Early Game Guide

This Arknights: Endfield early game guide covers everything beginners need to know in AKEF. Learn the best early game goals, key mechanics, and what to do when you're stuck.

Table of Contents

Progress the Story to Unlock Content
Early Game Progression Guide
Best Early Game Characters/Teams
What to Do When You're Stuck
Useful Early Game Tips

Progress the Story to Unlock Content

Follow the Main Story

In Arknights: Endfield, content unlocks progressively through story advancement. Follow the on-screen instructions or active missions to continue progressing through the main story.

Learn the Basics Through the Tutorial

As you progress through the story, you will gradually learn the basics of combat. There are many mechanics to master, including skills, special moves, and combat techniques, so be sure to learn and practice them thoroughly.

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Battle Strategy	Combat System & Tips

Approach the Objects and NPCs for Information

Arknights: Endfield features a rich, story-driven world, so many players will engage primarily for the narrative. From the very beginning, you can obtain detailed information and trigger conversations by approaching graves and characters. If you want to explore the story in depth, be sure to investigate carefully so you don’t miss any key details.

You Can Collect More in the Tutorial

In the Gathering Tutorial, you are instructed to collect one Buckflower, but you can continue gathering after completing the objective, so try to collect as many as possible. Buckflowers can be crafted into Buckflower Powder, an early-game HP recovery item, via Backpack → Crafting, which can significantly improve your early progression.

Tips!	Even if you forget to gather them, you can still progress without healing items. As you advance through the story, you will pass through areas where plants grow naturally, so be proactive in gathering when you can.

Rewards for Collection Milestones

As you progress through quests, you can earn rewards such as recipes based on your collection progress for each item. It is more efficient to advance quests while gathering to complete collection progress along the way. This can be found in the Crafting Manual.

Complete Optional Quests for Rewards

Optional Quests may appear while progressing through the main quest, but they can disappear once you get close to the next destination. Optional quests are also slightly more challenging because you must explore and locate the mission points on your own.

Early Game Progression Guide

Rerolling Is Not Necessary
Clearing "New Horizons" Is the First Goal
It’s Safe to Use Your Upgrade Materials Early
You Can Explore After Clearing New Horizons

Rerolling Is Not Necessary

In Endfield, the Permanent Event "New Horizons" guarantees one 6★ character, so rerolling is not necessary. A single reroll takes approximately 30 to 40 minutes, and the drop rate for 6★ characters is low, so only players with extra time should attempt rerolling.

Recommended Characters for Reroll

Character	Features
Gilberta	- A Nature attacker who pulls in enemies with gravity - Inflicts Arts Susceptibility and Nature - Works well with attackers who have AoE attacks
Laevatain	- A Heat attacker who can easily Stagger enemies - Inflicts Heat Resistance down and Heat - Works well with characters that can support the active character
Yvonne	- A high-damage attacker who can force Solidification - Greatly Enhances Basic Attacks with her Ultimate - Also easily inflicts Cryo Infliction with her Battle Skill and Ultimate

Gilberta, Laevatain, and Yvonne are the recommended picks if you decide to reroll.

Reroll Tier List

Clearing "New Horizons" Is the First Goal

In the Permanent Event "New Horizons," you can obtain exclusive gacha tickets by progressing the main story. Clearing the final objective, Chapter 1 Process II: Paving the Way, unlocks the base content. First, focus on clearing "New Horizons" and advancing the story.

Main Content and Estimated Time to Unlock

Unlocked Content	Story Name: Estimated Time
Protocol Space	Building an Outpost: About 5 hours
AIC Factory Plan	Paving the Way: About 7 hours

It’s Safe to Use Your Upgrade Materials Early

By progressing the story, you unlock the stamina-based (Sanity) content 'Protocol Space,' where you can obtain large amounts of enhancement materials. It is fine to use all the upgrade materials you acquire in the early game.

You Can Explore After Clearing New Horizons

You can obtain various items by exploring every corner of the map, but there are almost no elements that should be prioritized over the story. It is recommended to prioritize the story until you clear "New Horizons."

Progress while Supplying Power

Even around the tutorial area, there are facilities that are not yet powered. While progressing through the main quest, check your surroundings and connect the cables. It's smoother to do this now rather than coming back later.

Rescue the Damaged 'SOS' Robots

The box-shaped robots marked with "SOS" scattered throughout Valley IV are puzzle elements that can be unlocked via side quests. Damaged Robots also appear in other areas, so it is recommended to free them whenever you pass by.

Tips!	If you explore before completing the Repair (Puzzle) tutorial, you will not be able to rescue the robots marked 'SOS', so return after finishing the tutorial!

Best Early Game Characters/Teams

Free Characters Are Enough for the Main Story

Low-Rarity Team
Endministrator	Perlica	Chen Qianyu	Any Healer Character

You can progress through the story just fine with the Endministrator, Perlica, and Chen Qianyu, who join early on. While party building requires some strategy to create synergy, these three already work well together. Adding a healer will make the team even more stable.

Team Composition Tips

What to Do if You Get Stuck?

Level Up Your Characters

If you get stuck in the story because the enemies are too strong, level up your characters. You can enhance characters by defeating enemies or using level-up items.

Enhance Your Weapons

You can enhance weapons using weapon EXP materials or by consuming other weapons. After leveling up your characters, be sure to upgrade their weapons as well.

Equip Tactical Recovery Items

By equipping a recovery item in the 'Tactical' slot on the Gear screen, it will be used automatically when your HP drops during combat. The main early-game recovery item, Buckflower Powder, can be crafted from Buckflower gathered on the map.

Review Your Team Setup

If enemies are still too strong even after upgrading your characters and weapons, try re-evaluating your team. In Arknights: Endfield, character compatibility depends on attack role and Elements, so make sure your current lineup is well suited.

Not Sure Where to Go? Check the Guide

If you get lost during the story and are unsure where to go or what to do, check the on-screen guide. Your current Mission is displayed in the upper-left corner of the screen, and a yellow circular icon indicates the direction of the objective.

Check Detailed Objectives in the 'Missions' Menu

More detailed mission information can be viewed from 'Missions' in the wheel menu (L2/LT on controller).

Useful Early Game Tips

Missable and Irreversible Content to Note

Protagonist's Name
Main and Optional Missions
Account Server
Used Upgrade Materials, etc.

If you prioritize progression and skip Main Quest dialogue or Optional Quests, you will not be able to review them later.

Fast Travel Is Available Anywhere

Fast travel is available from anywhere on the map. To use it, you must unlock TP Points, so if you find one nearby, make sure to approach it and activate it.

Chests Can Be Collected Later

The next route is indicated by a yellow icon, but chests and other items may be found along the way. Interactable objects glow and are easy to spot, so be sure to check your surroundings and collect them.

Tips!	Characters may also spot hidden treasure and call it out. Pay attention to the actions of characters you are not directly controlling.

Items Cannot Be Collected During Combat

When you enter combat, certain actions such as opening chests and collecting items become unavailable. In some cases, powerful enemies guard treasure chests, so you can also choose to collect them without being detected.