Written by
Published on: 2023-11-30
Updated on: 2025-03-13
If you enjoy our content and want to support it, you can do it with this link :)
Support our contentOne of the main concerns for new players starting off in not only NIKKE but a lot of team based gacha games is wondering if the units they are using are strong and powerful enough to help them progress through the game.
However, there are more factors than just “This/These characters are the best” and “They will always work”
If you have ever looked at the in game system that shows which other players have cleared a stage, and they are lower power than you, but you keep wondering why you can’t or are looking to learn a bit more about why certain teams just work, then hopefully this guide will help you figure out the small (or large) nuances to why some teams are stronger and more optimal than others.
Some things to get out of the way right away:
Also remember that any character can and should be used, especially if it is a character you love or are a big fan of.
We are never going to be the ones to tell you not to use a unit, especially if she is your fave. If you can take anything away from this guide, and it helps you progress with the unit you love, then that is an even better result than taking whatever is meta, because at least you are making fun in the best way possible for yourself!
Outside of making sure your team can fully rotate (1 NIKKE of each burst type), the only other important aspect of any team is synergies between units and skills.
The more you look at what buffs units bring and why players commonly pick these units, the more you’ll understand why certain buffs will always be strong or sought after. Here’s an example of each class type that NIKKE currently has, and why they are good at filling their role.
Disclaimer: The game tends to be a bit muddy with how units are classified. Units like Cinderella are considered a “Defender” while they are one of the strongest damage dealers in the game. So use these role descriptions as an example.
Usually burst 1 characters that provide buffs and cooldown reduction (CDR from now on). CDR is a really important concept we’ll talk more about down below.
Supporter units usually give the team offensive buffs while not doing a lot of damage themselves and help you have more consistent rotations in between bursts.
Nowadays we have general buffs (ATK, attack damage, damage taken) and character based buffs that work better on specific characters (pierce, sustained damage, true damage, etc.).
We do not usually run pure healers as supports. NIKKE values offensive buffs way more than heals unless specific bosses require them, but those can also be included in this category.
Example of units that fit this criteria:
Cube: Resilience. Charge speed or max ammo cubes if no empty spaces on Resilience.
Overload: Charge speed and Max ammo take priority. ATK as filler line, the rest doesn’t really matter. Two decent lines of charge speed / max ammo are more than enough, don’t try to get it on all her pieces.
Cube: Considering the burst gen she provides for the team, either Bastion or Resilience work wonders regardless of how many lines of max ammo you get.
Overload: ONLY 1 max ammo lines should be enough, no need for more. Elemental and ATK take priority. Critical damage and hit rate as filler lines. Crit rate as last option since she already gets a lot on her burst.
Cube: Resilience or Bastion are the best option, like most units in the game. Quantum could be used if your team is low on burst generation.
Overload: Support unit so it doesn’t matter what you get. ATK, max ammunition and elemental damage are desirable but not required.
Amazing support providing offensive buffs and repairing the cover for the team. Used since day 1 and doesn't look like she's going anywhere.
Let the grandma retire Shift Up.
Cube: Resilience or Bastion, like most units in the game will benefit Naga the most.
Overload: Basic stats for Naga: Elemental DMG, ATK and max ammunition capacity work.
One of the best support in the game even without using Tia. Doesn't require a lot of investment. Can be used on any team as your main support.
Cube: Resilience if overloaded with max ammo. If not, Wingman works.
Overload: The only thing she needs is a couple lines of max ammunition capacity. Of course, any type of elemental lines will also help if you’re min maxing.
Usually burst 2 and in some situations burst 1 characters. They shield, repair your cover, provide max HP (and sometime heals), taunt and make sure everyone is alive.
These characters need offensive buffs to be worth using since pure tank units are pretty bad on the current meta of the game (Centi for example is not used nowadays since she “only” shields the team and provides burst generation).
Cube: Resilience or Bastion are the best option, like most units in the game. Quantum could be used if your team is low on burst generation.
Overload: Support unit so it doesn’t matter what you get. ATK, max ammunition and elemental damage are desirable but not required.
Cube: Resilience so you can spam for burst generation faster. Bastion if she has max ammo lines on her OL.
Overload: Benefits from the CP that overload gear gives, not any specific stat. Charge speed and max ammo if you manual her for burst generation.
Cube: Like most machine guns, Bastion cube is the play if you have enough max ammunition lines. If not, Resilience or Quantum.
Overload: Max ammunition capacity takes priority. After that, you can fill with elemental attack, AKT and DEF lines.
Cube: Resilience for faster reload. Quantum could work if your account is low level and you don’t have any more spots open on other cubes.
Overload: Other than ATK for her heals, the rest of the stats can be fillers. Charge speed and max ammo capacity are good options.
The usual damage dealer characters every game with roles has. Most of them are burst 3 units.
They can be divided into hyper carries, sub-DPS and off burst units (characters that don’t need to burst and just give buffs or extra damage over a 3-minute fight).
Cube: Doesn’t really matter what cube you use, a big part of her damage comes from her drones. Resilience & Bastion are the usual suspects.
Overload: Elemental damage and ATK take priority. Since a lot of her damage comes from the drones, charge speed/damage is not mandatory but always welcome. Max ammo capacity and crit as filler lines.
Cube: Bastion like most machine guns. If she’s not built with one hit rate line, Assault.
Overload: Important to get 1 line of hit rate. Rest of priority goes to max ammo capacity, ATK and elemental damage.
Cube: Bastion is the best cube for most shotguns. She’s the fastest reloading shotgun in the game, so no need to use Resilience.
Overload: Support and sub-dps unit, so it doesn’t really matter what you get. Elemental damage, hit rate and max ammo can help.
Amazing support if paired with Blanc or Rouge. Doesn't require a lot of investment but it's recommended. Can be used on her own as support
Cube: Bastion if you have enough max ammo lines. Resilience otherwise.
Overload: Focus on Elemental DMG and max ammo. ATK second priority since she gets 95% on her own already. Filler lines with crit. You can ignore hit rate.
Too strong. Best burst 1 and burst 3 in the game. Best fire and iron DPS in the game. Best CDR and even when acting as burst 1 provides amazing damage on her own.
Cube: Bastion. Even playing without bunny girls, she can self sustain and get infinite ammo with a couple good lines and the cube.
Overload: At least 1-2 lines of max ammo capacity for self sustain. After that you can focus on adding more damage with ATK, elemental damage and a mix between crit and charge damage / speed.
Amazing single target damage. Despite being a rocket launcher, can be built for infinite ammunition if you get 1-2 lines of max ammo and use bastion cube.
Like normal Scarlet, can be used on most content as a DPS without worrying about team compositions.
A fairly simple concept to understand is that most teams will run a “1-1-3” composition (one burst 1, one burst 2 and three burst 3’s)
A Burst 1 with a 20-second burst cooldown, A burst 2 with a 20-second cooldown, and 3 burst 3 units with a 40-second cooldown.
With this you are able to rotate between 2/3 Burst 3 units with a bit of choice on your part with only a few seconds of downtime (assuming you have no units with burst cooldown reduction)
There are other variations of team compositions that will vary based on the base burst cooldown of some units and the game mode you’re currently playing. Some burst 1’s and 2’s have varying cooldowns (40 seconds or 60 seconds in some cases) and will require you to change how your team rotates.
Realistically you cannot have a team without at least 2 Burst 3 units or else you’ll be in full burst once every 2 rotations which is not ideal in a full fight (of 3 minutes).
Regardless of what units you choose to use:
