Choosing your free S-rank in NTE is one of the most important early decisions you’ll make. A good pick can carry your account through early and mid-game, while the wrong one can slow your progress and limit your team options. Since resources are tight at the start, every choice matters more than it seems.
Before jumping into character recommendations, there’s one key thing to keep in mind. Don’t rush your selection right away. It’s much better to first pull at least one S-rank from the standard banner. This helps you avoid duplicates and gives you more flexibility when building your first team. For free-to-play players especially, having a wider roster is far more valuable than early duplicates.
- Also check out our Neverness to Everness Codes for more rewards!
Best Strategy Before Picking Your Free S-Rank
A lot of players make the mistake of choosing instantly, but patience gives you a clear advantage. If you already pulled a strong DPS from the standard banner, your free S-rank should focus on filling gaps like support or utility. On the other hand, if your first pull is a support or tank, then going for a strong damage dealer makes more sense. This simple approach helps you build a balanced team early instead of forcing everything into one role.
Character Breakdown and Recommendations
Harthor – Strong but Not a Priority Pick
Harthor is often recommended, but she’s not always the best choice early on. She shines in long-term progression because of her connection to the Tetris-style artifact system. However, unlocking and upgrading that system takes a lot of time and resources.
In actual gameplay, she performs well against groups of enemies but struggles more in boss fights. That makes her less reliable compared to other options.
If you’re thinking long-term and don’t mind waiting, she’s fine. But for immediate impact, there are better picks.
Baicang – Reliable and Beginner-Friendly DPS
Baicang is one of the safest choices you can make. His kit is simple, effective, and works well in almost any situation.
His gameplay focuses on stacking effects through basic attacks and skills, then triggering them with his ultimate for strong damage-over-time. He also has a built-in survival mechanic that can save him from fatal damage, which is very useful for beginners.
Because he performs well against both mobs and bosses, he’s a solid all-around pick that won’t hold you back later.
Fadia – Tanky Support With Unique Mechanics
Fadia plays a very different role compared to most characters. She can absorb damage for your team and sustain herself through her unique HP-based mechanics.
Her ultimate becomes especially strong when her HP drops below a certain threshold, allowing repeated usage and healing. This makes her a strong defensive option, especially for harder content.
She’s not the best pick if you want fast clears early on, but she becomes more valuable as fights get longer and tougher.
Daffodil – High Damage Burst Playstyle
Daffodil is built around her ultimate, making her one of the strongest burst damage characters in the game. Her playstyle revolves around using her ultimate, swapping characters, and triggering powerful follow-up attacks.
She rewards players who can time their swaps and reactions properly, especially when parrying enemy attacks to reset her ultimate quickly. If you enjoy a more active playstyle with high damage potential, she’s a great choice.
Jiuyuan – Strong AoE and Scaling Damage
Jiuyuan is excellent for handling multiple enemies at once. Her kit revolves around applying marks to enemies and detonating them for massive damage. She becomes even stronger when paired with the right teammates, allowing her damage to scale quickly in group fights. Her fast ultimate charge also makes her very efficient in longer battles. She’s a strong option if you prefer consistent AoE damage and smoother farming.
Sakuri – The Safest Overall Pick
If you want the most flexible and future-proof option, Sakuri stands out. She’s a support character who can fit into almost any team, providing crowd control and damage boosts. Her ability to group enemies and stun them makes fights easier, especially in early and mid-game content. While she doesn’t directly help much against bosses, her team utility makes her valuable in nearly every situation. Support characters also tend to stay relevant longer, making her a strong long-term investment.
So, Who Should You Pick?
If you want a simple answer based on overall value:
- Pick Baicang if you need a strong and reliable DPS
- Pick Daffodil if you prefer high burst damage gameplay
- Pick Sakuri if you want the safest long-term option
- Pick Fadia if your team needs survivability
- Avoid rushing into Harthor unless you’re planning long-term progression
Your final decision should always depend on what you get from your standard banner first. Build around that instead of forcing a specific pick.
Your free S-rank in NTE isn’t just a bonus, it’s the foundation of your early game progress. Taking a bit of time to plan your choice can save you a lot of trouble later on. Focus on building a balanced team, avoid duplicates early, and choose a character that complements what you already have. With the right pick, you’ll have a much smoother start and a stronger path into late-game content.