The Best Direct Summon Choices
As Etheria: Restart enters its final test phase and nears global launch, choosing the right Target Summon SSR and understanding which limited banners are worth your pulls can make or break your early progress. With over a dozen powerful SSR Animus available—and new ones being added regularly—it’s easy to get overwhelmed. This guide breaks down the best picks to focus on, which ones to skip for now, and why Freya is one of the most important pulls in the game.
Top Recommended Target Summon Picks
Helkid
Helkid remains one of the best all-around starting choices. His unique Shroud Barrier not only provides a shield that absorbs damage, but it also grants immunity to all debuffs—a rare and incredibly useful mechanic, especially in early game boss fights where crowd control or poison can end a run. Despite some slight nerfs to his shield values, Helkid remains durable, reliable, and a surprisingly effective damage dealer if built for DPS. His kit includes stuns and scales well into mid-game content.
Beyontin
Beyontin is another excellent starter option, especially for players looking for a more supportive angle. She brings a combination of attack and crit damage buffs, a powerful team revive, and damage reduction, making her a strong safety net for difficult encounters. While her cooldown reduction effects are locked behind skill upgrades, her revive and Underworld Flower passive alone make her a top-tier utility pick.
Rilmocha
Rilmocha offers insane wave-clearing and splash AoE potential, scaling hard if she kills her target. She reduces her own skill cooldowns on kill and recovers massive amounts of HP after attacking, giving her impressive self-sustain. Her Skill 3 is one of the best cleave tools in the game: if the initial target is killed, the splash damage converts to 100% of the original hit, potentially wiping the remaining enemies. Her versatility and raw damage make her a perfect damage dealer who doesn’t rely heavily on setup.
Tiamat
Tiamat fills a unique bruiser role and is a rare tank/DPS hybrid. She begins the fight by building stacks, healing, and shielding allies, then transforms into her ultimate Dragon Mother form, unleashing devastating AoE nukes. Easy to build with HP-scaling gear, she functions as a frontline tank who turns into a backline sweeper. While her sustain can be risky in PvP due to tight HP thresholds, she excels in PvE content and remains one of the few characters who gets stronger the longer she survives.
Borgne
Borgne is another standout for players who enjoy big numbers and AoE damage. He cannot crit, but scales incredibly well with attack-based HP conversion and has access to lifesteal on his basic attack. His Skill 3 ramps up in power based on how many enemies are alive and even ignores passive skills—making him a brutal opener in wave-based stages. However, he can fall off slightly in single-target boss fights and may need to be paired with a second DPS to maintain momentum in late-game content.
Solid Alternatives
While the five above are the most universally effective starters, there are a few others who perform well depending on your team comp or focus.
Rahu is a defense-scaling AoE bruiser who brings reliable defense break and high survivability. His Wrath mechanic lets him transfer debuffs to enemies and boost his damage output significantly, making him an excellent mid-game carry.
Similarly, Lilith still provides valuable stuns and speed debuffs, which are useful in controlling bosses like ShadowFlame Hoyan. She isn’t as explosive as newer SSRs, but her utility keeps her relevant.
Rosa shines in longer fights, particularly against bosses. Her passive applies Bladeheart Bloom, increasing basic attack damage against enemies and triggering follow-up attacks. This makes her excellent in comps that rely on defense break, erosion, or slumber setups. While her early game performance may feel underwhelming compared to someone like Rilmocha or Borgne, she scales beautifully into endgame content.
Tsukiyo Mi is a powerful support/tank hybrid who increases turn meter for your strongest attacker, provides AoE silence, and reduces cooldowns for the team. While she may not be a go-to starter, she’s invaluable for fights that require high rotation and tempo control.
Units Better Saved for Later
Not all SSRs offer the same return when pulled early. Some are better suited for endgame content or PvP.
Khloros, despite his buffs, is still single-target only and requires a lot of investment to shine. He can be useful in Union fights or boss damage once fully built, but his slow scaling makes him a less efficient pick for early progression.
Veronika brings unique PvP utility by stealing any buff in the game, but outside of niche scenarios, her impact in PvE is limited.
Likewise, Celince and Kloss have interesting mechanics like debuff cycling and turn meter redistribution, but they shine more in control comps and mid-late PvP than in fast PvE clears.
Xiada is a powerhouse damage dealer, but she needs high-end sets and shells like Revelation to truly pop off. Her lack of immediate synergy and attribute disadvantage in key early bosses like Terrormaton means she should be reserved for later acquisition, not your first pick.
Mia is a strong healer with unique buff extension and cooldown reduction, but with Lingluo being a free login reward by Day 7—and providing immunity and massive healing—there’s little reason to target her unless you’re avoiding Lingluo altogether.
Why Freya Is Worth It?
Freya, available on the current limited banner, might be the best overall unit in the game right now. Her Dream Weave passive auto-cleanses debuffs, while Nightmare amplifies enemy damage taken and heals your allies when they hit afflicted targets. On top of that, she provides attack and defense buffs, AoE damage, and turn meter manipulation on both sides of the field.
She works in every major boss fight, dungeons, and PvP—making her one of the safest long-term investments in the game. Her skill synergy also accelerates team rotations and supports DOT, debuff, and burst comps alike. If you’re planning to spend your pulls on a banner, Freya is 100% worth it.
Final Thoughts – Who Should You Pick?
If you’re aiming for the best possible start in Etheria: Restart, here’s a condensed list of strong, flexible picks for the current environment:
- Helkid for all-around value, bulk, and immunity
- Beyontin for safety, buffs, and revive
- Rilmocha for pure wave and boss-clearing damage
- Tiamat for bruiser scaling and long-term AoE nukes
- Borgne for raw AoE power and lifesteal sustain
If you already have a DPS or two lined up, consider pairing them with Rahu or Rosa for utility and follow-up potential.
Avoid niche PvP picks early unless that’s your main focus. Instead, prioritize characters that accelerate PvE clears, bring utility without requiring specific gear, and scale well across content types.
And if you’re looking at banners? Freya is the no-brainer pull. She enables team-wide synergy, cleanses, buffs, and keeps you moving—literally.
Who are you picking for your direct summon? Let us know in the comments
