Neo Artifacts Best Beginner Team: Who to Pull and How to Build Your First Lineup (2026)
The best starter team in Neo Artifacts: which Artifacters to pull and level first, a recommended front-and-back grid lineup by role, and whether the current banner is worth your opening pulls.
Pulling good units is half the job. The other half is building a team that actually works on the grid. Neo Artifacts rewards covering your roles more than it rewards stacking one rarity, so this guide focuses on a lineup any new Curator can assemble and grow into.
The two-minute version
Your first team needs four jobs covered: a tank to hold the front, two damage dealers, and a support to control the turn order. In Neo Artifacts terms, that is one Guardian, a Striker and a Sniper, and a Strategist. Get those four leveled and you can clear the early story comfortably.
Who to pull and level first
Prioritize in this order, based on the tier list consensus from mid 2026:
- Starry Night (Sniper) is the carry. Ranged burst damage that tops community rankings and the single best first pull for a beginner. Build this one before anything else.
- Li Bronze Vessel (Strategist) is the support you want behind that carry. Extra turns, damage buffs, and turn control. A support that good multiplies the rest of your team.
- Sword of Goujian (Striker) gives you a second damage angle up close, with chain damage that clears packs.
- A Guardian, either Duke Mao Tripod (Ventus) or Galloping Horse (Terra), anchors the grid so your back line stays safe.
If you only land one or two of these, fill the rest with A-tier units like Rabbit Clay Ocarina (Striker) or Marquis Yi Chime Bells (Guardian). The roster is small enough that A-tier carries the story fine.
The recommended starter lineup
Think in terms of front and back on the isometric grid:
Front row (soaks damage):
- Guardian: Duke Mao Tripod or Galloping Horse. Plant this unit between enemies and your DPS.
Back row (deals damage, stays safe):
- Sniper: Starry Night. Keep it far from melee threats and let it burst.
- Striker: Sword of Goujian. This one moves up to engage, so watch its positioning each turn.
- Strategist: Li Bronze Vessel or Sunflower. Sits safe, feeds turns and buffs.
The logic is simple. Your Guardian eats hits, your Strategist hands your Sniper extra turns, and your Sniper and Striker delete priority targets before they act. Mind the elements: try to keep a small spread so a single resistant enemy cannot wall the whole team.
Action Points and positioning
Movement on the grid costs Action Points, and how far a unit reaches depends on its role. Snipers want to hang back and stay out of melee range. Strikers have to walk into danger to do their job, so move them last when you can see what the enemy is doing. Guardians should stand on chokepoints to block lines to your squishy back row. Good positioning often saves a fight that raw stats would lose.
Is the current banner worth it?
For brand new accounts, the New Hire Recruitment banner is an easy yes. Three 10-pulls, each guaranteeing a Pristine, and you keep the best set. That alone seeds a real team.
For limited Rate-Up banners, be choosier. Pull only when the featured unit is a top-tier carry or fills a role you are missing, and budget for the 50/50 on the featured Pristine. Your 70-pull pity and the Mileage shop are explained in the beginner guide. If you have not started yet, run the reroll guide first to land a top unit, and grab freebies from the codes page.
This lineup reflects the global meta in June 2026. New units and banners will shift the best picks, so check a current tier list before committing your stamina and currency.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best beginner team in Neo Artifacts?
A clean starter is Starry Night as your Sniper carry, Sword of Goujian as a melee Striker, a Guardian like Duke Mao Tripod or Galloping Horse to hold the front, and Li Bronze Vessel or Sunflower as your Strategist support. That covers tank, two damage dealers, and control on the grid.
Which Artifacter should a beginner pull first?
Starry Night, a Sniper-role ranged DPS, is the safest first pull and the easiest unit to build a team around. If you would rather anchor the team early, Li Bronze Vessel as a support Strategist makes everyone else hit harder and is hard to misuse.
Is the current Neo Artifacts banner worth pulling?
The New Hire Recruitment banner is always worth it for new accounts since each 10-pull guarantees a Pristine and you keep the best of three sets. For limited Rate-Up banners, only commit if the featured unit is a top-tier carry or fills a role you are missing, and remember the 50/50 on the featured Pristine.