Most bad builds come from one mistake: forcing a meta trait onto a unit that doesn't scale with it. Burn units don't want crit gear. Two-placement carries don't want Primordial. This guide skips the theory and gives you the exact trait + relic combo for every unit, plus the why behind it — so you can adapt when your rolls aren't perfect.

• Trait Cheat Sheet
• Equipment Cheat Sheet
• Unit-by-Unit Builds
• Puppet
• Kenpachi
• Megumi
• Toy Maker
• Farm Units (Ramen Guy, Stone Alchemist)
• Crimson Brother
• True Saint
• Curse Student
• Elf Mage
• Flame Emperor
• Hollow
• Lady Giant
• Salmon Sorcerer
• Ichigo — Two Build Paths
• String Demon
• Reaper
• Support / Debuff / Freeze Units
• Damage Buffers
• Ice Queen / Ice Mage
• Quick-Reference Table
• 4 Rules That Save You Rerolls
• FAQ
• What's the best overall DPS relic in Anime Expeditions?
• Is Unbound always the best DPS trait?
• Why do Flame Emperor and Hollow run Draconic instead of crit traits?
• Forsaken or Unbound on Ichigo?
• What should farm units run?
• Bottom Line

↖ Trait Cheat Sheet

Rule of thumb: rarity ≠ value. A cheap role-matched trait beats a flashy mismatched one every time.

↖ Equipment Cheat Sheet

In our testing: Shinigami Sword is the safest default DPS relic. Burn/DoT units are the exception — crit doesn't help them.

↖ Unit-by-Unit Builds

↖ Puppet

• Trait: Unbound
• Relics: Calamity's Eye, Three Swords from Hell, Shinigami Sword
• Why: One max placement > spreading thin. Raw damage over range unless positioning forces you.

↖ Kenpachi

• Trait: Unbound
• Relics: Bells, Shinigami Sword, Three Swords from Hell
• Why: Passive/follow-up damage style loves raw damage. Don't split investment.

↖ Megumi

• Trait: Unbound
• Relics: Exclusive Relic, Magic Book, Shinigami Sword
• Test option: Red Finger — only if it interacts with his summon damage (unconfirmed).

↖ Toy Maker

• Trait: Unbound
• Relics: Accursed Equipment, Kunai (or Staff of Chaos)
• Why: SPA reduction = practical output. Bad Kunai roll? A strong Staff of Chaos beats it.

↖ Farm Units (Ramen Guy, Stone Alchemist)

• Trait: Investor
• Relics: Whatever utility you have — do not spend damage relics here
• Why: Their job is economy, not DPS. Full stop.

↖ Crimson Brother

• Trait: Unbound
• Relics: Magic Book, Red Finger
• Backup traits: Draconic or Primordial if Unbound isn't rolled

↖ True Saint

• Trait: Forsaken (crit focus) or Primordial (multi-placement)
• Relics: Enhanced Katana, Shinigami Sword, Magic Book (magic priority)

↖ Curse Student

• Trait: Forsaken — don't force Unbound here
• Relics: Shinigami Sword, Red Finger
• Why: His bat/bleed follow-ups need crit + bleed scaling, not raw damage.

↖ Elf Mage

• Trait: Forsaken
• Relics: Magic Book, Shinigami Sword (add Enhanced Katana for a heavier crit build)
• Why: Frequent follow-ups = more crit rolls = crit chance matters a lot.

↖ Flame Emperor

• Trait: Draconic
• Relics: Exclusive Relic, Magic Book, Three Swords from Hell
• Why: Burn can't crit like direct hits. Skip Enhanced Katana entirely.

↖ Hollow

• Trait: Draconic
• Relics: Exclusive Relic, Shinigami Sword, Warrior's Axe (or Kunai if too slow)

↖ Lady Giant

• Trait: Primordial
• Relics: Exclusive Relic, Warrior's Axe, Kunai (or Three Swords/Shinigami Sword for more damage)

↖ Salmon Sorcerer

• Trait: Bolt (budget) / Primordial (premium)
• Relics: Exclusive Relic, Accursed Equipment, Shinigami Sword
• Benchmark: Get SPA near 5 seconds — matches his slow duration for near-permanent uptime.

↖ Ichigo — Two Build Paths

↖ String Demon

• Trait: Primordial (multi-placement) or Unbound (single passive-damage stack)
• Relics: Web Fruits, Magic Book, Shinigami Sword

↖ Reaper

• Trait: Forsaken (crit) or Primordial (spread)
• Relics: Enhanced Katana, Shinigami Sword (Kunai if attack speed is the bottleneck)

↖ Support / Debuff / Freeze Units

↖ Damage Buffers

• Trait: Range II+
• Relics: Pirate Slingshot, Magic Orb
• Why: More range = more allies buffed. Diminishing returns once your cluster is fully covered.

↖ Ice Queen / Ice Mage

• Trait: Bolt / SPA-focused
• Relics: Accursed Equipment, Kunai
• Why: Their job is control uptime, not damage. SPA over damage, always.

↖ Quick-Reference Table

↖ 4 Rules That Save You Rerolls

1. Not every unit wants crit. Burn, bleed, summon, and passive-damage units often get more from raw damage or DoT scaling. Match the trait to the damage source, not the hype.

2. Cost efficiency beats spreadsheet DPS. If you can't realistically max 3 placements before the run ends, Unbound on 1 placement wins in practice. This matters most on Ichigo, String Demon, and other expensive multi-placement carries.

3. Supports don't need premium rerolls. Buffers = range. Debuffers = SPA. Farms = Investor. Freeze units = cooldown. Finish your DPS roster first.

4. Roll quality can override the ideal relic. A high-roll Kunai beats a garbage Enhanced Katana. Compare actual numbers, not just relic names.

↖ FAQ

↖ What's the best overall DPS relic in Anime Expeditions?

Shinigami Sword. Crit chance, damage, and bonus scaling vs. enemy count. Exception: burn/DoT units get more from raw damage relics.

↖ Is Unbound always the best DPS trait?

No. It's best for low-placement or expensive carries. Crit units — Curse Student, Elf Mage, True Saint, Reaper, some Ichigo builds — want Forsaken instead.

↖ Why do Flame Emperor and Hollow run Draconic instead of crit traits?

Burn/DoT damage doesn't crit like direct hits. Draconic's DoT amp gives real value where crit gear doesn't.

↖ Forsaken or Unbound on Ichigo?

Forsaken if fully funded and chasing peak DPS. Unbound if you need a cheaper, cost-efficient main carry.

↖ What should farm units run?

Investor, period. They exist for economy, not damage — don't waste top-tier relics on them.

↖ Bottom Line

Match the trait to the damage source, not the rarity tag. Unbound for lean single-placement carries. Forsaken for crit-heavy kits. Draconic for burn/DoT. Primordial for multi-placement spread. Bolt/SPA/Range/Investor for support roles.

For gear: Shinigami Sword is your default DPS pick everywhere except burn units, where Three Swords from Hell and DoT-focused relics take over. Build for what the kit actually scales with — not what looks strongest on paper — and your runs will show it.