Aniimo Dark Builds: Best Build for Every Dark Aniimo (Update 1.1)
Best builds · Dark
Aniimo Dark Builds: Best Build for Every Dark Aniimo (Update 1.1)
Dark has four S-tier units and the best coverage in the game: it hits Grass, Lightning and Light for 1.6×, and only Water and Wind resist it. Here is the held item, contract, personality, skills and team for every released Dark Aniimo, plus the Fragrancier and Hexxin engine that makes them hit hard.
Update 1.1 · Oct 202610 Dark builds incl. Prismana and Nighttime formsGame8 builds, GameWith tiers, Kairos tips
Dark at a glance
Game8 calls Dark the element with the most offensive coverage. It is also the only element that isn't resisted by itself, so a Dark team handles Dark shields at full damage. The catch is defense: Dark resists only Earth.
Dark hits for 1.6×
3
GrassLightningLight
Dark is resisted (0.625×)
2
WaterWind. Dark into Dark is neutral (1×).
Dark takes 1.6× from
2
WindLight. It resists only Earth.
Neutral targets are Fire, Ice, Earth and Dark. Game8 lists Wind into Dark as a hard counter (Wind deals 1.6× to Dark and resists Dark back), so Wind fights are the one place to leave your Dark team at home.
🎬
Kairos: the 2.56× double weakness
A target weak to Dark twice takes 1.6 × 1.6 = 2.56×. His example is Prismana Fulmintis (Lightning + Light). From the type chart, Prismana Fenmane and Prismana Luminelle (Light + Lightning) are the same story 12:41
Every Dark Aniimo, ranked
Ranked by Game8's overall tier (Oct 6), best first. Dual-element units whose Game8 ranking sits under their other element are marked. GameWith (Oct 14) is shown where it rates the unit.
Inferlupa (Fire + Dark, Game8 S, GameWith S+) is a Fire-first breaker covered in the Fire guide, but its basic attacks deal Dark damage, so it feeds Hexxin's Curse and Fragrancier's mark in a Dark team. Game8 also ranks Prismana Ignitis, Highland Ignitis, Prismana Pawney, Mountain Woods Pawney, Mountain Woods Rookey, Prismana Hexxin and Mountain Hexxin at A with no separate build: use the base build below.
Dark DPS builds
Pick by playstyle: Stellarys is the ranged pick and Game8's team centerpiece, Ignitis is a basic-attack executioner, and Pawney spams cheap skills. All three run the same support core.
Stellarys
DARK · DPS · NOVA
Stellarys
DarkDPSAlpha in Forest of Falling Stars
S
A ranged Magic DPS that snowballs. Each Shooting Stars hit gives +1% damage (up to 15 stacks), and Shadow Magic leaves an untargetable clone for 20s that copies its basic attacks and skills at 20% damage, so the clone stacks stars and benefits from every support buff too. Shadow Magic also breaks control effects.
Held itemFission Needles (Game8 unit page; Game8's build list, GameWith and Kairos use Ferocious Fang)
ContractYes: Shooting Stars fires 5 stars instead of 3 and the Damage Boost caps at 20 instead of 15
PersonalityISTP on Game8 (I Regen, S damage, T, P) (Kairos runs Energetic + Practical)
Ultimate / traitComet Aureus · Grand Sorcerer (for 5s after a skill, basic hits add 5 Might)
Rotation: Fragrancier's Secret Fragrance Mark, Hexxin's Black Hole Domain + Euphoric Sonic Blast → Rookey breaks → re-mark with Fragrancier, Hexxin again for Curse → Stellarys: Shadow Magic, then Shooting Stars, weaving basics between casts until the window closes → Regen. Best team: Rookey, Fragrancier, Hexxin (Somniwing for Hexxin). Evolves from: Celestis (Lv 18 + Night Stone ×3, after beating Alpha Stellarys). Learnable: Chill Glide (catch a Prismana Stellarys), Aquatic Glide (catch a Rainstorm Stellarys; each hit drains 3 Energy).
🎬
Kairos's Stellarys build
Attack first, then Regen, then a few points in defenses. No Break: he'd rather bring a dedicated Dark breaker. His top two personality slots are Energetic + Practical, which took him 3 Psyche Fruits 15:15. A maxed Ferocious Fang took his Stellarys from 25% to 65% damage amp 9:25
⚠️
Source conflict: item and personality
Game8's Stellarys page (newer) says Fission Needles + ISTP; Game8's List of All Builds (Oct 2) and GameWith say Ferocious Fang, and Kairos plays E/S. Both items are damage-amp DPS items. Fission Needles favors heavy basic-attack use (Grand Sorcerer and the clone); Ferocious Fang is the safe all-rounder.
Prismana
DARK + ICE · DPS · PRISMANA
Prismana Stellarys
DarkIceDPSPrismana Flow
A
Same build, contract and team as Stellarys (Game8 A). Its exclusive Chill Glide drops Ice stars and stacks Ice Debuff, but Game8 says it adds nothing to the team. The real differences are defensive.
Weak to (1.6×)Wind and Light (Dark), plus Fire (Ice)
ResistsWater, Ice and Lightning. Earth becomes neutral
WhereUnder the star tree south of Alpha Stellarys during a Prismana Flow. One per Flow, no respawn
Kairos: a great DPS but not a safe first Prismana because of those extra weaknesses 1:00. To farm one, catch anything in the Forest of Falling Stars with Basic Aniipods for Lucky Strikes, ideally during a Celestis Vein Abundance 1:27. Chill Glide on a regular Stellarys loses the 10% same-type bonus 22:30
Ignitis
DARK · DPS · NOVA
Ignitis
DarkDPSAlpha in Berylline Vale (night)
S
A melee executioner. Scythe Dance hits 4 times for +4% damage each (up to +32% for 10s), basic attacks fill the gaps, and Dark Soul gains +1% damage per 1% HP the target is missing below 50%, with a free recast on a kill. Battle Fervor adds +25% damage per kill (2 stacks), which shines in multi-enemy fights.
Held itemFission Needles (GameWith: Ferocious Fang)
ContractOptional: Dark Soul becomes a wide-area hit and starts scaling below 70% HP instead of 50%. Game8 gives no verdict
PersonalityENFP (N for crit, since it attacks a lot; F/P for balanced defense)
Rotation: supports and Rookey as for Stellarys → Ignitis: Scythe Dance twice to cap the buff → basics, Scythe Dance and Dimension Rupture → Dark Soul as the window closes, when the target is lowest. Best team: Rookey, Fragrancier, Hexxin. Evolves from: Wisptis (Lv 29 + Night Stone ×3, after defeating 3 Wisptis of your own form in a row). With a Fulminous Soul, Wisptis becomes Fulmintis instead. Learnable: Forest Whirl (catch a Forest Wisptis or Ignitis), Fire Dash (catch a Prismana Ignitis; 5s Super Armor).
Pawney
DARK · DPS · NOVA
Pawney
DarkDPSEvolve only (Russet Highlands)
S
A break-window specialist. Pursuit gives +30% Damage Amp against Controlled or broken targets, and its ultimate Ironclad Armament adds another +30% against broken targets (plus +10% EP recovery for 15s), then recasts into Dragon Slayer Strike. Its two skills are cheap and short-cooldown, which suits Echoing Grimoire.
Held itemEchoing Grimoire (GameWith: Ferocious Fang)
ContractNo: Shadow Cut gains interrupt resistance and movement but no damage
PersonalityENFP (E and N boost basic attacks; F/P defenses)
Equip skillsShadow Cut + Weakening Slam (3 casts; the third stuns weaker enemies for 1s)
Rotation: Rookey breaks → supports → Pawney: Ironclad Armament → Weakening Slam ×3 with basics between casts → Shadow Cut if the target is stationary → recast the ultimate for Dragon Slayer Strike before the buff or the break ends. Best team: Rookey, Fragrancier, Hexxin. Evolves from: Helmut (Lv 45 + Night Stone ×3, after pulling the Sword of Bravery in the Russet Highlands Journey quest). Pawney can't be caught in the wild. Learnable: Weakening Smash (catch a Snowfield Pawney).
🎬
Kairos on Pawney
He names Pawney as a "sick DPS" Prismana pick, alongside Stellarys and Grizbo, but still recommends Prismana Glacy first because it works in every team 0:00
Nighttime
DARK + ICE · DPS · REGIONAL
Nighttime Glynsera
DarkIceDPSRosetower Woods (night)
B
Its listed primary element is Dark, but it plays as an Ice DPS (A in Game8's Ice ranking): Ice Strikes applies 5 Ice Debuff stacks, Biting Wind gives +15% crit above 5 stacks, and Frost Tail Strike consumes stacks for +85% damage. Its Dark skill Night Slash (4s Silence) is only for PvP and Pathfinder fights.
Held itemHeartseeker Pendant
ContractYes: Frost Tail Strike consumes 5 stacks instead of 10
Ultimate / traitIce Tornado (cast before Frost Tail Strike eats the stacks) · Biting Wind
Best team: Geoclaw, Prismana Glacy, Somniwing (Rookey if you lack Geoclaw). How to get: catch 8 Nighttime Bonesky in a row, then find it in Rosetower Woods at night. It evolves from Nighttime Bonesky → Nighttime Fenrier, at night only. The Dark typing adds Wind and Light weaknesses on top of Fire.
Dark Break builds
Rookey is the most flexible breaker in the game. Game8 puts it at S, it is the breaker in Game8's two best teams (Light and Dark), and its Break scales with P.Def rather than element, so it works even outside Dark teams.
Rookey
DARK · BREAK · NOVA
Rookey
DarkBreakRusset Highlands
S
Guardbreak Resonance adds 1 Break per 5 P.Def, capping at +120 Break at 600 P.Def. Bouncy Sling closes the gap, makes the target take +15% Break damage for 15s, and ricochets up to 10 times between enemies. Guardbreak Slam recasts twice, with a stun on the third hit.
Held itemGargantuan Horn (GameWith: Avenging Gear)
ContractOptional: Bouncy Sling also hits a 2.5 m radius around each target. Game8 gives no verdict
PersonalityESTP. T is a must because the trait scales off P.Def
Ultimate / traitHeavy Slam (big AoE Break) · Guardbreak Resonance
Rotation: Bouncy Sling in, Heavy Slam if ready → Guardbreak Slam, a full basic combo, recast, combo, final recast → repeat until broken → supports → DPS. Best teams: any Dark DPS with Fragrancier + Hexxin, or the Light team (Lunara or Helion, Prismana Glacy or Turbo, Somniwing). Evolves from: Helmut (Lv 45 + Night Stone ×3, after finishing a wild Aniimo with Helmut's Ballistic Guard counter and learning the Unwavering Rampart talent). A wild Rookey stands with three Helmuts south of First Sight Sanctum; sneak up from the cliff for a backstab catch.
💡
Guardbreak Slam vs Guardbreak Smash
Game8 also lists a learnable Guardbreak Smash with the same text, unlocked by catching a Snowfield Helmut or Snowfield Rookey. If your Rookey's list lacks the triple-smash skill, catch one of those. (The same applies to Pawney's Weakening Slam and Snowfield Pawney.)
⚠️
Helmut branches
Helmut evolves into either Pawney or Rookey. Raise two Helmuts if you want both, because they share the same team.
Prismana
DARK + LIGHTNING · BREAK · PRISMANA
Prismana Blazen
DarkLightningBreakBlitzwood, Prismana Flow
A
Listed as Dark first, but Game8 builds and ranks it as a Lightning breaker for Fulmintis teams. Its spam skill Electrified Impact is Lightning (0 cooldown, +5 EP on crit); its exclusive Dark Claw deals Dark damage and Silences for 4s (not on bosses).
Held itemGargantuan Horn (GameWith: Heartseeker Pendant)
ContractNo: −3 EP on Electrified Impact while Overcharged is too small
Ultimate / traitLightning Flash (enters Overcharged) · Power Sustain (5% HP shield, skills −12 EP for 6s)
Use: open with Lightning Flash, then spam Electrified Impact. In a Dark team, Rookey is the better pick because its whole kit is Dark. Best team: Fulmintis, Luminelle, Besauce (see the Lightning guide).
Dark Support and Regen builds
Dark supports are Dark-only amplifiers, and they are why Dark DPS feel so strong. Fragrancier and Hexxin both key off Dark basic attacks; Dreaple stacks raw Dark damage and resistance shred.
Dreaple
DARK · SUPPORT · NOVA
Dreaple
DarkSupportNimbus Fields (event spawn)
A
Game8 A overall but S in its Dark ranking, GameWith S+. Counting Sheep puts Drowsiness on the target every 10s; at 3 stacks it falls into Nightmare: −27% Dark Resistance for 20s and can't act for 3s. Dream Blast adds +20% team Dark damage for 30s. Game8 totals its buffs at up to 85% more Dark damage.
Held itemFerocious Fang (its buffs scale with Attack) (GameWith: Spirited Feather)
ContractNo: Nimbi Attack's return just homes better. Same damage and shred
Ultimate / traitDream Blast (2 Drowsiness + team Dark buff) · Counting Sheep
Rotation: Nimbi Attack, then swap out immediately: the Nimbi keeps flying off-field and still hits twice → Hypnotic Cloud Shot to top up to 3 stacks → Dream Blast if you have spare ult → DPS. Counting Sheep's bonus stack only lands on the first target hit. Evolves from: Nimbi (Lv 21 + Night Stone ×3, after resting with a Nimbi in the party from night to day and learning the Dreamsong talent at Student II). Wild Dreaple appear in Nimbus Fields after the Sleeping Flock event, one per 30 Emberpup-family catches.
Fragrancier
DARK · SUPPORT · NOVA
Fragrancier
DarkSupportSea of Flowers
A
Secret Fragrance Mark makes Dark basic attacks deal +50% damage to marked targets for 20s, and every damaging skill applies −12% Dark Resistance (Dangerous Fragrance). Withering Bloom heals the whole team, even benched members, and doubles if only one target is in range. Fragrance Bomb raises team Dark Elemental Boost.
Held itemMiraculous Fleece (Game8 unit page; Game8's build list and GameWith say Spirited Feather)
ContractGood but low priority: mark bonus becomes +60% with a 25% chance of an extra hit. Strengthen your DPS first
PersonalityISTJ
Equip skillsSecret Fragrance Mark + Withering Bloom
Potential priorityAttack ★★★★★ › HP ★★★★ › Regen ★★★ › rest ★. Game8: aim for 800 Attack to hit the 35% Fragrance Bomb cap, then HP
Ultimate / traitFragrance Bomb (+20% Dark Elemental Boost for 30s, charms) · Dangerous Fragrance
Rotation: mark before the break → recast the mark and Fragrance Bomb right after the break → swap back for Withering Bloom when someone takes damage. Best with: basic-attack DPS such as Ignitis and Pawney. Evolves from: Dewy (Lv 27 + Night Stone ×3).
Hexxin
GRASS + DARK · REGEN · NOVA
Hexxin
GrassDarkRegenMistwoods
A
Grass-first on paper (Game8 ranks it under Grass), but its Regen is built for Dark teams. Every 18s, its next skill Curses enemies for 10s, and Dark basic attacks on Cursed targets restore 0.4 EP each. Euphoric Sonic Blast costs nothing and restores 10 EP; Black Hole Domain pulls small enemies in.
Held itemSpirited Feather (Tier 2 cooldown cut = more Sonic Blasts)
ContractNo: only +5 EP on Euphoric Sonic Blast
PersonalityISTJ (I Regen, J HP)
Equip skillsEuphoric Sonic Blast + Black Hole Domain
Rotation: Black Hole Domain → Euphoric Sonic Blast (applies Curse when Prank is ready) → swap to a DPS that basic-attacks. Evolves from: Hummin (Lv 18 + Night Stone ×3). Learnable: Shard Impact (catch a Mountain Hexxin; 2s stun), Malicious Outburst (catch a Prismana Hexxin; cuts shields the target gains by 44% for 20s). Outside Dark teams it still refills 10 EP per Sonic Blast, which is why Game8 lists it as a Helion backup.
Best Dark teams and rotations
Game8 ranks the Dark team #2 of all teams, behind only the Light team. The template is fixed: a DPS, Rookey, Fragrancier and Hexxin. Swap the DPS to suit the fight.
Game8 #2 team
Stellarys · Rookey · Fragrancier · Hexxin
Stellarys's clone copies its basic attacks and skills, so it benefits from both supports. Melee version: Pawney or Ignitis for Stellarys.
GameWith Dark team
Stellarys · Prismana Turbo · Rookey · Hexxin
Prismana Turbo's Nebula Burst gives teammates +15% Dark damage. GameWith's damage swap: Dreaple for Rookey.
Rotation: Stellarys team, one break window
Fragrancier: Secret Fragrance Mark. Then Hexxin: Black Hole Domain → Euphoric Sonic Blast, to bank EP before the break.
Rookey: Bouncy Sling → Guardbreak Slam chain with basic combos between recasts until the shield pops.
Re-mark with Fragrancier (and Fragrance Bomb if charged), then Hexxin's Sonic Blast so Prank Curses the target.
Stellarys: Shadow Magic, then Shooting Stars, weaving basic attacks to stack damage and Curse EP.
Back to Hexxin or Somniwing for EP when the window ends, and repeat.
Rookey is cheap: a wild one waits south of First Sight Sanctum, and a backstab from the cliff catches it first try. Get it before anything else.
No Hexxin?Somniwing is Game8's listed alternative Regen for every Dark DPS.
No Prismana Turbo? The free tutorial Turbo gives a universal +15 to 30% instead of Dark-only +15%.
No Prismana Stellarys? Celestis are everywhere early on (Nimbus Fields, Forest of Falling Stars), and base Stellarys is the higher-ranked unit anyway.
Advanced Dark tips
The Dark amplifier stack
Effect
Source
Value
Secret Fragrance Mark
Fragrancier skill
+50% Dark basic attack damage, 20s (+60% contracted)
Dangerous Fragrance
Fragrancier trait
−12% Dark Resistance, 20s
Fragrance Bomb
Fragrancier ultimate
+20% Dark Elemental Boost, 30s
Nightmare
Dreaple trait (3 Drowsiness)
−27% Dark Resistance, 20s
Dream Blast
Dreaple ultimate
+20% team Dark damage, 30s
Nebula Burst
Prismana Turbo skill
+15% teammates' Dark damage, 20s
Curse
Hexxin trait
+0.4 EP per Dark basic hit
Two of these only reward basic attacks, which is why basic-heavy kits (Ignitis, Pawney, Stellarys's clone and Grand Sorcerer) fit so well, and why Fission Needles keeps showing up as Game8's Dark DPS item.
Mistakes to avoid
⚠️
Building Break on your Dark DPS
Kairos skips Break on Stellarys and brings a dedicated Dark breaker. That's Rookey, and Rookey wants no Attack: Break, P.Def and Regen 19:00
⚠️
Wasting the burst windows
Pawney's Ironclad Armament is only worth casting on a broken enemy (Game8), and Ignitis's Dark Soul should land last, when the target's HP is lowest. Both lose most of their value if fired early.
⚠️
Dark into Wind, and Psyche Fruit roulette
Wind both resists Dark and hits it for 1.6×. And Psyche Fruit rerolls all four letters with no confirmation prompt, so only spend them on your main DPS and Rookey.
What to invest in first
Rookey, because it's an S-tier breaker for Dark and for the Light team, the two best teams in Game8's ranking.
One Dark DPS with a contract. Stellarys's contract is the one Game8 recommends outright (5 stars, 20-stack cap).
Fragrancier and Hexxin next. They are Dark-locked but carry the whole team's damage and EP.
Dreaple last, as a damage upgrade once your core is built. It needs the Dreamsong talent and a night-to-day rest, so plan ahead.
Rookey
Ignitis
Pawney
Dreaple
Fragrancier
Hexxin
