Strinova – P.U.S Faction Characters Guide

Important note: the number of stars means the difficulty of the character and A1, A2, A3 means awakening and these enhance the character’s kit.

Guide to P.U.S Faction Characters

Flavia (Duelist)

★★★★☆

• Main Weapon: KRISS Vector (SMG)

Flavia’s kit revolves around defying death to buy time for her team and escaping scott free after a surprise attack.

Flavia wields an SMG that excels in close-quarters combat, capable of shredding opponents in the blink of an eye with its very high fire rate. Thanks to her abilities, she has exceptional survivability, allowing her to stay in the fight longer and even escape death multiple times. When she’s in a fight, the opposing team is forced to deal with her immediately, or risk being picked off one by one.

Despite her strength, Flavia is vulnerable without her active skill, so positioning and timing are crucial. You should focus on ambushing enemies who are out of position or distracted, using her invincibility to escape or continue the fight based on the situation. Beyond ambushing opponents, Flavia excels at leading charges during site retakes or pushing through key choke points. Her active skill can be a lifesaver in these scenarios, allowing you to get out of danger after a swift attack.

You can also recast her active skill to get out of the invincibility state to shoot back while opponents are blinded by your Butterfly Orb. When it comes to her ultimate, Flavia can avoid death twice within its duration and even perhaps allow her to avoid death four times if executed properly along with her active skill. The sequence is: Q (Invincible) > Ult (Invincible 1) > Ult (Invincible 2) > Q (Invincible). Keep in mind that enemies outside of your field will not trigger your invincibility if they shoot you. Use cover whenever possible before activating Q or Ult, as you are vulnerable during the startup animation. It’s best to initiate fights when your team can back you up, buying time for them to join. 

Between A2 and A3, her A3 is generally the safer and more effective choice. A2 requires precise execution, so avoid it unless you’re experienced with her playstyle.

Michelle (Sentinel)

★☆☆☆☆

• Main Weapon: M4 Carbine (Assault Rifle)

Michelle’s kit revolves around fighting with her sentries that harass enemies.

Michelle’s gun is the most reliable in P.U.S., with minimal recoil, low spread, and steady damage, making it effective in almost any situation. Ideal for beginners, her straightforward abilities work well on any map. Her strength lies in her sentries, which slow and damage enemies within range and line of sight, making them easier targets and distracting them from Michelle.

To maximize her potential, place sentries where you plan to fight rather than scattering them randomly; sentries lose value if you’re too far to capitalize on their effects.  You can also place sentries to gather information on enemies beyond certain thresholds, giving you an early warning of their movements if they don’t react fast enough. Be mindful that you must be within range of your sentries for them to remain active; the exact range is 45 meters, and you can see if you are out of range in the minimap. It is a good idea to place one (two with +1 charge upgrade) sentry in a good location and save one once you have intel on where the enemy is located.

Your Ultimate is especially powerful when positioned on high ground or in the center of an open area, as it can cover a large area, draw enemy attention, then absorb bullets and buy your team crucial time. However, it is not ideal to use in a situation where enemies have their full attention on your Ultimate, as they will destroy it before it has a chance to activate.

When deciding between A2 and A3, think about how you want to use your sentries and approach the fight. A2 increases Michelle’s durability, making her more difficult to take out. With this Awakening, you can position sentries in more aggressive positions to maximize the temporary armor gain. A3 significantly improves Michelle’s gun performance, allowing her to fight more effectively. While you may stick to your usual sentry placements, put one near her with A3 to fully utilize her increased power.

Nobunaga (Sentinel)

★★☆☆☆

• Main Weapon: G3SG1 (DMR)

Nobunaga’s kit revolves around deploying gadgets to enhance his performance and disrupting the enemy team.

A Sentinel that requires a tactical setup that can potentially be both lethal and highly impactful. His Observer (active skill) makes it incredibly difficult for the attacker team to push a location, turning the battle in his favor. When he’s within range of an Observer, his weapon becomes even more potent, gaining improved performance that makes him hard to challenge. His weapon, a DMR with the lowest recoil in the game, is highly effective. The minimal spread means you can even hip-fire with confidence, making him lethal at close and long range. Additionally, his ability to disrupt opponents’ ADS gives him an accuracy advantage in long range engagements. 

To maximize his effectiveness, stay within range of your Observers whenever possible, as the performance boost is substantial. If you want even more power from his Observers, you can place another within its range to enhance the buff you receive. Nobunaga’s Ultimate is an excellent counter to smoke and Fog of War, making it a strong tool for site retakes since it sends pulses that reveal enemies and disable their abilities.. As long as you position his Ultimate properly where it can’t be easily destroyed while encapsulating most of the combat area, it can shift the tide of the round, enabling your team to retake the site easier.

Both A2 and A3 are strong choices, but A2 is particularly powerful for revealing enemies within the Observer’s range, making it impossible for the attacker team to use smoke as cover. Placing an Observer at a key entry point can essentially lock down a location. A2 becomes a viable alternative on certain maps where it is difficult to stay within range of your Observer. On the other hand, A3 provides great utility for quick escapes or rapid repositioning. If an enemy is too close for comfort and you can’t win the fight, A3 allows you to disengage or instantly teleport to the other bomb site without a lengthy rotation.

Kokona (Support)

★★★★☆

• Main Weapon: CheyTac “Intervention” M200 (Sniper Rifle)

Kokona’s kit revolves around keeping the team healthy, and picking off enemies with her sniper rifle.

As a Sniper and Battle Medic, she combines long-range precision with the vital role of reviving downed teammates and sending drones to keep her teammates topped off. She can pressure enemies from a distance, keeping them away. I do NOT recommend using her if your aim isn’t good. Her effectiveness hinges entirely on her ability to land shots, as her skills offer minimal assistance to her performance. 

Although she may be a backliner, you shouldn’t remain in the back at all times. The Stringify mechanic allows you to push with your teammates while remaining difficult to hit in Paper Mode. As a Battle Medic, she can revive downed teammates instantly compared to others, so staying close to your team is crucial even if you’re positioned at the back. If your teammates are far and you’ve advanced to secure a better shot, it’s wise to pull back and reposition if the enemy team starts pushing. However, if you’re confident in your aim, you might stay and attempt to down an opponent to slow their advance. You can send a healing drone to your teammates as long as they are within your line of sight and range. The drone will hover for a duration, providing healing as needed. It’s effective for preemptively supporting teammates who are likely to take heavy damage, including yourself. 

When selecting Kokona’s Awakening, choose A2 if you want to support multiple teammates at once, as it provides armor to everyone within the heal drone’s range. A3 on the other hand, boosts survivability by granting extra armor and blocking bullets, which is especially useful in a Kokona vs. Kanami match-up, allowing you to survive a single headshot from Kanami.

Yvette (Controller)

★★★☆☆

• Main Weapon: MP5 (SMG)

Yvette’s kit revolves around summoning Fei (Bear) and placing down ice fields to debuff enemies.

Yvette’s effectiveness in the game relies on her ability to strategically place ice fields that her team can capitalize on. These ice fields apply the Fragile status to enemies within them, increasing the damage they take by +35%. A well-placed ice field can halt an entire enemy push, giving your team a significant advantage. While her gun is effective, it becomes exceptionally powerful against enemies afflicted with Fragile status.

Avoid summoning Fei before the attacking team is on site; the enemy may simply rotate to another location or eliminate Fei, wasting a crucial opportunity and putting a valuable asset on cooldown. Plan your ice field placements carefully in key areas to prevent the enemy team from advancing easily, forcing them into disadvantageous positions.

You can always return to Yvette while Fei is active by pressing Q, allowing you to place ice fields while continuing to engage in combat. It’s better to avoid spending too much time maneuvering Fei if the enemy is too distant; instead, focus on supporting your team in a firefight. Fei serves as a moving cover and a bullet sponge, allowing your team to shoot through it while denying the enemy team the same advantage. Yvette’s Ultimate is highly effective when used on heavy choke points or areas where enemies are actively fighting. It significantly reduces their fire rate and applies the Fragile status without needing to summon Fei. 

When choosing between A2 and A3, consider the map layout and the play style of your opponents. Opt for A2 on larger maps or when facing opponents who rapidly occupy space, as it allows you to set up ice fields more quickly without exposing Fei to enemy fire. Conversely, A3 is ideal for aggressive plays, allowing you to push Fei through tight corridors and disrupt the enemy more effectively.

Yugiri (Controller)

★★★☆☆

• Main Weapon: AUG A2 (Assault Rifle)

Yugiri’s kit revolves around slowly draining the enemy’s armor, forcing them to move away from locations affected by her mist.

With her corrosive mist, Yugiri makes it challenging for the attacking team to hold space for extended periods. Her mist steadily drains their armor and can cover multiple areas simultaneously, though this requires careful management of her resource gauge. Her rifle also packs a powerful punch.

Managing a controller’s resources can be intimidating, but focusing on critical spaces to deny the enemy makes it manageable. The resource management of her kit makes it even more essential to check the minimap frequently, as it helps you decide when to release the mist from a snail to reduce gauge drain. It’s essential to place the snails in “power spots”—positions that give the enemy an advantage if they gain control, such as elevated areas with strong sightlines or defensive positions that are hard to push.

Spread out her snails before the round starts, reserving one to adjust based on enemy movements. If initial placements aren’t effective, consider repositioning the snails deeper into sites where the main fights will occur. With her long cooldown, misplacing a snail can be punishing. Her ultimate skill, a large box, is excellent for forcing opponents out of a wide area, often splitting them up and creating opportunities for your team. This is particularly effective for site retakes.

The effectiveness of A2 and A3 depends on the map and how you deploy them. A2 is strong on maps with tighter, confined spaces, allowing you to cover multiple key spots with one snail and limit enemy movement more. A3 is more versatile but can backfire if poorly timed or placed, as it may obstruct your team’s sightlines. However, it’s very effective against snipers or enemies in advantageous positions when used properly. A3 can also serve as a defensive smoke, providing cover when you need to retreat, revive a teammate, or defuse the bomb.