I Hate "Meta" | Arknights

[@linuxns]

meta's definition is actually "most effective tatics available" and i should definitely subscribe to this yii arknights guy

[@rushil4195]

Zafang is way better you should sub to him

[@cheeseburgerapocalypse2604]

meta's definition is actually "most effective tatics available" and i should definitely subscribe to this yii arknights guy

[@famouzlj25]

Meta's definition is actually "most effective tatics available" and i should definitely subscribe to this yii arknights guy

[@MinuteBean]

Meta's definition is actually "most effective tatics available " and i should definitely subscribe to this yii arknights guy

[@blanked5125]

Meta's definition is actually "most effective tatics available " and i should definitely subscribe to this yii arknights guy

[@Sora0502]

I think the "meta" operators are the ones that trivialize the difficulty of the game. You can kill Patriot with low star operators, but you'll need to plan how exactly you'll do it, vs I'll just put Surtr here and let her deal with Patriot. Arknights is a great game because there's no 1 right way to clear a stage, you can be as creative as you want.

[@hunt7533]

Nah, according to the experts with their 1* Reviews, iT's DeFiNiTeLy P2W!

[@CloudStrife0896]

Couldn't have said it better, other games should really take notes of Arknights' game and level design to be able to be cleared by both low-star and high-star operators, without a huge difference in difficulty.

[@amari7782]

@@CloudStrife0896 I mean there are games like FGo where you can increase the lvls of low stars to match the stats of 5 stars and you can clear the game with mostly low stars. The only time you’d really need a 5 star is the major support servants but other than that your golden

[@KuroeNezumi]

The only frustrating thing about arknights is that sometimes to make a clear work you need stats, and with how limited you can get on levels between trying to get more skills and trying to keep every operator at a decent statline to work in general, being a few levels away from a clear and not knowing it is a painful experience. Happened to me during dossoles first run, when only because my hoshi couldn't tank hard enough i wasn't able to clear one of the ex stages, which were necessary to completely get the story content. Besides that, the fact that low * operators depend on a careful balancing act of stats, timing, and luck at times, for ages at a time, really kills the motivation to experiment unless you're a content creator or have run out of things to do or try for, and wants to try making certain things work.

[@misalignedmisanthropist]

@@amari7782 this is why I wish we get e2 for the 3*s even if it might never happen.

[@pfffmarshmallow]

While I understand language evolves, I'm sad that "meta" has largely lost its more interesting meanings. It used to describe how... for example, valuation in competitive games depends on factors external to the game, not just the rules and mechanics. A "metagame" is the game that is created by repeating a specific game over and over. For example, in a CCG, you cannot evaluate cards solely by their inherent quality; you have to also factor in what decks you expect your opponents will be playing. As one kind of deck becomes popular, this will make counter-strategies more effective and thus more popular, which in turn can give rise to strategies to counter THAT, and so on. And so by playing the card game repeatedly, a "metagame" is created and evolves, even as the rules of the base game stay the same. If people want to use "meta" to just mean "best in slot/role/niche," that's fine, I'm not a language prescriptivist. But I feel like we already have plenty of words for that (like "best" or "top tier") but not really one that means "the game created by repeating a game."

[@anzyroadside2374]

Ah, yes, the metagame. Metagaming happens mostly on multiplayer games since it involves playing with other people's mind. In single player games, the metagame is between the developers, the players and the community. If they released new units/mechanics with can be considered superior to previous ones, then generally the players tend to gravitate to them because they're new and superior. Some players will argue otherwise and then the community will have a discussion around it. That "discussion" is another game outside the game generated by developers which keeps the players engaged to the actual game.

[@ZanderTheUnthonkable]

Honestly a pretty interesting thought, although if I might play devils advocate here: I would argue that in a way the highest tier units do have an effect on how people view the meta-level strategy of arknights or secondarily depending on the team the lack thereof. The fact is someone playing with a team of lower raw-strength units will have to usually do a lot more planning/synergizing than someone who can just place thorns, Ch'alter, Mont3r (&mont3r accessories aka kaltsit) and skadance then go get a coffee. From here - arknights undeniably has certain repeated motifs in terms of enemy typing, stage design, etc which form a pattern with enough similarity to potentially decide a "meta" role through repeatedly finding solutions. For many players myself included, we will need to mix up tactics for certain stage/wave types in specific stages to determine the optimal solution with what we have. But what happens when a unit is just so extremely strong it can handle this type of wave in nearly every context? THIS is why/where I think the term meta may have gotten mixed together. A unit which is "Meta" is capable of very consistently beating a specific pattern/wave type in virtually every context. For that player the metagame of solving this repeated type of pattern is essentially gone since said unit single-handedly resolves it. Basically a "meta" unit is a unit which surpasses the "metagame" of the stage design. Surtr is probably the obvious example. It is intentionally meant to be challenging to define the "metagame" of bosses due to their unique mechanics later on. However, surtr in many cases can just flat out bypass whatever metagame or mechanics might exist and often obliterate a solid chunk of the bosses regardless of design. Therefore, we can reasonably say that objectively surtr is "meta" I would agree with you that its a bit too generalized - I feel like there is a line between Overpowered and Meta. Something can be ridiculously strong without utterly invalidating metagame design mechanics.

[@lianzhu6810]

I see "meta" operators as operators that are good in the current or recent hard content. For instance, if HG really wanted, they could release maps that ban or discouraged the current "meta" operators. It would be terrible, but it would change the which operators are considered "meta" without changing their gameplay or strengths. In this case it really fits the original definition of factors "outside" the game. ie: HG bans Eyja from next few CCs. Is eyja now bad? no, she's strong. Is eyja meta? No she's not meta anymore since no one can run her in hard content. Another thing to think about is to consider "meta" operators as "well explored" by the community. This means they have a variety of guides or well known strategies. There can be operators that are strong, but since they're not well explored, not many are using them, or understand how to use them, thus, not "meta". Or to the first point, there are no stages that utilize them.

[@pfffmarshmallow]

@@anzyroadside2374 I definitely understand your use of "meta" here, and it's definitely a fine usage. Bagpipe's release made Myrtle way more popular, that sort of thing. Early story stages rely on slug spam in a way later story stages don't, so "AoE casters and snipers fall out of the meta as you progress through the story" makes perfect sense. I can see where you're coming from. For me, this doesn't satisfy my definition of "meta" because it's the *game* changing, whereas I want to use "meta" to refer to everything that's external to the game. I can see how a new type of enemy that challenges popular approaches to stages (e.g. is Chapter 9's refraction mechanic a dev response to players using Arts damage to clear everything?) is LIKE a metagame shift, but in the end it is still the base game itself that's changing. Likewise, conversations around what is most effective and what is recommended to other players determining the Arknights "meta" makes sense. For example, an initially undervalued operator who ends up becoming popular after being featured in a high-risk CC clear seems like a reasonable thing to call a shift in the "meta," since that's not the game changing. But again, this doesn't fit the original definition of "metagame". It's not that the undervalued operator *actually* became better; people just understood how to use them better. Compare this to a card game, where aggro decks actually ARE better in a meta where you expect opponents to run greedy control decks with limited early-game interaction. As more players start including anti-aggro tools in their decks, aggro decks will start performing worse, even though the game itself (the rules, the cards available) isn't changing. For something to be a metagame change, as I'm using it, it has to be something's efficacy ACTUALLY changing but NOT because the game itself changed, and neither "the community realized an operator is better than they thought" nor "a new operator changed how people build their squads" satisfy both of those conditions at once. Again, I'm no Language Purist, and I think these examples do capture something of what "metagame" originally meant. I'm just explaining what I think is the really interesting original definition because I think it highlights an important concept.

[@pfffmarshmallow]

@@ZanderTheUnthonkable I think this definition of "meta" as it pertains to Arknights is very good, and the closest Arknights has to a "metagame." It still doesn't fit the original definition of metagame, since whatever the developers add -- new operators, repeated motifs, specific challenges -- is by definition a change to the game. But your usage does highlight something interesting and important, so I like it for that reason. It also makes sense to say something like, "I would suggest building Nightingale, not just because she's good right now, but also because the developers have been including heavy AoE Arts damage as a way of challenging players recently, and I expect that trend to continue." That's evaluating Nightingale not just on what 's in the game, but also on stuff that's not in the game YET. Analyzing trends and using "what the devs have done in the past" to try to predict "what the devs will do in the future" is basically a metagame consideration, even if it ultimately manifests as a change to the game. Thanks for the reply, I like your definition.

[@Storn_]

That’s why I use Mosti for mid to high risk cc clears, making your own clears with the ops you like is lot better than blindly following a strat

[@scotty4664]

i think for higher level gameplay the concept of 'meta' is still useful. an obvious example is something like flagpipe for pretty much every dp down3 risk. people shouldn't use units purely because they are meta, but units are 'meta' because they tend to fill one or more essential roles more often than not. considering investments for higher level gameplay are so steep investing in these 'meta' units first is a better option than investing in some niche unit thats useful for one clear for people who are looking into getting into harder gameplay.

[@taufikhidayatullah3221]

I think investing in 4* (and Amiya) of all classes is better than investing in 'meta' unit (such as flagpipe). like you said, those 'meta' is useful for those who want to reach higher level gameplay but how many of us actually care or want those 26+ risk anyway , they are entertaining to watch but very painful to achieve and if I'm not mistaken only less than 10% players managed to clear risk18 in almost every CC and they are clearable without using 'meta' (if you don't count Support unit). anyone can go for 'meta' after they have squad that can deal with AK mechanism, I really won't recommend to today new players (if they are exist) to invest on Bagpipe/Surtr as the very first squad (except Saria).

[@shangri-la-la-la]

How high are we talking? CC risk 30? Cause risk 18 can usually be cleared with fairly weak teams if the strategy is understood.

[@scotty4664]

@@shangri-la-la-la yeah something like risk 30 or max risk week 1 or even midrisk like r24-25+ (a lot of creative clears are still possible in midrisk of course but the investment required is a lot higher)

[@greyfaceofaxe]

@@taufikhidayatullah3221 totally agree. When you have all kinds of instuments, you can finish any stage without boring problems, only with fan problems/challenge.

[@dalgona4819]

When someone asks "Is this squad good?" I ask them "For general content?" because it's hard to assess a 'meta' squad with all the various operators and their niches.

[@swift-pawedteif386]

Now that I think about it….no one has ever asked me because nobody I know has ever heard of this game unless they already hate it. Lonely Doctor walks a harsh path

[@RiseUpToYourAbility]

Yeh those kinds of questions are more for beginners who are still trying to understand the game. People doing high risk cc aren’t really going to ask those kinds of questions because they already have a good grasp of the game

[@AquaticIdealist]

"If I say Saria is better than Blemishine, I deserve to get shot in the head." Love you, Yii. And thank you for this video. On the one hand, there comes a point when people really should use the units they like even if it'll take them a while to clear. Parroting that people should prioritize meta may be "accurate information" in terms of clearing content easily and quickly, but that's not really a one size fits all for people. You've said it before, people have their own reasons to play Arknights or any other game for that matter, and thus people should build who they like. Niche analysis is the way to go because analyzing characters that way will let you know who you might need to help you clear a stage. Blindly saying "just use Surtr" is how you'd fail at CA-5 for example. But hey, I'm a smol brain who's only managed about Risk 20 on CCs, I know nothing, clearly. *Efficiency* is the approach that avoids misinformation and lets players clear content quickly. Oh well, maybe it's less of a hot take to say people should play however they want. Chasing the meta is valid if it makes you happy. Constantly changing your autodeploys and freaking out during attempts at clearing like Vigilo is also valid if it makes you happy. No matter what, I hope Doktahs pull the waifus they want

[@philipek1879]

My biggest risk was 12 -_- Stop the fucking cap my dude risk 20 is a huge accomplishment no need to try to make yourself look like a noob..

[@DelusionalDunmer]

@Arie Elberian That's what he's saying. You don't need to meta to complete the harder parts of the game as long as you actually use your brain.

[@RiseUpToYourAbility]

I think you are forgetting about new, casual and free to play players that are struggling with general content. They are the ones who are reading tier lists and meta strategies. If you only have a limited amount of resources to pull and E2 operators, telling a new player to spend their precious few resources on an operator like surtr or Silver Ash can really help elevate their team comp. Plus new players don’t have the experience and game knowledge to pull off the insane clears that people do with a free to play team because they are new at the game.

[@Mr_Rhodey]

**Brings Red Skadi and Warfarin to buff Folinic instead of bringing an AoE Caster, because science.** Yeah, I like the _"Meta"._ Cheers!

[@q_thelegocreator4191]

You know, now I want to try that

[@CrusherKingZ]

I was thinking in some nasty idea of medicknights with Folinic and Kal but it may need someone else

[@Projekt193]

Interesting.....

[@SirGacha]

Cheers for the meta

[@AquaticIdealist]

@@CrusherKingZ Maybe Silence, if only to help both of them act faster? I figure Silence + Folinic would help deliver pain more efficiently since every buff can count

[@Kronosfall91]

5:42 had me in tears and I don't even know why. Your comedic timing and editing is top tier, man.

[@ignesflemush5527]

Yeah when I try to discuss this I'm so surprised when many people just automatically think better = replace when there's so many aspect to how an operator function. Thank you so much for pointing this out yii!

[@AquaticIdealist]

Well said. I figure most of the backlash against meta is because of the idea that meta units basically replace others. The issue is that there are a lot of units who can do various jobs, and outright dismissing them because they aren't as efficient can be pretty annoying to hear. There are times when I'm basically convinced that people who broadcast the glories of the meta would be happy if 80% of the operators in the game were outright removed. They're inefficient after all, why bother having them in the game?

[@RiseUpToYourAbility]

No one thinks that. If you are confused on why Surtr isn't healing your operators you really need to play through the tutorial again. Give a meta operator to the dumbest of doctors and they can figure out what the operators are good for in a mater of minutes. Do you really need a 30 minute lecture on the nuance of Surtr? Sutr does a lot of damage and can be basically invincible for a set amount of time so drop her in front of problematic enemies and she will take care of them for you. There you go that is all of the nuance and context that you need to know to use Surtr to clear general content. Silverash will swing swing your problem away. Eyja will clear the map of enemies for you. Saria is a good healer for the operators around you and she is pretty tanky. That's the reason why these are meta operators. It is self evident how good they are and they easily good other operator's job. Sure there are more nuance that are important for high risk CC, but the people who are doing high risk CC aren't the same people relying on tier list and videos on meta operators.

[@kyubbikcat2281]

Funnily enough if you remove just one of the effects of Chalter’s S3, the skill becomes more balanced. Remove range expansion: Chalter has Ifrit range but horizontal. It is so strange that two tiles can make such a difference. Remove Slow: She won’t land as many hits as she does now. Remove Armor Pierce: She does less damage. Remove being able to hit twice: This one ESPECIALLY. Most of the time Ch’en deals around 2.5k per shot, but since it hits twice we are talking about 5k damage *without external buffs* to EVERYONE in her range at once. This is why she trivializes H9-1 and makes H9-6 significantly easier.

[@blinddig7525]

basically makes her skill 3 into s1 or 2

[@nataloserlover]

And the icing on the cake is that Ch'en the Holungday does all of this while also following the ammo mechanic! So not only does she have all this utility and damage, but she's also perfectly frugal about it

[@bolvarfordragon7377]

I heard that her "Sticky liquid" originally belonged to Mizuki's skillset, which mean the Chalter we used to have was much more balanced and fun to use than she is now, and Mizuki wasn't that bad before either

[@insanity4981]

I think slow and debuff was meant for muzuki but they gave it to chalter instead

[@goodyfive]

who cares if its balanced, if you want to use a weaker version just use a different skill than just skill 3 lol. Theres already so much busted shit in arknights in the skill 3 category anyways (s3 surtr, s3 silverash, s3 eyja to name a few theres alot more than those 3) so whats another broken one gonna do?

[@yanfly]

The real meta is the enjoyment we've had along the way.

[@mr_hxid]

I totally agree with your arguments about "meta". I've been following some of Kyostinvs Guides for some of the EX stages in the current events. I don't have all my 3* Operators leveled though, so I just swapped them out for "better" 4* and 5* Operators. However, this sometimes meant that I didn't have enough DP to place my Operators in time. Essentially, using "better" characters made the stage harder, lol.

[@Zero747_]

I'd agree with how you tried to define it, and yes it's quite difficult On the one hand, you've got the "flexible and easily effective" units (burst, laneholders, etc), which can serve as a whole to bludgeon problems, or individually to carry a "generic" team. The risk 18/event clearing branch On the other hand, there is the niche group of supporting units (like suzu, spectre, alt skadi) commonly seen in high risk CC Honestly would be nice to have the two split a bit, as units in the former category have been invaluable as a F2P who's finally gotten comfortably established

[@ren0552]

"I Hate Meta!&$@&#" ❌ *"I Love FiamMETA"* ✔️ Truly, the only Operator that could make me save for her and just straight up ignoring everyone else (except for that time a few days ago where I almost spend all of my savings for Blemishine, don't tell anyone! Well..... I'm probably gonna spend some more of it on Radiant Nearl.......). Wishing you all luck out there for anyone who's also pulling for Lady Suffering 👍

[@ramses3033]

The only reason that's making me curious about Suffering is that she has drawbacks and that they were made obvious instead of making another meta op/adding new mechanic in skill (Gnosis)/or that you have to learn to see their drawbacks (hi Mostima) she's like: "I'm not perfect and so are you."

[@ren0552]

@@ramses3033 Yeah she definitely has some drawbacks with the self-burn and Vigor stuff. But personally I think her biggest 'downside' for me is her way of gaining SP, which is attacking enemy. Sure nowadays there are some operators' passive which allow Fiammeta to gain some extra SP like Ch'en and Archetto's passive. But I don't have Archetto (and I don't really have any plans to pull her in the near future since I mostly have enough sniper with Exu, Ash, and even Schwarz), and even though I have Ch'en, most of the time I'd rather put Chalter on my team rather than the original. Idk man, W's natural SP generation just feel way nicer. Not like it's gonna stop me from pulling Fiammeta though. I've decided to bring her to Rhodes Island ever since the first time we see her on Code of Brawl. Even if we can't change her way of gaining SP.......... At least....... I really REALLY want Fiammeta to have something similar to Warfarin's passive which would give her some amount of SP when an enemy dies in her attack range. I bet something like that would be nice........

[@ramses3033]

@@ren0552 finally there's point in raising archetto besides base skill

[@lintecassidy206]

the skinwalker joke fucked me up lmao i didn't expect that

[@TimeKitt]

I've just raised mostima and I have to say... LOVE HER! Welcome to the exciting world of stunlock comps, where your good dps actually stays alive long enough to do something... without having to be surtr.

[@yuperstrikes7358]

Stun resist be like 💀

[@justasandvich7168]

@@yuperstrikes7358 It wipes out the hover attribute of those annoying flyers. Id say that's a massive win

[@TimeKitt]

@@yuperstrikes7358 at least it'll tell you which ones do that. I dont know if lappland will help til I put lappland in danger.

[@yuperstrikes7358]

@@TimeKitt Silence being rng as always.

[@justsomerandomweeb4243]

I love it, when the community hates braindead strategy yet doesnt bother to check if enemy can be silenced.

[@StellarAura]

something tells me that yii hates meta

[@sobriquet1085]

Nice little sequence at 7:10. Good content. You make a lot of insightful distinctions among commonly used terms that I have never thought about nor ever will, so your videos are very niche and not versatile. You should try making more meta videos like .exe's.

[@Sceptera]

I still feel the word META does work in some cases like in CC2, where Angelina was considered Meta (even though overall she isn't) because of her AOE slow and damage and fairly fast skill cycle time worked Extremely well for CC2., Of course other operators that could fill, that gap like Istina S2, Suzuran (s2 permanent min Angelina) and even Podenco, fast skill cycle unlimited target count slow/damage but having a really good Angelina made CC2 MUCH MUCH easier. Overall "meta" can refer to specific content, again Scene is considered one of the best operators for Integrated Strategies., there are other operators but she does the JOb the best. Otherwise she is considered not as great in overall content. Basically "Meta" is trivializing content with specific operators whom do their job best in their specific field, i guess.

[@ReCrystX]

Stage has a long line with ranged tile on the end? Ifrit Stage has a boss? Surtr Boss has res? Pair with buffer/debuffer Stage has a lot of enemies? La Pluma, Mudrock s2, aoe Caster, Mint Stage has a lot of enemies to be assassinated? Red, Phantom, Scene All of the above? Chalter

[@thanoof]

The answer to "Boss has res?" made me chuckle There are very few operators in this game that can debuff RES, and buffing arts damage is worse than debuffing RES itself, so it is always better to just use physical damage. Just use Schwarz and/or Skadi lol.

[@CC-vp1on]

I don't talk about a "meta" in Arknights or most other games. I usually refer to something like "Best in Slot" or similar language depending on the game-- that is, talking about what characters fulfill a role the best when compared to the other available units that can fill that role in some capacity. In this case, I can usually say that someone is better than another, because the topic being addressed is the niche or role in question. Though this is probably from my time with Azur Lane, where "waifu > meta" all day long.

[@YandereENjoyer4469]

Forget surtur meta and embrace Amiya Pog meta, Although If I was the developer of this game I would make Amiya the most broken unit and make the hardest stage in Arknights the only way to unlock her broken abilitys.

[@AquaticIdealist]

I guess the sad part is, even against a boss where Guardmiya S2 would destroy it, Surtr would still be an effective "replacement"....

[@YandereENjoyer4469]

@@AquaticIdealist Actually I have to hardly disagree with you because you said "effective not efficient". In term of effectiveness Amiya wins in when it comes to boss killing. I know it sounds crazy but hear me out. Let's go to 7-18 for example. I have personally compared LV 90 S3 M3 surtur to LV 50 S3 rank 7 Amiya with handicap of 1 mine only, 1st phase and 2nd phase with 2 mines only and results are obvious surtur does 1103 DMG/ hit compared to 1732 DMG/hit and Surtur still couldn't kill patriot first phase in one skill duration but Amiya did with 4sec of skill time remaining. As for Tallulah Surtur sure kills Tallulah easy with spawn camp strategy but see still dies twice in order to kill that is same as patriot case. Amiya on the other hand is alive with S1 and dodging her attacks while skill activation and gives you enough time to charge your Healers skill for second phase. Its true surtur is the most efficient boss killer but the most effective nah!, it depends upon situation.

[@adrianeckert6529]

One of things I like is the variety in ways you beat most stages. The one true way bores me. Also I have seen where a 6 star high DP squad lose and a 4-5 star low DP squad succeeded. And no Myrtle is not the answer unless you also have Texas. ;)

[@mochithepooh5368]

Yeee now I rarely use the meta ops and shifting towards more 'fun' and waifu ops. Then I proceed to forgets about them until I see Silvergun use them lol. Also crips mic right there.

[@SUKMADIK-zi1gz]

KyostinV: What is that Meta? whatever you are you Whaler, Poseidon or The whole Ocean, you will Come to Me and Watching my Walkthrough to Complete the Stage that you can't Beat

[@rosaandujar6992]

I'm currently playing the CN version and honestly had to get to Ch'en alter due to my team being mostly made up of operators who deal more arts damage than physical, currently I only have Mountain for physical (and possibly then Executor ). However, that doesn't stop me from continuing to play with those operators I love to play with even if they are “ineffective” for the job. For example, I love the synergy of Passenger and Gnosis, since Passenger's weaknesses complement Gnosis's and vice versa, although well, someone could possibly say that they are bad when in reality they are a bomb together. I know this because I take the time to get to know my characters and know their pros and cons when using them, as opposed to the “meta” that is just deploying the character and letting them do their thing.

[@Zuikaku]

the fact that chalter s3 slow/def reduction works on stealthed enemies is kinda wtf Edit: also totally agree on the niche analysis segment wrt high level play; you bring what you need and not necessarily "meta" skyfire best op

[@rezapakpahan7083]

Chalter's Sticky Water is interestingly considered as an Enviromental Effect, just like Heat Pump, so it can affect even Invisible enemies.

[@The_Vernster]

As a filthy Surtr simp i still like to build other operators cuz i know its still a matter of how you utilize your operators instead of just building them cuz some website or community says they’re good or bad lol

[@runeritari3]

I count meta as end game content sqiads which is buff army (max risk CC) or if i say certain operator is meta which means operator is used 90% of time which is surtr and chalter(i know chalter shouldnt be here beacuse most players dont prob have her) in general use like mudrick bagflags etc Beacuse in the end surtr and chalter are used always if someone has them. But i guess better tiering is Overused (OU) Rarely used (RU) Never used (NU) Moderately used (MU)

[@kiarime]

I rarely/try not to use chalter or surtr in Avery stage because it's really fun when you have to think your way out of the situation and if the stage is really hard i will pick only one of them

[@Bing35P]

Dominant strategy, when you're given the ultimate method of dealing with an obstacle, you're always gonna use it But this is arknights, there are restrictive challenges, dp generation, deployment limit, map disadvantages, even if Chalter is 'broken', she can't block ground enemies, high dp cost, can't generate dp, the only true meta is always gonna be Myrtle

[@furnoprime9439]

Myrtle gang rise up!

[@RiseUpToYourAbility]

I mean even the most green of doctors can figure that out pretty quickly. Like no one is going to drop Chalter down as a defender or medic or use surtr as an antiair. Like knowing that sniper can't block is kind of the bare minimum knowledge.

[@thebigrere]

So, in short, good players don't look at the placement in a tier list, but at characters kits

[@aldovk6681]

"It implies that there's a set strategy everyone follows and that's untrue" Mate... you get the surtr you pop the surtr, then you win... that is the set strategy 🤣 Edit: apparently some people got butthurt lmao

[@kosmosXcannon]

shwing shwing also works remarkedly well

[@josephkim9974]

Me with Mountain, Ch'en Alter, Surtr and Thorns and always use them: u right

[@ramses3033]

@@josephkim9974 The only reason I'm still using meta ops (and I literally mean the only one) is that I DIDN'T RAISE ANYTHING ELSE

[@rezapakpahan7083]

The untrue part is the "Everyone Follows".

[@justasandvich7168]

Sadly didn't help me much in H9-1 with the hovercrafts

[@maniacmohawk5513]

If battle cats has taught me something, is that while meta makes life easier, isn’t always enjoyable, doing a hard stage with your own lineup and winning feels… great

[@RiseUpToYourAbility]

Yeh but using your materials on raising a niche operator that is great for one stage and then being stuck on the next one because you don’t have the right operators for the job and have to grind for a few weeks just to raise another operator to beat that stage is shitty. Niche operators are like motorcycles. They are fun to ride, but if they are your only mode of transportation then your life is going be hard. Meta operators are like the Honda and Toyota. They aren’t “fun” but you will need them 99% of the time to do groceries, go to work, up people up. When someone is buying their first vehicle a motorcycle is terrible advice.

[@Kristhanos]

Mostima just casually "ザワールド" and leave

[@DStarLugia]

for me Meta ops are the 6 stars which have been used to clear high cc for example, or known to be extremely strong due to multiple factors or just 1. meta operators tend to be useful in any stage not just in a few. there aren't many stages where exu sucks or saria and thorns.

[@devotedhoshiyomi]

Damn I'm really feeling that new mic

[@aerrislag]

I think the newest Annihilation map (Long Spring Wastes) is a really good check for good doctors. There are lots of planning and strategies... limited reinforces walls and things. I had change strategy about 2 weeks for a perfect auto(because I tried lots of things on that map)... bit frustrated, but fun by the way.

[@tejoadi4349]

Aoe caster are king

[@xin6341]

Aoe check

[@tpay_6887]

The problem with annihilation us that problems usually start after 15 minutes if AFK game play with you losing some in game and irl sanity if some kind if ghost or summon just slips by and you have to repeat everything all over again and wait again.

[@xin6341]

That's why you set a kill zone

[@myatthu7165]

Me who just chanalter'ed the entire thing: *sure*

[@decaymodi]

holy shit you sound so good now

[@HiImYii]

i hope youre joking

[@axrs7007]

@@HiImYii Nothing changed 😶

[@decaymodi]

@@HiImYii :)

[@Kleowi]

Surtr isn't meta. She's a hammer in a world of nails. When I want something gone, I plop her down, let her warm up a bit and every nail is gone. Lord Kyo though is the real meta.

[@MrAsh1100]

And that's the reason why "meta" isn't always the case. Its only meta if you know how to actually use em. It makes the game and stages easier, sure but its not a foolproof solution.

[@chirppybunscomics8378]

PLACE MELANTHA HERE

[@Orlando_P]

In My experience strategies arpund surtir are interesting cause in resume: "Idont know how but we should survive the next 60 seg ay all cost"

[@TiburionGG]

We can Co-exist so long META players don't make too much noise

[@darklonginus8737]

Thanks yii, you've enlighten me. As I'm about to not pull for my next harem waifu (fartooth) because she's not a meta, your video about meta just comes at the perfect timing. I salute you yii.

[@ItzGabrieel]

Totally agree with 6:40, anyone seen that CC#8 where they used Blacknight to endless stall, like holy shit thats so big brain, or where they used cuora skill to not hit flagbearears on CC#3

[@wollyram6248]

Given the opportunity, gamers will optimize all fun and verity out of a game. In turn based games, we will find every way possible to brake the action economy. In real time games, we will exploit every on-demand hard CC, and pester the devs for more.

[@QuartaPanda]

For me when I say meta I tend to mean a unit I feel can be used in 90% of situations, examples are any unit with self sustain (Thorns, Mountain, Specter, etc.), and the reason I chose this example cause I tend to call a unit meta when I feel they can work as a catalyst to carry a map, or a supporter to make the map less difficult. So with that in mind most units I feel the AK community calls meta fall into my definition. Although I think it's silly for an operators selling point on whether someone should pull or not is determined by them being meta. Arknights is not a game carried by single units alone, those meta units still need other units to help them in some way. All in all I think Arknights is a game you can play very easily while ignoring meta because regardless of what units you have it's always about how you use them, and that differs from stage to stage.

[@RiseUpToYourAbility]

Yeh but for a new player pulling a chalter or silverash or ejya can make a world of difference for them. I've been playing arknights for over a year, and I have raised a lot of operators that can tackle any situation. However, I still remember the first few months that I started playing, and pulling an ejya was god send that made the difference between being able to progress in the game vs being stuck on the same stage for weeks. This whole just build whoever you want can be a huge pitfall to new players.

[@Bongyes]

Meta in Arknights i think refers to operators who excel in multiple niches at once and can replace multiple operators at once, making some operators unquestionably obsolete (in terms of pure power and battlefield performance anyway) Chalter is "best" example, cause she does AoE, DPS and crowd control at the same time for a long time too. Her existence basically means other AoE unit (even arts ones - Damage of Chalter is just that insane) can be easily replaced in vast majority of circumstances. Other popular example is Surtr, since her kit makes her insanely good DPS and insanely good tank (5000 bonus HP is a lot) for just enough time to kill most bosses. This makes her number 1 choice for almost all bosses in the game. basically if you dont take Surtr, you are making bosses from chapters 1-8 harder for yourself on purpose.

[@jonnevitu4979]

The fact I grew a spoiled Dokuta by Lappland in this a month and a half Im playing this game because she can hit drones shows how important cool niches can be. Oh and also, Im a S1 user most of the time cuz infinite duration for more atk and dodge chance is just too good man...

[@natqan]

New Mic ASMR Intro... Pog

[@sansthemedic8581]

I'm a total brainlet when it comes to high level gameplay of ANY game, so I can't speak much on the mechanical talk of the video... But I want to say you managed to make me actually vocally laugh 3 times in this video; so your comedy is pretty on point

[@barbos1507]

I'd change the word "versatile" with "ease of use". For example, you can press 1 button and win or you can make a complex strategy with specific timings...you get the point.

[@govinlock8568]

The good thing for Arknights is it doesn't have any ranking system at all. Only daily or new tasks, new operators and new stages that made me keep playing. Ranking system in gacha games has damaged my mental for a while.

[@wis7604]

dude the thing at 2:00 is actually quite cool. good job

[@Thesupremeone34]

meta doesn't mean "most effective whatever", meta means its the most commonly used solution to a given problem by the game's community. This term comes from "metagame", being all the things that are understood to affect gameplay wich are themselves not part of the gameplay, such as the community. The greek prefix meta meaning "more comprehensive" or "transcending." "is it meta" literally means "is it popular" if a new character was meta, it means they fit into the role the community would expect them to have in the normal playstyle, that's it.

[@twinblade273]

The term meta has degraded to the point where it just means "convenient and popular". Eunectes and Rosa are strong and even somewhat versatile in experienced hands, but they're not meta because they have a mild learning curve, and aren't featured as much.

[@RiseUpToYourAbility]

yeh in experienced hands. Not all people are experienced at Arknights and there are a lot of new players who have very few resources. There is no way I’m going to advice a new player struggling to complete general content to pull for Eunectes and Rosa. It takes days of grind to gather the resources and LMD to e2 and operator and it can be very disheartening when they don’t make the impact on your team that you are looking for.

[@bluerazor2380]

that cc4 music at the beginning was nostalgic

[@Primo1her]

I’m just a unknown Thorns, SA and Surtr hater who cry’s every time when someone say eyja is the best aoe caster TT oh nice video btw

[@bobjoe258]

I think ch'alter is good in the niche of deleting all the ground thingies that make ur hp go down and lose the stage. Sure she doesn't hit drones like mostima, but she sure as hell replaces half the dps options in any stage without drones. And yes, replaces. There's no shot arene's niche of arts damage trumps chalt'ers "niche" of deleting everything, unless HG releases an enemy with 5K defense and 0 res. Like, niches are important but there's also times when big numbers trump niches, since ultimately the goal of every niche is to make all enemy hp bars to go to 0. Frostleaf has the niche of being a ranged applyer of slow that has block 2, but the slow niche doesn't matter when mylnar can make their movement speed 0. Forever. There's a reason most high-end clears without operator restrictions like class-knights (e.g. high risk cc) always feature the same 10% of operators except for rare cases like skyfire having a 6s stun (which are *not* the norm, even then the other operators in the squad was like flagpipe surtr weedy). Of course when operators aren't exactly the same they can't be replaced because in theory HG could always release an enemy that reads "if this unit is not killed by Frostleaf, take -1000 objective damage and deletes your account" and then frostleaf will be good. But at some point niches are so *niche* that it's worth asking how often a stage will actually require the niche and when operators with generically bigger numbers will render other niches useless. I think yii even talks about it when explaining why lappland usage went down. She still has the same niche, but powercreep happens not only within niches, but between them as well. Killing enemies is always another way of silencing them. At some fundamental level, numbers *matter* and not just within a specific niche.

[@MajorJak]

I mainly worry people will worry too much about only ever using meta instead of trying something unique on their own. This is still meant to be a strategy game where you are required to think about/experiment/fail the LEVEL and not 'oh I don't have this one specific unit so I can't do this'. "Nothing is meta, therefore build Mr.Nothing" by No-thing

[@AquaticIdealist]

"I'm Nothing and I approve this message"

[@haruharu0w0]

Love your video sir, clearing chapter 9 with Blitz as main defender is really sanity pain 😂 but it worthed (hopefully blitz didnt smack my head after his glock overheated so much after using his S2M3 a lot)

[@acridcesium_9971]

For me, meta has meant "best in role". So for example I would say something like Dusk is meta, but qualify that by saying she's the meta AOE caster, with more general descriptions like Eyja being meta arts damage indicating a more overall powerful op. This way also lets both Flagpipe be meta for pure DP gen, but Saga is the meta for vanguards in general, which also shows that Flagpipe is usually more powerful since Vanguards are normally means to the end of DP gen. There are some edge cases where this fails though, namely with really broad categories like entire classes (except maybe medics), and when you use multiple categories at once, like saying you want the meta stall and physical damage the only real option is Rosa or pushers so it's Rosa or Weedy. The main reason I use this system over a standard sort within archetype method is that it better accounts for (currently) one of a kind units that fulfill an existing role like La Pluma or Kal.

[@WarBear_]

FEater is a meta operator M - mmmmmmm E - i like her :) T - A -

[@kyubbikcat2281]

T - HICC Panda A - nd she knows Kung fu

[@SolidusCone]

I'm lazy and small brain so I use any operators that are decently easy to use

[@thanoof]

I said it before and I will keep saying it over and over again. Tierlists should not be made based on the operators' kits. Tierlists should be made based on stages. If trying to make a tierlist and deciding to put an operator in a certain tier or a different tier gave you headaches because of all the possible arguments that can be brought when debating if they are good or not, all you have to do is to modify the concept and instead make separate tierlists for each stage. And there you go. Ordering operators will be far easier because an operator either sucks or doesn't suck in a certain stage (synergies have to be taken in consideration). There would be no room for debates that way. 7:43 Omg Yii turned himself into Deadpool 😳

[@SimplyNexy]

Overly long rant, that kinda agrees kinda doesn't with the video incoming. TLDR at the bottom. I mean, as memey as it is, META operators are operators that literally do what the word says, how does that interact with the way arknights uses roles and archetypes? Simple, when one operator is the best of it's niche and/or overlaps the use of other niches, those are META, Surtr is meta because she is the best at her niche, for her role she is the Most Effective Tatic Availible, there are other niches in which she isn't the best, yes there are, those will have their own META. "Then every single operator is META?" Yes.....but actually no, if you go wide and consider that each unique feature is a niche then yeah, almost all operators are META in certain situations, but in a more wide way of thinking some operators will overlap the niche of others, one big example is Lappland vs Thorns, both are good operators, both have their niches, but only Thorns is considered META, why is that? That is because in the vast majority of cases you are better killing the enemy fast than silencing them and delaying their death, there's sometimes situations (kinda rare nowadays) that is better to silence then to burst, in those Lappland will be the best pick, the same way Thorns has his own specific situations that make him the best, but that's the crux of the matter, to be a META operator in the wide sense most used, you have the specifics of being the best in your niche, while also being the best or near that in other niches, what makes or breaks operators is their flexibility being able to clear the most amount of situations with the least amount of effort is what makes an operator META. Another example is Surtr vs Mostima, why is Surtr META and Mostima isn't? Simply because Surtr trivializes a LOT more situations than the situations Mostima is the META pick, they aren't competing against each other in the same role, but in the grand scale of things, one is better than the other. Experiences from other games come a bit to this, league of legends, there's over 150 characters, each and every one brings a different tool to the table, some are better than others, so depending on the situation the most effective character to play changes, there's a META for low elo, there's a META for high elo, there's a META for Pros, and there's even champions that are META for specific best of 5 series, all of those are valid METAs, but when the casual crowd think of META, they will think of the characters that are the best in most of these situations. Now connecting that back to arknights, those insane clears have META, the people who pick the operators for them are looking for the META, but not the general play META, they will pick Chalter, if Chalter is the best for that situation, if she is the most effective tactic for that clear. Just like speedrunning, If you have enough runs, enough people doing, eventually you will have one strategy that is the winner, be it the fastest, the most stable, or the easiest to achieve, META as a word should be used as it most pure meaning, as for everything, there's always one thing that is the best, as the word defines. TLDR: META means exactly what it means, and that applies for its niches and should be analysed in a case by case. ALSO TOMIMI IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE TACTIC FOR EVERY SINGLE MAP, DONT @ ME. TLDR 2: META means being Best in Slot for the biggest amount of different situations, but also means being Best in Slot for specific situations if you look at specific situations.

[@prleafg5055]

I think meta means operators with lots of utility, hyper specialized in a rare but useful niche, or are able to do both. Mountain is in the early deployment meta due to low cost, self-healing, damage reduction, 2 block, physical dodge, and great aoe dmg (of anything blocked). He’s one of the best lane holders in the game, along with Thorns and Mudrock; however, he can’t attack aerial units, so you’d bring Thorns instead (or always since Thorns usually has enough ranged physical/arts dmg and self-healing to stay alive). Thorns simply does’t have the tankiness of Mountain and Mudrock, so you’d have to use them instead. Mudrock is pretty damn tanky, but she has high cost and obviously can’t attack aerial enemies. All of them have great dmg, so the philosophy of “anything that’s dead can’t kill me” only adds to their survivability. Surtr is meta due ridiculous ranged aoe arts dmg (ground only), high hp, and her temporary avoidance of retreat passive, but you’d be hard pressed to call her a full-time lane holder in most situations (since she eventually retreats with her nuke skill without medic meme). She’s just extremely useful in killing bosses and tough mobs, but bosses and tough mobs aren’t always present throughout a stage. Plus one can always take down bosses the old fashioned way: keep whacking them till they’re down. Ch’en alter is simply broken. Edit: Watched the rest of the vid, my point was basically stated XD.

[@MoBallin]

meta's definition is actually "most effective tactics avaidable" and i should definetly subscribe to this yii arknights guy

[@Cookiedible]

Actually, meta doesn't mean "most efficient tactics available". It's a retroacronym. Meta just means all the choices the players make that aren't actively enforced by the rules of the game.

[@M416Win94]

Why don’t we just classify things like how the CN community does it: Real Gods Chalter and Surtr, the big 3 Exusiai Eyjafalla Silverash, our father Saria, CORE operators Mountain Murdock Blaze Throns (maybe la pluma and 2 skill Kal’tsit) (debatable) and finally the moody blues.

[@SuperFlamethrower]

Meta is the HG text on the standard banner: rare operator useful in all kinds of stages.

[@EyDouma]

0:11 white pantsu, never gets old

[@LordSauron22]

I always say easy mode or playing the game. Surtr, Chalter, Silverash, Thorns make levels easy to complete.* Once you have a decent foundation on the game you can start doing weird shit like Sniperknights (my favourite) or guard/defenderknights. Or you can just breeze through the game using the same champs iver and over again without learning WHY they work the way they do. Although i always have to look up a guide when placing road blocks.......fuck roadblocks

[@justsomerandomweeb4243]

Well so how you farm then did you use full defender?.

[@AquaticIdealist]

AA snipers have relatively low DP costs, and if it gets too tight both Rangers and Kroos can be dropped down quickly. Scary? Yes, but sniperknights for farming should be doable

[@LordSauron22]

@@justsomerandomweeb4243 i never said that i farm with my weird shit as it usually takes to long to farm efficently im saying that instead of using the same 6 "META" champs everytime i like to jazz it up. As far as ive seen there are always different ways to clear a level and you dont need the highest tier of Operator to do it. Im saying that when you play and understand you learn how to do shit. I.e. Sesa skill 2 is powerful when you pair him with a slower. Sesa was designed to attack and deal damage to blocked enemies. Its why he does more damage to them. His S2 further reinforces that. Folinics S2 is super powerful after you learn how to use it too your advantage. Arknights as a whole (imo) is about learning how the game works and how operators interact with terrain, enemies, and other operators. Exu is horrible with Platinum and Manticore (S2) as platinums talent is she gets increased damage the longer she doesnt attack. When Exu gives platinum attack speed that works against Platinum. Same with Manticore S2 when Manticores S2 is procced she will always get her traits 52% increased damage as well as camoes for a tick as the skill lowers her attack speed just long enough to get it off. This lets Manticore survive quite a lot of ranged attacks. But when Exu gives Manticore the attack speed buff she no longer gets the damage increase and cant camo.

[@justsomerandomweeb4243]

@@LordSauron22 so what is your point actually.

[@LordSauron22]

@@justsomerandomweeb4243 learn how to do weird shit its more fun that farming for 2 hours straight

[@Kaes.R]

"an operator is meta" for me personally is bcs of CCs and general content... Like ofc different cc have different meta, so im trying to get those said ops and there's some "meta ops" that always bring on every cc like bagpipe and suzu, and some like general content like thorns etc that make me use less brain capacity... Weedy also for me considered as meta since how many times i have to borrow her on every daily cc... And there's also boss killer meta like ash surtr or balans Basically i will try to get every ops that consider "meta" on every subject especially IS#2 meta like Ling or i forgot who else, but since IS#2 is a permanent game mode, imma lower those op's priority to pull and get the one needed for cc Conclusion: meta is different on each situation, but nonetheless i will always try to get every meta on every single of situations so my i will have literally no brain

[@Kaes.R]

Examples: i always see that siege is niche and if you're a metafags, just use flagpipe combo... Nah for me Siege also "meta" for afk strats/anni bcs i can just deploy and sleep without needing to activate skills

[@dgod6733]

When I first heard the term "meta" it was during the earlier days of EvE online and it was in reference to the metagame of EvE (ie the game within, or outside, the game of "political/espionage" maneuvering); now I have no real clue what people mean by meta and frankly I dont care Because Waifu/Husbando > Meta

[@yume6423]

meta's definition is actually "texas alter"

[@longsteinpufferbatch4949]

As a person who has all meta, i can confirm i hate meta too.

[@RiseUpToYourAbility]

Yeh that is because you already have meta operators and are looking for a challenge. Beginners need meta operators to make the game somewhat fun. They don't understand timing and strategy to the extend that an experience player does.

[@Eniteee]

I'm here just to increase KZbin algorithms As expected from the only arknights content creator

[@kerduslegend2644]

Meta to me is basically means an operator that when you put it on field the enemy's disappear

[@joshwew9551]

5:46 Yii: I missed the part that where that's my problem.

[@reallyreallywrong2228]

The best META feature of arknights will always be the all mighty mines at chapter 7, can solo patriot phase 1 without help and kills him with only 14 blows without losing HP and its free...

[@chifi6605]

Whenever I refer to meta ops without some sort of identifier like "cc6 meta" I would be referring to operators which commonly fall into metas in a majority of situations. For example, Surtr, she isn't really meta in cc8 from the clears I've seen. Certainly, she's useful, but not the meta for max risk week 2 at least, I'm not quite sure about week 1. However, I would say she is meta because generally speaking she is meta in most situations. Overall, I agree with your versatility claim about how meta is used in arknights and how niches do change who might be meta in various situations.

[@rendidatriansyah6103]

should we change META terms to ULBA (Use Less Brain Available) to define or tier the operator?

[@AquaticIdealist]

Probably OG, optimized gameplay Or fine, EG, easier gameplay. That's basically what it boils down to after all

[@DylanoRevs]

To me, Meta is just the easy way out if you cant pass a stage. That is why i always use different ops for a stage, for a challenge.

[@ogoniasty3423]

This says a lot about Yii arknights

[@Nat11us]

meta's definition is actually "most effective tactics available" and i should definitely subscribe to yii arknights guy (why i type this?)

[@MyrdinAnnoth]

Mostima nooooohohooo :D Come on girl! You cant be stealing candy from the amnesiac girl!

[@ErrorNameNotFound-dg7gd]

Chalter and Surtr very good because they carried me through R8-8 and kill everything without help. I suggest using Chalter and Surtr for the drones if you're stuck in R8-8

[@Pramit2000]

Well, if you are asking about versatility you need to have options. Operators have certain nieces in certain situation but do you have those operator when you get in that situation? When you are a new players you will only have 1 option of operators. You look at rankings and choose the topmost one to help you clear faster. After long time when you have options of operators you look at nieces and ignore meta.

[@St33ldancer]

*unga bungas his way through each event using most powerful DPS units available*

[@A_Random_Dude_Typing_Nonsense]

I dont know man i just use strategies instead of sought after operators

[@NikkiTheViolist]

i thought 'meta' meant, like, metatextual like breaking the 4th wall or something like Conviction

[@OhHeyItIsNano]

Time to bring out the Abyssal Hunters.

[@YataTheFifteenth]

yes. fish army is enough.

[@yearslate9349]

Competitive meta or no, I still love that Arknights is challenging enough to make self-imposed challenges actually interesting.

[@miguelarrieiro]

What I can think about what "meta" fits in Arknights are operators who can abuse their weaknesses, turning them into necessities due to their overpower Look to Chalter: her high dp cost comes to nerf her deployment time and not be used to clear the first waves, otherwise she would be used for rush clears; also Surtr have her hp draining in her S3 for the same reason, but compared to bosses "Meta" in Arknights I can define as someone so powerful their class traits came to nerf them, instead of turning them into more broken ops

[@joaquerj9344]

Yeah, I also hate Facebook. Wait what

[@hijeffhere]

5:39 I don't know how I easily understood what Surtr said here.

[@madderred7853]

'meta' stands for 'i bring tequila and hoshi buffed by skalter to reflect max damage'

[@Trostspender]

Good video. The game is not balanced around E2 which means you can do whatever you want and everything is viable. However, sometimes you want to skip a map you hate and that's when it's nice to have a friend to borrow Surtr, SA and Chalter from. Self-imposed challenges are really fun though and optimising a map you like until you get the clear just right is what keeps me engaged.

[@zhan2780]

time is relative

[@niallk9336]

"force multiplier" is basically what it means. A lot of things are force multipliers. Navy SEALs. C130 Gunships. ... or, as Russia is finding out the hard way, DJI drones.