Tournament runs in Anime Expeditions reward damage totals, not just clears, so the board you place matters more here than almost anywhere else. The highest scores come from one hard carry that ramps fast, a unit that raises enemy damage taken, crowd control that keeps enemies parked in your kill zone, and an economy unit that funds upgrades early. Stack those four roles correctly and your carry spends far more time doing peak damage.
Quick answer: Place 8th Sword (Berserk) or Cursed Student (True Love) as your carry, add Puppet (Telekinetic) for the 20% incoming-damage mark, slot String Demon (Awakened) for crowd control, and drop Ramen Guy for +50% Yen. Evolve and trait the carry first, then fill the other three roles.
The four-role Tournament board
Do not run five damage units. Crowd control extends how long enemies sit inside your carry’s range, the amplifier multiplies every hit your team lands, and the farm unit lets you afford upgrades several waves sooner. That combination produces a bigger total than four raw attackers ever could.
| Role | Best pick | What it adds |
|---|---|---|
| Carry | 8th Sword (Berserk), Cursed Student (True Love) | Highest raw output; the unit your whole score is built around |
| Damage amp | Puppet (Telekinetic) | Marks the strongest enemy for 20% more incoming damage |
| Crowd control | String Demon (Awakened) | Cocoons and Stuns enemies to keep them grouped |
| Farm | Ramen Guy | +50% Yen from kills to fund upgrades and evolutions early |
Tip: Build the board in that order. Lock the carry, place Puppet for the mark, add String Demon where enemies enter your main kill zone, then set Ramen Guy early so the economy compounds. Sell or swap Ramen Guy in the final waves once everyone else is fully placed.
Best carries for Tournament damage
8th Sword (Berserk) has the highest ceiling in the game once it ramps. After 25 takedowns, Berserk grants 20% Damage, a lower attack interval, and applies Dismembered on hit for 15 seconds. That ramp is why it thrives in longer Tournament runs where it has time to hit its stride.
Cursed Student (True Love) is the strong second option and scales with your build in an unusual way. Its Cursed Mimicry copies the closest ally’s attack every third swing, so pairing it near your best attacker lets it inherit part of that damage on top of its own. It is also the most beginner-friendly Mythic here because its evolution is strong and the materials are reasonable.
Shadow (Divine) is a viable alternative if you lean into a magical board. Its Shadow Realm rewinds enemies and gives every Magical unit 25% more Damage for 30 seconds, and its Divine Spirit summon cannot be killed. Only pick one carry and evolve it fully before you invest in anything else.
Puppet and String Demon: The support core
Puppet (Telekinetic) is the piece that lifts your entire score without occupying a raw damage slot. Its Puppet Mark makes the strongest enemy take 20% more incoming damage and comes with a 2-second Rewind on a 30-second cooldown. Uptime on bosses is near-perfect, so every unit hitting that target does more.
String Demon (Awakened) handles crowd control. It Cocoons and Stuns enemies every few attacks, keeping them clustered inside your carry’s range instead of walking through it. Place it at the entrance to your main kill zone so groups arrive already bunched together.
Salmon Sorcerer (Grade 1) is a solid crowd-control substitute. It applies Slow at every upgrade and Staggers enemies for 2 seconds as they enter inner range, giving two layers of control. Match your remaining support to your carry’s damage type. Use The Hero with physical carries like 8th Sword, and Forbidden Teacher with magical carries.
Best traits for your Tournament units
Traits decide where a unit lands in the meta, so spend Trait Crystals on your main carry first and roll supports afterward. Unbound is the standout for most top units because it raises their damage ceiling meaningfully.
| Unit | Best trait | Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| 8th Sword (Berserk) | Unbound | Primordial |
| Cursed Student (True Love) | Unbound | Draconic |
| Shadow (Divine) | Unbound | Primordial |
| Puppet (Telekinetic) | Unbound | — |
| Salmon Sorcerer (Grade 1) | Primordial | — |
Equipment that raises your damage total
Exclusive equipment is one of the largest power jumps available, and it is worth farming once your carry is evolved. Unit-specific gear adds stats plus a passive you cannot get anywhere else, and most pieces drop at a 5% rate with a 20-pity guarantee, or can be crafted at the Armory Forge inside the Expedition Hub.
| Unit | Equipment | Key effect |
|---|---|---|
| 8th Sword (Berserk) | Hairbells | Damages nearby enemies each second; removes stun and hits for 125% damage |
| Cursed Student (True Love) | Promise Ring | Summons up to 3 Bat Spirits at 20 Bleed stacks |
| Puppet (Telekinetic) | Calamity’s Eye | Marked enemies spawn a Doll with HP equal to 200% of current damage |
| String Demon (Awakened) | Web Fruit | Cocoons every five attacks; breaking it deals 125% damage |
After you obtain a piece, use Equipment Reroll items to improve its bonus stats, and lock a strong roll before rerolling the rest so you keep the value you already have. Reroll items come from Challenge rewards and the Gold Shop at 2,500 Gold each.
Mistakes that cost you damage
- Running multiple damage units with no amplifier or crowd control, which shortens how long your carry can attack.
- Placing Ramen Guy too late, so the +50% Yen never compounds across early waves.
- Spreading Trait Crystals across temporary units instead of your main carry.
- Chasing Secret units before you have a reliable Mythic core fully evolved.
- Skipping exclusive equipment farming after your carry evolves.
Every unit here climbs higher with the right trait, equipment, and evolution, so focus that grind on one carry at a time. Get the four roles locked, keep your amplifier and crowd control feeding the same kill zone, and your Tournament damage will keep rising as your core gets stronger.
