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Mongil: Star Dive — Substat Optimization Guide

The complete substat priority guide for every launch Mongil: Star Dive character — what to roll on Hat, Coat, Gloves and Shoes for each role (Brawler, Slayer, Destroyer, Supporter). Built on the 25 in-game character data exports plus the artifact + set bonuses they synergise with. Stop wasting upgrade stones on the wrong substats.

Mongil: Star Dive — Substat Optimization Guide

Substat Optimization
Mongil: Star Dive · Gear Builds

Substat Optimization Builds

What to roll on equipment substats per character role · Launch 1.0

The complete substat priority guide for every launch Mongil: Star Dive character — what to roll on Hat, Coat, Gloves and Shoes for each role (Brawler, Slayer, Destroyer, Supporter). Built on the 25 in-game character data exports plus the artifact + set bonuses they synergise with. Stop wasting upgrade stones on the wrong substats.

  • Gear builds
  • Substats
  • All 20 characters
  • Role-aware
TL;DR

TL;DR

Substat optimisation in Mongil: Star Dive splits cleanly along role lines, with major exceptions for characters whose passives scale off a non-standard stat. The default role priorities are: Brawler = ATK / Crit Rate / Crit DMG / Element DMG%; Slayer = ATK / Crit DMG / Element DMG%; Destroyer = HP / Neutralization DMG (some characters) OR ATK / Crit DMG (others) — depends on the character's passive; Supporter = depends entirely on the specific support's scaling (ATK for Francis healing, HP for Daisy healing, Crit Rate for Bonnie's Encore team buff, ATK / Earth DMG% for Jiwon buff scaling).

Five characters break the default rules: Reina (HP-scaling Neutralization DMG via Superconductive Body), Daisy (HP-scaling heals via Mr. Flower's Aid), Yeonhwa (Crit DMG scaling off Lightning DMG Boost via Wraith passive), Francis (ATK-scaling heals + Earth DMG conversion via Preventative Care), Bonnie (Encore Canto scales team Crit DMG off her Crit Rate). For these five, stack the unconventional stat hard — substats compound non-linearly into their unique passive payoff.

Always pair substats with the right set bonuses. Spirit King 4pc rewards Lightning DMG stackers (Penny, Yeonhwa). Hahnul's Roar 4pc rewards Crit DMG vs Fire-Afflicted (Mina, Flare). Devourer Stance 4pc rewards Wind support team-Crit-Rate stackers (Bonnie). The set choice dictates the substat strategy, not the other way around. Don't fight the gear system — build with the set's bonuses in mind first.

  • Brawler claritySATK / Crit Rate / Crit DMG. Clean default — works for Mina, Sangun, Ophelia, Verna, Sera, Penny.
  • Slayer clarityAATK / Crit DMG / Element DMG%. Slight variation for Yeonhwa (Wraith Lightning DMG scaling).
  • Destroyer splitBReina goes HP; Cloud / Ellie / Flare go ATK / Crit DMG. Per-character call.
  • Supporter complexityBEach Supporter scales differently — see per-character section. Bonnie Crit Rate, Francis ATK, Daisy HP, Jiwon ATK + Earth DMG%.
  • F2P optimisationAEquipment substat re-rolls are limited — build aware of set bonuses + don't waste materials on wrong substats first time.

Why this works

  • Substat priorities follow predictable role patterns for ~70% of the roster — Brawler ATK / Crit Rate / Crit DMG works for most launch carries.
  • Set bonuses (2pc / 4pc) compound directly with the substat priorities — Hahnul's Roar 4pc + Crit DMG substats on Mina is a force multiplier.
  • Equipment crafting + upgrade materials are farmable via Conquest tickets — F2P-accessible build path for every launch character.
  • Per-game-data passive scaling makes the unconventional builds (Reina HP, Yeonhwa Crit DMG via Wraith) measurable rather than theoretical — these are confirmed kit behaviors, not community guesses.
  • Substats are slot-locked but you can re-roll some slots — build aware of which substats can change before committing materials.
  • The default Brawler / Slayer / Destroyer / Supporter framework works in 80%+ of cases — you only need to deviate for the five exceptional characters.

Tradeoffs + risks

  • Five characters break the default rules (Reina, Daisy, Yeonhwa, Francis, Bonnie) — build them wrong and you lose 20-30% of their kit value.
  • Equipment re-rolls cost materials — wrong-substat gear is hard to fix once committed. Plan substats BEFORE forging.
  • Element DMG% substats only matter if you commit to mono-element teams — off-element builds waste these substat lines.
  • Substat tier varies by gear rarity — SR gear substats are lower than SSR ceilings, capping the meta optimisation potential on F2P-only builds.
  • Set bonuses change with patches — a substat plan built for launch 1.0 may shift with new set drops in 1.1+.
  • Some passive scalings (e.g. Wraith Crit DMG-via-Lightning-DMG conversion) have caps that aren't exposed in the data — beyond a threshold, additional Lightning DMG% substats don't translate to Crit DMG anymore.
TL;DR

Substat priorities

Default role priorities for ~70% of characters + the 5 exceptional builds that break the rules.

Default prioritiesBASELINEDefault role priorities (works for 70% of roster)Brawler: ATK% main + Crit Rate / Crit DMG / Element DMG% substats. Slayer: ATK% main + Crit DMG / Element DMG% / Crit Rate substats. Destroyer (most): ATK% main + Crit DMG / Element DMG% substats. Supporter (default): ATK% main + Element DMG% + heal-scaling stat. Use the default unless the character is one of the 5 exceptions listed below.
Exception buildsATTENTION5 characters that break the rulesReina (HP main + Crit DMG — Superconductive Body scales Neutralization DMG off HP). Daisy (HP main + DEF substats — Flower Field / Ult heal off Max HP). Yeonhwa (ATK + Lightning DMG % main + Crit Rate substats — Wraith passive scales Crit DMG off Lightning DMG Boost). Francis (ATK main + Earth DMG % + Crit Rate substats — Preventative Care converts received Earth DMG buffs into ATK, healing scales off ATK). Bonnie (Crit Rate main + Crit DMG substats + Element DMG % — Encore Canto C2 scales team Crit DMG by 40% of her Crit Rate).

F2P + ratio rules

  • F2P bridge — use the right set first, optimise substats second — If you can't afford perfect substat rolls, prioritise set bonuses first (Frenzied White Wolf 4pc, Spirit King 4pc, Devourer Stance 4pc) — set bonuses give a flat baseline that even bad substats can't undermine. Once your team has set 4pc on the right element, then re-roll substats to perfect.
  • Crit Rate vs Crit DMG ratio rule — Aim for ~50% Crit Rate before stacking Crit DMG. The default ratio for Crit DMG : Crit Rate is roughly 2:1 in terms of substat-line value once Crit Rate hits 50%. Below 50% Crit Rate, additional Crit Rate substats give more value than Crit DMG.
  • Element DMG % vs ATK % tradeoff — Element DMG % substats only beat ATK % if you commit to mono-element teams + set bonuses that scale off element. In off-element builds (e.g. Bonnie support on a non-Wind team), ATK % is the safer default.
Foundation

The 4-role framework

Default substat priorities for each role — works for ~70% of the launch roster.

Default role priorities

  • Brawler — Main: ATK%. Substats: Crit Rate (cap ~50%) → Crit DMG → Element DMG%. Examples: Mina, Sangun, Ophelia, Verna, Sera, Penny. Built around BA combos + Special burst windows that benefit from Crit scaling.
  • Slayer — Main: ATK%. Substats: Crit DMG → Element DMG% → Crit Rate (cap ~50%). Examples: Esther, Leeho, Angel, Benjamin. Built around single-instance burst damage that benefits from Crit DMG more than Crit Rate.
  • Destroyer — Main: ATK% (most) OR HP% (Reina). Substats: Crit DMG → Element DMG% → Neutralization DMG. Examples: Flare, Cloud, Ellie (ATK builds); Reina (HP build). Built around stagger gauge breaks + groggy phase burst.
  • Supporter — Main + Substats: depends on the specific Supporter's scaling. Default: ATK% + Element DMG% + role-specific scaling stat. Per-character details in the next section — Supporters are the most variable role.
The 5 exceptional builds

Characters that break the role defaults

Five passive-scaling builds that need special substat priorities.

Reina (Lightning Destroyer) — HP build

Reina's Superconductive Body passive scales her Neutralization DMG off Max HP. Stack HP% main + Crit DMG substats. ATK is secondary; HP is the primary stat for stagger Lightning comps. Spirit King 4pc + HP-stacked Reina = highest Lightning stagger output in the launch SR pool. C4 (Just Blow It All Up!) raises HP cap +10% — compounds with this build.

Daisy (Earth Supporter) — HP healer

Daisy heals OFF Max HP, not ATK. Flower Field, Support Skill auto-heal, and Ultimate all scale off her Max HP. Stack HP% main + HP / DEF substats. ATK is wasted on her. C4 (Always Together) bumps the team +Earth RES passive to +10% All Elemental RES — pairs with HP-stacked Daisy for the launch defensive ceiling.

Yeonhwa (Lightning Slayer) — Lightning DMG / Crit hybrid

Yeonhwa's Wraith passive scales her Crit DMG off her Lightning DMG Boost (capped). Stack ATK% main + Lightning DMG % substats + Crit Rate (C2 adds +20% Crit Rate on Switch Skill). Lightning DMG % substats compound: they give direct Lightning damage + indirect Crit DMG via Wraith. Pair with Bonnie's Encore (C2) for additional team Crit DMG. Spirit King 4pc + Lightning DMG-stacked Yeonhwa = highest crit-chain Lightning DPS.

Francis (Earth Supporter) — ATK healer

Francis heals SCALE OFF ATK (Support Skill, Experimental Drug Field). Stack ATK% main + Earth DMG % substats + Crit Rate. Her Preventative Care passive CONVERTS received Earth DMG buffs into ATK — Earth DMG % substats give direct healing power via the conversion. Avoid HP / DEF substats — wasted on her healing curve.

Bonnie (Wind Supporter) — Crit Rate team buffer

Bonnie's Encore Canto (C2) scales the team's Crit DMG by 40% of her Crit Rate when she plays French Horn (Tag-out). Stack Crit Rate main + Crit DMG substats. Every Crit Rate point gives the team Crit DMG via Encore + buffs her own personal Fantasia critical hits via Musical Score generation. Devourer Stance 4pc + Crit Rate-stacked Bonnie = highest team Crit DMG buff among launch Supporters.

Quick reference

Substat priority cheatsheet (all 20 launch characters)

One-line priority per character. Confirm with the individual character guide before committing materials.

SSR characters

  • Esther (Wind Slayer) — ATK% main + Crit DMG / Wind DMG % / Crit Rate. Abyss 4pc Wind-Afflicted Crit DMG payoff scales directly with Crit DMG substats.
  • Flare (Fire Destroyer) — ATK% main + Crit DMG / Fire DMG % / Crit Rate. Hahnul's Roar 4pc Crit DMG vs Fire-Afflicted compounds with Crit DMG substats.
  • Gabi (Earth Brawler) — ATK% main + Crit Rate (cap 50%) / Crit DMG / Earth DMG %. West Wind 4pc Earth-Afflicted bonus + Petrification burst rewards Crit Rate.
  • Jiwon (Wind Supporter) — ATK% main + Wind DMG % / Crit Rate / Crit DMG. Divine Harmony team ATK buff scales off her ATK + Wind DMG % substats.
  • Mina (Fire Brawler) — ATK% main + Crit DMG / Fire DMG % / Crit Rate (cap 50%). Essence + Luminous Rush burst windows benefit from Crit DMG > Crit Rate.
  • Ophelia (Ice Brawler) — ATK% main + Crit Rate (cap 50%) / Crit DMG / Ice DMG %. Amethyst Witch loop benefits from sustained Crit chains via Crit Rate.
  • Penny (Lightning Brawler) — ATK% main + Crit DMG / Lightning DMG % / Crit Rate. Coin economy + Electric Overload spend benefits from Crit DMG burst windows.
  • Sangun (Wind Brawler) — ATK% main + Crit DMG / Wind DMG % / Crit Rate. Wild Fervor counter-burst pays off heavily on crits — stack Crit DMG hard.

SR characters

  • Angel (Fire Slayer) — ATK% main + Crit Rate / Fire DMG % / Crit DMG. Magnum Round 4th Hit + Bullet Ballet AoE benefit from Crit Rate.
  • Benjamin (Lightning Slayer) — ATK% main + Lightning DMG % / Crit DMG / Crit Rate. Hawk's Flight signature scales off Lightning DMG; Enhanced Special clones benefit from Crit DMG.
  • Bonnie (Wind Supporter) — **Crit Rate% main** + Crit DMG / Wind DMG %. Encore Canto (C2) scales team Crit DMG by 40% of her Crit Rate. Exception build.
  • Cloud (Ice Destroyer) — ATK% main + Ice DMG % / Crit DMG / Crit Rate. Dreaming Adventurer scales off Ice DMG; Rapid-Fire bursts benefit from Crit DMG.
  • Daisy (Earth Supporter) — **HP% main** + HP / DEF substats. Heals OFF Max HP. Exception build. Avoid ATK.
  • Ellie (Earth Destroyer) — ATK% main + Earth DMG % / Crit DMG. Sugar Spike artifact stacks ATK during Sleepy... — ATK substats compound. Pillow Pow! benefits from Crit DMG.
  • Francis (Earth Supporter) — **ATK% main** + Earth DMG % / Crit Rate. Heals scale OFF ATK. Preventative Care converts Earth DMG buffs to ATK. Exception build. Avoid HP / DEF.
  • Leeho (Fire Slayer) — ATK% main + Crit DMG / Fire DMG % / Crit Rate. Tiger Hunter buff + Charged Flash Spear benefit massively from Crit DMG.
  • Reina (Lightning Destroyer) — **HP% main** + Crit DMG / Lightning DMG %. Superconductive Body scales Neutralization DMG off Max HP. Exception build.
  • Sera (Ice Brawler) — ATK% main + Ice DMG % / Crit DMG / Crit Rate. Lock Shard +Crit DMG when attacking Ice-Afflicted enemies — Crit DMG is essential.
  • Verna (Fire Brawler) — ATK% main + Fire DMG % / Crit Rate (cap 50%) / Crit DMG. C2 adds +20% Crit Rate to Passive Trait — stack Crit Rate substats to compound.
  • Yeonhwa (Lightning Slayer) — **ATK% main + Lightning DMG % heavy** + Crit Rate. Wraith passive scales Crit DMG off Lightning DMG Boost (capped). Exception build.
Set bonus pairing

Match substats to set bonuses

Five major launch set patterns and which substats compound with them.

  • Spirit King 4pc (SSR Lightning) — 2pc +8% Lightning DMG on BA, 4pc +10% Lightning DMG vs Lightning-Afflicted. Pair with Lightning DMG % substats — direct compound. Best on Penny, Yeonhwa, Reina (HP main + Lightning DMG %), Benjamin.
  • Hahnul's Roar 4pc (SSR Fire) — 2pc +10% Fire DMG on Ult, 4pc +10% Crit DMG vs Fire-Afflicted. Pair with Crit DMG substats — 4pc directly multiplies Crit DMG output. Best on Mina, Flare, Leeho, Verna.
  • Abyss 4pc (SSR Wind) — 2pc +10% Wind DMG on Special, 4pc +10% Wind DMG on critical hit. Pair with Crit Rate + Wind DMG % substats. Best on Esther, Jiwon, Sangun. Bonnie alternate-pick.
  • Arbiter 4pc (SSR Ice) — 2pc +10% Ice DMG on Switch, 4pc +10% Ice DMG vs Ice-Afflicted. Pair with Ice DMG % substats. Best on Ophelia, Cloud, Sera.
  • West Wind 4pc (SSR Earth) — 2pc +8% Earth DMG on BA, 4pc +10% Earth DMG on Switch vs Earth-Afflicted. Pair with Earth DMG % substats. Best on Gabi, Ellie.
  • Frenzied White Wolf 4pc (SR Earth, craftable) — 2pc +3% teammates' DEF on Support Skill, 4pc +2% Elemental Weakness DMG taken vs Earth-Afflicted. F2P alternative for any Earth team. Pair with ATK substats (the team-wide bonuses scale through the carry's damage).
  • Devourer Stance 4pc (SR Wind, craftable) — 2pc +5% Wind DMG vs Wind-Afflicted, 4pc team Crit Rate / Crit DMG on Support / Tag-out. Pair with Crit Rate substats (Bonnie default) — the team Crit Rate buff stacks with Bonnie's Crit Rate stat directly.
  • Mountain Peak Majesty 4pc (SR Fire, craftable) — 2pc -3% target Fire RES on Tag-out, 4pc +5% Fire DMG vs Fire-Afflicted. Pair with Crit DMG substats — the Fire RES debuff multiplies your team's Crit damage payoff.
Common mistakes

Substat traps to avoid

Six common ways players misbuild — and how to avoid them.

  • 1. Stacking HP / DEF on damage dealers — Brawlers / Slayers / Destroyers scale off ATK + Crit. HP / DEF substats give you survival but ZERO damage. Unless you're building Reina (HP scaling) or Daisy (HP healing), avoid HP / DEF substats on damage roles.
  • 2. Stacking ATK on Daisy — Daisy heals OFF Max HP. ATK substats give her literally nothing useful for her support role. Always HP main + HP / DEF substats.
  • 3. Stacking Crit Rate past 50% on Brawlers / Slayers — Beyond ~50% Crit Rate, additional substat lines give less value than Crit DMG. Cap Crit Rate around 50%, then dump remaining substats into Crit DMG + Element DMG %.
  • 4. Using SR set on a SSR-set-eligible character — If you own Hahnul's Roar 4pc shards, use them on Mina / Flare. Don't stick them on a F2P Mountain Peak 4pc to save material — the SSR 4pc payoff is significantly higher.
  • 5. Building Bonnie like a damage Supporter — Bonnie's value is Encore Canto (C2) team Crit DMG buff scaling off her Crit Rate. Stacking ATK on Bonnie wastes her support role. Always Crit Rate main + Crit DMG substats.
  • 6. Ignoring re-roll material costs — Substat re-rolls cost upgrade materials. Plan substats BEFORE forging — wrong-first-time substats compound material waste over multiple gear pieces. Map the priorities in this guide before committing materials.
Related guides

Continue reading

Guides that pair with substat optimisation.

  1. 1Daily ChecklistDaily ChecklistHow to spend daily energy on the right farming stages to feed your substat priorities.Routine
  2. 2Pull StrategyPull StrategyOnce you pull the character, this guide tells you what set + substats to build for them.Gacha
  3. 3Crafting & CookingCrafting & CookingThe four crafting tabs (Equipment, Sets, Combine, Convert) — your toolset for executing substat plans.Gear systems
  4. 4Tier ListTier ListWhere each character ranks once built with the right substats — meta validation.Meta

Substat optimisation is the bridge between pulling characters and clearing endgame content. Build right or rebuild later — pick one.

Stop reading, start building

Plan your builds on ZeroLuck

Use these free tools to plan your substat allocations + ascension materials + browse community gear setups.

CommunityCommunity buildsBrowse community substat builds + share your own — see how others rolled their gear before committing materials.ToolAscension plannerPlan exact materials for character + equipment upgrades — pairs with substat planning.MetaMongil tier listSee how each character's substat priorities translate to tier-list ranking.
Quick answers

FAQ

What's the default substat priority by role in Mongil: Star Dive?
Brawler = ATK% / Crit Rate (cap 50%) / Crit DMG / Element DMG%. Slayer = ATK% / Crit DMG / Element DMG% / Crit Rate. Destroyer (most) = ATK% / Crit DMG / Element DMG%. Supporter = depends on the specific support's scaling — see per-character section. Works for ~70% of launch roster.
Which characters break the default substat rules?
Five exceptions: Reina (HP main + Crit DMG — Superconductive Body HP scaling), Daisy (HP main + DEF — heals off Max HP), Yeonhwa (ATK + Lightning DMG % main + Crit Rate — Wraith Lightning-to-Crit DMG conversion), Francis (ATK main + Earth DMG % — Preventative Care Earth-DMG-to-ATK conversion), Bonnie (Crit Rate main + Crit DMG — Encore C2 team Crit DMG buff).
Should I stack ATK or HP on Reina?
HP%. Reina's Superconductive Body passive scales her Neutralization DMG off Max HP — every HP substat is a stagger damage point. Build HP% main + Crit DMG substats. ATK is wasted on her stagger role.
Why does Daisy heal off HP and not ATK?
Daisy's heals (Flower Field, Support Skill, Ultimate) all scale off her Max HP, not ATK. Her Mr. Flower's Aid passive grants the team +Earth RES (or +All Elemental RES at C4) — defensive scaling rather than offensive. Always HP% main + HP / DEF substats on Daisy.
What is the Crit Rate cap rule?
Aim for ~50% Crit Rate before stacking Crit DMG. Beyond 50% Crit Rate, additional Crit Rate substats give less value than Crit DMG. Below 50%, additional Crit Rate gives more value than Crit DMG. The exact crossover depends on your Crit DMG total but ~50% is the safe rule for substat allocation.
Should I use Element DMG % or ATK % substats?
Element DMG % only beats ATK % if you commit to mono-element teams + set bonuses that scale off element (Hahnul's Roar 4pc Crit DMG vs Fire-Afflicted, Spirit King 4pc +10% Lightning DMG vs Lightning-Afflicted, etc.). In off-element builds or low-investment substats, ATK % is the safer default.
How do I build Bonnie?
Crit Rate % main + Crit DMG substats + Wind DMG %. Bonnie's value is Encore Canto (C2) which scales the team's Crit DMG by 40% of her Crit Rate. Stacking ATK on Bonnie wastes her support role — Crit Rate is what makes her uniquely valuable.
Should I prioritise set bonuses or substats first?
Set bonuses first. Bad substats on the right 4pc set give better baseline damage than perfect substats on the wrong set. Once your team has the right 4pc, commit upgrade materials to re-roll substats.
Can I re-roll substats?
Yes but material-expensive. Each re-roll costs upgrade stones / crafting materials. Plan substats BEFORE forging the gear — fewer re-rolls = lower material waste over a 4-piece set build.
Do substat priorities change with patches?
Yes, partially. Set bonuses + character passives are stable, but new sets / new characters in 1.1+ may shift the meta. For launch 1.0, the priorities in this guide are stable. Re-evaluate when patch notes hit if a new set explicitly references a different substat scaling.

Sources & method

All scaling claims and passive behaviors trace back to in-game data exports in games/mongil/data/. Substat priority recommendations are our editorial reading written in our own words.

  • In-game character data exports (games/mongil/data/character-details/en/*) — confirms passive scaling for Reina HP, Daisy HP, Yeonhwa Lightning DMG, Francis ATK, Bonnie Crit Rate.
  • In-game equipment set data (equipment-sets.json) — 2pc / 4pc bonuses for all launch sets.
  • Per-character signature artifact text (artifacts-list.json) — confirms scaling stat for each character's BIS artifact.
  • Community feedback on Crit Rate cap (~50%) and Element DMG % vs ATK % tradeoff breakpoints.