How to Get Pain (Agony Shinobi) in Anime Vanguards (April 2026)

Pain (Agony Shinobi) stands as one of the most sought-after units in Anime Vanguards, and for good reason. This Secret rarity support unit, based on Nagato from the Naruto series, arrived with the Painful Lessons Update (Update 12) and quickly became a staple for Ninjutsu-focused team compositions. If you’ve been struggling to add this powerful unit to your roster, you’re not alone. Many players find obtaining Pain to be one of the most challenging grinds in the game.

This guide covers everything you need to know about getting Pain, understanding the drop mechanics, evolving him into his Force form, and maximizing your farming efficiency. We’ve gathered data from the official wiki, community discussions, and player experiences to give you the most accurate information available.

How to Obtain Pain (Agony Shinobi)

Pain (Agony Shinobi) can only be obtained from one location in Anime Vanguards: Act 3 of the Destroyed Hidden Village Legend Stage. This is the third and final act of this legendary difficulty stage, where you’ll face off against the Agony Shinobi (Ascended) boss enemy.

The stage is part of the Painful Lessons Update, which introduced several Naruto-themed units and challenges. To access this stage, you need to have progressed far enough in the game to unlock Legend Stages, which typically requires reaching a certain point in the main progression.

When you defeat the Agony Shinobi (Ascended) boss at the end of Act 3, there’s a chance for the base Pain unit to appear as a random drop. This drop is not guaranteed on every clear, which is where the frustrating grind begins for most players.

Understanding the Drop Rate and Pity System

The base drop rate for Pain (Agony Shinobi) from Destroyed Hidden Village Act 3 is approximately 4%. This means on each individual clear, you have roughly a 1 in 25 chance of receiving the unit. While this sounds reasonable on paper, the random nature of RNG means players often find themselves well above or below this average.

Anime Vanguards implements a pity system specifically for Secret rarity units from Legend Stages. For Pain, the pity threshold is set at 38 attempts. This guarantees that if you complete Act 3 a total of 38 times without receiving Pain as a drop, the game will award you the unit on your next clear. This system protects players from indefinitely farming without results.

Based on community reports and forum discussions, players have experienced widely varying results. Some lucky players have received Pain within their first 5-10 attempts, while others have pushed well past the 30-attempt mark before getting the drop. The pity system ensures that no matter how unlucky you are, you’ll eventually obtain Pain by the 38th clear.

Several factors can influence your farming experience. Your unit loadout doesn’t affect the drop rate itself, but having stronger units can help you clear the stage faster and more consistently. Additionally, some players report that playing during off-peak hours doesn’t affect drops, contrary to some community theories.

Pain (Agony Shinobi) Abilities and Passives

Pain (Agony Shinobi) is classified as a Ninjutsu-type support unit in Anime Vanguards. His primary role in team compositions is damage amplification and providing temporary placement abilities that can turn the tide of battle. Understanding his kit is essential for making the most of this unit once you obtain him.

The unit features both active abilities and passive effects that synergize well with Ninjutsu team builds. His active abilities typically involve placing Pain on the field temporarily, where he can unleash powerful ninjutsu techniques that boost your team’s damage output or debuff enemies. The temporary placement mechanic means you’ll need to time his ability usage strategically during longer fights.

As a support unit, Pain excels at enabling your damage dealers to hit harder. His damage amplification effects stack multiplicatively with other support units, making him particularly valuable in boss-fight scenarios where every percentage point of damage matters. The Shall Know Pain Memoria specialty further enhances these supportive capabilities.

Community discussions on Reddit and other forums indicate that while Pain was considered top-tier upon release, subsequent balance changes have slightly reduced his dominance. However, he remains a solid choice for Ninjutsu teams and collectors who want a complete Naruto-themed roster. Players interested in competitive play should consider how Pain compares to newer support units that may have entered the meta.

Evolution Requirements – Agony Shinobi (Force)

Once you have the base Pain (Agony Shinobi) unit, you can evolve him into Agony Shinobi (Force), which significantly boosts his stats and enhances his abilities. The evolution process requires several materials that you’ll need to gather through gameplay.

The primary material requirement is Energy Rod x12. These are relatively uncommon materials that can be obtained from various game modes, including Legend Stages and special events. You’ll want to start stockpiling these early if you plan to evolve Pain as soon as possible after obtaining him.

In addition to Energy Rods, the evolution requires various Essence materials. These essences typically include elemental components that correspond to Pain’s Ninjutsu typing. The exact essences required may vary based on your current unit inventory and game version, so checking the in-game evolution menu for precise requirements is recommended.

The monetary cost for evolution is 15,000 Gold. This is a moderate investment compared to some other unit evolutions in the game, but it adds up when combined with other ongoing evolution projects. Planning your Gold spending in advance can help you evolve Pain without disrupting your other progression goals.

The Shall Know Pain Memoria plays a crucial role in Pain’s identity and evolution. This Memoria specialty not only enhances his existing abilities but also provides additional passive effects that improve his overall supporting capability. Players should prioritize acquiring this Memoria if they want to maximize Pain’s potential.

Best Traits for Pain

Trait selection significantly impacts Pain (Agony Shinobi)’s performance in Anime Vanguards. Based on community consensus and tier list evaluations, three traits stand out as the most beneficial for this unit: Ethereal, Solar, and Marksman.

Ethereal is widely considered the top trait recommendation for Pain. This trait typically enhances his ability uptime and provides additional utility that complements his support role. The synergy between Ethereal effects and Pain’s temporary placement mechanics makes this the go-to choice for most players.

Solar traits offer strong synergy with Ninjutsu team compositions, providing damage boosts and elemental amplification. Since Pain is fundamentally a support unit designed to enhance your team’s damage output, Solar traits that amplify this effect are highly valued.

Marksman traits improve Pain’s positioning and targeting capabilities, which can be valuable given his ability to be temporarily placed on the field. Better positioning means your support abilities hit the right targets more consistently, especially in complex boss fights with multiple phases.

When selecting traits, consider your overall team composition. If you’re running a primarily Ninjutsu-focused team, Ethereal and Solar will provide the most benefit. For more flexible compositions, Marksman can offer better general utility. Trait stacking, where you apply multiple copies of the same trait to a single unit, can unlock additional bonuses but requires significant investment.

Farming Tips and Strategies

Efficient farming of the Destroyed Hidden Village Legend Stage can save you hours of gameplay. Here are strategies our team has compiled from community feedback and successful player experiences.

First, optimize your loadout for speed rather than survival. Since the goal is to clear Act 3 repeatedly, units that can dispatch enemies quickly will reduce your average clear time. Look for units with strong AoE abilities that can handle the trash mobs before the boss encounter.

Focus on consistency over burst clears. Some players attempt risky strategies that occasionally result in faster runs but more failures. A reliable 3-4 minute clear is better than a 2-minute clear with a 30% failure rate. Over hundreds of attempts, consistency pays off significantly.

Track your attempts systematically. Keep a count of how many times you’ve attempted Act 3 without receiving Pain. This helps you know exactly where you stand relative to the pity threshold at 38. Many players report that Pain drops shortly before or after hitting pity, so knowing your count prevents unnecessary grinding beyond the guaranteed drop.

Take breaks when frustration sets in. The farming process can be mentally exhausting, especially when luck isn’t on your side. Stepping away periodically can help maintain focus and prevent burnout. Remember that the pity system guarantees you’ll eventually receive Pain regardless of RNG.

FAQ

Conclusion

Getting Pain (Agony Shinobi) in Anime Vanguards requires patience and persistence, but the pity system at 38 attempts ensures you won’t be grinding forever. Focus on consistently clearing Act 3 of the Destroyed Hidden Village Legend Stage, and trust that your guaranteed drop will arrive eventually.

Once you obtain Pain, invest in evolving him to Agony Shinobi (Force) using Energy Rod x12, the required Essences, and 15,000 Gold. Equip him with Ethereal, Solar, or Marksman traits to maximize his support potential in your Ninjutsu team compositions.

The farming process can be frustrating, especially when RNG seems against you. Remember that thousands of players have successfully obtained Pain using the same methods described in this guide. Stay consistent, track your attempts, and don’t let frustration compromise your strategy.

For more guides on Anime Vanguards units, stages, and strategies, explore our other content covering Legend Stage farming, unit evolution guides, and team composition recommendations.