Free to Play Launch Guide

Let’s be real—Etheria: Restart doesn’t pull punches once you break past level 40. Challenge modes open up. Gearing becomes a grind. Your character choices from day one start to haunt you… unless you’ve followed a solid progression plan.

That’s exactly what this Day 7 “Start Strong” retrospective is: a fully refined, field-tested, F2P-friendly launch bible. Whether you’re a reroller, a cautious optimizer, or a first-timer diving headfirst, this guide breaks down the right way to play from the jump to avoid regrets later. Let’s walk through how to steamroll content, build smart, and avoid the “I wish I didn’t start with Rosa” disaster.

When you first start Etheria, Lian is your intro unit. Some might whisper that she’s reset-worthy. If you are a free to play player, don’t listen. Do NOT reset Lian. She’s pivotal for early to mid-game progression and will be essential when you unlock Ethernet Rally at level 40.

Ethernet Rally demands RGB teams—Red, Green, Blue—and resetting Lian weakens your Red team. Stick with her and build her to 6 star. She’ll anchor you in this color-coded content and save you a mountain of frustration.

Want to make Etheria a cakewalk? These four characters—affectionately called “the kings”—are your ticket to easy farming, boss clearing, and dominating both PvE and PvP. 3 of these units recently received nerfs, they were very strong and needed to be brought back into line somewhat, but they still provide incredible value.

1. Tiamat

Hands down the easiest and most impactful character to build. Her kit scales purely off HP, making her tanky, durable, and deceptively powerful. Tiamat is a frontliner archetype—she tanks, heals, and DPS’s all at once. That’s rare, and in Etheria, it’s META.

Remember though, speed builds compromise her HP. Instead, gear her with HP-heavy Bramble sets and a Black Flag shell tuned to 150–160 speed. That setup retains her survivability while keeping her utility high.

2. Helkid

Helkid is the attack-based tank counterpart to Tia. He thrives with high ATK and is best built with speed tuning (~150 SPD) for smooth rotations. With built-in [Shield], [Stun], [DEF-], and [ATK-], he’s a disruptive force in both PvE and PvP.

Build him wrong (full tank), and he underperforms. Build him right (ATK with moderate speed), and he carries hard.

3. Kraken

Your AoE CC monster. Kraken thrives in Dokidoki Dungeons and will let you punch well above your weight in content with his [Freeze]. Even off-element, he lands his CC reliably—just pump up that effect accuracy.

4. Marvell

King of PvP. At 250+ speed, Marvell locks enemies out of their turns. When paired with Kraken, you basically [Freeze] the battlefield. PvP becomes a game of watching your enemies not play.

Pro Tip: If you pull all four kings, you’ll breeze through everything—auto farming, PvP, and post-40 content alike.

Let’s get this straight: Feature banners are traps for free to play or early level players. They’re currency drains. Stick to banners where Tiamat, Helkid, and your other target kings appear. You might even get Freya way before 100 pulls on the permanent summons—don’t overcommit to feature banners.

Your best strategy? Focus on permanent banners to round out your collection and save for essential stamina refreshes and PvP refreshes. These are your keys to pushing faster and farming stronger.

To crush Ethernet Rally and post-40 content, you need a deep roster, not just one over-invested carry. That’s where the “Five star” strategy comes in.

Rather than funnel resources into a few 6 star units, spread your love across multiple 5 stars. Your focus should be:

• Prowess-cap your top 10 units
• Keep everyone decently geared
• Don’t force 6 star unless they’re heavily used

Why? You’ll need at least 10 usable characters to clear level 40+ content efficiently, especially in modes like Phantom Theater and Ethernet Rally. The only time this will change is with Animus you are also using in PvP. In the recent balance changes Animus gain 5 speed when leveled to 5 star and a further 5 when leveled to 6 star. This could effect your PvP outcomes so don’t be afraid to 6 star your most heavily used Animus

It’s tempting to push straight into Hell mode once you unlock it, but here’s the twist: Nightmare drops fewer gear sets, making farming specific sets like Speed much easier.

Hell introduces 9–13 different sets into the loot pool. That’s massive dilution. So before you dive into Hell, farm up your core sets (Speed, Bramble, etc.) in Nightmare to gear up your army.

Stick to:

• Nightmare 3 for targeted sets
• Avoid Hell until you’ve got solid coverage
• Push Hell 3+ only once you’re ready for full 3-stat gear

Stay away from temptation. Use your gems wisely:

• Prioritize refreshing stamina
• Invest PvP points in gear enhancements, not limited gacha
• Build toward mythic gear enhancement (15/15) for your top units

Use the Union shop and PvP shop to your advantage. Aim to max 10 characters’ gear by the time you’re level 42.

When farming shells, go for NikoNana. It’s efficient, drops only six good pets, and reduces RNG bloat. You’ll need multiple shell copies to upgrade to level 40, and Niko Nana provides a safe, efficient farming option.

This guide isn’t about playing different—it’s about playing smart.

If you want smooth sailing through Etheria: Restart, follow the flow:

• Start with Tiamat or Helkid
• Build the Five Star Strategy
• Prioritize gear and stamina
• Don’t overextend into trap banners

With this blueprint, you’ll coast through to level 40+ and beyond without the usual F2P headaches.