Achates Review: The Staff Queen

Updated in May 2019

Our favourite SoulWeaver in the game, Achates aka the 'Healer of Light'.

Lately, she became a counter solution to ML Baal and ML Ara in PvP with high resistance.

Among all healers, Achates brings a unique kit, has a great speed base and short s3 cooldown.

We are not only loving her design and anime - flying on her staff during runs - but her ability to replenish your team's HP, clean debuffs in rotating her skills that fast, while casting that invincibility shield in critical situation.

We could share countless stories of Achates soloing the last piece of a boss or an enemy.

Angelica and Achates being versatile, new players will always ask who to six stars for their early progression.

People will always advise Angie first because it is safer to prevent debuffs with immunity skill than cleaning them - plus her shield. While Achates still have a fastest speed base, shortest s3 cooldown, invincibility shield and a strong s1 debuff against bosses.

As a fact, it is really more about which unit you want to have fun with, as both can carry you to your PvE completion and performs well in PvP.

The PROS:

- Has a great base Speed (was the fastest SW before Tamarrine came up).

- Her s3 heal / cleanse the whole team based on her Max HP, and has the lowest cooldown among SW - 3 turns only. - Her s2 cast Invincibility Shield for one turn on one ally, once maxed can heal a bunch based on her Max HP with a 3 turns cd.

- Her s1 has 35 -45% chance to land Attack Debuff, which is a huge asset against all PvE Bosses. Also reliable for PvP.

- For 10 souls only, you can soulburn her s3 for extra team healing.

- Her healing skill rotation is insane: s3 Heal --> s2 Heal --> s1 Attack --> Repeat. With Candlestick Artefact on frontline position, she can easily provide healing every single turn.

- Tank both Wyvern and Golem, including 11.

- Great Bait/tank in your GW offence team with immunity set. against Kise openers.

- Her design and anime.

The CONS:

- Has a low HP average for a SW.

- and that's it.

The SET:

Speed/HP, DEF, RES or Immunity.

If you already able to get through the Raids bosses, we like Speed and Immunity to bring her as well in PvP stall teams, especially on offence against fast CC/Cleave teams.

Otherwise you can go Speed and Life or Def early on, with Speed boots and whatever HP% or DEF%on Ring and Necklace to help you reach average stats below.

End game PvP you want to put a Resistance Ring, ideally Speed / Life or Res or Immunity set.

The early STATS (based on average 70 level+ gears, maxed at 15):

- Speed: 165+

- Def: 1K+

- HP: 12K+

- Effectiveness: Helps a lot for PvE. The benchmark is at 50%+ for regular landings.

- Resistance: always good for SW, as much as you can once you prioritised the above. 40%+ is great.

- Attack / Critical chance and Damage: A bonus.

For PvE you should prioritise Speed --> HP --> Def --> Effectiveness --> Resistance.

For PvP Speed --> HP --> Resistance.

End game PvP Achates is built to counter ML Baal / ML Ara / Dizzy comp with high resistance (above 140%) / speed (depends on units scaling / usually above 180) / HP (above 14K HP).

The ARTEFACTS:

- Magahara's Tome: Very efficient on a fast Achates, it provides her 15-30% CR when she use a skill which doesn't attack enemy. It helps to acquire a lots of souls fast, good to pop up your Arky in PvE or soulburn your s3 on long fights.

- Rod of Amaryllis: Same activation mechanic as above, it provides an extra 12-24% heal on the lowest ally's HP. Perfect everywhere, especially for stall / fast defence in PvP.

- Wondrous Potion Vial: 50-100% chance to dispel one debuff from an ally at the beginning of the turn. Useful when you have a 170+ Achates, especially in hard PvE content.

- Prophetic Candlestick: Awesome. 20-40% chance to reduce cooldown by 1 turn when attacked. Can be activated once per turn. She can provide heal every turn with it.

- Idol's Cheer: When attacked, increases Combat Readiness of the ally with the highest Attack by 10-20%.

By far, Idol's Cheer has become the favorite nowadays.

Finally, as per any SW/healer you want bring end-game - we highly advised to max out s3 and s2 along the way.

You can find our Achates Skill Order / Rating here

Our latest Characters Review here

Our Tiers List here

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Have Fun ;)

GameNani Team