What"s Actually New This Patch
The “Impending Crash of Waves” update hit July 16, but Phase II (August 6) is where things get interesting. We"re talking two new areas to explore—Sailume Bay and Fantasy Resort—plus Season 2 Chapter 2 content that actually moves the story forward.
The “Tales of Midsummer Dreams” event is your typical summer fare: surfing, shooting, fishing mini-games. Nothing groundbreaking, but hey, free stuff is free stuff.
Speaking of free rewards—and this is important—you"re looking at 1600 Polychromes just for logging in (mail system, July 4-September 3). Add 10 Encrypted Master Tapes from the “All-New Program” event, 10 Boopons from “En-Nah Into Your Lap,” and another 300 Polychromes from code “SPOOKSHACK” (expires July 6, so move fast).
The banner timeline runs August 6-September 3. Alice gets her debut with “Sworn to Noble Courage,” while Yanagi returns via “Moonlit Serenity.” Both banners include Soukaku and Seth—solid A-Rank options if you"re missing them.
Quality-of-life wise? Controller customization got better, mini-map guides actually work now, and you can finally pin Quick Travel locations. Small stuff, but it adds up.
Alice: High Risk, Higher Reward
The Blade Etiquette System (And Why It Matters)
Alice isn"t your typical DPS. She runs on “Blade Etiquette”—think of it as a 300-point resource pool split into three bars. You generate 30 points when squad members trigger Disorder, 10 points when Alice herself triggers Assault.
Here"s where it gets spicy: “Starshine Waltz” (hold Basic Attack while consuming bars) and “Polarized Assault” (3-bar charge) that deals 100% original Assault damage while triggering Disorder with any Anomaly. Including Physical.
That shouldn"t be possible, but here we are.
Her “Mystery Hunt” passive converts Anomaly Mastery above 140 into Anomaly Proficiency at a 1.6 ratio. Translation? Stack Anomaly Mastery, get free Proficiency. Simple math, complex execution.
M1 lets Polarized Assault restore 25 Blade Etiquette—suddenly your resource management becomes sustainable. M2? Ultimate-triggered Polarized Assault with team-wide buffs. That"s when Alice stops being good and starts being broken.
Building Alice (The Expensive Way)
Let"s be real: Alice wants her signature weapon. “Practiced Perfection” gives you 713 Base ATK, 30% ATK, 60 Anomaly Mastery, and stacking 20% Physical DMG on Assault hits. Without it, you"re fighting uphill.
Drive Disc setup is straightforward: 4-piece “Fanged Metal” (10% Physical DMG base, 35% additional to Assault targets) plus 2-piece “Phaethon"s Melody.” Main stats focus on Anomaly Proficiency (Slot 4), Physical DMG or ATK% (Slot 5), and Anomaly Mastery (Slot 6).
Your benchmarks? 140+ Anomaly Mastery (for the conversion passive), 2000+ unbuffed ATK, 75-80% CRIT Rate, 150-200% CRIT DMG.
Budget alternatives exist—“Electro-Lip Gloss” R5 or “Weeping Gemini” R5—but let"s not kid ourselves. Alice rewards investment, period.
Where Alice Stands
Prydwen has her at T0.5, performing above Jane Doe with proper investment. Game8 calls her Tier 1+ (S+ Tier) as the premier Physical Anomaly DPS.
Editor"s note: After testing both extensively, I"d argue Alice has a higher ceiling but requires significantly more resources to reach it. Jane remains the better value proposition for most players.
Skill priority follows standard DPS logic: Core Skill first, then Basic Attack and Special Attack equally, followed by Chain Attack, with Dodge and Assist last.
Yanagi: The Rule Bender
Stance Dancing and Polarity Disorder
Yanagi switches between Jougen (+10% Electric DMG) and Kagen (+10% PEN Ratio) stances, with buffs lasting 8 seconds after switching. But here"s the kicker: “Polarity Disorder.”
This mechanic triggers via EX Special or Ultimate on Anomaly enemies and deals modified Disorder damage without consuming existing Anomaly effects. Read that again. She"s layering damage on top of Anomalies instead of replacing them.
EX Special grants “Shinrabanshou” state for 15 seconds, automating optimal combos. The damage scaling? 725% Anomaly Proficiency (EX Special), 4000% scaling (Ultimate). Those aren"t typos.
Advanced players bypass her weaker Physical attacks by using skills or stance switches after the 3rd, 4th, or 5th hits. Takes practice, but the DPS difference is noticeable.
Team Integration That Actually Works
The premier Disorder team is Yanagi + Burnice + Caesar. Off-field Fire application, ATK buffs, shields—everything clicks together naturally.
Mono-Electric viability comes through Yanagi + Seth + Rina. Shields, Anomaly Proficiency buffs, PEN Ratio enhancement. It"s a cohesive strategy that didn"t exist before.
Her signature “Timeweaver” provides 714 Base ATK, 30% ATK, 30% Electric Anomaly Buildup, 75 Anomaly Proficiency, and 25% Disorder DMG when Anomaly Proficiency hits 375+. Drive Disc setup: 4-piece “Thunder Metal” plus 2-piece “Chaos Jazz.”
Target stats with Timeweaver: 2800-3200 ATK, 300-350 Anomaly Mastery. Budget builds aim for 2500-2800 ATK with similar Mastery numbers.
The Meta Shift
Alice establishes a new T0.5 Physical Anomaly tier, directly competing with Jane Doe while offering superior performance at high investment levels. Yanagi reinforces her T1+ position through mechanics that honestly feel like they"re breaking the game"s rules.
Optimal Alice teams center around dual-DPS cores: Alice + Yanagi + Yuzuha creates synergistic Physical/Electric coverage. Alternative setups include Alice + Vivian + Burnice for consistent off-field Anomaly application, or Alice + Seth + Grace for F2P players.
Quick observation: Yuzuha is emerging as nearly essential for Alice teams. Her buffs and off-field support amplify Alice"s damage in ways that other supports simply can"t match.
The power ceiling is increasing through mechanical innovation rather than statistical inflation. That"s… actually healthy for the game"s longevity.
Investment Reality Check
Resource Allocation (The Honest Version)
Alice suits players who lack Physical DPS, have access to Yuzuha, and are willing to commit to her signature weapon. M0R0 provides mechanical completeness, but you"ll see substantial improvement with “Practiced Perfection” and key Mindscapes.
F2P players should probably skip unless they can guarantee weapon acquisition. The performance gap between budget and optimal Alice builds is significant enough to be frustrating.
Yanagi offers exceptional value through versatility and lower investment requirements. She functions effectively at M0 while providing substantial upgrades at M2. New players should prioritize Yanagi for roster flexibility; veterans benefit when filling targeted Physical DPS gaps.
Long-term Value Proposition
Alice"s Physical Anomaly rarity provides niche protection. There simply aren"t many characters doing what she does, which suggests lasting strategic value.
Yanagi"s Polarity Disorder uniqueness ensures relevance regardless of power creep. Damage layering without Anomaly consumption is a mechanic that scales with future content rather than being replaced by it.
Both characters benefit from the game"s continued emphasis on Anomaly-focused content, suggesting sustained relevance as mechanics evolve beyond traditional DPS approaches.
Team Building Revolution
Alice-centered compositions maximize Disorder potential through careful elemental layering. The Alice + Yanagi + Yuzuha core creates unprecedented synergy between Physical and Electric Anomaly mechanics.
Yanagi integration enhances existing compositions without requiring complete overhauls. The established Yanagi + Burnice + Caesar trio represents optimal Disorder building, while Mono-Electric setups demonstrate viability for previously suboptimal strategies.
Hybrid Alice + Yanagi teams create strategic depth that didn"t exist before. Complementary Anomaly mechanics, maximized elemental reaction frequency, high individual damage output—it"s the kind of team building complexity that keeps the game interesting.
Performance in Practice
Alice"s damage scales dramatically with investment and team support. Her signature weapon"s 60 Anomaly Mastery converts to 96 Anomaly Proficiency through her passive—free stats that compound with proper building.
Yanagi"s sustained output emphasizes Polarity Disorder mechanics with scaling that defies traditional damage calculations. Her team-wide Disorder DMG multipliers benefit all party members beyond her individual contribution.
Both excel in Hollow Zero content where sustained damage and elemental reactions advantage burst-focused strategies. Their combined performance exceeds individual capabilities through synergistic Anomaly maintenance and multiple Disorder triggers.
Real Player Experiences
Early adopters report Alice success in high-investment configurations, achieving damage that exceeds previous Physical DPS options. But—and this is crucial—success requires mastering the Blade Etiquette system and rotation timing.
Yanagi adopters highlight immediate team impact regardless of investment level. She just… works. Right out of the box.
Common Alice pitfalls include underestimating investment requirements and inadequate team support. Yanagi users benefit from stance management practice, but the learning curve is gentler.
Community sentiment praises Alice"s unique mechanics and high ceiling while acknowledging investment barriers. Yanagi enjoys widespread positive reception for immediate utility and flexibility across team archetypes.
Looking Forward
Alice and Yanagi"s Anomaly-focused designs align with continued emphasis on elemental reactions over pure burst damage. Their mechanical uniqueness provides future-proofing through distinctive abilities rather than statistical advantages.
The new S-Rank Bangboo Miss Esme synergizes with Spook Shack members (including Alice), indicating continued archetype support. This success will likely influence future character development toward mechanical innovation that maintains roster diversity.
FAQ (The Questions Everyone"s Actually Asking)
Is Alice worth pulling? If you lack Physical DPS, have Yuzuha, and can commit to her signature weapon—yes. M0R0 is complete but improves substantially with “Practiced Perfection.” F2P players should consider skipping unless they can guarantee weapon acquisition.
How does Yanagi compare to other supports? She transcends traditional support roles. Yanagi functions as primary DPS and team enhancer simultaneously. Her Polarity Disorder triggers modified damage without consuming Anomalies—she"s multiplying team damage while providing team-wide multipliers.
Best Alice team compositions? Optimal: Alice + Yanagi + Yuzuha for dual-DPS synergy. Alternatives include Alice + Vivian + Burnice for consistent off-field application, or Alice + Seth + Grace for budget builds. Yuzuha is particularly valuable for maximizing Alice"s potential.
F2P priority between Alice and Yanagi? Yanagi, hands down. Lower investment requirements, immediate utility, functions effectively at M0 with budget weapons. Alice requires signature weapon for optimal performance. Yanagi"s versatility provides better roster flexibility per resource invested.
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