Arknights: Endfield guide – the best build for Antal

The best weapons and essences for Antal

Antal uses the Arts Module, a support weapon in Endfield. While it does deal some damage in combat, it’s not its primary purpose, so when choosing a weapon, it’s best to focus on enhancing its support role. The best option here is considered to be the 6-star “Blast Module,” a weapon that directly complements Antal’s ability to stack damage from Arts on enemies (Cryo, Physical Status, and others).

However, 6-star weapons are quite expensive, so below are more affordable alternatives that are also suitable for Antal. As a rule, it’s wiser to spend your first few Armory Tickets—the currency used in the Armory Exchange to purchase weapons—on primary damage dealers.

Explosion Module Weapon

• 6 stars
• Key indicator
• The power of the arts
• Detonation

“Explosion Module” is a 6-star weapon that allows Antal to apply additional debuffs to enemies. When you use a combat skill or Antal’s combo skill to add another stack of Arts Damage, the targeted enemy takes 9% more incoming damage.

Weapons “OBJ Arts Identifier”

• 5 stars
• Intelligence
• The power of the arts
• Excitement

An excellent alternative to the more expensive “Explosion Module.” “OBJ Arts Identifier” fits well with Antal’s primary attribute, Intelligence, and grants bonus Heat or Shock damage whenever Antal successfully inflicts Physical or Arts Damage Susceptibility with a Combo Skill.

Jiminy 12 Weapon

• 4 stars
• Key indicator
• Onslaught

An inexpensive starting weapon for Antal. It simply boosts his primary attribute and adds a little extra damage.

The necessary essences can be selected through the Operator’s Guide by going to the “Index” section and then selecting one of the available Energy Alluvium options. For example, the essences recommended for the Detonation module can be farmed in the Energy Alluvium in the Hub.

You can also use Valley Bonds, obtained through the redistribution system, to designate specific essences for farming. These items are rare, so it’s important to carefully select which operator you use them on.

The Best Gear Sets for Antalya

Antal’s true endgame power is revealed through the Eternal Xyranite gear set, only available through late- game crafting . This is his best gear option, as it directly enhances his ability to stack damage with arts on enemies.

However, this set will likely be out of your reach early in the game, so more realistic starting alternatives are provided below.

Eternal Xiranite Set

This set not only increases Antal’s base HP by 1000, allowing him to stay active and support his team longer, but also grants the entire party a 16% damage bonus each time Antal applies a vulnerability. He does this regularly through Focus and his Ultimate.

Set “Catastrophe”

This mid-game kit isn’t exactly outstanding for Antal, but there simply isn’t a wide selection of sets that perfectly suit his kit. “Catastrophe” primarily helps improve his survivability and the efficiency of his ultimate skill build, allowing him to maintain his receptiveness to arts more often.

Mortovolt

Early in the game, gear is often used simply to provide a small damage bonus. In this case, the Mortovolt set is well-suited, as it increases Intelligence and Strength—Antal’s two primary attributes.

The set bonus requires three pieces to activate, so you can take three pieces from any set and replace the fourth with an item that better suits Antal’s key stats. For example, with Eternal Xyranite, you can use any armor with bonuses to Intelligence and Strength while still retaining the set bonus.

The best operatives to team with Antal

As mentioned at the beginning of the guide, Antal has two primary strategies when building teams: fire and electricity. These are currently considered the most effective in Endfield.

The first, optimal team uses Antal, Laevatein, Ardelia, and Wulfgard. It’s considered the best primarily because Laevatein is one of the strongest DPS players in the game. Antal applies Focus, increasing the damage of Laevatein and Wulfgard’s arts. Ardelia supplements the team with healing (assuming you’ve unlocked her talents) and additional arts susceptibility, further increasing her fire damage.

The alternative composition places a greater emphasis on Electricity, using Arclight and Avivenna to generate Electricity stacks and deal damage. Ardelia again serves as a support here.

While Antal thrives in teams with Fire or Shock damage dealers thanks to his ability to stack, he can also find a place in a Physical or even Cryo build. However, his full potential won’t be realized in such compositions.

It’s important to remember to choose the right target when applying Focus. If you use abilities that apply effects on another target, Antal won’t be able to use the combo skill and, therefore, won’t add additional stacks.

Antal’s Skill Overview and Upgrade Priorities

Antal is a 100% support character and isn’t intended to be a player control character. That role is best left to damage dealers. His job is to engage in combat through his combo skill and apply additional effects based on existing ones.

This makes Antal a great fit for any team that focuses on stacking effects, whether it’s vulnerability, fire, or electricity.

• His combat skill, “Special Research Subject,” applies a Focus that makes the targeted enemy more vulnerable to fire and electricity damage.
• The combo skill “EMP Trial” triggers when an enemy with Focus is afflicted with a physical condition or an arts-based affliction, such as Burn or Vulnerability. When this happens, Antal applies an additional stack of the same effect, allowing for faster stack generation in teams that rely on stacks.
• Antal’s ultimate, Acceleration Momentum, is incredibly simple: it boosts the entire team’s Electric and Fire damage, providing a direct damage bonus to compatible Operators.

When leveling up, you should first improve your combo skill, then your super skill, and only after that your combat skill.