Arknights: Endfield Tier List

Are you ready for the launch of Arknights: Endfield on January 22? Before diving into the game, having a clear understanding of each character and their skills can give you a huge advantage. This Arknights: Endfield tier list is designed to help players evaluate character strengths, overall viability across multiple endgame modes, and effectiveness in Free-to-Play (F2P)–friendly team compositions.

Characters are ranked based on their peak meta performance, versatility, and accessibility, making this guide useful for both new players and long-term planners. In this article, all characters are categorized into S, A, and B tiers, allowing you to quickly identify top performers and make smarter investment decisions.

Ranking of Arknights: Endfield Tier List

This tier list is based on character performance in the Closed Beta Test, ease of use, accessibility, and projected strength. As the game has not yet officially launched, we will update these rankings upon release to reflect real-time meta and player experience.

S	Laevatain Last Rite Ardelia Antal Snowshine Pogranichnik
A	Endministrator Ember Akekuri Catcher Perlica Lifeng Xaihi Yvonne Avywenna
B	Alesh Chen Qianyu Da pan Estella Arclight Wulfgard Fluorite

S Tier — Meta-Defining Characters

S Tier characters represent the strongest and most reliable options in the current meta. They excel across multiple content types, including boss encounters, high-pressure combat scenarios, and long-duration fights.

Laevatain (Limited Banner - Fire | AoE DPS)

• Widely regarded as the strongest AoE DPS in the game, offering exceptional burst and sustained Fire damage across all endgame content.

• Core carry of premium Fire teams, while remaining flexible enough to function as a main DPS in mixed compositions.

Last Rite (Standard Banner - Ice | Burst DPS)

• Features high damage scaling and excels in Freeze-oriented teams, capable of consuming debuffs for powerful burst windows.

• A core DPS for Ice (Quill) teams.

Ardelia (Free 6-Star | Healer / Support)

• The strongest healer currently available, providing reliable healing alongside damage amplification and minor Corrosion application.

• Extremely versatile and F2P-friendly, fitting seamlessly into any team that requires sustain.

Antal (4-Star | Support / Damage Amplifier)

• One of the most efficient damage amplifiers in the game, offering exceptional value for F2P and budget-focused players.

• Particularly effective against enemies with high Arts resistance and remains relevant throughout all stages of progression.

Snowshine (5-Star Defender | Ice Support)

• Defensive backbone for Ice teams, offering shields, healing, and Freeze utility to control the battlefield.

• Ideal for protecting stationary or channeling DPS units such as Yvonne.

Pogranichnik (6-Star Vanguard | Support)

• Applies debuffs that increase damage taken by enemies, significantly boosting overall team output.
• A strong long-term investment, especially for future Physical-focused meta teams.

A Tier — Strong and Reliable Picks

A Tier characters are powerful and versatile but slightly less dominant than S Tier. They are excellent long-term investments and often form the backbone of balanced team compositions.

Endministrator (Free Starter | Hybrid DPS)

• A free unit with balanced single-target and AoE damage. An excellent starting character that remains viable until replaced by premium DPS.
• Outclassed by specialized S-Tier damage dealers later on.

Ember (6-Star Defender | Tank)

• Provides exceptional shields, healing, and survivability, making her ideal for beginners and high-difficulty stages.

• Performs best in Physical teams, which currently lack a dominant meta DPS option.

Avywenna (5-Star Electric | DPS)

• A capable and accessible Electric damage dealer. While falling short of limited 6-stars, she can clear all content with proper support and benefits from easier duplicates.

Akekuri（4-Star | Support）

• Outstanding 4-star support value, specializing in Skill Point (SP) generation.

• Fits into virtually any team that relies on frequent skill rotations.

Catcher (4-Star Defender | Frontline Tank)

• A Physical defender wielding a greatsword, focused on damage absorption and frontline stability.
• Primarily used as an early-to-mid game tank option.

Perlica (5-Star Caster | Electric Enabler)

• A key enabler for F2P Electric teams, supplying Electric stacks and supplemental damage.
• Essential for maintaining consistent elemental uptime in budget setups.

Lifeng (6-Star Guardian | Physical Support)

• Designed for Physical teams, applying Vulnerability and Physical susceptibility to enemies.

Xaihi (5-Star Supporter | Healer / Buffer)

• A flexible healer whose kit converts overhealing into damage amplification.

• Fits perfectly into top-tier Ice and Nature compositions.

Yvonne (Limited Banner | Single-Target DPS)

• The highest single-target DPS in version 1.0, excelling in boss-focused encounters.
• Best paired with a sub-DPS to compensate for limited AoE coverage.

B Tier — Situational or Composition-Dependent

Alesh (Physical / Ice Hybrid | Situational DPS)

• A tactical pick for non-meta Physical/Ice hybrid teams, featuring an Ultimate that can execute enemies below 50% HP.

• Also applies Nature for Corrosion, allowing niche synergy with Last Rite teams.

Chen Qianyu (F2P Enabler | Debuff Support)

• An F2P-friendly support whose main role is applying Vulnerability, increasing all damage taken by enemies.

• Provides consistent value despite low personal damage.

Da Pan (Combo DPS | Situational Pick)

• A combo-dependent character whose performance relies heavily on cooldown management.

• Generally outclassed by Endministrator, but his combo CD reduction can be useful in specific AoE scenarios.

Estella (Control Enabler | Physical/Ice Hybrid)

• Performs best in Physical/Ice hybrid teams by exploiting Frozen enemies to maximize utility.

• Primarily serves as a control-oriented enabler rather than a main DPS.

Arclight (Early-Game Support | SP Generator)

• An early-game SP battery and frontline fighter, generating Skill Points while applying Electric stacks.

• Quickly falls off in endgame due to limited scaling and utility.

Wulfgard (5-Star Supporter | Fire Enabler)

• Best-in-slot Fire support for Laevatain teams, providing Fire stacks and combustion triggers.

• Extremely niche and largely ineffective outside dedicated Fire compositions.

Fluorite (4-star Caster | Nature)

• A Nature-element ranged caster focused on Nature damage application and debuff support.

• Primarily used to enable Corrosion-based strategies in early or budget teams.

Conclusion

With the launch of Arknights: Endfield approaching, understanding the current meta can help you plan pulls, build efficient teams and avoid wasted resources. This tier list highlights the strongest characters across endgame content while keeping F2P accessibility and team synergy in mind. Use it as a strategic reference—not a strict rulebook—as future updates and balance changes may shift the meta. Choose characters that fit your playstyle, and invest wisely for long-term progression.