Pure Fiction 3.8 Overview: What Makes This Cycle Different
Pure Fiction resets January 5, 2026 at 4:00 PM server time. Enemy roster: Lordly Trashcan, Everwinter Shadewalker, Lesser Sting, Ichor Memosprite (Winged Serpent/Pheasant), Sableclaw Wolftrooper, Eclipse Wolftrooper, Borisin Warhead Hoolay, Blacktide Decrepit Bow, Mara-Struck Warden/Soldier, Blaze Out of Space, Abundant Ebon Deer.
High-toughness targets with Fire weaknesses make Break Effect DPS significantly more effective than CRIT-based dealers. Borisin Warhead Hoolay requires sustained AoE Break damage, not single-target burst.
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New Buff Mechanics & Enemy Analysis
3.8 emphasizes Break Effect amplification through character synergies. Firefly's optimized setup delivers 200% Super Break damage per turn with 100% action advance, 60 Speed bonus, 50% Break Effect boost, and 20% increased enemy Break damage taken.
Fire weakness dominates the enemy lineup. Borisin Warhead Hoolay needs sustained toughness depletion across phases. Lordly Trashcan variants demand rapid AoE Breaks. Ichor Memosprites appear in groups with moderate toughness. Mara-Struck units have higher toughness but lower HP.
Scoring Thresholds
12/12 stars requires clearing all stages within specific cycle counts. F2P players achieve 85-95% clear rates at 360% Break Effect and 162 Speed on primary DPS. More accessible than previous cycles demanding premium Light Cones or high Eidolons.
Scoring prioritizes turn efficiency over raw damage. Speed substats and action advance mechanics are critical.
#1 Priority DPS: Firefly
Firefly returns Phase 1 (December 16, 2025 to January 7, 2026). 5-star Fire Destruction Break DPS.
Level 80 base stats: 679 ATK, 606 DEF, 1086 HP, 96 Speed, 130 Energy
Enhanced Skill: 0.2×BE+200% ATK main target, 0.1×BE+100% adjacent target (360% BE cap)
Core Kit
Enhanced Skill states convert Break Effect into damage multipliers. Ultimate enables Enhanced Skill usage with action advance. 360% BE cap prevents diminishing returns—focus Speed and defensive substats after reaching threshold.
Talent provides toughness damage bonuses, making Breaks faster than competing DPS. Synergy with Super Break supports creates multiplicative scaling.
Optimal Build
Light Cones: Signature or 4-star Break Effect alternatives. Prioritize BE% bonuses over flat ATK. Energy regeneration reduces Ultimate downtime.
Relics:
- Iron Cavalry 4pc: +16% BE, 10% DEF ignore on Super Break
- Thief 4pc alternative: +3 Energy on Break
- Forge of Kalpagni Lantern 2pc: +6% Speed, +40% BE vs Fire-weak (1 turn)
- Talia Kingdom 2pc: +16-36% BE
Main stats:
- Body: Break Effect or DEF%
- Feet: Speed (mandatory 145+)
- Sphere: Fire DMG% or Break Effect
- Rope: Break Effect or Energy Regen
Substat priority: Speed to 145+ → Break Effect to 360% → DEF%. Avoid CRIT stats.
Skill Traces & Eidolons
Level Enhanced Skill first, then Ultimate, then Talent.
E0 achieves 85-95% F2P clear rates—Eidolons optional. E1 improves Energy regen. E2 increases damage ceiling.
Team Composition
Optimal: Firefly + Dahlia + Harmony Trailblazer + Gallagher
- Dahlia: 50% ally BE boost, -18% DEF debuff
- Harmony TB: Super Break enablement, BE buffs
- Gallagher: Sustain with BE synergies
Alternatives: Fugue for Harmony TB (follow-up Breaks), Lingsha for Gallagher (aggressive healing).
#2 Priority DPS: The Dahlia
5-star Fire Nihility Break support, Phase 1 debut alongside Firefly.
Skill: 3-turn Withering Garden, 160% ATK Fire damage, 50% ally BE boost
Ultimate: 300% ATK AoE Fire damage, 4-turn Wilt debuff (-18% DEF)
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Why Dahlia Complements Firefly
50% BE buff amplifies Firefly's damage. DEF shred increases all team damage. Fire element exploits 3.8's Fire-weak enemies. Withering Garden persists 3 turns for consistent BE support.
Nihility path grants debuff-focused Light Cones and relics. Creates synergistic scaling where both characters improve each other.
Complete Build
Never Forget Her Flame (signature 5-star):
- Level 80: 529 ATK, 1164 HP, 463 DEF
- 60-120% BE, 32-72% Break DMG on combat entry
- Recovers 1 Skill Point on Weakness application (resets on Ultimate)
Skill Point recovery solves action economy. Break DMG boost applies to all team members.
Relics:
- Iron Cavalry 4pc (Super Break optimization)
- Watchmaker 4pc alternative (+30% team BE)
- Forge of Kalpagni Lantern 2pc (Fire-weak scenarios)
- Talia Kingdom 2pc (universal BE)
Target 360% BE and 145+ Speed. ATK% substats secondary priority.
Investment Requirements
Standard 5-star ascension materials. Prioritize Calyx farming for character XP, then Cavern of Corrosion for relics. Fire-element Skill Trace materials overlap with Firefly.
Optimal Teams
Premier: Dahlia + Firefly + Fugue + Lingsha
Budget: Dahlia + Firefly + Harmony TB + Gallagher
Both maintain core BE synergies.
Head-to-Head Comparison
Firefly and Dahlia are complementary, not competing. Firefly delivers higher personal damage. Dahlia provides force multiplication through team buffs.
Solo Firefly achieves faster clears through superior AoE Break damage. Dahlia requires team support but enables higher team damage ceilings.
Cycle Count Analysis
Both together: 6-8 cycles per stage for 12/12 stars
Solo Firefly: 8-10 cycles with optimal support
Dahlia-focused without Firefly: Struggles to meet 12-star thresholds at E0
Optimal rotation:
- Dahlia Technique entry
- Firefly Ultimate → Enhanced Skill
- Dahlia Ultimate (DEF shred)
- Fugue follow-ups trigger Super Breaks
- Repeat Enhanced Skill spam
- Reapply buffs before next wave
AoE vs Single-Target
Firefly's Enhanced Skill provides superior AoE (main + adjacent targets). Dahlia's Ultimate delivers true AoE but longer cooldowns.
Against Ichor Memosprite waves, Firefly clears 2-3 cycles faster. Dahlia's DEF shred amplifies team damage 18-25%.
Borisin Warhead Hoolay favors sustained Breaks—Firefly's strength. Combined, both create optimal boss conditions.
Resource Efficiency
Firefly: highest ROI for F2P, 85-95% clear rates at E0 with 4-star Light Cones.
Dahlia: requires Never Forget Her Flame for full potential, but valuable across multiple team comps beyond Pure Fiction.
Stage-by-Stage Strategy
Allocate Firefly-Dahlia to the half containing Borisin Warhead Hoolay and high-toughness enemies.
Stages 1-2: First Half
Lordly Trashcan, Everwinter Shadewalker, Lesser Sting with moderate toughness. Allows flexibility—suitable for secondary DPS.
If using Firefly-Dahlia here, target 3-cycle clears. Dahlia's Technique entry provides immediate BE buffs.
Stages 3-4: Second Half
Borisin Warhead Hoolay, Sableclaw Wolftrooper, Eclipse Wolftrooper with higher toughness. Demands Firefly-Dahlia core.
Rotation:
- Dahlia Technique (BE buff)
- Firefly Ultimate → Enhanced Skill on primary target
- Dahlia Ultimate (AoE + Wilt debuff)
- Fugue follow-ups (Super Break chains)
- Enhanced Skill spam until toughness breaks
- Reapply buffs before next wave
Maintains 100% buff uptime, maximizes Enhanced Skill usage through Skill Point recovery.
Common Pitfalls
Over-investing in ATK%: Firefly and Dahlia need 360% BE before ATK% matters. BE is absolute priority.
Speed tuning errors: Maintain 145+ Speed on both DPS for consistent turn order. Adjust support speeds for proper buff sequencing.
Skill Point mismanagement: Never Forget Her Flame's SP recovery requires Dahlia to apply Weakness breaks—proper target selection crucial.
F2P & Budget Alternatives
Players lacking Firefly or Dahlia achieve 10-11 stars with alternative Break DPS. 12/12 stars consistently requires at least one premium Super Break DPS.
4-Star Options
No 4-star DPS possesses sufficient Super Break scaling to replace Firefly or Dahlia in 3.8. However, 4-star supports (Gallagher, Harmony TB) remain essential.
F2P should prioritize Firefly during Phase 1. Dahlia's debut banner provides guaranteed acquisition through pity.
Minimum Investment
E0 Firefly with 4-star Light Cone achieves 12/12 stars at 360% BE and 162 Speed. Requires 3-4 weeks dedicated relic farming.
Dahlia needs Never Forget Her Flame for optimal performance, but functions with 4-star alternatives at reduced efficiency. E1 adds 15% DEF ignore to Ultimate. E2 extends Withering Garden +1 turn with +20% BE.
Support Synergies
Harmony TB provides essential Super Break enablement. Gallagher offers sustain with Break applications.
Essential Buffers
Dahlia's 50% BE buff and -18% DEF debuff make her premier support for Firefly. Fugue adds follow-up Breaks triggering additional Super Break instances.
Watchmaker 4pc on supports provides +30% team BE, helping DPS reach 360% with fewer substat requirements.
Sustain Options
Gallagher: most efficient for Break teams, accessible 4-star.
Lingsha: superior healing, additional Breaks, premium choice.
Shielders underperform—cycle favors healing over shields.
Speed Tuning
Support buffers: 145-150 Speed (match DPS thresholds)
Sustain: 120-130 Speed (healing doesn't need precise turn order)
Firefly's action advance creates variable turn orders—aim 145+ baseline, adjust based on testing.
Resource Planning
Building both requires significant Trailblaze Power. Prioritize character ascension to unlock level caps, then relic farming.
Trailblaze Power Allocation
60% daily to relic farming once characters hit Level 80 with maxed Skill Traces. Iron Cavalry domain optimal for both.
40% for weekly bosses, character XP, Light Cone XP.
Ascension Routes
Fire-element materials overlap. Prioritize Firefly's ascension (higher personal damage), then Dahlia's, before Eidolons.
Skill Trace materials follow similar paths—bulk farming more efficient.
Farming Efficiency
Never Forget Her Flame: largest power spike for Dahlia, highest priority Light Cone investment.
Firefly: adequate with 4-star alternatives.
Relic farming: target Iron Cavalry 4pc with BE main stats (Body/Rope), Speed (Feet). Accept temporary 2pc setups—BE thresholds matter more than set bonuses initially.
Common Mistakes & Expert Tips
Misconception #1: Need E6 for Perfect Clears
False. 85-95% F2P clear rate at E0 with proper builds. Eidolons provide incremental improvements, not mandatory gates.
E0 Firefly with 360% BE and 162 Speed achieves identical clear rates to E2 with suboptimal stats. Relic farming and team comp matter more.
Misconception #2: Speed Boots Always Optimal
While Speed Feet optimal for most scenarios, characters exceeding 145 Speed through substats can consider BE Feet for additional damage. Applies primarily to Dahlia with Never Forget Her Flame's Speed bonuses.
Calculate total Speed including Light Cone/set bonuses before committing. 145 Speed is minimum, not maximum.
Advanced Techniques
Firefly's Enhanced Skill animations partially cancel through Ultimate usage, reducing cycle time. Saves 1-2 seconds per rotation.
Turn manipulation through intentional Speed tuning creates scenarios where buffs refresh before expiration, maximizing uptime.
Real Player Data
Firefly-Dahlia teams: 92% 12-star clear rate at E0
Solo Firefly: 78%
Dahlia-primary: 65%
Non-Break DPS: 45-55%, requiring higher investment/premium Eidolons
Future-Proofing
Firefly and Dahlia investments extend beyond single-cycle value. Break mechanics appear consistently across endgame content.
Future Value
Firefly: relevant in any Fire-weak or Break-focused content. Self-contained damage loops maintain baseline performance.
Dahlia: universally valuable for Break teams. 50% BE buff and DEF shred apply regardless of enemy types.
Upcoming Synergies
Future Fire supports will likely enhance Firefly-Dahlia performance. Monitor banners for complementary characters.
Fugue's Phase 2 rerun (December 16, 2025 to January 7, 2026) provides immediate synergy—follow-up mechanics amplify team damage.
Long-Term Strategy
Prioritize Firefly acquisition Phase 1 as foundational Break DPS, then add Dahlia for multiplicative scaling. This core handles majority of Break content.
Reserve Stellar Jade for Light Cone banners after securing both at E0—Never Forget Her Flame provides larger spikes than early Eidolons.
FAQ
What are the best DPS for Pure Fiction 3.8?
Firefly and The Dahlia achieve 92% 12-star clear rates at E0 with 360% BE and 145+ Speed. Fire element and Super Break mechanics perfectly counter the cycle's enemy lineup.
How many stars without premium DPS?
10-11 stars typically. 12/12 requires significantly higher investment or premium Eidolons. 3.8 specifically favors Super Break mechanics.
Which DPS to build first?
Firefly takes absolute priority, achieving 85-95% F2P clear rates with 4-star Light Cones. Build to 360% BE and 162 Speed before investing in Dahlia.
What are 3.8 enemy weaknesses?
Majority feature Fire weakness: Borisin Warhead Hoolay, Lordly Trashcan variants, Ichor Memosprite types. Optimal for Firefly-Dahlia teams.
Can F2P get 12 stars?
Yes. 85-95% clear rates using E0 Firefly with 4-star Light Cone, Harmony TB, Gallagher at 360% BE and 162 Speed. Requires 3-4 weeks dedicated relic farming.
What team clears fastest?
Firefly + Dahlia + Fugue + Lingsha for maximum BE stacking. Budget: Firefly + Dahlia + Harmony TB + Gallagher. Both achieve 12/12 stars in 6-8 cycles per stage.
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