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Valencia

Guide Curator at GladiatorBoost

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Arknights: Endfield introduces challenging event-based combat encounters, and the Umbral Monument is one of the first major multi-stage trials players face during the Those Forsaken by the Land event. Unlike standard missions, Umbral Monument stages introduce unique battlefield mechanics that directly affect survivability, damage pacing, and team composition.

This guide breaks down every Umbral Monument stage — Survive the Gas, Unorthodox Tactics, and Ballista and Axe — including recommended strategies, team setups, and optimization tips.

What Is the Umbral Monument?

The Umbral Monument is a three-phase challenge event with escalating difficulty. Each stage features distinct mechanics that force players to adapt their builds rather than rely purely on raw DPS.

The three stages are:

1. Survive the Gas

2. Unorthodox Tactics

3. Ballista and Axe

Preparation is critical. If your roster lacks optimization, using an Arknights Endfield Operator Build Boost can help fine-tune skill priorities and gear setups before entering high-pressure stages.

Stage 1 – Survive the Gas

Core Mechanic: Mist Damage Over Time

The first stage introduces a Mist effect that continuously drains your team’s HP. As waves progress:

• Mist damage increases.

• Enemy strength escalates.

• Sustain becomes more demanding.

This stage tests healing management and DPS efficiency simultaneously.

How to Counter the Mist Mechanic

Interestingly, Survive the Gas includes a helpful mechanic:

Whenever you heal the active character, part of that healing spreads to the rest of the team.

This makes dedicated healing operators extremely valuable.

Recommended Healers

Ardelia
Gilberta
Ember

Strong sustain allows you to offset Mist damage while clearing waves efficiently.

If your healer struggles to keep up, upgrading gear through an Arknights Endfield Weapon Level Boost can significantly improve healing output and survivability.

Team Composition Tips

• 1–2 healers depending on skill level

• Strong AoE or reaction DPS

• Stable SP generation

If your DPS is well-built and you’re confident in dodging, one healer can suffice. However, safer clears usually involve two sustain units.

Stage 2 – Unorthodox Tactics

Core Mechanic: Stationary Enemies with Scaling ATK

In this stage, enemies do not move — but they become increasingly dangerous the longer they remain alive.

They:

• Gain Attack% over time

• Become harder to stagger

• Punish slow clears

This stage shifts the focus from sustain to burst damage.

Best Strategy: High Burst & AoE

You must eliminate waves quickly before scaling becomes overwhelming.

Laevatain is particularly effective here due to her massive AoE Ultimate damage. Once elemental stacks are prepared, she can delete clustered enemies rapidly.

Why Burst Matters

The longer enemies stay alive:

• The harder they hit

• The more pressure on your healer

• The higher the chance of collapse

Treat this stage like a DPS check.

If your roster lacks optimized burst builds, Arknights Endfield Boosting services can help accelerate progression and power scaling before attempting harder clears.

Recommended Setup

• 1 healer (minimal sustain required if burst is strong)

• 2 AoE DPS units

• 1 support/debuffer

Reaction-based teams perform extremely well here due to multi-target scaling.

Stage 3 – Ballista and Axe

Core Mechanic: Dual Elite Encounter with Shared HP

The final stage is the most demanding.

You face two elite enemies:

• Bonekrusher Executioner

• Bonekrusher Ballista

These enemies share HP during later phases and apply constant pressure from both melee and ranged angles.

Phase 1 – Executioner

The Executioner enters first:

• Spins in AoE arcs

• Jumps toward the active character

• Applies heavy short-range damage

Priority: Focus on dodging and reading attack patterns.

Phase 2 – Ballista

After defeating the Executioner once, the Ballista joins:

• Long-range AoE attacks

• Aggressive repositioning

• Punishing ranged bursts

This phase requires careful spatial awareness.

Final Phase – Dual Assault

Both elites return and share HP.

The difficulty spikes significantly because:

• The Executioner pressures you in melee.

• The Ballista zones from range.

• Dodging becomes mandatory rather than optional.

Among all Umbral Monument stages, this is the true mechanical test.

How to Approach Ballista and Axe

1. Prioritize Survival Over Aggression

Greedy DPS attempts often result in instant knockouts. Focus on:

• Dodging first

• Maintaining healer cooldowns

• Rotating skills safely

2. Maintain Spacing

Kiting patterns are critical:

• Keep distance from the Executioner’s spin

• Watch projectile telegraphs from the Ballista

3. Use Controlled Burst Windows

When both enemies finish major attacks:

• Activate burst combos

• Dump cooldowns efficiently

• Reset positioning immediately

If your team feels underpowered here, investing in an Arknights Endfield Story Boost can help unlock additional progression systems that improve overall performance.

General Tips for Umbral Monument

Optimize Builds Before Entering

• Upgrade core weapons

• Improve Operator talents

• Fine-tune reaction synergy

Adapt to Each Stage

• Stage 1: Sustain-heavy

• Stage 2: Burst-focused

• Stage 3: Mechanical precision

Practice Dodging

The final stage rewards player skill as much as team composition.

Is Umbral Monument Worth Completing?

Absolutely.

Clearing Umbral Monument:

• Tests advanced combat understanding

• Strengthens roster evaluation

• Prepares players for future event-based challenges

It’s not just about raw stats — it’s about adapting to mechanics.

Final Thoughts

The Umbral Monument event in Arknights: Endfield is a structured three-phase challenge designed to test sustain management, burst timing, and mechanical execution.

To summarize:

• Survive the Gas demands healing discipline.

• Unorthodox Tactics demands burst DPS.

• Ballista and Axe demands positioning mastery.

Build smart. Adapt per stage. Focus on mechanics — not just numbers.

Master these principles, and the Umbral Monument becomes a proving ground rather than a roadblock.