Mode team guide

Partially verified

Best Units for Challenge in Anime Expeditions

Challenge runs reward adaptable teams because rotations and modifiers can make control or wave clear more important than raw rarity.

Updated 2026-07-28 · Verified 2026-07-28 · Game UPD 0.5 source refresh

Editorial team: Anime Expeditions Wiki · Independently reviewed against the sources listed below

Sources: Destructoid UPD 0.5 tier-list snapshot, MrGuider Update 0.5 tier-list snapshot, Pro Game Guides mode and progression guide

Recommended Units

Shadow

Secret · Magical DPS / team support

Overall tier: S

Best modes: Raid, Expedition, Challenge

Editorial verdict (July 20 launch snapshot): the most complete published carry, especially for Magical teams and boss waves.

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8th Sword (Berserk)

Secret · Scaling physical DPS

Overall tier: S

Best modes: Raid, Tournament, Challenge

Editorial verdict (July 20 launch snapshot): an elite long-run carry whose ceiling depends on earning takedowns early enough to ramp.

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Cursed Student

Mythic · Physical DPS / copy carry

Overall tier: S

Best modes: Story, Raid, Challenge

Editorial verdict (UPD 0.5 source refresh): one of the safest Mythic damage investments when placement supports Cursed Mimicry.

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Puppet

Mythic · Boss support / control

Overall tier: S

Best modes: Raid, Challenge, Expedition

Editorial verdict (UPD 0.5 source refresh): a premium hybrid whose strongest-target amplification keeps it in the top pilot group.

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Salmon Sorcerer

Mythic · Crowd-control support

Overall tier: S

Best modes: Challenge, Raid, Expedition

Editorial verdict (UPD 0.5 source refresh): a strong control support whose Slow and entry Stagger create more attack time for nearby carries.

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String Demon

Mythic · Control / magical DPS

Overall tier: A

Best modes: Challenge, Tournament, Story

Editorial verdict (UPD 0.5 source refresh): strong control with a technical ceiling, but it needs fast overlapping attacks to cash out Cocoons.

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Elf Mage

Mythic · Scaling magical AoE DPS

Overall tier: S

Best modes: Story, Challenge, Tournament

Editorial verdict (UPD 0.5 source refresh): a top pilot Mythic for follow-up AoE scaling, especially when a stage lasts long enough to cycle charges.

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Premium picks

Shadow

A flexible carry/support that works across many Challenge layouts because rewind and summons reduce failure points.

Elf Mage

Follow-up AoE scaling is strong when Challenge waves give it enough time to cycle charges.

Cursed Student

Copies the closest carry, so it can multiply the best available DPS when placement is deliberate.

Budget and fallback picks

Salmon Sorcerer

Control value stays useful even when it is not the main damage source.

String Demon

A technical control/DPS option when the team can break Cocoons quickly with overlapping attacks.

Team roles

Flexible carry

Use a carry that can answer both waves and bosses instead of chasing one narrow damage window.

Control support

Slow, Stagger, Stun, Cocoon, and rewind help stabilize unexpected modifiers.

Copy or follow-up synergy

Cursed Student and Elf Mage can be strong together when placement supports the copied attack loop.

Rotation check

Confirm the current Challenge modifier before locking a farming team.

Trait priorities

Unbound: Safest carry trait when a Unit needs broad Challenge value.
Forsaken: Strong when current builds lean into crit scaling or copied follow-ups.
Draconic: Useful for Burn or DoT setups, but less universal than Unbound.

Compare broader reroll guidance in the Traits guide.

Avoid these mistakes

Do not assume one Challenge team fits every rotation.
Avoid String Demon if the surrounding team cannot break Cocoons before they expire.
Avoid Hollow without a consistent Burn enabler.

Source confidence

This guide combines current public mode guidance with the published Unit pilot. Treat banner pools, drop odds, mode rotations, and reward cards as live-game facts that should be checked before spending limited resources.