Prioritize your Favorite Item upgrades in Goddess of Victory: NIKKE on characters that unlock vital gameplay mechanics—such as armor debuffs or team sustain—rather than units that receive only minor stat increases. Because Favorite Item materials require a lengthy farm, investing in units like Exia or Diesel provides the highest return for raid progression and difficult campaign stages.
Top Favorite Item Candidates
When choosing which character to upgrade, target units that gain fundamental role improvements rather than generalist stat boosts.
| Character | Primary Upgrade Benefit | Target Game Mode | Role Shift |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exia | Defense debuffs & elemental synergy | High-level raids & bossing | Niche support powerhouse |
| Diesel | Defensive kit enhancement & sustain | Raids & long-form campaign fights | Reliable tank / support-tank hybrid |
Exia (High Priority for Bossing)
Exia benefits significantly from her Favorite Item upgrade, turning her into a specialized support unit for high-level boss encounters.
- Key Strengths: Applies essential defense debuffs and provides elemental synergy required to bypass high armor thresholds.
- Trade-Offs: She operates as a niche support pick rather than a universal unit for every mode. Upgrade her first if your roster struggles against high-defense bosses in raids.
Diesel (High Priority for Team Survival)
Diesel’s Favorite Item directly addresses her core survival limitations, turning her into a dependable frontline anchor.
- Key Strengths: Enhances her damage mitigation and healing, giving your squad consistent long-term sustain in drawn-out battles.
- Best Use: Ideal for players who lack top-tier defensive units or need a stable tank for secondary raid teams.
How to Evaluate Other Favorite Item Upgrades
Because Favorite Item materials take significant time to gather, evaluate candidate units against your current roster needs before spending resources:
- Look for Mechanical Shifts: Upgrade units whose Favorite Items add new skill mechanics, essential utility (such as cooldown reduction), or specific elemental damage buffs.
- Avoid Pure Numerical Bumps: Skip units that only receive minor stat increases without changing how the character plays in battle.
- Check Banner Alternatives: Do not invest heavily in older units if newer banner characters already perform the same role at a higher level, unless you specifically need extra teams for multi-team raids.
- Maintain Core Progression: Treat Favorite Items as long-term goals. Do not halt your account's core character leveling or gear enhancement just to rush a single Favorite Item unlock.

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Player Comments
70 players commented on this guide.
The explanation is clear, especially for beginners.
I tried this today and it worked better than my old setup.
Good guide for HOT players. The strategy part was useful.
Nice guide. I am checking the other HOT articles next.