GamePress
Position
Attack Type

Tags

Archetype

Traits

Has reduced Redeployment Time, can use ranged attacks

Operator Description

Victorian Intelligence Officer Puzzle, ne'er a detail that passes him by.

Operator Quote

His gaze is as sharp as the dagger he conceals.

Obtain Approach

Activity Acquisition
The Operator is acquired by completing specific activities (in-game Events).
Obtain Approach Detail
Headhunting: No Recruitment: No
Release Date (CN) 12/15/2022
Release Date (Global) 7/13/2023

Potentials

Potential Item

Puzzle's Token A blank white jigsaw puzzle. Questioning who he is may well be a fruitless endeavor—try asking him what the order he seeks is.

Talent

Sequence
Lvl: 1
ATK increased to 110% and recover 1 additional SP when hitting an enemy with full HP
Info
Sequence
Lvl: 1
ATK increased to 115% (+5%) and recover 1 additional SP when hitting an enemy with full HP
Info
Sequence
Lvl: 1
ATK increased to 120% and recover 2 additional SP when hitting an enemy with full HP
Info
Sequence
Lvl: 1
ATK increased to 125% (+5%) and recover 2 additional SP when hitting an enemy with full HP
Info
Talents from Module Upgrades

Stats

Level:
HP
ATK
DEF
Arts Resist
0
Redeploy Time
35
DP Cost
10
Block
1
Attack Interval
1

Skills

SP Cost:
7
7
7
6
6
6
5
5
5
5
Initial SP:
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
2
2
SP Charge Type
Skill Activation
Duration
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Skill Effect
The next attack deals 170% ATK as Physical damage, and gains 3 DP.
The next attack deals 180% ATK as Physical damage, and gains 3 DP.
The next attack deals 190% ATK as Physical damage, and gains 3 DP.
The next attack deals 200% ATK as Physical damage, and gains 3 DP.
The next attack deals 210% ATK as Physical damage, and gains 3 DP.
The next attack deals 220% ATK as Physical damage, and gains 3 DP.
The next attack deals 230% ATK as Physical damage, and gains 3 DP.
The next attack deals 250% ATK as Physical damage, and gains 3 DP.
The next attack deals 270% ATK as Physical damage, and gains 3 DP.
The next attack deals 300% ATK as Physical damage, and gains 3 DP.
Detailed Skill Info
atk_scale (Attack Scale) 1.7
cost 3
atk_scale (Attack Scale) 1.8
cost 3
atk_scale (Attack Scale) 1.9
cost 3
atk_scale (Attack Scale) 2
cost 3
atk_scale (Attack Scale) 2.1
cost 3
atk_scale (Attack Scale) 2.2
cost 3
atk_scale (Attack Scale) 2.3
cost 3
atk_scale (Attack Scale) 2.5
cost 3
atk_scale (Attack Scale) 2.7
cost 3
atk_scale (Attack Scale) 3
cost 3
SP Cost:
34
33
32
31
30
29
28
27
27
26
Initial SP:
8
8
8
10
10
10
12
12
13
14
SP Charge Type
Skill Activation
Duration
8 Seconds
8 Seconds
8 Seconds
8 Seconds
8 Seconds
8 Seconds
8 Seconds
8 Seconds
8 Seconds
8 Seconds
Skill Effect
ASPD +45, attacks deal 6% of Puzzle's ATK as Arts damage per second for 16 seconds, stacking up to 10 times; gains 1 DP per attack.
ASPD +47, attacks deal 7% of Puzzle's ATK as Arts damage per second for 16 seconds, stacking up to 10 times; gains 1 DP per attack.
ASPD +49, attacks deal 8% of Puzzle's ATK as Arts damage per second for 16 seconds, stacking up to 10 times; gains 1 DP per attack.
ASPD +52, attacks deal 9% of Puzzle's ATK as Arts damage per second for 16 seconds, stacking up to 10 times; gains 1 DP per attack.
ASPD +54, attacks deal 10% of Puzzle's ATK as Arts damage per second for 16 seconds, stacking up to 10 times; gains 1 DP per attack.
ASPD +56, attacks deal 11% of Puzzle's ATK as Arts damage per second for 16 seconds, stacking up to 10 times; gains 1 DP per attack.
ASPD +60, attacks deal 12% of Puzzle's ATK as Arts damage per second for 16 seconds, stacking up to 10 times; gains 1 DP per attack.
ASPD +63, attacks deal 13% of Puzzle's ATK as Arts damage per second for 16 seconds, stacking up to 10 times; gains 1 DP per attack.
ASPD +66, attacks deal 14% of Puzzle's ATK as Arts damage per second for 16 seconds, stacking up to 10 times; gains 1 DP per attack.
ASPD +70, attacks deal 15% of Puzzle's ATK as Arts damage per second for 16 seconds, stacking up to 10 times; gains 1 DP per attack.
Detailed Skill Info
attack_speed 45
attack@atk_scale_2 0.06
attack@addtion_cnt 1
attack@max_cnt 10
cost 1
attack@duration_2 16
attack_speed 47
attack@atk_scale_2 0.07
attack@addtion_cnt 1
attack@max_cnt 10
cost 1
attack@duration_2 16
attack_speed 49
attack@atk_scale_2 0.08
attack@addtion_cnt 1
attack@max_cnt 10
cost 1
attack@duration_2 16
attack_speed 52
attack@atk_scale_2 0.09
attack@addtion_cnt 1
attack@max_cnt 10
cost 1
attack@duration_2 16
attack_speed 54
attack@atk_scale_2 0.1
attack@addtion_cnt 1
attack@max_cnt 10
cost 1
attack@duration_2 16
attack_speed 56
attack@atk_scale_2 0.11
attack@addtion_cnt 1
attack@max_cnt 10
cost 1
attack@duration_2 16
attack_speed 60
attack@atk_scale_2 0.12
attack@addtion_cnt 1
attack@max_cnt 10
cost 1
attack@duration_2 16
attack_speed 63
attack@atk_scale_2 0.13
attack@addtion_cnt 1
attack@max_cnt 10
cost 1
attack@duration_2 16
attack_speed 66
attack@atk_scale_2 0.14
attack@addtion_cnt 1
attack@max_cnt 10
cost 1
attack@duration_2 16
attack_speed 70
attack@atk_scale_2 0.15
attack@addtion_cnt 1
attack@max_cnt 10
cost 1
attack@duration_2 16

RIIC Base Skills

(线索搜集·α)
Room Type:
Reception Room
When this Operator is assigned to the Reception Room, Clue search speed increases by 10%
(情报分析)
Room Type:
Reception Room
When this Operator is assigned to the Reception Room, increases the likelihood of obtaining clues that are not on the Clue Board.

Quick Evaluation

+ Talent: Great for building up SP for skills.
+ Both physical and arts damage options for skills.
+ S1: Decent skill for AFK DP generating.
+ S2: Strong damage over time if you allow it to build up, and with the bonus attack speed can generate a good amount of DP if you can continuously attack.
- S2: Short duration, large buildup cost, and can be difficult to get the full use out of the skill.
- He lacks defensive abilities.

Operator Overview

Puzzle was suspended from field missions for quite a while because using his potent Originium Arts was simply too great a stress on his fragile constitution. Even though he knew this was for his own safety, being kept in the dark was unbearable for someone whose sense of responsibility is almost as great as his sense of paranoia. Against the better judgment of the health department, Puzzle is being released back onto the field as a 5* Agent Vanguard who can gain DP by attacking and Poison enemies to deal damage over time.

As an Agent Vanguard, Puzzle gets the benefit of ranged attacks, an increased attack range compared to many Vanguard archetypes, and a fast redeployment timer that helps him dart on and off the field at will. His Skills are both [When Attacking] SP charge type, and his Sequence Talent helps him to build them more quickly by giving him bonus damage and SP when attacking an enemy that is at full health. With Sequence in play, Puzzle can quickly activate his Essential Clue S1, an automatic Skill that grants DP and massive bonus damage to his next attack. His Tracing Suspicions S2 takes longer to charge, even with Sequence, but it gives him bonus ASPD and a damage-over-time effect that can stack multiple times on the same target. Not only can this Skill output a lot of damage if Puzzle can hit the same target enough times, but it also generates DP for each attack Puzzle is able to launch.

Agent Vanguards are a very strong archetype, so even a weak member of the archetype is likely able to pull their weight. Puzzle doesn’t bring a whole lot of new usage to the archetype, but he’s not weak either. Tracing Suspicions can be launched from safety due to his Agent attack range, and the damage-over-time effect can really add up over multiple hits. (It’s also great for burning down those stupid Waregeist enemies and the cups/ talismans they leave behind.)

Newbie Tier List Explanation

A strong archetype for young rosters that combines damage with DP gain. He is worthy of consideration if you haven't yet obtained stronger members of the archetype.

Skill Discussion

Skill
Mastery
Story
Advanced
Roguelike
S1M1 Breakpoint
S2M3 C C C

Due to a long initial wind-up and relatively bad DP gen, Puzzle is in an awkward middle ground where he is not as beneficial as other Agents, but also less powerful than a regular Fast-Redeploy. However, decent damage, a strong-by-default archetype, and good gains means Puzzle is still a Mastery consideration, albeit on the low end of priority.

Despite the drawbacks, S2 is still his primary skill because of its damage. The poison DoT can really add up, and Mastery from SL7 to M3 can result in almost 50% more damage. The improvement to his long initial wind-up is only 4 SP, but every second counts when it comes to Vanguards. While Puzzle can work decently at E1, full Mastery can make him feel quite a bit better to use. Meanwhile, S1 can be nice for AFK DP gen if there's an appropriate target, but it's fine to leave at M1 for that purpose. The 2 initial SP at M1 means it can activate after one attack on a full health enemy, however further Mastery only adds more damage, which is better found on his S2.

Operator Featured Articles

Skill Upgrade Costs

Level Requisites Materials
1 ➝ 2
Lv1
x4
2 ➝ 3
Lv1
x4
x7
3 ➝ 4
Lv1
x6
x3
4 ➝ 5
Lv1
x6
x4
5 ➝ 6
Lv1
x6
x4
6 ➝ 7
Lv1
x6
x3
x2
Skill Level Requisites Materials
1
Lv1 8h
x5
x3
x5
Lv1 16h
x6
x3
x5
Lv1 24h
x10
x4
x4
2
Lv1 8h
x5
x3
x4
Lv1 16h
x6
x3
x5
Lv1 24h
x10
x4
x4

Overall Skill Cost

Elite Upgrade Costs

Level Materials
x20000
x4
x7
x2
x120000
x3
x5
x13

Overall Elite Cost

Total Cost

Operator Profile

Artist kan
CV 高梨谦吾
CV (EN) Khoi Dao
CV (CN) 姚铭舜
CV (KR) 沈揆赫
Gender Male
Place of Birth Victoria
Birthday Dec 5
Race Vouivre
Height 177cm
Combat Experience
6 Years
Infection Status Originium crystals distributed across surface of body, confirmed Infected by medical examination.
Nation
Physical Strength Excellent
Mobility Standard
Physiological Endurance Standard
Tactical Planning Excellent
Combat Skill Standard
Originium Adaptability Standard

Profile

Puzzle, a Victorian military intelligence officer, came to Rhodes Island with a letter from the Duke of Caster, seeking treatment as an Infected. He has reached a cooperation agreement with Rhodes Island, and is active in various operations and preliminary intelligence gathering while receiving treatment.

Clinical Analysis

Increase Trust to 25.
Imaging tests show the indistinct outlines of internal organs, obscured by abnormal shadows. Originium granules detected in the circulatory system. The subject is confirmed to be infected with Oripathy.

[Cell-Originium Assimilation] 11%
Larger distributions of Originium crystals visible on the left arm and side of the body.

[Blood Originium-Crystal Density] 0.26u/L
Operator Puzzle was acutely infected during an explosion; fortunately, it had not been long before he arrived at Rhodes Island and it was quickly brought under control.

Archive File 1

Increase Trust to 50.
Operator Puzzle has already passed his onboarding examination with flying colors, but we will not allow him to participate in combat missions for the time being.
This is not a matter of trust—he has shown us his good intentions, and has no motive to sabotage Rhodes Island.
Naturally, neither is it due to any lack of ability on his part. Though due to Oripathy his physical condition is slightly below average for a Vouivre, it is not enough to compromise his combat abilities. Furthermore, his smog-type Originium Arts complement his stealth-based fighting style well.
However, he requires finer control of his Arts or perhaps even a drastic change to his fighting style, as we have observed him overexerting himself with his Arts on the battlefield. First of all, such a tendency makes it much harder to control the disease's progression while he is still undergoing Oripathy suppression treatment. Second, we cannot rule out the possibility that as his Infection deepens, his Arts might go out of control as well.
For people who were already proficient in Arts prior to being infected, asking them to change their fighting style or even their lifestyle is a tall order indeed, especially for someone as stubborn as Puzzle. He formulates detailed plans based on his own logical reasoning and prepares contingencies for worst-case scenarios, all of which take into account everything at his disposal. Naturally, his Arts are a key part of this. We've tried communicating that we want him to leave himself more room for error in these back-up plans. The human body does not operate like precision clockwork, and it is impossible to quantify the factors that affect the progression of Oripathy. These are simply facts.
But we have to suspend him from field missions. He knows why, of course, just can't accept it.

Archive File 2

Increase Trust to 100.
The source of Puzzle's infection was an otherwise ordinary investigation. He had noticed a bomber's abnormal behavior beforehand and had time to escape to a safe area; but realized that if the target of his investigation was killed in an explosion, then all of his work would come to naught. Moreover, he was undercover as a city hall clerk and rushing forward to persuade them to leave would only alert his target.
Therefore, in less than half a minute, he made the spur-of-the-moment decision to not avoid the explosion, seeming to subconsciously want to protect his target. Afterwards, both were injured and sent to the hospital, and Puzzle was able to make contact with his target while their guard was completely down.
When this topic came up in casual conversation, Puzzle offered a simple explanation for his actions: he was ordered to investigate potential military activity from the local nobles, which led him to track down a factory in the city based on a batch of chemical raw material orders. When we sincerely responded with 'that must've been a very important job,' Puzzle shook his head and replied that the information he obtained was of no particular value.
'I can see where he's coming from. For Rhodes Island, our greatest enemy is Oripathy, so of course we would never talk about 'what circumstances would make it worth it to get Infected.' Likewise, he will not allow others to judge whether the sacrifices he made for his mission were worthwhile or not. That is the respect owed to one's convictions.'
––A Medical Department staff member who talked with Puzzle during the course of treatment

Archive File 3

Increase Trust to 150.
Puzzle got his opportunity to come to Rhodes Island through an anonymous letter.
He was carrying out an investigation on Operator Reed and ran into Bagpipe and Ch'en, who were traveling with her at the time, resulting in a conflict between the two sides. He collected extra intel regarding the three of them as part of his due diligence, but the more he pieced together their backgrounds, the less he understood why people with such different motivations, affiliations, and positions would come together like friends in the first place.
While searching for clues, Puzzle's infection also forced him to make a choice: either end his career, living the good life on a short leash while waiting for Oripathy to do him in, or take the next step as an intelligence officer. He did not clearly explain what he meant by 'taking the next step,' but considering that he arrived at Rhodes Island with a signed letter from the Duke of Caster himself, one can infer that he worked his way up to a position under the direct command of the Duke.
That was when he received a letter containing only Rhodes Island's business card, but that was enough to resolve all his quandaries—as well as open up new possibilities.
'Of course I knew who the sender was, as well as why she sent it. Communicate goodwill, seek cooperation, weave a network of relationships—these are the hallmarks of an intelligence officer's instincts. But rest assured, my prior work has come to an end, and I will no longer be investigating your operator, Reed. Furthermore, I have no interest in the woman codenamed 'Harmonie.''
After that, Puzzle talked about his views on intelligence work.

Archive File 4

Increase Trust to 200.
During the Londinium incident, Puzzle strictly abided by his cooperation agreement with Rhodes Island and did not intervene in any form. However, when we chatted with him about his views on the incident, he did not hesitate to chime in with his professional opinion as an intelligence officer.
Before getting involved in intelligence work, he was just an ordinary college student with little talent in Arts, shunned by his classmates due to his harsh and exacting personality. Obviously, it never crossed his mind at the time that one day he would have the chance to deal with aristocrats, cooperate with the military, and work inside the intelligence department. But when his future boss, the leader of an intelligence organization, approached him and asked if he would consider entering training, he agreed almost immediately.
Intelligence work, a field requiring extreme caution and precise attention to detail, is indeed well-suited for his talents, but more importantly, he saw eye-to-eye with the leader's philosophy—that in order to maintain a peaceful and orderly society, those who provoke conflict must be regarded as enemies.
For him, the idea that 'everything has its own order' is not a goal, but a paranoid way of thinking. Naturally, this mindset is directly contradicted by our conflict-stricken reality, and this is especially true in Victoria, where dukes are constantly at each others' throats and turmoil is always at one's doorstep. As a result, he is always displeased with all the unprovoked violent conflicts, as well as the chaos caused by continually shifting 'orders,' and even more afraid of the possibility of war breaking out.
'War has no rhyme or reason. Nobody should tolerate such a senseless waste of life. Over the past few years, I've come to think the ultimate goal of our work is to prevent human lives from falling into that miserable situation.'
'But in terms of results, I'm disappointed. The war came regardless, and we gave it our tacit approval. Time and time again, we were so careful to avoid implicating the lives of hundreds or thousands with our small mistakes, but by the time war began to rear its ugly head, I realized it was already too late to stop it.'
'...Your poking and prodding is a waste of time. My allegiances won't change. It's just that no matter what I think of it, I can't compromise on that one fact. Which is why I'm here.'

Promotion Record

Upgrade to Elite LV2.
Uhh, we were the ones who did it. We dragged him to be the referee of the timed jigsaw puzzle competition. We figured it'd be fine since he enjoys them, making purchase requests to Logistics every two weeks, and spending all day glued to his desk whenever he has time off.
––Of course I know who he is. You can tell at a glance he's not used to his role as a 'Rhodes Island Collaborating Operator.' In the past, he might've worked as a clerk at city hall, an antique appraiser, or a nobleman's personal secretary. In any of those positions, he'd always have a way to win over people's trust. But at Rhodes Island, an affable manner and a silver tongue won't get you very far.
Alright, so maybe inviting him wasn't a great idea. He hates being rushed, hates watching other people mess things up, and maybe he was telling the truth when he said he only uses puzzles to stay focused. But you know what? For the first time, I felt less nervous around him when he was crouching helplessly under the table with us, picking up the pieces a short-tempered operator had swept to the floor.

Voice Lines

Default
Appointed as Assistant Sorting files, serving tea, and transcribing meetings? Of course, I'm at your disposal... Come to think of it, in my first mission, I also approached the target under the guise of a secretary. One week later, I'd hollowed them of all valuable intel, and torn their influence down to rubble.
Talk 1 If you don't trust me, you have permission to search my briefcase, and ascertain whether any data inside is critical to Rhodes Island. The Curio Collector's Guide to Antique Appraisal? Learning material for skills required under certain guises—nothing more, certainly not a personal interest. Pardon me if you wanted specifics, but no comment.
Talk 2 The Dublinn Feline, name of Harmonie. Her plan had a lot of moving parts, and almost went off without a hitch—shame she still left an opening. Even your smallest mistake can have irredeemable consequences, such is the cutthroat nature of intelligence work. Yes? Do I consider her an enemy? Hardly; there is no value in a spy whose identity is exposed.
Talk 3 I'm working on a puzzle... Sorry, please be quiet for a while; your voice is disturbing the pieces. A puzzle's answer is unique; do you solve it through incessant trial-and-error, or through calm analysis and a hold of every detail? Only morons would elect for the former... Well then, did you need me for something?
Talk after Promotion 1 Inside the aristocrat's ballroom, you need to mind every gaze, to pry into or guard against one another. That is the battlefield the spy roams. It demands of us the proficiency to cruise through it, but I highly doubt anyone truly enjoys it.
Talk after Promotion 2 I rarely make decisions based on emotion, but my saving a completely unrelated civilian was out of fear, it's true. It didn't amount to a mistake, Doctor, and it won't impact anything... War only showed me some of its spiny thorns, but I know It will crush every emotion we feel and every concept we hold
Talk after Trust Increase 1 Rhodes Island's doctors constantly limit my usage of Originium Arts. Aside from ensuring my condition doesn't worsen, they must be concerned that I'll cause some sort of uncontrollable accident... You can put your worries to rest, I know my limits. But nevertheless, thank you for caring.
Talk after Trust Increase 2 It was on a mission that an unanticipated explosion infected me with Oripathy. Of course, that mission was still a success... Why didn't I take cover? Doctor, a variable like that could impact the entire operation. But we could also accept it, and implement it as part of the plan.
Talk after Trust Increase 3 Thanks to work reasons, I've met quite a few people as unique and interesting as you. And for those same work reasons, the 'me' they got to know has vanished. Is it a shame? No, it's just the piecing of a new puzzle. All that said, I don't plan to ditch my current codename, for the time being.
Idle No pending intelligence work for the moment... What a rare break.
Onboard You'll have received personal correspondence from the Duke. I'll be stationed and active aboard under the codename Puzzle. No need to bother investigating me; I've handed you all personal information that's been made public.
Watching Battle Record This deployment is somewhat sloppy... or does it speak to your confidence in their individual abilities?
Promotion 1 Doctor, you need caution when promoting intelligence workers. It may well add danger to your situation... But I'll let this one pass, seeing as you're affirming my work ability with it.
Promotion 2 The last promotion wasn't that long ago... I appreciate your trust. Of course, if Rhodes Island is wishing to work on closer terms with any nobility I serve, I'd be willing to pass on the message.
Added to Squad Doctor, my public activity with Rhodes Island is better kept on the minimal end.
Appointed as Squad Leader An intelligence worker in this position is barely a good fit... I have no reason to decline, naturally, if you have your own considerations.
Depart Do you need me to tell you all, you seem like a pack of children at a holiday camp?
Begin Operation Within expectations.
Selecting Operator 1 Let's establish a code.
Selecting Operator 2 The intel work began long beforehand.
Deployment 1 Probing the enemy's weak points, posthaste.
Deployment 2 Be ready at a moment's notice for the info I send back.
In Battle 1 Don't leave it written across your face.
In Battle 2 Every look you take has value.
In Battle 3 Every expression you make is an opening.
In Battle 4 I can read you like an open book.
4-star Result Such adaptability and command proficiency... I'm all too glad you're not my target.
3-star Result Intelligence is the invisible scaffold, each battle merely following whatever course it lays out. With the boon of our preceding work, this victory should come as little surprise, Doctor.
Sub 3-star Result Check for lost weaponry, cover all tracks, don't let anyone in the future discover what happened here.
Operation Failure A comprehensive plan must include a contingency for failure at every step. We're prepared, so evacuate ASAP... wait, destroy this intel before we leave.
Assigned to Facility If certain Victorian nobles decorated their residences the way you do, my work would be more than twice as difficult.
Tap That's extremely rude.
Trust Tap I was out of practice with a few skills—it seems I can revise here.
Title Arknights.
Greeting Oh, I see it's you again, Doctor.