Blackbird Build Guide: Skills, Crime and Punishment, Awakenings and Teams

Updated November 6, 2026 for the global version as of 1.4 Phase II, cross-referencing the official update notice and several post-launch guides, with banner status, tier list ratings and teams refreshed. Skill, awakening and Resonance names follow the official English names (checked on Game8 and NTEBuild).

Blackbird is a limited S-rank Psyche character from Phase I of version 1.4, using Gas Arcs. Her standout feature is the Redirect Skill Netherplume Rite: one cast fills the Cycle gauge, so swapping to an ally of an adjacent element immediately triggers that ally’s Support Skill and an Esper Cycle. This is her Instant Cycle. After she swaps out, her mark also lets Forsaken Bird attack alongside your allies. Her full mechanics work at A0.

Banner and Role

Foretold Finale

The Global/Taiwan banner ended on October 21 (it opened on September 30, 2026 after maintenance, alongside a Lacrimosa rerun). Version 1.5 reruns Shinku (November 11) and Chaos (December 2), not Blackbird, so you cannot pull her right now. Mainland China: September 24 to October 15, 05:59 (UTC+8). Do not mix the two schedules. Phase II’s Akane Rin launched on October 21; see the Akane Rin Build Guide.

Her official tags are Instant Cycle, Main DPS and DMG Buff. In practice, she is common in Scorch (Incantation + Chaos) and Nova (Chaos + Psyche) teams. She can play main DPS or sub-DPS at A0, and the top tier list ratings are all based on A0. A1 and her signature Arc push her further, but they are not a requirement. A simple rotation does not use her whole kit, so you need swap-cancelling to get the most out of it.

Skills and Mechanics

Basic Attack: Fleeting Shadow

A five-hit Psyche combo whose hits build Malice. Hold for Roostcall, which slows enemies. Her plunge attack is Lingering Affliction and her Perfect Counter is Avian Instinct.

Malice

Blackbird’s own resource, capped at 60. Entering combat gives +20, Fleeting Shadow hits +20 and Netherplume Rite +40; she cannot gain more after transforming into the witch. Witch-form attacks spend Malice for an extra damage ratio, so fill it before you transform.

Redirect Skill: Netherplume Rite

Applies the 15-second Forsaken Feather mark to an enemy. From then on, when your on-field ally hits a marked enemy, Forsaken Bird makes an area attack: 200% ATK at level 1, at least 2 seconds apart, up to 5 times. That means Blackbird should swap out after Netherplume Rite instead of staying on the field.

Ultimate: Requies Animarum

Costs 100 energy and transforms her into the Witch of Deliverance for 16 seconds. She cannot be interrupted, the timer pauses while she is off-field, and the whole team gains 20% ATK for 15 seconds. In witch form her Basic Attack becomes Pyreflame, and her dash attack, Flames of Deliverance, spends 20 Malice per use. Casting the Ultimate again unleashes the finisher Flammae in Unum and ends the form.

Support Skill: Judgment Upon Me

Her swap-in support attack, which can build or spend Malice. In witch form it changes into a witch-form version.

Passive 1: Thrushsong

Raises the Stain (Psyche + Lakshana) bonus to 30% for 20 seconds. When Nova (Chaos + Psyche) ends, she adds one extra hit of Psyche damage based on the damage taken during Nova, then applies Nova again.

Passive 2: Ever Onward

Gains an extra 20 Malice when she casts her Support Skill.

How to Use Instant Cycle

Most characters need to fight for a while to fill the Cycle gauge; Blackbird fills it with a single Netherplume Rite. Then swap to an ally whose element is adjacent to Psyche (Chaos or Lakshana) to trigger that ally’s Support Skill and an Esper Cycle right away. Before Blackbird, only Esper Zero could do a similar instant Cycle.

In practice the loop is: Blackbird enters → Netherplume Rite → swap to a Chaos or Lakshana ally to trigger the Cycle → your main DPS attacks the marked enemy so Forsaken Bird follows up. Psyche only reacts with Chaos (Nova) and Lakshana (Stain), so build the team around those two elements.

Awakenings and Resonance

Awakenings can be chosen in any order. Each extra copy adds one slot, up to 6, and a Resonance tier unlocks at 3 and at 6 awakenings. A1, A3 and so on in guides refer to an effect’s position in the list, not the order you obtain it.

Resonance 3, Atonement Unveiled: skill levels increase, Ultimate-related ratios go up, and she gains an extra 20 Malice after her Ultimate.

Resonance 6, When the Stars Mourn: while Blackbird is in the team, the whole team gains 30% Crit DMG.

Signature Arc and Alternatives

Crime and Punishment

Blackbird’s limited S-rank Gas signature Arc, only available from the Roostfeather Special Arc banner. Level 80: 570 base ATK and 24% Crit Rate. At M1: Cycle Intensity +72 and Blackbird’s Psyche DMG +20%; after she casts her Ultimate, the whole team gains 16% Crit DMG and she gains an extra 32%, for 15 seconds. The values roughly double at max refinement. It is the top recommendation if you want Blackbird as your main DPS.

Alternative Arcs

• Good Boy’s Grand Adventure: Sakiri’s signature and the best substitute when Blackbird plays sub-DPS or support. The S-rank Arc selector box in the 1.4 Puka Membership Program lets you pick it.
• Ravenous Blade: Zankou’s signature, used mainly for its stats.
• Watch Your Heads!: A-rank budget option; pair it with a Crit Rate main stat.

Cartridges and Stats

• Set: Devil’s Blood: Curse. 2 pieces: Psyche DMG +10%; 4 pieces: DMG +18%, rising to +36% against enemies under Stain or Nova. For a support build, switch to Speedy Hedgehog, which raises team ATK after she casts her Ultimate.
• Drive blocks: each Type Ⅲ drive block gives +8% Crit Rate.
• Cartridge main stat: with Crime and Punishment, Crit DMG or Psyche DMG bonus; without her signature Arc, get Crit Rate first.
• Substats: Crit Rate ≈ Crit DMG > DMG bonus > ATK% > Cycle Intensity.
• Skill order: unlock both passives first, then level Basic Attack, Redirect Skill and Ultimate evenly; Support Skill comes last.

Materials

Amounts are the totals for ascension and skills, excluding Arcs. You can farm the weekly boss and the Numerals at any time; prepare the rest with the routes in the material farming guide.

Rotation

1. Bring Blackbird in and cast Netherplume Rite to apply Forsaken Feather and fill the Cycle gauge.
2. Swap straight to a Chaos or Lakshana ally to trigger their Support Skill and the Esper Cycle.
3. Let your main DPS attack the marked enemy so Forsaken Bird follows up from off-field.
4. When her energy is full, swap back to Blackbird for her Ultimate (team ATK +20%). If she has Malice, deal damage in witch form, then finish with Flammae in Unum.

Teams and Pull Advice

Budget Scorch team: Blackbird + Zankou + Daffodill + Sakiri. Incantation + Chaos forms Scorch and Chaos + Psyche forms Nova; when both are on the enemy, Discord triggers. Sakiri boosts damage over time, while Blackbird provides Instant Cycle, off-field Forsaken Bird attacks and the ATK buff.

Lacrimosa as main DPS: Blackbird + Zankou + Lacrimosa + Sakiri. The same core, with Lacrimosa dealing damage on-field.

Adding Linko: Blackbird + Zankou + Linko + Lacrimosa or Daffodill. Linko adds Hexed and resistance reduction; one guide cleared Beyond the Rails 12-1 in under 40 seconds with an A0 lineup.

Chaos (the Lakshana character) and Blackbird make a well-rated Stain team, for example Blackbird + Chaos + Hathor + Esper Zero.

Three more teams from 1.4 Phase II:

Akane Rin team: Akane Rin + Blackbird + Esper Zero + Linko. Iroi can replace Linko.

Nova with Blackbird as main DPS: Blackbird + Daffodill + Haniel (or Fadia) + Sakiri.

Budget Nova: Blackbird + Daffodill + Aurelia + Haniel. Blackbird is the only limited character here.

Pull advice: the major tier lists all place Blackbird at A0 in their top tier (October to November 2026). She can play main DPS, sub-DPS and buffer, and she is a core of Nova, Stain and Discord teams. Her banner has ended and 1.5 does not rerun her, so you cannot pull her right now. If she returns, she is most worth pulling if you already have Zankou or Lacrimosa, or want an instant Cycle; Crime and Punishment pushes her further, but it is not a requirement.

Sources and Verification

• Official NTE 1.4 update notice (CN server)
• Huanshi Quanjian (CN wiki): Blackbird data
• You Xueluo’er: Blackbird hands-on test (TapTap)
• Xuan’er Zero: Blackbird guide (TapTap)
• EnjoyGM: Blackbird build and materials
• Game8: Blackbird
• NTEBuild: Blackbird
• Icy Veins: Blackbird

Skill effects were cross-checked across multiple guides, and details found in only one source are left out. Ratios and awakening values were adjusted both during CN testing and at launch, and some English sites still show older numbers; the in-game text is final.

Further reading: NTE 1.4 update overview, Akane Rin Build Guide, Zankou build guide

FAQ