Mint is a free A-Class Anima character in Neverness to Everness who joins the roster early in the main story. She fights with dual blades as an on-field DPS, leaning on a low-cooldown Skill, Critical Riposte resets, and steady Anima damage. Her build focuses on stacking CRIT, keeping her on the field, and feeding Blossom or Hexed reactions through teammates.
Quick answer: Run Mint with Fluff of Fleetness, the 4-piece Fireflies and the Forest Cartridge with four Type III Modules, prioritize CRIT Rate and CRIT DMG main and substats, and pair her with Esper Zero plus a Cosmos or Incantation support such as Haniel, Daffodill, or Sakiri.
Mint role and kit summary
Mint is an on-field main DPS whose damage is spread across her basic attack chain, Skill, and Ultimate. Her Skill cooldown is one of the shortest in the game, and the A1 Awakening lets a successful Critical Riposte (counterattack from a Critical Dodge) reset that Skill instantly. That loop, combined with Anima reactions like Blossom and Hexed, defines her playstyle.
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Rarity | A-Class |
| Element | Anima |
| Weapon | Dual Blades |
| Role | Main DPS / Blossom Enhancer |
| Faction | Bureau of Anomaly Control – CSU-2 |
| How to obtain | Free through main story progression |
Best Arc (weapon) for Mint
Mint has a small pool of strong weapons. The choice depends on what your build is missing: more CRIT DMG to pair with her Type III CRIT Rate, more Ultimate Energy, or extra Break Intensity for stun windows.
| Arc | Why it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Fluff of Fleetness | CRIT DMG substat (44% at level 80) plus up to 25% ATK after 5 seconds on field. Matches Mint's long on-field windows. | Best in slot for most accounts |
| Mind Royale | Grants 10 Ultimate Energy on Redirect Skill, up to once every 20s. Break Intensity substat. | Longer fights where an extra Ultimate cast lands |
| Clear Skies | +20% Anima DMG on Redirect Skill and Ultimate. ATK% substat. | F2P pick when Fluff of Fleetness is unavailable |
| Shiny Days | +48 Break Intensity and +10% DMG vs Broken targets. | Break-focused teams that hold Ultimate for stun windows |
Best Cartridge and Module setup
Fireflies and the Forest is Mint's strongest Cartridge by a clear margin. The 2-piece bonus gives +10% Anima DMG, and the 4-piece bonus stacks +8% CRIT DMG (up to 7 stacks) whenever a nearby enemy takes Anima DMG from the team. Stacks last 10 seconds and persist while Mint is off-field.
Mint has a Type III specialization: she gains 8% CRIT Rate per Type III Module equipped. With four Type III Modules slotted (the maximum that still activates the 4-piece Fireflies and the Forest bonus), that is a free +32% CRIT Rate on top of your regular substats.
| Slot | Recommended | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cartridge (best) | Fireflies and the Forest (4-piece) | Anima DMG + stacking CRIT DMG, off-field uptime |
| Cartridge (alt) | Shadow Creed (4-piece) | +10% ATK, +25% ATK for 20s after Skill |
| Main stat priority | CRIT DMG, then CRIT Rate | Aim for a balanced CRIT ratio near 1:2 |
| Substat priority | CRIT DMG / CRIT Rate > Anima DMG > ATK% > Flat ATK | Cycle Intensity is a minor pickup |
| Module specialization | 4× Type III | +32% CRIT Rate from her passive bonus |
Awakening priority
A1 is the pillar of Mint's gameplay. Without it, the Critical Riposte reset loop that defines her rotation does not exist. A5 stacks on top of that by adding 25% CRIT DMG for 6 seconds after Super Claws, which the resets keep nearly 100% uptime.
| Order | Awakening | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A1 — Task Force Operation | Caramel Crisp resets Super Claws cooldown, max once per 3s |
| 2 | A5 — First Instinct | +25% CRIT DMG for 6s after Super Claws |
| 3 | A2 — Re-examination | +40% damage on Super Claws |
| 4 | A3 — Attendance Bonus | +15% ATK for 15s when any ally triggers Blossom or Hexed |
| 5 | A6 — Elite Member | +15% damage to targets below 40% HP |
| 6 | A4 — Lunch Break | +12% CRIT Chance vs the last enemy on the field |
Skill leveling priority
| Priority | Skill | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Ultimate: Super Claws (Skill) | Spammed every rotation; carries most of her per-second damage |
| 2nd | Ultimate: Thunderous Whirlwind Slash (Ultimate) | Largest single damage instance in her kit |
| 3rd | Perfect Containment (Basic Attack) | Fills Skill downtime and powers the spin attack |
| 4th | Ultimate: Invincible Tornado Slash (Support Skill) | Used infrequently; level last |
Best teams for Mint
Mint thrives in Blossom and Hexed reaction teams. Her Transform! Super Mint! passive expands the damage area of Vita Pistils, so she pairs naturally with Anima allies like Nanally. Esper Zero is the standard cycle battery because her Insta-Cycle forces Blossom on demand.
| Team | Main DPS | Sub-DPS | Sub-DPS | Support |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free-to-play core | Mint | Esper Zero | Daffodill | Haniel |
| Hexed variant | Mint | Esper Zero | Sakiri | Haniel |
| Blossom AoE | Nanally | Mint | Esper Zero | Hathor |
| Charge cycle | Mint | Sakiri | Esper Zero | Skia |
Haniel adds a global ATK buff and off-field damage that scales the whole team. Sakiri provides team-wide ATK and applies Hexed, which Mint converts into bonus damage and triggers her A3 buff. Adler is a sturdy defensive replacement for Sakiri if you need shields over offense.
Rotation
Step 1: Open with your Cosmos or Incantation support to fill their Cycle Energy. Apply team buffs and trigger Blossom or Hexed before swapping in Mint.
Step 2: Swap to Mint and cast Super Claws immediately. The skill has roughly a 6-second cooldown, the shortest in the game, so use it on cycle.
Step 3: Fill the gap with the 5-hit basic attack chain. Watch for incoming attacks. Time a Critical Dodge into Caramel Crisp; with A1, this resets Super Claws so you can cast it again immediately.
Step 4: When the enemy is Broken, hold Basic Attack to enter Minty Whirlwind. The spin lasts up to 6 seconds and lands up to 30 damage instances during the stun window.
Step 5: Fire Thunderous Whirlwind Slash either inside the Break window or as soon as it is available against bosses. After casting, A5 grants 25% CRIT DMG for 6 seconds, which lines up with your next Skill spam.
Step 6: When Cycle Energy is full, swap briefly to a Cosmos or Incantation ally to retrigger Blossom or Hexed, then return to Mint to maintain her on-field damage.
Stat targets and substat order
The Type III specialization plus Fluff of Fleetness's CRIT DMG substat does most of the work. Aim for roughly 70% CRIT Rate (with the 32% from Modules already counted) and as much CRIT DMG as your Cartridge rolls allow. Anima DMG% on substats is the next priority, then ATK%, then Flat ATK. Cycle Intensity is useful only if your team needs faster cycle gauge fills.
Strengths and weaknesses
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| Free A-Class, cheap to max early | Damage ceiling falls behind S-Class carries |
| Skill resets create a smooth, reactive loop | Fully reliant on A1 to feel complete |
| Strong Blossom and Hexed enabler via passives | Damage spread across kit means investment must be wide |
| +20% DEF and +30% Interruption Resistance on field | A4 does nothing in AoE waves |
| Easy on-field playstyle, low quick-swap demand | Limited weapon pool |
Mint is a reliable answer for early- and mid-game progression. She holds her own as a main DPS at A0, scales sharply once A1 unlocks, and remains relevant in Blossom AoE compositions even after stronger S-Class carries enter the roster. Build around her CRIT Rate specialization, keep her on the field through her reset loop, and her contribution to a free-to-play account is hard to match.