Abyss Artifact Tier List (March 2026) Ultimate Guide

Updated by Sunny Kaushik
February 9, 2026
Gaming

If you are struggling to push past floor 50 in the Abyss or your damage output feels stuck no matter how hard you try, the issue isn’t your skill—it’s your gear. Welcome to the most comprehensive Abyss Artifact Tier List & How to Get Them guide available for 2026.

In the world of high-end RPG gaming, specifically within the Aether Gazer universe (often referred to simply as “the Abyss” in the endgame context), Artifacts (known as Sanctifiers) are the true make-or-break factor. You can have the strongest characters in the game, but if you are equipping them with mismatched or low-tier artifacts, you will hit a wall.

I have spent countless hours analyzing the current meta, patch notes, and top-ranking player builds to bring you this definitive list. Whether you are a free-to-play player looking to maximize your resources or a whale aiming for the absolute zenith of power, this guide covers everything you need to know.

Quick Overview: Top 3 Artifacts You Should Aim For

Before we dive into the full rankings, here is a quick snapshot of the absolute best-in-slot (BiS) artifacts currently dominating the meta.

Rank	Artifact Name (Sanctifier)	Best Role	Key Stat Focus
1	Absolute Ego	Main DPS	Critical Rate / DMG
2	Jade Garden	Sub-DPS	Attack % / Lightning Dmg
3	Haze of Truth	Healer/Support	HP % / Healing Bonus

Understanding the Abyss Meta

The Abyss isn’t just a standard dungeon crawl; it is a brutal test of synergy and numbers. In 2026, the meta has shifted significantly towards raw Critical Damage and Elemental Burst uptime. This means that defensive sets, while useful for survival, are taking a backseat to aggressive damage-dealing sets that can melt bosses before their mechanics wipe your team.

When looking at this tier list, remember that an S-Tier artifact in the hands of the wrong character is effectively a C-Tier investment. Always cross-reference these rankings with your specific team composition.

All The Abyss Artifact Tier List

This tier list is compiled based on the performance of artifacts in the Endless Abyss (the highest level of difficulty). We prioritize 2-piece and 4-piece set bonuses and the scalability of main stats.

S-Tier: The God Rolls (Meta Defining)

These artifacts are the cream of the crop. If you manage to pull a 4-piece set of these with the correct main stats (ATK%, Crit Rate, Crit DMG), you hold it tight.

1. Absolute Ego (The King of DPS)

2-Piece Bonus: Critical Rate +15%.
4-Piece Bonus: Increases Elemental Burst DMG by 30%. This is massive. In the Abyss, Burst damage is your win condition.
Why it’s S-Tier: There is simply no better set for hyper-carries. The flat Critical Rate boost frees up your sub-stats to focus entirely on Critical Damage and Attack%.

2. Celestial Thunder

2-Piece Bonus: Lightning Damage +25%.
4-Piece Bonus: After using an Ultimate, increases ATK by 20% for 10s.
Why it’s S-Tier: With the rise of Lightning teams in March 2026, this set is non-negotiable. It provides the highest elemental ceiling for Lightning DPS characters.

3. Molten Fortress

2-Piece Bonus: Fire Damage +25%.
4-Piece Bonus: Increases Overloaded/Burning damage by 40%.
Why it’s S-Tier: Fire meta is back. DoT (Damage over Time) teams have received massive buffs, and this set capitalizes on that perfectly for the Abyss.

A-Tier: Excellent & Reliable (Sub-Meta)

These are fantastic sets. They might not offer the absolute raw power of S-Tier, but they are much easier to build and offer great flexibility.

1. Jade Garden

2-Piece Bonus: ATK +18%.
4-Piece Bonus: Moving increases ATK by 10% for 4s, max 5 stacks.
Why it’s A-Tier: A solid choice for Physical or generic DPS characters who rely on rapid hits. It is consistent and easy to trigger.

2. Haze of Truth

2-Piece Bonus: HP +20%.
4-Piece Bonus: When healing, provide a shield that absorbs damage up to 15% of max HP.
Why it’s A-Tier: The premier support set. In the Abyss, one-shots are common. This set provides the survivability your team needs to stay alive long enough to cycle cooldowns.

3. Ice Soul

2-Piece Bonus: Cryo Damage +25%.
4-Piece Bonus: Hitting frozen enemies increases Crit Rate by 20%.
Why it’s A-Tier: Freeze teams are incredibly safe for the Abyss. If you struggle with survival, switch your DPS to this set over an S-Tier glass cannon build.

B-Tier: Situational (Niche Use)

These aren’t bad, but they are generally outclassed by the sets above unless you have a very specific team strategy.

1. Gladiator’s Finale

2-Piece Bonus: ATK +18%.
4-Piece Bonus: If the wielder of this artifact set uses a Sword, Claymore, or Polearm, increases their Normal Attack DMG by 35%.
Why it’s B-Tier: In the Abyss, you rarely rely on Normal Attacks. You rely on Skills and Bursts. This set falls off hard in the late game.

C-Tier: Fodder (Use to Upgrade)

Prayers for Destiny / Instructor: These are early-game sets. As soon as you start pushing Abyss floors 40+, you need to replace these. They serve only as upgrade material (fodder) for your better artifacts.

How to Get Abyss Artifacts in 2026?

Now that you know what to get, here is how to get them. The game offers several distinct avenues, and utilizing all of them efficiently is key to progressing.

1. The Gacha System (Modifier Simulation)

This is the fastest way to get high-quality artifacts, but it relies on luck (RNG).

Where: The “Sanctifier Summoning” banner.
Strategy: Save your premium currency. Do not pull unless there is a rate-up for an S-Tier set you need (like Absolute Ego).
Tip: Always check the pity counter. If you are close to a guaranteed 5-star artifact, it might be worth pulling even if the banner set isn’t perfect for you—you can use it as upgrade fodder.

2. The Exchange Shop (Guaranteed Progression)

For those who prefer a deterministic approach, the Exchange Shop is your best friend.

Where: Located in the main hub “City” area, look for the “Relic Merchant.”
Cost: Uses tokens earned from clearing Abyss floors and daily quests.
Strategy: The shop inventory resets weekly (March 2026). Prioritize buying Critical Rate/Damage Main Stat artifacts first. These are the hardest to come by via drops.

3. Domain Drops (Farming)

Where: Domains of Blessing: Realm of the Sand King.
Cost: 20 Resin per run.
Strategy: Farming is a marathon, not a sprint. Do not burn all your resin here. Instead, do 2-3 runs a day to supplement your gacha pulls.
Note: The specific domain you need to farm depends on which Artifact Set you are chasing. For example, to get Absolute Ego, you must farm the “Domain of Lightning” on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

4. Crafting

You can craft specific artifacts using blueprints and materials dropped by World Bosses.

Why do this? It allows you to target a specific Main Stat (e.g., guaranteeing a Crit DMG Circlet).
The Catch: The sub-stats on crafted artifacts are usually average. Use this to fill gaps in your build until you get lucky with drops.

Pro Strategies for Artifact Management

Getting the artifact is only half the battle. Managing your inventory and resources is the other half. Here are my top tips to ensure you don’t waste your precious materials.

1. The “Rule of 4”

When looking at a new artifact, never upgrade it immediately. Check its sub-stats.

Crit Rate/Damage: The best sub-stats.
Attack% / Elemental Mastery: Good.
HP% / DEF%: Situational (Good for supports, bad for DPS).

If an artifact has 0 of the top tier sub-stats upon dropping, feed it to another artifact immediately. Do not waste XP on it.

2. Stop at +4 or +8

The RNG mechanics in this game lock sub-stats at +4 and +8.

Strategy: Level an artifact to +4. If it doesn’t roll into a Crit sub-stat, stop. If it does, push to +8. If the +8 roll is bad, stop.
Why: This saves you thousands of Gold and XP dust. Do not level a +0 artifact to +20 blindly hoping it gets better—it won’t.

3. Prioritize Main Stats over Rarity

A 3-star artifact with the correct main stat (e.g., Crit DMG Circlet) is better than a 5-star artifact with a bad main stat (e.g., DEF% Circlet).

Action: Equip the correct main stat immediately. Upgrade the 3-star as a temporary placeholder while you farm for a 5-star replacement.

4. Duplicate Set Bonuses?

You might wonder: “Is it okay to mix sets?”
Yes. In the current 2026 meta, running a 2-piece / 2-piece combination (e.g., 2pc ATK + 2pc Crit Rate) is often better than a sub-optimal 4-piece set if you can’t get good rolls.

Recommendation: For Supports, go 4-piece. For DPS, try 2-piece/2-piece until you get perfect sub-stats on a 4-piece set.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

I see players making these errors constantly. Don’t be one of them.

Chasing 5-Star Gear Only: This is the “trap” of the Abyss. A 4-star “Gladiator’s Finale” with +20% Crit Rate is infinitely better than a 5-star “Instructor” with +0 Crit Rate. Look at the stats, not the star rarity background color.
Ignoring Elemental Bonuses: Equipping a physical artifact on a magic caster is a waste. Always match the artifact’s elemental bonus (if applicable) to the character’s element.
Spending Resin on Low-Level Domains: Do not waste Resin on Tier 1 or Tier 2 domains. Unlock the Tier 3 domains (Level 80+) as fast as possible. The drop rates for 5-star artifacts increase dramatically in Tier 3.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the fastest way to farm Artifacts?

A: The fastest way is using Resin on the “Domain of Blessing” corresponding to the set you need on days when that domain is active. Combine this with purchasing specific pieces from the Exchange Shop with tokens earned from daily missions.

Q: Should I prioritize Main Stats or Set Bonuses?

A: For DPS characters, Main Stats are usually more important. A Crit DMG main stat is vital. However, if the Set Bonus offers a massive damage boost (like the 30% Burst DMG from Absolute Ego), prioritize the Set Bonus as long as the Main Stats are decent.

Q: Can I use the same Artifact on multiple characters?

A: No. Once an artifact is equipped to a character, it is bound to that loadout. You must farm duplicates to gear up other team members.

Q: When should I stop upgrading my Artifacts?

A: If you are struggling with Gold, stop at +8. Only push to +20 for artifacts that have rolled good sub-stats (Crit Rate/DMG) at the +4 and +8 checkpoints.

Q: Are “Abyss Artifacts” different from regular Artifacts?

A: In the context of this guide, “Abyss Artifacts” refers to the end-game gear (Sanctifiers) required to clear the Abyss. They are the same items, but we are filtering for the best-in-slot gear that can survive the difficulty of that specific game mode.

Conclusion

The Abyss is unforgiving, but it is also fair. If you build your artifacts correctly using this Tier List and follow the farming strategies outlined above, you will see your damage numbers skyrocket. Remember, patience is key. You won’t get a perfect Crit Rate/Damage build overnight.

Keep farming, manage your resin wisely, and revisit this guide whenever a new patch drops in March 2026, as the meta is always evolving. Good luck, and see you at the top of the leaderboard!