Endfield Arknights: Endfield Characters Tier List

This Tier List is an extremely preliminary analysis of the Operators early into the game's release. There are definitely more updates to be made with exact placements, as more info is discovered and more players reach endgame.

As for methodology, we don't have a strict baseline for Operators. We try to evaluate flexibility, top-end strength, best case scenario, AoE, single-target, etc. Every Operator can be valuable in different ways, and you can read more below.

Lastly, everyone, including us understands that a tier list 3-6 months from now will look completely different. Some Operators that provide utility may have better long term value, while DPS Operators often become less valuable as characters with higher multipliers release. However, getting a strong DPS early on provides a greater immediate boost to your account's power, so those criteria can often be at odds.

S-Tier

Laevatain

Right now, Laevatain is simply the strongest Operator/Team in the game. Her kit does it all, good damage, extremely easy/accessible team to build, AoE, non-strict team-building for future potential. Her best team is also very accessible, needing only "free" Operators: Ardelia, Akekuri, Antal.

Chen Qianyu Endministrator

As time has passed, people have begun to realize how powerful Chen & Endmin are. Physical teams are extremely impressive from top to bottom, using other 6-Stars or even 4-Star Operators. Chen is non-negotiable on Physical teams. She contributes a ton of damage, applies the most Vulnerable, and is the glue for Physical teams. Endministrator is the the primary or secondary Vulnerable consumer and in general an amazing Operator for damage payoff.

Pogranichnik

Pogranichnik is another ceiling raiser for Physical teams. He provides Sub DPS, Breach (debuff enemy physical damage taken), SP regeneration, and an amazing Attack buff with Thermite Cutter. Vanguards are extremely strong right now due to their buffing capabilities combined with SP generation.

Gilberta

Gilberta was initially rated lower from beta testing, but other Operators had their Susceptibility numbers nerfed, making Gilberta stand out more. She also paves the way to play Yvonne in a Nature Infliction team, which appears to be Yvonne's best team. (Gilberta provides great Susceptibility and also applies Lift, which will proc Shatter)

Lastly, her AoE skills make Overworld content (currently most of the game), smoother to progress through.

Ardelia

Ardelia is simply one of the most flexible Operators in the game. She does not apply Inflictions, meaning she won't have anti-synergy with specific teams that need to consume specific Inflictions. She can heal, apply Corrosion/Susceptibility, making her a good Operator to invest some resources into for just about any account. Do note that investing into your DPS first is always the priority.

Akekuri

Akekuri is another generalist Operator, being able to be slotted into any team for SP Generation. Furthermore, people are finding that she is either Best in Slot or extremely competitive for just about any team. Laevatain, Physical, Electric, Cryo, etc. She fits into just about every team, can use Thermite Cutter, making her a no-brainer for S-Tier.

A-Tier

Wulfgard

Wulfgard dropped down from our tier list when Crisis was the current endgame content. With Umbral changing the game (starting with 0 Ultimate Energy), Wulfgard has once again become Laevatain's best general teammate for this mode and for overworld. His faster Heat Infliction is also more important for Laevatain's Energy build, making him a mainstay in the meta right now.

Yvonne Last Rite Xaihi

Yvonne is a strong DPS, but she excels more in single-target content. She's also a bit of a late bloomer due to her kit's synergy with Crit. Yvonne also does have more strict team-building requirements, wanting Xaihi + Gilberta for her best team.

Note that while Yvonne + Gilberta is strong, Laevatain seems to be stronger on paper while also having a much easier (free) team-building requirements.

Last Rite and Xaihi are both important for Cryo teams in their own way. Xaihi heals, buffs, and applies Cryo Infliction. Last Rite can be the Main DPS on her own team, but she also can be played with Yvonne as a Sub-DPS/Cryo Inflictor due to her low SP cost on Battle Skill. This makes both of them valuable, but in slightly different ways.

Note that even without Last Rite, Yvonne can be played with Snowshine for cheap Cryo Infliction as well, making Xaihi ultimately the more important Operator for Yvonne. Xaihi can also be played in Yvonne/Gilberta Nature team, making her role even more prominent in the meta.

Perlica Avywenna

These two make up the core of an Electric team. Avywenna is the DPS, Perlica is a Sub DPS/supportive character.

Avywenna is the lynchpin, as you can't play this team without her. Perlica can be used on other teams as well as a generalist Electrification applier/Sub DPS.

Lifeng

Much like Pogranichnik, Lifeng raises the ceiling of the of the Physical team with his Sub DPS contribution and Physical Susceptibility application. However, players are finding other replacements for Lifeng (such as Akekuri) are still just as strong. Lifeng provides more value at P1, but that isn't a fair baseline to evaluate his meta role.

Antal

Antal is an accessible 4th slot for both Heat and Electric teams, both of which are very strong at the current moment. However, his main "meta" role is on Laevatain teams for Crisis, where the content is single target and you start with 100% Ultimate. Outside of this, Wulfgard is the better general teammate for overworld and Umbral.

B-Tier

Alesh Estella

Alesh and Estella are paired together because they synergize in the F2P Physical Cryo team with Endministrator and Chen. SP and Solidification from Alesh and Lift/Physical Susceptibility from Estella.

They certainly don't perform better than Pog + Lifeng or Pog + Akekuri, but they are a competitive F2P option.

Alesh is slightly more valuable, as he's currently run on Yvonne's best Nature team (Yvonne Xaihi Gilberta Alesh). This is because his Ultimate applies Cryo Infliction, meaning you run all Energy Gear on him. Furthermore, he can hold Thermite Cutter, making him a strong bonus for the team as well.

Ember

Ember is currently being utilized with her high base Stagger + Sundered Prince to constantly stagger lock bosses. This is used in conjunction with Swordmancer from other teammates to apply a ton of Stagger. Right now, this variation of Physical can do very impressive runs, but we're unsure if this would be considered a cheese strategy and something that will be viable going into the future.

Ember could easily go up the tier list if Stagger becomes a necessity for certain fights. She could also move back down if the devs decide to nerf this Stagger strategy.

Lastly, her survivability can make her a good Operator for Umbral Monument, where enemies currently hit very hard. This can make her a comfortable choice to build and play with.

Da Pan

Da Pan helps the Physical team, but he's not really a necessity to build. You can replace him with Endministrator, but Endmin is free and future Potential unlocks will make them better.

If you want to run Endmin + Panda together, you can, but this variation hasn't shown to perform amazingly. Overall, this puts Panda at a lower/weirder spot in the meta.

Arclight

Arclight is Sub DPS/SP Generation/Buffer that can be used for the Electric team, but it's been found that Akekuri simply just performs better than her for Avywenna teams. As such, her role in the meta is not very apparent at the moment.

She's still a solid Operator overall, and people are still finding niche teams that utilize her kit more fully, but time will tell if she falls down further or stays an average option.

C-Tier

Fluorite

Fluorite is the accessible last option for Cryo teams, similar to Antal. However, her Combo Skill has a very long cooldown, lowering her value (even at P6). Furthermore, she mainly has a role for the 4th slot in Cryo teams, where as Antal has a place in both Heat/Electric teams.

In Cryo teams, Last Rite/Xaihi are enough for 3 Inflictions, making Fluorite a small bonus every now and then for a 4th Infliction per rotation.

She is more noteworthy in Nature Yvonne teams, but those teams even run someone like Alesh for Thermite Cutter and Cryo Infliction on Ultimate instead of Fluorite.

Snowshine

Snowshine is a F2P option for Yvonne Cryo teams. Her Infliction is cheaper than Estella, but the enemy does need to hit you. Compared to Last Rite in the same team role, she doesn't fall too far behind, but once again, Yvonne's best team uses Gilberta and a Vanguard for Thermite Cutter instead of maxing out on Cryo Inflictions.

D-Tier

Catcher

Catcher is the budget form of Ember, which doesn't put him in a great spot. He does apply Vulnerable, so if you really want to play Physical and add some comfort, you can run him, but there are many Physical Operators that raise the ceiling of Physical teams, while Catcher does not.