Blue Archive
Blue Archive

Chapter 1: The First Step

Navigate Kivotos with this Blue Archive walkthrough for Chapter 1: The First Step. Learn core gameplay mechanics, enemy types, and student management for a str.

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Chapter 1: The First Step

Welcome, Sensei, to the vibrant, yet often chaotic, world of Kivotos! This guide will walk you through the initial steps of your journey, ensuring you build a strong foundation for the challenges ahead. Chapter 1 serves as your introduction to core gameplay mechanics, enemy types, and the importance of strategic student management. Pay close attention, as the lessons learned here will be invaluable throughout your time in Blue Archive.

Mission 1-1: First Contact

Your very first mission is a straightforward tutorial designed to familiarize you with basic combat. You'll be introduced to your initial students: Serika (Mystic, Special), Nonomi (Explosive, Striker), and Ayane (Explosive, Striker). The enemies encountered here are primarily Light Armor, making Nonomi's Explosive damage highly effective. Focus on understanding the flow of combat, the auto-attack system, and how to activate EX Skills.

  • Objective: Defeat all enemies.
  • Enemy Type: Light Armor (weak to Explosive damage).
  • Recommended Students: Your starting trio is perfectly adequate.
  • Strategy: Let your students auto-attack. Use Nonomi's EX Skill ("Rich Bullet") to clear groups of enemies quickly. Ayane's EX Skill ("Support Fire!") provides healing, which might not be strictly necessary here but is good to practice.
  • Rewards:
    • AP x 50
    • Credit x 1,000
    • Basic Tactical Training Blu-ray x 3

Mission 1-2: Patrol Route

This mission continues to ease you into the combat system, introducing slightly more varied enemy formations. You'll still primarily face Light Armor enemies, reinforcing the effectiveness of Explosive damage. This is a good opportunity to observe how your students position themselves and how their auto-attacks target enemies.

  • Objective: Defeat all enemies.
  • Enemy Type: Light Armor.
  • Recommended Students: Continue with your starting students.
  • Strategy: Practice using EX Skills efficiently. Try to group enemies before using Nonomi's skill for maximum impact.
  • Rewards:
    • AP x 50
    • Credit x 1,500
    • Basic Technical Note x 3

Mission 1-3: A Small Hope

This mission marks a slight increase in difficulty and introduces a crucial concept: enemy armor types. You might encounter a few Heavy Armor enemies mixed in with the usual Light Armor. Identifying these enemies is key to strategic play. Heavy Armor enemies are typically larger, often have a more metallic or armored appearance, and their health bars might be a different color (though this can vary). They are highly resistant to Explosive damage and take significantly more damage from Piercing attacks.

While Explosive students like Nonomi and Ayane are still primary for the majority of enemies, having one Piercing damage dealer in your squad, such as Shiroko or Aru (if you've been lucky with your initial recruitment), can be incredibly beneficial for these specific targets. Prioritizing Heavy Armor enemies with the correct damage type will significantly reduce incoming damage and speed up mission completion.

Chapter 1: The First Step - Blue Archive screenshot
A typical combat encounter in Chapter 1. Notice the varied enemy types.
  • Objective: Defeat all enemies.
  • Enemy Types: Primarily Light Armor, with occasional Heavy Armor units.
  • Recommended Students:
    • Your starting trio (Nonomi, Ayane, Serika).
    • Consider adding a Piercing Striker like Shiroko (if acquired) to deal with Heavy Armor.
  • Strategy:
    • Identify Heavy Armor: Look for enemies with distinct armored plating or larger, more robust models. They will resist Explosive damage.
    • Strategic EX Skill Usage: Focus your Explosive EX Skills (Nonomi's "Rich Bullet") on groups of Light Armor enemies. If you have a Piercing student, save their EX Skill for Heavy Armor targets. Eliminating these priority threats quickly prevents them from dealing sustained damage to your front-line students.
    • Student Level: Ensure your students are at least Level 5. This is crucial for maintaining a damage advantage and survivability.
    • Equipment: Make sure your students have their basic equipment slots filled. Even low-tier equipment provides a significant stat boost. You can equip gear from the "Students" menu.
  • Common Pitfall: Ignoring Heavy Armor enemies. They can quickly overwhelm your students if not dealt with efficiently, especially if you're only bringing Explosive damage.
  • Rewards:
    • AP x 50
    • Credit x 2,000
    • Basic Activity Report x 2

Mission 1-4: The First Encounter

This mission introduces your first "boss" encounter, though it's more of a mini-boss. You'll face a stronger, more resilient enemy unit. This is a good test of your understanding of EX Skill timing and student synergy. The boss here will likely be Light Armor, so your Explosive students will shine.

  • Objective: Defeat the boss unit.
  • Enemy Type: Likely a strong Light Armor unit.
  • Recommended Students: Focus on your strongest Explosive damage dealers. Nonomi will be a key player.
  • Strategy:
    • Burst Damage: Save your high-damage EX Skills for the boss. Try to activate them in quick succession to deal massive burst damage.
    • Healing: If your students are taking heavy damage, use Ayane's healing EX Skill strategically to keep them alive.
    • Positioning: While less critical in early stages, observe how your students move. Sometimes, repositioning can help avoid area-of-effect attacks (though the first boss is fairly simple).
  • Rewards:
    • AP x 50
    • Credit x 2,500
    • Basic Tactical Training Blu-ray x 5
    • First Clear Bonus: Pyroxene x 30

Post-Mission Advice: Strengthening Your Students

After completing Mission 1-4, you'll have access to more features in the main menu. It's crucial to start strengthening your students. Here's what to prioritize:

  • Level Up: Use the "Activity Reports" you've earned to level up your students. Prioritize your main damage dealers and healers.
  • Equipment: Check the "Equipment" tab for each student. Equip any new gear you've acquired. Equipment can be upgraded using credits and materials.
  • Skills: While skill upgrades might be limited by materials at this stage, familiarize yourself with the "Skills" menu. Upgrading skills significantly boosts student performance.
  • Recruitment: Use your Pyroxene for recruitment (gacha). While tempting to spend immediately, sometimes it's wise to save for specific banners featuring powerful students. However, early recruitment can provide much-needed roster depth.
  • Daily Missions: Start completing your daily missions. These provide valuable resources like AP, Credits, and Pyroxene, which are essential for progression.

By diligently following these steps and understanding the core mechanics introduced in Chapter 1, you'll be well-prepared for the adventures and challenges that lie ahead in Kivotos!