Why challenge mode wants a unit you already have

The event’s Challenge mode looks like a tougher replay, but it is a focused test with its own conditions. For this event, the trial requires a designated combatant to take part. That explains why the event’s challenge mode requires a specific unit you already have: the mode checks the unit’s performance inside the prescribed test, not just total party power.

Having that character in the roster removes the usual temptation to chase another banner unit. Your remaining work is still important: place the combatant correctly, develop the right skills and choose teammates whose effects make the clear more consistent.

Read the trial conditions

Open the Challenge panel and read every condition before changing teams. Confirm the required unit, the permitted party size, any turn limit and the score target. A high-power substitute does not satisfy a character lock, while a role that seems weak can be exactly what the trial expects.

Check whether the condition names the character alone or also imposes a performance rule, such as reaching a score or using a particular skill. Then note the recommended party as a guide. It shows which roles should cover damage, defence and healing without pretending that one universal formation fits every event.

Match the unit to its role

The designated unit is normally the event’s featured idea, so its kit often matters more than its raw attack total. A healer, defender, buffer or area attacker can be the intended answer in a restricted test. Look at the skill text, targeting pattern and bonuses rather than judging the unit only by the power number beside its portrait.

Investment still changes results. Raise the unit only as far as the event permits, improve relevant gear and rank the skill that supports the required role. If the character offers defence or utility, preserving those effects may produce a cleaner clear than replacing it with a stronger damage dealer.

Build around the owned unit

Put the required unit in the position its kit was designed for, then build the other slots around it. Pair it with dependable frontline coverage, useful back-line buffs and healing or defence when the stage calls for them. The point is synergy, not filling every slot with the highest-ranked roster members.

Test the party in a lower stage and watch the order in which skills fire. An early buff, delayed defence or mismatched targeting can erase a power advantage. If the first clear fails, change one arrangement at a time so you can tell whether the problem was the formation, the timing or ordinary combat variance.

Account for critical hits and dodges

A guide to critical-hit and dodge mechanics is useful because challenge clears can turn on small differences. A missed hit, unlucky dodge or burst critical may change the score even when the formation is sound. Randomness should shape your test plan, not dictate it.

Keep the setup repeatable: save the party, record the skill order and avoid switching gear between attempts. Learn which attacks can be dodged and which parts of the unit’s skill rely on critical hits. That knowledge turns retries into deliberate experiments instead of repeated taps with the same result.

Plan around Australian event times

If the event notice uses Japan Standard Time, convert it before planning a session. Sydney and Melbourne share AEST and AEDT, while Brisbane is one hour behind them during daylight saving. Checking the displayed event time prevents an Australian player from arriving after the trial window has closed.

Many players use a commute for clears: a train from Central Station in Sydney, a journey through Flinders Street in Melbourne, or mobile data on an Optus or Telstra plan. Download the team before leaving home, keep the phone charged and save the game data if the connection is unstable.

An arvo catch-up with friends at a local pub can also become a party-building session. For longer evenings at home, comfortable home footwear matters, though footwear will not repair a poorly built Challenge team.

Keep the gem budget intact

Because the needed unit is already yours, do not spend gems to obtain a duplicate that changes nothing mechanically. Save those pulls for a future banner or for a shop bundle whose units fill genuine gaps. The Challenge clear itself is about using the roster you have, so discipline begins before entering the stage.

Compare bundles by their Australian-dollar total and the final App Store or Google Play price, then check the event reward track before buying anything. Australian accounts show local costs, but platform taxes and exchange rates can alter comparisons. Spending should follow a planned budget, not the shock of a limited banner.

Put the owned unit to work

Start by opening the character roster and confirming the designated unit, its level and its relevant skill rank. Put that unit into the Challenge formation, save the lineup and run a test clear. Record damage sources, missed attacks and turn usage so the next attempt has a clear purpose.

A reliable fan-curated clear video can help if you are stuck on targeting or timing. Compare it with your own setup rather than copying a team that relies on units you lack. Community clips are most valuable when they explain the sequence and the unit choices, not merely show a fast finish.

Now open the event screen, reserve the unit you already own, and complete the Challenge clear without spending another gem.