Should You Pull? Isuzu SS2 and Niina SS2 | Aina SS1 and Hisame SS2 (May 2, 2025) + BONUS Inori SS2 Revised

Discussion and Question

Whew, some insane developments in the banner order have changed the landscape. Up next we have the great Debuffers Isuzu SS2 and Aina SS1 (though they sadly do not share spark), and then right after we will have an Angel Beats collab, likely featuring at least Kanade SS1 (Light Attacker) and Yuri SS1 (Fire Attacker). (It is unknown if Irie SS1 (Defender) will join the banner, as in JP she joined only on the first rerun of Angel Beats 1). Meanwhile, Inori SS2 was announced to get her Critical Penetration buff on May 16, making her current banner skyrocket in value.

Do note that the Wishlist banner, which is a Step Up with SS at steps 3 and 5, will include these upcoming banners, so spenders may want to aim there before considering pulling on these new banners.

#UPDATED: Should You Pull Inori SS2?

Spender: Yes

Low-spender: Yes

F2P: Yes

Yostar announced that Inori SS2 will receive her developer buff in mid-May, far ahead of what we anticipated. This makes her an extremely good option for anyone to build a party around, as Inori SS2 will be your one-stop-shop solution to practically any fight in the future. If you are a low-spender or F2P, you may want to consider picking her up now while her banner is still ongoing. This banner ends on May 1.

#Should You Pull Isuzu SS2 / Niina SS2?

Spender: Maybe

Low-spender: Maybe

F2P: No

Isuzu SS2 is an excellent Debuffer, but she is a bit niche, and many won't find a party slot for her unless they are doing specific content like Clock Tower Hell or some other fight that requires careful planning. Her AOE Defense Down is extremely potent, and she also comes with the first DP Defense Down, applying a special debuff to DP shields. If you can find a slot for her, she will be a very powerful Debuffer.

Niina SS2 is just okay. She's a competent Light AOE Attacker, but she requires 200% DR on the enemy to fully shine. She has a pretty decent kit, but she just isn't really used all that often.

#Isuzu SS2:

Isuzu SS2 comes with a fairly interesting kit. Her EX skill is an AOE Defense Down and AOE DP Defense Down. It does no damage, thus providing no OD, but in exchange, the potency of the debuffs scale with skill level, giving her the highest potency Defense Down in the game, despite being an AOE skill. Numbers wise we're looking at a minimum 58% AOE Defense Down when ST Defense Downs are typically minimum 30%. Additionally, this skill is fairly cheap at only 10 SP.

DP Defense Down appears here as the first of it's kind, providing a special defense down that applies specifically to DP shields, letting anyone shred DP with ease. It is a minimum 80% DP Defense Down, which is massive! Only one other unit provides this debuff (Maki SS2), and she is not at all commonly used due to her high SP costs and awkward kit.

As of release, Isuzu SS2 can provide AOE Defense Down, AOE DP Defense Down, and ST Fire Defense Down. Pulling for Isuzu SS3 (Light Debuffer) can provide Isuzu SS2 with AOE Vuln as well, making her an extremely well rounded Debuffer. Because she has access to ST Fire Defense Down, many Fire teams can slot her as a Debuffer with ease.

She is not a very common meta slot, but what she provides can be very potent, making her a valuable asset in any roster. I know the Clock Tower Hell chasers will be finding great use for her.

Her common skill is a 2-turn Confusion, which, like Stun, isn't very useful or reliable. Plus she already has access to AOE Confusion from her A Memoria. Like Miya SS2, Isuzu SS2's LB3 is a very potent Def Down boost.

Do note that, unlike many new Debuffers from now on, her debuffs only last 1 turn, requiring Overdrive for multiple applications.

EX Skill: 1-turn AOE Defense Down, 1-turn AOE DP Defense Down

Common Skill: 4-turn ST Attack with 2-turn Confusion

Relevant A/S/SS Skill: ST Fire Def Down (S), AOE Fire Def Down (SS1)

LB3: Boost Def Down effects by 25%

Pros: She's a very potent and unique Defense Debuffer who can find use for many rosters. Her EX skill is also rather cheap.

Cons: She is not a one-stop-shop solution for debuffs and requires SS3 to make full use of her kit.

Conclusion: Isuzu SS2 is a fantastic Debuffer who provides unique, strong defense debuffs.

#Niina SS2:

Niina SS2 is a decent AOE Light Attacker. Her EX skill is an 8-hit AOE Light Attack with self-Light Crit Dmg Up. If the enemy has over 200% Devastation Rate, she also gets a 50% HP Eff modifier. The Light Crit Damage is pretty great, as in the near future only Yotsuha SS2 can provide it. Though in the far future, Yuina SS5 will render Niina's self buff rather obsolete.

Requiring 200% DR for her skill to fully shine can be a little annoying, especially since Niina herself isn't very good at providing AOE DR. For some reason her common skill is single target with high DR. She does have an AOE DR skill attached to SS1 (though only 8 DR).

The lack of synergy in her overall kit when including her other Memoria makes her a little less optimal than one would like. Even her LB3 is odd. While most attackers might have an LB3 that boosts their elemental skill damage by 25% or so, her's is a frontline Light damage up by 18%, and this is only triggered if her DP is above 80%.

EX Skill: Light Crit Dmg Up (45%), then 8-hit AOE Light attack, with 50% HP Eff if enemy is above 200% DR.

Common Skill: 4-hit ST Light attack with high DR

A/S/SS Skill: AOE Attack with high DR (SS1)

LB3: Frontline Light Attack up 18% if DP is above 80%

Pros: She is an okay Light AOE Attacker that can shine in the right conditions.

Cons: There isn't much synergy found in her kit, and the 200% DR condition can be annoying to meet.

Conclusion: This is not really a unit worth considering, especially if you already have Karen SS3.

#Should You Pull Aina SS1 / Hisame SS2?

Spender: Maybe

Low-spender: Probably not

F2P: No

Aina SS1, our final SS1, has arrived. This is also the last banner where the art is 2D rather than L2D. Aina SS1 is the start of units able to provide large amounts of Overdrive in their kit. Unfortunately, due to having been delayed for so long, her value has decreased as we get closer to Aina SS2, who does her job but better (as long as she isn't resisted). Having a copy of Aina SS1 is important for her SS3, but not that mandatory for her SS2. As with all SS1's, one day we will get QOL that makes getting her much easier. Overall, while she is a great unit, you can feel comfortable skipping her.

Hisame SS2 is an okay AOE Dark Attacker who is rather dead on arrival, seeing as Yuina SS3 is far, far better. Still, if you have her and are in need of an AOE Dark Attacker, she will do a decent job.

#Aina SS1:

Aina SS1's EX provides 50% Overdrive in addition to 6 hits for 15 SP. This is the main draw of her kit and the reason why you would slot her in. In our current roster, this is pretty great and convenient, but not at all mandatory, unless you are chasing low Clock Tower scores or we get hit with annoying Score Attack rules. While this EX is great, Aina SS2, who isn't much further down the road, does her job but better and for far cheaper, so long as the enemy isn't crush resist. Aina SS2 doesn't really require SS1 to be Introjected, but her future SS3 (Fire Debuffer) absolutely does want it.

Aina SS1's EX is an AOE Vuln, which is great and also useful to have for her other Memoria.

As a Debuffer, she also has access to ST Vuln and AOE Defense Down.

Down the road, Amon Orbs are buffed to provide ST Elemental Defense Down, and Aina SS2 and Aina SS3 are fairly great options to hold those orbs due to their LB and skill passives. Sadly, Aina SS1's LB3 is just a simple 10% AOE Defense Down.

EX Skill (Pre-buff): 50% Overdrive gain followed by 6-hit attack

Common Skill: AOE Vuln

A/S/SS Skill: AOE Def Down (A), ST Vuln (S)

LB3: 10% AOE Defense Down

Pros: She can provide a large about of Overdrive fairly conveniently, while also providing regular debuffs.

Cons: Her EX is rather expensive at 15 SP. Her time in the spotlight is also rather limited as future units perform better, particularly her SS2.

Conclusion: While Aina SS1 provides, for now, a unique and convenient way to increase Overdrive, she is not mandatory, and many future units do this job better.

#Hisame SS2:

Hisamaid is here. She is an okay AOE Dark Attacker who is far outclassed by Yuina SS3. Her EX skill is a 5-hit AOE Dark attack that provides 50% HP Eff when Charged. Later, this is buffed to always include the 50% HP Eff, and Charge increases the skill's potency. It costs 15 SP, and later after the developer buff, costs 7 SP if used under Extra Turn.

Her common skill is a self-Charge and Extra Turn. So you can see the obvious synergy of using her common skill followed by her EX, which will be much easier to use after the developer buff.

Because she does not contain any self buffs, she is reliant on her teammates to boost her damage potential.

EX Skill (Pre-buff): 5-hit AOE Dark Attack with 50% HP Eff when Charged

Common Skill: Self-Charge, then Extra Turn

A/S/SS Skill: Small OD Gain (S)

LB3: 25% Dark Attack Up

Pros: She is a competent AOE Dark Attacker with a synergistic kit that will later become buffed to be easier to utilize.

Cons: She pales in comparison to her competition and does not have any built-in buffs.

Conclusion: While Yuina SS3 is the better AOE Dark Attacker, Hisame SS2 can be a competent addition to your roster for when you need an AOE Dark Attacker.

#Looking ahead:

I created a guide to help you plan your pulls, and I keep it updated. If you are F2P or a low-spender, you really need to focus on one team. The cheapest, safest route is a Null Weakness Pierce team or Thunder if you pulled Aoi SS2.

#Who's next?

In mid-May we will get an Angel Beats collab, likely featuring at least Yuri SS1 (Fire Attacker) and Kanade SS1 (Light Attacker). It is unknown if Irie SS1 will join the banner. We are overdue for the brides Ichiko SS2/Mari SS3.

Archive

Special thanks to Seraph Database and Tojo Files for their excellent work in compiling information.

Posted Apr 28, 2025, 2:43 PM UTC

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