ESSENCE MASTERY
Every skill type explained, which characters need what, and how to optimize your builds
Last updated: 2026-02-03
* TL;DR - Key Points
- * Essences have 3 stat categories — Attribute (5 types), Combat (12 types), and Skill (14 types). All three must match your weapon's slots to provide bonuses.
- * The Skill stat is the most important — it must match your weapon's passive category prefix (e.g., "Detonate", "Twilight") or it contributes nothing.
- * 14 Skill categories exist — 6 Physical, 3 Arts/Elemental, 5 Universal. Each maps to specific character roles and weapon passives.
- * Only Flawless (5-star) Essences can be Etched — Etching upgrades stats but has decreasing success rates. Coolant Gel acts as a pity system.
- * Farm the right Severe Energy Alluvium — each dungeon drops different stat pools. Check before spending Sanity.
- * Gear your main DPS first — Etching materials are scarce. Focus on one character's ideal 3-line Flawless before spreading resources.
- * A mismatched Flawless is worse than a matched Pure — stat matching matters more than rarity alone.
Contents
Understanding Essence Stats
Every Essence can roll up to 3 stat lines, one from each category. Each weapon has 3 stat slots that correspond to these categories. An Essence only provides bonuses for stats that match the weapon's slots — unmatched stats contribute nothing.
Attribute Stats
5 types — core character attributes
- * Agility Boost
- * Strength Boost
- * Will Boost
- * Intellect Boost
- * Main Attribute Boost
Combat Stats
12 types — direct combat bonuses
- * ATK, HP Boost
- * Physical / Heat / Electric / Cryo / Nature DMG
- * Critical Rate, Arts Intensity
- * Ultimate Gain, Arts DMG
- * Treatment Efficiency
Skill Stats
14 types — weapon passive bonuses
- * Assault, Suppression, Pursuit
- * Crusher, Combative, Brutality
- * Infliction, Detonate, Twilight
- * Inspiring, Flow, Medicant
- * Fracture, Efficacy
Pro Tip: Check Before You Equip
Open your weapon's detail screen and note its 3 stat slot types. Then check any Essence's stats against them. A perfect Essence matches all 3 — Attribute, Combat, and Skill. Even a lower-rarity Essence with full matching outperforms a Flawless with mismatched stats.
Rarity Tiers
Higher rarity Essences provide more stat lines and stronger level grants. Only Flawless (5-star) Essences are eligible for Etching upgrades.
| Tier | Name | Stats | Level Grants | Disassembly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-Star | Turbid | 1 | +1 | Unobtainable |
| 2-Star | Stable | 1 | +1 | 20 Stock Bills |
| 3-Star | Clean | 2 | +2 | 50 Stock Bills |
| 4-Star | Pure | 3 | +3 | 100 Stock Bills |
| 5-Star | Flawless | 3 | +6 Attr/Sec, +3 Skill | Cannot disassemble |
Inventory & Management
You can hold a maximum of 2,000 Essences. Each weapon holds one Essence at a time, but Essences can be freely unequipped and transferred between weapons at no cost. Combine 3 Essences of the same rarity to produce one of the next tier — useful for recycling unwanted drops.
The 14 Skill Categories
Every weapon has a unique passive skill prefixed with one of 14 categories (e.g., "Detonate: Imposing Champion", "Twilight: Blazing Wail"). The Essence's Skill stat must match this prefix to activate the bonus. This section breaks down what each category does and which characters benefit most.
How Skill Matching Works
Each weapon has 3 stat slots: an Attribute buff (Slot 1), a Secondary stat buff (Slot 2), and a Skill passive (Slot 3). The Skill passive slot name is the prefix before the colon. For example, a weapon with "Detonate: Arts Collapse" needs an Essence with the Detonate skill stat to fill Slot 3.
Physical Categories (6)
Assault
Physical DPSEnhances direct physical attack sequences and basic attack combos. Bonuses typically activate on Battle Skill hits or after completing attack strings.
Best for: Main physical DPS — Sword and Greatsword users with sustained attack output
Characters: Endministrator, Da Pan, Chen Qianyu
Farm: Axe Armorbeast, Heavy Sting, Tidewalker
Suppression
Physical StackerPhysical DMG stacking bonuses triggered by Battle Skills and Ultimates. Rewards sustained field time with escalating Physical damage buffs.
Best for: Physical characters who stay on-field for extended rotations
Characters: Pogranichnik, Lifeng, Da Pan
Farm: Axe Armorbeast, Bonekrusher Arsonist, Heavy Sting
Pursuit
Chase / Follow-upOn-kill momentum and follow-up attacks. Physical DMG scaling with enemy defeat triggers. Strong for farming, weaker in boss fights.
Best for: AoE mob-clearers and characters that chain kills in dungeons
Characters: Endministrator, Chen Qianyu
Farm: Axe Armorbeast, Bonekrusher Arsonist, Bonekrusher Ballista
Crusher
Stagger / CrushEnhances Stagger and Crush mechanics. Bonuses activate when consuming Vulnerability stacks or applying Crush/Stagger effects to enemies.
Best for: Crush-type Physical DPS with Stagger/Vulnerability kits
Characters: Da Pan, Endministrator, Lifeng
Farm: Axe Armorbeast, Bonekrusher Ballista, Tidewalker
Combative
Physical ReactionBonuses related to Physical status follow-up damage. Triggers on Physical debuff application (Vulnerability, Susceptibility) for additional damage effects.
Best for: Physical debuffers who apply Vulnerability stacks
Characters: Pogranichnik, Lifeng, Chen Qianyu
Farm: Axe Armorbeast, Bonekrusher Arsonist, Heavy Sting
Brutality
ATK AmplifierRaw ATK amplification through Vulnerability consumption or stack mechanics. Rewards aggressive play with direct ATK scaling bonuses.
Best for: High-ATK scaling physical characters who consume Vulnerability stacks
Characters: Endministrator, Da Pan
Farm: Bonekrusher Ballista, Heavy Sting, Tidewalker
Arts / Elemental Categories (3)
Infliction
Elemental ApplierEnhances elemental Infliction application — Cryo Infliction, Combustion, Electrification, Corrosion. Critical for characters who build elemental status stacks for burst windows.
Best for: Elemental status appliers who build Infliction stacks for DPS
Characters: Last Rite, Wulfgard, Perlica, Fluorite
Farm: Bonekrusher Arsonist, Bonekrusher Ballista, Heavy Sting
Last Rite needs 3 Cryo Infliction stacks to function. Infliction is non-negotiable for her builds.
Detonate
Arts Burst ReactionArts Burst reaction amplification. Bonuses trigger on Arts Burst application, debuffing enemies to take increased Arts DMG or amplifying burst reaction damage.
Best for: Arts reaction DPS who trigger Arts Burst
Characters: Perlica, Last Rite, Avywenna
Farm: Axe Armorbeast, Heavy Sting, Tidewalker
Twilight
Ultimate / Arts BurstArts DMG bonuses triggered by Ultimates and Combo Skills. Rewards characters with powerful Ultimate windows by amplifying Arts damage during burst phases.
Best for: Ultimate-centric Arts DPS with high Ultimate multipliers
Characters: Laevatain, Yvonne, Avywenna
Farm: Heavy Sting, Tidewalker
Essential for Laevatain — her entire kit revolves around Ultimate uptime and Arts DMG scaling.
Universal Categories (5)
Inspiring
Team BufferTeam-wide offensive buffs triggered on SP recovery, Link states, or support skill activations. Enhances the entire team's damage output.
Best for: SP battery characters and supports who enable team damage
Characters: Akekuri, Arclight, Alesh
Farm: Bonekrusher Arsonist, Bonekrusher Ballista
Flow
SP / Rotation UtilitySP recovery and rotation fluidity bonuses. Enhances Link state mechanics and team rotation efficiency for smoother combat cycles.
Best for: SP managers and Vanguards who generate or manage team SP
Characters: Akekuri, Arclight, Alesh
Farm: Axe Armorbeast, Bonekrusher Ballista, Tidewalker
Medicant
Healer / SustainTreatment Efficiency and healing-related bonuses. Provides sustain including HP-based scaling and team healing amplification.
Best for: Dedicated healers and sustain supports
Characters: Xaihi, Ardelia, Ember
Farm: Bonekrusher Arsonist, Bonekrusher Ballista, Tidewalker
Fracture
Defense ShredDefense shred and Susceptibility amplification. Strengthens debuffs that make enemies take increased damage from specific types.
Best for: Debuffer supports who apply Susceptibility
Characters: Ardelia, Pogranichnik, Lifeng
Farm: Bonekrusher Arsonist, Bonekrusher Ballista, Tidewalker
Efficacy
Utility / VersatileVersatile utility effects including vulnerability exploitation, treatment efficiency, and healing bonuses. A catch-all category covering support, healing, and niche utility.
Best for: Flex supports with hybrid utility/heal kits
Characters: Ardelia, Xaihi, Gilberta
Farm: Various dungeons (check stat pools)
Pro Tip: Quick Reference
Physical DPS: Assault / Suppression / Crusher. Arts DPS: Twilight / Detonate. Supports: Inspiring / Flow. Healers: Medicant / Efficacy. Debuffers: Infliction / Fracture / Combative.
Team Essence Build Guide
Different team archetypes prioritize different Essence skill categories. Use this to plan which Essences to farm for your team composition.
Physical Team
Focused on Stagger, Vulnerability, and Crush mechanics
Core DPS Skills
Support Skills
Example: Da Pan + Pogranichnik + Lifeng + Akekuri
Prioritize Assault/Crusher for DPS, Inspiring/Flow for supports. Combative for debuffers.
Heat Team
Focused on Combustion and Arts Burst reactions
Core DPS Skills
Support Skills
Example: Laevatain + Wulfgard + Antal + Akekuri
Twilight is king for Laevatain (Ultimate-centric). Infliction for Wulfgard's Combustion stacking.
Cryo Team
Focused on Cryo Infliction and Solidification
Core DPS Skills
Support Skills
Example: Last Rite + Xaihi + Yvonne + Ardelia
Infliction is critical for Last Rite's 3-stack requirement. Medicant for Xaihi as healer.
Electric Team
Focused on Electrification and Arts reactions
Core DPS Skills
Support Skills
Example: Avywenna + Perlica + Arclight + Antal
Detonate for Arts Burst combos. Infliction for Perlica's Forced Electrification.
Pro Tip: Priority Order
Always gear your main DPS first with their ideal Skill stat Essence. Then outfit supports with Inspiring/Flow/Medicant. Debuffers can flex between Infliction, Fracture, and Combative depending on the team's reaction chain.
Etching & Coolant System
Etching is the endgame upgrade system exclusive to Flawless (5-star) Essences. It's the final layer of stat optimization — and the most resource-intensive.
How Etching Works
- 1. Select your target — Choose a Flawless Essence with all 3 stat lines matching your weapon
- 2. Pick a stat line — Choose which of the 3 stats you want to upgrade
- 3. Feed another Flawless — A different Flawless Essence is consumed as material
- 4. Roll the dice — Success raises the stat by one level. The material is always consumed regardless of outcome
Etching Success Rates
| Upgrade | Success Rate | Coolant Gel (Guarantee) |
|---|---|---|
| Lv.1 → Lv.2 | Very High | 30 Gel |
| Lv.2 → Lv.3 | High | 60 Gel |
| Lv.3 → Lv.4 | Medium | 120 Gel |
| Lv.4 → Lv.5 | Low | 250 Gel |
| Lv.5 → Lv.6 | Very Low | 450 Gel |
Coolant Gel Pity System
- * Each failed Etching attempt grants 10 Coolant Gel
- * Coolant Gel can be spent to guarantee a successful upgrade (no material consumed)
- * Guarantee costs escalate: 30 Gel for Lv.2, up to 450 Gel for Lv.6
- * Reaching Lv.6 guaranteed requires the equivalent of 45 failed attempts
Pro Tip: Etching Priority
Only Etch Flawless Essences with all 3 stat lines matching your weapon. Etching a 2-line Flawless is a waste of materials. Focus on your main DPS first — the damage increase from a maxed Essence on your carry is worth more than spreading upgrades across the team.
Common Mistakes
1. Equipping mismatched Essences
An Essence only provides bonuses for stats that match the weapon's slots. A Flawless Essence with wrong stats gives zero benefit on mismatched lines. Always check your weapon's 3 stat types before equipping.
2. Etching before finding ideal stats
Don't Etch the first Flawless you find. Wait for one with all 3 stat lines matching your weapon's Attribute, Combat, and Skill slots. Etching materials are too scarce to waste on imperfect Essences.
3. Farming low-tier Alluviums too early
Energy Alluviums below Severe difficulty drop low-rarity Essences that are quickly outgrown. Save your Sanity for Severe-tier farming (requires Exploration Level 4). The jump in drop quality is massive.
4. Ignoring the Skill stat line
Many players match Attribute and Combat stats but overlook the Skill stat. The Skill line must match your weapon's passive prefix or you lose significant bonus levels. Check all three slots, not just two.
5. Spreading Etching across multiple Essences
Focus Etching resources on one character's Essence at a time. A single maxed Essence outperforms two half-upgraded ones. Finish your main DPS before moving to supports.
6. Forgetting to lock good Essences
Before doing any combining or Etching, lock Essences you want to keep. One misclick can feed your perfect Flawless Essence to another as upgrade material.
7. Farming the wrong dungeon
Each Severe Energy Alluvium drops specific stat pools. Check which dungeon drops the Skill stat you need before spending Sanity. See the Essences Guide for the complete dungeon-to-stat mapping.
8. Hoarding low-rarity Essences
Stable and Clean Essences are better disassembled for Stock Bills than hoarded. Your 2,000-slot inventory fills up fast. Disassemble regularly and keep only Pure+ Essences unless you're combining up.
Quick Reference Checklist
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the 14 Essence skill types in Arknights: Endfield?
The 14 Essence skill categories are: Assault, Suppression, Pursuit, Crusher, Combative, Brutality (Physical), Infliction, Detonate, Twilight (Arts/Elemental), and Inspiring, Flow, Medicant, Fracture, Efficacy (Universal). Each must match the weapon's passive skill prefix to provide bonuses.
How does Essence stat matching work in Arknights: Endfield?
Each weapon has 3 stat slots: Attribute, Combat, and Skill. An Essence only provides bonuses for stats that match the weapon's slots. Unmatched stats contribute nothing, so a mismatched Flawless Essence is worse than a matched Pure Essence.
How does Etching work for Essences in Arknights: Endfield?
Etching is exclusive to Flawless (5-star) Essences. You consume another Flawless Essence to attempt upgrading a stat line. Success rates range from Very High (Lv.2) to Very Low (Lv.6). Failed attempts grant 10 Coolant Gel, which can be spent (30-450 Gel) to guarantee a successful upgrade.
Which Essence skill type should I use for my character in Arknights: Endfield?
Match the Essence Skill stat to your weapon's passive prefix. Physical DPS characters use Assault, Suppression, or Crusher. Arts DPS use Twilight or Detonate. Supports use Inspiring or Flow. Healers use Medicant or Efficacy. Elemental appliers use Infliction.