The pressure was on. My squad was getting wiped by a boss I should have easily defeated. I re-evaluated my team composition in panic, and it hit me: I’d been so focused on individual power that I’d neglected team synergy. Arknights Endfield presents you with over 20 different operators to collect, and they will become the bedrock of your team.
Operators vary wildly in rarity, elemental affinity, and combat role. You’ll need to balance all these factors when assembling your squad. Obviously, your gacha luck will heavily influence your options, but this guide will help you decide which characters are worth investing in (and which are best left on the bench).
Complete Endfield operator tier list
Remember those schoolyard rankings, where everything was about who was “coolest”? Ranking operators requires a similar degree of subjective judgment. To differentiate the operators, I’ve organized them into four distinct tiers, to offer some clarity.
- S-tier characters excel in all game modes. They boast powerful abilities and significant potential for development.
- A-tier characters serve as excellent substitutes if you can’t acquire the S-tier champions.
- B-tier characters are solid and can perform well with dedicated investment.
- C-tier characters should be replaced ASAP; they simply don’t measure up.
When building your team, remember to account for each operator’s role. While the game uses numerous tags, I prefer a simpler setup: DPS, support, and tanks/healers.
S-tier
- Laevatain: She stands as the premier DPS unit in version 1.0; pulling her from the banner will set you up nicely. She possesses significant AoE damage, useful in almost any battle. Her single-target damage is also impressive, improving further with investment. My tests showed that a fully built Laevatain excelled in every scenario.
- Yvonne: Ranking Yvonne was a challenge. Her AoE potential is not the strongest. She struggles against enemies with high health. However, she’s one of the best characters for endgame, because of her exceptional single-target damage potential. You will want to keep Yvonne facing a boss.
- Gilberta: As the best support character, Gilberta provides various buffs and debuffs. She is adaptable and pairs well with all elements. Add Gilberta to your team if you obtain Laevatain or any other AoE specialist.
- Last Rite: Being free-to-acquire is a definite plus, as Last Rite is devastating. She exhibits great DPS potential that scales linearly with investment. The more resources, the more damage. She functions well in several teams as the primary DPS but can switch to a sub-DPS role if you have someone like Yvonne.
- Ardelia: A solid team requires a healer, especially in endgame content. Ardelia is the best healer, providing substantial buffs. Her attacks also inflict Corrosion, chipping away at enemy health over time.
- Ember: The Defender role might be my least favorite, but Ember is undeniably strong. She is the best tank at absorbing damage, and her shields apply to all allies. She also heals, making her the best character for beginners.
A-tier
- Avywenna: Another feasible choice for F2P teams. Being a five-star, acquiring duplicates is easier. She shines as a single-target damage dealer but can target groups if they’re clustered.
- Endministrator: The player-character is a consistent choice for investing resources. Competent in many areas without glaring weaknesses.
- Pogranichnik: While a strong Defender, Pogranichnik needs to be placed in Physical teams, since she increases damage taken by enemies. I found her to be a strong DPS with a high-attack DPS who specializes in Physical damage.
- Xaihi: I appreciate Xaihi for her kit and how she improves allies. She also provides heals, which are useful in certain situations. However, you’ll want to use her in Nature and Ice teams to realize her full potential.
- Akekuri: Although Akekuri is a four-star character, she enhances the team’s damage output with her Ultimate. Getting duplicates is easy, so she can serve as your main Supporter.
- Arclight: Arclight is a solid support character in Electric teams. She can fit well with others. However, she is too situational to be in S-tier.
What team compositions work best in Arknights Endfield?
Think of team composition as a band, each instrument playing a vital role. A successful Arknights Endfield team needs a balance of damage, support, and defense. Experiment with different combinations to find what suits your playstyle. For example, a team with Laevatain (DPS), Gilberta (Support), and Ember (Tank) offers both high damage output and sustainability. The possibilities are vast, encouraging you to explore and adapt.
B-tier
- Antal: Antal can be considered A-tier if Laevatain is your main DPS. Antal also excels in Fire and Electric teams because of the buffs but struggles with other elements.
- Lifeng: If you want to make enemies Vulnerable and reduce their Physical damage resistance, Lifeng is a solid choice. However, she is only usable in Physical teams, which is regrettable.
- Perlica: Perlica deals decent damage, and you can obtain her without cost. However, her utility diminishes when she is not part of an Electric team.
- Wulfgard: Similar to Perlica, Wulfgard’s main utility is her ability to buff fire damage. If you use a Fire elemental team, she is a cheap alternative.
- Snowshine: She is Yvonne’s best teammate. She provides shields and heals, and she is also useful for freezing opponents. However, she is not very meta overall.
C-tier
- Chen Qianyu: She’s available for free and can apply Vulnerability on enemies. Otherwise, there’s nothing else to note.
- Alesh: Alesh’s kit is situational, working with Ice teams, which are the least meta. If you want to build a team around Last Rite, Alesh may be a good fit.
- Da Pan: Good for chaining combos but needs other operators with shorter ability cooldowns.
- Estella: Her freezing ability works in Physical-based Ice teams but offers little utility otherwise.
- Catcher: Good for a starting Defender, but many better options exist.
How do I level up my Operators quickly in Arknights Endfield?
Leveling up operators requires a strategy beyond just grinding. Focus on using experience tickets efficiently. Prioritize your main team first. Take advantage of events that offer bonus experience. Participating in daily missions and completing challenges will supply a steady stream of experience resources. Don’t neglect your base building; upgrade facilities that boost experience gain.
Ultimately, the “best” operator is subjective, depending on your play style and team synergy. Are you ready to experiment and discover your own winning formula?