You’ve been there. You spent hours—maybe days—perfecting a Mihono Bourbon or a Kitasan Black. Her stats are golden. Her Rank is UE or higher. But the race starts, the gate snaps open, and she just... sits there. She gets swallowed by the pack. By the time the first corner hits, she’s in fifth place and her unique skill won't even trigger. It's frustrating. Honestly, it’s enough to make you want to close the app.
The culprit isn't usually your Speed stat. It’s almost always the lack of the groundwork skill Uma Musume players obsess over for a reason.
In the high-stakes world of Champions Meeting and LoH (League of Heroes), Groundwork (Jigatamé/地固め) is the invisible backbone of the Runner (Runner/逃げ) meta. Without it, you aren't playing the same game as the top-tier trainers. It is the absolute "tax" you pay to be competitive. If you don't have it, your Runner is basically a glorified Betweener who forgot how to overtake.
What Actually Is the Groundwork Skill?
Groundwork is a Passive (Green) skill. Unlike gold skills that flash across the screen with a flashy animation, Groundwork triggers the moment the race begins. Specifically, it increases your "Acceleration" right at the start.
Wait.
Why do we care about acceleration at the start? Isn't speed better?
Nope.
Think of a race car. If two cars have a top speed of 200 mph, but one takes 10 seconds to get there and the other takes 2, the second car wins the lead every single time. In Uma Musume Pretty Derby, the "Runner" archetype depends entirely on holding the number one spot to trigger powerful endgame skills. If you don't accelerate instantly, you lose the lead. If you lose the lead, you lose the race.
The Three-Skill Requirement
Here’s the catch. Groundwork doesn't just "work" on its own. It has a condition that trips up a lot of beginners. To activate Groundwork, you need to have three other skills trigger at the very start of the race.
This sounds like a tall order, but it’s actually why "Green Skills" are so valuable. Things like "Right Turn," "Summer Uma Musume," or "Kyoto Racecourse" all count toward this threshold. Passive stats are your best friends here. You also have "Concentration" (or its gold version, "Sniper") which helps with the gate start.
If you have three of these, Groundwork kicks in. Your girl explodes out of the gate. She secures the rail. She stays in first.
How to Get Groundwork Without Losing Your Mind
Getting the skill is the hard part. It’s notoriously picky about appearing in DNA inheritance.
Most veteran players rely on specific Support Cards. The most famous "Groundwork" provider for a long time was the SSR Mihono Bourbon (Intellect). She practically handed it out. But as the game evolved, we saw more options. You can find it on various "Power" cards or through inheritance factors.
Inheritance is the "pro" way to do it. You spend weeks grooming a parent Uma Musume that has the Groundwork factor. You want that 3-star blue stat? Sure. But for a Runner, a 3-star Groundwork factor is arguably more precious. It allows you to build your deck around high-power Speed and Stamina cards without being tethered to a specific card just for one white skill.
The Evolution: "Ahead of the Pack"
If you've been playing the Japanese version or following the meta closely, you know about "Ahead of the Pack" (Banzen no Taisei/万全の態勢). This is essentially the Gold version of Groundwork.
It’s better. Obviously.
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But here is a mistake I see all the time: people think they can run only the gold version or only the white version. In reality, the way the game calculates opening acceleration means that stacking these (if the meta allows) or ensuring the gold version triggers is the difference between a "good" run and a "God" run.
Why Non-Runners Usually Don't Need It
I’ve seen people put Groundwork on a Grass Wonder or a Gold Ship.
Why?
Unless you are running some very specific, high-level "Leader" (Pre-front) build for a specific short-distance track, it’s mostly a waste of Skill Points (PT). Betweeners and Chasers actually want to be behind early on to build up their transition skills. If they accelerate too fast, they end up in a "blocked" position behind the leaders where they can't maneuver.
Groundwork is a specialist tool. It's a scalpel, not a sledgehammer. Use it where it belongs.
Real World Nuance: The "Gate" Variable
There is a hidden stat in the game—the "Gate" RNG. Even with Groundwork and Concentration, there is a tiny window of randomness when the doors open. Sometimes, the game just decides you’re going to have a "Late Start."
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Groundwork helps mitigate this, but it doesn't delete it. This is why top players run two Runners in a 3-girl team. It’s insurance. If one fails the gate, the other (hopefully) triggers Groundwork and takes the lead to keep the pace fast.
Practical Steps for Your Next Training Session
Stop raw-dogging your Runner builds. It’s painful to watch.
First, check your roster for "Passive" skill triggers. You need three. Don't just pick random ones; pick the ones that match the Champions Meeting weather or track. If it’s sunny, take "Sunny Day." If it’s a long track, take "Stamina Saver."
Second, prioritize inheritance. If you don't have a friend with a Groundwork factor, go to the Twitter (X) hashtags or Discord servers and find one. It is much easier to inherit the skill than to pray a Support Card gives it to you during a random event that might never trigger.
Third, balance your Intellect (Wisdom) stat. Skills trigger based on your Intellect. You can have Groundwork and three passives, but if your Intellect is 400, there’s a massive chance they simply won't "fire." For modern competitive play, you're looking at 1100-1200 Intellect minimum.
Finally, test it in Room Matches. Don't just assume it works. Watch the start of the race. If you see the Groundwork icon pop up instantly, you’ve done it. If not, go back to the drawing board and check your passive count.
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Success in Uma Musume isn't just about the biggest numbers. It's about the first three seconds of the race. Groundwork is how you own those seconds.
Actionable Insights for Trainers
- Target Passive Skills: Always pick up at least 3 "Green" passive skills that are guaranteed to trigger at the start (e.g., Distance/Track/Weather buffs).
- Inheritance over RNG: Use the "Rental" system to find a parent with a 3-star Groundwork factor to guarantee the skill appears in your pool.
- Check Your Archetype: Only invest heavily in Groundwork for Runners (逃げ); Leaders may use it in short sprints, but it's rarely optimal for back-line girls.
- Watch the Intellect Cap: Ensure your Wisdom stat is high enough to guarantee skill activation, otherwise, your "Groundwork" setup is just a waste of points.