Arknights
Arknights

Event Types & Schedules

Navigate Arknights' dynamic event schedule with this guide. Understand event types and plan your resources for efficient progression and maximum gains.

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Event Types & Schedules

Arknights features a dynamic event schedule that keeps gameplay fresh and offers valuable resources. Understanding these event types and how to approach them is crucial for efficient progression. Events typically run for two to three weeks, with a short break in between, so planning your resource expenditure and operator training is key to maximizing your gains.

Major Story Events (Limited-Time)

These are the flagship events of Arknights, introducing new story chapters, operators, and often unique gameplay mechanics. They are the primary source of new 6-star and 5-star operators through limited banners and provide the most substantial material farming opportunities.

  • Structure: Major events usually consist of several stages released in phases:
    • Story Stages (S-X): These stages are fundamental. Progress through them to unlock subsequent stages, delve into the event narrative, and earn initial clear rewards. Each first clear typically grants Originium.
    • Farming Stages (F-X): These are the workhorses of any event. Designed for efficient farming of event-specific currencies and essential materials, they are where you'll spend the majority of your Sanity. Look for stages dropping high-demand items like Grindstone, Integrated Device, Oriron Cluster, Keton Colloid, or Sugar Pack. The specific materials vary per event, so always check the drop tables.
    • Challenge Stages (CM-X): Unlocked after clearing their corresponding normal stages, these offer increased difficulty with specific handicaps (e.g., "Attack Speed -50% for all ranged units," "Only 3 deployment slots available"). Clearing them grants additional Originium and sometimes unique medals for your profile.
    • EX Stages (EX-X): These are the pinnacle of event difficulty, often featuring unique mechanics, powerful boss enemies, and stringent deployment limits. They are released in the second week of the event. Clearing them provides high-value first-clear rewards, including rare promotion materials (e.g., D32 Steel, Polymerization Preparation) and sometimes event-exclusive furniture pieces.
  • Event Shop: All major events feature an event shop where you can exchange event currency (e.g., Event Tokens, Commemorative Coins, Information Fragments) for valuable items. This is your primary goal for farming.
    • Must-Buy Items:
      • Event-Exclusive 5-star Operator: If available, always prioritize acquiring the event-exclusive 5-star operator and all their Potentials. These operators are often powerful and can only be obtained during the event.
      • Data Packs: These are crucial for skill upgrades. Each event typically offers a limited number of Data Packs for specific skill levels (e.g., T3 Data Packs for M3).
      • Headhunting Permits/Tickets: These allow you to pull on banners without using Originium or Orundum. Always a high priority.
    • High-Priority Materials: After securing the must-buy items, focus on rare promotion materials that are typically bottlenecks for E2 promotions and skill masteries. These include:
      • D32 Steel
      • Keton Colloid
      • Polymerization Preparation
      • Tungsten Carbide
      • Grindstone Pentahydrate
      • Optimized Device
      These materials have notoriously low drop rates in regular stages, making the event shop an invaluable source.
    • Secondary Materials: Once the top-tier materials are secured, consider farming for LMD, Battle Records, and less rare but still useful materials like Sugar Pack, Device, Oriron, or Manganese Ore if your inventory is low. Always check the efficiency of farming these in the event shop versus regular stages.
  • Strategy:
    1. Clear all Story Stages first: This is your initial objective. It unlocks all farming stages and provides a steady stream of Originium for Sanity refreshes if needed. Don't worry about perfect clears; just get through them.
    2. Identify optimal farming stage: Once farming stages are open, check community guides (e.g., Arknights Toolbox, Aceship) or the in-game drop rate display to find the most efficient stage for the materials you need most. Focus your Sanity here. Often, the highest-numbered farming stage (e.g., F-8) offers the best currency-to-sanity ratio and good material drops.
    3. use Bonus Operators: Many events feature specific operators who grant bonus event currency when included in your squad. These are often new operators from the accompanying banner, but sometimes older operators also receive a bonus.
      • How it works: Each bonus operator in your squad increases the amount of event currency you earn per clear. The bonus stacks multiplicatively or additively depending on the event, but the general principle is "more bonus operators = more currency."
      • Finding them: The event description or the event shop interface will clearly list which operators provide a bonus. New 6-star and 5-star operators from the concurrent limited banner almost always provide a bonus.
      • Maximizing efficiency:
        1. Include them in your main farming squad: If they are strong enough, deploy them as active combat units.
        2. Deploy them as "trophies": If a bonus operator is under-leveled or not suitable for the stage, you can still include them in your squad and deploy them in a safe, non-combat tile (e.g., a backline tile with no enemies, or a tile that is never attacked) just for their bonus.
        3. Borrow from friends: You can borrow a support unit from a friend that is a bonus operator. This counts towards your bonus! This is especially useful if you don't own the new banner operators.
        4. Squad Composition: Aim to fill as many squad slots as possible with bonus operators without compromising your ability to clear the stage efficiently. Even a small bonus adds up over hundreds of Sanity spent.
    4. Don't overfarm: While event shops are incredibly efficient for certain materials, be mindful of your Sanity. Only farm what you truly need, especially if the drop rates for a specific material aren't significantly better than regular stages or if you already have a healthy stock. Prioritize the unique event operator and their potentials, then the rarest promotion materials.
    5. Sanity Management: Use Sanity Potions strategically. It's generally recommended to save them for major events where the material efficiency is highest. Consider using Originium for Sanity refreshes only if you are close to clearing out the most valuable items from the shop and have extra Originium to spare (or are a whale).

Rerun Events

These are past major story events brought back for a limited time. They offer players who missed the original run a chance to experience the story, acquire the event-exclusive operator, and farm materials. They also provide a second chance for existing players to grab missed items or farm more efficiently.

  • Key Differences from Original Runs:
    • Reduced Sanity Costs: Often, rerun stages have reduced Sanity costs compared to their original run (e.g., 18 Sanity for a stage that originally cost 20). This makes farming even more efficient.
    • Event Shop Adjustments: The event shop might have slightly different offerings or quantities. If you cleared the original event and acquired the event operator and their potentials, those slots might be replaced with Intelligence Certificates which can be exchanged for other resources in a dedicated shop.
    • No First-Clear Originium (for returning players): If you cleared the stages during the original run, you won't receive Originium for first clears again. New players, however, will still get these rewards.
    • No New Operators/Banners: Reruns typically do not introduce new operators or banners. The original event banner might be re-run, but without new additions.
  • Strategy:
    1. New Players: Prioritize acquiring the event operator and their potentials, then focus on high-value materials from the shop, taking full advantage of the reduced Sanity costs. Treat it like a new major event.
    2. Returning Players (who cleared original):
      • Acquire Missed Items: If you missed any shop items or potentials during the first run, this is your chance to get them.
      • Farm High-Value Materials: Focus on farming bottleneck materials that you are currently short on, leveraging the reduced Sanity costs for maximum efficiency.
      • Intelligence Certificates: If you've already cleared the shop, farm for Intelligence Certificates to exchange for other useful resources like LMD, Battle Records, or generic materials.

Intermezzi & Side Stories (Permanent)

These are story events that, after their initial limited run, become permanently accessible within the game. They are found in the Terminal section, under "Side Story" or "Intermezzi."

  • Access: Access to these permanent stories often requires specific main story progression (e.g., clearing Main Story 3-8 for some Intermezzi). Each story has its own prerequisite.
  • Rewards: They offer Originium for first clears of all stages (including Challenge Modes), providing a consistent source of premium currency. They also provide a way to acquire past event operators and their potentials through the Record Restoration system, which uses event currency farmed from their stages.
  • Strategy:
    1. Tackle at your own pace: Since they are permanent, there's no rush. Engage with them when you have sufficient operator strength and Sanity.
    2. Excellent for F2P: These are excellent sources of Originium for free-to-play players, helping to build up currency for headhunting.
    3. Catch up on Lore: They provide a rich narrative experience, filling in gaps in the Arknights world and character backstories.
    4. Record Restoration: If you missed a specific event operator (e.g., Flamebringer, Ceylon), you can farm their respective permanent story stages for event currency to purchase them and their potentials from the Record Restoration shop.

Contingency Contract (CC)

A recurring, high-difficulty challenge event that tests your roster's depth, strategic prowess, and understanding of operator synergies. Crucially, CC does not consume Sanity, making it a pure skill-based challenge.

  • Structure: CC events typically feature:
    • Permanent Site: A main map that remains available for the entire event duration. This map usually has a higher maximum risk level and offers the most rewards.
    • Rotating Daily Sites: A new map becomes available each day, replacing the previous one. These maps are generally smaller and offer a lower maximum risk, but provide daily rewards.
    • Contracts: Before starting a stage, you select "Contracts" which are various debuffs or enemy buffs (e.g., "All enemies gain +50% HP," "Deployment cost of all Operators +2," "Only 3 Defender operators allowed"). Each contract has a "Risk Level." The sum of selected contract risks determines your total risk for that clear.
    • Contract Bounties: Clearing stages with selected contracts earns Contract Bounties, which are the event currency. Higher risks yield more bounties.
  • Event Shop: Exchange Contract Bounties for exclusive operators (e.g., Bibeak, Ceobe's outfit), promotion materials (e.g., D32 Steel, Keton Colloid), skill books (e.g., Skill Summary - 3), and sometimes unique furniture. The exclusive operators and their potentials are often the highest priority.
  • Strategy:
    1. Start with low-risk contracts: Don't jump straight into max risk. Begin by clearing the map with minimal or no contracts to understand enemy paths and optimal operator placements. Gradually increase the risk level as you get comfortable.
    2. Focus on daily challenges: Daily maps refresh and offer a good source of Contract Bounties. clear them to at least Risk 8 each day for the daily rewards.
    3. use support units: Don't hesitate to borrow strong operators from friends. A well-placed M3 skill 6-star support can often be the lynchpin of a high-risk clear.
    4. Prioritize exclusive operators & materials: The CC shop is often the only way to acquire certain operators and their potentials (e.g., Bibeak, Ceobe's Glorious Epoque outfit). These should be your top priority. After that, focus on the rarest promotion materials.
    5. Watch guides: For high-risk clears, especially on the permanent site, watching community guides (e.g., YouTube videos) can be incredibly helpful for understanding specific strategies, operator choices, and contract combinations.
    6. Experiment: CC is all about trial and error. Don't be afraid to try different operator combinations, deployment orders, and contract selections.

Integrated Strategies (IS)

A roguelike game mode that offers a unique gameplay experience, challenging players to adapt to random encounters and build a squad on the fly. It provides valuable rewards, including exclusive operators and skins, and is a permanent addition to the game.

  • Structure: Players start with a small squad and navigate through a series of random encounters on a map, similar to a board game. Each run involves:
    • Recruitment: Gaining new operators to build your squad.
    • Combat Stages: Standard Arknights combat, but with random enemy compositions and map layouts.
    • Encounters: Narrative choices that can lead to rewards, debuffs, or unique events.
    • Shops: Where you can buy operators, artifacts, or items using Hope (a currency specific to IS runs).
    • Artifacts: Powerful buffs that apply to your entire squad for the duration of the run.
    • Sanity (within IS): A resource specific to IS runs that depletes as you move through nodes. Running out ends the run.
  • Rewards: Candle Knight's Coin (or similar currency depending on the IS season, e.g., Inspiration for IS2, Rhodes Island Supplies for IS3) can be exchanged for permanent rewards in the IS Shop. These rewards include exclusive 5-star operators (e.g., Mizuki, Gavial the Great Chief Returns), their potentials, unique furniture, and sometimes operator skins. There are also permanent unlocks and upgrades that persist across runs.
  • Strategy:
    1. Experiment with different starting squads: Each IS season has specific starting operators or themes. Try different ones to find what suits your playstyle and the current season's challenges.
    2. Prioritize strong synergies: Look for artifacts and operators that complement each other's abilities. For example, if you get an artifact that buffs Snipers, prioritize recruiting strong Snipers.
    3. Learn enemy patterns and boss mechanics: Each IS season introduces unique enemies and powerful boss encounters. Understanding their abilities and weaknesses is crucial for success.
    4. Don't be afraid to fail: IS is designed for multiple runs. Failure is a learning opportunity. Progress often carries over in terms of unlocks and permanent upgrades, making subsequent runs easier.
    5. Manage Hope and Sanity: Hope is used to recruit operators and upgrade their skills within a run. Sanity is your health for the run. Balance recruiting strong units with preserving Sanity to reach later stages.
    6. Unlock Permanent Upgrades: Spend your IS currency in the shop to unlock permanent buffs, new starting squads, and new operators, which will make future runs significantly easier.

Annihilation

A weekly challenge mode that rewards a significant amount of Orundum, the primary gacha currency in Arknights. It's a crucial weekly activity for all players.

  • Structure:
    • Permanent Maps: There are typically four permanent Annihilation maps available at any given time (e.g., Lungmen Outskirts, Lungmen Downtown, Chernobog, Frozenforged Sunder).
    • Rotating Fifth Map: A fifth Annihilation map rotates periodically, offering new challenges and sometimes different enemy types.
    • Enemy Kill Count: Each map has a maximum enemy kill count (usually 400). Your goal is to defeat as many enemies as possible.
    • Weekly Orundum Cap: You can earn up to 1800 Orundum per week from Annihilation, distributed based on the highest kill count achieved across all maps.
  • Rewards: Up to 1800 Orundum per week. This is a substantial amount and essential for pulling on banners.
  • Strategy:
    1. Prioritize reaching 400 kills: Even if you can't full clear a map, aim for the highest kill count possible on the easiest map you can manage. Reaching 400 kills on any map grants the full weekly Orundum amount.
    2. Use auto-deploy: Once you've cleared a map with 400 kills (or your desired kill count) manually, you can use the auto-deploy function to farm the Orundum weekly without manual input. Ensure your auto-deploy is stable and can consistently reach your target kill count.
    3. Focus on a strong core team: A well-rounded team with good AoE damage (AoE Casters, AoE Snipers, Centurion Guards), strong single-target damage (Duelist Guards, Marksman Snipers), and reliable sustain (Medics, Defenders) will excel here.
    4. use guides for difficult maps: For newer or more challenging Annihilation maps, consult community guides for optimal operator placements and strategies to achieve 400 kills.
    5. Sanity Cost: Annihilation stages consume 0 Sanity for the first clear, but subsequent clears (including auto-deploys) consume 10 Sanity. This is a very efficient use of Sanity for the Orundum reward.