Strategic Overview
Version 1.0 establishes a high-performance threshold where sub-optimal resource allocation results in immediate endgame friction. As players transition from early-game mobbing to high-level bossing encounters, the meta-strategy shifts toward role-specific optimization. The analytical framework for NTE categorizes units into four essential pillars:
- Main DPS — on-field damage anchors
- Sub-DPS / Battery — off-field throughput and energy generation
- Break Specialists — stagger bar depletion
- Support / Healers — survivability and buffing
The definitive mechanical bottleneck in 1.0 bossing is the Stagger Bar. High-damage units hit an artificial damage floor against shielded targets, necessitating Break Specialists like 
Daffodill to reach their maximum ceiling. Beyond simply shattering bars to initiate the knockdown phase, elite Breakers provide specific debuffs — Daffodill's passive specifically nerfs enemy shields, making her a mandatory inclusion for high-efficiency runs. Proper coordination ensures the boss remains in a Break state during your Main DPS's highest burst windows.
Character Investment Hierarchy
In the early-game environment, resource scarcity is absolute. Investing in high-scaling units early prevents the "re-leveling tax" encountered when standard carries fall off in late-game content.
T0 — Meta-Defining
| Character | Role | Why |
|---|---|---|
 Nanally |
Main DPS (Follow-up) | 1.0 gold standard for throughput. Off-field follow-up attacks provide damage continuity during rotations, with anti-gravity traversal for open-world efficiency. |
| Daffodill |
Break Specialist (Shield Shred) | Absolute peak of the Break meta. Essential for destroying boss stagger bars and providing shield-shredding debuffs that enable the rest of the roster to deal unmitigated damage. |
T1 — Utility & Versatility
| Character | Role | Why |
|---|---|---|
 Baicang |
Main DPS (Executioner) | Elite bossing unit with an exceptionally high skill ceiling. Mastering his Power Word rotations yields top-tier single-target results. |
 Jiuyuan |
Hybrid DPS / Healer | Full-package unit offering a hybrid of damage and sustain with crowd control for high-level Beyond the Rails content. |
 Hathor |
Energy Battery / AoE DPS | Premier energy battery. Enables the Esper Cycle while providing significant AoE damage via her feather-stacking mechanic. |
 Adler |
Support / Tank (DoT Staple) | Effectively a 5-star utility unit in an A-rank shell. Provides massive shields and high-value DoT, slotting into almost any elemental archetype. |
T2 — Situational / Niche
| Character | Role | Why |
|---|---|---|
 Haniel |
Buffer / Support | Buffs are prone to interruption in mobile boss encounters, limiting consistent value. |
 Edgar |
Zone-Based Healer | Healing restricted to a static zone, which is a liability in combat requiring mobility. |
 Zero |
Early-Game Flex / Battery | Solid early-game carry with Insta-Cycle utility, though scaling loses momentum against specialized 5-star DPS. |
Team Compositions
Efficiency in NTE is governed by the Esper Cycle, where elemental reactions dictate rotation flow. Beyond standard Blossom (Anima) and Scorch (Incantation), technical play relies on Nova (Chaos/Psyche), Stain (Lakshana/Psyche), and Remora (Cosmos/Lakshana) to multiply total team output.
Team 01 — Anima (Blossom)
A team leveraging Nanally's 30% Crit Buff and "Underboss" Ultimate. Execute Zero's Skill for an Insta-Cycle to instantly proc Blossom, then immediately swap to Nanally to catch the reaction window with her Ultimate. Jiuyuan's crowd control keeps groups clustered for Nanally's AoE follow-ups, while Haniel maintains energy flow across the rotation.
Team 02 — Incantation (Scorch / Discord)
A high-intensity boss-shredding team. Baicang provides the damage ceiling while Daffodill procs Discord for amplified stagger. Sync Sagiri's Press Skill CC with her weapon buff before unleashing Baicang's Skill to maximize damage against controlled targets. Haniel provides the energy backbone to sustain Baicang's costly Power Word rotations.
Team 03 — Cosmos (Remora / Economy)
A specialized Stock Market team where Chiz's damage scales with Fons accumulation and Hathor batteries Chiz's high-cost Ultimate. Initiate Chiz's Grain Settlement only when the market price fluctuations peak to maximize Profit conversion and damage. Jiuyuan handles mob grouping while Haniel supports the overall rotation.
Team 04 — Lakshana (Stain / Remora)
High-consistency DPS using Sagiri's CC and Zero's Esper Cycle generation to keep Skia's damage unhindered. Maintain Skia's on-field uptime until the Stain reaction procs; use Zero's skill only when the Esper Cycle requires a reset.
Team 05 — Chaos (Nova / Discord)
An adaptability-focused team via Lacrimosa's skill-copying mechanic. Paired with Daffodill for the Discord reaction, this composition excels in high-complexity encounters. Identify the boss's highest-multiplier skill and prioritize copying it with Lacrimosa while Daffodill maintains the Discord debuff on the target.
Technical Deep Dive: High-Skill Ceiling Units
Baicang — The Incantation Captain
Baicang is an intricate DPS centered on the Power Word system. His basic attack sequence is varied: Walk the Talk (5-hit melee), Formless Words (triggered by holding Basic after hits 1 or 2), and Unrestrained Words (triggered by holding Basic after hit 3).
Power Word States
Triggering these attacks summons words:
- Silence — single-target DMG
- Objurgate — AoE
- Bless — self-healing / DMG
Judgment of Autumn (Ultimate)
Creates a domain with DoT. Features an "Execute" threshold that instantly defeats standard enemies below 10% HP and bosses below 5% HP.
Survival Mechanics
Baicang consumes 3% of his current HP per Power Word (halved below 50% HP). His Ultimate provides a "Fatal Hit" block, recording the damage and applying it slowly over 10 seconds after the domain ends — creating a heal-back window that skilled players can exploit.
Passive Synergy — "Moderate Working"
Baicang gains a 20% ATK boost when teamed with specific ETD-4 members. Notable interactions:
-
Skia : Switching to Baicang while Skia is in Stealth triggers an immediate attack and a Power Word Silence. -
Fadia : If Fadia's HP drops below 20%, Baicang automatically attacks, heals Fadia, and generates a Power Word Silence. -
Lacrimosa : Switching to Baicang while Lacrimosa is in Bat Form enables a unique super-jump.
Chiz — The Economy Specialist
Chiz is a rhythm-based unit managing Fons (currency) and Grain. Her skill varies by input:
- Tap — quick damage
- 3-Times — sequential combo
- Hold — continuous Grain consumption for massive Cosmos DMG
Zero-Sum Game (Ultimate)
Chiz enters the Grain Market, immediately converting all remaining Grain Loans into Profit. During the 7-second market window, Grain Settlement is determined by market price fluctuations. Upon market exit or character swap, Chiz prioritizes using all current Grain to repay existing Debt — proper timing is required to ensure she exits in a Profit state.
Arcs & Equipment
Arcs are the primary equipment layer defining role specialization.
| Character | Recommended Arc | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Nanally |
Her limited Arc | Optimal — no substitutes. |
| Chiz |
Free Fons weapon | Out-scales all options as total account wealth increases. |
| Baicang |
Camellia Society | Silent Garden refinement increases Crit DMG when HP is reduced without taking damage — perfectly syncing with his Power Word HP consumption. Note that the Arc randomly triggers Harsh Rebuke (5-hit AoE) or Incessant Nagging (piercing 6-hit DMG), adding a minor RNG factor to rotations. |