Arknights Endfield Best Early AIC Facility Upgrade Order for New Accounts

Early AIC upgrades in Arknights Endfield should go into core automation first, Resourcing, Logistics, Processing, and Power in Tier I–II, before touching Combat or most Exploration nodes. This keeps your factory, outposts, and gear pipelines online without wasting Expansion Cores on low-impact perks.

General Rules for Early AIC Upgrades

New-account priorities across multiple base guides are very consistent.

• Rush main story to roughly Chapter 3 to fully unlock the AIC, then start investing cores.​
• Always unlock core production before combat toys: Resourcing → Logistics → Processing → Power.
• Leave Combat (towers) and most Exploration (non-essential tools) until you feel hard-gated by a map or specific puzzle.

Think of it as “make the factory good first, then worry about turrets and ziplines.”

Recommended Early Upgrade Order (Tier I–II)

From a fresh AIC unlock, a simple, safe order looks like this.

1. Power basics
   • PAC/Sub-PAC power output and basic Relay Tower / Pylon range/efficiency.
   • Reason: You cannot run stable belts or factories without a reliable grid, and bad power is the biggest early bottleneck.
2. Resourcing I (Material Collection)
   • Mining I efficiency and extra nodes for early ores (Originium, Amethyst, Ferrium later).
   • Reason: Stronger mining directly feeds all gear, construction, and Outpost Orders.
3. Logistics I (Transport & Storage)
   • Belt/cargo throughput, early Depot/Storage improvements, basic distribution tools.
   • Reason: Prevents production from stalling due to full outputs or weak belts.
4. Processing I (Refining & Crafting)
   • Smelter/Refinery/Factory efficiency buffs and unlocks for core recipes.
   • Reason: Makes every ore/plant you mine go further, which is crucial while node access is limited.
5. Outpost / Order-related nodes (where available)
   • Depot Node, Recycling Stations, Redistribution Terminals, and other “timegated” structures that improve Order rewards and automatic turn-in.​
   • Reason: These structures generate rewards passively over time, so upgrading them early maximizes long-term returns.
6. Resourcing II, Logistics II, Processing II, Power II
   • Strengthen the same core four trees into Tier II before major Combat investments.
   • Reason: Tier II is where automation starts feeling smooth—better yields, less micromanagement, and enough power to expand layouts.

Only after these steps should you start unlocking more expensive Combat tools (attack/heal towers) and optional Exploration toys beyond essentials like basic ziplines.

What to Delay or Skip Early

Several upgrades are explicitly called out as low priority for new accounts.

• Combat AIC Plan group:
  • Tower-defense style support (offensive and healing towers) is “cool but non-essential” and mainly helps in optional modes.
• Most Exploration upgrades:
  • Aside from basic tools (ziplines, relay interactions), many exploration perks can wait until you hit real movement or puzzle walls.
• Overbuilding power in Corrosion Zones:
  • LDShop warns not to place Geothermal Generators in Corrosion zones because they lose ~2% durability per hour; place them in safe areas and run power lines instead.​

Saving Expansion Cores by skipping these nodes early lets you max out the “factory backbone” much sooner.

Simple Checklist for New Accounts

Base-focused guides boil early AIC planning into a short checklist.

• Unlock AIC fully (story to around Chapter 3), then:
  • Stabilize Power (PAC/Sub-PAC + relays/pylons).
  • Upgrade Resourcing I → Logistics I → Processing I.
  • Grab Outpost/Order helpers (Depot/Redistribution/Recycling nodes).
  • Push Resourcing/Logistics/Processing/Power II before Combat/Exploration luxuries.

Following this order gives new accounts a reliable, automated resource engine that keeps gear, upgrades, and Outpost rewards flowing while you focus on combat and story.