Review: Frankenstein (Saber)

(AKA: Franchan, Frankie, Steam Electric Race Team, etc)

Sauce: Here.
Music for Stuff: Here.

Class: Saber
Rarity: 4*

Health: 11,993
Health + GA (100): 14,541 – w/fou: 16,541

Attack: 9,353
Attack + GA (100): 11,325 – w/fou: 13,325

Star Generation: 9.90%
Star Weight: 102
NP Gain: 0.70%
Deck: QQABB
Hits: Q:3 / A:4 / B:5 / E:5
Max Hits: 19

Frankenstein [we will call her Fran/Frankie from now on] is probably my favorite Servant out of the Summer roster. She’s adorable, she’s got an unique and fun skillset, and her RAW stats are actually what most impact her role in a team. Frankie is a QUICK based Saber servant with high HP and lower end ATK out of the 4* Sabers. Her average ATK is countered by her other valuable stats. High HP allows her to stay in the fights she is in for longer, but most of all her hit count and NP gain is where it all comes down to. Her damage is further boosted by her skills and her two BUSTER cards, letting her both generate stars, NP [a plenty], and good damage.

We will start off with the fact that Frankie’s hit count is very high and combines that with her passive Riding [EX] and a mixed deck. Her two QUICK cards can generate a good amount of stars on her own, and with her QUICK NP she can generate quite a bit on her own. The turn after her QUICK cards have been used, you also have the ability to use those BUSTER cards for critical hits.

Her best feature is her NP gain [which is only further abused via her 1st skill], with the RAW hit count on her quick and extra, you can use AQQ to generate a great amount of NP [35-40%]. Her NP gain is great enough that even her BUSTER can provide a small [but for BUSTERS this is big] NP to Frankie’s mana.

When it comes down to it, Frankie is going to be a NP spammer with a very strong NP and two very loaded skills – all of which are on an average CD cycle.

Skills

Skill 1: Summer Galvanism (B+)
Requires 10% NP to activate [Demerit].
Drains 10% NP when activated. [Demerit]
Increases own NP Gain for 3 turns.
Rank 1: 40% / Rank 10: 80%
CD Rank 1: 7 / Rank 10: 5

While the demerit requires her to both have 10% NP and it drains 10%. This can be combated by most NP Fill skills, certain ally skills, and the fact that the 80% NP gain will now sky rocket her NP gained per attack through the roof. For 3 turns, Frankie can gain an intense of amount of mana.

When using her AQQ combo during this skill’s duration, Frankie should be capable of generating well beyond what she normally would [35-40%] and upwards to [56-80% or more] [rank varying]. Meaning if her ARTS crits it will net you up to 100% or as close to 100% as you can get.

This skill is honestly amazing, and the demerit is forgettable in most setups and if equipping certain CE’s with NP Fill.

Skill 2: Grief of the Hollow Midsummer (A)
Requires 500 HP [Demerit].
Drains 500 HP to activate [Demerit].
Decrease ATK of target enemy for 3 turns.
Removes enemy buffs.
Rank 1: 10% / Rank 10: 20%
CD Rank 1: 7 / Rank 10: 5

While not an incredible ATK debuff, it does offer you additional safety and is more useful against boss types that like to deal lots of ST burst or AoE harassment nonstop. Additionally, it also removes buffs which can be very valuable in a setting where the enemy spams nothing but buffs that might hinder or destroy you – invulnerability, defense up, crit and attack ups, etc.

This gives her a greater niche value and overall value, allowing you to deal more uninhibited damage to your enemy.

The downcost is that it requires 500 HP to use and drains said 500 HP, but with her considerable HP you don’t really have to worry or even look at this when factoring in your future plays.

Skill 3: Normal Load (C)
Increase own ATK for 3 turns.
Increase NP damage for 3 turns.
Inflict Burn to self for 5 turns, 200 damage per turn.
Rank 1: 10% / Rank 10: 20%
CD Rank 1: 7 / Rank 10: 5

The demerit is again HP focused, but doesn’t require any set amount of HP or NP. Meaning you have room to use this when you need it. Do note that Frankie will burn off 200 HP per turn, ending up having taken 1000 damage over time. That being said, her very high HP pool will keep her safe, even with the demerit of her 2nd skill factored in. And in certain set ups, you can also incorporate a healer if you are feeling skittish about the extra damage taken.

The lovely part is that both these skills will boost her NP damage and each lasts for 3 turns, allowing her to use that NP spamming forte of hers to her finest. Use this on the turn of your NP and aim to give her as much NP juice as possible in the meantime so that Fran can release her NP with more oomf.

Passive Skills

Magic Resistance (E): Increase Debuff Res. by 10%.
Riding (EX): Increases QUICK performance by 12%.
Mad Enhancement (E): Increases BUSTER performance by 2%.

Honestly a great set of passives, ESPECIALLY the Riding (EX) which gives her a whopping 12% to further boost her damage, star generation, and the best factor [yes, best] the NP gain. Combine this with her already good NP gain and her 1st skill, and you have massive NP gain.

Noble Phantasm

Skewered Plasma Blade
Thunder Blade of Impalement

Rank: D-B
Type: Anti-Unit / Single Target
Card: QUICK

Deal heavy damage to one target. [Level].
Chance to inflict stun (1 turn duration) [Overcharge].
20% chance to Stun All Enemies after a 1 turn delay.

Damage: 1200-2000%
Charge: 100-500%
Overcharge: 60-100%

This is honestly an amazing NP, offering not just one chance to stun but two. And the secondary stun has a chance to stun an entire enemy wave, and can happen the turn after your initial stun – effectively letting you negate an enemy’s turn for 2 turns and not just 1.

This is of course, if they both activate on your enemy(ies).

It’s really straight forward, use it on someone you want dead – and reap the rewards from the stuns. Combine it with your other QUICK cards to get a lot of crit stars for the next turn and enable her to crit harder. Use your 3rd skill before activating the NP. With how well Fran gains NP due to her passives, RAW NP gain, and 1st skill – it should be no problem NP spamming this. Meaning more stun time.

Skills and Ascension Routes + Route

Ascension Path: 18 Hero’s Proof / 5 Black Tallow / 12 Octuplet Crystals / 10 Eternal Gear
[The materials required to fully ascend a Servant]

Hardest thing here is the crystals due to their shoddy drop rates.

Slightly above average difficulty.

Skill Path: 8 Black Tallow / 12 Shells of Recollection / 20 Homunculus Baby / 60 Magic Cerebrospinal Fluid
[The materials required to fully level a skill from 1-10] 

The skills however fuckin’ suck dick. Have fun collecting those nuisance materials.

Hard difficulty.

Skill Route: Normal 1-2-3-4-5-6 –> Summer 1-2-3-4-5-6 –> Grief 1-2-3-4-5-6 –> Summer 7-8-9-10 –> Normal 7-8-9-10 –> Grief 7-8-9-10
[The skills you should level and in which order]

Craft Essence Recommendations

Priority: Someday in Summer / Imaginary Around / Dumplings over Flowers / Holy Night Dinner / Summer Little
Secondary: Black Grail / Heaven’s Feel (Iris) / Knight of Marines / Cute Orangette / Castle of the Sun
Tertiary: Dabābu Hamāṭu Bāṣu / Mikotto! Bride Training / Halloween Princess / Halloween Petite Devil / Golden Sumo Wrestling

Teammate Recommendations

Saber: Artoria Pendragon (FSN/Lily) / Gaius / Atilla / Okita

Archer: Gilgamesh / Robin Hood / Atalanta / David / Oda Nobunaga / Ko Gil / Billy the Kid / Tawara / Moriarty / Ishtar / Tesla

Lancer: Cu Chulainn (FSN/Proto) / Elizabeth Bathory / Fionn / Leonidas / Scathach / Vlad III / Jailter / Enkidu / Jaguar Man / Medusa

Rider: Medusa / Saint George / Alexander / Edward Teach / Ushiwakamaru / Marie Antoinette / Saint Martha / Astolfo / Iskandar / Ramesses II / Quetzalcoatl / Kintaro / Ishtar / Arthur Pendragon (Alter)

Caster: Hans / Shakespeare / Mephistopheles / Elizabeth Bathory / Helena / Marie Antoinette / Gilgamesh / Nero / Babbage

Assassin: Sasaki / Cursed Arm Hassan / Hundred Face Hassan / Jing Ke / Sanson / Jack the Ripper / MHX / Scathach / Yan Qing / Wu Xetian / Nitocris

Berserker: MHXA / Lancelot / Lu Bu / Tamacat / Frankenstien / Paul Bunyan

Other: Holmes / Joan of Arc / Edmond Dantes / Lobo / Meltlilith / BB / Passionlip

Teammate Synergy

Papa Moriarty!
EX: Moriarty + Babbage

Electrowire
EX: Tesla + Frankenstein

Critter Focus
EX: Hans + Marie Antoinette (Caster)

QUICK BUFFERS
EX: Wu Xetian + Helena / Alexander / Atalanta

Girl Powah
EX: Elizabeth Bathory + Jing Ke

NP Gain Forever
EX: Artoria Pendragon (Lily) + Fionn / Ushiwakamaru

Triangle
EX: Billy the Kid + Vlad III

Summer Fun
EX: Scathach (Assassin) + Artoria Pendragon (Alter/Rider)

Pros and Cons + Role

Pros: Godly NP Gain / RIDING EX / Good Deck / Greater HP / Multi Stun(s) w/ AoE / She’s freaking adorable / All around great kit

Cons: Demerits on all skills / Lower ATK for a 4* Saber / Skill Mats Suck Ass

Role: NP Spammer / Damage Dealer

Overview

Frankie is what I am going to say is apart of a QUICK revival. Ever since MHXA [even though she is not the most stellar], I believe that Fate/Grand Order has been trying to bring back QUICK in various forms, seeing what sticks and attempting to improve on that – as well as giving us a greater option then the trinity which is overvalued and too expensive for most people.

She plays the role of a great NP spammer with lovely utility. She can remove buffs, chain stuns, and debuff enemies. Pretty great. She has a perfect kit for dealing damage while also being apart of a QUICK team, that being her hybrid deck and focus on utility + NP spamming to further boost her own utility. This avoids the problem that QUICK has most of the time, being a one and done or cycle of disappointing damage to produce stars and then use them after. With her 2 BUSTER cards, Fran can deal better damage on the turns she does have stars.

In general though, she is just a god tier NP spammer and that is really what sets the mark for her this Summer cycle. And her performance all stems with how well you can use that NP gain of hers to your advantage. Because there is a LOT that she gives if you do. With two stuns and great damage, that should be your whole goal while you have her on your team.

In terms of what type of team you should play her with – I will say that Fran has a better time of being splashed due to the hybrid kit and her passives. In general, just stick to the two buffer or one buffer formula. If you go one buffer just add a secondary damage dealer that focuses on star generation.

That being said, hope you enjoyed the review. Onto the next!
PS: She is my favorite Servant of this Summer Gacha.

—-

Have a great day!