Welcome back to the [Meca Ranking] for 'Seven Knights Re:BIRTH' (hereafter 'SKRB'). With the latest Awakening update, two Magic-type heroes have officially seized control of the Arena. Our protagonists are the veteran 'Sylvester' and the newcomer 'Skuld.' Both are basking in the glory of their first Awakening, and the resulting surge in Magic-deck pick rates is impossible to ignore. Let's dive into the detailed pick rate distribution and team formation stats.

Witness the Power of Awakening! 'Skuld & Sylvester' on the Rise

The Arena meta has hit a turning point following the Awakening update. Sylvester, the Magic-type hero, secured the honor of being the first to awaken. While he has made sporadic appearances in the Arena since the launch of SKRB, this is undoubtedly his moment in the sun. He crashed into the charts with a 59.3% pick rate, landing him at number two.

Meanwhile, 'Skuld' from the Celestial Guardians arrived as a brand-new hero with her Awakening already applied. As a fellow Magic-type, she shares a delightful synergy with Sylvester. Consequently, a five-hero Magic party is now dictating the meta, boosting the pick rates of all related units. 'Reginleif' currently holds the top spot on the chart, but with versatile options like 'Omok,' 'Milia,' and 'Freya' readily available, the situation mirrors the expansion of options we saw with 'Karl Heron' for Physical decks.

As a side note, the previous developer live stream confirmed that 'Dellons' will be the next hero to receive an Awakening. Given his profile, he will likely bolster Physical parties. We expect a clash of titans between the newly empowered Physical decks and the current Magic meta.

Magic Decks Opt for the 2-Main-Dealer 'Balance Formation'

In times of such tectonic meta shifts, the reliable 'Balance Formation' remains the go-to choice. Its pick rate has jumped by 11 percentage points, now being favoured by 45.7% of high-ranking players. For Magic-deck users, who have a plethora of main-dealer options, this formation is the clear winner, likely facilitating a dual-main-dealer setup featuring Awakened Sylvester, Reginleif, or Freya.

Yet, some things in the Arena remain constant—specifically, pets. 'Yu' has reigned supreme for quite some time, and there is no sign of a dethroning. This week, its pick rate climbed by another 15 percentage points. Whether you are running a Magic, Physical, or even a Defense deck, the need to counter enemy healing leaves you with practically no alternatives to Yu.

High-Rank Arena Defense Team Pick Rate Analysis

※ High-Rank Arena defense team stats are based on data collected at 12:00 PM on June 3rd.
※ Data aggregates the defense team compositions of the top 100 ranked players.
※ Figures may differ slightly from current defense team setups.

The High-Rank Arena usually dances to a different tune, but my prediction that it would mirror the standard Arena after the Awakening update proved to be a bit off. While the five-hero Magic deck dominates, Defense decks are clawing their way back up. Top-tier players are reacting to the matchmaking environment in real-time, which has caused Physical decks to retreat much faster than anticipated.

Interestingly, outside the main five-hero Magic meta, we've spotted an odd commonality with Defense decks: 'Sun Wukong.' Players are experimenting with mixing him alongside the newly awakened Sylvester and Skuld to test combat sustainability. It seems some are trying to leverage the long-game advantages inherent to Awakened heroes.

Best Picks of the Week

The New Core: 'Skuld & Milia'

Magic decks were once mockingly dubbed the 'Double Legendary Accessory Show.' They lacked natural survivability and relied entirely on raw firepower or status effects, forcing players to bank heavily on accessories. Consequently, they were often viewed as the exclusive playground for top-tier whales.

However, with two new Awakenings, that image is fading. The base performance floor has been raised significantly. Combined with 'Omok' providing party-wide survivability and Skuld’s ability to force a cooldown increase, Magic decks are now showcasing a more diverse strategic toolkit.

The lynchpin is Skuld’s second skill, 'Secret of the Constellations.' When an enemy is in a 'Magic Vulnerability' state, it has a 70% chance to increase skill cooldowns by 23 seconds. If a Magic deck takes the initiative and queues this, the opponent is effectively locked out. Thanks to Milia’s passive, which maintains the vulnerability state, the 'Milia-Skuld' synergy has become the absolute backbone of current Magic deck operations.

Clear Deck of the Week

Conquering 'Floor 9 Kagura,' the Gatekeeper of the Tower of Trials, with 6 Medals

With the real-time Arena on a break, it is the perfect time to tackle other content, specifically the Tower of Trials. With the reset about seven days away, many adventurers are pushing for top rewards. I have prepared a guide for Floor 9, notorious for being the toughest hurdle.

When the tower opened, the official forums were abuzz with 'open-run' players. The sentiment of 'Kagura again?' was palpable. This is not her first rodeo, and the core mechanics remain nearly identical to the old Floor 18.

The crux of the fight is Kagura’s 'Liberation-Eight Snake Sword,' which grants her full damage immunity. If she gets to use 'Liberation-Snake Hunt' while immune, she inflicts a 100% chance of 5-turn petrification on the entire party. You are essentially forced to bring 'Daisy' for her petrification immunity.

As a fail-safe, we bring Rudy to strip her immunity. His 'Charge' skill reduces buffs by 3 turns, effectively nullifying her shield. From there, Sun Wukong takes over to provide healing and heavy damage. While 'Windy' is the optimal pet, you can substitute with 'Yeonji' or 'Note' to bolster magic attack power. Best of luck, adventurers!