Gacha games make a majority of their money through microtransactions. And FGO, all things considered, is very F2P-friendly. The entire game can be completed using low rarity servants. And due to the lack of any PVP mode, SSR servants are considered trophies above all else. Sure, SSRs will streamline the leveling and farming process. But those strapped for cash need not worry about summoning on any high-priority banners. And if you want some suggestions then you’ve come to the right place. We’ll be ranking servants that can be acquired for free (using FP summons) or can otherwise obtained very easily. Note that we generally won’t be covering any 4-Star event welfare servants, as you should always pick them up and max them out. Let’s get started!
10. Heracles (Berserker)
Heracles will be the only 4-Star servant to appear on this list. You may be thinking that a 4-Star requires at least a little Saint Quartz in order to acquire – and normally you would be right. However at the start of the game, players are forced to complete a ten-times summon. And in this summon, it is possible to obtain Heracles. So get ready for the hellish reroll procedure of playing through the tutorial, failing your opening summon, and resetting the account back to zero! Rest assured, it is all worth it in order to obtain Heracles. His Berserker damage will carry you through the early singularities and his defensive skills will keep him chugging along well into the third wave. Additionally, obtaining Heracles early increases the speed that you can obtain his bond CE – arguably one of the most powerful bond CEs in the entire game!
9. Ushiwakamaru (Rider)
Ushi isn’t the best rider, of course. But what she lacks in bombastic power she makes up for in being the best character in the Babylonia anime; fight me! Joking aside, Ushi packs a punch with her single-target NP and interesting supportive capabilities. She has a few detriments, but she’s one the most powerful low-rarity Riders around. Also… who could say no to putting that face into your party?
8. Robin Hood (Archer)
Vritra is another great unit – and one with an amazing design. She comes to us during Christmas as the first-ever Arts AOE lancer and is capable of dishing out great damage. Vritra will, however, be added into the general pool, and can spook your rolls at any time. So keep that in mind before you summon on her banner.
7. Euryale (Archer)
Euryale is on this list for one reason and one reason alone: She is unmatched when it comes to taking down men. For a waifu collector, FGO has a surprising number of male enemies. Euryale makes these enemies useless with her charm locking capabilities. Trust us, when you reach the Gawain fight in Camelot, you’ll be thankful you invested into your Euryale.
6. Paracelsus (Ruler)
Paracelsus is a great Arts support, and one that provides looping potential for a lot of servants. If properly invested into, Paracelsus becomes a staple in a lot of three-turn farming compositions. Paracelus is not strictly a budget option either. He’s used by whales and dolphins alike for his powerful skills and low servant cost.
5. Hans Christian Andersen (Caster)
Those without Waver need not fear, for Hans Christian Anderson (the pint-sized support) is here! Hans provides excellent team buffs through his skills and his NP. Those without a Waver cannot go wrong by leveling their Hans and sliding him into your party.
4. Chen Gong (Caster)
One thing many Masters (at least early on) fail to overlook is the power of their Master abilities. A 20% NP charge here and invulnerability there can be game-changing under the right circumstances. The Plug Suit in particular is especially powerful as it allows you to dump a support servant’s entire toolkit, before switching them out for either another support or a DPS. Chen Gong sees your plug suit and laughs! By using his NP (which does considerable damage and can potentially clear the first wave of several nodes), he sacrifices a party member allowing for a free switch into your backline.
3. Mash (Shielder)
Usually in gacha games, the free unit given to everyone is not very powerful. And why would it be? Making freely available units as powerful as SSRs defeats the purpose of gacha game design. However, FGO decided to throw all of that out of the window. Mash is one of the best tanks in the game, possessing a defense-up skill, a taunt, and a target invincibility buff that also charges the unit’s NP gauge. If you think Mash is not worth investing in—think again! She’s everyone’s favorite kouhai for a reason.
2. Cú Chulainn (Lancer)
Cú is a great pickup for anyone looking to invest in a lancer. Cú not only deals heavy and consistent damage, but his NP has a low chance to instantly kill the opponent too. And what pushes Cú over the edge though is his Protection from Arrows skill. This skill gives Cú a three-time evade (not turn) meaning that he can tank at least three hits before going down. Take that & couple it with his Guts ability, which allows him to revive with 1HP after suffering fatal damage, and it all makes Cú incredibly difficult to take down. Tactful Masters with well-timed button presses can keep their Cú on the field for a very long time.
1. Arash (Archer)
When it comes to farming, who needs Skadi, who needs Waver, who needs Castoria?! Arash is a low-level servant that can help F2P or new Masters quickly clear early farming events. Arash is unique in that his NP deals massive AOE damage, with the caveat that he sacrifices his own life in the process. This may seem like a detriment at first. But in actuality, this only bolsters his viability. New Masters may find it difficult to NP spam due to a lack of reliable chargers. Picking up a support Waver can accrue you 50%, but without any chargers of your own, your run may end after a single NP. However, slap a limit broken Imaginary Element onto you Arash (a 4-Star relatively accessible CE), max his third skill, and Arash can NP all by himself on turn one! This allows you to save your Master skill and support charges for your nukers later down the line. With Arash dead and buried, he allows a free switch into your support Waver. Arash truly is the F2P farming meta – and one that shouldn’t be taken lightly at all. STELLA!
