Complete Analysis of Red Frame and Gold Frame Mina Suit Strength

The February 12th update arrived right on schedule, bringing us the dual limited banner that Astray fans have been eagerly awaiting—the Red Frame Custom and the Gold Frame Amatsu Mina. I believe everyone's biggest concern is just how strong these two new units are and whether they're worth spending your hard-saved Diamonds on. LDShop provides an in-depth analysis of these two new units' practical combat value from multiple dimensions, including unit stats, skill mechanics, tag combinations, and pilot compatibility, offering everyone the most sincere and detailed summoning advice.

Red Frame Custom

First, let's look at the Red Frame Custom. The moment this unit landed, the most eye-catching feature was undoubtedly its impressive 14,582 ATK stat. This value is among the top tier of all current UR attacker units, even overshadowing some veteran limited units.

In-Depth Unit Strength Analysis

Stats and Skills: The Trade-off Between Sustainability and Damage
The Red Frame Custom's EX weapon has a base power of 6,720 with a range of 4 squares. What does this base power mean? It's practically at the bottom among all current UR attacker EX weapons, even on par with the EX weapon’s power of the day-one veteran, Exia. As a newly released limited unit, it lacks any conventional conditional effects that increase weapon power. Instead, it's replaced with a lifesteal ability: 'Restores own HP equal to 50% of damage dealt'.

Let's also look at its unit passives: it provides a +10% ATK boost when HP is above 50% and a constant +15% ATK boost, totaling a 25% ATK increase. This condition isn't hard to meet in practice, as the lifesteal mechanic helps it maintain its HP well, forming a theoretical closed loop of 'the harder you hit, the more you heal, the longer you last'. When paired with pilot Lowe Guele, the EN consumption can be reduced from 72 to 54, barely solving its high EN consumption issue.

Core Mechanics:
The design philosophy behind this kit is actually very clear—compensate for the EX weapon's innate power deficiency with a high ATK stat, while using the restoring HP mechanic to ensure sustainability, turning it into an 'immortal cockroach' capable of sustained frontline combat. While its lifesteal numbers look good, for a PVP environment that requires quick breakthroughs and one-shotting core targets, it sacrifices precious damage-increasing effects for sustainability. What's more awkward is that even with Lowe's cost reduction, its base EX consumption of 72 still leaves it facing EN depletion after just a few strikes, requiring frequent resupply in prolonged battles.

It's worth mentioning that it possesses a decent fan-shaped MAP wepoan with 4,200 power. Leveraging its exceptionally high ATK stat, this map weapon's mob-clearing ability is actually quite good, serving as a plus point for the unit overall.

Tags and Positioning:
The Red Frame Custom's tags are 'Unstoppable' and 'Ace Unit'. In the severely competitive Ace Pilot faction, which boasts a host of damage monsters like Strike Freedom, Double X and Xi Gundam, the Red Frame Custom struggles to compete for a spot due to its meager EX power and the fatal flaw of lacking a range 5 weapon. However, within the Break Power tag, its competitors are relatively weaker (like Exia and Zaku II), so with its high stats and sustainability advantage, it can secure a position here.

In-Depth Pilot Analysis: Lowe Guele

If there's one must-pull reason for this banner, it's definitely not the unit itself, but the accompanying exclusive pilot, Lowe Guele.

• Rarity and Base Stats:
  Lowe is one of the rarest triple-action pilots in the game currently. Triple action means he can act three times in a single turn, which is a qualitative leap in tactical value for adjusting positioning, using EX skills consecutively, or clearing mobs with MAPW first and then following up with a single-target skill. His base Melee stat is only 852, which seems unremarkable at first glance.
• In-Depth Skill Analysis:
  But Lowe's strength lies in his terrifying stackable skill set. By activating two active skills, his practical Melee stat can easily exceed 1023, reaching the level of top-tier melee fighters of the new era. Let's break it down:

Active Skill 1: Reduces EX consumption for the Red Frame Custom by 25%. While this skill exists to compensate for the unit's design flaw, it also makes Lowe an indispensable component for the Red Frame Custom.

Active Skill 2: Increases damage dealt by 25%. Pure, brutal damage increase with no conditions attached.

Active Skill 3: Increases Melee stat by 25%. The effect is astonishing when stacked with his passive.

Passive Abilities: Damage Increase +20% + Melee Stat +25% + Reaction +5%.

After all skills and passives are stacked, Lowe boasts a Melee stat of 1023 and possesses up to 45% bonus damage! This offensive capability is enough to overwhelmingly surpass the vast majority of veteran melee pilots, even rivaling top-tier two-action melee fighters like Domon or Shinn Asuka.

• Tactical Value and Limitations:
  Lowe's strength is purely numerical. His limitation is also quite obvious: he has no utility. He can't help units that need 'Overdrive' to activate quickly like Setsuna can, nor can he provide guaranteed hits or critical hit buffs like some pilots. However, for all melee units that don't require special activation conditions, Lowe is a near-perfect universal plug-in. Whether it's the Burning Gundam, Barbatos, or any melee unit without special requirements, slotting Lowe in provides the most direct and brutal damage increase.

Red Frame Custom Summoning Recommendations

• For Meta-Focused Players: The Red Frame Custom unit itself is disappointing; its strength is heavily weighed down by the lifesteal mechanic, and its PVP prospects are bleak. But the value of pilot Lowe Guele far exceeds the unit itself. If you lack a top-tier melee pilot, this banner is well worth investing in.
• For F2P / Light Spenders: If your resources are limited and you already have strong attackers, aim for Lowe Guele. Pull one copy of the Red Frame Custom to get Lowe and then stop immediately. Using Lowe to pilot other powerful melee units in your hangar is the optimal return on this investment.
• For Devoted Fans / Whales: The unit has its shortcomings, but style is eternal! Lowe Guele's strength also justifies your investment. For players aiming for high stars and max limit breaks, this unit, combined with Lowe's sustainability in high-difficulty PVE content, has the potential to become a new-generation 'Eternal Road God of War'.

 

Gold Frame Amatsu Mina

If the Red Frame Custom is a severely skewed attacker, then the Gold Frame Amatsu Mina is a defensive specialist with unique functions and enormous potential. Her value lies not in instantaneous burst, but in the strategic depth she provides for the team and her contribution to future team compositions.

In-Depth Unit Strength Analysis

• Stats and Positioning: Ironclad Defense, All-Terrain Adaptation
  Amatsu Mina boasts nearly 140,000 HP and 11,600 Defense. With 5 movement and all A terrain adaptability, her bulk is impeccable. She is a standard tank unit, equipped with a defensive shield, granting her exceptional survivability. These foundational stats ensure she can firmly hold the front line in any situation requiring a damage sponge.
• Core Mechanics: The Dual Experiment of HP Steal and EN Steal
  Amatsu Mina's weapon configuration is quite unique, full of experimental elements.

EX Weapon 'Okitsu no Kagami': This is a lifesteal skill with a range of 3 and 6,840 power. While the power is decent for a tank, it comes with no additional effects—no attack reduction, no debuff to enemy weapon power—making its functionality somewhat lackluster for a tank.

MAP weapon 'Maga no ikutachi':
This is Amatsu Mina's true soul skill. This weapon's damage is extremely low, but its effect is to reduce the target's max EN by 10% and restore the user's own EN by 50% of the EN damage inflicted. When facing multiple enemies, even if the damage is only 1 point, triggering the effect allows for stable recovery of a large amount of EN. This means Amatsu Mina can achieve perpetual EN motion when facing enemy units charging in a group. Although the 'reduce enemy EN' effect currently seems limited in practical value, it leaves infinite room for imagination for potentially high-pressure environments in the future.

Tags and Potential:
Amatsu Mina's tags are 'Lightning-fast' and 'Commander type'. The Commander tag is currently weak, but the Lightning Speed faction has long lacked a quality shield unit. Amatsu Mina's arrival fills this gap; she is currently the most reliable choice for the Lightning-fast team.

In-Depth Pilot Analysis: Rondo Mina Sahaku

• Base Stats and Skills:
  Mina's pilot stats are extremely polarized. She boasts a high Reaction value of 871, but her Shooting, Melee, and Awakening values all fall below 600, and her Defense value of 782 is mediocre. She is a standard single-shield pilot (no Support Defense +1). She comes with a damage reduction skill, 'Force Block', ensuring basic survivability, while the 'EN Charge' skill helps alleviate Amatsu Mina's EN pressure.
• Core Value: Aura and Unit-Bound Bonuses
  Mina's EX abilities are where her true value lies:
• 
  1. Orb Aura: When she is in the squad, she provides an effect that increases the Attack and Defense of all units bearing the 'Orb' tag by 5%.
  2. Unit-Bound Bonus and Damage Reduction: When she pilots the UR Gold Frame Amatsu Mina, EX consumption is reduced by 15%. Additionally, when she is aboard a unit with the 'Orb' tag, damage taken is further reduced by 15%.
  3. Support Defense Enhancement: When performing Support Defense, her own Defense increases by 20%.

This means the Mina + Amatsu Mina combination itself is a super tank unit with stats increasing, high damage reduction, and the ability to steal HP and EN while recovering its own EN. Although the number of powerful Orb units is currently limited, as more Seed-related side story units are continuously added (like various Astrays, Stargazer, etc.), the value of this 5% ATK/DEF aura will snowball over time. She is a strategic asset with future potential.

• Tactical Value and Limitations:
  Her tactical value lies in her 'unit-bound' bonuses and 'aura.' Her limitation is also quite obvious: she is extremely reliant on team composition. Removed from an Orb team or Lightning Speed team, she becomes an unremarkable single-shield pilot. Furthermore, her own Defense stat is below 800, meaning her durability when facing top-tier enemies is less than that of specialized tanks. She is a classic 'situational counter card', not a 'jack-of-all-trades'.

Gold Frame Amatsu Mina Summoning Recommendations

• For Meta-Focused Players: If you are building a 'Lightning Speed' team and urgently need a durable, mobile tank with strong utility, then Amatsu Mina is currently the best solution. Although her EN-steal mechanic currently seems somewhat underwhelming, it provides potential for future high-difficulty content. If you have no immediate plans to build a Lightning Speed team, you can skip.
• For F2P / Light Spenders: For players with limited resources, the priority for powerful units in non-limited banners is always higher than for units bound to specific tags. Unless you have a special fondness for Seed side stories, investment is not recommended.
• For Devoted Fans / Future-Proofers: This unit is prepared for you. Mina's aura mechanic guarantees her an irreplaceable position in future Orb teams. If you are optimistic about the future of Seed-related side stories, or want to proactively build a mono-color team with immense potential, then pulling one copy of Amatsu Mina to keep in your hangar is definitely a far-sighted investment.

In this Astray banner, the Red Frame Custom, with its lifesteal mechanic, becomes a rising star in the PVE sustainability field. However, its true core value lies in the exclusive pilot Lowe Guele—a purely powerful triple-action melee fighter who can provide the ultimate brutal damage boost to any melee unit that doesn't require special activation conditions, making him the 'universal plug-in' for melee teams. Meanwhile, the Gold Frame Amatsu Mina serves as the sturdy shield for the Lightning-fast. The 'Orb' tag ATK/DEF boost provided by her pilot, Mina, is a strategically valuable asset with future potential.

LDShop will continue to provide all commanders with detailed game guides and discounted SD Gundam top-up services, helping you make thorough preparations for every update. Please be sure to plan your diamonds rationally and invest in banners wisely. May you soon build the Gundam team of your dreams. See you in the next guide!