Arknights: Endfield Free Pulls Guide
Arknights: Endfield uses a gacha system for recruiting characters, but you can earn a surprising number of pulls without paying. By understanding where free currency and tickets come from, you can build a strong roster, try limited banners, and experiment with teams while staying free‑to‑play or low‑spend.
This guide explains every major source of free pulls, highlights important limited-time rewards, and offers practical strategies to get the most value out of your gacha resources.
1. Core Gacha Basics You Should Know First
Before diving into reward sources, it helps to understand how pulls typically work in modern gacha games and why free currency matters. Arknights: Endfield follows the standard model: premium currency and banner-specific items are used to roll for units at varying rarity tiers. While exact drop rates and pity mechanics are defined in the in-game banner details, the overall system is consistent with other large live-service titles.
- Premium currency: A tradable resource (often earned slowly through gameplay and events) that can be converted into standard pulls.
- Headhunting or recruitment permits: Tickets that directly grant single or multi-pulls on specified banners.
- Pity or guarantees: Long-term counters that help ensure you eventually receive high-rarity characters after many pulls (details are listed in each banner’s info screen).
Understanding these basics will help you decide which rewards to claim immediately, which to save, and how to time your pulls around limited banners. Official gacha games are required to publish drop rates and related info in-game or on their websites, and Arknights: Endfield follows this practice via its in-client banner information and official announcements.
2. Pre‑Registration Rewards: Your Day-One Power Boost
If you’re starting close to launch, pre‑registration gifts are usually the largest immediate source of free pulls. These rewards are distributed to all accounts on eligible servers that log in within a specific period after release, and are intended to celebrate launch milestones.
2.1 How to Claim Pre‑Registration Rewards
Once you complete the opening tutorial and gain full control of the UI, open your in-game mailbox and claim all available messages. Pre‑registration bundles are typically delivered as mail:
- Look for mail with titles referencing pre‑registration, launch celebration, or milestones.
- Claim attachments to receive premium currency, headhunting permits, and sometimes a guaranteed character.
- Check the mail expiry timer; some gifts vanish after a few weeks if unclaimed.
2.2 What You Can Expect from Pre‑Reg Gifts
The exact content can change between regions and campaigns, but typically includes:
- Multi-pull worth of currency: Enough premium currency for several pulls on launch banners.
- Beginner or standard headhunting permits: Tickets that can only be used on specific early banners, such as beginner rate-up pools.
- Exclusive or early characters: A five-star unit designed to help new players progress more smoothly.
- Materials and upgrade items: EXP items, gear, or enhancement resources to raise your new units quickly.
Use these pre‑registration items to secure a solid early lineup rather than pulling randomly. Many players prefer to start by targeting banners that feature versatile supports or healers, because they stay useful even as you unlock stronger attackers.
3. Awakening Login Campaign: Free Healer and Daily Rewards
New accounts get access to a special launch login campaign commonly referred to as an Awakening or early-game sign-in event. This campaign runs for a fixed period after your account is created and offers rewards simply for checking in every day.
3.1 Why the Awakening Event Matters
Aside from currency and materials, the Awakening login track grants one of the best early support units in the game: a top-tier healer that can carry your account for a long time. While the launch article highlights a specific unit obtainable through this event, the key takeaway is that:
- You receive a powerful healer for free just by logging in.
- The healer’s kit focuses on strong single-target or area healing and powerful survivability buffs.
- This character is designed to be endgame-relevant, not just a tutorial unit.
Healing and sustain are often the backbone of strategy titles with tower-defense or tactical elements. Getting an S-tier healer without spending makes it easier to tackle story content, farm materials, and attempt harder challenges.
3.2 Maximizing Value from Awakening Logins
- Log in daily, even briefly: You don’t have to play for hours—just claim the reward.
- Track your progress: Check how many days are required to unlock the free healer and prioritize hitting that milestone.
- Save what you can: If the event grants headhunting permits or premium currency, consider saving them for upcoming banners that align with your needs.
4. New Horizons Beginner Event: Structured Early-Game Progress
Alongside login rewards, Endfield offers a beginner progression event often themed as New Horizons or a similar phrase. Unlike simple check-ins, this event ties rewards to completing specific gameplay objectives during your first days or weeks.
4.1 How the Beginner Progress Track Works
Beginner tracks usually appear as a dedicated menu page listing goals such as:
- Finishing particular story chapters.
- Enhancing characters to certain levels.
- Unlocking core systems like outpost management or equipment upgrades.
- Clearing training or simulation stages.
Each completed task gives you a reward, and milestone completion often yields larger bundles of premium currency or tickets. This structure is designed to push new players through early systems smoothly, while subsidizing their gacha pulls.
4.2 Rewards You Can Expect
While exact totals vary, the New Horizons beginner event tends to include:
- Premium currency packs unlocked at major progression milestones.
- Headhunting permits for beginner-friendly banners.
- Character materials and equipment to prepare your core squad.
- Occasional cosmetic items such as frames or small cosmetics.
Completing the beginner track effectively frontloads several weeks’ worth of resource income into your first few days, which makes it one of the most important sources of free pulls for new accounts.
5. Story Progression: Pulls for Pushing the Main Campaign
Endfield’s story missions are more than just narrative—they’re also a steady supply of headhunting resources. Most chapters or major missions provide either premium currency, special beginner-only permits, or both.
5.1 Beginner-Only Banners and Story Tickets
During your early chapters, you’ll be rewarded with unique headhunting permits that can only be used on temporary beginner banners. These banners often have improved rates or guarantees to help you reach a certain power level before the more demanding content appears.
Key details about these story-related tickets:
- They cannot be used on standard or future limited banners.
- They usually have a time limit, disappearing when the beginner banner ends.
- They often come with bonuses, such as guaranteed higher-rarity units by a given number of pulls.
Because they are restricted, you should consume these tickets on the designated banner before they expire. They are essentially bonus rolls that don’t compete with your regular saved currency.
5.2 Why You Should Clear Story Early
- Unlocks core features: Outpost systems, additional maps, and advanced modes are often locked behind story progress.
- Gives stable income: First-time completion rewards and chapter clear milestones contribute a large portion of your early free pulls.
- Improves Authority and account level: Clearing story missions is a major source of experience for your account progression, which in turn unlocks Authority rewards (see below).
Many live-service RPGs are balanced around the assumption that players will push story content to start unlocking regular resource pipelines. Arknights: Endfield follows this principle, so it’s wise to prioritize campaign progression over endless early-game farming.
6. Authority Level: Long-Term Free Currency from Account Progress
Authority (or its equivalent account-wide level) tracks your overall progression across multiple systems: story clears, exploration, daily tasks, and more. As this level increases, you’ll receive rewards from an account progression track.
6.1 How Authority Rewards Work
Your Authority track usually offers a mix of items at each level, including:
- Premium currency lumps at specific level thresholds.
- Headhunting permits or banner tickets at notable milestones.
- Upgrade materials, EXP cards, and other strengthening resources.
The design is similar to account-level reward ladders in other online games, which are used to encourage long-term engagement. Studies on live-service game design note that early and mid-level reward bursts can significantly improve player retention when tied to visible progress systems.
6.2 Ways to Raise Authority Efficiently
To level Authority consistently and unlock more free currency:
- Complete daily and weekly tasks: These are predictable, repeatable sources of Authority experience and resources.
- Advance the main story: Story missions typically grant more account experience than low-value grind stages.
- Participate in events: Limited-time stages often reward Authority experience in addition to their event drops.
Because Authority rewards become more generous at higher levels, pushing this track over time is an important part of every free‑to‑play strategy.
7. Other Sign-In Events and Time-Limited Campaigns
Outside of launch-specific campaigns, Arknights: Endfield regularly runs rotating login events and seasonal celebrations. These can be tied to new updates, festivals, or collaborations and typically reward small but valuable bundles of currency and tickets.
7.1 Common Types of Ongoing Sign-In Events
- Patch launch celebrations: Often grant a few days of premium currency or tickets when a major update drops.
- Seasonal events: Holiday or festival campaigns with themed stages and daily login bonuses.
- Cross-promotions: Collaborations with other franchises may reward cosmetics and limited-time login rewards.
While individually smaller than launch rewards, these events add up over months. Following official news posts or social media channels helps you stay aware of sign-in windows so you don’t miss out.
8. Free Characters: Launch Support Units You Should Not Miss
Alongside pulls, the game offers at least two notable free characters around launch: one from pre‑registration and one from login events. Their exact names and kits are detailed in official materials and launch coverage, but what matters for planning is how to use them.
8.1 Pre‑Registration Support Character
The pre‑registration bundle includes a five-star support unit available as soon as you can access your mailbox. This character typically focuses on healing and defensive buffs, providing:
- Consistent health recovery for front-line allies under fire.
- Damage mitigation or resistance against specific damage types.
- Early synergy with starter DPS units to stabilize your composition.
Although you may eventually pull stronger options, this support remains useful for a long time, especially in stages that require sustained survival rather than burst damage.
8.2 Awakening Login Healer
The Awakening event grants a high-tier healer considered one of the best in the early meta. Once obtained, they:
- Enable riskier strategies by keeping fragile DPS units alive.
- Reduce the need to run multiple lower-tier healers.
- Give you a stable core for tackling new event stages as they release.
Between the pre‑registration support unit and the Awakening healer, you can field a remarkably sturdy team without relying on gacha luck, freeing your pulls to focus on damage dealers and specialized roles.
9. Practical Pull Strategy for Free‑to‑Play Players
Knowing where to get free pulls is only half the story. To make them count, you should approach banners and spending with a clear plan.
9.1 General Saving and Spending Rules
- Use beginner-only tickets first: Since they’re time-limited and restricted, there’s no reason to hoard them.
- Save premium currency for limited banners: Limited units usually have high impact or unique abilities.
- Check rates and pity details: Always read the banner info page to understand guarantees and featured characters.
- Avoid pulling when you’re unsure: If future banners are teased and you like those units more, it can be wise to wait.
9.2 Target Key Roles Instead of Chasing Every Unit
Instead of trying to collect every character, focus on filling essential roles:
- 1–2 strong DPS for different damage types.
- At least one top-tier healer (covered by free characters early on).
- Reliable tanks/defenders for your front line.
- Situational support or control units for harder content.
This role-based approach makes your roster more functional than a random collection of units and reduces the urge to chase every banner.
9.3 Stay Informed About Upcoming Rewards
Major updates, anniversaries, and collaborations often come with generosity spikes—extra pulls, big login campaigns, and discount banners. Monitoring official announcements, patch notes, and event calendars can help you line up your saved currency with these windows.
10. Quick Reference: Main Sources of Free Pulls
| Source | Type of Reward | Timing / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pre‑Registration Rewards | Premium currency, tickets, 5★ support, materials | Claim from mailbox soon after starting; limited claim period. |
| Awakening Login Event | Premium currency, materials, top-tier healer | Daily logins over a fixed number of days for new accounts. |
| New Horizons Beginner Event | Currency, tickets, upgrade items | Complete early-game objectives and story milestones. |
| Story Progression | Premium currency, beginner-only tickets | First-time mission clears and chapter completion rewards. |
| Authority Level | Currency, tickets, materials | Account progression from all gameplay activities. |
| Other Sign-In Events | Small currency bundles, permits | Rotating events tied to patches, celebrations, and seasons. |
11. Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to spend money to keep up with events?
No. Arknights: Endfield, like the original Arknights, is designed so that free‑to‑play players can complete the majority of content with good planning and smart use of free resources. Spending mostly accelerates collection and makes it easier to obtain specific limited units, but it is not mandatory to enjoy new events or modes.
Should I use all my free pulls on day one?
Not necessarily. Use beginner-only tickets on their designated banners before they expire, but consider saving premium currency for banners featuring units you truly want, especially powerful damage dealers or unique supports that complement the free healer and support you receive.
Are free characters strong enough for endgame content?
Yes. Launch support units and the Awakening healer are designed to be viable well into advanced content. As more updates arrive, new free or welfare units from events often join them, giving you more options without requiring constant pulling.
What if I started late and missed pre‑registration rewards?
If the pre‑registration period has ended, those specific rewards may no longer be available. However, other campaigns, rerun events, and new-player packages tend to appear over time. Check the in-game event list and official announcements for current replacement campaigns.
Where can I find official information on banners and rates?
The most reliable sources are the in-game banner details and official publisher channels, such as the Arknights: Endfield website and its announcements. These sources are required to disclose rates, guarantees, and event schedules clearly for players.
References
- Arknights Official Website – Gacha & character info — Hypergryph / Yostar. Accessed 2024. https://www.arknights.global/
- App Store Review Guidelines – Loot Boxes — Apple Inc. 2023-01-30. https://developer.apple.com/app-store/review/guidelines/
- Why Do People Play on Mobile Devices? A Uses & Gratifications Approach — Frontiers in Psychology. 2019-04-24. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01302
- Live Service Game Design Insights — Game Developers Conference (GDC) – Vault Talks. Accessed 2024. https://gdconf.com/
- Microsoft Game Dev – Best practices for live game operations — Microsoft. 2022-11-10. https://developer.microsoft.com/games/

