How Arknights Recruitment Works: Rules, Tags & RNG
In Arknights, Recruitment is one of the primary methods for obtaining Operators alongside standard Headhunting. Using Recruitment Permits and LMD, Doctors can recruit Operators up to 6-star rarity for free by setting a recruitment timer and selecting up to 3 complementary tags.
Unlike Headhunting, which relies on banner rates, recruitment allows you to heavily manipulate the outcome by choosing strategic tag intersections. By recognizing guaranteed combinations (such as Crowd-Control, Nuker, Shift, and Top Operator), you eliminate low-rarity outcomes and secure valuable operators or certificates.
Rare Tag Combinations Cheat Sheet (Guaranteed 5★ & 6★)
| Tag Combination | Guaranteed Rarity | Matching Operators (Global) | Key Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top Operator | 6★ Guaranteed | SilverAsh, Eyjafjalla, Exusiai, Saria, Siege, Ifrit, Blaze, Thorns, Surtr, Mudrock, Mountain, etc. | 09:00:00 Timer |
| Senior Operator | 5★ Guaranteed | Specter, Texas, Blue Poison, Ptilopsis, Warfarin, Projekt Red, Liskarm, Nearl, etc. | 09:00:00 Timer |
| Defender + Survival | 5★ Guaranteed | Vulcan (100% Solo Guarantee) | 09:00:00 Timer |
| Supporter + DPS | 5★ Guaranteed | Istina (100% Solo Guarantee) | 09:00:00 Timer |
| Shift + DPS | 5★ Guaranteed | Cliffheart (5★) / Weedy (w/ Top Op) | 09:00:00 Timer |
| Crowd-Control | 4★/5★ Guaranteed | Texas (5★), Projekt Red (5★), Glaucus (5★), Mayer (5★), Click (4★) | 09:00:00 Timer |
| Nuker | 4★/5★ Guaranteed | Firewatch (5★), Leonhardt (5★), Cutter (4★) | 09:00:00 Timer |
| Robot | 1★ Robot Guaranteed | Lancet-2, Castle-3, THRM-EX, Justice Knight, Friston-3, PhonoR-0, CONFESS-47 | 03:50:00 (MAX!) |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I get a 6-star Operator without the Top Operator tag?
No. In Arknights recruitment, 6-star Operators (such as SilverAsh, Saria, Exusiai, Thorns, Surtr, and Mudrock) can ONLY appear if the "Top Operator" tag is selected and the recruitment timer is set to 9 hours (09:00:00). Without this tag, 5-star is the highest obtainable rarity.
Why did one of my recruitment tags get crossed out (tag drop)?
Tags have a random chance to "drop" (get cancelled) during recruitment. Setting the timer to 9:00:00 (09:00:00) minimizes the drop rate to near zero for standard tags and guarantees that Top Operator and Senior Operator will not drop. Setting shorter times significantly increases tag drop risk.
How do I recruit 1-star Robots like Castle-3 or Lancet-2?
To recruit 1-star Robots, you must set the recruitment duration to 3 hours 50 minutes (03:50:00) or less. If you set the timer to 4:00:00 or longer, 1-star units are completely removed from the pool. Selecting the "Robot" tag with 03:50:00 guarantees a robot.