YVONNE GUIDE: BUILD, WEAPONS, TEAMS & BANNER ANALYSIS (ENDFIELD 1.0)
Yvonne has emerged as one of the most searched operators in Arknights: Endfield Version 1.0. As the final featured six-star of the launch cycle, she represents the last opportunity for players to spend their saved resources before Version 1.1 arrives. But beyond the banner hype, Yvonne has sparked intense debate—praised as an SS-tier boss killer while simultaneously drawing criticism for her English voice performance.
This guide covers everything: her kit mechanics, optimal builds, team synergies, banner economics, and whether she’s worth your pulls.
TL;DR - Should You Pull Yvonne?
Pull if: You need a premier single-target DPS for boss content, especially Umbral Monument Agony stages. Her Solidification loop makes her indispensable for Shatter team archetypes.
Skip if: You already have a built Last Rite, lack Cryo supports like Xaihi, or are saving for Version 1.1 characters like Tangtang.
Key verdict: Yvonne is a high-ceiling, high-investment operator. She excels in skilled hands but requires specific teammates to function optimally.
Who is Yvonne?
Yvonne is a 6-star Cryo Striker specializing in handcannon combat. She’s a member of Endfield Industries’ Specialist Tech Division, tasked with researching Æther, Blight, and related devices. Her design represents a departure from the tactical aesthetic traditional to Arknights—she’s a “fashionista-tech” character with brightly dyed horns, tail, and nails.
The Vouivre Heritage
Yvonne belongs to the Vouivre race, sharing lineage with iconic characters like Saria and Bagpipe. However, her personality is markedly more exuberant—a “rebel” whose rapid train of thought creates friction with more methodical teammates. Her HR files describe someone who prioritizes personal expression over academic norms, often customizing her gear with graffiti and vibrant colors.
The Tragedy of Tata
The emotional core of Yvonne’s companion quest centers on her relationship with a bot named Tata. Throughout the story, Tata communicates solely through emojis before eventually sacrificing itself to save the team.
The quest explores Yvonne’s grief over losing what she considered her “baby.” The narrative concludes with a philosophical dilemma: she can rebuild Tata’s hardware, but the new unit would lack the memories of their journey—a “clone” rather than her original companion. This arc has been praised as some of the best writing in Version 1.0, providing emotional weight to Talos-II’s sci-fi setting.
The English Voice Acting Controversy
The discourse around Yvonne’s English voice performance has become a significant traffic driver in February 2026. Understanding this controversy is relevant for players deciding which voice language to use.
What Happened
Yvonne’s English voice is performed by Clare Louise Connolly, a British actress who previously voiced Rockrock and Catapult in the original Arknights. The controversy stems from voice direction decisions at Liquid Violet, which had Connolly perform with an American “West Coast” accent.
Community feedback highlights:
- The actress appears to be “fighting her natural accent,” leading to inconsistent intonation
- A perceived mismatch between the forced American accent and Yvonne’s Vouivre (Victorian-adjacent) heritage
- Some improvement noted in later companion quest recordings as the actress became more comfortable
The Japanese Alternative
The Japanese voice-over by Sora Amamiya has received widespread praise. Amamiya, known for voicing “high-energy, slightly eccentric” characters like Aqua from KonoSuba, delivers what many players consider a more natural performance.
Practical recommendation: Many global players have switched to Japanese audio specifically for Yvonne’s scenes. The voice language can be changed in settings without affecting gameplay.
Hues of Passion Banner Economics
The “Hues of Passion” banner runs from February 24 to March 13, 2026. Understanding the pity system is critical for resource planning.
Banner Architecture
| Mechanic | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Base 6-star Rate | 0.8% | Low baseline chance |
| Soft Pity | 65 pulls | +5% per pull after 65 |
| Hard Pity (6-star) | 80 pulls | Guaranteed 6-star, 50/50 featured |
| Featured Guarantee | 120 pulls | 100% featured character |
| Dupe Guarantee | 240 pulls | Extra copy of featured |
| Free 10-pull | After 60 pulls | Headhunting Dossier for next banner |
| Currency | Chartered HH Permits | Specific to limited banners |
What carries over to next banner:
- 80-pull hard pity counter (guaranteed 6-star)
- 5-star guarantee every 10 pulls
- Soft pity progress (65+ pulls)
What does NOT carry over:
- 120-pull featured character guarantee
- Free 10-pull reward (must use on next banner or lose it)
Critical warning: The 120-pull featured guarantee resets between banners. If you stop at 119 pulls, you lose all progress toward the featured guarantee. Either commit to 120+ or save entirely.
Signature Weapon: Artzy Tyrannical
The “Graffiti Issue” weapon banner features Yvonne’s signature handcannon. A unique mechanic allows weapon banners to persist through three character banner phases, meaning the Graffiti Issue will remain active through the first two banners of Version 1.1.
| Weapon Banner Mechanic | Value |
|---|---|
| Hard Pity | 80 pulls (8 ten-pulls) |
| Guarantee | Featured weapon guaranteed |
| Duration | Through v1.1 Phase 2 |
Skills Breakdown: The Solidification Loop
Yvonne’s kit revolves around the “Solidification” mechanic—a specialized control effect that enables Shatter damage and specific combo triggers. Her mechanical depth comes from a self-sustaining energy loop that rewards precise execution.
Basic Attack: Exuberant Trigger
A five-stage Cryo damage sequence. When player-controlled, the “Final Strike” deals 17 Stagger damage, vital for interrupting elites. During her Ultimate state, basic attacks become her primary damage delivery mechanism.
Battle Skill: Brr-Brr-Bomb β
This skill is the mechanical pivot of Yvonne’s entire gameplay loop:
- Deploys a bomb that consumes existing Cryo or Nature Infliction stacks on the target
- Forcibly applies Solidification based on stacks consumed
- Grants Yvonne Ultimate Energy based on the number of stacks consumed
The optimization principle: Maximize stacks on the target before detonating. More stacks = more energy = faster Ultimate cycle.
Combo Skill: Flashfreezer υ37
Triggered when Yvonne lands a Final Strike on a Solidified target:
- Deploys secondary bot Frost-e-Bytee
- Provides localized pull effect and periodic Cryo damage
- After 3 seconds, explodes to re-apply Solidification
- Grants additional Ultimate Energy
This creates a self-sustaining loop for skilled players.
Ultimate: Cryoblasting Pistolier
Deployed via support bot Tink-a-Bella:
- Enhances basic attacks
- Grants stacking Critical Rate buff per attack sequence
- At max stacks: Critical Damage buff
- Culminates in powerful Final Strike (bonus damage if target is Solidified)
Skill Priority
- Ultimate - Primary burst window
- Battle Skill - Energy generation and Solidification trigger
- Basic Attack - Ramps during Ultimate; upgrade for damage
- Combo Skill - Passive trigger; lowest priority
Best Weapons for Yvonne
Weapon selection significantly impacts Yvonne’s performance ceiling.
S-Tier: Artzy Tyrannical (Signature)
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Intellect | +156 (max level) |
| Critical Rate | +19.5% |
| Cryo DMG Bonus | 44.8% baseline |
| Stacking Buff | Up to 3 stacks on crit |
The “Artzy Exaggeration” Fracture effect synergizes perfectly with Yvonne’s high-frequency critical hits during Ultimate. This weapon is the clear best-in-slot.
A-Tier: Navigator
Obtained from Protocol Pass at Level 40. Provides:
- Critical Rate spike
- Dual Cryo/Nature damage bonus when Solidification or Corrosion is applied
- Reliable buff uptime for general content
A “comfy” alternative with lower ceiling but consistent performance.
B-Tier: Wedge
From the Level 45 Selector. High crit stats but focuses on Arts DMG Dealt, slightly less efficient for pure Cryo damage dealers.
F2P Option: Opus: The Living
A 5-star accessible through gacha or exchange. Provides accessible crit and Arts reaction stats for budget builds.
Gear Sets and Essences
Best Gear Set: MI Security Set
The 3-piece set effect is tuned specifically for Yvonne:
- Critical Rate boost
- Stacking Attack buff on every critical hit
- At 5 stacks: additional Critical Rate bonus
This ensures Yvonne remains in a constant critical state during her Ultimate window.
Priority Gear Piece: MI Security Hands PPE
The Hands PPE provides a significant Basic Attack Damage Bonus. Since Yvonne’s “cash-out” damage occurs through Ultimate-enhanced basic attacks, this multiplier outperforms raw ATK or flat Cryo bonuses.
Essence Priority
- Intellect Boost - Base damage scaling
- Critical Rate Boost - Consistent triggers
- Fracture/Infliction bonuses - Situational value
Team Compositions
Yvonne’s viability is inextricably linked to her team. She cannot apply her own Cryo Infliction, requiring teammates to establish stacks before she can consume them.
Premium Cryo Core
| Role | Operator | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Main DPS | Yvonne | Solidification trigger and burst |
| Support | Xaihi | Cryo Amp, healing, Infliction source |
| Sub-DPS | Alesh | Additional elemental coverage |
| Utility | Gilberta | Enemy grouping, Nature Infliction |
Xaihi is widely considered Yvonne’s best-in-slot support, providing Cryo Amp (damage multiplier), consistent healing, and reliable Infliction application.
Boss-Slayer Burst Team
| Role | Operator | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Main DPS | Yvonne | Single-target burst |
| Stack Bot | Last Rite | Cryo Infliction source |
| Flex | Fluorite | Nature/Cryo reactions |
| Support | Xaihi | Energy economy and Amp |
The Yvonne vs. Last Rite Conflict
Both Yvonne and Last Rite are 6-star Cryo operators, but their kits create tension:
- Last Rite needs Cryo Infliction stacks to remain on enemies for her burst
- Yvonne must consume those same stacks to trigger Solidification
In a Yvonne-led team, Last Rite functions as a “stack bot.” Players must avoid triggering Last Rite’s combo skill before Yvonne has consumed the stacks for energy. This high-skill requirement is why Yvonne remains on “Watchlist Up” status—her ceiling rises as players master these nuances.
F2P-Friendly Solidify Team
| Role | Operator | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Main DPS | Yvonne | Solidification trigger |
| Support | Qiuli | Budget Cryo coverage |
| Sub-DPS | Alesh | Burn/Cryo reactions |
| Healer | Eldela | Sustain |
Future-Proofing: Version 1.1 Synergies
Version 1.1 is expected around March 12, 2026, featuring Tangtang as a Nature handcannon Striker focusing on Corrosion.
Tangtang Synergy Potential
Since Yvonne’s Brr-Brr-Bomb β can consume Nature Inflictions to trigger Solidification, Tangtang may emerge as an alternative enabler for Yvonne teams. This could potentially replace the “clunky” nature of using Gilberta as a solo Inflictor.
Power Creep Considerations
Yvonne’s requirement for extended field time to ramp Ultimate buffs could become a liability in faster-paced encounters. However, her unique “Solidification-Energy” loop provides self-sufficiency that few other 1.0 DPS units possess, likely preserving her niche as a boss-slayer for multiple patches.
Pull Decision Framework
Pull Yvonne If:
- You lack a high-investment single-target DPS
- You regularly attempt Umbral Monument Agony stages
- You have Xaihi or can build Cryo supports
- You enjoy high-skill-ceiling characters
Skip Yvonne If:
- You have a built Last Rite performing adequately
- You’re F2P with limited resources and need universal supports first
- You’re saving for Version 1.1’s Wuling cast
- You prefer “plug-and-play” operators over team-dependent ones
Investment Recommendation
If resources are tight: Prioritize P0 Yvonne with signature weapon over P1 Yvonne with generic weapon. The Artzy Tyrannical provides a more significant DPS increase than early Potentials.
For high-spenders: Potential 5 (“Expert Mechcrafter”) is the target, providing a 30% Critical DMG boost during Ultimate.
FAQ
Is Yvonne worth pulling in Endfield 1.0? Yes, if you need a premier single-target DPS for boss content. She excels in Umbral Monument Agony stages and Shatter team compositions. Skip if you lack Cryo supports or are saving for v1.1.
What is the pity for Yvonne’s banner? Soft pity at 80 pulls with a 50/50 chance for the featured unit. Hard guarantee at 120 pulls. Note: pity does not carry over to the next featured banner.
What is the Yvonne voice actor controversy? The English voice direction had actress Clare Louise Connolly use a forced American accent, which many players found inconsistent with her Vouivre heritage. The Japanese voice by Sora Amamiya has received widespread praise.
What is the best weapon for Yvonne? Artzy Tyrannical (signature weapon) is best-in-slot. Navigator from Protocol Pass is the top alternative for budget builds.
Can Yvonne and Last Rite work together? Yes, but with friction. Last Rite can serve as a Cryo Infliction source (stack bot) for Yvonne, but players must carefully time their combo skill usage to avoid wasting stacks.
When does Yvonne’s banner end? March 13, 2026. The Graffiti Issue weapon banner continues through Version 1.1 Phase 2.
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