Ideal
CRIT Rate > CRIT DMG
Desire
Passion DMG%
Imagination
DEF% = HP%
Chaos Zero Nightmare (CZN)MaribellBuild and Guide
Introduction
Best guide and build for Maribell from Chaos Zero Nightmare (CZN). Maribell is a 4✦ character from the Vanguard class and Passion attribute, who belongs to the Ironrain [Wolf Platoon] faction.
Update tracker
Last review update
Season 2
Last build update
Season 2
Last profile update*
15.03.2026
*Profile update means updates done to reviews/builds/gear within a season - showing the last date we changed anything on this page.
To learn more about Maribell check the sections below. Use the tabs to quickly switch to the kind of information you're looking for.
Profile
Review
Epiphanies
Gear
Deck & Teams
Profile
Cards
Starting Cards:
1
Shelter Kick
100% Defense-based Damage.
1
Shelter Defense
100% Shield
Show Effects
2
Shelter Hold
220% Shield.
Show Effects
1
Resolute Blitz
140% Defense-based Damage.
1 Counterattack.
1 Counterattack.
Show Effects
Epiphany Cards:
1
Maribell Shelter MK.II
100% Defense-based Damage.
Fixed Shield equal to Damage dealt (Does not exceed 20% of Max HP).
Fixed Shield equal to Damage dealt (Does not exceed 20% of Max HP).
Show Effects
1
Wolves' Dome
2 Counterattack.
At the start of the turn, 1 Counterattack.
At the start of the turn, 1 Counterattack.
Show Effects
1
Oh... I see.
100% Shield.
1 Counterattack.
1 Weaken to all enemies.
1 Counterattack.
1 Weaken to all enemies.
Show Effects
1
Shelter Strike
Fixed Damage equal to Shield owned.
Show Effects
Ego Skill:
4
Unbreakable
Ego Skill
350% Shield.
Show Effects
Epiphany Variants:
Epiphany cards are special evolutions for the cards you can obtain while playing the roguelike mode. Only some cards in the character's deck can get Epiphany effects. Since there's quite a lot of them, we don't display them by default - press the button below to show them. There are also Divine variants of Epiphany cards, but we're still working on gathering them.
1
Resolute Blitz I
210% Defense-based Damage.
1 Counterattack.
When Damage is inflicted, add 1 Counterattack.
1 Counterattack.
When Damage is inflicted, add 1 Counterattack.
Show Effects
1
Resolute Blitz II
140% Defense-based Damage.
2 Counterattack.
2 Counterattack.
Show Effects
2
Resolute Blitz III
210% Defense-based Damage to all enemies.
Counterattack equal to number of targets Damaged.
Counterattack equal to number of targets Damaged.
Show Effects
1
Resolute Blitz IV
210% Defense-based Damage.
Increases Damage Amount by 30% of Shield held.
Increases Damage Amount by 30% of Shield held.
Show Effects
2
Resolute Blitz V
At the end of the turn, 1 Counterattack.
210% Defense-based Damage to random enemies.
210% Defense-based Damage to random enemies.
Show Effects
1
Maribell Shelter MK.II I
100% Defense-based Damage to all enemies.
Fixed Shield equal to Damage dealt (Does not exceed 20% of Max HP).
Fixed Shield equal to Damage dealt (Does not exceed 20% of Max HP).
Show Effects
1
Maribell Shelter MK.II II
150% Defense-based Damage.
Fixed Shield equal to Damage dealt (Does not exceed 20% of Max HP).
Fixed Shield equal to Damage dealt (Does not exceed 20% of Max HP).
Show Effects
2
Maribell Shelter MK.II III
280% Defense-based Damage.
Fixed Shield equal to Damage dealt (Does not exceed 20% of Max HP).
Fixed Shield equal to Damage dealt (Does not exceed 20% of Max HP).
Show Effects
2
Maribell Shelter MK.II IV
150% Defense-based Damage.
+50% Damage for each of the character's Counterattack.
+50% Damage for each of the character's Counterattack.
Show Effects
0
Maribell Shelter MK.II V
100% Defense-based Damage.
Fixed Shield equal to Damage dealt (Does not exceed 20% of Max HP).
Fixed Shield equal to Damage dealt (Does not exceed 20% of Max HP).
Show Effects
0
Wolves' Dome I
2 Counterattack.
At the start of the turn, 1 Counterattack.
At the start of the turn, 1 Counterattack.
Show Effects
1
Wolves' Dome II
2 Counterattack.
At the start of the turn, 1 Counterattack.
50% Fixed Shield.
At the start of the turn, 1 Counterattack.
50% Fixed Shield.
Show Effects
1
Wolves' Dome III
2 Counterattack.
At the start of the turn, 2 Counterattack.
At the start of the turn, 2 Counterattack.
Show Effects
0
Wolves' Dome IV
2 Counterattack, 2 Resolve for 1 turn.
Show Effects
2
Wolves' Dome V
At the start of the turn, 2 Counterattack.
+20% Counterattack Damage.
+20% Counterattack Damage.
Show Effects
1
Oh... I see. I
150% Shield.
1 Counterattack.
2 Weaken to all enemies.
1 Counterattack.
2 Weaken to all enemies.
Show Effects
1
Oh... I see. II
150% Shield. 2 Counterattack
Show Effects
1
Oh... I see. III
2 Counterattack.
2 Weaken to all enemies.
2 Weaken to all enemies.
Show Effects
1
Oh... I see. IV
At the end of the turn, Fixed Damage equal to 50% of Shield owned to the enemy with the lowest HP.
Show Effects
1
Oh... I see. V
At the start of the turn, 25% Fixed Shield equal to number of the own Counterattack.
Show Effects
Potential
Epiphany Bonus
Potential 1
When entering Chaos, obtain 1 random Rare Card with an activated Epiphany.
Basic Card Upgrade
Potential 2
Increase Damage, Shield, and Healing Amounts of Basic Cards by 2/20%.
Common Card Upgrade
Potential 3
Increase Damage, Shield, and Healing Amounts of Common Cards by 2/20%.
Basic Card Proficiency
Potential 3-1
When using Shelter Defense or Shelter Hold cards, gain 1 Counterattack.
Unique Card Upgrade
Potential 4
Increase Damage, Shield, and Healing Amounts of Unique Cards by 2/20%.
Critical Chance Proficiency
Potential 5
+2/10% Critical Chance.
Basic Card Proficiency
Potential 5-1
+5% Shield for Maribell’s Shelter Defense and Shelter Hold.
If Maribell’s Health is greater than 600, an additional +5% to that value.
If Maribell’s Health is greater than 600, an additional +5% to that value.
Divine Epiphany Adaptation
Potential 5-2
Increases the chance for a Divine Epiphany to appear by 25%.
Health Proficiency
Potential 6
Increase Health by 1.6/8%.
Unique Stat Upgrade
Potential 7
+5% Defense-based Attack Damage.
If Maribel's HP is greater than 800, +5% to that value.
If Maribel's HP is greater than 800, +5% to that value.
Manifest Ego (dupes)
Sleeping Memory
Manifest Ego 1
The fixed damage of the Shelter Strike card is increased by +50%.
Awakening Memory
Manifest Ego 2
Maribel's Shield gain is increased by 10%.
Vivid Memory
Manifest Ego 3
Increase the level of [Basic Card Upgrade], [Unique Card Upgrade], and [Common Card Upgrade] in Potentials by 3.
Inner Memory
Manifest Ego 4
The Shield gain of the Unbreakable card is increased by +100%.
Complete Memory
Manifest Ego 5
Increase the level of [Basic Card Upgrade], [Unique Card Upgrade], and [Common Card Upgrade] in Potentials by 3.
Liberated Memory
Manifest Ego 6
The first Counterattack from Maribell each turn gains damage equal to 20% of her current Shield.
Stats (level 60)
HP
392
DEF
172
ATK
382
Gallery
Review
Introduction
Maribell is a 4-Star Passion Attribute Vanguard whose playstyle is focused on the Counterattack mechanic and turning defense into offense.
Maribell offers multiple cards that generate shield and Counterattack, allowing her to protect her team whilst also dishing some back. Maribell's "Shelter Strike" card deals Fixed-Damage equal to the amount of shield owned, allowing her to dish out some damage after putting up their wall. Maribell also offers the Weaken debuff from her "Oh... I See" card to further enhance her team's survivability.
Maribell doesn't offer any built-in draw or AP management, but it doesn't require much to be effective. Maribell can be slotted into almost any team if needing survivability. She can also move into a more DPS-focused role when paired with other Vanguards due to her shield-based damage scaling found on some of her cards.
If you’re looking for a character to keep your team alive whilst still providing some damage and not demanding resources you need for your other characters, Maribell has you covered.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Good shielding capabilities.
Flexible enough to fit into most team compositions in the shielder slot.
Can apply the Weaken debuff to lower enemy damage output.
Cons
Counterattacks (and damage) are far less effective in fights where enemies are hit minimal times.
shielding can be quite slow in endgame content with turn limits.
While less AP greedy than some other Vanguards, she still requires a fair bit to shield properly.
Ratings
The ratings below are based on the Season Save Data modes and the Chaos Manifestation mode. Each of the modes values different mechanics, so some characters may shine in one of the, while being underwhelming in the other.
Key Mechanics
Defense Scaling: Like other Vanguards, all of Maribell’s damage-dealing abilities scale off of her DEF stat instead of ATK. This allows her to improve her damage and shielding capabilities all at once, on top of improving the team's general tankiness.
Counterattack: Maribell can stack up Counterattacks, which allows her to deal Defense-based damage when hit by the enemy. If the hit is completely blocked by a shield, the Counterattack deals more damage. This is great against enemies with Consecutive Attacks, but the backloaded damage output can make clearing stages very slow if enemies barely attack.
Pulverize: Does more damage to enemies with a shield. It’s not a huge part of Maribell’s kit, but a few cards have the tag.
Potential
Maribell’s first Signature Potential is a priority early pickup, as it adds more Counterattack to her kit, increasing her utility and offense on the team. You can invest in her other signatures if you want more shields or damage and can meet the stat requirements to get their full benefit.
3-1: Adds Counterattack to her basic shield cards: Shelter Defense and Shelter Hold. This is a great upgrade to her kit, allowing her to expand on her offensive capability while still maintaining the shield you’re bringing her to the party for.
5-1: Continues to improve her basic shield cards by adding an extra 5% shield to them. Additionally, if Maribell’s HP is greater than 600, an additional 5% is added, for 10% total. More shield is always nice, but this doesn’t feel as impactful as her 3-1.
7: Similar to 5-1, but adds 5% to her Defense-based Attack Damage for cards such as Shelter Kick. If her HP is greater than 800, it adds an additional 5% for 10% total. In most cases, if Maribell is on your team, it’s for shield. Some strategies for Maribell lean into Defense-based attacking as shield generation, which can make them easier to execute.
Dupes Review
E0
Base
E1
Ego 1
Maribell’s first Ego point, when unlocked, increases the amount of damage her “Shelter Strike” does from 100% of owned shield to 150%. A pretty good overall first ego point that gives her a solid damage boost.
E2
Ego 2
Her second Ego node passively boosts the amount of shield Maribell gains by 10%. A really good second point that further boosts her survivability alongside damage output, thanks to her “Shelter Strike” card.
E3
Ego 3
This node increases the base and maximum level of their [Basic Card Upgrade], [Unique Card Upgrade] and [Common Card Upgrade] Potentials by 3. As usual, provides solid increases to her damage and shielding capabilities.
E4
Ego 4
Maribell’s fourth Ego node increases the amount of shield granted by her Ego skill by +100%. Nothing major, but it can help even further when in a pinch.
E5
Ego 5
This node again increases the base and maximum level of their [Basic Card Upgrade], [Unique Card Upgrade] and [Common Card Upgrade] Potentials by 3.
E6
Ego 6
Maribell’s final Ego node is extremely strong, granting her first Counterattack each turn, an extra damage equal to 20% of her current shield. This node enables Maribell to fit into a DPS role when combined with other Vanguards to stack your shield to the moon.
Cards & Ego Skill
4
Unbreakable
Ego Skill
350% Shield.
Show Effects
Unbreakable
Maribell’s Ego Skill might be the most straightforward one in the game: put up the big shields. That’s it. Huge hit from a boss incoming? Four elites about to bring the smackdown? Maribell says ‘nope’ and builds a wall. Knowing when to use this skill is going to come down to either a) knowing what enemy abilities to wait for or b) seeing a big red damage indicator on your health bar and panicking. Either way, 350% shield baseline and 450% with Maribell’s E4 will go a long way towards keeping you alive.
1
Shelter Kick
100% Defense-based Damage.
Shelter Kick
A Basic Attack Card in a deck where you want to draw your shield cards more often. A good removal target, since it doesn’t get any upgrades outside of the basic +20% from Potential 2.
1
Shelter Defense
100% Shield
Show Effects
Shelter Defense
Maribell’s staple 1-cost shield applier. Good for blocking chip damage. Gets a nice upgrade with her Potential 3-1, adding Counterattack to the card.
2
Shelter Hold
220% Shield.
Show Effects
Shelter Hold
More AP spent = more shield. This is the card that will get you through tough early situations and soften heavy hits from elites and bosses. Gets a nice upgrade with her Potential 3-1, which adds Counterattack to the card.
1
Resolute Blitz
140% Defense-based Damage.
1 Counterattack.
1 Counterattack.
Show Effects
Resolute Blitz
A Defense-based attack that has Counterattack and [Pulverize], which means it hits enemies with shield harder than normal. This is an all-around better version of Shelter Kick.
1
Maribell Shelter MK.II
100% Defense-based Damage.
Fixed Shield equal to Damage dealt (Does not exceed 20% of Max HP).
Fixed Shield equal to Damage dealt (Does not exceed 20% of Max HP).
Show Effects
Maribell Shelter MK.II
At its base, this card deals damage and returns some of the damage dealt as shield, hitting enemies with shield harder via [Pulverize]. A decent defensive option in stages that incentivize you to attack often.
1
Wolves' Dome
2 Counterattack.
At the start of the turn, 1 Counterattack.
At the start of the turn, 1 Counterattack.
Show Effects
Wolves' Dome
An Upgrade card that grants 2 stacks of Counterattack and generates 1 Counterattack at the start of each turn. If you want Maribell to Counterattack consistently, this card guarantees that she’ll have stacks every turn.
1
Oh... I see.
100% Shield.
1 Counterattack.
1 Weaken to all enemies.
1 Counterattack.
1 Weaken to all enemies.
Show Effects
Oh... I see.
Has shields, Counterattack and the only instance of Weaken in Maribell’s kit. This is the ‘all-in-one’ card that hits on everything we want from Maribell. Weaken is a powerful effect that reduces enemy damage by 25% and this card applies it to all enemies, which can have the same effect as stacking a ton of shield at times. And you still get some actual shield out of it anyway.
1
Shelter Strike
Fixed Damage equal to Shield owned.
Show Effects
Shelter Strike
An interesting card that does Fixed Damage (damage that cannot be modified in any way). If you are focused on a heavy shield-stacking build, this can hit pretty hard, but it won’t match the damage of a dedicated DPS character. If you need a little more punch in your deck, it ’ll do the trick, but if you are going for a Counterattack-heavy strategy or just find your shield not stacking very high, it could be a removal target.
Best Epiphanies
Best Epiphanies
Note
We have given a star rating for each Epiphany, showing how strong and useful it is - with 1★ being the lowest rating and 5★ the highest.
Card 1
Neutral Epiphany
1
Resolute Blitz I
210% Defense-based Damage.
1 Counterattack.
When Damage is inflicted, add 1 Counterattack.
1 Counterattack.
When Damage is inflicted, add 1 Counterattack.
Show Effects
1
Resolute Blitz II
140% Defense-based Damage.
2 Counterattack.
2 Counterattack.
Show Effects
2
Resolute Blitz III
210% Defense-based Damage to all enemies.
Counterattack equal to number of targets Damaged.
Counterattack equal to number of targets Damaged.
Show Effects
1
Resolute Blitz IV
210% Defense-based Damage.
Increases Damage Amount by 30% of Shield held.
Increases Damage Amount by 30% of Shield held.
Show Effects
2
Resolute Blitz V
At the end of the turn, 1 Counterattack.
210% Defense-based Damage to random enemies.
210% Defense-based Damage to random enemies.
Show Effects
Epiphanies:
- Neutral - Neutral Epiphanies are not recommended on this card, as the base Epiphany itself is rather lackluster.
- Resolute Blitz I- Now gives an additional 1 Counterattack on damage dealt. This is effectively +1 Counterattack, so it isn’t especially strong, and Counterattack tends to be a less popular playstyle for optimized Maribell set-ups.
- Resolute Blitz II- The card now gives 2 Counterattack with no conditions, basically the same as Resolute Blitz I. This can be nice for Counterattack-based builds, but Counterattack tends to be a less popular playstyle for optimized Maribell set-ups.
- Resolute Blitz III- Now is AOE and gains Counterattack for each enemy damaged by it. This is very conditional to get more value out of than other Epiphanies (need at least 3 targets) and Counterattack tends to be a less popular playstyle for optimized Maribell set-ups.
- Resolute Blitz IV- Changes to a 2-cost attack that gains a damage bonus based on 30% of your held shield. This synergizes well with her Shelter Strike damage and can be an alternative shield-based damage build to Shelter Strike itself. The go-to Epiphany because it is strong damage and has great synergy with most of her popular builds, if you want the extra damage.
- Resolute Blitz V- Now a 2-cost Upgrade that does Defense-based damage to a random enemy. The effect on this is rather costly and weak, but since this is a Starter card you will often want to get rid of (costs more Save Data points to get rid of), it is recommended as an option for eliminating the card from your deck, as Upgrades will leave the deck after being played.
Divine Epiphanies:
Which Divine Epiphany to go for will depend on what your team needs and which Epiphany you chose, but here are the main ones to look out for if you have spare Save Data: -1 Cost Reduction, 30% Damage Increase, Weakness Attack.
Card 2
Neutral Epiphany
1
Maribell Shelter MK.II I
100% Defense-based Damage to all enemies.
Fixed Shield equal to Damage dealt (Does not exceed 20% of Max HP).
Fixed Shield equal to Damage dealt (Does not exceed 20% of Max HP).
Show Effects
1
Maribell Shelter MK.II II
150% Defense-based Damage.
Fixed Shield equal to Damage dealt (Does not exceed 20% of Max HP).
Fixed Shield equal to Damage dealt (Does not exceed 20% of Max HP).
Show Effects
2
Maribell Shelter MK.II III
280% Defense-based Damage.
Fixed Shield equal to Damage dealt (Does not exceed 20% of Max HP).
Fixed Shield equal to Damage dealt (Does not exceed 20% of Max HP).
Show Effects
2
Maribell Shelter MK.II IV
150% Defense-based Damage.
+50% Damage for each of the character's Counterattack.
+50% Damage for each of the character's Counterattack.
Show Effects
0
Maribell Shelter MK.II V
100% Defense-based Damage.
Fixed Shield equal to Damage dealt (Does not exceed 20% of Max HP).
Fixed Shield equal to Damage dealt (Does not exceed 20% of Max HP).
Show Effects
Epiphanies:
- Neutral - Target Neutral Epiphany: 1 AP.
Basically the same as Epi III (0-cost version). Both Epi III and Neutral AP essentially allow you to get a 20% Max-HP shield for 0 cost, which is one of the most efficient and high-value shields you can get in the game. - Maribell Shelter MK.II I- The card now does damage in AOE. The increase in damage, when conditions are met, can make it easier to hit the necessary damage to get full value off of your damage-based shield; however, decent Maribell builds will generally have no problem meeting the necessary damage (typically around 400-500 damage) without needing this, so Epiphany V or Neutral Epiphany’s quality of life will generally be preferred.
- Maribell Shelter MK.II II- The card now does slightly higher damage. The increase in damage can make it easier to hit the necessary damage to get full value off of your damage-based shield; however, decent Maribell builds will generally have no problem meeting the necessary damage (typically around 400-500 damage) without needing this, so Epiphany V or Neutral Epiphany’s quality of life will generally be preferred.
- Maribell Shelter MK.II III- Changes to a 2-cost with a significantly higher damage amount. The increase in damage can make it easier to hit the necessary damage to get full value off of your damage-based shield; however, decent Maribell builds will generally have no problem meeting the necessary damage (typically around 400-500 damage) without needing this, so Epiphany V or Neutral Epiphany’s quality of life will generally be preferred. While the damage itself on this card can also be useful, the cost and the fact that the shield-based part of the card is capped at the same 20% maxhp value regardless of Epiphany, make it generally not recommended unless the cost is affordable for the team.
- Maribell Shelter MK.II IV- Now does additional damage based on Maribell’s Counterattack. This takes away one of Maribell’s premier ways of generating necessary shield for herself, for her Shelter Strike, or other shield-based damage. Moreover, it requires a very specific setup where enemies essentially cannot attack you, lest your Counterattack be consumed and the attack weakens. Because of how conditional its effects are and the loss of its utility, it is not recommended for most Maribell builds.
- Maribell Shelter MK.II V- Changes to a 0-cost. The go-to Epiphany as it introduces a QoL element in the Cost Reduction. While the damage of the card itself will be lower than alternative options, since the VAST majority of damage on Maribell comes from her shield-based damage effects like Shelter Strike, she will generally prefer QoL improvements on her Supportive cards, like this, over small increases in damage.
Divine Epiphanies:
Which Divine Epiphany to go for will depend on what your team needs and which Epiphany you chose, but here are the main ones to look out for if you have spare Save Data: -1 Cost Reduction, 1 AP (Maribell Shelter MK.II V).
Card 3
Neutral Epiphany
Err
Err
Err
Err
Err
Epiphanies:
- Neutral - Neutral Epiphanies are not recommended on this card, as the base Epiphany itself is rather lackluster.
- Err- The card gains [Initiation]. This can be great for getting rid of the card quicker, but the Counterattack-based playstyle isn’t especially strong nor recommended to base your Maribell build around (compared to alternative options with Shelter Strike or shield-based damage).
- Err- Now gives an additional shield at the start of the turn. Any free shielding is extremely welcome on Maribell, as much of her damage in her best setups is based on how much shielding you can output–anything pushing that amount upwards is a welcome increase in her damage.
- Err- The start-of-turn effect is increased from 1 Counterattack per turn to 2. While this can be a nice increase in Counterattack for a Counterattack-based build, the Counterattack-based playstyle isn’t especially strong nor recommended to base your Maribell build around (compared to alternative options with Shelter Strike or shield-based damage).
- Err- When played alongside shielders like Tiphera, who do a lot of small shields, the resolve stacks on this can effectively double their shielding efficacy, making it a strong option to increase shielding. However, it can be hard to play *before* all other shield cards for its full value, every turn.
- Err- Increases the Counterattack damage of both Maribell and allies, making it a rather strong buff in Counterattack-based teams and the strongest for that set-up; however, the Counterattack-based playstyle isn’t especially strong nor recommended to base your Maribell build around (compared to alternative options with Shelter Strike or shield-based damage).
Divine Epiphanies:
Which Divine Epiphany to go for will depend on what your team needs and which Epiphany you chose, but here are the main ones to look out for if you have spare Save Data: -1 Cost Reduction, Draw 1 (Wolves’ Dome II).
Card 4
Neutral Epiphany
Err
Err
Err
Err
Err
Epiphanies:
- Neutral - Neutral Epiphanies are not recommended on this card, as the base Epiphany itself is rather lackluster.
- Err- A bit more shielding and 1 more Weaken debuff. This can be useful if you need to reduce damage a bit to keep your shielding high and if you need more sources of shielding for Maribell; however, the shield ratio is still relatively low and ally options (or options from Maribell herself) for shielding will generally be preferred.
- Err- Shielding increases slightly and Counterattack is changed to 2 (previously 1) with the Weaken debuff being removed. If optimizing for the highest amount of Counterattack, this option can be considered. However, the Counterattack-based playstyle isn’t especially strong nor recommended to base your Maribell build around (compared to alternative options with Shelter Strike or shield-based damage).
- Err- Removes shielding completely but gains both 2 Counterattack and 2 Weaken debuff. If optimizing for the highest amount of Counterattack, this option can be considered. However, the Counterattack-based playstyle isn’t especially strong nor recommended to base your Maribell build around (compared to alternative options with Shelter Strike or shield-based damage).
- Err- Changes to an Upgrade that does fixed damage based on 50% shield amount. The go-to Epiphany for any shield-based Maribell build, as it is just free damage that scales the same as the rest of her build. Basically, ⅓ of a Shelter Strike (E1) hit, for no cost at all. Even in other build types, Maribell will generally have high shielding, so this Epiphany will still get strong value.
- Err- Now, it’s an Upgrade that gives a shield based on owned Counterattack. This is not exclusive to Counterattack-based builds, as Maribell will often passively get Counterattack through effects like Wolves’ Den Upgrades, even if not in a Counterattack-based build, making it a passive shield option that gets rid of this card (not requiring it to be drawn or played, which lowers AP and draw concerns regarding it).
Divine Epiphanies:
Which Divine Epiphany to go for will depend on what your team needs and which Epiphany you chose, but here are the main ones to look out for if you have spare Save Data: -1 Cost Reduction.
Gear
Memory Fragments
The Memory Fragments & Equipment suggestions below are based on calculations we did. If you want to check the damage formula and how scaling the damage works in CZN, check this guide.
Recommended Loadout
1
[4-PC]: +35% Critical Damage of 1-cost cards.
[2-PC]: +25% Critical Damage.
The current go-to set for maximizing Maribell's damage in her most common build revolving around Shelter Strike is 4P Conqueror's plus 2P Executioner's. The reason this set beats out the competition is due to her primary damage dealing card Shelter Strike not scaling traditionally using a standard damage formula and instead scaling based on the teams total shield. Because of this it's more efficient to go for Crit related stats compared to the usual Damage Multipliers which don't work.
2
[2-PC]: +25% Critical Damage.
[2-PC]: +12% Defense.
Flex
If you don't have a strong Conqueror's set yet 2/2/2 can be used in the meantime and is also useful in Chaos where you may not always have access to multiple copies of Shelter Strike and the means to fully take advantage of them every turn.
For more damage use 2P Cursed Corpse (if you can keep Agony on targets at all times) or 2P Black Wing (only a minor damage increase but more consistent). Alternatively for stronger Chaos starts try 2P Seth's Scarab, or if you want more survivability use 2P Healer's Journey. If none of that appeals, you can use any 2 strong sub/main stat pieces instead of a final 2P set bonus as well.
Main and sub-stats
In a lot of cases, flat sub-stats are better than percentage ones when it comes to HP, ATK and DEF. The reason behind this is that in CZN the characters stats are pretty low and you get more value from flat bonus rather than percentage one based on calcs.
Substats:
CRIT Rate% > CRIT DMG% > DEF = HP > DEF% = HP%
Partners
Our best Partner recommendation try to balance both the raw damage boost they provide based on our calculations with the additional utility provided by the skill - combined with how it interacts with the characters's kit. We have rated each Partner based on how much additional damage and the utility they provide. Read the comments under each Partner to better understand our reasoning.
No calculations in Chaos Zero Nightmare are completely accurate for all scenarios, including the ones below. What team, decks, epiphanies, gear, equipment, and enemies you’re facing all impact them. Because of this, take the results as guidelines and combine them with the explanations to make your decisions. Calculations use endgame save data set-ups, including 5 turns of combat using the whole deck with all Ego skills unless otherwise stated.
1
Passive - Battle Command
The assigned combatant's Defense is increased by 12/24%.
When the assigned combatant targets a Vulnerable enemy, +10/20% Defense-based Damage of Attack cards.
Skill - Tactical Command - 2 EP cost
For 1 turn, gain 2 Morale.
For 1 turn, gain 1 Fortitude.
Maribell has limited offensive Partner options when aiming to boost the damage output of her most popular Save Data build revolving around Shelter Strike, as its base damage doesn't scale with card damage and instead works off of total current shield amount. Because of this maxinimizing shield gain is one of the only ways to boost damage, which E4 Wilhelmina can help with thanks to her huge Combat Defense %. Maribell builds that don't exclusively rely on Shetler Strike and when playing Maribell in Chaos, the card damage bonus against Vulnerable enemies can also be a nice bonus as well.
2
Passive - Arcane Wave
The assigned combatant's Defense, Health and shield gain are increased by 12–20%.
When the assigned combatant gains Counterattack, +15/30% Defense-based Damage.
Skill - Innos's Guardian - 4 EP cost
Apply 100% Shield.
At the end of the turn, retain 50% of Shield.
As a much more expensive to acquire but powerful alternative to E4 Wilhelmina, E4 Eishlen can also be used. E4 Eishlen doesn't grant as much Combat Defense as E4 Wilhelmina, but in return, she grants a bonus to all shield gain (multiplicative), which can make up for the shielding. In addition to this, Eishlen's Ego Skill also allows Maribell and the team to [Retain] shield between turns, preserving your damage potential on Shelter Strike between turns, which can be incredibly impactful when played around correctly. Last but not least, if you're playing any form of Counterattack Maribell build, Eishlen also offers some additional Defense-based card damage (additive) as well.
3
Passive - Battle Command
The assigned combatant's Defense is increased by 12/24%.
When the assigned combatant targets a Vulnerable enemy, +10/20% Defense-based Damage of Attack cards.
Skill - Tactical Command - 2 EP cost
For 1 turn, gain 2 Morale.
For 1 turn, gain 1 Fortitude.
A significant downgrade compared to E4, but still one of the best choices given the limited Partner range available to Vanguard units and the fact that E0 Wilhelmina is completely F2P accessible.
4
Passive - Arcane Wave
The assigned combatant's Defense, Health and shield gain are increased by 12–20%.
When the assigned combatant gains Counterattack, +15/30% Defense-based Damage.
Skill - Innos's Guardian - 4 EP cost
Apply 100% Shield.
At the end of the turn, retain 50% of Shield.
A slightly more expensive to acquire but still incredibly powerful and in some cases stronger alternative to Wilhelmina if you'd prefer Eishen's Retain Ego Skill and her potential higher shielding ability.
Equipment
In the Zero System, it’s incredibly easy to access all items acquirable via the shop thanks to the five free refreshes you get each shop node - that's why the recommendations below are limited to them only. ATTENTION! Area-specific items can sometimes be more powerful than shop items, but are far less consistent to get or require running a specific world or giving up certain event options. Use the shop list as a starting point for building up your deck saves.
The equipment recommendations are based on items obtainable in Season 2’s Chaos - Burning Life. If you’re running content outside of Season 2, it’s possible some options may not be available for acquisition, or that other options not obtainable in Burning Life may be better.
DPS
- Dagger That Tricked the Shadow
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- Sword Reflected in the Lake
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- Obsidian Sword
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Support
- -
DPS
- Announcement of Catastrophe
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Shell of Aberration![Equipment]()
- Fairy King's Crown
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- Mask of Flames
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- Victor's Laurel
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- Phytotype Synthetic
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- Immortal Scale
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Support
- Star-Lit Cloak
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- Error
- Vine Camouflage
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DPS
- Amorphous Cube
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- Rage Potion
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- Quantum Collector
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Support
- Sphere of Randomness
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- Absolute Zero Tetrahedron
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Comments - Weapons
- - 12% Crit DMG is always a competitive option if you can find it in your runs and nothing better turns up or is required for your build.Dagger That Tricked the Shadow
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- - A generic weapon that provides a large 25% (Multiplicative) damage boost but only while you hold 6 cards or more. This is a strong legendary equipment providing you can satisfy its conditions while using the majority of your highest damaging abilities, but this is much easier said than done making it only situationally good in certain decks.Sword Reflected in the Lake
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- - Very easy to find and grants 12% (Multiplicative) damage to everything. It's never the best, but if you have nothing else you should definitely grab it.Obsidian Sword
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Comments - Armor
- Announcement of Catastrophe
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- Both Armours provide 12% combat defense a rare and powerful stat for any defense scaler making it a top choice which can even beat out other damage focused armours and be worth taking over other mythics.Shell of Aberration![Equipment]()
- - The Crit Rate this armour provides is almost always in demand and a competitive option making it a piece worth seeking out unless you're able to obtain better more specialized options.Fairy King's Crown
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- - Provides a 35% (Multiplicative) damage boost against enemies which are vulnerable. Powerful on characters that value multiplicative damage boosts (less so on those that don't) but only so long as you can consistently keep Vulnerable applied.Mask of Flames
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- - A rare but powerful specialised Legendary Armour option that works as good damage boost for combatants that deal the majority of their damage via Counterattacks thanks to its 40% (multiplicative) boost to all Counterattack damage.Victor's Laurel
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- - Grants a 20% (multiplicative) damage boost to the next attack of the wearer of this equipment after they shield. This effect can trigger twice and due to its restrictions is only usable by damage focused characters also capable of shielding making it quite a niche option. But if these conditions are fufilled and you can play around the consumable buffs it can be a fine option due to how rare damage armor equipment is.Phytotype Synthetic
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- - A niche but potentially powerful choice for counterattackers who need help with counterattack generation and are ok giving up other armor choices in order to get it.Immortal Scale
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- - A generic defensive option usable by all combatants making it a fine supportive addition if no other options are found. However not generally as enticing as direct damage or more immediate utility options for most builds.Star-Lit Cloak
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- Error - An easily accessible option for shield based characters to boost the output of their shields by the equivalent of +30% (additive) each ability use. Usually never best in slot but always fine to slot in.
- - An easy to get and nice inclusion for teams that have use for a powerful (but conditional) survival mechanic. Usually not the most optimal choice within the armor slot for most characters but if you miss no all other options is very easy to pick up as a fall-back.Vine Camouflage
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Comments - Trinkets
- - The go-to generic damage accessory for most characters that is trivially easy to use and always for the most part a solid addition for any character that can make use of additive damage. Wont beat out more specialized options but always a great fallback.Amorphous Cube
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- - A rare to get Arena exclusive Accessory, but one which is a top option for characters that appreciate Multiplicative damage scaling over additive when played around correctly. Still a usable option for characters that prefer additive scaling, but usually there are better and easier to access alternatives.Rage Potion
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- - Grants 20% (multiplicative) damage to the wearer any time any combatant uses an upgrade card (no limit) but only for 1 turn. In specific teams targetting low turn count kills this can be the best accessory available, but in longer fights, or low upgrade teams it loses a lot of its appeal.Quantum Collector
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- - An exceptionally powerful generic support trinket that grants both 1 draw and 1 AP at the start of battle turbo charging your early game. Is a Mythic item meaning it wont be suitable for every character, but on those who can afford to run it and don't need other accessories in this slot is well worth slotting in if it comes up in your runs.Sphere of Randomness
![Equipment]()
- - Boosts all shielding generated by the equipped combatant by +20% (additive). This accessory is absurdly common meaning finding each run is basically guarenteed. It's almost never the best in slot choice, but if you can't find anything else it's defeinitely better than nothing so long as the wearer is able to shield at all.Absolute Zero Tetrahedron
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Deck & Teams
Recommended Build
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Build Comments
- Shelter Strike DPS - Shelter Strike is a card that is only affected by 3 things: Shield Amount, Crit/Crit-Damage, and Passion%. This can be seen as a hard cap on its damage Potential, but it has the distinct advantage of bypassing all damage reduction (such as the 65% damage reduction common on Distortion Bosses). For the build, it also makes it really simple to play around–you just want to do as much shielding as possible before using Shelter Strike.
- DMG-Based Shielder - Maribell has access to some of the highest DMG-Based Shield Ratio%s, with her even having a 0-cost 100% DMG-Based Shield. This makes it extremely easy for her to hit the cap of DMG-Based Shield (up to 20% maxhp as shield for each card) with even minor buffs, which still tends to be a really high amount for the cost of the card (~400Shield-500Shield on a 0 or 1-cost in most builds).
Removal
- Shelter Kick- Removed in basically any Maribell deck.
- Shelter DefenseShelter Hold- Removed in most Maribell decks.
Conditional Removal
- Wolves' Dome- Removed in most Maribell decks, but it is occasionally kept in Counter-Attack builds.
- Resolute Blitz- This can be removed in most Maribell builds, but is typically kept because it is a ‘Starting Card’ (Card that is always with you at the start of a Chaos run–which makes it cost more Save Data points to remove than other Epiphany cards).
Copying
- Shelter Strike- The de facto dupe for most of Maribell DPS builds, which tends to be her most popular playstyle.
- Maribell Shelter MK.II- The de facto dupe for a shielder Maribell, which will also inherently provide a small amount of additional damage as a prerequisite for its shield.
Best Synergies
- Khalipe has very high shield ratios off of certain Epiphanies, particularly Vulture Ejection V and Overpower IV, that gives +40% shield based on the card in hand. Since Maribell's damage almost exclusively scales off shield amount, she is an amazing partner for maximizing Maribell's damage.
- Maribell can be very expensive to play well, not only because of her own costs but also because of the cost of her common 2nd slot-ins for teams, which tend to also be Vanguards (Khalipe, Magna, etc). Narja can ease this worry very well.
- Narja’s Defense-based damage buffs don’t work for Maribell’s main damage source of Shelter Strike, but they can help to scale her damage on her DMG-Based shield cards for more shielding.
- Note that Narja’s cost-reduction can be antisynergistic with Khalipe's Heavenly playstyle, so it is more common when using an Overpower build for Khalipe shielding.
- Maribell can be very expensive to play well, not only because of her own costs but also because of the cost of her common 2nd slot-ins for teams, which tend to also be Vanguards (Khalipe, Magna, etc). Mika can ease this worry very well.
- She is generally played with Maribell when using Khalipe’s Vulture instead of her Overpower.
- Veronica can help with much needed draw with Maribell teams.
- However, Veronica can be very hard to play due to the high AP needs for Maribell teams (without a lot of Divine Epiphanies).
Best Teams
Chaos Teams
Generic - Chaos
DPS
Flex
DPS
Healer
Flex
Save Teams
Maribel Hyper-Carry
DPS
Support DPS
Support
Base performance of the character.