How Sanity Works in Arknights Endfield Protocol Spaces

What to know

• Protocol Space unlocks naturally through early story progression
• Sanity is the stamina resource required to run Protocol Space missions
• Protocol Space is the main source of upgrade and promotion materials
• Efficient daily Sanity usage directly controls your progression speed

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In Arknights: Endfield, most long-term progression revolves around one system: Protocol Space. This is where you repeatedly spend Sanity to earn operator materials, weapon upgrades, and promotion resources.

If Sanity is mismanaged or Protocol Space is ignored, your account slows down dramatically—no matter how strong your characters are. This guide explains exactly how to unlock Protocol Space, how Sanity works, and how to use both efficiently to farm materials without wasting time or stamina.

Arknights Endfield – Protocol Space and Sanity Duet

System	Purpose	Key limitation
Protocol Space	Combat instances for farming	Costs Sanity
Sanity	Stamina resource	Regenerates over time
Rewards	Upgrade materials	Difficulty-gated
Access	World rifts & Index menu	Requires story unlock

How Protocol Space unlocks through story progression

Protocol Space is not hidden behind a special menu or optional questline. It unlocks automatically as you follow the main story missions early in the game.

During one of the early objectives, you are directed to a glowing rift on the Talos-II map. This rift represents your first Protocol Space. Interacting with it unlocks the system permanently.

Once unlocked:

• Protocol Spaces begin appearing across the world
• Activated spaces can later be entered directly from the Index menu
• You no longer need to physically revisit every location to farm

This ensures every player gains access naturally without missing the feature.

What is Protocol Space in Arknights Endfield

Protocol Spaces function as instanced combat challenges designed specifically for farming.

Each Protocol Space:

• Has fixed enemy compositions
• Offers selectable difficulty tiers
• Grants predefined material rewards
• Costs Sanity per run

You can think of them as structured farming missions rather than story content. Their value comes from consistency, not one-time completion.

What you get from Protocol Space runs

Protocol Space is the backbone of material acquisition.

Common rewards from Protocol Space

Reward type	Use
Operator EXP materials	Leveling characters
Promotion materials	Rank upgrades
Weapon EXP materials	Weapon leveling
Tuning resources	Weapon optimization
Misc. crafting mats	Base and gear progression

Higher difficulties cost more Sanity but drop significantly better rewards, making them the preferred option once unlocked.

How Sanity works in Arknights: Endfield

Entering a Protocol Space costs Sanity. They are found throughout the game world, often linked to areas like the Hub and Valley Pass, and some unlock as you advance in the main story. Sanity is Endfield’s stamina system and limits how many Protocol Space runs you can do in a given period.

Core Sanity mechanics

• Sanity regenerates automatically over time
• It has a maximum cap
• Sanity is consumed primarily by Protocol Space
• If Sanity reaches cap, regeneration stops

This last point is critical. Any time your Sanity sits at max, you are losing potential progression.

How to recover Sanity in Arknights Endfield

There are two main recovery methods.

Passive regeneration

Sanity refills slowly on its own as long as it is below the cap. This is your primary source and requires no input.

Active recovery items

You can also restore Sanity using:

• Emergency Sanity Boosters
• Origeometry or similar consumables

These should be saved for:

• Event farming
• Time-limited goals
• Catch-up sessions

Using them too early or casually is inefficient.

How Protocol Space and Sanity work together

Every Protocol Space run costs a fixed amount of Sanity. Stronger rewards always cost more, creating a clear progression curve.

Difficulty	Sanity cost	Reward quality
Low	Low	Basic
Medium	Moderate	Improved
High	High	Optimal

Your goal is to reach higher difficulties as soon as your team can handle them consistently.

How to spend Sanity in Arknights Endfield

Early-game Sanity should focus on unlocking systems and stabilizing your core team.

Early priorities

1. Story missions that unlock new Protocol Spaces
2. Operator promotion materials for your main squad
3. Weapon EXP materials for primary DPS units

Avoid spreading Sanity across too many different materials at once.

How to use Sanity effectively in mid-game farming

Mid-game is where Sanity efficiency starts to matter most.

Key principles

• Farm only the highest difficulty you can clear reliably
• Focus on materials that unlock new tiers, not minor upgrades
• Avoid over-farming EXP once levels are sufficient

Balanced growth across 4–5 operators beats over-investing in a single unit.

How to avoid wasting Sanity regeneration

One of the most common mistakes is letting Sanity sit unused.

How to prevent Sanity waste

• Log in at least once daily to spend Sanity
• Queue Protocol Space runs before logging out
• Check Sanity before closing the game

Even a few missed regeneration cycles compound into lost progress over time.

Daily Sanity usage routine

A simple daily routine keeps progression smooth without burnout.

Recommended daily flow

1. Check current Sanity level
2. Run Protocol Spaces for needed materials
3. Complete daily objectives alongside farming
4. Log off with Sanity below cap

This routine maximizes efficiency with minimal time investment.

How to choose which Protocol Space to farm

Each Protocol Space has unique rules that can alter gameplay, such as faster cooldowns for skills, buffs after using abilities, or even continuous HP drain that requires tactical healing. Not all Protocol Spaces are equally valuable at every stage.

Selection criteria

Question	Why it matters
Does this unlock progression?	Prevents bottlenecks
Is my team strong enough?	Avoids wasted Sanity
Is the drop rate efficient?	Maximizes value

Farm what you need next, not what looks rare. Higher Exploration Levels in the game unlock more difficult and rewarding Protocol Spaces, including those for advanced materials.

Common mistakes with Protocol Space and Sanity

Farming too early

Low-tier materials become obsolete quickly. Don’t overstock them.

Ignoring promotions

Higher difficulty Protocol Spaces unlock better rewards. Promotions often matter more than raw levels.

Using refill items too casually

Sanity items are more valuable later when farming efficiency peaks.

How Protocol Space fits into long-term progression

Higher Exploration Levels in the game unlock more difficult and rewarding Protocol Spaces, including those for advanced materials. Protocol Space is not just a farming system—it defines Endfield’s pacing.

Once mastered:

• Material flow becomes predictable
• Team upgrades feel smooth instead of stalled
• Daily play becomes efficient rather than grindy

Players who manage Sanity well progress faster even with identical rosters.

Mastering Protocol Space and Sanity farming

Protocol Space is the heart of Arknights: Endfield’s progression loop, and Sanity is the fuel that keeps it running. By unlocking Protocol Space through story progression, spending Sanity daily, and targeting the right materials at the right time, you ensure constant growth without frustration.

Treat Sanity like a resource that should never sit idle, and Protocol Space will quietly carry your account through every major upgrade tier.

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We hope this Protocol Space and Sanity guide for Arknights: Endfield offered all the clarity you were looking for and made your experience smoother. If you have any feedback, suggestions, or questions, drop them in the comments below. We actively read and respond, so feel free to reach out whenever you need extra help or guidance.