Beginner's Guide to Arknights: Endfield

Everything you need to know to start your journey on Talos-II

📖 Read Time: 15 minutes 🎯 Difficulty: Beginner 📅 Updated: January 8, 2026
Written by Lisa Wang New Player Experience Specialist

📺 Video Guide

Complete video walkthrough covering all essential beginner topics

✅ First Day Checklist

🎲 Should You Reroll?

✅ Reroll If:

  • You want the absolute best start
  • You have time (10-15 min per attempt)
  • You're targeting Laevatain or Yvonne specifically
  • You want to rush endgame content competitively

❌ Don't Reroll If:

  • You want to start playing immediately
  • You're satisfied with any 6★ character
  • You're F2P and can wait for limited banners
  • You value account progression over perfect start

Best Reroll Targets

🔥 S-Tier (Stop Immediately)

  • Laevatain - Best DPS in game, Heat element, carries all content
  • Yvonne - Top ranged DPS, Cryo element, easier to play than Laevatain

⭐ A-Tier (Great Start)

  • Gilberta - Best tank, essential for endgame Algorithmic Memories
  • Last Rite - Strong Cryo Striker, pairs well with Yvonne

🚫 Don't Reroll For

  • Ardelia - Free from 3-day login
  • Endministrator - Free from story
  • Snowshine - Free from pre-registration
View Detailed Reroll Guide

🆓 Free Characters & Investment Priority

These characters are obtainable for free and provide excellent value. Invest in them wisely:

🔴 High Priority - Invest Immediately

Ardelia

Support

Free (3-day Login Reward)

Endministrator

Guard

Free (Story Progression)

Endministrator: Your main Physical DPS. Works from day 1 through endgame. Build STR and AGI.

Ardelia: Only 6★ healer. Universal support for all teams. Build INT for stronger heals.

🟡 Medium Priority - Invest After Main Team

Snowshine

Defender

Free (Pre-registration Reward)

Akekuri

Vanguard

Free (Guaranteed in Beginner 10-pull)

Akekuri: Essential if you pull Laevatain. Otherwise, lower priority.

Snowshine: Solid tank for early-mid game. Budget alternative to Gilberta.

👥 Your First Team

Build your team around this structure: 1 Main DPS + 1 Sub-DPS + 1 Healer + 1 Flex

🆓 F2P Starter Team

Uses only free and easily obtainable characters. Works from day 1.

Main DPS Endministrator Free (Story)
Sub-DPS Chen Qianyu Gacha (5★)
Healer Ardelia Free (3-day login)
Flex Perlica / Snowshine Gacha / Pre-reg

This team covers Physical damage, Arts damage, healing, and tankiness. Clears all story content easily.

🔥 Heat Team (If you pull Laevatain)

Meta team for highest DPS. Requires Laevatain from gacha.

Main DPS Laevatain Gacha (6★)
Sub-DPS Akekuri Free (Beginner 10-pull)
Healer Ardelia Free (3-day login)
Flex Endministrator / Wulfgard Free / Gacha

Akekuri applies Heat stacks rapidly, enabling Laevatain's Combustion burst. Highest damage ceiling in game.

View Advanced Team Building Guide

⚔️ Combat System Basics

Skill Point (SP) System

Your 4-character squad shares 3 SP slots. Any character can use SP skills, creating strategic flexibility.

  • SP regenerates slowly over time
  • Gain SP faster with: Perfect dodges, Heavy attacks, Vanguard characters
  • Battle Skills cost 1 SP, Ultimate Skills require full energy bar

Stagger Mechanic

All enemies have a Stagger meter. When filled:

  • Enemy is stunned for 5-8 seconds
  • Takes 50% more damage
  • Perfect burst window for Ultimate Skills

Tip: Great Sword users (Gilberta, Last Rite, Snowshine) build Stagger fastest.

Arts vs Physical Damage

Arts Damage: Elemental attacks (Heat, Cryo, Electric, Nature). Scales with INT stat. Trigger elemental reactions.

Physical Damage: Non-elemental attacks. Scales with STR stat. Applies Vulnerable stacks for burst windows.

Strategy: Build teams around one damage type for maximum synergy.

Chain Attacks

Switching characters at specific moments triggers cinematic chain attacks dealing massive damage.

  • Endministrator has the most versatile chain skill (triggers on any status)
  • Element-matched chains deal bonus damage
  • Plan rotations around chain attack windows
View Full Combat Guide

📅 Daily Routine (15-30 minutes)

1️⃣

Daily Missions

Complete 5 daily tasks for 100 Oroberyl + materials

Time: 5-10 minutes

2️⃣

Expedition Runs

Clear 3 expeditions for character upgrade materials

Time: 5 minutes

3️⃣

AIC Resource Collection

Collect mined resources from your Automated Industry Complex

Time: 1 minute

4️⃣

Story Progression

Continue main story when stamina allows (optional)

Time: 10-20 minutes

📆 Weekly Tasks

  • Complete Weekly Missions for 500 Oroberyl
  • Clear Algorithmic Memories (unlocks at Authority Level 40)
  • Participate in limited-time events
  • Purchase materials from event shops

💰 Resource Management Tips

Oroberyl (Gacha Currency)

  • Save for limited banners (need 60,000 for guarantee)
  • Don't pull on standard banner early
  • Use Beginner Banner first (20% discount)
  • F2P income: ~12,000-15,000 per month

Character Upgrade Materials

  • Focus on 4-6 characters maximum in early game
  • Prioritize your Main DPS and Healer first
  • Farm materials during expedition events (2x drops)
  • Don't spread resources across all characters

Arsenal Tickets (Weapon Gacha)

  • Earned automatically from character pulls
  • Don't convert Oroberyl to tickets (bad value)
  • Save for featured weapon banners
  • Only pull if you can reach guarantee (10,000+ tickets)

Energy Management

  • Energy cap: 200 (regenerates 1 per 6 minutes)
  • Don't let it overcap overnight
  • Spend on: Story > Expeditions > Exploration
  • Events give temporary energy boosts

⚠️ Common Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Pulling on Standard Banner Early

Standard banner has no rate-up characters. Save Oroberyl for limited banners. Use Standard Banner passively with free tickets.

❌ Spreading Resources Too Thin

Focus on 4-6 characters max. Upgrading everyone equally leaves you weak everywhere. Build one strong team first.

❌ Ignoring Free Characters

Endministrator and Ardelia are legitimately good. Don't bench them because they're free. They work in endgame.

❌ Neglecting AIC Development

Your factory generates passive resources 24/7. Set up mining early and upgrade production buildings.

❌ Pulling Weapon Banner Too Early

Weapons are nice but not essential early. Characters > Weapons. Only pull weapon banner if you have excess Arsenal Tickets (10,000+).

❌ Not Learning Combat Mechanics

Mastering Stagger, chain attacks, and elemental reactions makes a bigger difference than character rarity. Practice mechanics.

🚀 Next Steps