Every unit in Anime Expeditions carries one of three archetypes, and that label decides what kind of damage the unit deals and how it reacts to stage rules. Archetypes work alongside Elements to shape enemy weaknesses, stage buffs and debuffs, and the way support units share their bonuses.
Quick answer: There are three archetypes. Physical and Magical can be buffed by matching support units but can also be weakened by stage debuffs. Psychic stays neutral, never taking stage debuffs, but has no dedicated support unit that raises its damage.
How archetypes affect damage and stages
An archetype sorts a unit’s damage into a group that buffs, debuffs, and enemy interactions can target as a whole. This is different from Elements. Elements handle elemental matchups, while archetypes control which support bonuses reach a unit and which stage modifiers hit it. For example, Forbidden Teacher raises the damage of every Magical unit within range, so a stronger Magical bonus does nothing for a Physical unit standing next to it.
Some stages tilt the field by boosting or reducing a specific archetype. Before deploying, check the stage modifiers so you do not send Physical units into a stage that weakens Physical damage, or Magical units into one that cuts Magical damage. Psychic sidesteps that problem entirely because stage debuffs aimed at Physical or Magical never touch it.
| Archetype | Damage source | Strength | Weakness |
|---|---|---|---|
 Physical | Weapons and close-range attacks | Gains buffs from Physical support units and does well on Physical-friendly stages | Weakened on stages with Physical debuffs |
 Magical | Spells, elemental attacks, and magical abilities | Gains buffs from Magical support units and excels on Magical-friendly stages | Weakened on stages with Magical debuffs |
 Psychic | Neutral Psychic damage | Never receives stage debuffs | No dedicated support unit that raises Psychic damage |
Physical archetype units
Physical units land their damage through melee swings, ranged weapons, or physical abilities, so most of the strongest sword users and short-range fighters sit here. They respond to support units that specifically raise Physical damage, but a stage carrying a Physical debuff will cut into that output. Read stage modifiers before you commit a Physical-heavy team.
| Unit | Element | Rarity |
|---|---|---|
| Razorjaw | Neutral | Mythic |
| Razorjaw (Hunter) | Neutral | Mythic |
| 8th Sword | Neutral | Secret |
| 8th Sword (Berserk) | Neutral | Secret (Evolved) |
| Cursed Student | Dark | Mythic |
| Cursed Student (True Love) | Dark | Mythic (Evolved) |
| Hollow | Flame | Mythic |
| Hollow (Blaze) | Flame | Mythic (Evolved) |
| Lady Giant | Terra | Mythic |
| Lady Giant (Envy) | Terra | Mythic (Evolved) |
| Reaper | Light | Legendary |
| Reaper (Released) | Light | Legendary (Evolved) |
| Ramen Guy | Farm | Legendary |
| Greed | Dark | Legendary |
| Scissor | Terra | Legendary |
| The Hero | Neutral | Legendary |
| Bounty Hunter | Neutral | Epic |
| Corps Captain | Neutral | Epic |
| Demon Cyborg | Flame | Epic |
| Nen Hunter | Flame | Epic |
| Stone Alchemist | Farm | Epic |
| Curly Brow | Flame | Rare |
| Rubber Boy | Flame | Rare |
| Carrot | Gale | Rare |
Magical archetype units
Magical units deal damage with spells, elemental attacks, and magical abilities, and this is where the Fire, Ice, and Lightning casters land. Many of them have strong range and area damage, and they can put out heavy burst when a Magical support boosts them. Like Physical units, they lose power on stages carrying a Magical debuff.
| Unit | Element | Rarity |
|---|---|---|
| Crow | Dark | Secret |
| Crow (Black Fire) | Dark | Secret (Evolved) |
| Shadow | Dark | Secret |
| Shadow (Divine) | Dark | Secret (Evolved) |
| Crimson | Dark | Exclusive |
| Crimson (Brother) | Dark | Exclusive (Evolved) |
| True Saint | Light | Exclusive |
| True Saint (Holy) | Light | Exclusive (Evolved) |
| Cursed Immortal | Dark | Mythic |
| Cursed Immortal (Black Sun) | Dark | Mythic (Evolved) |
| Dark Mage | Hydro | Mythic |
| Dark Mage (Sovereign) | Hydro | Mythic (Evolved) |
| Elf Mage | Storm | Mythic |
| Elf Mage (Unleashed) | Storm | Mythic (Evolved) |
| Flame Emperor | Flame | Mythic |
| Flame Emperor (Reincarnate) | Flame | Mythic (Evolved) |
| Salmon Sorcerer | Gale | Mythic |
| Salmon Sorcerer (Grade 1) | Gale | Mythic (Evolved) |
| String Demon | Neutral | Mythic |
| String Demon (Awakened) | Neutral | Mythic (Evolved) |
| Forbidden Teacher | Neutral | Legendary |
| Ice Queen | Hydro | Legendary |
| Water Princess | Hydro | Legendary |
| Ice Mage | Hydro | Epic |
| Kid Assassin | Storm | Rare |
| Reishi Archer | Light | Rare |
| Thunder Shinobi | Storm | Rare |
Psychic archetype units
Psychic is the neutral archetype. Its units keep the same output on every stage because no stage debuff aimed at Physical or Magical damage can touch them. That consistency is the trade-off for having no dedicated support unit that raises Psychic damage. Psychic units lean toward crowd control and apply status effects that set up the rest of your team.
| Unit | Element | Rarity |
|---|---|---|
| Toy Maker | Dark | Exclusive |
| Puppet | Light | Mythic |
| Puppet (Telekinetic) | Light | Mythic (Evolved) |
Which archetype to build around
No single archetype is the best. Physical suits short-range, quick, focused damage. Magical covers long-range and area damage, and several Magical units chain together for strong synergy. Psychic gives you the steadiest output since stage debuffs never apply, at the cost of team-wide support.
A mixed team built on synergy tends to clear more than a roster that stacks a single archetype. Pair your carries with the right support units, watch the stage modifiers, and keep a Psychic pick on hand for stages that punish Physical or Magical damage.
