The five units your gems should target in 2026: Crown, Rapi: Red Hood, Little Mermaid, Naga, and Cinderella. The top campaign team runs Liter → Crown → Red Hood → Modernia → Naga. For bossing, swap Liter for Little Mermaid and add Cinderella. These compositions dominate Union Raid, Interception, and campaign auto-farm — and community testing confirms they're the highest-ROI investments in patch 2.5.x.
What Changed in Patch 2.5.x
One structural shift defines this meta: sustained-damage bossing now outweighs burst-window cheese. Tier rankings weight 60% toward boss content (Story Interception, Co-op, Union Raid) and 40% toward Campaign — tested at 25%+ CP deficit, 60 FPS, Minimum Firing Rounds Adjustments enabled.
This isn't a dramatic balance patch. It's a community-observed meta consolidation driven by Union Raid boss HP scaling and two new kits — Little Mermaid and Cinderella — that specifically counter high-defense enemies.
Key findings:
Green-bordered Nikkes (non-Pilgrim SSRs) perform one full tier higher at 25–35% CP deficit when fully raised — critical for F2P players who can't always match CP requirements
Red-bordered Pilgrims (Crown, Red Hood) need 10/10/10 skill investment to reach their ceiling; at 4/4/4, a well-invested green-bordered T1 unit can outperform them in campaign
Helm (Treasure) is the standout campaign unit below 25% CP deficit — she drops to SS tier at high deficit, so this is situational
PvE Tier List — Patch 2.5.x
PvP T0 (Ark Arena)
Red Hood, Cinderella, and Helm appear in both PvE and PvP T0 — investment in those three pays across every game mode simultaneously.
Top 5 Teams Worth Your Gems
Team 1: Union Raid & Bossing
Little Mermaid (B1) → Crown (B2) → Cinderella (B3) → Red Hood (B3) → Naga
The highest-ceiling team in 2.5.x for any single high-HP boss. Community testing rates this as the premier Union Raid and Interception squad.
Little Mermaid matches Liter's buff output at B1 while freeing Liter to run on a second competitive squad — essential for Union Raid players managing two teams
Crown is the linchpin. Her B2 amplification scales every B3 carry multiplicatively in sustained fights. No replacement comes close
Cinderella deals true damage that bypasses defense entirely — against high-defense Union Raid bosses, she consistently outperforms standard DPS options
Red Hood brings SSS-rated bossing output as a Fire MG B3, synergizing directly with Crown's amplification window
Naga provides healing plus an ATK buff that meaningfully increases B3 damage across every rotation
Skill investment: all five at 10/10/10, T10 elemental gear. Half-measures significantly reduce output. F2P feasibility: achievable over 6–12 months — pull Little Mermaid and Crown first.
Team 2: Campaign Speed-Clear
Liter (B1) → Crown (B2) → Red Hood (B3) → Modernia (B3) → Naga
The optimal auto-farm and story progression team. Community consensus is unanimous here.
Liter's ATK buff and reload speed feed Red Hood and Modernia's sustained fire. Crown amplifies both B3 carries simultaneously. Modernia's continuous fire stacks with Red Hood's MG damage for combined DPS that clears campaign faster than any tested alternative.
Naga's role is underappreciated — her ATK buff during the burst chain meaningfully increases B3 damage, and her sustain prevents wipes on spike-damage stages.
Helm (Treasure) substitution: Below 25% CP deficit, swapping Crown for Helm at B2 actually outperforms the standard lineup. Above that threshold, Crown wins. Know your current chapter before deciding.
Skill investment: Liter, Crown, Red Hood, Modernia, and Naga all at 10/10/10. No shortcuts on this team.
Team 3: Sustained Bossing Core
Naga + Crown + Tia (core) — flexible B1 and B3 slots
Built for Solo Raid and Co-op Interception where fights extend across multiple burst rotations. Crown's amplification is most valuable in exactly these scenarios.
Tia's ATK buffs stack with Naga's, creating a support density that maximizes B3 damage across every rotation — not just the first. The highest-ceiling version adds Little Mermaid at B1 and Cinderella at B3. Without Little Mermaid, Liter at B1 is a strong substitute — you lose the second-team flexibility, but bossing output stays competitive.
Nayuta deserves a specific mention: rated SS Story/T0 PvE as a B2 Missilis bossing specialist, she peaks in sustained single-target content like Union Raid. If you have Nayuta but not Crown, she fills the B2 slot — Crown's ceiling is higher, but Nayuta is a legitimate bridge.
Team 4: PvP Disruptor
Jackal (B1) → Noah (B2) → Scarlet or Emilia (B3) + Cinderella (B3) + Helm Treasure (B3)
PvP in 2.5.x is decided by speed and invincibility windows. This team wins by going first and making the opponent's burst irrelevant.
Jackal is the fastest B1 Rocket Launcher in the game — community benchmarks confirm she's the top speed pick for arena. Getting to burst before your opponent is often the entire match.
Noah's B2 invincibility shield negates burst-damage windows entirely. Against teams that rely on burst to wipe your squad, she simply removes the threat.
Arena speed standard: 3 Rocket Launchers is the competitive baseline. Running slower than 4 Rocket Launchers is consistently bad unless you have a significant CP advantage.
One honest note: PvP meta shifts faster than PvE. These units reflect 2.5.x community consensus, but arena rankings can move within a patch cycle.
Team 5: F2P-Accessible Meta
Liter (B1) → Helm Treasure (B2) → Red Hood (B3) → Scarlet: BS (B3) → Naga
The most achievable meta team for players who can't pull every banner. Liter and Naga are available through the Wish List system on the Regular Banner — both rated 10/10 Wish List priority. You can target them without spending on limited banners.
The Wish List mechanic unlocks after 40 Regular Banner summons and lets you set up to 20 priority units. Set yours to Liter, Naga, and Tia immediately. That's the foundational F2P strategy.
Red Hood requires a limited banner pull, but she's the single highest-priority limited unit for F2P players — SSS bossing, SS story. If you pull one limited unit in 2026, it's Red Hood.
Scarlet: Black Shadow at T1 provides strong B3 DPS as a non-Pilgrim unit — more accessible and easier to raise, and remember: green-bordered units perform one tier higher at 25–35% CP deficit.
Skill investment for F2P: Liter, Red Hood, and Naga to 10/10/10 first. Helm Treasure and Scarlet: BS can run at 7/7/7 until resources allow capping them.
Pull Priority & Gem Investment
Pull Order
Crown → Red Hood → Nayuta → Little Mermaid → Cinderella → Helm (Treasure) → Snow White: HA
Crown is first because she slots into every top team with no B2 replacement. Red Hood is second — unmatched B3 bossing output. The rest follow by team-completion value.
Pity System & Gem Costs
Daily missions generate ~80 Gems/day, ~2,400/month. Reaching hard pity from zero takes roughly 75 days of daily play, not counting event rewards or story completion.
Safe reserve before any major banner: 15,000–25,000 Gems. That gives you a realistic shot at the rate-up unit without hitting hard pity, with a buffer for the next banner.
If you're planning for the Anniversary banner and need to close the gap, buy NIKKE gems for banner pulls through BitTopup — straightforward way to hit your pull target without waiting through another month of dailies.
Skill Investment Breakpoints
Hit 7 on all skills before pushing any single skill to 10 — that's where NIKKE upgrades deliver the most value per resource. Exception: Cinderella's Burst skill has a known breakpoint worth prioritizing early.
Recommended Cubes
Should You Pull Now or Save?
Skip E.H. Save for the March Anniversary. This is one of the clearest pull decisions in recent NIKKE history.
Snow White: HA ran January 1–22, 2026 (confirmed), 4% SSR / 1% rate-up. She's T0 PvE at B3 — a legitimate pull if you lack a strong B3 carry.
E.H. banner runs March 5–19, 2026 (UTC+9), 2% rate-up, 200-pull hard pity (60,000 Gems). Community consensus is direct: skip her. E.H. doesn't slot into any top team without sacrificing a stronger unit. PvE rating: Tier 4. PvP rating: Tier 1. That's a significant gem commitment for a unit that doesn't improve your best teams.
If you do pull E.H.: skill priority is S2:7 > S1:4 > Burst:10. Overload gear runs Head > Gloves > Chest > Boots, targeting 4x Elemental DMG and 1–2x Max Ammo. Her 4-stack ammo cap limits sustained DPS — a real ceiling compared to Red Hood.
The 3.5th Anniversary runs March–April 2026 (confirmed). Anniversary banners historically offer better rates, exclusive units, and event rewards — the highest-value pull window of the year. Union Raid runs March 6–12, 2026 (UTC+9), requiring Union Level 3. Having Crown and Red Hood raised before that window is worth more than pulling E.H.
Decision framework:
Have Crown? → No: Save everything for Crown's next bannerHave Crown? → Yes, have Red Hood? → No: Red Hood is nextHave both? → Have Little Mermaid? → No: Pull her (enables second team)Have all three? → Save for Anniversary; consider Cinderella or Nayuta
E.H. doesn't appear anywhere in that framework.
Mechanics Most Tier Lists Skip
Burst generation speed hierarchy: Rocket Launchers > Shotguns > Sniper Rifles/AR > SMG/MG. Your B1 unit's weapon type directly affects rotation speed. In PvP, this hierarchy is the entire game — Jackal's Rocket Launcher generates burst faster than virtually any other B1 unit.
True damage (Cinderella's advantage): True damage bypasses defense entirely, making it multiplicatively more valuable against high-defense targets. Cinderella's output scales with enemy defense — the harder the boss, the better she performs relative to standard DPS. That's why she's rated highest specifically for Union Raid, not campaign mobs.
Crown's amplification: She doesn't just buff — she amplifies B3 carries multiplicatively, stacking with Naga's and Tia's ATK buffs. In a Naga + Crown + Tia core, your B3 carry operates at a damage multiplier no other B2 unit can replicate. Community testing is unambiguous: Crown defines PvE teams.
Faction bonuses: The top teams don't optimize for faction stacking. Crown (Pilgrim) + Naga (Missilis) + Liter (Elysion) synergy outweighs any same-manufacturer passive bonus. Don't sacrifice team composition for faction alignment.
The CP deficit variable: At 25–35% deficit — where most mid-game players spend the majority of their time — green-bordered T1 units can functionally perform at T0 levels. Don't pull Crown and run her at 4/4/4 expecting T0 performance. She needs the investment. Until you can commit to 10/10/10 skills, a fully-invested Helm (Treasure) at B2 will serve you better in campaign.
FAQ
Best single team to build right now? Liter → Crown → Red Hood → Modernia → Naga. Handles campaign auto-farm and performs competitively in bossing. Once this team hits 10/10/10, add Little Mermaid to enable a second squad.
Can F2P players compete with meta teams? Yes, with patience. Liter, Naga, and Tia are all available through the Regular Banner Wish List (10/10 community priority). Red Hood is the one limited banner pull F2P players should prioritize above everything else. The F2P team is genuinely competitive in campaign and mid-tier Union Raid.
How many gems to guarantee a specific SSR? Hard pity is 200 pulls = 60,000 Gems. Community data puts most rate-up hits between 80–150 pulls on standard limited banners. Budget 25,000–40,000 Gems for a comfortable pull with pity safety net.
Are older meta units still viable in 2.5.x? Liter, Naga, and Modernia remain T1 or higher. If you invested in them in previous patches, those resources are still paying off.
Should I pull E.H. in March 2026? No. PvE Tier 4, doesn't slot into any top team, costs up to 60,000 Gems at hard pity. Save for the Anniversary event running the same month.
What should new players do first? Set your Regular Banner Wish List to Liter, Naga, and Tia immediately (unlocks after 40 summons). Complete story chapters for gem income. Save limited banner gems for Crown, then Red Hood. Don't invest skill resources below T2 — concentrate everything on your core five.
Final Verdict
Crown is the single best gem investment in patch 2.5.x. She slots into every top team, has no B2 replacement, and delivers impact immediately after pulling. If you pull one unit in 2026, it's Crown.
Save 15,000–25,000 Gems minimum before March 5. Skip E.H. Skip anything not on the priority list above. The March Anniversary window is where you spend.
For players who want to be fully stocked before the Anniversary banner drops, top up Goddess of Victory NIKKE paid gems through BitTopup — plan your pull budget precisely rather than scrambling when the banner goes live.
The 2.5.x meta is stable but not static. Union Raid boss rotations, new unit releases, and sub-patch adjustments can shift tier positions within weeks. Check the official NIKKE website for patch notes and community tier lists maintained by players testing at realistic CP deficits. Full guide refresh comes with the 2.6.x version update.
Tier rankings reflect community testing consensus at patch 2.5.x. Official balance changes noted as confirmed; meta observations from community testing attributed accordingly. Pull rates and banner dates sourced from official NIKKE announcements.