that this update does NOT yet fully reflect the IS5 changes (although there may be some
preemptive mentions to save me future effort). That will come at a later date.
8/13/2024 Gave Greyy the Lightningbearer a huge upgrade. This was meant to have been done months ago but somehow slipped through the cracks.