Kou/Strategy

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Ratings

Kou
	Edit rating Role: Defender/Healer Shines in charge-centric parties. His first skill is a heal and Charge Bar +20%Instantly boosts Charge Bar by 20% Strength: 20% on a 4-turn cooldown that affects the whole party if he has Ake-ZakuraNext Ninth Dance: Akezome affects all allies (Can't be removed) from his C.A. It also auto-activates when an enemy does a special attack. Can tank enemy attacks for the party through a combination of Substitute (All-Ally) and 100% DEF UpDEF is boosted Strength: 100%Duration: 1 turn once uncapped to 5★, 20% Special Attack DMG LoweredFoe's special attack DMG is lowered Strength: 20%Base Accuracy: 100%Duration: 2.5 turnsLocal status effectApplied during the attack phase. On the next turn, it'll have 2 turns remaining. from his C.A., and reduced damaged taken from enemies with FoxflameSlight chance for attacks to miss / HP is lowered on every turn Duration: 4 turnsLocal status effect. His survivability as a tank can be inconsistent if enemies don't have FoxflameSlight chance for attacks to miss / HP is lowered on every turn Duration: 4 turnsLocal status effect due to its 4/7 uptime.

Site	RatingThe character's overall rating out of 10.	GrindingThe character's general efficiency in repeatedly clearing menial content with an emphasis on real-time speed. GW Max Grade: SS KG Max Grade: SS	Full AutoThe character's general performance in Full Auto parties. GW Max Grade: SS KG Max Grade: SS	High DifficultyThe character's capability relative to the game's most difficult content. GW Max Grade: SS KG Max Grade: SS	Last Update
GameWith	9.4	B	A	A	2023-03-02
Kamigame	9.5	B	S	S	2023-05-01

Overview

Kou works well in ougi-focused Dark parties, due to the party battery provided by Ninth Dance: AkezomeRestore 20% of caster's HP (Healing cap: 2000).
Gain Charge Bar +20%Instantly boosts Charge Bar by 20%
Strength: 20%.
At level 90:
Also gain DrainNormal attack and C.A. DMG dealt is partially absorbed to HP
Strength: (Healing cap: 1000)Duration: 2 turns. and his high ougi cap against foes with FoxflameSlight chance for attacks to miss / HP is lowered on every turn
Local status effect via Severer of a Millennial Fate50% boost to C.A. damage and 20% boost to C.A. damage cap against foes with FoxflameSlight chance for attacks to miss / HP is lowered on every turn
Local status effect.
40% reduced damage taken from foes with FoxflameSlight chance for attacks to miss / HP is lowered on every turn
Local status effect.. As most ougi-focused Dark grids are also Stamina-based due to the potency of Fediel's Spine, his frequent healing is helpful as well. Stamina dark is a relatively niche build compared to the ubiquitous use of Celeste Claw Omega and Zooey (Grand) but it remains a viable playstyle, and Kou is worth considering if your party needs frequent healing, charge bar generation and a couple strong debuffs.

Strengths

Ninth Dance: AkezomeRestore 20% of caster's HP (Healing cap: 2000).
Gain Charge Bar +20%Instantly boosts Charge Bar by 20%
Strength: 20%.
At level 90:
Also gain DrainNormal attack and C.A. DMG dealt is partially absorbed to HP
Strength: (Healing cap: 1000)Duration: 2 turns. heals on a 4-turn cooldown and gives Charge Bar +20%Instantly boosts Charge Bar by 20%
Strength: 20%. If Kou has Ake-ZakuraNext Ninth Dance: Akezome affects all allies (Can't be removed)
Duration: Indefinite (gained on ougi) this affects all allies.
- Due to Ninth Family SuccessorWhen a foe uses a special attack:
  Activate Ninth Dance: Akezome.
  End cooldown for Ninth Dance: Sakuya. this skill auto-activates once a turn after a foe's special attack, filling Kou's charge bar (and, by extension, everyone else's) very quickly against foes with frequent triggers and/or few charge diamonds.
- Because of its high healing cap of 2000 and his 2 healing EMPs, his party heal has slightly higher strength than Lily's White HealRestore 20% of all allies' HP (Healing cap: 1500) and remove 1 debuff., and activates even more frequently, though unlike hers it won't always be party-wide.
Vessel's KindlingFill 1 charge diamond on all foes. If successful, inflict FoxflameSlight chance for attacks to miss / HP is lowered on every turn
Strength: 1% of max HP (Damage cap: 50,000)Duration: 4 turnsLocal status effect, 10% Light ATK DownLight ATK is lowered
Strength: 10%Base Accuracy: 200%Duration: 180 seconds, and 25% Dark DEF DownDEF is lowered for dark DMG
Strength: 25%Base Accuracy: 200%Duration: 180 seconds. inflicts all foes with FoxflameSlight chance for attacks to miss / HP is lowered on every turn
Local status effect, 10% Light ATK DownLight ATK is lowered
Strength: 10%Base Accuracy: 200%Duration: 180 seconds, and 25% Dark DEF DownDEF is lowered for dark DMG
Strength: 25%Base Accuracy: 200%Duration: 180 seconds - the latter two of which have 200% accuracy - as long as any foe has a charge diamond to fill.
Ninth Dance: Sakuya400% Dark damage to all foes (Damage cap: ~485,000).
Gain SubstituteReceives foe attack in place of an ally
(Excludes all-foe all-ally attacks)
Duration: 1 turn , 50% DEF UpDEF is boosted
Strength: 50%Duration: 1 turn , and 5% Boost to Charge Bar upon Taking DMGCharge bar will be boosted upon taking DMG
Strength: 5%Duration: 3 turns (Max: 50%).
At level 95:
Damage increased to 700%.
Damage cap increased to ~635,000.
SubstituteReceives foe attack in place of an ally
(Excludes all-foe all-ally attacks)
Duration: 1 turn upgraded to Substitute (All-Ally)Receives all attacks in place of allies
(Includes all-ally attacks)
Duration: 1 turn .
Buff increased to 100% DEF UpDEF is boosted
Strength: 100%Duration: 1 turn .
Also gain 40% Light CutLight DMG is cut 40%
Duration: 1 turn Light Damage Cut.. allows him to substitute, and goes off cooldown after every foe's special attack thanks to Ninth Family SuccessorWhen a foe uses a special attack:
Activate Ninth Dance: Akezome.
End cooldown for Ninth Dance: Sakuya..
Ebon Dance: Kage-Zakura450%Massive Dark damage to a foe.
Inflict 20% Special Attack DMG LoweredFoe's special attack DMG is lowered
Strength: 20%Base Accuracy: 100%Duration: 2.5 turnsLocal status effectApplied during the attack phase.
On the next turn, it'll have 2 turns remaining..
Gain Ake-ZakuraNext Ninth Dance: Akezome affects all allies (Can't be removed)
Duration: Indefinite. (Next Ninth Dance: Akezome affects all allies.) inflicts 20% Special Attack DMG LoweredFoe's special attack DMG is lowered
Strength: 20%Base Accuracy: 100%Duration: 2.5 turnsLocal status effectApplied during the attack phase.
On the next turn, it'll have 2 turns remaining., providing some extra safety for the party.
Vulpine Water MirrorGain Water MirrorCan't normal attack / 80% DMG reduction / Sharp boost to hostility / Upon being targeted: 9-hit dark DMG to random foes / 20% boost to Kou's charge bar (Can't be removed)
Duration: 5 turns. strongly complements his kit, making him a very strong tank while still potentially putting out more effective damage than he loses from losing his auto-attacks.
Strong synergy with the best Stamina- and ougi-focused Dark characters.
A good choice for full-auto healer, though his substitute can make him vulnerable when used at inappropriate times.
Very soft and cute.

Weaknesses

Unlike many healers, can't clear or protect from debuffs.
Loses significant utility against foes with no charge diamonds.
His kit relies on enemy charge attacks occurring frequently, which isn't a risk worth taking in some battles (especially in V2.0 battles).
Effectiveness limited by the 4/7 uptime of FoxflameSlight chance for attacks to miss / HP is lowered on every turn
Local status effect, and against opponents like Akasha which quickly build resistance to it.
- His sturdiness as a tank is much lower when Foxflame is down since Ninth Dance: Sakuya400% Dark damage to all foes (Damage cap: ~485,000).
  Gain SubstituteReceives foe attack in place of an ally
  (Excludes all-foe all-ally attacks)
  Duration: 1 turn , 50% DEF UpDEF is boosted
  Strength: 50%Duration: 1 turn , and 5% Boost to Charge Bar upon Taking DMGCharge bar will be boosted upon taking DMG
  Strength: 5%Duration: 3 turns (Max: 50%).
  At level 95:
  Damage increased to 700%.
  Damage cap increased to ~635,000.
  SubstituteReceives foe attack in place of an ally
  (Excludes all-foe all-ally attacks)
  Duration: 1 turn upgraded to Substitute (All-Ally)Receives all attacks in place of allies
  (Includes all-ally attacks)
  Duration: 1 turn .
  Buff increased to 100% DEF UpDEF is boosted
  Strength: 100%Duration: 1 turn .
  Also gain 40% Light CutLight DMG is cut 40%
  Duration: 1 turn Light Damage Cut.. only gives 100% DEF UpDEF is boosted
  Strength: 100%Duration: 1 turn , so you rarely want to use him in this role (except against a fairly weak multi-hit attack that lets his 5% Boost to Charge Bar upon Taking DMGCharge bar will be boosted upon taking DMG
  Strength: 5%Duration: 3 turns refill his bar even faster).
Dark has so many powerful Stamina/ougi-centric characters that a character like Kou, who is just above-average at this role, is a situational choice at best if you have enough of: Seox/ Nier/ Rei/ Vikala/ Anthuria (Yukata)/ Clarisse (Valentine)/ Helel ben Shalem/ Lady Grey (Halloween)/ Amira (Summer)/ Ferry (Grand) to fill a lineup.
- The first two of those are free, by the way.
Not very useful in hard fights, due to the lack of utility outside a (situational at best) substitute and 20% Special Attack DMG LoweredFoe's special attack DMG is lowered
Strength: 20%Base Accuracy: 100%Duration: 2.5 turnsLocal status effectApplied during the attack phase.
On the next turn, it'll have 2 turns remaining..
- Unfortunately, these are also the only fights where you really need his potent healing, since most dark Stamina teams tend to have high dodge rates, and rarely take enough damage that you'd want his healing over something like Zechariah's RefreshHP is restored on every turn
  on ougi.
- Filling charge diamonds in these fights is also very risky.
Vulpine Water MirrorGain Water MirrorCan't normal attack / 80% DMG reduction / Sharp boost to hostility / Upon being targeted: 9-hit dark DMG to random foes / 20% boost to Kou's charge bar (Can't be removed)
Duration: 5 turns. effectively negates most of these downsides but also makes him even more dependant on enemy attacks to keep generating charge bar.
- It also moves even more of his charge bar generation, damage etc towards the end of a turn, making him ineffective at contributing towards cancelling Omens in V2.0 battles.
Unusual combination of weapon proficiencies that are shared with few Dark allies.
Lacks DA/TA or any boosts to his own attack.

How to Play

Good candidate for 2nd position, since he can frequently increase his own charge bar.

Synergy

Classes

Rising Force: Kou has harp proficiency, and benefits from the class support skill New Wave, passively giving him 10% unique attack and 20% DEF. Mosh PitMoshAt end of turn: Foes' charge diamonds fill by 1 if a charge attack has been used / 40% boost to all allies' charge bars if a special attack has been used
Field effect
Local status effect to the field. combined with his autocasts of Akezome give the party a minimum of 60% bar after every enemy special - 90% with Vikala, who Kou should basically always be used with. Do note that her field effect conflicts with it, though.
Kengo/ Chrysaor: Other ougi-centric classes which love the amount of charge bar Kou feeds them, and enable him to spam his ougi even more frequently. Both also share his katana proficiency.
Lumberjack: He appreciates the StrengthATK is greatly boosted based on how high HP is
from Woodcutter's SongGain Woodcutter's SongFor every 3 skills used: Forest friends come to the rescue
Upon using charge attack: Forest friends come to the rescue
Upon taking DMG: Forest friends come to the rescue
When foe uses a special attack: Forest friends come to the rescue
(Can't be removed)
Duration: 3 turns.
At level 30:
Woodcutter's SongFor every 3 skills used: Forest friends come to the rescue
Upon using charge attack: Forest friends come to the rescue
Upon taking DMG: Forest friends come to the rescue
When foe uses a special attack: Forest friends come to the rescue
(Can't be removed)
Duration: 3 turns duration increased to 4 turns., both the UpliftedCharge bar is boosted on every turn
and ATK Up (Stackable)ATK is boosted while active (Stackable)
/DEF Up (Stackable)DEF is boosted while active (Stackable)
provided by Leaf BurningGain Leaf BurningEvery turn while in effect: All allies' ATK and DEF are boosted (Stackable) / Charge bar is boosted (Can't be removed / Ends when endurance hits 0)
Duration: Indefinite and a 4000-damage shield effect.
(Every turn during Leaf Burning: All allies gain 4% ATK Up (Stackable / Max: 20%)ATK is boosted while active (Stackable)
Strength: 4% (Max: 20%)Multiplier: Unique StackableDuration: IndefiniteStacking: Teamwide, 4% DEF Up (Stackable / Max: 20%)DEF is boosted while active (Stackable)
Strength: 4% (Max: 20%)Duration: Indefinite, and Charge Bar +10%Instantly boosts Charge Bar by 10%
Strength: 10%.
Leaf Burning ends when shield effect ends.), and Dappled SunlightRestore 10% of all allies' HP (Healing cap: 1500).
From 2nd cast onward: Also remove 1 debuff from all allies.
From 3rd cast onward: All allies also gain VeilDebuffs will be nullified (1 time)
"Veil" is an unofficial name used by the wiki for this status effect. Its actual in-game name is "Immune.". somewhat covers for his lack of debuff clears. They also share harp proficiency, and its mainhand choices cover some of his weaknesses.

Characters

Vikala: Giving a character like Kou, who can give the party Charge Bar +20%Instantly boosts Charge Bar by 20%
Strength: 20% constantly, a party-wide 50% Charge Bar Gain UpCharge bar gain is boosted
Strength: 50% is just ridiculous. It does mean that you want to use his substitute even less than usual, since getting hit removes a stack of Fantasy FestivalCharge bar gain, C.A. specs, and dodge rate are boosted (Can't be removed / Ends upon taking DMG 2 times)
, but since FoxflameSlight chance for attacks to miss / HP is lowered on every turn
Local status effect has a BlindedAttacks have a slight chance to miss
-like effect, you have a higher chance to keep those stacks up. Being able to ougi with Vikala almost every turn due to his charge bar generation lets you maintain max HypeATK is boosted
and hit damage cap with even a weak grid.
Anthuria (Yukata): Can clear debuffs and complement Kou's healing. Gives him permanent boosts to defense, DA/TA, and ougi specs with Ardent DanceChance to dodge DMG and debuffs / More likely to be attacked / Upon dodging: Restores all allies' HP and removes 1 debuff / 50% boost to caster's charge bar (Can't be removed)
while also providing UpliftedCharge bar is boosted on every turn
, HypeATK is boosted
and StrengthATK is greatly boosted based on how high HP is
. Shares harp proficiency as well.
Rei: You're just going to be using her to inflict Celestial VisionBoost to DMG taken (Can't be removed)
Local status effect and buff an incoming ally with MokshaATK, triple attack rate, DMG cap, and dodge rate are boosted / DEF is lowered (Can't be removed)
but it'll improve your damage and charge bar generation, so as usual for any Dark team, use her if you have her. Kou isn't a great MokshaATK, triple attack rate, DMG cap, and dodge rate are boosted / DEF is lowered (Can't be removed)
target but you could use it on him if you really need guaranteed TA.
Kolulu: Though his uncontrollable healing goes against her playstyle of staying at red HP to auto-activate Tallyho6-hit, 100% Dark damage to a foe (Damage cap: ~135,000 per hit).
Inflict 10% DEF Down (Stackable / Max: 30%)DEF is lowered (Stackable)
Strength: 10% (Max: 30%)Base Accuracy: 90%Duration: 180 seconds and BlindedAttacks have a slight chance to miss
Base Accuracy: 90%Duration: 3 turnsLocal status effect., they work together surprisingly well. Together they can easily cap DEF Down, and can substitute for each other when the other is at low HP, building more charge in the process. The effects of FoxflameSlight chance for attacks to miss / HP is lowered on every turn
Local status effect and BlindedAttacks have a slight chance to miss
Local status effect also reduce damage taken by the party, though whether they stack is unknown.
Ferry (Grand): They cap DEF Down together, both have a skill that heals and gives Charge Bar +20%Instantly boosts Charge Bar by 20%
Strength: 20%, and she provides numerous benefits to him with FreigeistDouble attack rate is boosted / Triple attack rate is boosted / More likely to be attacked / Charge attack DMG is boosted / Charge attack DMG cap is boosted / Charge bar gain is boosted / Recovers once from a knockout while in effect (Can't be removed)
, like guaranteed DA/TA, ougi specs, more charge bar gain, and an autorevive in case he substitutes something a bit too strong.

Weapons

Abyss Spine\ Unheil: These have a similar effect in magna\primal grids, respectively: they give a big boost to your max HP and ougi numbers. Kou, and any party he's included in, wants as much of both those things as possible. Unheil also has a great ougi effect, but it isn't worth using bars on just for that.
Hermanubis: More max HP and more ougi cap, which stacks with the above weapons. Even in magna, this is worth using as a mainhand because it provides him much-needed DA/TA.
Zechariah: More max HP, as well as a large Stamina mod. As a mainhand, its RefreshHP is restored on every turn
and DEF Up (Stackable)DEF is boosted while active (Stackable)
improve Kou's sturdiness.
Katana of Repudiation/ Katana of Renunciation (with γ Pendulum and stamina pendulum, if possible): Provides even more ougi cap, more max HP and 20% Charge Bar Gain UpCharge bar gain is boosted
Strength: 20%Duration: 2.5 turnsApplied during the attack phase.
On the next turn, it'll have 2 turns remaining. + healing on ougi.
Fediel's Spine: A very big stamina mod (especially good for magna players since it's multiplicative with that of Zechariah/stamina pendulum) that also adds massive supplemental damage based on how close to max HP you are. Gives charge bar on ougi.
Unsigned Kaneshige (Dark): Excellent synergy if you have it.