Zima

Zima is a 5-star character in Arknights. Zima's weapon type is Hand axe and class is Vanguard. Faction: Ursus Student Self-Governing Group.

On our Arknights tier list Zima is B tier, 121st of the 293 characters ranked, from where 12 current tier lists put Zima.

Zima exists to make every other Vanguard on the field better. Her skill hands out an attack and defense buff while refilling DP, and her talent shaves a point off the deployment cost of any Vanguard sent out after her, which adds up fast in the opening minutes of a fight.

She's at her best in stages running two or three Vanguards at once or keeping one out for a long stretch, and she pairs especially well with Siege, another Vanguard-focused support.

Pairs well with: Siege.

An Ursus student from the Peterheim Middle School in Chernobog, Sonya was trapped together with other students during the Chernobog uprising.

However, she was responsible for accidentally setting up fire in the school's storehouse which resulted in the destruction of the food supply.

As the bloody conflict between the school's commoner and aristocrat students was becoming out of control, Sonya was forced to kill (or at least, ordered the death of) "unruly" students to maintain the school's order.

Later on, Sonya managed to escape from the chaos alongside Anna Morozova, Natalya Rostova, Lada and Rosalind, and sought refuge in Rhodes Island as the de facto leader of the Ursus Student Self-Governing Group.

Since then, she picked up the codename "Zima", and is currently making use of her fighting skills against the Reunion who had destroyed her hometown by leading the charge with her hand axe.

Her rough but decisive manner gives her the moniker "General Zima."

The experience of the massacre onto other students, however, causes Zima to suffer from a severe PTSD.

Constantly, she experiences nightmares relating to the events in Chernobog.

Worst of all, her own conscience keeps forcing her to regret her actions.

In spite of her dilemma, Zima maintains a relatively relaxed attitude with her U.S.S.G.

comrades and R.I. staff, including the Doctor, though she can sometimes be rude and demanding (which Istina clarifies to be half-joking).

SOL-X: Behind Zima's back, someone gently prods her with a finger.

She doesn't turn to look. She knows, instinctively, that it's Istina reminding her that her earphones are on too loud.

Zima likes to listen to music, and especially cherishes an electronic genre popular among the Ursus youth known as "hardbass," the pumping rhythm and heart-shaking bass of the tracks always fires her up, and her limbs can hardly resist the urge to fill with the beat–a desire to throw hands and feet and bust down the joyless everyday, an eagerness to free her tied-up mind always ready to color her soul.

There was a time where she'd sometimes wear earphones in battle too, grooving to the rhythm and stepping to the beat while cleaning up bandit nobodies.

Following one training session, Dobermann sternly pointed out to her that "as I see it, you're simply venting your violence."

Zima sneered at that, and nothing more. Anyone could tell she wasn't the impulsive girl she seemed, for she could distinguish between people she could openly challenge verbally without fear of blowback–like the Doctor–and people who really cared about the rules, for whom rebellion was best kept internal.

For youth like her, knowing that distinction was one of the principles of survival.

Her other instructor thought differently.

Nearl was by no means strict with Zima's attitude, but the Kazimierz knight's invulnerability and tacit, solid endurance left Zima frustrated and powerless.

Nearl even listened to a few of her favorite tracks and told her "It's fine music.

Very full of energy."

Zima eyed her somewhat warily at that. "You gonna lecture me or something?"

The knight of Kazimierz shook her head.

"No. Whatever music you listen to, I have no objections."

That was nice enough, but what came next was less pleasing to hear.

"But you still lack the strength to allow yourself to be distracted in battle.

If you wish to earn a passing grade from me, this won't do."

Zima couldn't help but glare at her.

"I will hold on to your player and earphones for now." The knight of Kazimierz paid no mind to General Zima's fury; instead calmly speaking words she had never heard before, now even from her parents.

"Come now, no need for that frown. I'll spar with you using one hand; once you can best me like that, and are qualified to lead a team, I'll gift you a new set."

"Kazimierz's latest model. I've no doubt you'll like it."

General Zima traces her hand over the latest Kazimierzian communicator-slash-player on her wrist, without a word cutting off the music she had playing and switching it over to access her squad's comms channel.

Her teammates chatter away, the mix of voices no less relaxed than the pumping hardbass rhythm.

Zima listens for a while, not realizing she's unconsciously moving her leg, tapping out a rhythm.

In her head now spins a rhythm more passionate, more fervent than her most beloved of tunes.

Alright, Zima has to admit, she does like this new model a lot–

She's all fired up, and doesn't even need any music.

Recruitment; Headhunting