S+ Tier
Pogranichnik
PhysicalVANGUARDSword
Advanced Builds
SS
supportbufferenergy_generationphysical
Pogranichnik is one of the strongest utility units in the game because he does far more than damage: he hands the team SP, raises everyone's ATK and Arts Intensity through Fervent Morale, and applies Breach to make physical damage land harder. He is the backbone of mono-physical squads, though his value leans on teammates supplying Vulnerable stacks for him to consume.
endgamesupportlate_gamesp_regenteam_buffsupportphysical
This endgame setup turns Pogranichnik into a team engine. Thermite Cutter gives him Attack and Will while also lifting the whole squad's Attack, which compounds with the Fervent Morale buff he generates from steadily recovering SP. The Frontiers suit is the core pick: its combo skill cooldown reduction lets him cycle his stack-consuming slash more often, and its post-SP-recovery team DMG buff rewards his natural SP generation. The Bonekrusha Poncho T1 replaces the set armor slot to accelerate his Ultimate, which in turn produces more Steel Oath points and therefore more SP for everyone. Stat-wise, prioritize Flow and Will so the buffs and SP loop stay strong, with Attack as a secondary goal. The result is a support build that still contributes damage through Breach, Vulnerable consumption and the ultimate's Decisive Assault.
Gear
team_buff
armor
bonekrusha poncho t1
gloves
frontiers fiber gloves
core 1
frontiers o2 tube
core 2
frontiers o2 tube
1will_boost2flow3attack_boost
Explanation
Thermite Cutter is chosen over his own signature because it raises both his Attack and the team's Attack while feeding his Will, which is what his buffs and SP loop scale from.
Never Rest falls to second place: the Physical DMG bonus it grants is already heavily covered by the gear he and his allies wear, so the extra buff contributes less than Thermite Cutter's teamwide Attack.
Eminent Repute is a serviceable fallback when neither premium option is owned, and Sundering Steel only really helps his personal damage since it gives no team buffs.
Frontiers is the endgame suit because SP restoration is exactly what Pogranichnik does constantly, so the party DMG proc should have near-permanent uptime.
Notes
- The Frontiers suit cuts the wearer's combo skill cooldown and, after any SP recovery from a skill, hands the team a DMG buff that does not stack.
- Bonekrusha Poncho T1 is the off-piece: it speeds up the Ultimate and adds Will plus Agility to his stat line.
- The build mixes personal stat gains with party-wide buffs, mirroring his hybrid damage/support identity.
early gamesupportbeginnerf2psp_regenattribute_boost
This is the affordable starting point for Pogranichnik. Thermite Cutter is ideal because it pairs with him on the New Horizons banner, provides Will for his buffs, and still contributes party Attack once SP is restored. The Mordvolt Resistant set is a straightforward stat package that pushes his main attribute Will higher and gives a minor Treatment Effect bump at low HP, which keeps him upright while the account is still growing. Priority goes to Will first, then Flow, then Attack, reflecting his support-first identity. If the weapon selector was used on something else, Sundering Steel is the fallback, but expect it to only improve his own damage rather than helping the team the way Thermite Cutter does.
Gear
attribute_boost
armor
mordvolt resistant vest
gloves
mordvolt resistant gloves
core 1
mordvolt resistant wrench
core 2
mordvolt resistant wrench
1will_boost2flow3attack_boost
Explanation
Thermite Cutter is the strongest free-to-play answer because it supplies Will and still helps the party's Attack after SP is regained, matching his role without any gacha luck.
If the Weapon Selector was spent elsewhere, Sundering Steel works as a damage-oriented substitute, though it offers nothing for the team.
The Mordvolt Resistant suit is chosen simply because it raises the main attribute he cares about, Will, and gives a small survivability perk for rough early fights.
Frontiers is saved for later since stat-dense starter gear matters more while the character is still being leveled.
Notes
- Mordvolt Resistant adds a flat chunk of Will to his main attribute and adds a Treatment Effect bonus while his HP sits under half.
- Thermite Cutter can be picked up alongside Pogranichnik from the New Horizons banner, which makes it the natural starting weapon.
- Essence order flips here: Will ahead of Attack, because his support role is the priority at this stage.
Build Insights
Pogranichnik slots in as a Vanguard-style support who feeds SP to the rest of the squad while amplifying physical damage. He is not meant to solo carry; his output spikes when allies first stack Vulnerable on a target, because Breach then converts those stacks into a Physical DMG vulnerability and his combo skill cashes them in for SP. This makes him the natural anchor of mono-physical compositions, where every teammate benefits from both the extra SP and the Fervent Morale ATK/Arts Intensity buff. Position him so his two-swing Battle Skill reaches the main target, and hold the combo skill until three or four Vulnerable stacks are present so the enhanced third slash and SP return are maximized. His Ultimate should be treated as a second SP injection plus burst window: the Shieldguards push enemies and generate Steel Oath, and each point consumed by a physical status or combo skill hit returns more SP before the final assault. Because he mostly generates resources, he prefers partners who apply Vulnerability quickly and who want more skill casts, and he can be swapped into almost any physical-leaning lineup without disrupting the core damage dealers.
Core Mechanics
- Breach comes from his Battle Skill. If the target already carries Vulnerable stacks, those are consumed to make the enemy take increased Physical DMG for a short time, so the skill should be used after allies have applied stacks.
- His Full Moon Slash combo skill fires when Crush or Breach eats Vulnerable stacks, and the number of stacks consumed decides how many slashes land and how much SP comes back.
- The Ultimate summons four Shieldguards and grants 5 Steel Oath points. Spending those points with physical statuses or combo skill hits chips the target and restores SP, capped by a heavy Decisive Assault.
- Fervent Morale from The Living Banner grants ATK and Arts Intensity, stacking up to three times with each stack timed separately, so steady SP generation keeps the buff rolling.
Scaling
- He works well even with modest gear because his job is SP restoration, so early investment mainly wants Flow and Will rather than raw offense.
- Late game his ceiling comes from sharing buffs: weapons and suits that lift the whole party or push his Will scale him better than ones that only raise his own damage numbers.
- Talent levels matter a lot. The Living Banner and Tactical Instruction extend Fervent Morale uptime, and the ultimate's extra effects are what turn him into a party-wide engine.
Character Notes
Pogranichnik is a Physical Sword Vanguard whose value comes almost entirely from resource generation and team amplification rather than personal numbers. He applies Breach to open targets up, converts Vulnerable stacks into a Physical DMG vulnerability, and repeatedly returns SP to the squad. On top of that, The Living Banner grants stacking ATK and Arts Intensity to the team. He shines in mono-physical lineups where allies reliably stack Vulnerability for him to consume, and he asks for very little in return beyond Will and Flow on his gear.
Playstyle
- Let allies place Vulnerable stacks first, then use the Battle Skill so Breach consumes them and the enemy takes amplified Physical DMG.
- Hold the combo skill until three or four Vulnerable stacks are available; the fourth stack upgrades the third slash and the SP return jumps sharply.
- Use the Ultimate as an SP second wind: Shieldguards generate Steel Oath points that are spent by physical statuses and combo skill damage, ending in a large Decisive Assault.
- Level the Ultimate and Battle Skill together first, treat the combo skill as optional damage, and skip investing in the basic attack.
- Unlock The Living Banner and then Tactical Instruction as early as possible to keep Fervent Morale running and spread it to teammates.
Strengths
- Feeds SP to the whole party, which enables faster rotations for every teammate.
- Fervent Morale supplies stacking ATK and Arts Intensity buffs once enough SP has been recovered.
- Breach consumption creates a Physical DMG vulnerability that lifts the entire team's damage in physical comps.
- The Ultimate delivers both heavy physical burst and an additional wave of SP recovery.
- Effective even on a budget, since his core job barely depends on high-end gear.
Weaknesses
- Depends on other units to apply Vulnerable stacks before his skills reach full value.
- Personal damage is modest, so he will not carry a team on his own.
- Basic attacks and combo skill damage are low-value upgrade targets, meaning his personal scaling ceiling is limited.
- His signature weapon is not his best option because its Physical DMG bonus overlaps heavily with his gear's existing bonuses.
Team Guide
bestphysical_teamburst_team
Pogranichnik serves as the SP engine of this Mono-Physical shell while also layering ATK buffs onto the squad. The damage slot can be filled by any unit that can trigger Crush — the Endministrator, Da Pan, or Mi Fu all work, and the rotation below is written around Mi Fu. Lifeng and Chen Qianyu handle the supporting duties, mainly through heavy Vulnerability application, helped further by Lifeng's Physical Susceptibility debuff and Link buff.
Explanation
Pogranichnik keeps SP flowing and boosts ally attack, letting stronger units act more frequently.
Vulnerable stacking from Lifeng and Chen Qianyu sets up Breach and Crush damage windows.
The main DPS slot is flexible: Endministrator, Da Pan, or Mi Fu all fit because each can trigger Crush.
Strengths
- Very high Physical damage ceiling thanks to Breach and Crush payoffs.
- Strong support backbone through the Lifeng and Chen Qianyu pairing.
Weaknesses
- Demands access to several premium units to reach its full potential.
- Rotation is order-sensitive and punishes mistimed skills.
Rotation
- 1Cast Pogranichnik's Ultimate right away to arm Fervent Morale and start regenerating SP for the rotation.
- 2Use Lifeng's Ultimate to add a Vulnerable stack, then trigger Chen Qianyu's Combo Skill; hold Mi Fu's Combo Skill for now.
- 3Use Chen Qianyu's Battle Skill to climb to four Vulnerable stacks, then cast Pogranichnik's Battle Skill to apply Breach.
- 4Cast Lifeng's Battle Skill for an extra Vulnerable stack and to inflict Physical Susceptibility.
- 5Trigger Mi Fu's Combo Skill for another Physical Susceptibility, then use Pogranichnik's Combo Skill to restore SP.
- 6Execute Mi Fu's Final Strike, then fire Lifeng's Combo Skill to gain the Link buff.
- 7With Link active, use Mi Fu's Ultimate to spend it, shifting her Battle Skill to Move 2 and adding a Vulnerable stack.
- 8Trigger Chen Qianyu's Combo Skill, then cast her Battle Skill to return to four Vulnerable stacks.
- 9Cast Mi Fu's Battle Skill to trigger Crush and advance her next Battle Skill to Move 3.
- 10Use Mi Fu's Battle Skill once more to execute Move 3.
Lead with Pogranichnik's Ultimate, build Vulnerable through Lifeng and Chen, inflict Breach, then finish with a full Mi Fu Crush sequence.
f2pf2plow_investmentbeginnerphysical_team
This low-cost setup relies on characters that come easily: both the Endministrator and Chen Qianyu are obtainable during Chapter 1. The Endministrator handles the primary damage role while Chen Qianyu builds Vulnerability stacks, and Ardelia rounds out the fourth slot by adding Physical Susceptibility plus healing. Pogranichnik's job here is simple — funnel SP to the team so the Endministrator can keep firing.
Explanation
Only early-game and easy-to-get units are used, so investment stays low.
The Endministrator converts Chen Qianyu's Vulnerability stacks into big Physical bursts.
Ardelia supplies Physical Susceptibility and healing to cover survivability.
Strengths
- Accessible roster that works from early progression onward.
- Solid Physical damage from consumption of Vulnerability stacks.
Weaknesses
- Lower damage ceiling because Lifeng's heavy Vulnerability output is absent.
- Damage is heavily concentrated on the Endministrator.
Rotation
- 1Complete a full Endministrator basic attack string to land Final Strike and trigger Ardelia's Combo Skill, then use Ardelia's Battle Skill to apply Susceptibility.
- 2Use the Endministrator's Combo Skill to place Originium Crystals, then cast her Ultimate to consume them.
- 3Fire off any remaining team Ultimates, then use Chen Qianyu's Battle Skill twice followed by her Combo Skill to build Vulnerability.
- 4At three or four Vulnerability stacks, spend them with the Endministrator's Battle Skill for heavy Physical damage, which then triggers Pogranichnik's Combo Skill for a large SP refund.
- 5Repeat the sequence until the enemies are cleared.
Full Endministrator basic string into Ardelia's skills, then stack Vulnerability with Chen Qianyu and spend it via the Endministrator.
Team Insights
Pogranichnik works best as an enabler rather than the team's main threat. His kit channels SP toward allies and adds ATK buffs, so he naturally fits Physical teams built around Vulnerable stacking with Breach or Crush payoffs. Surround him with dependable Vulnerability appliers such as Lifeng and Chen Qianyu plus a Crush-capable main DPS, and let the rest of the squad carry the damage while Pogranichnik keeps energy flowing. His Personal damage is modest, so never rely on him to finish fights — his value is the engine he provides.
Synergy Patterns
- Pogranichnik's Ultimate readies Fervent Morale and keeps SP regenerating across the rotation.
- Vulnerable stacking from Lifeng and Chen Qianyu lines up Breach triggers.
- Pogranichnik's Combo Skill refunds SP whenever an ally consumes Vulnerability, rewarding burst windows.
Tips
- Open with Pogranichnik's Ultimate so his SP generation runs through the entire rotation.
- Reach the four Vulnerable stack threshold before firing Breach to squeeze out maximum damage.
- If Lifeng is unavailable, expect noticeably lower Vulnerability generation and plan damage windows around that.
- On budget teams, keep the Endministrator as the primary damage dealer and let Pogranichnik focus purely on SP.
Availability
Headhunting banners, plus the Fest of Brilliance bannerConfidence: 88%
Featured Banners
Basic HeadhuntingNew HorizonsGood Morning From Your DawnstarFest of Brilliance
Potentials
- Frontline Sweep: improves The Pulverizing Front, returning 15 SP when it hits at least two enemies.
- Advance: Will +20 and Physical DMG Dealt +10%.
- When the Banner Flutters: reduces the SP needed for Fervent Morale to 60 and raises the max stacks he can hold by 2.
- Shield of Talos-II: lowers the Ultimate's energy cost by 15%.
- Newly Forged Blade: shortens Full Moon Slash's cooldown by 2s and increases its SP recovery to 1.2x.
Best Gifts
Eureka Teabox
Eureka Teabox is his favorite. Tidestone Specimen, Cosmic Gate Puzzle, Fin-n-Chips, Woven Aggelos, Chubby Lung Fangxing Memorabilia and Der Schwingende Gentleman Classical Album are accepted alternatives.
Pogranichnik is a veteran Field Officer of Rhodes Island who also serves the Order of Steel Oath. He is calm, disciplined and respected by his subordinates, and on the field he fights from the front, cutting a path with his blade while opening opportunities for the soldiers and allies beside him. He shares a striking resemblance to Hellagur, and one of his messages mentions seeing Azazel in a dream, a strong hint that he is Hellagur's reconvener with ties to the Azazel clinic from the original Arknights.