comparison 2026-05-22 · 1,702 words

Best 4-Star Weapons for NTE DPS: Top A-Rank Arcs Ranked

Choosing the right Arc in Neverness to Everness is the difference between a clean Anomaly Hunt and a grueling struggle against the clock. While S-Rank signature weapons often dominate the headlines, the high accessibility and refinement potential of A-Rank Arcs make them the backbone of most DPS builds for F2P players and low-spenders alike.

TL;DR Verdict

Selecting the best 4-star weapon (A-Rank Arc) depends heavily on your character’s Arc Type and your specific needs for Critical stats versus raw Attack power. In the current 2026 meta, the following Arcs stand out as the premier choices for damage dealers:

Fluff of Fearlessness is the best overall 4-star DPS Arc due to its rare CRIT Rate substat and massive ATK boost after using an Ultimate.
For sustained combat and high-frequency attackers, Fluff of Ferocity offers the highest damage ceiling through its stacking CRIT DMG passive.
Song of the Whale is the premier F2P choice for boss hunting, providing significant damage bonuses against “Broken” enemies.
Always match the Arc Type (Solid, Synthesis, Gas, Liquid, or Plasma) to your Esper’s compatibility to ensure all passive effects are activated and to benefit from the 100% efficiency bonus.

Top Picks at a Glance

Best For	Recommended Arc	Key Strength
Burst DPS	Fluff of Fearlessness	22% CRIT Rate & 45% ATK Buff
Sustained DPS	Fluff of Ferocity	Stacking CRIT DMG (Up to 72%)
Boss Killing	Song of the Whale	20% Damage Boost to Broken Enemies
Psyche DPS	Stellar Veil	Elemental Damage & CRIT DMG Stacks
Utility DPS	Good Boy’s Grand Adventure	Team-wide ATK Buff & Charge Efficiency

Side-by-Side Table

Comparing A-Rank Arcs requires looking past the base numbers. While most top-tier A-Rank weapons share a standardized Base ATK of 512 at Level 90, their secondary stats and passive “Arc Skills” vary wildly. Matching these to your main DPS—such as Zero, Baicang, or Daffodil—is essential for maximizing your combat efficiency in high-level Anomalies.

A-Rank DPS Arc Stat Comparison

Arc Name	Type	Substat (Max)	Passive Effect (R5)	Best Character
Fluff of Fearlessness	Solid	22% CRIT Rate	+45% ATK for 10s after Ultimate	Zero
Fluff of Ferocity	Synthesis	27.5% ATK	+7.2% CRIT DMG per crit (10 stacks)	Baicang
Song of the Whale	Plasma	27.5% ATK	+20% DMG to Broken targets; HP recovery	Aurelia / Nanally
Stellar Veil	Plasma	27.5% ATK	+12% Psyche DMG; stacking CRIT DMG	Aurelia
Good Boy’s Grand Adventure	Gas	45% ATK	+30% Charge Eff; +16% Team ATK	Sakiri
Fluff of Fleetness	Liquid	44% CRIT DMG	+9% ATK every 1s on-field (5 stacks)	Daffodil

Detailed Comparison

The effectiveness of an Arc is dictated by how well its passive aligns with a character’s rotation. In Neverness to Everness, combat revolves around building “Break” on enemies and unleashing Ultimates during the vulnerability window.

The Crit King: Fluff of Fearlessness

Fluff of Fearlessness is widely considered the gold standard for Solid-type DPS units like Zero. Its primary draw is the 22% CRIT Rate substat at Level 90, which significantly eases the burden of farming high-quality Block or Cassette modules.

The passive effect, “Popping Candy,” triggers a massive 45% ATK increase for 10 seconds immediately after the wearer casts their Ultimate. For a character like Zero, whose primary damage window occurs during his burst state, this timing is perfect. Because the buff does not stack, it encourages a “one-and-done” burst rotation where you swap to your main DPS, fire the Ultimate, and capitalize on the raw stat injection before the 10-second timer expires.

Pros:

Rare CRIT Rate substat for an A-Rank weapon.
Extremely high ATK scaling during burst windows.
Easy to trigger with any Ultimate-focused rotation.

Cons:

Short 10-second duration requires precise timing.
Buff does not refresh mid-Ultimate; it only triggers on cast.

The Scaling Monster: Fluff of Ferocity

While Fearlessness focuses on a single burst, Fluff of Ferocity is designed for “Synthesis” type characters who stay on the field for extended periods. Its passive, “Knight’s Candy,” rewards high hit-counts and consistent critical hits. At Refinement 5, each critical hit grants a 7.2% CRIT DMG bonus that lasts for 10 seconds. This effect stacks up to 10 times, allowing for a staggering 72% CRIT DMG increase.

This Arc is the definitive choice for Baicang. Given Baicang’s hybrid martial arts style and rapid multi-hit Basic Attacks, he can reach maximum stacks within the first few seconds of an engagement. Unlike Fearlessness, the duration of Ferocity’s stacks resets every time you land a new critical hit, making it possible to maintain the 72% bonus indefinitely as long as you remain in combat.

Pros:

Highest total CRIT DMG ceiling of any A-Rank Arc.
Buff duration resets on every crit, offering 100% uptime in sustained fights.
Synergizes perfectly with multi-hit DPS kits.

Cons:

Requires a high base CRIT Rate from modules to be effective.
Takes time to “ramp up” at the start of a battle.

The Boss Killer: Song of the Whale

Song of the Whale is a unique Plasma-type Arc that focuses on the “Break” mechanic. In NTE, bosses possess a defense gauge that, once depleted, puts them into a “Broken” state. The “Deep Blue Sorrow” passive on this weapon provides a flat 20% ATK increase at R5, but more importantly, it grants a 20% damage multiplier against enemies in that Broken state.

This makes it an essential tool for Anomaly Hunts and world boss encounters. Additionally, it features a survivability mechanic: defeating a Broken enemy restores 30% of the wearer’s Max HP. While the healing has a 30-second cooldown, the damage bonus has no such restriction, making it a reliable meta pick for clearing endgame challenges where boss health pools are the primary obstacle.

Pros:

Exceptional performance in boss-heavy content.
Provides built-in sustain through HP restoration.
Often obtainable for free through early-game Commissions.

Cons:

Significantly lower value against trash mobs that die before being “Broken.”
Substat is ATK% rather than CRIT, requiring better module luck.

Elemental Specialist: Stellar Veil

Stellar Veil is the go-to recommendation for Psyche-specific DPS units, most notably Aurelia. Its passive, “Aqua Astra,” provides a flat 12% boost to all Psyche damage. Furthermore, dealing Psyche damage grants a stacking CRIT DMG buff (2% per stack, up to 10 stacks) that can be triggered every 0.1 seconds.

Because Psyche characters often rely on high-frequency elemental procs, the 10 stacks are usually achieved almost instantly. This weapon serves as a bridge between the raw power of S-Rank signatures and the general utility of the Fluff series, offering a more tailored experience for the Psyche reaction meta.

Pros:

Tailored specifically for Psyche elemental scaling.
Rapid stack generation (0.1s cooldown).
Competitive with R1 S-Rank weapons when at R5.

Cons:

Useless on non-Psyche characters.
Requires consistent elemental application to maintain stacks.

Sub-DPS Utility: Good Boy’s Grand Adventure

Though often used by Sakiri, Good Boy’s Grand Adventure (Gas-type) functions as a hybrid weapon for “Sub-DPS” or support-heavy damage dealers. Its “Morphix” skill increases Charge Efficiency by up to 30%, allowing the wearer to cycle their Ultimate significantly faster. After using an Ultimate, it grants the entire team a 16% ATK buff.

If the Ultimate successfully crowd-controls an enemy—a common trait for Gas-type abilities—the team ATK buff increases by an additional 10%. This makes it a top-tier choice for players who prefer a “Quick-Swap” playstyle where the DPS duties are shared across the roster.

Pros:

Massive 45% ATK substat (highest in its class).
Provides valuable team-wide utility.
Accelerates Ultimate energy generation.

Cons:

Lower personal damage compared to Fearlessness or Ferocity.
Requires a team that can capitalize on the short ATK window.

Recommendation

Navigating the transition from early-game gear to endgame builds requires a strategic approach to Arc leveling. Resources like Fon and Drama Cores are limited, so prioritizing the right weapon early is vital.

Which Arc Should You Level First?

In the early game, focus your resources on Song of the Whale. Because it is frequently awarded through early Commissions and is a common drop in the Scarborough Fair pulls, reaching Refinement 5 (R5) is much easier than with the Fluff series. The HP restoration on Broken enemy kills will also carry you through the difficulty spikes of the first three story chapters.

As you move into the mid-to-late game (Level 50+), your priority should shift based on your module luck. If your Cassette/Block farming has resulted in high ATK but low CRIT Rate, Fluff of Fearlessness is mandatory to stabilize your damage. Conversely, if you have managed to reach a 50% CRIT Rate through modules alone, Fluff of Ferocity will provide a much higher damage ceiling for your main attacker.

F2P vs. Low-Spender Priorities

For F2P players, Stellar Veil and Song of the Whale are the most reliable long-term investments. They are “guaranteed” through gameplay milestones and provide specific niches (Psyche damage and Boss killing) that remain relevant even as you pull newer characters.

Low-spenders who participate in the “Arc Research Program” should prioritize obtaining and refining the Fluff of Fearlessness. While S-Rank signature weapons are technically superior, an A-Rank Arc at Refinement 5 will often outperform an S-Rank Arc at Refinement 1. The 45% ATK boost at R5 is significantly easier to maintain and cheaper to achieve than the high-pity requirements of the S-Rank banners.

Character-Specific Matching

To maximize efficiency, always adhere to the following pairings:

Zero: Match with Solid Arcs (Fearlessness).
Baicang: Match with Synthesis Arcs (Ferocity).
Daffodil: Match with Liquid Arcs (Fleetness).
Aurelia: Match with Plasma or Psyche Arcs (Stellar Veil).
Sakiri: Match with Gas Arcs (Good Boy’s Grand Adventure).

By ensuring the Arc Type matches the Esper, you activate the secondary passive resonance, which often doubles the effectiveness of the base stats. Never settle for a mismatched Type unless it is a temporary placeholder during the first few hours of gameplay.