Arknights Endfield Best Early Game Operators for Story Clearing
Arknights: Endfield’s early story is easiest when you anchor around one or two hard‑carrying DPS operators, backed by a sturdy defender and at least one strong support. Early tier lists consistently place Ardelia plus a top Physical or Heat carry at the center of the best story‑clearing squads.
Core S-Tier Story Carries
These operators are widely rated S tier and can carry most early chapters almost by themselves when properly supported.
| Role | Operator | Why they’re top-tier for story | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arts carry / flex | Ardelia (6★) | Nature Arts unit with huge stagger, corrosion, and universal damage buffs; repeatedly rated S/T0 as a meta‑defining all‑content carry who fits into nearly any team. | ProGameGuides tier list / Endfield.gg tier list |
| Heat striker DPS | Laevatain (6★) | Heat Striker whose Ultimate turns basics into a melting chain; described as “exceptionally strong” for both mobbing and bosses, especially paired with Ardelia’s corrosion. | ProGameGuides operator list |
| Cryo greatsword DPS | Last Rite (6★) | Cryo Arts Nachzehrer with huge stagger and invulnerable Ultimate; S‑tier pick that shreds bosses and thrives in mixed‑element comps. | Icy‑Veins tier list |
| Vanguard sub‑DPS | Pogranichnik (6★) | Top Vanguard who refunds SP and stacks Physical/Breach vulnerability, letting your main DPS delete high‑HP targets faster. | Endfield.gg tier list |
Ardelia is free from launch login, so most early‑game story teams naturally center on Ardelia + one premium DPS (Laevatain, Last Rite, or Pogranichnik).
Best Early Defenders and Sustainers
Staying alive in long stages is just as important as raw DPS, especially while learning stagger and elemental mechanics.
| Role | Operator | Why they’re ideal early | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cryo defender | Snowshine (5★) | Defensive wall with strong stagger, self‑sustain, and AoE Cryo zones; rated S tier and heavily recommended as a universal early tank. | ProGameGuides tier entry |
| Hybrid defender | Ember (listed as tank/support) | Versatile frontliner with area denial and minor healing; tier lists highlight Ember as a safe early anchor for “survival‑first” play. | Mumu tier list |
| Support / sustain | Antal (4★) | Electric support that applies Focus debuff and big damage amplification for Heat/Electric teams while providing utility healing. | Mumu tier list – Antal writeup |
Snowshine and Ember are often recommended as early promotion targets because they make mistakes forgiving while you learn boss patterns.
Strong Free and Low-Rarity Operators
Several free or easy‑to‑get operators consistently rank highly for story clearing and are safe early investments.
| Role | Operator | Early-game value | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Heat DPS | Akekuli | Freely obtained Heat damage dealer used in “low‑cost Heat team” guides; pairs perfectly with Laevatain and Ardelia. | LDShop free-operator guide |
| Physical core | Endministrator (MC) | Central physical DPS in recommended early Physical teams; always available and scales well with basic investment. | LDShop team-build guide |
| Physical enabler | Chen Qianyu | Highlighted as the key partner for Endministrator in “Top Early Game Physical Team,” with intuitive DEF‑reduction gameplay. | LDShop team-build guide |
| Budget support | Antal | As above, a standout 4★ support that massively boosts Heat/Electric comps and is cheap to build. | Mumu / ProGameGuides tier notes |
Guides repeatedly recommend Physical core (Endministrator + Chen Qianyu) or Heat core (Laevatain + Akekuli + Ardelia + Antal) as the two easiest early‑game story lineups.
Recommended Story-Clearing Lineups
Putting it together, early story teams that feel very smooth to play usually follow these templates.
| Team concept | Example core | Why it clears story so well | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heat overkill team | Laevatain, Ardelia, Akekuli, Antal/Snowshine | Laevatain and Akekuli melt waves while Ardelia and Antal amp Heat/Nature damage; Snowshine stabilizes tougher maps. | LDShop low-cost Heat team |
| Physical starter team | Endministrator, Chen Qianyu, Snowshine/Ember, Ardelia/Antal | Simple DEF‑reduction gameplay, strong stagger, and flexible support from Ardelia or Antal; recommended as “safest” early comp. | LDShop team-building guide |
| Mixed S-tier carry team | Ardelia, Laevatain or Last Rite, Pogranichnik, Snowshine | Stacks multiple S‑tier units; trivializes most early story with overwhelming stagger, buffs, and survivability. | Endfield.gg & Icy‑Veins tier lists |
For day‑one accounts, the most efficient path is to invest early resources into Ardelia + one main DPS (Laevatain / Last Rite / Endministrator) plus one tank (Snowshine or Ember) and one support (Antal or Chen Qianyu), then expand only after you start hitting difficulty walls.
