Gear

How the Gear system and manufacturer set bonuses work in NIKKE.

Gear covers 4 equipment slots per character; when a squad fields multiple Nikkes from the same manufacturer (Elysion, Missilis, Tetra, Pilgrim, Abnormal), Gear grants extra manufacturer-specific bonuses.

Slot: Head (Helm)Stat tendency: HP + ATK. Each Nikke can equip up to 4 pieces (1/slot), slot cannot be changed, and each piece is bound to 1 Nikke.

Slot: Torso (Chest)Stat tendency: HP + ATK. Each Nikke can equip up to 4 pieces (1/slot), slot cannot be changed, and each piece is bound to 1 Nikke.

Slot: Arm (Gloves)Stat tendency: ATK + DEF. Each Nikke can equip up to 4 pieces (1/slot), slot cannot be changed, and each piece is bound to 1 Nikke.

Slot: Leg (Boots)Stat tendency: HP + DEF. Each Nikke can equip up to 4 pieces (1/slot), slot cannot be changed, and each piece is bound to 1 Nikke.

What is Overload (OL)Overload (OL) is a random sub-stat system rolled on the highest Tier gear (Overload tier), up to 3 sub-stat lines per piece.

Increase Element Damage DealtValue range: 9.54% – 29.16% · roll weight 10%

Increase Hit RateValue range: 4.77% – 14.63% · roll weight 12%

Increase Max Ammunition CapacityValue range: 27.84% – 85.37% · roll weight 12%

Increase ATKValue range: 4.77% – 14.63% · roll weight 10%

Increase Charge DamageValue range: 4.77% – 14.63% · roll weight 12%

Increase Charge SpeedValue range: 1.98% – 6.09% · roll weight 12%

Increase Critical RateValue range: 2.30% – 7.07% · roll weight 12%

Increase Critical DamageValue range: 6.64% – 20.36% · roll weight 10%

Increase DEFValue range: 4.77% – 14.63% · roll weight 10%

Lock & Reroll OL LinesYou can LOCK one or more sub-stat lines before rerolling the rest. Lock cost increases with each use (the first lock costs 2 Custom Module, rerolling with 1 locked line also costs 2 Custom Module...). Unlocking does NOT refund the Custom Module already spent.

OL Priority — Attacker (DPS)Main priority: Increase ATK, Increase Max Ammunition Capacity. Secondary: Increase Element Damage Dealt (content-dependent), Charge Speed/Charge Damage (weapon-dependent), Critical Rate/Critical Damage (only for Nikkes with their own crit mechanic)

OL Priority — Supporter/DefenderMain priority: Increase ATK (amplifies buff/skill value). Secondary: Hit Rate (for SMG), Max Ammo (for reload-dependent Nikkes). Note: avoid stats that conflict with the mechanic — for example Max Ammo can REDUCE the effectiveness of CDR (cooldown reduction) on certain specialized supports

OL Priority — Specialist (Healer)Prioritize Charge Speed to shorten the interval between heals

AR / SMGPriority: ATK, Hit Rate. Secondary: Element Damage, Max Ammo

Sniper RiflePriority: Max Ammo, ATK. Secondary: Charge Speed / Charge Damage

ShotgunPriority: ATK, Hit Rate, Max Ammo. Secondary: Crit Rate / Crit Damage

Rocket LauncherPriority: Max Ammo, Charge Speed/Charge Damage. Secondary: ATK

Machine GunPriority: Max Ammo, ATK. Secondary: Crit Rate / Crit Damage

Gear Enhancement (Enhance)Gear from Tier 3 and above can be leveled up (enhance level) using Credit + Boost Module (EXP module). Cost scales up sharply by tier — for example Tier 3 Level 1 costs 540 credit, Tier 10 Level 5 costs up to 1,080,000 credit (Credit and EXP module cost are EQUAL at each milestone according to source)

Overload Line Priority: Essential – Ideal – Passable

Every buff line that appears on Overload (OL)-upgraded gear falls into one of three value tiers: Essential, Ideal, and Passable. Essential is a line that's practically mandatory for a character to perform as intended — for example, Alice needs Charge Speed at Essential level because her entire kit revolves around charge speed. Ideal is a line that meaningfully improves performance without being a hard requirement, while Passable is a low-value line that fills a slot without contributing much to real combat performance.

As a general stat priority, ATK and Elemental DMG sit at the top of the list for most characters. Between the two, Elemental DMG is usually rated slightly above ATK because it tends to have a higher stat cap and gets diluted less by other multipliers in the damage formula — the tradeoff is that it's less flexible, since it only reaches full value when matched against the target's element. This is why Elemental DMG is often treated as the "strong but situational" pick, while ATK is the safe, universally usable option.

That said, this general priority list doesn't apply rigidly to every character: some Nikkes have their own Essential line that outranks even ATK/Elemental DMG, such as Charge Speed for Alice or Max Ammo for MG-type characters. Before rolling OL, commanders should first check whether the target character has a character-specific Essential line; if so, prioritize that line above everything else. A realistic, sustainable target per gear piece is landing 2 Essential/Ideal lines — getting all 3 in those tiers is a lucky outcome, not something to expect as a baseline.

Overload Mechanics: Upgrading T9 to T10 and the Permanent Character Lock

Overload (OL) is the gear-upgrade system accessed through the Custom Module, which allows a piece of gear to be raised from tier T9 to tier T10. Once at T10, the gear gains higher base stats and also unlocks up to 3 Overload buff lines — the same lines graded as Essential, Ideal, or Passable described above. In other words, T9 is "raw" gear, while T10 via the Custom Module is the finished form that's ready to roll OL lines on.

The most important thing to remember about this system: once OL-upgraded gear is equipped on a specific character, it becomes permanently locked to that character. The gear, along with every line already rolled on it, can never be unequipped and moved to a different Nikke afterward — this is a one-way, irreversible decision.

Because of this permanence, commanders should think carefully before equipping a well-rolled piece of gear: only lock it onto characters who are confirmed, long-term members of a main team, rather than testing it on a Nikke whose place in the roster isn't settled yet. Spreading OL investment across characters with an unclear role only wastes already-expensive upgrade resources on choices that can't be undone.

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