S Hoshiguma ? Summary <span style="color:green;">+ DPS Defender<br> + Talent: Chance to resist Physical and Arts damage<br> + E2 Talent: Buffs the DEF of all other Defenders<br> + Great DPS and DEF option with S3 that doesn't have the penalties like other DPS Defenders<br> + Very high HP makes her a nice meatball tank<br></span> <span style="color:red;"> - As long as Liskarm can survive, she usually provides more utility as a DPS Defender than Hoshi</span> Overview <p><em>“Anyone who wants to hurt my friends must answer to this shield.” </em></p> <p>And answer they will. Armed with a triangular shield adorned with the motif of her Oni heritage, Hoshiguma is a powerful, offensively-oriented Defender who can reflect damage or deal AoE damage.</p> <p>Hoshiguma’s kit embodies her ferocity, granting her the offensive capabilities to literally grind her enemies down. Hoshiguma's first Talent, <strong>Tactical Armor</strong>, grants her a chance to resist both physical and arts damage. Her first Skill, <strong>Warpath</strong>, provides a standard Defense and Attack buff. Her second skill, <strong>Thorns</strong>, is a passive Skill that grants her a slight Defense buff and deals a portion of her Attack in physical damage to all enemies that attack her. In particular, this Skill fills a niche when dealing with invisible ranged enemies at a distance, as these enemies cannot normally be attacked by other Operators without first being blocked, or by having a rare detection Skill/Talent. Hoshiguma’s third Skill, <strong>Saw of Strength</strong>, turns her into a literal grinder, allowing her to attack all enemies in front of her while simultaneously granting large buffs to her Attack and Defense. This Skill allows Hoshiguma to quickly deal with large groups of enemies, significantly decreasing the burden on your defensive line.</p> <p>Hoshiguma is a very straightforward Defender Operator, but this is also her greatest weakness. She excels at being an effective tank that also deals good damage, but does not provide much unique support or utility outside of her second Talent, <strong>Special Operation</strong>, which grants a slight Defense buff to all other Defenders. Despite having a niche use for dealing with invisible ranged enemies, Hoshiguma does not fill many other irreplaceable roles.</p> <p>Despite her honest Skill-set, Hoshiguma is an excellent choice for a standard Defender. Her fierce skills will protect the defensive line and open up the way to begin the counter-offensive.</p> Nian ? Summary <span style="color:green;">+ Talent 1: significant boost to HP of all Defenders<br> + Talent 2: Blocks first 3 attacks (no damage), great for soaking special attacks or high-damage phases<br> + DPS/defense/support hybrid enables flexible use<br> + S1 and S2: deal Arts Damage.<br> + S2: disables enemy special abilities and increases her block count<br> + S3: buffs all nearby allies in a large range, increasing their block count, giving them status resistance, and increasing their DEF. Especially good for Defenders and Operators with abilities that hit multiple enemies based on Block count. Useful for helping Operators survive Aak buffs.<br></span> = Pure DPS and Silence roles are usually more effectively provided by other Operators<br> = Talent 2 shield use can be tricky to optimize when used as a core Defender<br> <span style="color:red;">- Being a Limited Operator makes increasing Potential very difficult<br> - S2: Silence not effective against enemies with very long attack intervals<br> - S3: Increasing Block can be detrimental to some Operators</span> Overview <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Most of the time, Nian is something of a slacker, preferring to play mahjong and plan independent movies rather than focus on work. However, when the chips are down, Nian shows her true colors as a draconian </span></span></span><strong><span><span>6</span></span></strong></span></span></span>★<span><span><span><strong><span><span> Normal Defender</span></span></strong><span><span><span> whose unique blend of </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>survival tools</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>defensive buffs</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Arts damage</span></span></strong><span><span><span> can change the flow of battle.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>First, a special note: Nian is Arknight’s first limited gacha unit. She was available only on a special Chinese New Year banner and was not added to the regular gacha pool after the banner ended. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Nian’s E1 Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Tectonic Armor</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, is a useful but generic buff that increases the HP of all allied Defenders, and her E2 Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Clairvoyance</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, grants her three “shields” upon deployment that block the first three hits she takes. This allows Nian to be used to absorb crushing enemy special abilities or to give your healers some breathing room when deployed in high-damage situations.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span>Even after her <strong>Clairvoyance </strong></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>shields are consumed, Nian has a lot to offer. Her Skill 1, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Tin Burning</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, increases Nian’s ATK and already-high DEF and causes her attacks to deal Arts damage. Since Nian’s ATK is good for a Defender, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Tin Burning</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> can deal a decent amount of damage, especially against armored targets. Her Skill 2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Copper Seal</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, is more defensive: while active, Nian stops attacking, gains a huge DEF boost and Block +1, and counters enemy attacks with an Arts-damage blast that also Silences the attacker (preventing their special abilities). However, all of this pales in comparison to the utility of her Skill 3, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Iron Defense</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>. It grants Nian a large ATK buff, but more importantly, it supports allies in a wide area around Nian by giving them bonus DEF, the Resist buff (halves duration of Stun, Cold, and Freeze), </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>and Block +1</span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>. Nian giving herself Block +1 is already strong, but giving it to allies can be game-changing.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The power of a dragon is staggering, but it’s not always easy to harness. Like all Defenders, Nian costs a lot of DP to deploy, and her shields can be under-utilized if using her as a core team Defender. Her second and third Skills have pretty high SP costs, and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Iron Defense, </span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>though strong, needs to be used with care: giving an AoE Guard (like Specter) Block +1 is great, but giving a Controller Specialist (like Manticore) Block +1 can get her killed. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Is Nian worth the effort? YES. Her great stats and potent Skills pack a punch that cannot be ignored. For this year and all others, here’s wishing you all good luck for your Chinese New Year pulls!</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p>For more detailed information see the <a href="https://gamepress.gg/arknights/operator-spotlight/arknights-new-operator-spotlight-nian">Nian Operator Spotlight</a>!</p>

A+ Liskarm ? Summary <span style="color:green;">+ DPS Defender<br> + Performs ranged attacks that can hit aerial enemies<br> + E2 Talent: Passive Arts Resistance<br> + Talent: When attacked, grants +1 SP to self and random adjacent ally<br> + S2: Strong Arts damage and stun<br> + S1: Good DEF Skill<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- S2: Self-stun can troll you<br> - S1: Automatic activation means it is not completely reliable<br> - Not as durable as the other 5 and 6* DEF Defenders<br></span> Overview <p dir="ltr"><em>“Thunder ROAR!”</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Often underestimated because of her race and small stature, this pragmatic yet determined Blacksteel security consultant has an electrifying stare that surges across the battlefield. Liskarm is a 5★ Defender specializing in DPS, ranged attacks, and SP generation. </p> <p dir="ltr">Through the use of her pistol, Liskarm has extended range and can hit aerial enemies making her unique in the Defender lineup. Her Talent, <strong>Tactical Defense</strong>, is one engine in the SP-charge-and-skill-spam meme machine; it restores one skill point to her and a random adjacent operator when she gets attacked. At Elite 2 she gains an additional Talent, <strong>Thunder Resistance</strong>, which makes her one of the few Defense/DPS Defenders to have innate Arts Resistance.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her first Skill, <strong>Charged Defense</strong>, significantly increases Liskarm’s defensive capabilities automatically. Her second Skill, <strong>Counter Arc</strong>, turns her into a multi-attack thunderstorm dealing <strong>Arts</strong> damage to multiple units with a small stun chance. Because of the offensive nature of the skill, Liskarm relies on the stun to help alleviate damage taken. This skill is especially useful against groups and heavily armored enemies. The price Liskarm pays for the power surge is exhaustion; she is stunned for 5 seconds after the skill duration. Since she cannot block while stunned, there is a danger that enemies will leak past her if it is used recklessly without proper back-up. With careful positioning Liskarm can turn the tide of battle, while empowering her allies while blocking, stunning, and dealing massive damage to her enemies.</p>

A Croissant ? Summary <span style="color:green;">+ Talent: Physical and Arts Resist with half applied to adjacent allies<br> + Very durable DEF and HP with a strong DEF S1 option<br> + Extremely useful S2 that can replace the need for Specialists on some maps</span><br> <span style="color:red;">- S2 knocks enemies away from Croissant in all directions so enemies can be thrown in unintended directions if they aren't grouped together in front of her.<br> - S1 is automatic so it is not guaranteed to be active when you need it most, though it does have good up-time.<br></span> Overview <p><span><span><span><span><em><span>“My name's Croissant, and by golly yer in luck, Baws! Ya won't find many as good at their trade as I am! I'm strong, last forever, 'n if ya hire me right now, ya get a 20% discount!”</span></em></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Casual, carefree, and coin-obsessed, Croissant brings her complacent attitude and her considerable strength to Rhodes Island as a 5* Defender Operator. In addition to her crazy </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>durability</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, Croissant dabbles in a few part-time odd jobs, including </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Pushing enemies</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> and even a little </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>team support</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Croissant supplements her top-tier HP and DEF with her </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Miracle Field</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Talent, which gives her and any adjacent allies a chance to resist incoming damage, be it Physical or Arts. Her Skill 1, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Auto Defense</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, increases her DEF and the activation chance of her Talent. The Skill’s automatic activation means it cannot be timed, but the long duration and short cooldown help to make up for this. Skill 2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Magnetic Hammer</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, is her big-payout Skill, pushing enemies away from her in all directions and Stunning them for a few seconds. Using </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Magnetic Hammer</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, Croissant can serve the same Pushing role as a Specialist like Shaw while also being an immovable tank. Be careful when using this Skill, however, as enemies can easily be launched in unintended directions!</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Unfortunately, Croissant does have some shortcomings compared to a pure tank or a pure Pusher. </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Magnetic Hammer</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> doesn’t help Croissant to mitigate damage and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Auto Defense</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> is not guaranteed to be used when you need it, so she can sometimes struggle as a tank. Meanwhile, she costs more DP to deploy than most Push Specialists and can only be deployed on ground tiles, which sometimes limits her pushing options. </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Magnetic Hammer</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> also has a long cooldown, so she may not be able to push enemies as often as you’d like. That being said, all Doctors need good Defenders, and raising Croissant gives you both a good Defender and a Push Operator – a two-for-one deal! How can you say no?</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> Bison ? Summary <span style="color:green;">+ Talent: Increases own DEF and the DEF of any Guard or Vanguard deployed in the grid behind him<br> + Extremely durable Defender that rivals the DEF of Cuora<br> + Great when paired with frontline Guards like Astesia to give them a DEF boost (face him away for the buff)<br> + The only Defender with a "Taunt" Skill<br></span> = Considered a sidegrade to Cuora<br> = The usefulness of "Taunt" is very niche<br> <span style="color:red;">- High Deployment Cost<br> - Talent and S2 buffs have restrictive deployment requirements.<br> - Much more expensive to develop than Cuora who is just as durable, if not more.</span> Overview <p><em>"After getting to know more about the people at Penguin Logistics and talking to them, I began to understand that the world is much broader than I had thought. There's nothing wrong with structure and rules, but they don't necessarily apply to everyone."</em></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>As the executive manager of Fengchi Logistics, friendly rival to Penguin Logistics, Bison has responsibilities far beyond those of an ordinary teenager. Though he is very mature and diligent, the inability to roam free as a courier weighs heavily on his heart. This may be why he puts himself in danger to help Rhodes Island as a </span></span></span></span></span></span><strong>5★</strong><span><span><span><strong><span><span> Normal Defender</span></span></strong><span><span><span>. His specialties of </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>protecting nearby allies</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> and </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Taunting enemies</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> make him one of the more traditional-feeling tanks in Arknights.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Positioning is very important with Bison. His Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Cross Cover</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, gives him extra DEF when he is deployed, but he will also grant the extra DEF to an ally in the space directly behind him if that ally is a Guard or Vanguard. Because Bison can Block-3, he can hold multiple enemies in place, allowing the Guard/ Vanguard behind him to rack up kills safely. (Protip: If you want him to buff a frontline Guard, just face him backward!) He doubles down on this concept with his Skill 2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Entrenchment</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>: Bison stops attacking in order to gain a massive DEF boost, buff the DEF of all adjacent allies, and become a higher-priority target for enemies (in other words, Taunting them). This Skill has decent uptime, and the DEF boost multiplies Bison’s already-high base DEF to ludicrous levels. The Taunt ability of the Skill can also come in handy, especially if Operators get deployed out of order in a fight because you have to change strategies or plug a gap in your lines.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Bison resists physical attacks like a champ, but he’s terribly vulnerable to enemy Casters. His Skills only raise his DEF, he has no base RES, and he has no self-healing through his Talent or Skills, so enemy Arts damage tears him up like a wet paper towel. This can be particularly problematic if you activate his Skill 2 at the wrong time and aggro multiple enemy Casters at once! He’s also hard to put down on the field--not only is his DP cost rather high, but positioning him for maximum efficiency of his Talent and his S2 can be tricky. If you can keep Bison from biting off more than he can chew, however, you’ll have a Defender on your side who will never </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><em><span>hide</span></em></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> (sorry, bad pun) and does an excellent job of protecting not only himself, but his allies as well.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> Cuora ? Summary <span style="color:green;">+ Extremely durable 4* with the highest DEF potential in the game<br> + Viable through all content<br> + 4 Block while skill is active<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- Very low ATK and dps<br> - S2: Doesn't attack during the duration</span> Overview <p><span><span><span><span><em><span>“Hm? Where am I? Who am I?”</span></em></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>In most video games, mysterious girls with amnesia are delicate waifs with healing powers. In Arknights, resident amnesiac Cuora is a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>4</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>★</span></span></strong></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span> Defender</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> who smacks everything with a baseball bat and magically toughens her skin to resist incoming attacks. You’ve got to give her points for originality.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>You’ve also got to give her points for sheer sturdiness. Cuora is one of the most durable physical tanks in the game, between her DEF-increasing </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Defense Specialist</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Talent and her outstanding Skill 2, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Shell Defense</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>. This Skill gives Cuora a massive DEF boost, steadily restores her HP, and increases her Block by +1. Being able to Block-4 is an extremely rare and powerful tool, and it makes Cuora useful to players of all skill levels in any level of content. Although </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Shell Defense</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> does stop her from attacking, it allows Cuora to handle strength and numbers of enemies that would outright kill many other Operators (even other Defenders).</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Keep in mind that while Cuora has enough DEF to shame a conch shell, she couldn’t kill a paper bag without help, and all that DEF doesn’t matter one whit when Arts damage enters the fray. With no innate Arts Resistance and no Arts mitigation in her kit, Cuora is very vulnerable to enemy Casters. High DEF doesn’t make her invincible, either; some physical enemies hit so hard and so fast that even Cuora can’t keep up with their damage output without heavy aid. However, this doesn’t change the fact that Cuora is one of the most commonly used Defenders in Arknights. Don’t take her lightly because of her 4</span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>★</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> rarity: Cuora is reliable enough to serve players well into the lategame.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>

B Matterhorn ? Summary <span style="color:green;">+ Talent: Passive Arts Resistance<br> + Huge HP and Arts Resist make him a great Arts Damage tank<br> + He's a middle ground between the Healing and DEF Defenders<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- Too niche to warrant heavy investment<br> - Lacks strong physical damage mitigation, so DEF Defenders are more durable<br> - Healing Defenders can usually handle Arts damage while providing more utility</span> Overview <p dir="ltr"><em>“I will not step back, not even if this shield shatters the very next second. Not because of my loyalty, but because of my conviction.”</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Matterhorn, trained from a young age to be bodyguard and protector of the SilverAsh family, now lends his shield and strength to Rhodes Island as a representative of the Karlan Trading Company of Kjerag. Matterhorn is a 4★ Defender who can block 3 enemies.</p> <p dir="ltr">Matterhorn specializes in tanking Arts Damage. He has base passive Arts Resistance (rare for non-healing Defenders), and his Talent, <strong>Snowfield Guard</strong>, raises it even more. When increased even further by his Skill 2, <strong>Cold Resistance</strong>, he boasts one of the highest Arts Resistance stats of any Defender.</p> <p dir="ltr">Unfortunately for Matterhorn, the need to mitigate Arts Damage is a very niche role, and it can often be handled just as well by a Healing Defender (who would bring the additional benefit of being able to heal allies). Hard-hitting Physical damage Elite and Boss enemies are much more common, and Matterhorn lacks Skills to significantly raise his Defense. For physical damage mitigation, he even lags behind some lower-rarity options.</p> <p dir="ltr">Overall, Matterhorn is not a bad option for early-game players as a well-rounded defender (especially since Heal Defenders can only block 2 before E1). In the mid- to late-game, min/maxers may enjoy finding ways to utilize his great Arts Resistance to the best effect, but for most players his niche use likely will not justify the investment costs.</p> <p> </p>

C Beagle ? Summary <span style="color:green;">+ The default early-game Defender if you don't get someone better<br> + Decent stats with passive DEF and DEF increasing Skill<br> + Easily to max Potential, and cheap to develop and deploy<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- Fairly long Skill cooldown</span> Overview <p><span><span><span><span><em><span>“Finally, FINALLY! Now nobody's going to call me "the Rookiest Rookie in the Rookieverse" anymore!”</span></em></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Like her namesake, Beagle is a sweet, loving individual who just wants to be useful to the people she cares about. She, Fang, and Kroos used to work together at a Columbian outskirts garrison, but when Beagle came down with Oripathy, all three were banished. Beagle used to blame herself for ruining Fang and Kroos’ careers, but now that the trio have come to Rhodes Island, Beagle has been able to blossom as a <strong>3</strong></span></span></span></span></span></span><strong>★</strong><span><span><span><strong><span><span> Normal Defender</span></span></strong><span><span><span> specializing in </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>physical defense</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Beagle is the baseline unit for Defenders in Arknights. Everything about her kit is focused entirely on mitigating physical damage. She gains bonus DEF from her Potential bonuses, her Trust bonuses, and her Talent—appropriately called </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>DEF Up</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>—and her Skill, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>DEF Up α</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, offers another DEF buff on top of everything else. Because she can Block up to 3 enemies and shrug off their attacks fairly easily, she’s often one of the best Defenders for Doctors to raise early in their Arknights careers.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Being a 3* unit, Beagle can promote to E1, but not to E2, which limits her ability to keep up with higher-rarity Operators. She also has no way to mitigate enemy Arts damage, which becomes increasingly common in higher-end content. Despite this, Beagle remains useful for a surprisingly long time. Doctors often need multiple Defenders to cover different parts of a map, and Beagle’s low rarity means she is cheap to raise and has a comparatively low DP cost. With just a little love, this loyal Defender can put in a lot of good work. </span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> Cardigan ? Summary <span style="color:green;">+ Good HP, especially if you max Trust and Potential<br> + Useful on some early-game Challenge Modes with her self-sustain<br></span> <span style="color:red;">- A DEF-focused Defender is almost always preferable to an HP Defender except vs Casters, and against them Healing Defenders are usually best.<br> - Harder to max potential because she is not available in recruitment.</span> Overview <p><span><span><span><span><em><span>“Heeellooo! I've never been in such a huge mobile facility before! I'm so excited! Merry of the Cardigan here. Are you the Doctor?”</span></em></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>A skiing fanatic and a former member of the Leithanien Bobsled Patrol Team. Clumsy but cheerful, Cardigan supports Rhodes Island’s Team A4 as a </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>3* Defender</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> with an emphasis on </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>HP</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Perhaps as a representation of her boundless energy, Cardigan’s Talent, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Max HP Up</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, passively increases her maximum HP after E1 promotion. This works well with her Skill, </span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Regeneration α</span></span></strong></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span>, which restores a percentage of Cardigan’s max HP when activated. Judicious use of this Skill can make Cardigan a decent option for tanking enemy Casters despite her lack of RES, as she can shrug off their Arts with a self-heal and keep face-tanking for a while longer.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Cardigan runs into problems when facing strong enemies that hit harder than her HP pool can handle. Her self-heal is great for sustain, but it doesn’t increase her ability to mitigate damage. Lacking an E2 promotion also limits Cardigan’s ability to contribute in the long term, and at present she is not available from Recruitment, which makes her a little less accessible than her 3* ranking would suggest. Despite this, all Doctors should have at least two sturdy Defenders to form the backbone of their squad, and Cardigan is a good early choice for the job.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p>