You just loaded into Talos-II, your pockets are full of Oroberyl, and you’ve got absolutely no idea who to spend it on. That’s the most stressful moment in any gacha game, and Arknights Endfield doesn’t make it easy. There are limited banners, standard banners, a beginner banner, a shop rotation, and story-locked characters all competing for your attention at once. I’ve spent a good chunk of time going through every operator available in Version 1.0, and this guide breaks down exactly who’s worth your pulls, who you can skip, and which characters you’re going to unlock just by playing normally.
Every Free Arknights Endfield Character and How to Get Them
Before you touch a single banner, know this: the game is generous with free characters early on. You don’t need to pull just to build a functional team, and understanding what you already have helps you spend smarter later.
The Endministrator is yours from the moment you boot up the game. You pick male or female at the start, and you can swap between them every 24 hours using the Protocol Singularity in the Stasis Core on Dijiang. Don’t underestimate your protagonist. Their Crush mechanic deals heavy damage to staggered enemies, and from my experience they’re one of the most reliable sub-DPS options you’ll have early on, especially for F2P players who don’t have a full roster yet.
Chen Qianyu is the second free character, and she’s an absolute surprise. You unlock her by completing the main mission “Break the Siege,” which comes right after the prologue. Chen is a fast, agile martial artist who applies Lift through her Battle Skill and Combo Skill, constantly juggling enemies and stacking Vulnerability. Most players I know who haven’t pulled on Physical team characters still run Chen because of how well she controls the field.
Ardelia was gifted to all players for free via in-game mail a few days after launch, along with her signature weapon “Dreams of the Starry Beach.” She’s a healer who also applies Corrosion and can consume it to buff Physical and Arts susceptibility, which means she patches up multiple team types without being deadweight. Getting her for free is huge. If she weren’t free, she’d be near the top of every pull priority list.
Snowshine is the pre-registration reward, delivered to your in-game mail after you unlock the Mail feature. She was unlocked when Arknights Endfield hit 30 million pre-registrations globally. She’s a solid Cryo Infliction applier who works well as a budget filler in Cryo teams if you haven’t pulled Xaihi or Yvonne yet.
| Character | How to Get | Role | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Endministrator | Default start | Sub-DPS / Flex | Essential |
| Chen Qianyu | Main story: Break the Siege | Physical DPS / CC | Essential |
| Ardelia | Login event / in-game mail | Healer / Debuffer | Essential |
| Snowshine | Pre-registration reward | Cryo Sub-DPS | Situational |
| Ardelia + Weapon | 14-day login event | Healer / Support | Free Login |
The beginner banner “New Horizons Headhunting” gives you up to 40 pulls and guarantees one of five characters: Ardelia, Ember, Last Rite, Lifeng, or Pogranichnik. You unlock full access to this banner by progressing through Chapter 1 of the main story. That guaranteed 6-star pick is one of the most important decisions you’ll make as a new player.
Who to Pick from the Beginner Banner (New Horizons Headhunting)
You get 40 pulls on this banner and a guaranteed character from a specific pool. Since Ardelia is already free, she’s not your first choice here unless you want a duplicate. Here’s how I’d rank your options from that five-character pool.
Last Rite is the strongest standard banner DPS in Version 1.0. She’s a Cryo Striker who deals massive single-target burst damage and functions as a strong sub-DPS even when she’s not the active character. Her kit requires building up Cryo Infliction stacks from teammates before she can unleash full combo damage, but the payoff is worth the investment. If you have Yvonne from the limited banner, Last Rite slots in perfectly alongside her. If you don’t, she’s still formidable with Snowshine or Xaihi providing Cryo setup.
If you’re building around Chen Qianyu and your Endministrator, Pogranichnik is a perfect fit. He applies Breach on enemies by consuming Vulnerability stacks, which increases Physical damage taken, and his Vanguard class keeps the team’s Skill Points flowing. Physical teams aren’t the strongest in Version 1.0 meta, but Pogranichnik raises the ceiling of that team type significantly. He’s an investment in a team that may become more relevant as the game adds content.
Lifeng can operate as a main DPS or sub-DPS on Physical teams and brings Physical Susceptibility debuffs to the table. He also applies 3 Vulnerability stacks via his Battle Skill and Ultimate, and his Ultimate has a strong grouping effect for mob clearing. The caveat is the same as Pogranichnik, Physical teams are currently one step behind the top meta teams. Most players I know running Lifeng are using him while waiting for more Physical content to release.
Ember is a healer and shielder who’s very hard to kill when she’s on the field. She can Knock Down enemies through her Battle Skill and Ultimate, and her sustainability is top tier. The problem is she doesn’t bring buffs or debuffs to amplify team damage, so compared to Ardelia who you already have for free, Ember just doesn’t offer enough extra value to prioritize as your guaranteed pick. She’s not bad, she’s just the weakest choice from this specific pool.
Ardelia is an incredible character, but she was given to every player for free at launch. Picking her here just gives you a duplicate that boosts her Potential level slightly. Unless you’re specifically investing in maxing Ardelia’s Potential, your beginner guarantee is wasted on a character you already own. Use this slot on any of the others above.
The Standard Banner: Who’s Worth Pulling With Chartered Permits
The standard “Basic Headhunting” banner is where you’ll spend most of your long-term Oroberyl after the beginner banner is done. In February 2026, developers also handed out a free Designation Selection Permit to all players, which lets you pick any one 6-star from this banner directly. That’s an even bigger decision than the beginner guarantee, so treat it carefully.
I’ve noticed that a lot of newer players panic-spend their Chartered Permits on the first limited banner they see before understanding the standard pool. That’s usually a mistake. The standard pool has genuinely strong characters, and some of them rival the limited units in terms of actual usefulness.
Rankings based on Version 1.0 / Version 1.02 meta. Last Rite is top priority if you don’t already own her.
Last Rite remains the top standard pick even outside the beginner banner. She’s one of the strongest single-target units in the game, capable of deleting elite enemies and bosses when you’ve built up her Cryo Infliction stacks. Ardelia, while free, benefits massively from Potential upgrades, so pulling dupes of her over time isn’t wasted.
The Limited Banner: Who to Pull and Who You Can Skip
This is where the real gacha pressure lives. Limited operators aren’t on the standard banner and you only have a window to get them. From my experience, it’s always better to identify one priority limited unit per patch and focus your pulls there rather than spreading thin across two banners.
Laevatain is the strongest limited character available at Version 1.0 launch by a significant margin. She’s a Heat Striker who stacks Melting Flame to trigger AoE explosions. Her Ultimate transforms her basic attacks into chain-heat lasers that clear entire waves at once. I usually describe her as the best mob-clearer in the game right now. She’s also surprisingly functional in single-target content, which makes her one of the most versatile carries you can own. Her only limitation is that she works best with teammates who apply Heat Infliction consistently. Wulfgard is her best Heat enabler and Antal provides Susceptibility stacks, but she’s strong even without an optimal team.
Yvonne is the other heavy hitter. Where Laevatain burns down groups, Yvonne freezes single targets. She’s a Cryo DPS who excels at boss fights, bursting down Elites with her Ultimate. Her best team pairs her with Gilberta and Xaihi, though that combination takes time to assemble. Yvonne is strong but slightly harder to use than Laevatain because she needs more setup to reach her full damage ceiling.
Gilberta is one of the most sought-after limited support characters. She pulls enemies into clusters with gravity wells, reduces their defenses, and enables Arts reactions. Most players I know who run Yvonne specifically want Gilberta to pair with her. She’s a meta-defining support who’s expected to stay relevant through multiple versions. If you’re not building an Arts team, you can wait on Gilberta. If you are, she’s nearly mandatory for Yvonne teams.
| Limited Character | Element / Role | Best Team Partner | Pull Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laevatain | Heat / AoE DPS | Wulfgard, Antal | Pull Now |
| Yvonne | Cryo / Single Target DPS | Gilberta, Xaihi | Pull If Able |
| Gilberta | Nature / CC Support | Yvonne, AoE Strikers | Yvonne Teams Only |
| Avywenna | Electric / DPS | Perlica | Situational |
| Tangtang (v1.1) | Cryo / Caster | TBD | Upcoming |
F2P-Friendly Operators You Shouldn’t Sleep On
Not every good Arknights Endfield character costs you a limited pull. There are a handful of 4-star and 5-star operators you’ll naturally accumulate through pulling that can slot into almost any team and actually carry their weight.
Akekuri is the most surprising one. She’s a 4-star who generates Skill Points for the team and works in virtually every team composition. From my experience, she ends up being one of the most versatile and frequently used operators in the entire roster at Version 1.0, often competing with 6-stars for a team slot. She’s been nerfed from the beta but she’s still an S-tier flex pick.
Perlica is your early Electric team enabler. She applies Electric Infliction and Electrification to set up your team’s combo rotations, and she stays relevant through most of the story as a reliable sub-DPS. She’s not the most exciting character to pull for, but if you’re running Avywenna, you need her.
Alesh deserves a mention too. He supplies SP to the team and provides unconditional Cryo Infliction on his Ultimate, which can speed up rotations in Cryo compositions. He’s found new value with the arrival of Gilberta and Yvonne, and the community has pushed him up significantly in tier rankings since launch.
How the Gacha System Works in Arknights Endfield
If you’re coming from other gacha games, Arknights Endfield’s system should feel familiar with a few differences worth knowing. The game splits currency into Oroberyl, which you use to buy Permits, and the Permits themselves, which come in Basic and Chartered varieties for different banner types. There’s also Bond Quota currency from pulling that you can spend in a rotating shop to directly buy a character’s Employment Contract and add them to your roster.
The pity system works the same way across banners. You’re building toward a guaranteed 6-star within a set number of pulls, and that counter carries over between banners in the same category. The beginner banner “New Horizons Headhunting” is capped at 40 pulls with a guaranteed operator from its specific pool, making it one of the most predictable pulls in the game. Don’t skip it or rush past it without making a deliberate choice.
One thing I’ve noticed that catches people off guard: the Bond Quota shop rotates every few weeks. If there’s a character available you want, check back regularly and don’t let the window close on you. These contracts can also upgrade a character if you already own them, which makes the shop useful even for veterans.
