Arknights Tier List (March 2026) Best Operators Ranked [Updated]

I’ve spent the first weeks of Endfield obsessing over Umbral Monument clears, testing different teams, and comparing notes with Prydwen, Mobalytics, IGN, Game8, and other top resources. This Arknights: Endfield tier list summarizes all of that into a simple, up‑to‑date ranking that should help you reroll, build, and plan your account for March 2026.

If you’re new to the game, Endfield is a real‑time 3D RPG where you control operators manually and rely heavily on elemental reactions and team synergies. The current hardest content is Umbral Monument, and that’s what most serious tier lists are built around.

How This Tier List Is Built? (Ranking Factors)

I’m not just looking at raw damage. My rankings combine:

• Umbral Monument performance – how strong the operator is in the current endgame mode, assuming max level, good gear, and reasonable play.
• Team dependency vs flexibility – some operators only work in one element/team; others can slot into almost anything.
• Role vs role – I compare Main DPS vs Main DPS, Support vs Support, etc., following Prydwen’s role categories (Main Damage, Support Damage, Amplifier, Survivalist).
• Cross‑source consensus – I align my placements with Prydwen, Game8, Mobalytics, and IGN where they agree, and call out differences where they matter.

Quick Overview: Best Operators by Element

If you just want the “who should I pull for” answer, here’s the short version:

• Heat / Fire teams: Laevatain is the premier AoE Heat DPS and generally considered the strongest DPS in the game right now.
• Cryo teams: Last Rite and Yvonne are top Cryo carries, with Last Rite slightly ahead in clear speed in most early tests.
• Physical teams: Chen Qianyu, Endministrator, and Pogranichnik form the core of the current Physical meta.
• Supports: Ardelia is the most flexible support in the game; Antal, Gilberta, and Xaihi are strong in specific elements.
• SP / utility: Akekuri and Pogranichnik are top SP generators and flex picks.

Arknights: Endfield Operator Tier List (All 23 Operators)

I’m using a simplified S / A / B / C / D scale.
S = meta‑defining, must‑have for that element.
A = strong core for many teams.
B = viable, often niche or lower priority.
C = usable but generally outclassed.
D = very weak in the current meta.

Numbers in the “Tier” column reflect my consolidated ranking; you can treat them as “overall power tier” across all sources.

S‑Tier – Meta‑Defining Operators

Operator	Tier (Overall)	Element	Role	Key Strength
Laevatain	S	Heat	Main DPS (Striker)	Best AoE Heat DPS in the game; huge damage and very accessible team.
Ardelia	S	Nature	Support (Supporter)	Top flexible support: healing, Corrosion, Arts/Physical Susceptibility, works in almost any team.prydwen
Last Rite	S	Cryo	Main DPS (Striker)	Top Cryo burst DPS; strong single‑target damage and Cryo Susceptibility.
Yvonne	S	Cryo	Main DPS (Striker)	Excellent single‑target Cryo carry; flexible Cryo/Nature Infliction options.prydwen
Chen Qianyu	S	Physical	Sub‑DPS / Support	Core Physical support; best source of Vulnerable stacks and Lift.
Endministrator	S	Physical	Main DPS / Guard	Strong Physical DPS with Crush and good team utility; very strong in Physical teams.
Pogranichnik	S	Physical	Vanguard / Sub‑DPS	Top Physical Vanguard: Breach, SP generation, and strong team buffs.
Gilberta	S	Nature	Support (Supporter)	AoE CC, Nature Infliction, Arts Susceptibility; key for Nature/Cryo teams.
Antal	S	Electric / Heat	Support (Amplifier)	Core support for Heat and Electric teams; strong Amp and Susceptibility.
Xaihi	S	Cryo	Support (Supporter)	Core Cryo support: healing, Cryo Infliction, and damage amps.

A‑Tier – Strong, Core‑Worthy Operators

Operator	Tier (Overall)	Element	Role	Key Strength
Akekuri	A	Heat	Vanguard / SP Support	Flexible SP generator; fits many teams as a 4th flex slot.
Lifeng	A	Physical	Sub‑DPS / Support	Strong Physical Susceptibility and Link; raises Physical team ceiling.
Perlica	A	Electric	Sub‑DPS / Caster	Core Electric support; applies Electrification and good personal damage.prydwen
Wulfgard	A	Heat	Sub‑DPS / Caster	Best Heat Infliction applicator; strong enabler for Laevatain.prydwen
Avywenna	A	Electric	Main DPS (Striker)	Strong Electric DPS with Thunderlance micro; rewards good play.
Arclight	A	Electric	Vanguard / SP	High SP generation and Electrification support for Electric teams.
Da Pan	A	Physical	Main DPS (Striker)	Strong AoE Physical DPS with Crush and good clear.
Ember	A	Heat	Defender / Sustain	Healing + shields + stagger strategies; strong in niche Physical comps.

B‑Tier – Situational or Niche Picks

Operator	Tier (Overall)	Element	Role	Key Strength
Fluorite	B	Nature / Cryo	Sub‑DPS / Caster	Adds Nature/Cryo Infliction; long cooldowns limit performance.
Snowshine	B	Cryo	Defender / Sustain	Healing + forced Solidification; healing tied to low‑HP trigger.
Estella	B	Cryo	Guard / Sub‑DPS	Applies Physical Susceptibility via Solidification; niche Cryo/Physical mix.
Alesh	B	Cryo	Vanguard / SP	Good SP generation in Cryo teams; somewhat RNG‑dependent.

C‑Tier – Generally Outclassed

Operator	Tier (Overall)	Element	Role	Key Strength
Catcher	C	Physical	Defender / Sustain	Shields and Weaken, but very conditional and low healing.

No operator currently falls into “D‑tier” in my consolidated view; even Catcher has some niche uses, but is clearly below the rest.

Detailed Operator Analysis (Every Character)

Laevatain – Heat Striker (S‑Tier)

Laevatain is a 6‑star Heat Striker and the first limited banner DPS in Endfield. She builds Melting Flame stacks and triggers massive Combustion bursts, making her the premier AoE Heat carry. Prydwen lists her as a top Main Damage unit, and Game8 rates her SS‑tier for DPS due to her range and scaling.

Her best team revolves around Heat Infliction and Corrosion, typically with Ardelia and Akekuri, both of which are easy to obtain. This makes her one of the most accessible top‑end carries for F2P players. You want to build her with the Hot Work gear set and focus on her Ultimate and Battle Skill first.

Laevatain excels in both AoE and single‑target, but she does need teammates who can apply Heat Infliction and Vulnerable stacks. If you’re rerolling, she is one of the best starting points.

Ardelia – Nature Supporter (S‑Tier)

Ardelia is a 6‑star Nature Supporter who can heal, apply Corrosion, and both Arts and Physical Susceptibility. Prydwen describes her as a “universal buffer” that can slot into almost any team.prydwen IGN and Mobalytics both place her in S‑tier for supports due to her flexibility.

Her main quirk is that her healing requires picking up her sheep on the field, which can disrupt positioning, but her debuffs are long‑lasting and very strong. She’s particularly good with Laevatain and Physical teams, but you can run her in almost any composition that can consistently trigger her combo.

If you only build one support early on, Ardelia is the safest investment.

Last Rite – Cryo Striker (S‑Tier)

Last Rite is a 6‑star Cryo Striker focused on burst damage and Cryo Infliction. She’s widely regarded as one of the best Cryo DPS options in early 1.0, with strong single‑target damage and the ability to apply Cryo Susceptibility.

Her kit is a bit demanding: you need three Cryo Inflictions to get full value from her burst combo, which pushes you into Cryo‑heavy teams. Prydwen notes that she’s “team dependent” but extremely strong when supported. IGN and Mobalytics both rate her S‑tier for Cryo DPS.

I’ve covered a full build for her in our dedicated guide if you want weapon, gear, and team details.

Yvonne – Cryo Striker (S‑Tier)

Yvonne is a 6‑star Cryo Striker who excels in single‑target content, with strong Ultimate damage and some crowd‑control via Solidification. Prydwen initially placed her a tier below Last Rite and marked her as “Watchlist Up” while players learn her new 1.0 kit.

Game8 and IGN both consider her a top Cryo carry, especially for bosses and elites. Her best teams currently mix Cryo and Nature Infliction (often with Gilberta and Xaihi), and she scales well with crit investment.

If you like Cryo but missed Last Rite, Yvonne is an excellent alternative.

Chen Qianyu – Physical Guard (S‑Tier)

Chen Qianyu is a 6‑star Physical Guard and arguably the most important Physical support. She applies large numbers of Vulnerable stacks and Lift, which are crucial for Crush/Breach teams.

Mobalytics and Game8 both highlight her as the “glue” of Physical teams; she enables both Endministrator and Pogranichnik to shine. If you’re building a Physical squad, Chen Qianyu should be one of your first investments.

Endministrator – Physical Guard (S‑Tier)

The Endministrator is a 6‑star Physical Guard who acts as a main or secondary DPS for Physical teams. They apply Crush and can buff their own attack, with a Combo Skill that doubles as both CC and debuff.

Game8 and Mobalytics place Endmin in the same tier as Da Pan for Physical DPS: strong single‑target, but slightly less AoE than Da Pan. They’re especially good in sustained single‑target fights and scale very well with gear.

Pogranichnik – Physical Vanguard (S‑Tier)

Pogranichnik is a 6‑star Physical Vanguard and one of the best SP generators in the game. He applies Breach (increased physical damage taken) and recovers SP based on Vulnerable consumption, making him a central piece of Physical teams.

Prydwen and Mobalytics both rate him S‑tier for sub‑damage dealers; his mix of damage, SP, and Breach makes him almost mandatory in Physical comps. If you’re playing Physical, you want Pogranichnik.

Gilberta – Nature Supporter (S‑Tier)

Gilberta is a 6‑star Nature Supporter who creates gravity wells to group enemies and applies Nature Infliction, Arts Susceptibility, and Lift. She’s a key enabler for Nature‑variant Yvonne teams and is strong in any team that can take advantage of grouped enemies.

IGN and Mobalytics both moved her up after 1.0 launched, noting that her Susceptibility and AoE control make her an S‑tier support. She works exceptionally well with Laevatain, Yvonne, and Electric teams.

Antal – Electric/Heat Support (S‑Tier)

Antal is a 4‑star Support (Amplifier) who excels in Heat and Electric teams. He provides Arts Susceptibility, Amp, and good team buffs, and is often listed as a top‑tier support by Game8 and Endfield.gg.

His main limitation is that his Battle Skill is single‑target, so he prefers fewer, larger enemies. Still, for Heat and Electric comps, Antal is one of the best 4th‑slot supports.

Xaihi – Cryo Supporter (S‑Tier)

Xaihi is a 5‑star Cryo Supporter who acts as the backbone of Cryo teams. She heals, applies Cryo Infliction, and provides Cryo‑related Amps, making her irreplaceable in many Cryo comps.

Game8 and Prydwen both emphasize her role as buffer, debuffer, and healer rolled into one. If you’re running Last Rite or Yvonne, Xaihi is almost always worth building.

Akekuri – Heat Vanguard / SP Support (A‑Tier)

Akekuri is a 4‑star Heat Vanguard who shines as a flexible SP generator. Her Battle Skill applies Heat Infliction, and her Combo Skill and Ultimate provide strong SP recovery for the team.

Mobalytics and Game8 both note that she can slot into almost any team as a SP support, though she’s slightly behind Pogranichnik in Physical and Antal/Xaihi in their respective elements. Still, her flexibility makes her a great early investment.

Lifeng – Physical Sub‑DPS / Support (A‑Tier)

Lifeng is a 6‑star Physical Support who applies Physical Susceptibility and Link, raising the ceiling of Physical teams. He wants enemies without Vulnerable stacks so he can apply Knock Down and Physical Susceptibility, which can feel niche.

When built, he provides strong damage and utility, but he’s often competing with Akekuri or Pogranichnik for the same slot. Mobalytics puts him in A‑tier as a ceiling‑raiser rather than a mandatory pick.

Perlica – Electric Sub‑DPS / Caster (A‑Tier)

Perlica is a 5‑star Electric Caster who forcibly applies Electrification with an easy Combo Skill trigger, making her a staple in Electric teams.prydwen Her Electrification uptime is a bit short (5 seconds on a 20‑second cooldown), so you need to time it around burst windows.

She’s one of the core units in Electric comps alongside Avywenna and Arclight, and she can flex into other Arts teams as an Electrification bot.

Wulfgard – Heat Sub‑DPS / Caster (A‑Tier)

Wulfgard is a 5‑star Heat Caster who applies more Heat Infliction than almost anyone, which is crucial for Laevatain’s Melting Flame mechanic.prydwen His personal DPS is a bit lackluster, but his value as an Infliction applicator is very high.

Recent theorycrafting has gone back and forth on whether he or Antal is better for Laevatain; Mobalytics notes that if the math settles in his favor, he could move up again.

Avywenna – Electric Striker (A‑Tier)

Avywenna is a 5‑star Electric Striker who relies on her Thunderlance for damage and stagger. She can deal strong Electric damage but requires careful positioning and micro to recall her lance optimally.

IGN and Endfield.gg both like her damage potential but note that she’s single‑target focused and more demanding to play than Laevatain or Last Rite. If you enjoy high‑APM playstyles, she’s a strong A‑tier pick.

Arclight – Electric Vanguard / SP (A‑Tier)

Arclight is a 5‑star Electric Vanguard who generates SP and can convert Electric Infliction into Electrification, supporting Electric teams. Her talent requires spending SP three times to activate, which is a net SP loss, but her overall utility is strong.

She’s part of the core Electric trio (Avywenna, Perlica, Arclight) and is generally rated A‑tier by Mobalytics and Endfield.gg.

Da Pan – Physical Striker (A‑Tier)

Da Pan is a 5‑star Physical Striker who uses Crush and has strong AoE damage with good cooldown reduction on his Ultimate. He can set up his own Vulnerable stacks, but he offers less team support than Endministrator.

Mobalytics and Game8 place him roughly equal to Endmin, but slightly lower because he lacks the same level of team utility. Still, if you need an AoE Physical DPS, he’s a solid choice.

Ember – Heat Defender / Sustain (A‑Tier)

Ember is a 6‑star Heat Defender who provides healing, shields, and can apply Vulnerable stacks. Her main niche is stagger‑locking bosses with Sundered Prince and high stagger output, which some players use in specialized Physical teams.

Mobalytics notes that if stagger becomes essential in future fights, she could move up; for now, she’s a strong but somewhat niche A‑tier sustain.

Fluorite – Nature/Cryo Caster (B‑Tier)

Fluorite is a 4‑star Nature Caster who can add Nature or Cryo Infliction depending on what’s already on the enemy. Her main issue is a long cooldown on her Combo Skill, which limits her Infliction spam.

Game8 and Mobalytics both place her in B/C‑tier; she’s usable in Cryo and Nature teams, but generally outperformed by Antal, Xaihi, or other supports.

Snowshine – Cryo Defender / Sustain (B‑Tier)

Snowshine is a 5‑star Cryo Defender whose main utility is healing via a Combo Skill that triggers when an ally drops below 60% HP. She also applies Cryo Infliction and can force Solidification with her Ultimate.

IGN and Game8 both highlight that her healing is conditional and her Infliction depends on enemy behavior, making her less reliable than Ardelia or Ember. She’s a decent B‑tier sustain for Cryo teams.

Estella – Cryo Guard (B‑Tier)

Estella is a 4‑star Cryo Guard who applies Physical Susceptibility via Solidification and can Lift enemies. She’s core to “Shatter” teams that mix Cryo and Physical, but that archetype is currently underdeveloped.

IGN rates her C‑tier, while Game8 and Mobalytics put her in B/C. I think B is fair: she’s niche, but usable if you’re building a Cryo/Physical hybrid and lack better options.

Alesh – Cryo Vanguard / SP (B‑Tier)

Alesh is a 5‑star Cryo Vanguard who generates SP via his Combo Skill and Ultimate, with some RNG on his SP recovery. He’s decent in Cryo teams, but his kit is more selfish and less team‑buffing than other Vanguards.

Mobalytics and Endfield.gg place him around C‑tier in the general meta, but I think he’s a reasonable B‑tier pick if you’re building a F2P Physical/Cryo mix and need SP.

Catcher – Physical Defender / Sustain (C‑Tier)

Catcher is a 4‑star Physical Defender who provides shields, Weaken, and a bit of Vulnerable, but his shields only trigger when an ally falls below 40% HP, and his healing is very limited.

IGN and Game8 both put him in C‑tier, and I agree: he’s usable but generally outclassed by Ember, Ardelia, or even Snowshine as a sustain option.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best Arknights: Endfield tier list?

The “best” tier list depends on what you value, but Prydwen’s general and team tier lists, Game8’s SS–C ranking, and Mobalytics’ S/A/B/C/D breakdown are the most widely respected. This article consolidates all of those into a single, up‑to‑date meta view for March 2026.

Who are the best operators in Arknights: Endfield?

The strongest operators in early March 2026 are Laevatain (Heat DPS), Ardelia (flexible support), Last Rite and Yvonne (Cryo DPS), Chen Qianyu and Endministrator (Physical), Pogranichnik (Physical Vanguard), and Gilberta/Antal/Xaihi (top supports).

Is Laevatain better than Last Rite?

Right now, Laevatain is generally considered the strongest overall DPS due to her AoE damage and accessible team, while Last Rite is slightly behind but stronger in pure single‑target Cryo burst. Prydwen and Game8 both rate Laevatain slightly higher in the general meta.

Who should I reroll for in Arknights: Endfield?

If you can, aim for Laevatain or a top S‑tier DPS (Last Rite/Yvonne for Cryo, Laevatain for Heat, or Chen Qianyu/Endministrator/Pogranichnik for Physical). Supports like Ardelia, Gilberta, and Antal are also excellent long‑term investments.

What is the best element in Arknights: Endfield?

Heat and Cryo are currently the strongest elements due to Laevatain, Last Rite, and Yvonne. Physical is also very strong thanks to Chen Qianyu, Endministrator, and Pogranichnik. Electric is viable but a bit more niche, and Nature is mostly used as a secondary element for supports like Gilberta.

How do I build operators efficiently?

Focus on one main DPS and one support first. Use our Laevatain build and Last Rite build guides for weapon and gear recommendations, and our Origeometry and Sandleaf farming guides to plan your resource income.

Conclusion

The Arknights: Endfield meta is still settling in the early months of 2026, but one thing is already clear: synergy is king. While operators like Laevatain and Ardelia dominate the S-Tier for their raw power and flexibility, I’ve found that understanding how elements interact—like combining Heat Infliction with Combustion or setting up Vulnerable stacks for Physical burst—is often more important than just chasing the highest rarity units.

My advice for March 2026 is to pick a main DPS you enjoy playing, build a specialized support team around them, and master their rotation. Don’t be afraid to invest in A-Tier units like Pogranichnik or Xaihi, as they often provide the essential utility that holds a squad together. I’ll keep this tier list updated as new banners drop and balance patches hit, so bookmark this page to stay ahead of the curve on Talos-II.