Mudrock is a 6-star Juggernaut Defender in Arknights, classified under the Enmity Defender archetype. She cannot be healed by allied medics but compensates with powerful self-sustain mechanics, high DEF, and the ability to hold entire lanes without support. She is a Sarkaz of the Gargoyle sub-race, born in Kazdel, and wields geokinetic Originium Arts that let her summon massive stone constructs called "Colossi." Her illustrator is m9nokuro, and her Japanese voice actress is Maaya Uchida, known for roles like Rikka Takanashi in Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions, and Fischl in Genshin Impact.
Quick answer: Mudrock is a non-limited 6-star Juggernaut Defender who excels at solo-laning thanks to her shield talent, self-healing, invulnerability phases, and AoE stun on her S3. She is widely considered one of the strongest ground operators in the game.
Mudrock's Background and Story Role
Before becoming a playable operator, Mudrock appeared as an antagonist and boss enemy. She first made a brief cameo during the Grani and the Knights' Treasure event, where she received a letter from her close friend Big Bob β a fan-favorite character from that very first side story. Her major narrative debut came in Twilight of Wolumonde, where she served as the event's final boss and central figure in the Infected uprising within the Leithanian city of Wolumonde.
During that event, Mudrock led her squad in pursuit of justice for a murdered Infected named Atro. Though she clashed with Rhodes Island operators like Folinic, GreyThroat, and Suzuran, she was never truly a villain. When the truth about Atro's killer was revealed, Mudrock chose to de-escalate the conflict rather than press forward, using her own life force to conjure a Colossus and intimidate the remaining insurgents into standing down. She then withdrew from Wolumonde with her squad.
The Rewinding Breeze vignette continued her story. Leading Infected refugees toward Kazdel, Mudrock's group was ambushed by Leithanian casters who used horrific techniques to turn Infected into magical staves. Despite devastating losses, Mudrock resolved to hold a bridge so the remaining civilians could escape. She was ultimately rescued by Logos, an Elite Operator of Rhodes Island, and chose to join R.I. alongside the survivors of her squad. She is the second former Reunion member to join Rhodes Island after W.
On the landship, Mudrock befriended former adversaries Folinic and Suzuran, as well as Grani, who knew Big Bob. She has since appeared in additional story content, including A Kazdelian Rescue and Delicious on Terra.
The Armor Reveal and Character Design
One of the most memorable aspects of Mudrock's character is the dramatic contrast between her armored and unarmored appearances. In her base art, she wears a massive, bulky suit of battle armor that completely conceals her identity and gender. Her Elite 2 promotion art reveals the person underneath: a Sarkaz woman with long white hair, crimson eyes, and intricate horns. This "Samus reveal" β the trope of a heavily armored character turning out to be female β became a significant driver of her popularity.
The practical, non-sexualized nature of her combat armor is notable in the context of anime-styled games, where female characters are rarely depicted in full plate. Her design stands out precisely because it treats her as a warrior first, with the reveal of her appearance serving as a secondary surprise rather than the primary selling point.
Mudrock's Skills and Talents
Mudrock's kit revolves around self-sufficiency. As a Juggernaut Defender, she blocks three enemies but cannot receive healing from allies. Her talent, Ward of the Fertile Soil, periodically generates a shield that absorbs one instance of damage and restores a portion of her HP when it activates. This is her primary sustain tool and what makes her viable without medic support.
Her second talent, Unshakable Solidarity, reduces damage taken from Sarkaz enemies by 30%, giving her a meaningful edge in story content and events that feature Sarkaz-heavy enemy rosters.
| Skill | Recovery | Activation | Key Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| DEF Up Ξ³ (S1) | Auto | Manual | Straightforward DEF boost for 40 seconds |
| Crag Splitter (S2) | Defensive | Auto | Deals AoE damage around Mudrock on trigger; self-sustain through repeated activations |
| Bloodline of Desecrated Earth (S3) | Auto | Manual | Invulnerability for 10 seconds, slows nearby enemies by 60%, then stuns ground enemies and gains massive ATK/DEF buffs with AoE attacks |
S2 (Crag Splitter) is the go-to skill for most content. Because it triggers automatically on a defensive recovery cycle, Mudrock can be placed on a lane and left largely unattended. Each activation deals damage in a small area and contributes to her survivability through consistent cycling.
S3 (Bloodline of Desecrated Earth) is her high-impact option. At Mastery 3, she becomes invulnerable for 10 seconds, then stuns surrounding ground enemies for up to 4.5 seconds while gaining +120% ATK, +70% DEF, a reduced attack interval, and the ability to hit all blocked enemies. The trade-off is that she stops blocking during the invulnerability phase, meaning enemies can leak past her position. Pairing her with a backup blocker or crowd-control operator behind her handles this drawback.
Base Skills for the RIIC
Mudrock has two useful base skills for the Workshop. Perseverance reduces Morale consumption to 2 when processing elite materials. DIY Orirock increases byproduct rate by 90% when processing Orirock-type materials, making her one of the best operators to assign for Orirock crafting.
Why Mudrock Became One of Arknights' Most Popular Operators
Mudrock's popularity stems from a convergence of factors that few other operators match simultaneously. Her gameplay strength is the most immediate draw β she can solo entire lanes in standard content and has been a staple in high-risk Contingency Contract clears since her release. The Enmity Defender archetype was extremely rare at launch, with Vulcan being the only other member and far less practical in most scenarios.
Her narrative arc carries enormous weight. After chapters of Arknights' main story forcing players to fight and kill sympathetic Reunion members like FrostNova and Patriot, Mudrock represented something different: a former enemy who could actually be saved and brought into the fold. That emotional payoff resonated deeply with the community, especially players who had grown weary of tragic outcomes for Infected characters.
The "enemy turned ally" trope, combined with the armored gender reveal, gave Mudrock a memorable introduction that story-skipping players and lore enthusiasts alike could appreciate. Her friendship with Big Bob β a character beloved since the game's very first event β added another layer of connection to Arknights' history. And her personality, described as mature, rational, and quietly selfless, contrasts with more volatile or childlike characters in the roster, broadening her appeal.
Her character design also plays a role. The white hair and red eyes combination is a perennial favorite in anime-adjacent media, and the fact that her artist chose to depict her in realistic, heavy combat armor rather than typical fanservice attire earned respect from players who value that kind of design restraint.
Key Relationships and Affiliations
Mudrock's in-game network page lists connections to Big Bob, Grani, Folinic, Logos, and Suzuran. Big Bob is her oldest friend, a fellow Reunion-era ally who eventually settled in Columbia. Logos is the R.I. Elite Operator who rescued her from the Witch King's loyalists, directly leading to her recruitment. Folinic and Suzuran were initially adversaries during the Wolumonde crisis but became friends after Mudrock joined Rhodes Island.
Mudrock occupies a rare space in Arknights where top-tier gameplay performance, compelling storytelling, and striking visual design all reinforce each other. Whether you need a self-sufficient lane holder for difficult content or simply want one of the game's most well-developed characters on your roster, she delivers on every front.