In a game like Solo Leveling: Arise, where timing, skill rotation, and precise execution can shave literal milliseconds off your leaderboard ranking, pulling off a top-tier Battlefield of Time (BOT) run — especially against Cerberus — without dropping real-world cash feels like an absolute victory.
This guide is your all-access pass into my 35.58-second Cerberus BOT clear, achieved on a completely free-to-play (F2P) account. No Mythics. No pay-to-win nonsense. Just raw optimization, calculated decision-making, and maybe a bit of rage-fueled motivation.
If you're sitting at average skill level, don’t sweat it. This breakdown is designed specifically for F2P players looking to climb the rankings without burning out. Let’s get into it.
The Goal: Under 40 Seconds Without Spending a Dime
If you’ve ever been just milliseconds away from overtaking someone’s BOT record, you know how satisfying — and rage-inducing — that chase can be. I clocked in at 35.580 seconds, just 0.003 seconds ahead of my previous best. That might not sound like much, but in this game mode, it’s the difference between “meh” and first place.
This run wasn’t perfect — I made some avoidable mistakes along the way — but it was enough to take the leaderboard. The best part? You can replicate it with SR gear, non-mythic skills, and basic strategy.
F2P-Friendly Team Composition and Gear Loadout
Before we jump into the run itself, here’s a look at the exact team setup, gear, and skills I used. I’ll also offer some flexible alternatives depending on what you’ve got unlocked.
Team Lineup: Units, Weapons & Roles
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AZ Harper (Primary Breaker)
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Weapon: SR-tier weapon
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Use Solid Analysis for the break enhancement
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Min
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Equipped with her default weapon — strong early burst, helps clean up
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Sung Jinwoo (SJW)
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No ult needed. You’re not here to animate — you’re here to break records
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Saurin
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Easily the best breaker in this scenario, paired with Full Desire
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🔑 Note: SJW’s ult will never trigger in this run. If it does, you messed up somewhere. Restart.
Weapon Configuration: SR Can Still Slap
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Plum Sword (A10, but A5 is sufficient)
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Grimoire – essential for pre-break freeze on Cerberus
You don’t need to whale out. If you’re using A5-A5 setups, you’ll still comfortably clear under 40 seconds. I’ve run with worse and still hit leaderboard status.
Artifact Selection: Power in the Margins
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Toughness Set
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Why? Crit rate is capped — but crit damage isn’t. You’ll notice the difference.
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Obsidian Core
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BOT is a short burst mode. Obsidian’s 60% damage bonus hits different — and no, nothing else really comes close.
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For Harper, I used Solid Analysis (your go-to for increasing break efficiency) and Sil. Saurin ran full Desire, which I recommend sticking with — no need to get fancy here.
Shadow Combos and Core Loadout
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I skipped Baru for this run and went with Bestie for extra defense penetration
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Alternatives: You could sub in Baru or Serby if you’re focused on stacking crit damage and ATK
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Shadow Loadout is flexible, but prioritize synergy with break window bursts
Blessing Stones Used:
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INTU (Legendary) – worth burning some essence stones to roll for
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Reawakening
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Pulverize
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Boss Slayer – could be swapped for Bloodlust or Lightning Speed, depending on preference
Stay away from Sharp Perception — waste of a slot here.
Skill Loadout: Legendary, Not Mythic — and That’s Fine
Main Skills
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Magnifying Slashes (Legendary) – Consistent DPS across phases
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Dagger Rush Dispersion (Legendary) – Crucial for clearing initial mobs and damaging the mid-boss
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Overshadow – Minor but meaningful chip during burst phases
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Surprise Attack – Your key to melting Cerberus during break
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Mine was only Rare at the time (15% damage bonus), but if you have Legendary, swap it in immediately for a noticeable DPS jump.
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Core Setup Breakdown
Focus on the skill core (even a low-level one is fine), and equip the attack core. Avoid the shield core — again, if your ult is charging, you’re wasting precious frames.
Executing the Run: Full Breakdown
Let’s walk through the full process from start to finish — including a few common mistakes and how to avoid them.
Phase One: Opening Dash and Mob Clearance
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Dash to the center of the room immediately.
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Spin around 180°, targeting the first mob cluster behind you.
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Wait just a few seconds — this lets the mobs gather. Then fire off Dagger Rush Dispersion.
If timed correctly, Dispersion should:
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Clear the mob pack in one burst
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Damage the mini-boss as it spawns
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Save you a full skill rotation's worth of delay
⚠️ Mistake I made: I fired too soon — caused a double-pop instead of a clean one-shot. Fixing this would’ve shaved even more off my time.
Phase Two: Mini-Boss Deletion
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Pop Plum Sword just before he spawns — gives you Full Bloom status for added effect.
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Launch into Magnifying Slashes right as he appears.
A clean combo here will delete him in under 10 seconds. Mine went down in ~9.2 seconds, despite the sloppy opener.
Phase Three: Cerberus Showdown
This is where runs die or fly.
Pre-Break Setup:
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Summon shadows
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Shadow Step to Cerberus (don’t waste time walking)
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Freeze with Grimoire
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You MUST freeze him before the break window. After break? He becomes immune.
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Pop Overshadow, then cycle:
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Harper’s QTE
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Min’s skill
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Mailin’s QTE
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Resonance skill
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Stacked right, this will set up the break phase perfectly.
Break Phase Strategy
Here’s the secret sauce:
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Delay your QTE until right before break — or queue it during the animation.
This avoids wasting your burst damage while Cerberus is unbroken. -
After the break begins:
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Shadow Step through him
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Plum Sword → Magnifying Slashes ×2
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On the third slash, dash-cancel out of it
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This triggers Amplifying Draw
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Amplifying Draw is the final nail in Cerberus’s coffin. It grants a flat power boost that closes the run cleanly.
Score Achieved: 35.580 Seconds
Not a world record, but definitely rank-worthy — and fully reproducible without Mythics or top-tier rolls.
This time was achieved using:
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SR gear
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Free-to-play skills
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Solid execution, decent core decisions, and minimal RNG
Final Thoughts and Tweaks to Try
You don’t need to sweat the leaderboard gods to get solid BOT runs. Most players using decent A5-A5 setups and optimizing their skill cycle can easily dip under 40 seconds.
If You Want to Improve Your Time:
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Upgrade Surprise Attack to Legendary
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Time Grimoire’s freeze more precisely
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Clean up mob pack dispersion
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Swap in Baru or Serby for added crit scaling
Quick PSA: Don’t Miss Out on Creator Rewards
Before we wrap, quick heads up — the Solo Leveling: Arise Creator Program is winding down.
That means:
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Free 1,000 Essence Stones
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Exclusive Hunter Weapon Design
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Click the Support Button to claim yours
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Extend support to stay eligible for next season’s codes
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Otherwise, they’ll kick you from the program, and finding a new creator to support isn’t always easy (and let’s be real, this “house” is comfy).
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Wrapping It Up: No Mythic? Still Dominant
What this run proves is simple: you don’t need top-tier gear to get top-tier results. With a strong rotation, clean decision-making, and smart gear loadout, even free-to-play players can rise to the top.
Whether you're aiming for first place, top 10, or just a personal best, this F2P Cerberus BOT guide should give you the blueprint to hit your stride.
Got questions? Want a breakdown of your run? Drop it in the comments — let’s get you under 40 seconds.
Frequently Asked Questions – F2P Cerberus BOT Run (Solo Leveling: Arise)
Q: Can I beat Cerberus BOT under 40 seconds without Mythic gear or premium units?
A: Yes, absolutely. This guide proves a 35.58s run is possible using only free-to-play tools, SR weapons, and good rotation strategy.
Q: What's the most important part of the BOT run setup?
A: Skill timing and break optimization. The core elements are your Grimoire freeze pre-break, fast DPS cycles, and proper QTE sequencing.
Q: Do I need to use Plum Sword and Grimoire, or are there alternatives?
A: You can experiment, but Plum Sword and Grimoire offer the most synergy for fast break windows and are ideal for F2P optimization.
Q: Why is Sung Jinwoo on the team if I don’t use his ult?
A: His passive and core synergy make him useful in BOT despite the lack of ultimate. Think of him as a stat stick that hits hard.
Q: What blessing stones give the biggest time reduction?
A: INTU (Legendary), Pulverize, Reawakening, and Boss Slayer are top-tier for BOT. Avoid Sharp Perception — it’s not worth the slot.
Q: I don’t have Legendary Surprise Attack. Is it worth crafting?
A: Yes. Upgrading to Legendary increases your break-phase damage, which can significantly cut your overall run time.
Q: My shadows aren’t performing well. What’s wrong?
A: Make sure you’re using Bestie, Baru, or Serby depending on your crit/penetration needs. Their synergy with QTEs and breaks matters.
Q: Is it okay if I break Cerberus before using my QTE?
A: Yes — and it’s preferred. Triggering QTEs post-break wastes damage. Cast them before the break window begins to maximize impact.
Q: How often should I reset the run?
A: Anytime you hit the ult gauge or miss dispersion on mobs, restart. Every millisecond counts when competing for rank.
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