It is time for [Meca Ranking] featuring 'Seven Knights Re:BIRTH' (hereafter 'SKRB'). Usually, the second week after a new hero update brings a sense of stability to Arena pick rates. However, since the arrival of 'Aris', things have been anything but ordinary. While defensive compositions still dominate the top tier, their pick rates have taken a significant nosedive. Let’s dive into the shifting trends with our latest Arena team composition data.

The 'Instant Death' deck cements its meta status

Defensive decks, anchored by 'Clemis', have been dictating the meta for some time. This week, they hovered just below the 50% mark in total pick rates. While still popular, that’s a sharp decline of over 20 percentage points compared to last week. Usually, we expect metrics to solidify by the second week of an update, but this current volatility is quite the anomaly.

This shift is largely due to the resurgence of offensive and instant-death decks. Heroes in offensive compositions, led by 'Dellons', saw a 13.7% point jump in pick rates, while instant-death party members like 'Mist' surged by 9.7% points. With both parties applying pressure simultaneously, the defensive meta at the top had no choice but to buckle.

Looking at the flow through the lens of party synergy, the first factor is the rise of the instant-death deck to counter defensive setups. Following the last update, the survivability of the magic-type hero 'Jury' skyrocketed, and with lowered setting requirements, the instant-death deck has become a go-to choice. Once the defensive meta took hold, the instant-death deck seized the favorable match-up. With defensive decks retreating and instant-death decks increasing, offensive decks finally found some breathing room.

Meanwhile, the magic deck has been squeezed out, finding no foothold in the current Arena. Excluding Jury, every magic-type hero has fallen off the chart, languishing at a 2% pick rate. To make matters worse, even Jury is being utilized primarily in instant-death decks rather than as a core magic-type pick.

The 'Protection Formation' and 'Melpar' soar alongside instant-death heroes

The success of instant-death heroes has naturally boosted their associated settings. The 'Protection Formation' is favored for positioning 'Mist' as the primary dealer. While some top-tier players have experimented with 'Chris' as an additional dealer in the 'Balance Formation', the majority are sticking to a Mist-centric instant-death strategy, bolstered by the pet 'Melpar' to maximise the instant-death proc rate.

As mentioned, the defensive deck remains the best pick of the week, but the instant-death deck is our designated 'Focus Pick' for its ability to dismantle those defenses. Defensive decks boast high durability with three awakened heroes, but they are rendered useless in the face of instant death. Player 'Banbul', who finished 3rd on Server 4 with 7,005 points, proved this deck's viability. It has also shown real-world efficacy in high-level Arena defensive teams. It will be interesting to see if this 'Defensive - Instant Death - Offensive' rock-paper-scissors dynamic persists after the next update.

High-level Arena defensive team pick rate analysis

※ High-level Arena defensive team pick rates were recorded as of 10:30 AM on July 22.
※ Data is based on the defensive teams of the top 100 ranked players.
※ Current defensive team information may vary slightly.

The high-level Arena also requires a close look at the instant-death meta. With roughly 15 hours left until the reset, the top 100 defensive team charts show a 6% point swap between defensive and offensive decks, while the instant-death deck dipped by 1% point. In short, it’s a stalemate. Given the nature of high-level Arena, instant-death decks are essentially treated as 'climbing-control parties.' Having established themselves as a pillar of the PvP meta, they are maintaining a solid 10% pick rate.

Looking at party member fluctuations, it is interesting to see 'Lina' in defensive teams and 'Gelidus' in instant-death teams. The former was brought in for extra sustain, while the latter adds status ailments to the instant-death rotation. Given that the pick rate drops for 'Radgrid' and 'Akila' mirror these additions, it seems like a clear case of heroes swapping seats in the meta.

Clear deck of the week - Tower of Ordeal floor 9

If there is one floor that defines difficulty in this season's Tower of Ordeal, it is floor 9. It is guarded by 'Kagura', a name that carries a notorious reputation. Veterans who have consistently conquered the tower will likely know the standard strategy to defeat her. With the introduction of the Awakening system, using 'Awakened Heavnia' has significantly reduced the average number of turns required for a clear.

However, Kagura is not to be underestimated. As shown in the image above, you must prepare for at least 76 turns, though some adventurers took as many as 163 turns with the same composition. Older compositions required up to 188 turns, emphasizing the need to plan for a war of attrition. 'Bai Long', 'Daisy', or 'Sun Wukong' are solid choices for your main dealer.

The strategy is simple: counter Kagura whenever 'Liberation - Eight Snake Blade' is used by employing turn-based buff reduction. Upon using this skill, Kagura gains 'All Damage Immunity' for 3 turns. If you allow her to follow up with 'Liberation - Snake Hunt', she will apply a 5-turn 'Petrify' alongside a turn-based buff reduction on your team. Therefore, stripping that damage immunity immediately is crucial. Since standard buff removal won't work, ensure you alternate between 'Elysia's' 'Starlight Fall' and 'Rudy's' 'Charge' to apply the necessary turn-based buff reduction. Best of luck!