Solo Leveling: ARISE continues to captivate mobile gamers with its blend of real-time action and RPG progression. However, climbing the rankings or defeating high-level bosses doesn’t require deep pockets — it requires deep understanding of team synergy and tactical play. In this guide, we’ll explore how to build a powerful, meta-relevant team without making in-game purchases, using strategies that are both current and accessible to all players.
Many free characters in Solo Leveling: ARISE have strong kits that scale well with upgrades. For instance, Yoo Jinho is a reliable frontliner with defence boosts and taunts that remain useful even in later stages. He’s easy to upgrade through daily missions, making him a long-term asset in both PvE and PvP scenarios.
Another staple unit is Lee Joohee. While not a top-tier healer by raw numbers, she has strong synergy with tanky compositions and crowd control builds. She also becomes significantly more effective when paired with characters who deal AoE damage, allowing for controlled battlefield management.
Finally, consider Kang Taeshik for your main DPS. Though his initial stats may seem moderate, his passive abilities stack well in longer fights. As a result, he becomes more threatening as battles progress — especially when buffed by teammates who increase attack speed or critical rate.
All three units are attainable through story mode progression or timed events. Make sure to log in daily to collect mission rewards and participate in weekly events that often include fragments of these characters. Focus on completing side missions that drop rare resources for their upgrades.
Use your stamina wisely. Prioritise farming specific missions tied to skill enhancement materials instead of grinding random stages. Weekly boss raids also give out higher-tier loot, which can significantly boost character performance when used on the right units.
Don’t underestimate the importance of gear. Even free characters can outperform premium units if equipped with well-synergised gear sets that amplify their strengths. For tanks, prioritise HP and defence; for DPS, focus on attack speed and crit damage bonuses.
A balanced team consists of three core roles: tank, support, and damage dealer. The key is not just filling those roles, but ensuring their abilities complement each other. A unit like Yoo Jinho can soak damage and generate aggro, freeing up your DPS to deal consistent damage without being interrupted.
Positioning also matters. Placing your support unit in the rear ensures survival during AoE bursts. Meanwhile, your DPS should be mobile, using terrain and dodges to avoid unnecessary hits. Even with free characters, good formation control often trumps brute strength.
Team synergy should guide your lineup decisions. A character who increases critical chance is far more effective when paired with a high-crit damage DPS. Similarly, cooldown-reduction buffs benefit AoE casters who rely on skill spam rather than auto-attacks.
In PvE story mode, a tank-heavy formation is ideal. Stalling enemies allows you to exploit skill rotations without overwhelming your healer. In contrast, timed dungeon content benefits from burst setups — use high-damage AoE casters like Seo Jiwoo alongside support units who lower enemy defence.
For PvP, mobility and burst are key. A well-placed debuff from a free support character can tilt the match instantly. Pair a fast assassin-type like Kim Sangshik with debuffers to interrupt enemy formations and exploit weaknesses before they can retaliate.
Guild raids demand a specialised team with sustained DPS. This is where Kang Taeshik shines. Pair him with characters who boost survivability and allow him to stay in the fight longer, maximising damage over time and contributing to overall raid success.
Elemental counters are a major mechanic in Solo Leveling: ARISE. Understanding how to rotate your team based on enemy elements is essential to maintain efficiency and reduce time wasted in battles. Free units are well distributed across elements, allowing you to build several specialised squads.
Focus on upgrading one strong unit per element. This ensures that when elemental bonuses are active, you can swap in the right character without losing overall power. For instance, fire-based enemies can be handled with water-aligned units like Joohee, who also offers utility and healing.
It’s important to track enemy patterns in raids and dungeons. Many bosses have consistent elemental affinities, allowing you to preemptively configure your squad. Having three solid elemental counters at high level is more efficient than five underdeveloped ones.
For Fire element, use Lee Bora — she provides excellent AoE support and synchronises well with frontline tanks. For Water, Lee Joohee remains one of the most accessible and versatile options. Her healing and resistance buffs make her a constant presence.
Earth enemies can be countered with Seo Jiwoo, who combines AoE and DoT effects. While not strictly F2P-only, she’s often featured in login rewards and limited events, making her relatively easy to obtain without spending money. Prioritise her in daily tasks when available.
Wind-aligned units like Han Songyi are great for crowd control, especially in PvP scenarios. She stuns reliably and breaks shield formations quickly. Use her with cooldown reducers for maximum disruption, turning defensive opponents into easy targets.