I recommend to read this post in dark mode

Hello and welcome to my Serapeum AstralOP Guide!

I hope I'll be able to help you,

before I start, here are some abbrevations I'm using in this guide:

WS - World Star Specialization

WoD - Wheel of Destiny Specialization

AR - Astral Ring

SO - Stellar Outburst

Note: This guide is based on the BETA. Officially released content might differ.

✦ Table of contents ✦

Serapeum Summary

Source

AstralOP Skills

Rank-ups

AstralOP comparison

Gameplay examples

Conclusion

✦ Serapeum Summary ✦

Serapeum is a new AstralOP, made to support (mainly) Physical Wheel of Destiny DMG.

✦ Source ✦

Serapeum is only available by AstralOP supply.

After obtaining Serapeum, every further copy converts into one Rank-up (S -> SS -> SSS).

You're guaranteed one Serapeum every 60 pulls.

She gets her first supply in 7.6, opening on July 25th and ends on August 23rd.

✦ AstralOP Skills ✦

*Skills based on S-Rank

✧ Support Ability ✧

With Sera equiped, gain following buff:

✧ 18% Crit DMG

If Wheel of Destiny is active, gain following buffs:

✧ 8% Total DMG

✧ 8% Crit DMG

✧ When Astral Ring Intensity maxes out, refuces SO CD by 2,5s

During Stellar Outburst, gain following buffs:

✧ 18% Physical DMG taken by enemies

✧ 12% Elemental DMG taken by enemies

Crit Conversion:

When Wheel of Destiny is active and Stellar Outburst is entered, Serapeum provides Crit Conversion.

When having less than 100% Crit Rate:

✧ Convert 2,5% Crit DMG into 1% Crit Rate until reaching 100% Crit Rate

No more than 30% Crit Rate can be gained this way.

✧ Astral Ring Intensity ✧

Start battle with 50 Intensity.

When hitting enemies outside of Stellar Outburst, enter Intensity Recovery state for 1s, restoring 1 Intensity every 0,5s.

If Wheel of Destiny is active, Phantoms recover 14 Intensity on hit. (2 Charges per Stellar Outburst).

If World Star is active, Resonance Attacks recover 4,5 Intensity on hit. (5 Charges per Stellar Outburst).

✧ Synergy Attack ✧

When entering Stellar Outburst, Serapeum launches a Synergy Attack.

Deals 1500% ATK od Physical DMG + 3500% ATK of Physical DMG if Jovial Deception: Shadowdimmer is in the team; inflicts 3 Stun Trauma

✦ Rank-ups ✦

✧ Analysis ✧

S Rank

Unlike with Songque, S rank already is a really great buff.

She has a more consistent Intensity Regeneration (only for WoD and WS) and valid DMG buffs.

During WoD, she can provide her Crit Conversion, which is extremely strong for JDS and the key point of her kit.

SS Rank

With Harmonized Shadow Star Valkyries, Sera provides 8~24 initial Intensity, which can help a lot for an early SO.

Especially with Lantern in the team early SO is a much used strategy. Also she gains more support abilities, allowing her to outdo Songque AstralOP for Elemental teams.

SSS Rank

SSS Rank is a big Total DMG taken buff for WoD characters and some nice SP regeneration. Only usable in WoD, but big buff.

Overall

All Rank-ups are pretty good, so the decision mostly depends on your budget and account on how much to go for. Rank-ups are only recommended if you have good Wheel of Destiny teams.

✦ AstralOP Comparison ✦

I'd love to include Dreanseeker and all, but she's still locked at S-Rank, LOL. Just expect her to be the last option if you don't have any of the listed ones.

✧ Intensity Regeneration ✧

The biggest benefit of Serapeum is that she gains her Intensity Regeneration at S-Rank already. In return, initial Intensity is locked behind SS.

Songque is the exact opposite. Initial Intensity is unlocked at S-Rank and her Regeneration is locked behind SS. She has little Intensity Regen at S-Rank (2/WA, 15s CD), it's counted for each character independently making it basically non-existent in WoD teams.

Initial Intensity is easier to make up as Stellar Drains still quickly get you to the needed Intensity when starting with 50.

Then it has to be noted that Songque's initial Intensity is locked behind having Senadina in the team, which disables Songque's best double SO team (MPS/LDS)

Sera restores 28 Intensity during Stellar Outburst with WoD and 22,5 with WS.

Songque restores 10 Intensity for every Valkyrie with WS tag. That means if all 3 Valkyries have it, Songque has the faster regen, with 2 Songque and Sera are pretty equal (WS) and Sera outdoes in WoD.

Here Sera just is the more consistent one if not used in WS.

Oh and using anyone else is just a nightmare. In Redlotus and below probably fine if you can finish with one Outburst but as someone who suffered 7.3~7.5 without Songque in Nirb, I don't recommend.

I lost 1200 trophies in 7.5 when skipping Lantern LOL

✧ Damage Comparison ✧

➤ DMG tests

➤ Conclusion

This one is pretty quick.

Mostly you can say: If WoD is active, Sera is best and if WS is active, Songque does best.

However, at S-Rank Sera, an Elemental WoD team does higher DMG with Songque.

Please note this requires SS Songque to not suffer from lacking Intensity.

Otherwise, it's very much

Sera/Songque > SSS Dreamseeker > newest ELF of right type > S Dreamseeker > Anything else

✦ Gameplay Examples ✦

Abyss (JDS):

Video by herrscherofslack (YouTube link), thanks a lot for allowing me to use your video!

MA (JDS):

Abyss (MPS):

✦ Conclusion ✦

Firstly, when getting Songque (Valkyrie) shes extremely good and I can definitely recommend her.

However, if you want a more universal use for her, SS is the way to go to be used in every WoD team.

If you're questioning wether to get Songque or Sera (I strongly recommend to get at least one), here are my suggestions from meta perspective:

1) If you only go for S-Rank, Serapeum UNLESS you're in A3 or below. In that case Songque's initial intensity outdoes.

1,5) In Redlotus without any intention to get to Nirvana, Songque might be better due to the higher initial Intensity. This requires fully geared teams.

2) When going for SS/SSS-Rank, they're about similar. I'd focus on your stronger team (WoD vs WS)

3) When you don't have JDS, Songque generally has greater value.

Note: When lacking Senadina and you don't have at least Lantern or Thelema, focus on that first

Credits

1. Thanks to Cyxo and Alpaca for the pictures of Valkyrie icons and such!
2. Thanks to herrscherofslack for allowing me to use his video!
3. Website for official wallpapers in case you're interested, here

And hi Inari

test details

Songque: S0 unless said otherwise, ~90 ATK from affixes

*any supports have 6x 23 affixes and full signature

JDS/FL/MPS:

MPS Ultimate -> Moment of Indulgence -> Basic ATK x3

FL QTE -> Ultimate

JDS QTE -> Basic ATK x5 -> Combo ATK -> Ultimate -> Basic ATK x6 -> Combo ATK -> STELLAR OUTBURST -> FL Phantom -> WA -> Combo ATK -> Basic ATK x3 -> WA x6 -> MPS Phantom -> Combo ATK -> WA -> Combo ATK -> Ultimate

MPS/FL/LDS:

MPS Basic x3 -> WA -> Basic x3

LDS QTE -> Combo ATK -> Ultimate

MPS MoI -> Ultimate -> MoI -> [Basic x3 -> WA] x3 -> MoI -> STELLAR OUTBURST -> FL Phantom -> MoI -> Ultimate -> MoI -> [Basic x3 -> WA -> Basic x3 -> MoI] x2 -> LDS Phantom -> Basic x3 -> WA -> Basic x3 -> MoI -> Ultimate -> MoI -> Basic x3 -> WA -> Basic x3 -> WA -> MoI

Thanks for reading my guide, I hope I was able to help you!

Have a great day