Arknights CN: 3rd Anniversary Livestream Summary!

Hello and welcome to the CN Third Anniversary Livestream summery! This was a real massive live stream full of lots of information. This is also my first time handling one of these updates, so please let me know if I got anything wrong or missed anything. There sure is a lot to get through so let's dive in!

If you want to watch for yourself you can find the replays with English commentary by Kyostin V here  or from 25thNight here.

Translation credits: RIHQ Discord & /u/wewechoo on reddit.

Archetype

Dollkeeper

Trait

When receiving lethal damage, does not retreat. Instead, swaps to a [Substitute] to continue fighting ([Substitute] has 0 Block Count). After a certain period, the [Substitute] will be replaced by the original.

Talent 1

The [Substitute] reduces the Movement Speed of nearby enemies and deals Arts damage to them every second.

Talent 2

When in team, all [Abyssal Hunter] Operators gain Max HP.

Skill 1

When skill is activated, immediately exchange Max HP percentage with the ally with the lowest Max HP percentage within range. Increase ATK.

Skill 2

Increase ATK and Attack Speed. Within the skill duration, prevent HP from falling below 1. When the skill ends, treat self as defeated.

Skill 3

Increase Attack Interval and attack multiple enemies equal to Block Count. ATK +260%, Max HP +200% (est). When attacking enemies with a HP percentage higher or equal to self, deal an additional hit of Physical damage, otherwise lose a certain percentage of self HP.

Archetype

Swordmaster (i.e. Dual Strike)

Trait

Normal attacks deal damage twice.

Talent 1

When dealing Physical damage, has a chance to ignore a certain percentage of DEF Greatly increased chance against aerial units.

Talent 2

Increase Attack Speed. When there are [Sea Monster] enemies on the battlefield, further increase the effect.

Skill 1

The next attack deals Physical damage to the target and Levitates it for a short duration, then deals another hit of Physical damage.

Skill 2

Deal Physical damage to multiple ground enemies ahead and Levitate enemies with low weight for several seconds. Can hold charges.

Skill 3

Deals Physical damage to all nearby ground enemies and Levitate them for several seconds. Afterwards, rapidly strike multiple times, each hit dealing Physical damage to all enemies in a small area around a random target.

Archetype

Therapist (i.e. Wide-Range Medic)

Trait

Has a large healing range, but the healing amount on farther targets is reduced to 80%.

Talent 1

Healed target gains [Resist] for several seconds. If target's HP is higher than a certain percentage, the duration is extended.

Talent 2

If any ally within Lumen's Attack Range is afflicted with status ailments, immediately heals the target for a certain amount of HP. This effect has a cooldown time.

Skill 1

Next attack heals the target and all allies around him. Lasts for several seconds.

Skill 2

Immediately recovers several allies within Lumen's Attack Range.

[Charged]: Immediately removes all status ailments from targets.

Skill 3

Increases ATK and Attack Range. Prioritizes units afflicted with status ailments. Ammo is only consumed while healing targets afflicted with status ailments, which causes the healing amount to increase, as well as removing all status ailments from the target.

Activating the skill grants a certain amount of ammunition, and the skill ends when all ammunition is consumed. Skill can be deactivated at any time.

Archetype

Artificer

Windflit's kit was not revealed.

★★★★★★：
Specter the Unchained [Limited] / Irene
(Accounts for 70% of the odds when pulling a 6★)

★★★★★★: W [Limited] / Rosmontis [Limited] / Skadi the Corrupting Heart [Limited]
(5 times the weight in the rest of 6*)

★★★★★：Windflit
(Accounts for 50% of the odds when pulling a 5★)

A new Side-Story event will be available beginning on May 1st and will last for three weeks until May 22nd. The stages are divided into five sections (likely similar to Dossoles Holiday). The first three will be available immediately, while the fourth will be available in the second week, and the fifth and final available in the third. The event takes place in Iberia and is similar in theme and story to the original Under Tides event.

A new event mechanic was shown called Mark of the Sea.  Some tiles may have a special effect which spreads to other tiles automatically or from certain enemies.  You can stop this spread by deploying operators.  Enemies on these marked tiles will get stronger and may even evolve.

A new feature of the event will be exploring the area.  Not many details were given but this appears to be how the Lancet-2 skin will be distributed.

Note this skin is fully Live2D animated and will cost 21 OP.

Frostleaf's skin is free and available as part of a login event.

Lancet-2's skin is free and available as part of the new event.

Note that Phantom was part of the 3D preview and is also present in the promotion art, but did not receive a skin preview.  It is not currently clear when or if it will be released as a skin.

W's Epoque skin will receive a Live2D update as well as several new voice lines that are part of the skin.  Both were previewed during the livestream.  The new skin will cost 24 OP, though people who already own it will receive the upgrade for free.

The following archtypes will receive new modules

• Dollkeepers
  • Specter the Unchained
  • Bena (unique module)
  • Kazemaru
• Therapists (e.g. Wide-Range Medics)
  • Lumen
  • Whisperain
  • Ceylon
  • Purestream (unique module)
• Duelists
  • Eunectes
  • Aurora

Additionally Irene will have a module available on release.  It appears to be a DEF ignore module similar to Cutter's.

A new system was previewed which allows operators to obtain a new second module and upgrade those modules.  This system uses a new material which is dropped in the new game mode discussed in another section.  Upgradeable modules have three stages, with the first stage being their default.  One example given were Magallan whose module can be upgraded to improve the stealth duration and grant the stealth to herself.  Another example was Passenger now has a second module that improves his other talent instead with a different trait improvement (note only one module can be equipped at a time).  Both of his modules are upgradeable.

Please note that we lack many details on this system currently.  We do not know upgrade costs, stat increases, or what units will have these available beyond the two announced.

Magallan's Module Upgrades

• Stage 1 - Current module and talent.
• Stage 2 - Talent:  Drones are invisible for several seconds+ after deployment (will not be targeted by ranged enemies). If Magallan is adjacent to a drone, she receives the same effect.
• Stage 3 - Talent:  Drones are invisible for several seconds++ after deployment (will not be targeted by ranged enemies) If Magallan is adjacent to a drone, she receives the same effect

Passanger's First Module Upgrades - Chain X

• Stage 1 - Current module and talent.
• Stage 2 - Talent:  When there are no enemies in the adjacent 4 tiles, increase ATK and SP recovery speed+.
• Stage 3 - Talent:  When there are no enemies in the adjacent 4 tiles, increase ATK and SP recovery speed++.

Passanger's Second Module Upgrades - Chain Y

• Stage 1 - Trait:  Each bounce deals full damage and Slows the target for a short period.  Talent:  When attacking enemies with HP above a certain percentage, increase Passenger's damage dealt to them for several seconds.
• Stage 2 - Talent:  When attacking enemies with HP above a certain percentage, increase Passenger's damage dealt+ to them for several seconds+.
• Stage 3 - Talent:  When attacking enemies with HP above a certain lower percentage, increase Passenger's damage dealt++ to them for several seconds+.

A new game mode is being introduced.  This mode will be Permanent like how IS#2 currently is.  The mode is a 'tower' where you must progress through 8 floors of increasing difficulty.  There are many 'card game' like elements here.  You can bring more operators than normal (your 'deck') but you can only deploy those in your 'hand'.  Retreated ops go to your 'graveyard' which gets reshuffled into your deck when you run out.  You can deploy operators over old ones.  The old one is placed in the graveyard and the new one receives a stat buff.

This new mode will reward the material used in upgrading modules.

Contingency Contract #9 - Deepness, will begin on May 19th immediately after the new event.  It will be Under Tides themed.

A new operator will be available from the shop.  We do not have her official English name yet, but her Chinese name translates to "Erato".  Nothing else is known about her at this time aside from the fact she is a 5*.

Jessica's Clivia skin (CNY) will be added to the permanent shop as well.

The Joint Operations #6 banner will run alongside the event, featuring Skadi (guard), Kal'tsit, Exusiai, and Mountain as the rate-up 6*s.

All supply stages will be open during the event.

A preview of the next IS#2 chapter was shown titled the Silent Chapter.  After the PV video, a brief clip was shown of a rocky sea shore.  In this clip appears to be Mizuki's umbrella.  It was not clearly announced what this meant, but most people assume this is a tease that the next iteration of the roguelike mode will be Under Tides themed and feature Mizuki as the main character.

Three new events themes were teased.  The first is centered around Lethania and Gaul.  The second is focused on Rhine Lab.  These two got lengthy lore based videos which can be found in the livestream replay.

The third appears to be focused on the Durins (that is, the race, not the operator) and will be the summer event.  However there was not an extensive preview for the third so not many details are known.

The following operators will receive new Operator Records.

• Specter the Unchained
• Irene
• Whisperain
• Asbestos
• Perfumer
• Orchid

This event is essentially a way to hand out free orundnum.  The mechanics appear to be the same as previous iterations of this event.

A new Annihilation stage will open on May 2nd.  It will be themed to the Near Light event.  Additionally all previous annihilation stages will be open for a limited time.

These new backgrounds are part of a feature that is not yet added to global.  The feature should be added with the Near Light event this Thursday, however.

These rewards were "randomly" given by Lowlight as part of the livestream.

Please Lowlight, grant us the same on global 🙏

A ticket allowing free selection of any gacha 5* through the Walk in the Dust (Toddifons) event will be available via in-game mail beginning May 1st.  This ticket will be free!

As part of the celebration, the double OP bonus will be reset.  Additionally several special packs will be available.  Of special note, there is a new 5* E2 promotion ticket and a new 6* selector with options up to and including Fartooth.

As typical of anniversary events now, a copy of Savage will be given out for free beginning on May 1st.

Starting on May 1st, all sanity potions will be upgraded.  Previously 60 sanity potions will become 80, and previous 100 sanity potions will become 120.  This directly upgrades the monthly card as well as the weekly rewards.  Potions obtained before May 1st will not be upgraded.

Beginning on May 1st, new versions of the Cargo Escort (LMD) and Tactical Drill (XP) stages will be available.  It is unknown how difficult or efficient these stages will be.

New one-time use tickets will allow you to skip the playback rewards for one Annihilation run.  These new tickets will be available as part of the weekly rewards, so completing all rewards during the week will allow 7 total skips, enough to complete all Annihilation runs for a max level account (5 required).

Additionally, new tiers of Daily and Weekly Quests will be added.  Two tiers will be added to dailies.  The first will reward said skip ticket and the second will award 6000 LMD and 6 Tactical Battle Records.  One new tier will be added to the weeklies which rewards 10000 LMD and 5 Strategic Battle Records.

A feature was added which allows players to review their account history with quite indepth detail.  This is available from the official website and not in-game.

This was announced during the CN livestream then simultaneously released in all regions.

New merchandise was previewed including a Skadi Nendo and scale plastic models of the Rhodes Island landship.  These will be available in the official Taobao store.  Note these are unlikely to come to other regions except for the Skadi Nendo which are usually available from Goodsmile.

Additionally Lowlight apologized for the previous artbook released which was heavily criticized by the CN community last year.  As an apology a new version will be published that will be sent to all buyers of the previous version, free of charge.

The most important collaboration announcement was a collaboration with Capcom.  However this was only a tease.  We do not know what game (or games) will be involved yet.

The other collabs are minor local ones and unlikely to have game content associated with them.

Three new manga series were announced.  The first is "A1 Operations Preparation Detachment".  The second is "Rhodes Kitchen Tidbits".  The third is "Rhodes Island's Records of Originium".  These series were also announced on the official JP Twitter indicating they will likely be released in both regions.  There was no related announcement for the other regions.