This Arknights Endfield beginner guide covers what new players should prioritize in Version 1.6 (Sanctuary of Ink): how the headhunting banners and pity work, which free pulls to grab, how to think about your first team, and why the AIC factory matters from day one. Endfield throws a lot of menus at you early, so the goal here is to separate what’s urgent from what can wait.
If you’re starting on PC, the game is free on Windows through Steam, Epic Games Store or the GRYPHLINK launcher. Play Arknights: Endfield free on Windows PC.
Key Takeaways
- New Horizons, the beginner banner, guarantees a permanent 6-star operator within 40 pulls
- Limited banners guarantee a 6-star at 80 pulls and the featured operator at 120, but the 120 counter resets
- Version 1.6 events hand out thousands of Oroberyl plus free headhunting permits
- Build teams around synergy (elements, debuffs, combo skills), not just raw damage
- Don’t skip the AIC factory: it produces the gear and materials you need
How Headhunting Works
Endfield has several banner types, and mixing them up is the most common way new players waste currency. According to GameWith’s banner guide:
- Chartered Headhunting (limited): a 6-star is guaranteed by 80 pulls, with a 50% chance it’s the featured operator. The featured operator is guaranteed at 120 pulls, once per banner. The 80-pull counter carries over to the next limited banner, the 120-pull counter does not.
- Basic Headhunting (permanent): 80-pull 6-star guarantee, plus a one-time choice of any standard 6-star at 300 pulls.
- New Horizons (beginner): a permanent 6-star within 40 pulls, one time only.
- Arsenal Issue (weapons): paid with Arsenal Tickets earned from operator pulls.
Each pull costs 500 Oroberyl and the base 6-star rate is 0.8%. The practical takeaway from every guide we checked is the same: only commit to a limited banner if you can reach 120 pulls, or you risk losing the guarantee when the banner ends.
Free Pulls and Resources in Version 1.6
The official Sanctuary of Ink notes list plenty of free currency for anyone playing right now:
- Maintenance and bug-fix compensation: 900 + 900 Oroberyl (for characters created before the update)
- All the Inky Hues guide event: up to 1,200 Oroberyl, until November 5
- Yuanyuan’s Blazing Stoves: 1,000 Oroberyl from inn milestones
- Spirit’s Restoration sign-in: 5 headhunting permits for 7 days of logins, until November 5
- Combat Drills: 100 Oroberyl and a full Level 60 gear set for trying the new operator Si
There are also more challenge rewards later in the version: Arena of Games, Umbral Monument’s new stages and Contingency Contract each offer 1,200 to 2,000 Oroberyl. Clear what you can before the version ends.
Building Your First Team
You fight with four operators, switching between them in real time. The team shares three skill gauges, and many kits feed each other: Game8 notes that Perlica’s Electrification triggers Gilberta’s combo skill, and that Si can cut a teammate’s combo skill cooldown. How operators work together matters more than any single one.
Each operator has an element (Physical, Heat, Cryo, Electric or Nature) and a class (Guard, Caster, Striker, Vanguard, Supporter or Defender). The Version 1.6 tier list from Game8 shows what’s valued right now: supports like Gilberta, Si and Perlica rank alongside top damage dealers because they amplify the whole team. Gilberta, for example, enables hybrid teams with Rossi.
A simple starting template is one main damage dealer, one supporter who buffs or debuffs in the same element, a Vanguard or second damage dealer, and a flexible fourth slot. The Endministrator, your player character, is rated S tier on Game8’s list, so they’re a reasonable early core.
Don’t Neglect the AIC Factory
The Automated Industry Complex isn’t a side activity. Per the official site, it automates production of gear, explosives, batteries, tactical items and other materials. You place machines, connect them with conveyor belts and power them through a grid.
The beginner mistake is building one small line and forgetting about it. Expand production as new recipes unlock, and keep an eye on power. Version 1.6 also brings an Auto-Farmer for planting and harvesting at the new inn, and Noisy Pixel reports it will later reach Wuling’s farming area too.
Spending Priorities for New Players
A few rules hold across the guides we checked:
- Finish New Horizons first. Its 40-pull guarantee is the cheapest 6-star in the game.
- Save for 120 on limited banners. The featured guarantee doesn’t follow you to the next banner.
- Use Basic permits on Basic Headhunting. Don’t spend Oroberyl there if you can avoid it.
- Do Combat Drills on every new banner. You test the operator for free and keep the rewards.
- Follow the main story. It unlocks systems and the New Horizons permits.
FAQ
Is Arknights: Endfield free on PC?
Yes. It’s free to play on Windows PC through Steam, Epic Games Store or the official launcher.
What is the pity in Arknights: Endfield?
A 6-star is guaranteed by 80 pulls on limited banners, and the featured operator is guaranteed at 120 pulls per banner.
Does pity carry over between banners?
The 80-pull 6-star counter does. The 120-pull featured guarantee does not.
Who should I pull for in Version 1.6?
Si is rated SS on Game8’s tier list. Check the full ranking before you spend.
Want the bigger picture? Read my Arknights Endfield review, then use the Arknights Endfield tier list to plan your pulls. If you play other gacha games, the Neverness to Everness tier list covers another current meta, and the Gacha RPG section has more. Official news is on the official Arknights: Endfield website.
