Umbral Monument Guide: Endgame Framework | Arknights: Endfield Blog

The introduction of the [Umbral Monument] marks a definitive evolution in the live-service lifecycle of Arknights: Endfield, transitioning the player experience from initial infrastructure establishment to a permanent, high-intensity tactical environment. As a permanent combat mode, the [Umbral Monument] is designed as a modular challenge system that receives periodic content updates, officially categorized as “Series”. This architecture ensures that the endgame remains dynamic, preventing the stagnation often observed in static difficulty peaks by rotating environmental modifiers and enemy archetypes.

The upcoming [Inorganic Construct] series, scheduled for deployment on February 22, 2026, serves as the second major update to this system within the version cycle. This series is distinguished by its focus on mechanical and automated threats, deviating from the bio-organic and Blight-corrupted enemies encountered in the inaugural “Those Forsaken by the Land” series. The operational goal of the [Umbral Monument] is to test the vertical investment of the player’s roster, requiring a nuanced understanding of operator synergy, environmental mitigation, and timing-based combat mechanics.

Server Availability and Global Synchronization

The rollout of the [Inorganic Construct] update follows a strictly synchronized schedule across the game’s primary server clusters. This synchronization is critical for maintaining parity in the global competitive meta and the social discourse surrounding the mode’s “Agony” difficulty.

Server Region	Time Zone	Opening Date and Time	Availability Status
Asia Server	UTC+8	Feb. 22, 2026, at 12:00	Permanent
Americas / Europe	UTC-5	Feb. 22, 2026, at 12:00	Permanent

The permanence of the mode is a foundational pillar of its design. While the event provides time-limited rewards to incentivize early engagement, the stages themselves remain available indefinitely. This allows players to progress at their own pace without the “fear of missing out” (FOMO) typically associated with seasonal gacha content, while still providing a premium currency window for active participants.

Structural Analysis of Participation Criteria

The [Umbral Monument] is gated behind specific progression milestones that ensure only players with a stable economic and tactical foundation can enter. These criteria serve as a quality-control mechanism, preventing premature entry into content that requires advanced character development.

The Authority Level 30 Threshold

The requirement to reach Authority Level 30 is a significant barrier to entry, representing the transition from the mid-game to the late-game phase. At this level, players are expected to have moved beyond manual resource gathering and established a functioning Automated Industry Complex (AIC).

The Authority Level is not merely a number but a reflection of the player’s account depth. Reaching Level 30 necessitates:

Substantial engagement with side missions and exploration.
The completion of several Protocol Space challenges to increase the Exploration Level.
The upgrade of multiple operators to Level 60 and the achievement of Promotion III.

The developer’s decision to gate the [Umbral Monument] at Level 30 aligns with the availability of Purple Quality Gear. Players reaching this level receive [Cryston Components] to assemble high-tier equipment, which is functionally required to survive the damage checks present in even the Normal difficulty of the [Inorganic Construct] stages.

Narrative Prerequisites: Chapter I Process II

In addition to account leveling, the completion of the main mission Paving the Way is mandatory. This mission acts as the narrative conclusion to the launch content of Version 1.0, introducing the player to the Wuling region and the high-level materials found therein.

Completing this mission also unlocks the “New Horizons Headhunting” permits, which guarantee a 6-star operator within 40 pulls. This ensures that every player entering the [Umbral Monument] has access to at least one high-tier unit, such as Ardelia or Lifeng, to anchor their team composition. The lore implications of “Paving the Way” involve the stabilization of Protocol Anchor Cores (PACs) in the northern frontiers, providing the thematic justification for the Endministrator to deploy elite tactical squads into high-risk monument zones.

Technical Breakdown of Gameplay Systems

The [Inorganic Construct] series consists of three distinct stages, each serving as a specialized combat test. The gameplay loop is defined by strict deployment limits and a dual-tier difficulty system that removes traditional safety nets in its higher iteration.

Core Battle Parameters

Every battle within the [Umbral Monument] is governed by the following constraints:

Deployment Limit: A maximum of four operators may be deployed. This limitation punishes “lazy” compositions, as every slot must provide essential utility—typically divided between a main DPS, a breaker/support, a sub-DPS, and a sustain.
Temporal Constraint: Stages must be cleared within 10 minutes. While this is a generous window for skilled players, it serves as a “damage floor” check. If a player’s team is built too defensively, they may fail to defeat high-HP “sponges” before the timer expires.
Intel and Scouting: Before deployment, players can access “Enemy Intel” to review the recommended level and specific mechanics of the current stage. This includes identifying enemy resistances, which are visible in the in-game bestiary.

The Agony Mode Hierarchy and Tactical Prohibition

The progression from Normal to Agony difficulty is the primary challenge for the Endfield community. Clearing the Normal mode of a stage is a prerequisite for unlocking its Agony variant.

The Agony mode introduces a critical mechanical restriction: the complete prohibition of Tacticals and Consumables. In Normal mode, players can use items like “Fluffy Jincao” or healing packs to recover from mistakes. In Agony, players must rely exclusively on operator skills and team synergy. This elevates the importance of “Sustain” operators, as there is no other way to receive HP treatment or buffs during the 10-minute encounter.

The Inorganic Construct Series: Stages and Mechanics

The [Inorganic Construct] series emphasizes mechanical threats that require high precision and “Breach” efficiency. Unlike the bio-enemies of the previous series, these constructs often feature stationary turret behaviors or high-frequency projectile attacks.

Predicted Stage Mechanics for Series 2

Based on the [Monumental Etching] task list and early data, the series features three primary combat scenarios:

Stop the Shield: This stage likely focuses on enemies with high-durability frontal shields or directional damage reduction. Players must utilize operators with high “Breach” stats, such as Pogranichnik or Chen Qianyu, to shatter these defenses and create damage windows.
Encircled by Arrows: This scenario tests the player’s ability to manage overwhelming ranged pressure. The challenge involves dodging constant projectiles while maintaining offensive momentum, possibly requiring a healer like Ardelia whose skills can “echo” to the entire squad when the controlled operator is healed.
Steady as Rock: This stage focuses on stability and crowd-control resistance. The enemies may attempt to displace the player or apply “Stagger” effects, necessitating the use of operators who can maintain position or provide super-armor during skill animations.

Comparative Difficulty Analysis: Series 1 vs. Series 2

Mechanic	Series 1 (Forsaken)	Series 2 (Inorganic)	Tactical Implication
Environment	Noxious Gas (DoT)	Ranged Projectiles	Shift from passive healing to active dodging
Enemy Type	Organic / Mobile	Mechanical / Stationary	Shift from chase-down DPS to positioning-based DPS
Core Check	Sustain / Healing Echo	Breach / Armor Shred	Importance of Physical/Breach units increases

Economic Impact and Reward Valuation

The rewards for the [Umbral Monument] - [Inorganic Construct] series are designed to support the “min-maxing” of high-tier operators. These items are essential for overcoming the linear but expensive stat walls of levels 61 to 90.

Material Utility and Acquisition

The first-clear rewards for the series include four primary progression items, each serving a specific niche in the operator development cycle:

Mark of Perseverance: A rare material required for Skill Mastery (M1, M2, and M3). Mastery is considered the ultimate investment for an operator, significantly enhancing their combat effectiveness at the cost of massive amounts of T-Creds and specialized materials.
Advanced Cognitive Carrier: A Tier 5 data storage unit that provides 10,000 EXP specifically for operators between levels 61 and 90. As leveling slows down significantly past Level 60, these carriers are the most efficient way to reach the Level 90 cap.
Arms INSP Set: A toolset that provides 10,000 EXP for weapons. Maintaining weapon level parity with operator level is essential for ensuring that base ATK stats are sufficient to clear the 10-minute timer in Agony mode.
Protohedron: A high-tier progression material used for talent nodes and skill rank increases between ranks 7 and 9.

The Cost of Excellence: Mastery Math

To understand the value of these rewards, one must analyze the total investment required for a single operator’s mastery. For a single skill, the transition from Mastery 1 to Mastery 3 requires:

119,000 T-Creds
89 Protohedrons
6 Marks of Perseverance
21 Valuable Plants and 58 Rare Progression Materials

For a full “12 Mastery” (all four skills), the requirements scale to 476,000 T-Creds and 24 Marks of Perseverance. Given that these items are primarily available through the [Umbral Monument] or low-probability factory drops, the [Inorganic Construct] series represents a vital injection of resources for any player aiming to maximize their elite teams.

Monumental Etching: Old Wounds and Oroberyl Acquisition

The limited-time event Monumental Etching acts as an incentive layer over the permanent [Umbral Monument] content. This event updates on February 22 to coincide with the new series release.

Challenge Tasks and Payouts

The track rewards [Oroberyl], the premium currency used for chartered headhunting. The tasks are designed to encourage players to attempt the Agony difficulty multiple times, regardless of success.

Task Category	Requirement Examples	Oroberyl Reward
Stage Clearance	Clear “Stop the Shield” (Normal) 1 time	150
Practice Challenge	Enter any Inorganic Construct stage 5 times	150
Damage Milestone	Deal 500,000 damage in the new series	150
Agony Engagement	Enter any Inorganic Construct (Agony) stage 3 times	150

A full completion of the update can net a player approximately 1,200 to 1,500 Oroberyl. When combined with narrative events (600 each) and daily routines, players can save approximately 48 to 50 pulls per patch cycle, assuming they are diligent in completing these endgame challenges.

The Metagame of Agony: Team Compositions and Tactics

The prohibition of tacticals in Agony mode has created a specialized meta where “Sustain” and “Breach” are prioritized over pure burst damage. Analysis of successful clears reveals three dominant team archetypes for the [Umbral Monument].

The Laevatain Hypercarry

This team centers on [Laevatain], a powerful Arts-focused damage dealer available through the “Scars of the Forge” banner.

Composition: Laevatain, Wulfgard, Ardelia, Akekuri.
Logic: Wulfgard and Akekuri provide high-frequency physical breaks and sub-DPS support, while Ardelia ensures team survival. Laevatain’s combo skills deal massive AoE damage, which is essential for clearing the waves of mechanical units in [Inorganic Construct].
Challenge: Laevatain has long attack animations (BA3), making her vulnerable to being interrupted in Agony mode. Players must dodge frequently, which resets her animation strings.

The Physical Breach Core

A highly accessible team for F2P (Free-to-Play) and low-investment players.

Composition: Endministrator, Chen Qianyu, Pogranichnik, Ardelia/Snowshine.
Logic: This team focuses on the “Vulnerability” and “Breach” status effects. Chen applies vuln stacks, which Pogranichnik consumes to deal increased damage and recover SP. The Endministrator provides additional “Crush” damage on crystallized enemies.
Challenge: This team requires multiple characters to be well-geared, as damage is distributed across the core rather than concentrated in a single hypercarry.

Ranged Sustenance (The “Safety First” Approach)

Useful for stages like “Encircled by Arrows” where melee units suffer from constant displacement.

Composition: Last Rite, Xaihi, Snowshine, Alesh.
Logic: Utilizing ranged units like Last Rite or Xaihi allows players to stay outside of immediate melee AoE circles. Alesh provides utility and crowd control, while Snowshine or Ardelia handles healing.
Challenge: Last Rite gains ultimate charge primarily from her own actions, meaning she must be the controlled operator to maximize her utility, which can be difficult in high-mobility encounters.

Integrated AIC Systems and Support Logistics

The [Umbral Monument] is fundamentally tied to the player’s base management aboard the Dijiang and their AIC network on Talos-II. Without a high-efficiency factory, maintaining the materials needed for the [Inorganic Construct] challenges is impossible.

Factory Production Math

Players are encouraged to optimize their MFG Cabins aboard the Dijiang to produce EXP records and T-Creds.

Dijiang Efficiency: With a 330% efficiency setup using optimal operators, a base can produce roughly 7 Advanced Combat Records per day.
T-Cred Flow: The [Inorganic Construct] rewards provide 24,000 T-Creds per stage clear, which is equivalent to several hours of offline factory gain.
Wait-Time Mitigation: The Advanced Cognitive Carriers earned here bypass the sanity-gated Protocol Spaces, allowing players to instantly boost their units for the next difficulty spike.

Infrastructure Optimizations

Recent changelogs indicate that the project team has improved the “top view mode” to allow for quick toggling of facility power. This is vital for players who are reallocating power resources from material production to the creation of high-level gear needed for the [Umbral Monument]. Additionally, the adjustment of enemy distributions around teleportation (TP) points allows for safer resource gathering of rare materials like [Vitrified Plants] and [Chrysodendra], which are required for operator promotions.

Community Critique and Design Evolutionary Trends

The [Umbral Monument] has become a focal point for discussions on the balance of Endfield’s combat system. While the mode is praised for its lack of “strict” score-based timers, it has exposed certain flaws in AI behavior and character animation speeds.

AI Teammate Limitations

A primary critique of the Agony difficulty is the fragility of AI-controlled teammates. Since players can only manually dodge with the character they are currently controlling, the other three teammates often stand in environmental hazards or take lethal hits from high-damage mechanical enemies. This has led to the “Immortal Team” meta, where players prioritize massive healing over damage to compensate for AI errors.

The Role of Mastery and Artificing

To overcome these AI limitations, the community has turned to “Essence Etching” and “Artificing”. While leveling to 80 or 90 is a linear stat increase, Essence Etching can provide a 15-20% boost to primary stats like ATK or Physical Damage. This allows players to clear stages faster, reducing the window of time in which the AI can make fatal mistakes. The rewards from [Inorganic Construct] directly feed into this system, providing the [Protohedrons] and [Marks of Perseverance] needed for these final power spikes.

Strategic Outlook and Conclusions

The [Umbral Monument] - [Inorganic Construct] series update represents the first major expansion of the endgame loop in Arknights: Endfield. By introducing mechanical enemies and high-frequency ranged threats, the game challenges the established “melee-sustain” meta of the first series.

For the professional operator, success in the [Inorganic Construct] requires a three-pronged approach:

Macro-Economy: Maintaining an efficient Dijiang factory to produce the baseline T-Creds and EXP records needed for Promotion III and IV.
Tactical Flexibility: Mastering the use of “Breach” operators to handle the high defense of mechanical constructs and utilizing healers like Ardelia to mitigate the lack of tacticals in Agony mode.
Event Management: Engaging with the Monumental Etching track to secure the [Oroberyl] necessary for future roster expansions, such as upcoming banners.

The [Inorganic Construct] series is a permanent addition to Talos-II, reflecting the developer’s commitment to a stable, skill-based endgame that respects player investment while continuously pushing the boundaries of tactical engagement. As the Monumental Etching progresses, the [Umbral Monument] will likely continue to serve as the benchmark for operator viability and the ultimate test for the Endministrator’s strategic vision.