With Illusion Connect: Re back in players’ hands, the fastest way to stall your account is to dump resources into the wrong Radiants. The roster runs past 130 characters, but only a small core defines the early PvE meta, and a handful of those are either free or cheap to obtain. Here is where every Radiant stands at base star level, who to chase first, and which units actually deserve your shards over the coming months.
Quick answer: Reroll or save for Miyuki first, then prioritize Kasumi, Anna, Yuffie, and Phoebe. Claim free Miyuki on day eight of the login event, and hold your diamonds for Kasumi’s selected banner around day 18–24.
Best Radiants in Illusion Connect: Re right now
Six Radiants set the pace for PvE clearing at 3 stars, which is the level most non-spending players will actually use them at. If you own any of these, build them before anything else.
| Radiant | Role | Why it’s top tier |
|---|---|---|
| Miyuki | AoE DPS / control | Clears waves while stripping enemy Rage to delay their ultimates. Free on day eight of the login event. |
| Kasumi | Single-target DPS | Column attacks plus self-buffed CRIT make her a delete button against bosses and high-HP enemies. |
| Yuffie | AoE sorcerer | Hits the whole enemy team and gives the squad a 16.5% damage boost. Prime reroll target. |
| Anna | Healer / support | Team-wide healing plus 16.5% DMG and DMG RES buffs simply by being on the field. |
| Phoebe | Support / survival | Grants Invincible to three allies on entry, applies a 50% DEF reduction, and revives once. The $1 starter unit. |
| Gemmy | Secondary DPS / sustain | Revives twice per fight and scales damage off HP, making her hard to fully remove from a battle. |
Nicola sits just below this group as a debuff carry. At 3 stars she cuts enemy DMG RES Rate by 33%, which raises your whole team’s damage even before her own output scales up with shards. Shiki, available through the battle pass, rounds out the high-burst options.
Reroll targets and where to spend diamonds
Rerolling is not mandatory, but opening a fresh account with a top SSR makes the first weeks far smoother. Avoid rerolling specifically for the Beginner Banner. Those units come back through Arena rewards, Guild progression, and Expedition, and the banner stays open permanently. Aim your attempts at limited banners instead.
The strongest launch rate-up is the Miyuki and Kiraya banner (also seen as Noble Knight), since both featured units stay useful all game. For selected banners, which use special tickets rather than normal summons, the priority order is clear.
| Selected banner | Account day | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Maki | Day 4 | Very high |
| Angela | Day 11 | High |
| Kasumi | Day 18 | Extremely high |
| Anna | Day 25 | Extremely high |
You get one free selected ticket daily through missions, and extra tickets cost 400 diamonds each. If Kasumi is your goal, save toward the 70-pull guaranteed pity. Guild contribution summons also feed into SSR Nicola over time, so consistent guild activity pays off later.
Full PvE tier list (3-star focus)
This ranking reflects how each Radiant performs at base star level, which is the realistic starting point for most accounts. Higher rarity does not always mean higher placement, since several low-rarity units punch well above their weight.
| Tier | Radiants |
|---|---|
| SS | Miyuki, Kasumi, Yuffie, Gemmy, Phoebe, Shiki |
| S | Maki, Anna, Selena, Kiraya, Gagaku, Astaroth, Rikia, Pan, Rotania, Yume |
| A | Nicola, Vivian, Hersey, Edward, Saya, Nina, Victoria, Ann, Diana, Annie, Diamond, Gigi |
| B | Angela, Rie, Fenebeth, Hotaru, Barinas, Camille, Amon, Jasmine, Mad Hatter, Carol, Chiyo |
| C | Mei, Frantiva, Beatrice, Polly, Shanti, Tiffany, Loro, Mary, Ashwaya |
| D | Harto, Nanalie, Mia, Flora, Bontenmaru, Penny |
S-tier Radiants worth building
These ten will carry most PvE content and several are easy for free-to-play accounts to reach. Maki, the first limited banner unit, deals revenge damage when allies die and rotates into the standard pool after eight days. Anna is the best healer in the game and rarely leaves a lineup. Selena survives two fatal hits per battle, while Kiraya extends shields to the whole team rather than just herself.
Gagaku slots into nearly any composition for sustained DPS. Rikia and Pan are standout low-rarity picks, with Rikia cleansing ally debuffs on deployment and Pan landing critical hits well above her rarity. Astaroth covers the frontline if you lack Selena or Kiraya, and Yume adds Rage control alongside decent burst.
A-tier fillers and niche utility
A-tier Radiants clear early and mid content but get replaced as your roster grows. Vivian provides energy management that fits many teams. Edward, Saya, Nina, Victoria, Ann, Diana, Annie, and Diamond all work as filler. Diana doubles as a budget healer who restores 33% Leader HP on entry, and Annie can stand in as a temporary tank. Gigi holds the early chapters but should rotate out once stronger frontliners arrive.
B, C, and D tiers
B-tier units are situational. Fenebeth is the most accessible anti-healer and shuts down enemy regeneration, while Angela’s revive and full-team taunt earn her a spot in high-difficulty fights. Jasmine serves as a budget healer if you lack Anna. C and D tiers offer little meaningful damage, healing, or utility at 3 stars. If a C-tier sits in your main team, swap it out the moment you unlock an A-tier or better. D-tier units should never receive resources.
How star levels change the rankings
Farming shards shifts a few Radiants well beyond their 3-star placement. The biggest gains land on units that are merely average at base level, so these are the ones worth your long-term shard farming.
| Change at max star | Radiants |
|---|---|
| +2 tiers (into SSS) | Nicola, Maki, Anna |
| +2 tiers (into SS/S) | Angela, Fenebeth, Hotaru, Rie, Mei, Frantiva |
| +1 tier | Vivian, Hersey, Kiraya, Selena, Diana, Ann, Barinas, Camille, Amon, Jasmine, Mad Hatter, Carol, Beatrice, Polly, Shanti, Tiffany, Harto, Nanalie, Mia, Flora |
| -1 tier | Ashwaya |
If you plan to play for months, route shards toward Nicola, Maki, Anna, Angela, Fenebeth, Hotaru, and Rie for the largest gains. The SS core (Miyuki, Kasumi, Yuffie, Gemmy, Phoebe, Shiki) is already strong at 3 stars and stays strong at max, so there is no rush to dupe them early.
Building your first team
Do not chase perfect synergy in the opening weeks, since you will not have leader unlocks or specialized team bonuses yet. A balanced core clears almost everything early.
- Field your highest-tier Radiants. Any mix of SS and S units handles early content.
- Always run a healer. Anna is ideal; Jasmine works as a budget stand-in.
- Include at least one tank. Kiraya or Selena are best, with Angela or Gigi as temporary picks you should not invest rare resources into.
- Build Miyuki first. She is free on day eight and stays your main DPS for months.
- Save diamonds for Kasumi, the single most valuable banner target.
The short version: lock in the SS and S tiers first, claim your free Miyuki, and bank tickets and diamonds for Kasumi. Shards can come later, so resist the urge to spread resources thin across the lower tiers. A tight core of meta Radiants will carry you through the relaunch’s early chapters without trouble.
