The second part of the 3rd-anniversary story event for Goddess of Victory: NIKKE is currently making waves. Commanders who have blitzed through the new narrative are crowding the official lounge to trade theories, and frankly, the praise being heaped upon the writing team is unprecedented. It really feels like they manage to top their own narrative peaks with every passing anniversary. Plus, the recent release of a talk show featuring the lead voice actors has been a welcome distraction—a perfect way to steady those racing hearts after the emotional rollercoaster of the latest chapter.

GODDESS FALL Story Part 2

The climax of the 3rd-anniversary event is finally here. Following heavy hints in the PV and official broadcasts about a major turning point, expectations were sky-high. Now that it’s live, the consensus among Commanders ranges from 'my brain has officially stopped working' to 'I’m absolutely floored by this trajectory.'

The hard stages and the epilogue are set to drop on November 13th—I, for one, am counting the minutes. If you’re a new or returning player, do yourself a favour and use the 'Memory Film' you’ve been gifted to catch up on the stories from the 0.5 to 2.5-year anniversaries. Trust me, the context makes the current drama hit much harder.

3rd Anniversary Voice Actor Talk Show

On November 6th, the 3rd-anniversary special talk show arrived. It featured Yang Jeong-hwa (Nayuta), So-yeon (Snow White), Kim Ha-ru (Modernia), and Kim Hyun-sim (Nihilister). It was a genuinely delightful session where the cast shared behind-the-scenes recording anecdotes and their personal takes on their characters. They even threw in a segment where they swapped roles, which is an absolute must-watch for any dedicated fan.

The official lounge is also running a comment event where lucky winners can snag autographed memorabilia and NIKKE merchandise sets. If you’re feeling fortunate, now is the time to head over and get involved.

Liberalio Training Guide

Ever since the arrival of the new Pilgrim, Liberalio, the theory-crafters have been working overtime. The verdict? She’s a powerhouse, as one would expect from a Pilgrim. The official lounge and the in-game Blabla chat are already flooded with fresh team-building strategies and leveling tips.

The Blabla forums are particularly active, with Commanders from all over the globe sharing deep-dive guides. They’ve dissected her unique skill interactions, crunched the damage numbers, and listed recommended Overload options. There are even comprehensive guides detailing the required stats for the support units you’ll want to pair her with. If you’re looking to optimise your build, that’s where you need to be.

Tips for Surface Content Stamina Management

Getting to grips with the new surface content that launched in BETA? Since it’s a departure from the usual rhythm, information is still being shared in the wild. The biggest point of contention is squad composition. With the traditional Burst 1, 2, and 3 roles being replaced by a new classification system, veterans and newcomers alike are scrambling to adapt.

The secret to squad management here is stamina. It drains during movement and combat, and once it hits zero, your combat effectiveness tanks. You either rest up or rotate squads. The solution? The Soldier series Nikkes. Usually dismissed as N-grade fodder, they are essential here thanks to their 'Stamina Enhancement' skill. Tests show that including them in your squad effectively keeps your stamina from draining. If you’re struggling with management, swap them in immediately.

The Sleepy 'Liberalio'

Today’s spotlight is on the Heretic, Liberalio. She debuted in the main story’s Chapter 20 and later reappeared in Chapter 40 and the side story, EDEN SPEAR. With a silhouette that evokes a jellyfish and a perpetual case of the sleepies, she’s certainly hard to miss.

She’s a Burst 3, Wind Code, Attacker using a sniper rifle. Given the shortage of top-tier Wind units, players are understandably thrilled. Her kit revolves around boosting ally charge speeds and shifting passive effects based on the type of Rapture she’s facing.

Her Skill 1, 'Calm Depths,' triggers at the start of Full Burst and upon landing a Full Charge attack. It grants her a massive attack buff for 3 seconds and boosts the charge speed of the Burst 3 ally with the lowest final attack stat.

This skill has caused some debate among Commanders, as it requires you to be careful about your team’s attack stats—Liberalio needs to have higher attack than her allies for the buff to work as intended. If you land a Full Charge attack on a core, you get a 60-second damage boost; hit a standard part, and you get extra instances of damage. Check the forums for the precise math on this.

Skill 2, 'Strange Currents,' grants her immunity to charge speed reduction and a passive charge speed boost. When hitting a boss-level 'Target' Rapture, her damage increases; against normal Raptures, her charge time is locked to 1 second. Since Skill 1 targets the ally with the lowest attack, if Liberalio ends up being that target, her immunity might actually cause a buff to drop. You’ll need to balance those stats carefully. Her Burst, 'Submerged World,' is a straightforward, heavy-hitting screen wipe that also buffs her own damage for 10 seconds.

Liberalio is a main carry who demands careful stat management. Current consensus suggests pairing her with Scarlet: Black Shadow, but the catch is that Liberalio must maintain a higher attack stat to trigger her charge speed buffs. If you’ve already maxed out your Scarlet: Black Shadow, you might need to adjust your gear to avoid a conflict. Take her for a spin in the Shooting Range before committing to a setup. She’s a top-tier Pilgrim, so don’t miss your chance to recruit her.

Liberalio despises noise—a sleepy head who just wants to be left alone. This quirk is even highlighted in her character PV. Before the latest story updates, she was a terrifying antagonist, nearly crushing the Counter and Inherit squads upon her first appearance.

However, her perspective shifted in Chapters 41 and 42. Perhaps watching the Commander’s group forge their own path made an impact? She even parted ways with a declaration that she intends to speak with the Rapture Queen herself. The art during that scene was gorgeous, to say the least. If you’re invested in her arc, make sure to play through Chapters 20, 40-42, and the EDEN SPEAR side story.

Pioneer vs. Inherit

Last time, we did a balance check between Only One and Marian, and the Commanders chose Only One. She is the pivot point of the latest chapters and arguably the most important key to the future of the NIKKE narrative. Her child-like appearance has made her a fan favourite, and the community has affectionately dubbed her 'Lioni.' Sorry Marian, but when a character calls you 'Dad,' it’s hard not to be biased.

Every Pilgrim shares one singular goal: the reclamation of the surface. Even if the humans hiding in the Ark don’t fully grasp the weight of their sacrifice, they continue to eradicate Raptures—true goddesses of victory. It’s a theme that resonates through every anniversary event, and this year, their performance has been nothing short of tear-jerking.

The protagonists of the 3rd anniversary, Pioneer and Inherit, are the undisputed heavyweights of the Pilgrim squads. They are the standard by which all other Nikkes are measured. If you had the chance to lead one of these squads, which would you choose? I’ll be revealing the results in next week’s Weekly Forum Highlight.