Strinova - Scissors Faction Guide

Ming is a formidable character with a powerful rifle and an armor-stealing passive that make her a significant threat to the defense team. Her rifle delivers high damage, but mastering its control can be challenging. Her Plasma Field is instrumental for clearing and flushing out enemies from cover, effectively dismantling deployables such as Michelle’s sentries, Nobunaga’s gadgets, and intervention grenades within its range. What makes Ming particularly intimidating is her ability to rapidly push and contest space, maintaining relentless pressure on her opponents.

Launch her Plasma Field where enemies are likely to be hiding behind cover, usually just beyond a choke point. This tactic can force enemies into the open or disrupt their defensive setup, allowing Ming and her team to push easier. You can also use the Plasma Field to catch enemies out of position. A key aspect of Ming’s Plasma Field is its ability to be detonated early by recasting it while it’s in motion.

The explosion radius is slightly larger than the orb itself, which can help you hit enemies who might be just outside the direct path of the orb. Her ultimate is a powerful tool to boost your eHP before entering a site and engaging in a fight, but be sure to use it from cover, as you’re vulnerable during the animation. Always aim to be the first to push, leveraging Ming’s strong sustain and firepower to lead the charge. However, be cautious of your teammates’ positioning; they may not always be in position to follow up on your aggressive push.

For her Awakening, A2 is recommended. This choice provides immediate shield upon hitting someone, enhancing Ming’s durability and allowing her to maintain pressure in fights.

Aika (Duelist)

★★★☆☆

Main Weapon: AA-12 (Shotgun)

Aika’s kit revolves around unrelenting force and exerting pressure once she gets in close range.

Aika constantly pushes forward, keeping the defending team on edge and asserting herself as a relentless threat. Armed with the AA-12, an automatic shotgun known for its close-range power, she excels at dominating close encounters. Aika demands respect from the enemy team; otherwise, she’ll tear them apart.

In combat, shoulder firing is generally more effective than aiming down sights (ADS), except when using the slug upgrade, which transforms Aika into a marksman. However, the slug upgrade doesn’t synergize well with her kit and can be less effective. Given her shotgun’s short range, Aika should move strategically from cover to cover or approach from unexpected flanks.

Holding tight spaces, like pathways, tunnels, or narrow indoor areas, can be particularly advantageous as they limit the enemy’s ability to dodge. When enemies close in, her Fire Cage forces them to either retreat or engage you head-on, giving you the upper hand unless they have a highly advantageous position. Her Firestorm Ultimate is especially powerful; by throwing it near the enemy, you can trap them in its vortex, then follow up with your shotgun while they’re suspended in the air. This Ultimate is especially lethal indoors.

The choice between A2 and A3 should align with what’s needed: A2 increases pressure on opponents within the Fire Cage by having it slowly decrease in size, forcing them to hit the Fire Cage’s border where they’ll take considerable damage, potentially multiple times. A3, on the other hand, offers better sustain for prolonged engagements particularly when your team is playing it slow, allowing you to instantly recover your health to full when using a skill with a full heat gauge.

Fragrans (Support)

★★☆☆☆

Main Weapon: M4 Carbine (Assault Rifle)

Fragrans’ kit revolves around enhancing her team’s performance to overwhelm the opposing team.

Fragrans boasts a well-rounded gun that performs consistently across various situations, making her a reliable pick for fighting alongside her team. Her core strength lies in the movement speed and fire rate buffs she provides, enabling her team to aggressively push down sites and overwhelm opponents. Playing as Fragrans means staying alive as long as possible, as her buffs are crucial at key moments to give her team the edge in firefights.

Proper positioning is critical to maximizing Fragrans’ potential. Since her team needs to be within range to receive the buffs, she should ideally stay in the middle of her team, keeping herself safe while supporting her teammates. At the start of a round, use the Movement Speed buff to help your team quickly gain control of key positions or to hit sites hard before the enemy can react. While not required, the Fire Rate buff can be used when your team is engaged in combat to give them the firepower advantage when it matters most. Fragrans’ Ultimate can be used when your team needs emergency healing and doesn’t need an extra gun shooting, or when you’ve run out of active skill charges. It can also serve as an escape tool if you’re caught out of position or anticipate a flank, allowing you to reposition without taking too much damage.

When choosing between her Awakenings, consider your team’s playstyle and level of coordination. A3 is the default choice as it provides a passive buff throughout the entire round, requiring minimal coordination and offering a steady advantage in prolonged engagements or on larger maps. On the other hand, A2 is more powerful but requires your team to capitalize on the buff within a limited window of time. This option excels in quick, decisive fights and on smaller maps where faster engagements occur.

Lawine (Initiator)

★☆☆☆☆

Main Weapon: XM8 (Assault Rifle)

Lawine’s kit revolves around gathering information for the team and sneaking through enemy positions.

Lawine’s kit revolves around a weapon that is both easy to handle and capable of surprising enemies with sudden bursts of damage. Her active skill—a throwable knife that scans enemies—is simple to use yet extremely impactful for the team, combined with her primary weapon, makes her an excellent pick for beginners.

While she can hold her own in fights, Lawine is not as durable as a duelist, so it’s often better for her to go second after the entry to support the frontline. When using her knife, prioritize throwing it in spots where enemies will have a hard time shooting it down. The knife’s scan can force opponents to back off or reposition, giving your team an opportunity to push and claim space. Timing your knife with your team’s smoke screens can be crucial for a successful attack, so hold onto it until the right moment.

A well-placed knife scan can be round-winning if your team capitalizes on the information it provides. If the defending team is locking down entrances and making it difficult for your team to break in, Lawine’s Ultimate is a valuable tool. It allows her to create distractions or bypass the defenses entirely by flanking the enemy team. Inside her Ult, she can glide, double jump, and even go into Paper Mode, making her movement unpredictable. However, be mindful that enemies can hear you and may try to track your movements, especially if you’re standing on Maddelena’s paint, which will make your footsteps visible.

Her knife will disappear after a short duration if no enemies are detected. A3 helps extend the duration of her knife scan, but A2 provides more value in most cases by slowing enemies who try to escape its range, giving you and your team a better chance to catch and eliminate them.

Kanami (Initiator)

★★★★☆

Main Weapon: Barrett .50 BMG (Sniper Rifle)

Kanami’s kit revolves around supporting her teammates by buffing or debuffing enemies, and gathering intel while picking off enemies with her sniper rifle.

Whether Kanami starts her team’s push into a location by taking out anyone in her line of sight with her sniper rifle, or supplementing her team with much-needed information from the backline, Kanami has her team covered. 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. Striking a balance between aggression and holding back is key—pushing too far leaves you exposed, while staying behind makes it harder to assist your team during fights. Use Kanami’s scan when enemies are engaged with your teammates, giving it time to reveal foes before it’s noticed. Since the scan operates on line of sight, place it in exposed or high locations to spot enemies behind cover. Her Ultimate forces enemies to reposition, applying a stun if they fail to escape, preventing them from using ADS and slowing their fire rate.

When it comes to her Awakening choices, you should adapt based on the enemy’s reaction to your scans. If the enemy frequently shoots down your scans, consider taking A3 to instantly buff your teammates with increased movement speed and combat effectiveness. If the enemy team tends to ignore your scans, A2 becomes a powerful option, as it applies a stun to those caught within its range, putting them in a difficult position.

Meredith (Controller)

★★★★★

Main Weapon: AUG A2 (Assault Rifle)

Meredith’s kit revolves around setting up sand fields to debuff enemies and block their vision.

Her gun is a solid weapon, especially if you land headshots, and her passive makes this easier by allowing her to get better angles. What really sets her apart is her Sand Fields—these fields debuff enemies by slowly draining their health and reducing their speed on reloads, weapon swapping, and ADS, making it difficult for them to sustain a fight until they move out of the area. Meredith may start off weak in early rounds, but she scales into a formidable threat as the game progresses.

Her hover ability lets her fight from high angles, making her an annoying target from the air. However, she can be shot down quickly if the enemy has no other targets, so it’s best to wait for your team to engage first. Meredith can also glide using paper mode and double jump while in the air, adding more evasive options and making her harder to hit.

When throwing Sand Fields, try to cover areas where enemies are hiding behind cover, forcing them to either leave or fight on your terms with the debuff active. Her Ultimate creates a zone that can serve as a “safe” area for your team, but be cautious—it’s vulnerable to enemy scans, which can make your team easy targets. On the flip side, you can use her Ultimate aggressively, throwing it deep into enemy territory to disrupt their positioning, block their line of sight, and force them to retreat, giving your team the advantage in site control.

If you have A1, you gain the ability to create new pathways by using it on walls, opening up opportunities to surprise the enemy, or use it to quickly elevate yourself and throw off the enemy’s aim. Players often prefer A3, which converts her Sand Fields into smoke that obstructs the enemy’s vision, but remember that poorly placed Sand Fields can hinder your own team as well. A2 is great when your team doesn’t need more smoke, especially if Reiichi has his wall or other teammates are reliably providing smoke grenades as A2 can effectively turn strong defensive positions into weak ones.

Reiichi (Controller)

★★★★★

Main Weapon: SVD (DMR)

Reiichi’s kit revolves around blocking lines of sight so the team can safely take up space while picking off enemies with his DMR.

Reiichi stands out as the wielder of the strongest DMR in the game. In the first round, he can tap enemies with a single headshot, giving him a lethal advantage from the start. I do NOT recommend using him if your aim isn’t good. However, he can still influence each round with his active ability, whether it helps his team or the opposing team. Reiichi may start off very strong in early rounds, but his effectiveness fades slightly as the game progresses.

Reiichi’s impact on the game is heavily dependent on how well the player manages his active ability, which deploys his umbrella. This ability summons a massive wall that blocks vision but allows bullets to pass through. A well-placed wall can make or break a round by providing cover for your team while disrupting enemy sightlines. Your primary goal when deploying the umbrella wall should be to carve out favorable space for your team, allowing them to push forward safely while limiting the enemy’s ability to see and retaliate.

However, the wall has drawbacks. Not only does it obscure vision for your opponents, but it also blinds your teammates and yourself if you pass through it. Moreover, your team can still be scanned through the wall, leaving them vulnerable to an enemy attack. These risks make it essential to carefully coordinate the wall placement with your team.

Most players opt for A3 along with his Ult, which grants the ability to see through the wall, allowing your team a one-way vision while being protected behind it. Without your Ult, switching between A2 and A3 can be impactful: as A2 can be a support tool that removes some armor from enemies while giving your teammates some armor if they cross the wall.

Strinova – Scissors Faction Guide