Look, let us be honest: is this due to Laplaces causing havoc in the Champion Arena, specifically the Wind code counter Nikke known as Sakura brought by a certain high-ranking player? They were even pairing Sakura up with Laplace. Meanwhile, commanders running Flora equipped with a favourite item have increased dramatically.

Champion Arena Top 64 Squad Nikke Pick Rates

※ Based on a total of 320 squads from players who reached the Top 64 in Champion Arena Season 36.
※ Please note that the grouping pool changes every season.

Here is the current state of Nikke pick rates for the Top 64 in Champion Arena Season 36. Flora users jumped from just two in Season 35 to 12 in Season 36. At skill level 10, the newly buffed Flora provides a massive attack boost of 130.98% in total, split into a 45.12% caster-based increase and an 85.86% burst skill effect. Since the 85.86% relies on the burst, most rankers leaned on the 2nd skill for the 45.12% buff, paired alongside Bestie: Tactical Up. Commanders noted that Flora significantly boosted the firepower of tactical up compositions, and the next ranker we will introduce also made use of that very same Flora.

And then there is the unexpected arrival of Sakura in the Champion Arena. Sakura comes equipped with a burst skill that grants all allies a reduction in damage received from Wind code enemies, scaling down incoming hits by a staggering 90.72% for 30 seconds at level 10. It seems to be a calculated counter to the recently dominant Wind Laplace, while simultaneously checking other Wind code picks like Liberalio and Nayuta. Only a single player dared to run Sakura, but that bold commander has climbed all the way to the quarterfinals. As for the Persona collaboration characters, they were completely absent from the Champion Arena since their skill sets lean too heavily into PvE to be of any use here.

The player utilizing Sakura is none other than 赫爾薇特, a legendary veteran with an incredible 10 Champion Arena victories under their belt. After barely making the cut last season, they have surged straight into the quarterfinals this time around, bringing not just Sakura, but a squad backed by Flora with a favourite item. Proving their 10-time champion pedigree, they breezed through the group stages with an undefeated record.

The Sakura composition is built around Trina, Anis, Sakura, Laplace, and Centi with her favourite item. The strategy seemingly aims to snipe opposing Laplaces, yet the creator casually packed Laplace right into the squad to sweep the floor with opponents. From the round of 64 down to the round of 16, every single battle ended in a flawless sweep, achieving a pristine perfect K.O. with health bars untouched according to the combat logs.

This dominance was largely thanks to Centi's shields and healing capabilities, giving Laplace enough breathing room to obliterate foes in a single burst. While they only crossed paths with another Laplace once before the round of 16, they secured the burst first, meaning Sakura's niche defensive trait did not even need to activate. It remains to be seen whether this setup will successfully shut down opposing Wind code Nikkes in the quarterfinals and beyond.

Another undefeated squad consisting of Nayuta, Privaty with a favourite item, Anis: Spark, Emilia, and Laplace with a favourite item relied on Privaty's all-enemy stun paired with Anis: Spark's raw firepower to bulldoze through the competition. In Goddess of Victory: NIKKE, 'invincibility' only blocks damage rather than status ailments, making a full-team stun an exceptionally potent tool in PvP to disrupt or cut short an enemy's full burst window.

Solo Raid Meta Analysis

Persona Collaboration and Burn Nikkes Gear Up for Action

The Solo Raid kicks off on August 20 at 12:00 PM. Among the Burst 3 Nikkes matching the Burn code weakness, roughly seven stand out as prime candidates: Rapi: Red Hood, Winter Shopper Diesel, Drake with a favourite item, Mihara: Bonding Chain, Alice, Queen (Makoto), and Yukiko. Modernia and Rei will likely fill the roles of reliable totem dealers.

For Burst 2 slots, expect to see Grave, Arcana: Fortune Mate, and Brid: Silent Track, while Miranda with a favourite item and D: Killer Wife will cover the Burst 1 duties, rounded out by universal tier-0 staples. Meanwhile, recruitment for the limited Persona collaboration character Yukiko opens on August 20. Since she shares a synergistic concept with the previously released Queen (Makoto), the two will likely be fielded together. Their exact performance will become clear in no time on August 20, so commanders chasing high Solo Raid scores should prepare accordingly.

Nikke Issues

Do not forget the weekend Co-op Operations running until the end of August!

The first phase of the Persona collaboration Co-op Operation took place from August 14 to 16, with the second and third phases scheduled back-to-back for August 21 to 23 and August 28 to 30. Make sure to team up with fellow commanders and push for the top 10%.

Additionally, the Scrap Shop has restocked new trade-in items for scrap bones and broken cores during the Co-op period. You can grab Management Kit Box II items containing Nikke collectible materials, Company Select Arms which grant a choice of corporate gear upon collecting 200, and Good Teamwork Boxes packed with equipment enhancement materials and credits. Since this effectively doubles your major rewards, participating in Co-op is a no-brainer. If you need a squad, hop onto the official lounge and community boards where friendly commanders will gladly lend a hand. Just remember that Co-op bosses cycle their attributes, so always double-check the elemental weakness before drafting your Nikke roster. Best of luck out there, mate.