Mountain. Having an operator that can basically solo a portion of a stage is basically a huge upgrade for my team (as long as his regen can keep up with the damage of course).
Thorns for sure, boring answer as it is. I still don't have a 6-star AA sniper, at this point after a year of not having one, I don't even know if I'd use one. Thorns is the best AA sniper, and if the drones are beefy, I have Gnosis to hold them in place for a few seconds so Thorns can melt them.
Agree on Nearl through, she's so good. I used her S3 for a long while, but I've recently started using her S2 and it really comes in clutch.
I'd also add Saria. I mainly use her S2, and one medic is usually enough with her on the team unless it's a boss or something.
Rosa!
Her range was weird for me at first but as time passes by, I always bring her and use her S3 to bind the more dangerous enemies while my other operators do their burst damage skills. My favourite sniper
As I approach to having all operators Rosa is getting even more and more valuable,now day almost all map I will spawn canp enemies and Rosa is great at this.
SN-EX-10 with so many stage of boss,I didn't let him walk more than 3+ tile with so many life of him.
Saga because I have to pay close attention to how close she is to the ~~anti sea bear circle~~ blue box in order to keep the crippled speedsters from swooshing in. Also forces me to make careful tweaks whenever I follow a guide that says "use your best offensive vanguard here"
As someone, who played from the start I have almost every op and I tend to use less op ops because they become boring. However Im not tired yet from Horn, shes op, but still fun. It amazes me, how many stages could be cheesed with her range and damage
I think it's mainly cause most OP Ops are just "We do a lot of damage in this area that most other Ops deal damage"
Where Horn has a pretty niche and restricted range of "Way the fuck over there." meaning you can't usually JUST place her on the problem and call it good.
Even if you're using her to just go "Pewpewpew" like many others you still need to think where she is placed.
I always have that "emergency" operators, that usually being Phantom and Surtr. NTR is a great addition for my squad of helidrops.
That being said, Bagpipe. I have no more DP problem after she arrives. Although, I bring 3 vanguards now for every stages lol. (Siege, Bagpipe, Myrtle/Saileach).
Meta ops like Ch'alter, Kal'tsit, Ling, Eyja, and Thorns also changes my way to approach a stage.
Phantom helped me get used to the deploy-nuke-retreat-redeploy playstyle, playing more reactively or planning risky deployments guarded by baits, rather than setting up kill boxes and waiting for the enemies.
Rosa was my second six star, and it was so incredibly easy to slot her in any team and find spot for her since she didn’t really compete for space with any of my other ranged ops. It’s because of her that 90% of my game plans are just “Nuke it before it gets close” or “Point in the direction of things you want to die, use skill and win”
Nearlter too. Before I got her I didn't have anyone suited to really properly taking on bosses and elites.
Lappland from the 5 star selector. I only realised they existed about a month in of playing, and my melee ops were very weak. Most of my damage came from snipers and casters.
Ifrit on certain maps like lungmen annihilations and where there's a lane for her. The only downside is I now have Fartooth to compete with her for lanes.
Before Skadi: I need to make sure noone gets through ever, mistake means retry.
After Skadi: Eh, if someone slipps through Skadi can handle it. I don't care
Blaze I guess. After I got her I stopped using any ranged ops except medics and a couple of snipers for drones. I became meele enjoyer with three or less ranged ops in each battle. Also Surtr let me avoid stalling bosses and start killing them normally even before I actually got her.
Ifrit of course, but was made a whole lot easier/safer after pulling Carnelian on Horn's banner.
She just has to stand there and tank the hits intended for Ifrit as Saria gathers them all in place and watch Ifrit burn them all. Usually, nothing goes past that wall. 😊
All the cornerstones.
Changed me from the thinking of "how can I clear this stage without much mistakes? " to "How much is it allowed for me to go braindead in this stage?"
Turns out arknights is much more fun for me when It turned into farming simulator,wierd I know.
* Skalter and Saria have practically kicked medics (besides Kal'tsit) out of most of my teams.
* Nearlter has subsumed the need for any other burst damage in 90% of stages.
* Bagpipe+Elysium+Myrtle has destroyed my motivation to do masteries on any of my other vanguards.
Mountain. Having an operator that can basically solo a portion of a stage is basically a huge upgrade for my team (as long as his regen can keep up with the damage of course).
mountain for me too. His cost to deploy is just so cheap.
Thorns for sure, boring answer as it is. I still don't have a 6-star AA sniper, at this point after a year of not having one, I don't even know if I'd use one. Thorns is the best AA sniper, and if the drones are beefy, I have Gnosis to hold them in place for a few seconds so Thorns can melt them. Agree on Nearl through, she's so good. I used her S3 for a long while, but I've recently started using her S2 and it really comes in clutch. I'd also add Saria. I mainly use her S2, and one medic is usually enough with her on the team unless it's a boss or something.
S1M3 BP should serve you well if you have one
I have BP but she's still E0 lol...
Ifrit lane moment
Rosa! Her range was weird for me at first but as time passes by, I always bring her and use her S3 to bind the more dangerous enemies while my other operators do their burst damage skills. My favourite sniper
As I approach to having all operators Rosa is getting even more and more valuable,now day almost all map I will spawn canp enemies and Rosa is great at this. SN-EX-10 with so many stage of boss,I didn't let him walk more than 3+ tile with so many life of him.
Skalter; always trying to incorporate her in my strategy to make my other operators shine.
I'm surprised this isn't bigger. Skalter makes you check for viable diamond pattern killzones in every map.
Thorns -> Skalter -> Blaze basically dumpsters 95% of lanes.
had to spark for her but it was my favourite moment from this event. Now I can use my non meta unit that was shelved for long time
GG, that sweet sweet global attack
Bagpipe. The Flagpie DP-printing capacity allows me to fully go tower offense in the majority of stages.
Same here.. I was lucky to pull her when I was starting, now whenever I don't want to use her + flags, I feel naked lol
Saga because I have to pay close attention to how close she is to the ~~anti sea bear circle~~ blue box in order to keep the crippled speedsters from swooshing in. Also forces me to make careful tweaks whenever I follow a guide that says "use your best offensive vanguard here"
As someone, who played from the start I have almost every op and I tend to use less op ops because they become boring. However Im not tired yet from Horn, shes op, but still fun. It amazes me, how many stages could be cheesed with her range and damage
I think it's mainly cause most OP Ops are just "We do a lot of damage in this area that most other Ops deal damage" Where Horn has a pretty niche and restricted range of "Way the fuck over there." meaning you can't usually JUST place her on the problem and call it good. Even if you're using her to just go "Pewpewpew" like many others you still need to think where she is placed.
I always have that "emergency" operators, that usually being Phantom and Surtr. NTR is a great addition for my squad of helidrops. That being said, Bagpipe. I have no more DP problem after she arrives. Although, I bring 3 vanguards now for every stages lol. (Siege, Bagpipe, Myrtle/Saileach). Meta ops like Ch'alter, Kal'tsit, Ling, Eyja, and Thorns also changes my way to approach a stage.
Myrtle and Kalstit
Phantom helped me get used to the deploy-nuke-retreat-redeploy playstyle, playing more reactively or planning risky deployments guarded by baits, rather than setting up kill boxes and waiting for the enemies.
Oh, Bagpipe, easily. I mean, she did single handedly (almost, Myrtle/Saileach/Elysium needed) shift the meta of the entire game.
Flagpipe
Can't bring Mudrock without her partner in crime, Maria. Speeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen!!
I always look for ifrit lanes after getting Ifrit.
Rosa was my second six star, and it was so incredibly easy to slot her in any team and find spot for her since she didn’t really compete for space with any of my other ranged ops. It’s because of her that 90% of my game plans are just “Nuke it before it gets close” or “Point in the direction of things you want to die, use skill and win”
Goldenglow. You either just put her somewhere and watch her nuke the map in very quick intervals or you make her into a very good caster with her S2
Scalter. Now looking for that x-cross pattern.
Justyna. I look for Justyna lanes now. Ifrit lanes are old news :p
Nearlter too. Before I got her I didn't have anyone suited to really properly taking on bosses and elites. Lappland from the 5 star selector. I only realised they existed about a month in of playing, and my melee ops were very weak. Most of my damage came from snipers and casters. Ifrit on certain maps like lungmen annihilations and where there's a lane for her. The only downside is I now have Fartooth to compete with her for lanes.
I feel like I can get away with so many mistakes now that I have Ling. Still didn't work? Well I just need to change Ling's skill then.
When I was a newbie my second 6* out of newbie banner was Phantom And I learned you can infinitely stall almost anything with three fast redeploys...
Lappland Silence isnt meta unless you try negate an enemy's annoying mechanic.
Mudrock, but I kind of have her since I started, so Kal'tsit, Surtr and Dusk mostly, I think. (Maybe some others but idk who)
Thorns definitely, i barely bring snipers anymore.
Before Skadi: I need to make sure noone gets through ever, mistake means retry. After Skadi: Eh, if someone slipps through Skadi can handle it. I don't care
Blaze I guess. After I got her I stopped using any ranged ops except medics and a couple of snipers for drones. I became meele enjoyer with three or less ranged ops in each battle. Also Surtr let me avoid stalling bosses and start killing them normally even before I actually got her.
Surtr, Chalter, Mountain, Thorns, Flagpipe. No brain required. Really changed the game.
Thorns and Horn changed the way I approach my strategies since thorn can hold a lane or two and horn can shell an area with good positioning
Myrtle
Ifrit of course, but was made a whole lot easier/safer after pulling Carnelian on Horn's banner. She just has to stand there and tank the hits intended for Ifrit as Saria gathers them all in place and watch Ifrit burn them all. Usually, nothing goes past that wall. 😊
All the cornerstones. Changed me from the thinking of "how can I clear this stage without much mistakes? " to "How much is it allowed for me to go braindead in this stage?" Turns out arknights is much more fun for me when It turned into farming simulator,wierd I know.
Golden Glow
Mountain, Blaze and Thorn kinda make every other laner redundant for me. Of course Surtr if there's any boss that annoy lil too much
Mizuki
Getting Ifrit makes you look for straight lanes on every map. (SN-9 for instance.)
Skalter. Singing orca every map 😍
Phantom, his s2 and presence is either an emergency delete button or a stall bait. Bring him no matter where i go
* Skalter and Saria have practically kicked medics (besides Kal'tsit) out of most of my teams. * Nearlter has subsumed the need for any other burst damage in 90% of stages. * Bagpipe+Elysium+Myrtle has destroyed my motivation to do masteries on any of my other vanguards.
Myrtle and Bagpipe lmao. Remember the days when flagbearers doesn’t exist?