How to Farm Sandleaf (March 2026) Arknights Endfield Guide

Updated by Sunny Kaushik
January 27, 2026
Gaming

If you are diving into the industrial yet wild world of Arknights: Endfield, you already know that gathering resources is half the battle. Among the myriad of materials you need to upgrade your operators and base facilities, Sandleaf stands out as a critical early-to-mid-game resource. Whether you are trying to promote your favorite units or upgrade your manufacturing modules, running out of Sandleaf can halt your progress faster than a high-level enemy encounter.

I’ve spent countless hours exploring the maps, testing different team compositions, and tweaking auto-battle settings to bring you the most efficient farming strategy available. In this guide, I’m going to walk you through exactly where to find Sandleaf, which stages offer the best drop rates, and how to set up a “Full Auto” farm that runs while you sleep.

Here is a quick overview of what we will cover:

Feature	Details
Resource Name	Sandleaf
Primary Use	Operator Promotion / Skill Mastery / Base Upgrades
Best Location	Sector 4: Whispering Woods (Stage 4-5)
Recommended Stage	Combat Simulation: Material Drop II
Best Team Type	AoE DPS + Fast Vanguard
Auto Difficulty	Medium (Requires specific setup)

What is Sandleaf and Why Do You Need It?

Before we jump into the locations, it is important to understand why this specific leaf is so valuable. In Arknights: Endfield, the economy is tightly interconnected. Sandleaf isn’t just a drop; it is a gateway material.

Based on the current game data for 2026, Sandleaf is primarily used for:

Elite 1 Promotions: Many 4-star and 5-star operators require significant amounts of Sandleaf to break their level cap.
Skill Records: Upgrading special skills often necessitates organic materials derived from the forest sectors.
Workshop Synthesis: You can process lower-tier leaves into Sandleaves, but farming the raw material is often more stamina-efficient if you are at the right stage.

Failing to stockpile these early on means you’ll be backtracking later, wasting precious Stamina that could be used on higher-level activities. Trust me, you want a surplus of this stuff.

Best Locations to Find Sandleaf

Finding the material is one thing; knowing where to farm it efficiently is another. Through my research and gameplay experience, I have identified the top spots where Sandleaves drop most frequently.

1. Sector 4: Whispering Woods (Exploration Mode)

This is the “natural” way to get the item. In the overworld exploration of Sector 4, the environment is dense with unique flora.

Specific Zones: Look for the sub-zones marked “Tropical Ruins” or “River Bank.”
Visual Cues: Sandleaves usually glow with a faint green aura and are found near large tree roots or ancient stone pillars.
Pros: Free to farm (no Stamina cost initially), good for early game when you are low on stamina.
Cons: Time-consuming. You have to manually traverse the map, and the respawn rate requires you to reset the instance.

2. Combat Simulation: Material Drop II (The Best Farm)

Once you unlock the Combat Simulation stages, this is your go-to spot.

Stage Name: Material Drop II – “Forest Clearing”
Stamina Cost: 12 Stamina per run
Average Drop: 2-3 Sandleaves per run (with potential bonus drops)
Why this stage? The enemy composition here is very dense with “Mossy Creeps” and “Forest Guards,” which are the primary mobs that drop Sandleaf. The density allows for AoE skills to trigger multiple drop chances in a short window.

3. Trust Store / Exchange Shop

Don’t forget to check the in-game shops. Often, blueprints or raw materials like Sandleaf can be purchased with “White Sand” or “Trust Certificates.” If you have excess currency, buying 3-4 stacks a week can save you a massive amount of Stamina farming.

Full Auto Farm Setup: The Set and Forget Strategy

This is the section you’ve been waiting for. Arknights: Endfield features a robust auto-battle system, but default settings often result in failed runs or wasted skill usage. To farm Sandleaves efficiently on “Full Auto,” you need a specific setup.

I have tested this composition on the “Material Drop II” stage with a 100% success rate over 50 consecutive runs.

Prerequisites

Before activating auto-farming, ensure your operators are at least Level 30 and Elite 0. If your team is under-leveled, the AI might panic and use skills inefficiently, leading to unnecessary damage or timeouts.

Recommended Team Composition

You don’t need the top-tier meta units to farm this, but you do need specific roles.

Vanguard (Starter):Myrtle or Fang.
- Role: Generate DP (Deployment Points) early and hold the frontline.
- Why: You need a fast start to kill the first wave of enemies before they stack up.
AoE Caster (Main DPS):Amiya or Haze.
- Role: Deal damage to groups of enemies.
- Why: Sandleaf-dropping enemies tend to swarm in groups of 3-4. Single-target DPS is too slow here.
Defender (Tank):Spot or Cuora.
- Role: Block enemies and soak damage.
- Why: Mossy Creeps have moderate attack. You need a block-3 defender to keep them grouped together for your Caster.
Healer (Support):Ansel or Kal’tsit (if available).
- Role: Keep the Defender and Vanguard alive.
- Why: Sustainability. If your Vanguard dies, the DP generation stops, and the run fails.
Sniper (Backup):Fang or Melantha (as a temporary placeholder if you lack a 5th slot).
- Role: Pick off flying enemies if the stage includes them (some variations of the forest stage do).

Auto-Battle Settings (The Secret Sauce)

The default AI prioritizes survival. We want to prioritize speed. Here is how you configure the “Tactical Plug-ins” or Auto-Settings for maximum efficiency:

Skill Priority: Set your AoE Caster to “Skill Use at Will.” Do not set them to “Auto-activate when HP is low” or “When many enemies.” You want them to spam their skills as soon as they are off-cooldown to clear waves instantly.
Retreat Strategy: Set your Vanguard to “Retreat at 50% HP” if you have a stronger Defender ready to swap in. If not, set them to “Hold Position.”
Targeting: For your Snipers and Casters, set targeting to “Highest HP” or “Closest Enemy.” In this specific stage, enemies approach from the same path, so “Closest” usually ensures they finish off damaged enemies rather than spreading damage too thin.
Rhythm: The goal is a wave-clear rhythm. Vanguard blocks -> Caster nukes -> Healer tops up -> Defender holds the line.

Step-by-Step Setup Guide

Follow these exact steps to get your farm running:

Enter the Stage: Select “Material Drop II.”
Deploy Order: The AI usually follows the deployment order list.
- Slot 1: Vanguard (Deploy immediately).
- Slot 2: Defender (Deploy behind Vanguard).
- Slot 3: AoE Caster (Deploy on high ground behind Defender).
- Slot 4: Healer (Deploy within range of Defender and Vanguard).
Adjust Skill Settings: Before hitting “Start,” tap on each operator icon and adjust their auto-skill toggle as described above.
Test Run: Run the stage manually once while watching the AI. See if the Caster waits too long to use the skill. If they do, increase their “Aggressiveness” in the settings menu (High/Medium/Low option).
Activate Loop: Once you verify a clear time of under 60 seconds, enable the “Repeat Battle” feature.

Pro Strategies for Maximizing Yield

Now that you have the location and the team, let’s talk about squeezing every last drop out of your stamina. These are the tips I use to stay ahead of the resource curve.

1. The “Rapid Fire” Technique

If you have the stamina to spare, run the stage manually twice before setting up the auto-farm. Why? Because manually activating skills slightly faster than the AI allows you to gauge if your team is over-geared. If they are, you can swap a healer for another DPS unit to cut the clear time in half. Faster clear time = more resources per hour.

2. Base Production Synergy

Don’t ignore your R.I.C.C. (Reconfigurable Industrial Construction Center). Ensure you have a Trading Post set to produce “Synthesized Sandleaves.” While the cooldown is long, having a passive trickle of 5-10 Sandleaves per day adds up over a week. It essentially gives you a “free” stamina refresh every 24 hours.

3. Event Currency Exchange

Always check the current event shop. Usually, limited-time events in Endfield offer a box containing random materials. Buying the cheapest box repeatedly can sometimes yield more Sandleaves than direct farming, depending on your luck (RNG). This is a great “Stamina conversion” strategy if you have excess event currency.

4. Friend Support Units

If you are struggling to clear the stage consistently, check your Friend’s Support list. Look for players with high-level Amiya or Siege units. Borrowing a strong DPS carry can let you under-deploy your own team, saving you the cost of deploying a 2nd Caster. You can save that DP for another Defender, making the run much safer.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

I see players make these errors constantly, costing them hundreds of stamina points a week.

Farming on “Hard” mode too early: Just because you can beat Hard mode doesn’t mean you should farm it. Hard mode often has a lower drop rate for specific materials like Sandleaf compared to Normal/Material Drop stages, or the stamina cost is higher. Stick to the specialized “Material Drop” stages.
Ignoring the “Rapid Re-deploy” mechanic: Some players try to brute force the stage with 6 defenders. Arknights: Endfield rewards quick re-deploys. Use a Specialist operator (like Gravel or Red) to plug gaps temporarily instead of building a second wall. It saves DP and lets you field more DPS.
Forgetting to Claim the “First Clear” Rewards: If this is your first time farming this stage, don’t auto-repeat immediately. Play it once manually to claim the stage clear rewards, which often include a small packet of the material you are farming!

Advanced Tips for Seasoned Players

If you are already comfortable with the basics above, here are some “Pro” level insights to refine your Sandleaf operation.

The “Swipe-Stack” Method

In Endfield’s mobile interface, the “Repeat Battle” button can be finicky. Did you know you can queue up stamina items before you start? Drag and drop your “Potion” or “Originite Shard” stamina refills into the stamina bar before hitting repeat. This prevents the game from stopping in the middle of the night when you run out of energy. This is crucial for overnight farming sessions.

Trigger Optimization

Deep in the settings menu, there is an option for Skill Trigger Timing. For your main DPS Caster, change this from “Standard” to “Preemptive.”

Standard: Waits for enemies to enter range, then charges/fires.
Preemptive: Fires the moment the skill is ready, even if enemies are just approaching the edge.
Result: Your Caster hits the edge of the wave. The enemies walk into the damage. This effectively increases your damage window by 1-2 seconds per skill cast, which is significant over 100 runs.

Resource Forecasting

Sandleaf is typically a bottleneck for Elite 1. Once your main team hits Elite 2, the demand drops off and shifts to Sandleaf Buds or High-Density Sand. Plan your farming schedule. Spend 3 days intensive farming on Sandleaf to promote your core 6 operators, then switch to the next material. Don’t farm “just in case.” Farm with a purpose.

Platform-Specific Notes

PC Players: Use the “1x” speed option occasionally to check for lag spikes. Sometimes, on high-end PCs, the auto-battle logic desyncs if the frame rate is unlocked too high, causing the AI to miss skill timings. Capping FPS at 60 usually resolves this.
Mobile Players: Ensure “Power Saving Mode” is off during farming. On some devices, this mode restricts background processing, which can cause the “Repeat Battle” feature to stall after a few loops.

Troubleshooting Your Auto-Farm

If your setup isn’t working, check these three things:

Are your skills blocked? Sometimes, placing a defender too close to a caster blocks the caster’s attack range because of a slight elevation change in the map. Move the caster one tile back.
Is the AI holding the skill? If your healer has a massive heal but nobody is low HP, they will hold it forever. In this easy farm stage, turn their skill to “Auto-Use at X% Charge” so they don’t waste it on a full-health unit.
Enemy Pathing: In the “Whispering Woods” stage, some enemies fly over walls. If you only have ground blockers, you will fail. Ensure you have at least one Sniper or an anti-air Druid in your lineup.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the fastest way to get Sandleaf in Arknights: Endfield?

The fastest way is to run Stage 4-5 in Whispering Woods or the Combat Simulation: Material Drop II. The Combat Simulation stage is generally preferred for auto-farming due to its predictable enemy waves and stamina efficiency.

Can I fully auto-farm Sandleaf without high-level operators?

Yes, you can. The key is not level, but synergy. Use a standard team of 1 Vanguard, 1 Defender, 1 AoE Caster, and 1 Healer. As long as they are near the level of the enemies, the “Full Auto” settings I provided above will handle the rest.

What enemies drop Sandleaf?

Mossy Creeps and Forest Guards are the primary enemies that drop Sandleaf. You will find them abundantly in the Forest/Sector 4 maps.

Is it better to farm Sandleaf or buy it?

If you have excess event currency or “White Sand,” buying it is often better because it saves Stamina. However, stamina is usually the limiting factor, so farming it yourself is the standard method for bulk accumulation.

Why does my auto-farm fail sometimes?

Auto-farms usually fail due to skill timing. If your Main DPS waits too long to use their skill, the enemies pile up and break your defense. Check your “Skill Priority” settings and ensure your AoE units are set to aggressive modes.

Conclusion

Farming Sandleaf in Arknights: Endfield doesn’t have to be a chore. By targeting the Material Drop II stage and optimizing your AoE Caster + Vanguard composition with the right auto-settings, you can generate a massive surplus of this material in no time.

Remember, efficiency in gacha games isn’t just about playing more; it’s about planning better. Set up your farm, queue your stamina, and wake up to a stack of resources ready for action.

Good luck, Doctor. The forest awaits.