As the first “Alter” Operator in Arknights, Lava the Purgatory is more than just a stronger version of her original form—she’s a powerful 5-star Splash Caster that brings team utility and surprising flexibility. Whether you’re deploying her for raw AoE damage or using her to boost the performance of fellow Casters, she fills a reliable role in most team comps.

Unlike many damage-dealers in this strategy game, Lava the Purgatory helps others while still delivering strong area Arts attacks. With two solid skills and a standout talent that boosts SP generation for your whole Caster squad, she’s a great pick even outside of niche content. Let’s take a closer look at what she can do and how to build her effectively.

Operator Overview

Lava the Purgatory is a 5-star Splash Caster who deals AoE Arts damage over a wide range. Like all Splash Casters, her attacks cover multiple tiles at once and scale well against enemies with low to mid RES. However, she stands out because of her synergy-focused talent and the unique way her second skill changes her playstyle entirely.

She was introduced as a welfare Operator in the Who is Real event and can be unlocked permanently through Record Restoration. Unlike the original Lava, this version has higher stats, access to Elite 2, and more complex gameplay. She shares Trust with her original self, but otherwise has completely separate upgrades, potentials, and skills.

Talents: Spell Formation and SP Support

When it comes to the combat in Arknights, Lava the Purgatory’s main utility comes from her talent, Spell Formation. This ability gives her immediate SP on first deployment and also shares SP with other Casters on the field or when they are deployed. The numbers scale with her promotion level—at Elite 2, she gains 30 SP on drop and grants +4 SP to all Casters each time she’s deployed.

If you’re running multiple Casters in your lineup, this can create some strong early activations, especially on units with high SP costs or long ramp-up times. For example, Casters like Amiya or Eyjafjalla benefit from the instant SP boost when deployed alongside Lava. This also makes her a valuable pick for early game tempo, as she can speed up skill cycles before the fight even gets going.

When upgraded through potentials and her module, Spell Formation becomes even more efficient. Potential 5 bumps her SP share to +5, and her module boosts the SP she gains herself, helping her get online faster.

Skills Overview

Lava the Purgatory offers two skills that serve very different purposes. One is about extending range and focusing firepower, while the other shifts her into a protective AoE burn zone mode.

Skill 1: Flame Quenched Dagger

This is a straightforward buff that increases her range and allows her to hit two targets simultaneously while slightly boosting her ATK. It also gives her one extra tile of reach, which can be helpful for positioning behind defenders or hitting further into enemy lines. Here’s an overview of the benefits.

• Boosts range by 1 tile
• Attacks two enemies at once
• ATK scales up to +20% at max level
• Great for general DPS and range pressure

This skill has good uptime, decent damage, and no weird mechanics to worry about. It’s the go-to option when you want Lava to contribute consistent AoE damage and don’t need the control effects of her second skill.

Skill 2: Ring of Hellfire

Her second skill changes everything about how she plays. Instead of attacking, she locks onto an ally with the highest HP within her range (or herself, if no ally is nearby) and envelops them in a ring of fire that deals continuous Arts damage in all surrounding tiles. While active, she stops attacking, but the burn zone sticks around for the entire skill duration.

Here is a simplified rundown of how the skill works:

• 50% ATK as Arts damage per second in a wide area
• Targets 8 surrounding tiles around both Lava and one ally
• Great for protecting melee allies or stacking AoE damage
• Works even if no allies are in range—defaults to self-only ring

This skill is fantastic in tight maps or boss encounters where enemies cluster around defenders or stall zones. It’s also a great way to chip down low-RES enemies without taking aggro or exposing Lava herself. Just keep in mind that she stops attacking normally, so her personal DPS drops unless you’re relying purely on the ring’s burn damage.

How to Build Lava the Purgatory: Skills, Modules, and Team Synergy

If you’re planning to keep Lava the Purgatory in your active lineup, you’ll want to focus on upgrading her talents and skills, especially if you plan on using her SP support mechanics in more complex squads. Here’s how to get the most out of her:

Promotion and Skill Mastery

Building this character is pretty straightforward as you must leverage her innate skills and talents:

• Elite 2: This is essential for unlocking her stronger talent effect (+4 SP share) and boosting her personal damage.
• Skill Priority: Focus on S2 (Ring of Hellfire) if you want to use her as an AoE support/damage hybrid. It’s unique and opens up advanced strategies. Use S1 if you prefer a simpler, no-frills damage boost.
• Specialization: S2 scales very well with investment, especially in later content, and helps with zoning and AoE stacking.

Operator Module: Sarkaz’s Knife (SPC-X)

Lava’s module enhances both her range and her ability to activate faster. The extra tile extension helps her cast skills from safer positions, while the SP boost improves her overall uptime. Upgrading this module also improves Spell Formation, making her better at supporting your other Casters from the start of a battle.

Team Synergy

Lava the Purgatory works best when paired with other Casters, especially those with powerful but costly skills. SP-hungry operators can benefit from her early deployment, and units like Eyja, Goldenglow, or even Mostima can enjoy smoother activations.

She also pairs well with frontline defenders and medics. Ring of Hellfire protects defenders by burning nearby enemies, making her a strong choice in teams built around lane control or stall tactics.

Good synergy options may include:

• Eyjafjalla or Ceobe: For SP boost and combo AoE damage
• Saria or Nearl: Healers who can tank while Lava burns surrounding enemies
• Other Splash Casters: Goldenglow and Skyfire benefit from faster skill cycles

Lava the Purgatory is an incredibly polished alter Operator who blends AoE damage, utility, and team support in one tight package. She’s easy to pick up for early content thanks to her reliable splash damage, but also has deep tactical value with her SP-boosting talent and ring-based control skill. Whether you’re running a caster-heavy comp or just need an AoE burn field around your defenders, she brings a lot to the table.

And to really take advantage of her ranged power and visual clarity, make sure you’re playing Arknights on PC with BlueStacks. You’ll get a wider view of the battlefield, quicker controls, and smoother performance—ideal for setting up skills like Ring of Hellfire exactly where you need them.