NIKKE Overload Guide
Everything the calculators on this site are built on: how Overload gear rolls, the odds behind every line, what locking costs, and how to spend fewer Custom Modules.
Getting Overload gear
Overloading upgrades a Tier 9 manufacturer gear piece into Tier 10 Overload gear. Three requirements: the piece is leveled to 5, it is worn by a Nikke of the same manufacturer, and you pay 1 Custom Module. The converted piece has higher base stats, more upgrade levels, and rolls its buff lines immediately. Every line starts at attribute level 11, still a White value since Blue only starts at T12, but better than an average reroll, which lands between T1 and T5.
Two things to weigh before you overload. Overload gear binds permanently to the Nikke wearing it, so it can never be unequipped or moved. I highly recommend overloading your core team before secondary units. And Custom Modules are very scarce: they come mainly from high-stage Special Interception rewards, Anomaly Interception once unlocked, and occasional events. So I built this site. Every tool here is about squeezing the most out of every module you've got.
Overload basics
Overload gear carries up to 3 buff lines per piece, across the four equipment slots (Head, Torso, Arms, Legs). Each line has two parts that roll separately:
- an attribute, which stat the line boosts, and
- a value, how strong that boost is, on a 15-tier scale.
Rolling is paid for with Custom Modules (most people call them rocks). The first line on a piece is always present. On each Change Effects roll the second line has a 50% chance to be filled and the third 30%, so an unlocked second or third line can appear or disappear from roll to roll.
Kraken income
Kraken's rewards increase across Stages 1–9. These are the rewards per clear and across the usual 3 clears per day:
| Stage | Direct modules/run (avg) | Direct modules/day (avg) | Shards/run | Shards/day | Locks/run | Locks/day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.402 | 1.207 | 20 | 60 | 2 | 6 |
| 2 | 0.425 | 1.275 | 21 | 63 | 2 | 6 |
| 3 | 0.599 | 1.796 | 28 | 84 | 4 | 12 |
| 4 | 0.620 | 1.861 | 29 | 87 | 4 | 12 |
| 5 | 0.642 | 1.927 | 30 | 90 | 4 | 12 |
| 6 | 0.795 | 2.385 | 42 | 126 | 6 | 18 |
| 7 | 0.851 | 2.553 | 45 | 135 | 6 | 18 |
| 8 | 0.877 | 2.631 | 47 | 141 | 6 | 18 |
| 9 | 0.903 | 2.710 | 50 | 150 | 6 | 18 |
The direct Custom Module average uses Kraken's drop chance and its 1/2/3-module split. Shards are not included in it, and 100 shards make one module.
Attribute odds
A fresh line draws one of 9 attributes. Five of them roll at 12% each and four at 10% each, and a piece can never hold the same attribute twice, so once a line is set, the remaining attributes' odds rise slightly for the other lines (math mumbo jumbo; you can ignore if you're not into that).
| Attribute | Roll chance | T1 | T2 | T3 | T4 | T5 | T6 | T7 | T8 | T9 | T10 | T11 | T12 | T13 | T14 | T15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elemental Damage | 10% | 9.54% | 10.94% | 12.34% | 13.75% | 15.15% | 16.55% | 17.95% | 19.35% | 20.75% | 22.15% | 23.56% | 24.96% | 26.36% | 27.76% | 29.16% |
| Hit Rate | 12% | 4.77% | 5.47% | 6.18% | 6.88% | 7.59% | 8.29% | 9% | 9.7% | 10.4% | 11.11% | 11.81% | 12.52% | 13.22% | 13.93% | 14.63% |
| Max Ammunition Capacity | 12% | 27.84% | 31.95% | 36.06% | 40.17% | 44.28% | 48.39% | 52.5% | 56.6% | 60.71% | 64.82% | 68.93% | 73.04% | 77.15% | 81.26% | 85.37% |
| ATK | 10% | 4.77% | 5.47% | 6.18% | 6.88% | 7.59% | 8.29% | 9% | 9.7% | 10.4% | 11.11% | 11.81% | 12.52% | 13.22% | 13.93% | 14.63% |
| Charge Damage | 12% | 4.77% | 5.47% | 6.18% | 6.88% | 7.59% | 8.29% | 9% | 9.7% | 10.4% | 11.11% | 11.81% | 12.52% | 13.22% | 13.93% | 14.63% |
| Charge Speed | 12% | 1.98% | 2.28% | 2.57% | 2.86% | 3.16% | 3.45% | 3.75% | 4.04% | 4.33% | 4.63% | 4.92% | 5.21% | 5.51% | 5.8% | 6.09% |
| Critical Rate | 12% | 2.3% | 2.64% | 2.98% | 3.32% | 3.66% | 4% | 4.35% | 4.69% | 5.03% | 5.37% | 5.7% | 6.05% | 6.39% | 6.73% | 7.07% |
| Critical Damage | 10% | 6.64% | 7.62% | 8.6% | 9.58% | 10.56% | 11.54% | 12.52% | 13.5% | 14.48% | 15.46% | 16.44% | 17.42% | 18.4% | 19.38% | 20.36% |
| DEF | 10% | 4.77% | 5.47% | 6.18% | 6.88% | 7.59% | 8.29% | 9% | 9.7% | 10.4% | 11.11% | 11.81% | 12.52% | 13.22% | 13.93% | 14.63% |
Roll chance is for a line on an otherwise-empty piece. Each tier value is the percentage boost shown in game.
Different pieces can repeat an attribute though, so the same stat stacks across the four slots, up to four lines of it on one unit. Stacking a stat your Nikke scales hard with (Max Ammunition is a classic) is a common build goal. A Nikke has 12 overload lines in total (4 pieces x 3), so you'll sometimes see builds rated by how many land on-target: "8/12", or a perfect "12/12".
Value tiers: White, Blue, and Black
Every line's value lands on one of 15 tiers (T1–T15). In game you see them as colors:
| Color | Tiers | Chance per tier | Chance overall |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | T1–T11 | 12% (T1–T5), 7% (T6–T10), 1% (T11) | 96% |
| Blue | T12–T14 | 1% each | 3% |
| Black | T15 | 1% | 1% |
Long story short: any given roll is overwhelmingly likely to be White. Blue-or-better lands roughly once every 25 rolls per line, and a max Black once every 100. So whenever you land a good value the whole game becomes: do I lock this thing or risk it?
What rolling costs
Both reroll actions cost 1 Custom Module plus 1 per locked line:
| Locked lines | Cost per roll |
|---|---|
| 0 | 1 Custom Module |
| 1 | 2 Custom Modules |
| 2 | 3 Custom Modules |
The two actions differ in what they touch:
- Change Effects rerolls everything on unlocked lines: the attribute, the value, and even whether the line exists. Use it to hunt the stats you want.
- Reset Attributes keeps every attribute in place and rerolls values only. Use it once the stats are right and only the numbers need to go up.
Locking a line is its own separate cost, and you can pay for it using either Custom Locks (a dedicated currency) or Custom Modules:
| Lock | Custom Locks | Custom Modules |
|---|---|---|
| 1st line | 20 | 2 |
| 2nd line | 30 | 3 |
| 3rd line | 40 | 4 |
The big difference between the two is how long a lock lasts. Custom Locks are temporary: each one holds a line for a single roll, so you re-lock every roll you want that line protected. Custom Modules lock permanently until you unlock the line yourself. Because Modules are precious and you normally have plenty of Custom Locks, almost everyone locks with Custom Locks. My calculators assume the same and price only the rerolls.
So what makes locking such a tough decision? It's because locking is a real trade-off between protecting a line you can't afford to lose and cranking up the cost of every roll afterwards. Whether a lock pays for itself depends on how hard the locked line would be to re-obtain versus how many more rolls you expect to make. Instead of eyeballing it, just plug your numbers into the calculators here.
How to roll efficiently
Decide your target stats before you spend anything. Every extra attribute you're willing to accept on a line makes the goal way cheaper, so chasing one exact stat on all three lines costs far more than accepting two or three good options. The community benchmark is two solid effects per piece. It's good enough for endgame content, and it leaves the third line as a luxury, normally a filler that accepts a variety of attributes.
Start on the piece with the fewest effects you want to keep. A bad roll takes the least away from you there, and you'll have a better idea of what your modules actually buy before you touch a piece you care about.
Chase the attributes first and worry about the values second (in general). While the stats are still wrong, Change Effects is the action you want, and you take each correct stat at whatever value it lands on. Rerolling a line that already holds a stat you want, purely to push its number up, risks losing that stat entirely, since Change Effects rerolls the attribute too. Once every attribute is where you want it, Reset Attributes is the cheap and safe way to climb tiers.
Lock a line when losing it would cost you more to get back than the extra Custom Module per roll the lock adds. Line 3 is usually the one to protect first. It only appears at all on 30% of rolls, on top of the attribute and value odds, so a good third line is the rarest thing on a piece and the most painful to lose.
And know when to stop. The third line is always the most expensive part of a piece. Once a piece carries two solid effects, your modules usually go further on the next Nikke than on perfecting that one.
For per-unit stat priorities and who to overload first, use community references or ask around in Discord.
"It took way more rocks than the calculator said!"
Happens all the time, and it doesn't mean anything is wrong. Every number the calculators here spit out is an average, not a guarantee or a cap. Averages get weird when the odds look something like "4% per roll, per line."
The counterintuitive part is that most attempts actually finish under the quoted number, somewhere around 70–90% of it. But every once in a while a run goes completely south, like taking 20 rerolls to see an ele line, and those outliers drag the average up. Here is a few hundred thousand simulated runs:
| How an attempt lands | Roughly how often |
|---|---|
| Cheaper than the expected number | ~60% of attempts |
| More expensive than expected | ~35–40% of attempts |
| About double the expected number or worse | ~1 in 10 attempts |
| Triple or worse | ~1 in 20 attempts |
The exact percentages vary a little from target to target, but the pattern is always the same.
So if you overload enough pieces, you're eventually going to run into a cursed piece of gear that costs double. That piece was always going to show up. Same goes for the Gambling Simulator, which runs on the same odds and the same code as the calculators. It's just a bout of bad luck (not skill issue as much as I like to joke about it).
My suggestion is that if one specific piece has to get finished, make sure you have double the quoted cost (from the calculator), because showing up with the exact amount is roughly a coin flip. Don't sweat single-piece luck too much either way, since over four pieces (or a whole roster) the highs and lows cancel out and your total spend lands pretty close to the quoted sums. And keep following the lock advice. Ignoring it only cost a few percent extra in my simulations, but it's the one part of this you actually control. The rest is pure gambling.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get Overload gear in NIKKE?
Upgrade a Tier 9 manufacturer gear piece to level 5 on a Nikke of the same manufacturer, then spend 1 Custom Module to overload it. The piece becomes Tier 10 Overload gear with higher stats, more upgrade levels, and up to 3 random buff lines.
Can I unequip Overload gear or move it to another Nikke?
No. Overloading permanently binds the piece to the Nikke wearing it. It cannot be unequipped, transferred, or reused on anyone else, so choose who to overload carefully.
Where do Custom Modules come from?
Mainly from Interception content. Spam Anomaly Interception once it unlocks. Before then, you can farm high-stage Special Interception rewards. Events and occasional shop offers (paid shop offers specifically) add a few more. The income is limited, so don't waste them and plan your rolls carefully.
How much does it cost to reroll Overload gear in NIKKE?
Each Change Effects or Reset Attributes roll costs 1 Custom Module, plus 1 more for every line you lock. With no locks a roll costs 1 module, with one locked line 2 modules, and with two locked lines 3 modules.
Does locking a line cost Custom Modules?
Only if you want it to. Locks can be paid with either Custom Modules or Custom Locks. Custom locks are temporary and last one roll while Custom Modules are permanent until unlocked. Normally, your Custom Lock income will outpace your Custom Module income, so that's what most people use. The calculators assume the same and price only the rerolls.
What values do the lines have right after I overload a piece?
Freshly overloaded gear starts every effect it rolls at attribute level 11, which is still a White-tier value (Blue starts at T12). Rerolls afterwards use the normal odds (96% White, 3% Blue, 1% Black), so the starting values are better than an average reroll.
How many buff lines can Overload gear have?
Up to 3. The first line is always present. On each Change Effects roll the second line has a 50% chance to be filled and the third 30%, so unlocked lines can appear or disappear between rolls.
Can one gear piece roll the same attribute twice?
No. The lines on a piece always hold different attributes, so a single piece can never have two lines with the same stat.
Do attributes stack across different gear pieces?
Yes. The same attribute rolled on multiple pieces adds together. Four pieces that each roll Max Ammunition Capacity all contribute. Most endgame builds revolve around stacking a stat the unit scales well with across several pieces.
What are the odds of rolling a specific attribute on an Overload line?
A rerolled line stat draws from 9 attributes. Hit Rate, Max Ammunition Capacity, Charge Damage, Charge Speed, and Critical Rate each have a 12% chance while Elemental Damage, ATK, Critical Damage, and DEF each have 10%. A piece can never roll the same attribute twice, so the odds improve slightly as other lines fill.
What do White, Blue, and Black values mean on Overload gear?
Every line's value is one of 15 tiers. T1 to T11 display as White, T12 to T14 as Blue, and T15 (the maximum) as Black. A rerolled line value lands White about 96% of the time, Blue 3%, and Black 1%.
What is the chance of rolling a max (Black) value?
1% per filled line. Each tier has its own odds: T1 to T5 are 12% each, T6 to T10 are 7% each, and T11 to T15 are 1% each. Since Blue only starts at T12, Blue-or-better has a 4% chance per roll, and the single Black tier T15 lands exactly 1% of the time.
What is the difference between Change Effects and Reset Attributes?
Change Effects rerolls everything on unlocked lines (the attribute, its value, and even how many lines the piece has). Reset Attributes keeps every attribute in place and rerolls only the values. Use Change Effects to hunt stats, then Reset Attributes once the stats are right and only the values need improving.
Do I get to choose between the old roll and the new roll?
Yes. After a Change Effects or Reset Attributes roll, a popup offers two options: Keep Effects (stay with your old result) or Change Effects (take the new one). The Custom Modules are spent either way, so declining a bad roll does not refund them. The choice is also all-or-nothing across the unlocked lines. You cannot keep part of the old result and part of the new one, so locks are still the only way to protect one specific line.
Should I use Change Effects or Reset Attributes first?
Change Effects first, then Reset Attributes. Use Change Effects to get the attributes you want, taking each correct stat at whatever value it rolls. Don't keep rerolling a good stat line just to improve its value, because Change Effects rerolls the attribute too and you could lose the stat. Once the attributes are set, Reset Attributes pushes the values up while keeping every attribute in place, so it's the safe, cheaper way to chase good values.
Should I lock lines before rerolling in NIKKE?
Lock a line when losing it would cost more to re-obtain than the extra 1 Custom Module per roll the lock adds. The break-even depends on your exact targets, so use the Change Effects calculator on this site to compute the mathematically optimal lock and reroll plan.
Which line should I lock first?
A good effect on the third line is the rarest thing on a piece. The line itself only appears with 30% chance per roll, on top of the attribute and value odds, so protecting a good line-3 roll is usually the highest-value lock. The optimal choice still depends on your full target; the Change Effects calculator computes it exactly.
How many good effects per piece should I aim for?
Most people aim for two good effects per piece and that's plenty for endgame content, while chasing three great lines on one piece gets substantially more expensive. The calculators here let you price both goals in expected Custom Modules before you commit.
Which attributes should I roll for my units?
Depends on the unit and its weapon. The usual suspects are ATK and Elemental Damage for attackers. Max Ammunition matters a lot for units that fire nonstop, and Charge Speed is for charge weapons like snipers and rocket launchers. Look up a build guide for your specific unit before you spend anything though. Some units want unique or different builds.
Which units should I overload first?
Overload gear binds permanently, so start with your main damage dealers and the core team you field everywhere (campaign, raids, etc.) before niche or bench units. Meta sites publish up-to-date overload priority lists if you want a specific order.
Is there a pity system for Overload rolls?
No. Every roll is independent with the same odds, and there is no pity counter or guarantee. The calculators on this site compute the average modules a target takes, and real results vary around that average.
How many Custom Modules do I need on average to hit my target stats?
It depends on how many acceptable attributes you allow per line and whether you also need specific values. The Change Effects calculator computes the exact expected number of modules for your targets, and the Budget Planner works backwards from the modules you actually have.
How can I practice Overload rolls without spending Custom Modules?
Use the free Gambling Simulator on this site. It's an exact replica of Change Effects and Reset Attributes rerolls with the real odds, line locks, and a module budget, so you can practice a strategy before spending anything in game.