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Arknights became popular among the players for its one-of-a-kind art design and slightly easier gameplay than other gacha RPGs.
And thanks to the Chinese gaming community, we now get to enjoy one of the top games of the gacha RPG genre.
The developers at Studio Montagne put a lot of effort into in-game art and character design which is always a huge attraction for any gacha RPG. But we think the feature that makes Arknights stand out is the leniency towards in-game purchases.
You don’t have to spend too much real money to get by in Arknights. You can grind out rewards and complete the perfect ‘operator build’ just by putting in time and effort – the way it’s supposed to be.
But, we as players need to be smart in deciding where to put our time and effort, and focusing on an underpowered Supporter is not smart.
So, here’s what you do.
Use this Arknights tier list, build a beast of a team using the best operators, and knock the socks off your friends
Using The Arknights Operators Tier List
Instead of spending all your efforts on building around a low or mid-range operator, you should use this Arknights operators tier list and find out which operators fit your playing style. To kick things off, here are the different classes of Arknight operators.
- Vanguard
- Medic
- Guard
- Defender
- Supporter
- Caster
- Sniper
- Specialist
To keep things simple, we’ll be using these in-game classes to create a 5-tier Arknights character list.
Starting from S-tier (best) to D-tier (worst), we’ll rank them for their combat abilities and team cohesion- the two most important aspects of Arknights Operators.
Let’s get cracking.
Vanguard Operators
Vanguards can be your first line of defense – along with defenders – and a constant source of DP.
Players usually field a Vanguard to fill up the DP tank and are pretty quick to retract them afterward. That is a smart move considering Vanguards cannot block while their Skills are in operation.
Still, these tanky melee operators provide solid help to the defenders, and a DP refund after the retreat is a huge bonus too. In short, Vanguards can help you kill the weaker enemies at the start, and help earn plenty of DP, while costing zero DP themselves.
| Tier | Operators |
| S | Bagpipe, Elysium, Myrtle, Siege, Saga |
| A | Reed, Texas, Vigna, Zima |
| B | Beanstalk, Chiave, Courier, Grani, Scavenger |
| C | Fang, Plume, Vanilla |
| D | Yato |
Medic Operators
These are the official healers in Arknights and usually the first pick for building any team. However, the Medic operators of Arknights do little else.
They have zero attacking or defense skills, so players have to keep them as far away from combat as possible. Usually, the healers go on the so-called ‘safe tiles’ of the battleground.
Targeting the healers first-hand is a common strategy as this limits the HP regeneration of the primary attackers too. So, keep your Medic safe and target your enemies straight away.
| Tier | Operators |
| S | Silence, Kal’tsit, Shining, Warfarin |
| A | Breeze, Perfumer, Nightingale, Ptilopsis, Whisperain, Tuye |
| B | Folinic, Ceylon, Gavial, Myrrh, Sussurro, |
| C | Ansel, Purestream, Hibiscus |
| D | Lancet-2 |
Guard Operators
Although Vanguards can be an enticing option to put behind Defenders, it’s the Guards that bring the real heat. Just like Vanguards, Guards are melee operators too, but these can deal higher damage per hit.
Guards aren’t as tanky as Defenders, but they have better defensive skills than Casters and Vanguards. With the right Defender protecting them, Guards can be the real game-changer.
The one weakness of Guards is the low Arts resistance. Arts Guards and Casters can deal severe damage to these otherwise unflinching operators. That’s why pairing them with a good Defender is so important.
| Tier | Operators |
| S | La PlumaBlaze, Ch’en, Hellagur, Lappland, Mountain, SilverAsh, Skadi, Specter, Surtr, Thorns |
| A | Tequila, Pallas, Akafuyu, Amiya (Guard), Astesia, Ayerscarpe, `k, Broca, Cutter, Flamebringer, Flint, Franka, Indra, Savage, Tachanka, Utage, Whislash |
| B | Arene, Beehunter, Conviction, Estelle, Jackie, Matoimaru, Melantha, Mousse, Sideroca |
| C | Castle-3, Frostleaf, Midnight, Popukar, Swire |
| D | Dobermann |
Defender Operators
Defenders are your true first line of defense in Arknights, thanks to their high HP and DEF stats.
A high-tier Defender can block attacks from 3 enemies at once, protecting the whole team. Defenders usually have low attacking abilities, which is why they need to be backed up by a powerful Guard.
Using a Medic in the right manner, you can prolong the already overpowered HP stats of your Defender, while your fighters do their job.
| Tier | Operators |
| S | Blemishine, Eunectes, Hoshiguma, Liskarm, Mudrock, Nian, Saria |
| A | Asbestos, Bison, Blitz, Croissant, Cuora, Heavyrain, Nearl |
| B | Bubble, Dur-Nar, Gummy, Mattherhorn, Hung, Vulcan |
| C | Beagle, Cardigan, Spot |
| D | Noir Corne |
Supporter Operators
There’s no denying the importance of a Supporter in Arknights because these will do almost anything you need – within limits of course.
Whether you need a hand to debuff enemies or want to power up your own fighters, Supporters lend a hand with everything. Some Supporters can even mobilize minions to finish up the weaker enemies, or at least put up a fight.
| Tier | Operators |
| S | Angelina, Magallan, Scene, Shamare, Suzuran, Skadi the Corrupting Heeart |
| A | Glaucus, Istina, Mayer, Pramanix, Sora |
| B | Deepcolor, Podenco, Tsukinogi |
| C | Earthspirit |
| D | Orchid |
Caster Operators
Casters are the Magic Damage dealers of Arknights, and calling them powerful is an understatement. These will operate from a distance and their Art Damage makes them a nemesis for Guard operators.
That said, Casters need a lot of protection too because of low HP and very low DEF. Moreover, Casters cost a lot of DP, and the attack cooldowns are annoyingly long.
Pro Tip: To protect your fighters against Casters, build Magic RES because Casters obliterate armors.
| Tier | Operators |
| S | Dusk, Ceobe, Eyjafjalla, Ifrit, Mostima |
| A | Amiya, Absinthe, Lava the Purgatory, Beeswax, Click, Gitano, Iris, Leonhardt, Mint, Passenger, Skyfire |
| B | Greyy, Haze, Leizi |
| C | Tomimi, Lava, Steward, Nightmare |
| D | 12F, Durin |
Sniper Operators
Snipers are the target killers that can attack a single enemy operator or go for AoE attacks. No matter which one you go for, the damage dealing is quick, swift, and lethal. And because Snipers are long-range operators, they can sit away from the battle yet still have a big say in the outcome.
Mostly, Snipers battle it out with enemy Snipers. So, kill your enemy’s Sniper first and then the battle is yours to lose.
| Tier | Operators |
| S | Archetto, Ash, Exusiai, Rosa, Rosmontis, Schwarz, W |
| A | Andreana, Blue Poison, Firewatch, GreyThroat, Platinum, Provence, Meteorite, Toddifons, Pinecone |
| B | Aciddrop, Aosta, April, Executor, May, Sesa, Shirayuki, Vermeil |
| C | Ambriel, Catapult, Jessica, Kroos, Meteor |
| D | Adnachiel, Rangers |
Specialist Operators
These are the situational specialists of Arknights who excel in carrying out specific tasks during certain situations in battle.
Very rarely do players use a Specialist as the core operator to build around. These are more of a tactical introduction into the battle as and when the situation demands.
Specialists are capable of performing a range of duties, from setting a trap to acting as a diversion, and so much more. Used right, they can be the ace in the pack.
| Tier | Operators |
| S | Aak, Phantom, Projekt Red, Weedy, Gladiia |
| A | Mizuki, Cliffheart, Ethan, Feater, Gravel, Jaye, Manticore, Mr. Nothing, Kafka, Robin, |
| B | Rope, Snowsant, Shaw, Frost |
| C | Waai Fu |
| D | THRM-EX |
And that’s our Arknights tier list according to their class and skills. We hope this tier list helps you make better (winning) decisions in Arknights.
And since new operators are added regularly, don’t be surprised to see a few new additions and some tier changes for older operators the next time you visit us.
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