Best Starter Teams and Team Compositions in Arknights Endfield
Build powerful starter teams in Arknights Endfield. Find the best Physical, Cryo, Pyro, and Electric team compositions with optimal operator synergies
Building the right team in Arknights: Endfield is the difference between effortlessly crushing bosses and struggling through basic frontier skirmishes. While the combat system feels intuitive at first—switching Operators to fire off skills—the real depth lies in mastering Elemental Reactions and Operator Synergies.
Your composition dictates your combat rhythm, damage ceiling, and SP efficiency. A well-synergized squad can chain Inflictions into devastating Elemental Bursts, stack Vulnerability for massive Physical finishers, and maintain a near-infinite skill loop. Whether you are aiming for the high-impact Physical Shatter meta or the accessible Mono-Electric F2P builds, this guide breaks down the best starter teams for the 1.0 roster to ensure you dominate Talos-II from day one.
Before we dive into specific team builds, check out our Arknights Endfield guides hub for tips on progression, resource farming, and general gameplay mechanics. And if you’re wondering whether to reroll for specific operators, our reroll guide can help you decide.
Download Arknights Endfield on PC via Epic Games, Android, or visit the official website for more information.
Physical Damage Team: Vulnerable Stack Strategy
Core Team: Endmin, Chen, Pogranichnik, Ember
This team revolves around one simple concept: stack Vulnerable on enemies, then crush them with either Endmin’s Crush status or Pogranichnik’s Breach. The synergy here is tight, and when executed properly, you’ll melt through enemy health bars.
Chen is your primary Vulnerable applicator. She can stack three Vulnerable debuffs on a target using only two SP, making her incredibly efficient. Ember adds flexibility to the rotation—if you can trigger her Combo Skill by taking a hit, you’ll instantly max out Vulnerable stacks on your target. This sets up perfectly for your main damage dealers.
The ideal rotation goes like this: stack Vulnerable with Chen, trigger Pogranichnik’s Breach for bonus damage, then finish with Endmin’s Crush for maximum burst. Pogranichnik also helps with SP recovery, keeping your rotation smooth and consistent.
For detailed build recommendations, check out our Endministrator best build guide to optimize your damage output.
Alternative Physical Team Options
Not everyone has Pogranichnik, and that’s fine—this team archetype has solid alternatives that work almost as well.
Ardelia brings Physical Susceptibility to the table, which increases the Physical Damage enemies take. Start your rotation with her Final Strike, then follow up with her Combo and Battle Skills to apply the debuff. She’s a strong substitute that shifts the team slightly toward a different debuff strategy. Our Ardelia best build guide has more details on maximizing her potential.
Lifeng can also apply Physical Susceptibility, but his trigger condition is different—his Battle Skill needs to hit a target with zero Vulnerable stacks. This requires more careful timing, but it’s doable if you manage your rotations properly.
For additional support options, consider Da Pan for extra Vulnerable application or Akekuri for SP recovery. If Ember isn’t pulling her weight, swapping her out for one of these operators can help smooth out your team’s performance.
Last Rite Hyper Carry Team: Cryo Dominance
Core Team: Last Rite, Xaihi, Perlica, Ardelia
Last Rite is one of the hardest-hitting operators in the game, but she needs Cryo Infliction applied to enemies before she can unleash her full potential. She can manage decent damage solo, but pairing her with the right support turns her into an absolute powerhouse.
Xaihi is the perfect partner for Last Rite. Her kit synergizes beautifully with Last Rite’s Final Strike-focused playstyle. Xaihi’s Battle Skill provides healing when you perform a Final Strike, or if you’re already at full health, it grants an Arts Amp buff instead. After two Final Strikes, you can trigger Xaihi’s Combo Skill to apply Cryo Infliction, setting up Last Rite for massive damage.
Perlica and Ardelia round out the team by amplifying Last Rite’s damage through Electrification, Corrosion, and Arts Susceptibility. Both have Combo Skills that trigger from Final Strikes, and they provide value without needing to spam their Battle Skills. This keeps your rotation simple while maximizing buffs on your main carry.
If you need more frequent Cryo Infliction application, replace Perlica with Estella. She shifts the team toward more consistent elemental coverage at the cost of some damage amplification.
For optimal performance, our Last Rite best build guide and Last Rite best team comp guide offer deeper insights into her kit and synergies.
Laevatain Hyper Carry Team: AoE Pyro Destruction
Core Team: Laevatain, Akekuri, Wulfgard, Antal
When it comes to clearing groups of enemies, Laevatain stands out as the best AoE damage dealer in Endfield’s current roster. Her output is ridiculous—provided you can keep Heat Infliction applied to enemies constantly. That’s where Akekuri and Wulfgard come in.
Akekuri is fantastic for any team that relies on Arts Reactions. Her Ultimate provides SP recovery, which keeps your team’s skills flowing. Wulfgard functions as a sub-DPS who focuses on applying Heat Infliction consistently, ensuring Laevatain always has targets primed for her kit.
The strategy is straightforward: set everything on fire. Laevatain builds stacks of Melting Flame as she deals damage to enemies with Heat Infliction. At four stacks, her Battle Skill empowers, letting her deal significantly more damage and forcibly applying Combust to all enemies in a large area. Watching entire enemy packs burn down is extremely satisfying.
Antal serves as your primary buffer. He can apply Heat Susceptibility instantly with his Battle Skill, and whenever you trigger an Arts Infliction like Heat Infliction, you can use his Combo Skill to apply even more Heat. If you prefer more survivability, Ardelia can replace Antal for extra healing, though you’ll lose some of the offensive buffs.
For more on optimizing Laevatain, check out our Laevatain best build guide and Laevatain best team comp guide.
Mono Electric Team: Electrification Focus
Core Team: Avywenna, Arclight, Perlica, Antal
This team is built entirely around applying Electric Infliction and letting Avywenna demolish everything in her path. Her kit rewards precise execution—when she hits a target with Electric Infliction using her Final Strike, she can trigger her Combo Skill to release spears behind the enemy. Her Battle Skill recalls those spears, causing massive piercing damage to anything they pass through on their way back.
Perlica and Antal amplify Avywenna’s damage through their support abilities, while Arclight handles SP recovery through her Combo Skill. Arclight can also consume Electric Infusion and Electrification with her Battle Skill and Ultimate, giving you more control over when and how you trigger reactions.
Timing is critical here. Don’t use Arclight’s Battle Skill until Avywenna has finished spawning her spears—consuming the Electric Infliction too early ruins your setup and wastes damage potential. Once you get the hang of the rotation, this team feels incredibly smooth and puts out serious numbers.
Team Building Tips and Synergies
Understanding how operators work together is just as important as knowing individual kits. Here are some general tips for building effective teams:
Elemental Reactions Matter: Most high-damage teams rely on applying and consuming elemental statuses like Cryo Infliction, Heat Infliction, or Electric Infliction. Check our elemental reactions guide to understand how these mechanics work and which operators trigger them best.
SP Management is Key: Operators like Akekuri and Pogranichnik help with SP recovery, keeping your rotation smooth. Without proper SP management, you’ll find yourself waiting for skills to come off cooldown at the worst times.
Debuff Stacking: Teams that stack debuffs like Vulnerable, Physical Susceptibility, or Heat Susceptibility can multiply their damage output significantly. Pay attention to how many stacks you can apply and which operators benefit most from them.
Know Your Stats: Understanding stats like Arts Damage, Physical Damage, and elemental amplification helps you make better gear and team decisions. Our stats guide breaks down how each stat affects combat.
Progression and Long-Term Team Development
These starter teams are strong enough to carry you through most early content, but as you progress, you’ll want to refine your builds and upgrade your operators. Here are some resources to help:
- Leveling and Promotion: Our level up and promote characters guide explains how to efficiently upgrade operators
- Resource Farming: Check our battery production guide and aerospace materials guide for essential upgrade materials
- Base Building: Expand your capabilities with our expand Core AIC area guide and Control Nexus Growth Chamber guide
- Gear Optimization: Use our gear templates guide to standardize your equipment setups
For general character information, our characters guide provides an overview of the entire roster.
Switching Between Teams
Don’t feel locked into one team composition. Arknights Endfield encourages flexibility, and some content favors specific damage types or playstyles. Learning how to switch Endministrator between teams efficiently helps you adapt to different challenges.
If you’re exploring the world and need quick access to resources, our quick stash guide and Aburrey Quarry Aurylene locations guide can help you farm collectibles efficiently.
For a smoother gameplay experience, check out our best settings guide and 60fps mid-range laptop settings if you’re struggling with performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which starter team is the best overall?
It depends on what operators you have and your preferred playstyle. The Physical team built around Endmin, Chen, and Pogranichnik is extremely consistent and works well in most situations. However, if you have Last Rite or Laevatain, building a hyper carry team around them can output higher damage once properly set up. Try each team archetype and see which one feels best for your playstyle.
Can I mix operators from different team archetypes?
Yes, but be careful about synergies. Some operators work across multiple teams (like Ardelia or Akekuri), while others are very specialized. Mixing Physical and Elemental operators can work if they share buff mechanics, but avoid spreading your elemental coverage too thin. Focus on one or two elemental types per team for maximum effectiveness.
How important is the gacha for building these teams?
Somewhat important, but manageable. The Physical team is very accessible since Endmin is free and Chen is relatively common. The hyper carry teams require specific 5-star operators (Last Rite or Laevatain), so your gacha luck matters more there. If you’re curious about your odds, check our gacha system guide for details on pull rates and pity mechanics.
What should I focus on first when building a team?
Start by getting your main damage dealer to a respectable level—around level 30-40 for early content. Then focus on your supports, prioritizing those that provide essential buffs or debuffs. Don’t neglect gear either—proper weapon and accessory choices can make a bigger difference than a few extra levels. Use our character-specific build guides to understand stat priorities for each operator.
