Nicole
A cheap but incredibly valuable Ether Support: she shreds enemy DEF, pulls mobs into a tight cluster, and feeds the team energy.
Tier A · Support · Ether. BiS: The Vault. A cheap but incredibly valuable Ether Support: she shreds enemy DEF, pulls mobs into a tight cluster, and feeds the team energy.
Best W-Engines
Recommended Drive Discs
Swing Jazz restores energy and buffs team damage on Chain Attacks, 2pc 
Chaotic Metal adds Ether DMG.
Freedom Blues lowers the enemy's Anomaly Buildup RES (helping Anomaly teams), 2pc Chaotic Metal adds Ether DMG.4: ATK% · 5: Ether DMG · 6: Energy Regen / ATK%
Prioritize Energy Regen > ATK% > CRIT Rate
Skill priority: Special/EX > Chain & Assist > Basic Attack > Dodge
Nicole is one of the most cost-effective budget supports in the game: DEF shred, enemy grouping, and energy generation, all from a free A-rank. She still shows up regularly in Ether teams and any comp that wants tight clustering in the 3.0 meta. Well worth leveling her Core and Mindscapes—a high priority for new and veteran players alike.
Nicole is a SUPPORT, not a damage source — she has no 'hard' ATK/Crit number targets like an Attacker, and the sources all give qualitative guidance rather than a fixed Level-60 stat table. Recommended main stats: disc 4 ATK% · disc 5 Ether DMG · disc 6 Energy Regen (or ATK% if the team already has enough energy). Substat priority : Energy Regen > ATK% > Crit Rate. The most important principle: stack enough Energy Regen to fire her EX Special on rhythm every time she taps in (keeping the -40% DEF-down and grouping loop unbroken); ATK% only adds a little baseline damage and isn't the main goal. Anomaly-build users can shift the focus to Anomaly Proficiency + a Freedom Blues set.
1) Bring Nicole in, use EX Special (HOLD to charge) to drop the energy field into the middle of the pack — it groups enemies AND applies her DEF-down (Core Passive Mechanical Case, up to -40% DEF with Enhancement F). 2) Her enhanced Basic and Dash Attack also shred DEF; use them to top up if needed. 3) IMMEDIATELY after the EX, quick-swap to your main Attacker/DPS to hit inside the DEF-down window. 4) Note: the debuff only lasts ~3.5s, so keep the rotation tight and tap Nicole back in just before it expires to refresh it (this is her trickiest point). 5) Use Nicole's Chain/Ultimate to place a large field for hard grouping or to open a burst; at M6 these fields are exactly what stacks the +Crit Rate for the whole team.
'Supercharged Bomb': EX Special DMG AND Anomaly Buildup +16%; the longer you hold-charge the EX, the longer the energy field lasts (+0.15s field per extra 0.1s charge). Nicole's single most valuable upgrade because it stretches her DEF-down window and grouping — rate it ★★★★★ and call it the #1 stopping point for a support.
'Charging Device': recovers 5 Energy when her Core Passive (Mechanical Case DEF-down) triggers, once per 15s. A small utility bump — smooths her EX uptime for the battery/DEF-shred loop but changes nothing about how she plays. Nice if it comes along, not worth pulling for alone.
All skills +2 levels. No new ability, just small flat numbers — a filler bridge to M4. Low value (explicitly notes M3/M5 are only skill upgrades, weaker than the other tiers).
'Field Expansion': the energy field from her EX Special / Chain / Ultimate gains +3m diameter (+1.5m radius). Bigger grouping, easier to pull a whole pack into the DEF-down zone — useful on multi-enemy stages, but a quality-of-life buff. sukoreru rate it ★★★★; pull it once you have M1 and want stronger grouping.
All skills +2 levels again. Still just flat numbers, a bridge to M6 — low value.
'Corrupting Energy Field': whenever Nicole's energy field damages an enemy, the WHOLE squad gains +1.5% Crit Rate against that enemy, stacking up to 10 times (=+15% Crit Rate), lasting 12s. This is the second big squad upgrade: it turns Nicole from a pure DEF-shred support into a team-wide Crit Rate source. Very strong but resource-heavy; most F2P stop at M1 (the community rate it ★★★★★ but it's a whale tier).
- One-of-a-kind DEF shred: plenty of supports add ATK, but Nicole is essentially the only support who SLASHES enemy DEF (up to -40%) — a damage multiplier for the whole team that nobody else replaces, especially strong for DEF-based DPS.
- Superb grouping: her energy field vacuums a whole pack into one spot, turning multi-enemy fights into one clump for AoE to shred — invaluable in mob-heavy content.
- Free and ultra-budget: a free A-rank with low investment yet top-tier support value — a backbone for beginners and always relevant in Ether teams / grouping comps in the 3.0 meta.
- Multi-role: doubles as a battery (feeds team energy), grants Ether DMG via her Additional Ability with an Ether ally, and at M6 hands the whole squad +15% Crit Rate.
- The DEF-down only lasts ~3.5s — a short window that demands a tight, well-timed rotation; sloppy play means your DPS hits outside the shred and loses most of her value.
- Almost no personal damage: Nicole is a pure enabler with no self-carry — her worth depends entirely on whether the team's DPS can exploit the DEF shred.
- Grouping barely matters in single-target fights (big bosses) — in single-target content she's left with only the DEF shred, so she shines most on mob-dense stages.
In Shiyu Defense most fights are bosses/single-target, so her grouping is largely unused, but the -40% DEF-down still directly multiplies DPS damage in the stun window — Nicole stays a valuable support in Ether burst teams (Ether Zhu Yuan, Yixuan) or any DEF-scaling DPS. Bottom line: bring her for the DEF shred, not the grouping.
In Deadly Assault Nicole shines most: multiple high-HP enemies let her group AND shred DEF at once for an AoE DPS (and Anomaly/Ether comps) to clear fast — high support/utility value, especially on mob-plus-boss stages.
Basic Attack2
Basic Attack: Cunning Combo
Press to activate: Unleashes up to 3 strikes, dealing Physical DMG.
Basic Attack: Do As I Please
After using a Special Attack, EX Special Attack, Chain Attack, or Ultimate, Nicole can reload, and her Basic Attack and Dash Attack are enhanced, increasing the power of her bullets.
Dodge3
Dodge: Speed Demon
Press to activate: A rapid dodge. Character is invulnerable while using this skill. Drag the to dodge, then hold to reload while dodging, enhancing Basic Attacks and Dash Attacks up to 8 times.
Dash Attack: Jack in the Box
When dragging the during a dodge, press : Dashes in the target direction and strikes nearby enemies, dealing Physical DMG. When not dragging the during a dodge, press : Vaults backward and launches a ranged strike against enemies in front, dealing Physical DMG. Automatically reloads after the attack to enhance her Basic Attack and Dash Attack, up to 8 times.
Dodge Counter: Diverted Bombard
Press during a Perfect Dodge to activate: Dodge backwards and send a ranged strike at enemies in front, dealing Ether DMG. Character is invulnerable while using this skill. Automatically reloads after the attack to enhance Basic Attack and Dash Attack up to 8 times.
Assist3
Quick Assist: Emergency Bombard
When the on-field character is launched, press to activate: Dodge backwards and send a ranged strike at enemies in front, dealing Ether DMG.Character is invulnerable while using this skill. Automatically reloads after the attack to enhance Basic Attack and Dash Attack up to 8 times.
Defensive Assist: The Hare Strikes Back!
When the character on field is about to be attacked, press to activate: Parries the enemy's attack, dealing massive Daze. Character is invulnerable while using this skill.
Assist Follow-Up: Window of Opportunity
Press after a Defensive Assist to activate: Charge forward and bombard enemies, dealing Ether DMG. Character is invulnerable while using this skill.
Special Attack2
Special Attack: Sugarcoated Bullet
Press to activate: Unleashes a ranged strike against enemies in front, dealing Ether DMG. Anti-Interrupt level is increased while using this skill. Automatically reloads after the attack to enhance Basic Attack and Dash Attack up to 8 times.
EX Special Attack: Stuffed Sugarcoated Bullet
With enough Energy, press to activate: A powerful ranged strike, generating an energy field that pulls enemies towards its center to deal Ether DMG. Hold down to charge up this attack, during which a small energy field is generated at the muzzle as Energy is consumed, dealing bonus DMG to enemies nearby. Character is invulnerable while using this skill. A Quick Assist is triggered when this skill hits an enemy. Automatically reloads after the attack to enhance Basic Attack and Dash Attack up to 8 times.
Chain Attack2
Chain Attack: Ether Shellacking
When a Chain Attack is triggered, select the character to activate: Unleashes a powerful ranged strike at enemies in a small area, generating an energy field that pulls enemies towards its center to deal Ether DMG. Character is invulnerable while using this skill. A Quick Assist is triggered when this skill hits an enemy. Automatically reloads after the attack to enhance Basic Attack and Dash Attack up to 8 times.
Ultimate: Ether Grenade
When Decibel Rating is at Maximum, press to activate: Unleashes a powerful ranged strike at enemies in a small area, generating an energy field that pulls enemies towards its center to deal Ether DMG. When using this skill, other squad members recover 10 Energy. The next character to switch in gains an additional 20 Energy. Character is invulnerable while using this skill. A Quick Assist is triggered when this skill hits an enemy. Automatically reloads after the attack to enhance Basic Attack and Dash Attack up to 8 times.
Core Skill2
Core Passive: Mechanical Case
After hitting an enemy with a Special Attack, EX Special Attack, Chain Attack, or Ultimate, Nicole can reload, enhancing her Basic Attack and Dash Attack. When her enhanced bullets or Energy Field hits an enemy, the target's DEF is reduced by 20% for 3.5s.*Stats shown are at Base level.
Additional Ability: Hare of Many Burrows
When another character in your squad shares the same Attribute or Faction: When Nicole's Core Passive: Mechanical Case applies a debuff to an enemy, all squad members deal 25% more Ether DMG to the target for 3.5s.
How to read this build page
Every Agent build page has 4 parts: a stat table by level, W-Engine/Drive Disc suggestions, a Mindscape roadmap, and recommended teams. Read them in that order — stats tell you "what you need", gear tells you "where to get it", Mindscape tells you "is it worth pulling", teams tell you "who to pair with". The section below explains how to read each part, and it applies the same way to every character on the site.
How to read the stat table and level
The stat table shows values at the ascension breakpoints (usually the final one, e.g. Lv60) — these are BASE stats with no gear added, useful for comparing Agents or checking whether you've ascended far enough. CRIT Rate and CRIT DMG are shown separately because they set the damage ceiling once Drive Disc substats stack on top. If your real stats are lower than the table, you likely haven't fully ascended or leveled yet — it's not a build mistake.
Why the W-Engine and Drive Disc picks make sense
Most Agents have a "signature" W-Engine designed for their exact role, plus a few cheaper standard-banner substitutes. Missing the signature isn't a dead end — most Agents keep most of their power with a well-matched substitute, just short by some amount of total damage.
- Drive Disc sets (2pc + 4pc) are picked for the set effect that fits that Agent's playstyle (mono-element, Anomaly, stun, and so on).
- Substats follow a priority that changes by role: Attack-type Agents usually chase CRIT Rate/CRIT DMG before ATK%; Anomaly-type Agents add Anomaly Proficiency to that mix; Stun/Support roles often value survivability or energy stats over pure CRIT.
These weights differ per character — follow the exact substat priority table above rather than applying one formula to every role.
Is Mindscape worth chasing
General rule: M0 (no duplicates) already clears the game's hardest content, even for S-rank Agents. Mindscape is a duplicate-fueled upgrade system, and each level costs more resources for a smaller power gain. For most Agents, the best value stop is usually M1–M2 (where some key effects unlock), while M6 is almost always for players chasing the absolute ceiling, not a requirement. Check the Mindscape section in the table above for that specific Agent's numbers.
Skill priority by role
There's no single order for every Agent, but the general pattern by role is:
- Attack: level the main damage skill first (Basic or Special Attack depending on kit), Dash/Dodge last.
- Stun: prioritize whichever skill builds Daze/Stun fastest, since the stun window is where the whole team dumps damage.
- Support: prioritize buff or energy-generating skills over personal damage — this role's value comes from lifting the whole team.
- Anomaly: prioritize the skill that stacks anomaly buildup, since most of the damage comes from the triggered effect, not the direct hit.
Always level the Core Skill steadily alongside the rest — it's a baseline stat that affects the whole rotation, not just one move.
Where to dig deeper
This section only teaches you how to read the page — for deeper comparisons, use the dedicated tools:
- Tier list to see where this Agent stands against the full roster.
- Teams for full in-game comps, including Bangboo and rotation order.
- Disc score to check how your current gear scores against the benchmark.
What is the best W-Engine for Nicole?
Nicole performs best with The Vault. See alternatives and required stats in the Gear section above.
Is Nicole worth pulling?
Nicole is one of the most cost-effective budget supports in the game: DEF shred, enemy grouping, and energy generation, all from a free A-rank. She still shows up regularly in Ether teams and any comp that wants tight clustering in the 3.0 meta. Well worth leveling her Core and Mindscapes—a high priority for new and veteran players alike.
What is the best team for Nicole?
Nicole works best in the Sly Bunny Squad team. Full members and rotation are in the Teams section.
Understand the mechanics behind this
Teams→
Drive Disc Scorer→