The newest Arknights challenge of 2026 is Integrated Strategies #6 (IS#6), titled Sui's Garden of Grotesqueries. Globally released in late December 2025, this mode takes players deep into the mystical land of Yan. While the scenery is beautiful, the "Garden" is a dangerous puzzle created to put even the most veteran doctors to the test. This introduces punishing new mechanics like "Talismans," which lock your skills, and "Burn Damage," which knocks off your health over time.
In this mode, you cannot simply use raw power to win. You need to pick up operators who specifically counter these environmental hazards and enemy tricks. Here is the complete guide to top-ranked operators for IS#6, which helps in claiming every reward.
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The Essential MVP: Raidian
- Class: Supporter (Summoner)
Raidian is the free welfare hero in IS#6, so every player can unlock her just by playing the mode. She is very important because she has been made to counter the special mechanics of the Garden. Raidian is a Summoner who deploys mechanical scouts on the map. In the Garden, the enemies known as Swordsmen put Talismans on your operators, locking up their skills and making them useless. Raidian's scouts can be placed anywhere, even on blocked tiles. They can block Swordsmen or absorb Talismans to protect your main units. While upgrading her IS#6 talent tree, her scouts stop consuming deployment slots so that you have full freedom to handle the whole map.
The Multi-Hit Specialist: Exusiai the New Covenant
Exusiai the New Covenant is the top choice in the 2026 meta, though the original Sniper Exusiai remains quite usable. This new 6-star version is a specialist boasting an interesting, unique ammo system that works pretty well with IS#6 relics. In the Garden, many enemies of its type are called Statuegeists that use Hit-Count Shields, which break after many hits. The Exusiai of the New Covenant fires huge bursts of ammunition that destroy these shields very fast. She can also ignore deployment limits in some team setups, making her stronger and more flexible than normal snipers on tough maps.
The Lane Carry: Wisadel
Wisadel is currently the strongest unit in 2026’s Arknights meta. In the Garden, Camouflage makes Wisadel invisible to long-range fire, so she can freely destroy waves of "trash" enemies at a safe distance. Even though she is a "must-pick" unit, you should remember that Camouflage only stops direct targeting; she still can receive damage from nearby explosions or environmental fire. To make her as powerful as possible, always equip her BOM-X Module. Use her skill 3 against flying drones; paired with Raidian, she will easily clear even the toughest IS#6 stages.
The Ground-Hazard Cheater: Leizi the Thunderbringer
The "Hidden Gem" of the 2026 IS #6 season is the new 6-star card named Leizi the Thunderbringer. Unlike the older Caster version of the card, this one is a Liberator Guard and charges powerful energy while waiting to strike. Her unique trait is the ability to "Take Off" in which she floats on top of the battlefield. This makes her fully safe from ground dangers like Burning Reeds, which usually slowly drain an operator's health. When she releases her stored power, her lightning strikes jump from one enemy to another. This makes it easy for her to defeat Statuegeist and Swordsmen at the same time. She is the best operator for a map with floor traps that can instantly kill a unit.
The Map Manipulator: Shu
- Class: Defender (Guardian)
Shu is the best defender for IS#6 in 2026. She can block up to three enemies simultaneously, and she also heals nearby allies. But perhaps her biggest strength can be found in her teleport tiles, which will force fast enemies to restart their path and give you precious time. As a Sui sibling, Shu receives huge stat boosts from Yan-themed artifacts found in the Garden. With these items, she can become almost impossible to kill. She is not able to fully stop fire damage, but her strong healing and damage reduction mean the team is safe from most dangers. Top-tier choice for any serious run.
The Self-Sustaining Tank: Entelechia
She is the best starter pick for IS#6 because she costs only 4 Hope and is strong from the start. As a Reaper Guard, normal Medics cannot heal her, but she heals herself every time she hits an enemy. This self-healing is very important in early stages when there is burn damage and fast enemies. With Entelechia, she can hold a lane by herself with no support. So long as the enemies keep coming, she stays healthy and reliable even in the longest of runs where the resources are limited and pressure is high.
The Quick Responders: Texas the Omertosa and Kirin R. Yato
- Class: Specialist (Executor)
In IS#6, things go wrong within a second. You need "Fast-Redeploy" units that can be dropped, do their job, and be pulled back quickly. Texas the Omertosa drops in like a thunderbolt to chain-stun Swordsmen before they attach Talismans to your team. Kirin R Yato is your "boss killer" to deal massive damage against high-threat enemies before withdrawing her to safety.
Key Strategies for Beginners
- Talismans are applied by Swordsmen enemies. Always try to kill them or block them with a summon-like Raidian's scouts before they get close to your main casters.
- Don't spend all of your points on 6-star units out of the gate. Choose a reliable 4-star healer such as Purestream early to save up enough hope to buy a game-changer like Wiš'adel or Exusiai the New Covenant later.
- Standard healers struggle with fire. In order to survive, you have to recruit a "Wandering Medic" like Eyjafjalla the Hvít Aska. These specialists "wash away" the Burn meter before it explodes.
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Conclusion
Success in IS#6: Sui’s Garden of Grotesqueries is all about using the right tool for the job. By focusing on the 2026 "Alter" versions of Leizi and Exusiai, which will allow you to ignore ground hazards and shatter enemy shields. Always prioritize Raidian to manage the Talismans and Shu to hold the line. If you respect the Burn Damage and keep your fast redeploy units ready for emergencies, you will find the Garden much easier to navigate.
