Special Thanks

• u/hans483 , u/Yappi1486 here on Reddit - This will forever be here since I owe them the correct translation to TW Preview
• Rain on Discord and as the owner of rsrsdb.com - There are times when I look at the data obtained to make sure I understood stuff correctly.

Short Summary:

Big face lift for Hammer and S. Sword Team on Ginny's side of the banner. Red's side of the banner has Souchou being a really good BP Battery, JP Shirei-like if you will. Red and Shuzer are both just okay, with Red having the advantage by having party support.

SS [I'm The Iron Griddle So-Cho!] So-Cho

Character Summary: BP 10! While it takes a while to charge back to 13 BP, that is also the same for Shirei in JP. Souchou needs to take hits to get extra BP per turn, reaching 13 BP. While it doesn't increase Max BP like Shirei, having Delay on that skill is enough for that skill to be very useful for a long time. Ideally, you would want a 2-3 turn for Souchou to charge back BP so that the party can keep using the best attack, albeit high BP Cost skills. Having his old style means you also get access to Guard Up and Morale Up in-exchange of him dying, as long as you revive him, then I think it is worth the risk of going for that for extra offense / defenses. Take note that his former style S3 puts him in IK status, so buffs from the likes of Finale Death / Flammar will not auto revive him back. Overall really good style, his former style S3 is just a cherry on top, something good to have in those just in case scenarios.

Strengths: Best BP Battery you could ask for until Shirei arrives. Shirei 100% will replace Souchou due to extra Attack / Defense Boost, and has better utilities overall. Souchou is also tanky with Iron Wall VI, very high END / WIL, and extra mitigation for Direct Attacks if he decides to counter.

Weakness: Taunt is still RNG-based for Souchou to be attacked unless using a formation with high aggro slot.

Best Style to work with: Hard content styles, preferably those who can heal or give extra defense boosts. His former style gives him a last-ditch effort to give the party Morale / Guard Up. I have been using those "I will sacrifice for the greater good" strategy and has been working for some hard content scenarios.

Veteran Players: While not super necessary right now, I would still recommend Souchou as a recommended style to be pulled. The current BP batteries we have now should continue to work. If they suddenly want to rush to Ver 3.0 just like what they asked in the survey, then Shirei is soon to be expected to completely take over Souchou's 10 BP capability. The closest BP Battery we are going to have is RSMS Minstrel with Oratorio spamming, and even with that, it is not near what a 10 BP from Souchou can do.

New Players: Definitely pull for Souchou, you will also have a chance to get Red and Shuzer, both of which are usable, most especially if your box is fairly new.

My Decision: After the massacre in my jewel stash thanks to Esper Girl, I will poke the banner, and hope Souchou shows up early and bail.

Something to test: From my understanding, if the trigger is by getting hit, this should include scenarios where Souchou has Damage Block or Dodge.

SS [Conquer All The Food Stands!] Red

Character Summary: Balance of support and damage with high innate passive for Auto duties for ST or AOE Blunt farming. He can do ST Farming along with a 1 with his S2 for 2/3/4R stages, assuming he is hitting weakness. He can use his S3 in a 9-0-9 / 0-9-9 rotation of the same condition with ST. Overall, he definitely can help MA Team with his A2 in remembrance, and is also usable in typical hard content scenario due to the extra Atk / Def he gives to the party, taking note that it doesn't have condition. Having Punishing Combo along with S1 building up heat up would be a good strategy to an ST Hard Content scenario like Pumpkin Kami.

Strengths: Good support overall and do decent damage with skills due to innately high Atk Passive, more after S1 stacking is complete. Having Final Crusade is a big advantage and further improves his chance of being picked in a hard content party.

Weakness: His S3 could have been 8 BP so that he could use this for 2 consecutive turns. We will slowly transition to just 2R farming, especially once we move to Ver 3.0 where 95% of stages are 2 rounders in Free Quest, whether it be a dungeon node or an event dungeon.

Best Style to work with: Other MA via Remembrance or in a hard content scenario with other MA like Silver or Pumpkin Kami. Best inherit would still be Final Crusade unless you have external BP Battery source that he is able to consistently use Punishing Combo . Taking note his BP 2 on Weak Attack triggers per Attack Action, a Random X hits is considered 1 attack action regardless of number of hits.

Veteran Players: If your MA is lacking, definitely pull for Red, there would still be Sigfrei and Lion Princess for Remembrance. remembrance currently has diminished value especially after you already made lots of fully upgraded weapons, especially with the introduction of SSS Weapons.

New Players: Red is definitely something to consider. He should be usable for your farming needs until you find better ones to come. He also can help you pass some of the Hard Content scenario until you have the real hard content styles.

My Decision: Souchou is my top pick, and with limited resource that I will have to skip Red.

SS [Black X Rally Squad] Jojo Shuzer

Character Summary: 2R AOE Farmer with S3. S2 is a good inherit for his former style where I still find useful because of the changes.

Strengths: Very high Atk with A3, and A2 buffing.

Weakness: Specific to farming and this style may not survive as well in Hard Contents. Former Style would still work better if needed.

Best Style to work with: His former style with S2 would be a good combo to use for Gun Remembrance. Jojo style might need extra passive buffers later on like Anya so they can push Jojo Shuzer to be able to 1 shot a Blunt Weak stage. This is how I am able to continue to use outdated farmers in JP with the help of Anya and later RSMS Minstrel (or both if needed).

Veteran Players: If you are missing Blunt AOE farmer, Jojo Shuzer can deliver on that being Gun along with very high Atk. I would think he can be good even until we get Free Quest farming in Ver 3.0. Would be something to consider, but there might be some Blunt farmers coming, or if you are willing to cover with other element for Blunt farming stages, then it should work as well.

New Players: Shuzer vs Red, Red has an edge since he does way more. Shuzer is more focused in farming, and specific to 2 Rounder AOE Farming. Since I assume New Players will not have former Shuzer Style that Jojo Shuzer will lose some value on that.

My Decision: Same as Red, if I get Souchou, I will cash out. I would love to get Shuzer to be AOE Blunt farming ready since thats where I struggle in JP lol.

SS [I Take Requests] Selma

Character Summary: Designed for long battles with Heat Up and Defense Up along with party BP and XS Heal. She would shine well in Remembrance to take full advantage of her ability and skills. She would be able to handle 2R ST Farming with Blooming Camphor inherit from her former Saga style.

Strengths: She is a mix of damage and support with solid ST Damage along with BP Battery and XS Heal. Really good candidate for S. Sword Remembrance, and potentially usable for Hard Content with other Pierce element DPS.

Weakness: Her main application being in Remembrance. As of writing, Remembrance is getting less value due to the knowledge of SSS Weapon, and from a damage perspective that Lapis and Citrine weapon can do better damage than a max Remembrance weapon. In JP, Remembrance Weapon is worn by supports so that other characters using the same weapon type can benefit from the 9% extra Damage / Defense.

Best Style to work with: S. Sword Remembrance. Her very first limited style has Lightspeed that may be able to apply some fun strategy for bosses that don't buff accuracy.

Veteran Players: If the main purpose is Remembrance and you need a little help, then Selma may be able to address that. But if you can wait, there will be other S. Sword coming that have better utilities and damage like Christmas Asellus, and Valentine Vampire Lady. RS1 Monica is someone good too for physical battles where S. Sword counter is needed.

New Players: Selma would be a big help for your box for you to be able to clear content until you are able to transition to the top shelf picks coming up.

My Decision: I will skip Selma. My main target is either Ginny or Wil. My S. Sword isn't the best, but I would rather have Asellus or Vampire Lady.

SS [Totally Tasty!] Ginny

Character Summary: Provoke Counter Tank with high defenses both in stats and passives, as well as self healing capability. She also has above average Int which means she can do either or debuffing from her other styles. Or you can keep using S2 to keep stacking the taunt stance on her so she has a higher chance of getting attacked.

Strengths: Reliable taunt tank with good defenses, simple and straightforward. :D

Weakness: Missing some End to be able to better tank, though she has really good Passive Defense with A2, A3, and her Direct Attack Counter with Mitigate. Taunt Tank isn't a unique role where some characters can perform it, while not to the same level as what Ginny can do, can do it enough to clear the hard content.

Best Style to work with: Hard Content and Remembrance. She may be able to pull off a lot of Solo runs by herself or with debuffing thanks her former style.

Veteran Players: If your Hammer team is lacking, Ginny would be able to help for Remembrance, but not as good as Wil where Wil is the best Hammer Support you can have until we get the next Ginny Style. Also need to note that Maria and Saga Elisabeth are just around the corner along with Free Orlette to be able to help overall Hammer Team performance.

New Players: Definitely go for Ginny so that you have a Counter Tank in your arsenal. You would be able to clear some challenges with her, and at the same time, get some debuff capability in you with her free S Style, or Platinum Styles.

My Decision: If I have spare Jewels after Souchou, then I will try some for Ginny. Though I will be more interested in Ginny's next style.

SS [Principal Tycoon] Wil

Character Summary: Hard Content character with Scrum Guard and S3. Ideally be used if you can end the battle within 10T. He has Scrum Guard which is always welcome, along with inherits from his Saga Style allowing Dex Debuffing.

Strengths: Good Hard Content capability with extra damage or utility from inherits.

Weakness: His S3 is limited to the 10T it was casted which limits what the party can benefit out of it. Maria can do better than what Wil has and also has Scrum Guard, at the same extent, Saga Elisabeth as well with buffing capability.

Best Style to work with: Hard Content parties or Remembrance. He can have extra damage or utility from inherits

Veteran Players: If you are in a rush to clear any Hammer Remembrance, then get Wil. Else, Maria or Saga Elisabeth are the better options for Hammer.

New Players: While the benefits of getting Wil is good, it would be good to save once you get Ginny and wait for the next few Hammer characters coming up, they would be able to help you better with supports they can do.

My Decision: I will skip Wil and have my eyes for Maria and Saga Elisabeth though my Hammer team is working decently for Remembrance.