English 
Arknights: Endfield Tier List – Best Characters & Operators to Build
2026-01-29
Building the right operators in Arknights: Endfield can feel overwhelming, especially early on when resources are limited and every upgrade matters. With so many operators offering different elements, roles, and combo interactions, a clear Arknights: Endfield tier list helps you decide who is truly worth investing in and who can safely wait. This guide ranks operators based on overall usefulness, team flexibility, and long-term value rather than short-lived damage numbers.
Table of Contents
Tier lists are never permanent, new banners, balance changes, and future updates will always shift the meta. That’s why this Arknights: Endfield character tier list evaluates operators based on long-term usefulness rather than short-term DPS or banner value. And if you’re rerolling or managing early progression, OSLink makes it easier to handle longer sessions by letting you play the PC version remotely on your phone, so you can secure a solid start and plan your investments without being tied to your desk.
SS Tier – Core Enablers & Universal Supports
SS Tier operators are the strongest and most future-proof characters you can use in your Arknights: Endfield core team build in the game right now. These units enable teams through SP generation, damage amplification, healing, and rotation stability. Building these characters early makes every future team stronger, smoother, and easier to play. Their value comes from utility rather than raw damage, allowing them to remain relevant across updates and team archetypes.
|
Character |
Role |
Element / Damage Type |
Why They’re Picked |
|
Ardelia
|
Support / Sustain |
Nature / Arts |
The most universal operator in Arknights: Endfield. Provides healing, applies Corrosion, and enables both Physical and Arts damage amplification. Fits into almost every team build and remains valuable long-term. |
|
Antal
|
Support / Buffer |
Electric / Arts |
One of the best damage amplifiers in the game despite being low rarity. Core unit for Electric and Heat teams, enables strong combos, and is extremely F2P-friendly. |
|
Pogranichnik
|
Support / SP Engine |
Physical |
Massive SP generation and team-wide ATK buffs make him a cornerstone of Physical teams. His value comes from enabling faster rotations and consistent combo chains. |
|
Xaihi
|
Support |
Cryo |
The backbone of Cryo teams. Provides healing, powerful Cryo and Nature Amplification, and exceptionally smooth rotations. Her ability to generate SP efficiently—even before combat, gives Cryo teams unmatched consistency and stability, elevating her to SS-tier status. |
S Tier – Primary Carries & High-Impact Operators
S Tier operators are extremely strong characters that form the backbone of many popular team builds. While they may not be as universally flexible as SS Tier supports, they excel within their intended roles and can carry teams when built and played correctly. These are some of the best characters in Arknights: Endfield for players who want high impact without requiring perfect conditions.
If SS Tier operators enable teams, S Tier operators are often the ones doing the heavy lifting.
|
Character |
Role |
Element / Damage Type |
Why They’re Picked |
|
Yvonne
|
Striker |
Cryo |
One of the top single-target damage dealers right now, thanks to her stacking mechanics that ramp up critical hits and Cryo output during prolonged fights. She excels at locking down bosses with Solidification and high-crit enhanced attacks, making her a strong pick for Cryo-focused teams. |
|
Last Rite
|
Main DPS |
Cryo / Arts |
One of the strongest Cryo damage dealers in the game. Excels at burst damage through Cryo stack management and combo-based rotations. Core pick for Cryo-focused teams. |
|
Laevatain
|
Main DPS |
Heat / Arts |
Extremely powerful Heat DPS that scales with SP generation. Capable of frequent ultimates and high burst when supported properly. |
|
Chen Qianyu
|
DPS / Enabler |
Physical |
Reliable Lift application makes her a key Vulnerable stack generator. Core unit in most Physical team builds due to her combo consistency. |
|
Lifeng
|
Support / Buffer |
Physical |
Provides Physical Susceptibility and Link buffs, allowing huge damage spikes when timed correctly. Highly flexible and usable even outside Physical teams as a universal damage amplifier. |
|
Gilberta
|
Control / Utility |
Nature / Arts |
Exceptional crowd control with grouping, Slow, and Arts Susceptibility. Best in AoE-heavy content and reaction-based team setups. |
When to Prioritize Pulling for S Tier Operators
S Tier operators are excellent investments for players who are ready to strengthen a specific team direction or push into more demanding content. They often serve as the main damage dealers or core playmakers within their archetypes.
You should strongly consider prioritizing S Tier operators if:
-
You already have one or more SS Tier supports built
-
You want to commit to a specific team archetype (Cryo, Heat, Physical, Electric)
-
You are progressing toward mid-game or endgame challenges
With proper team support and optimized rotations, S Tier operators deliver consistently high impact and, in the right setups, can match or exceed the performance of higher-tier units.
Pre-set Keymaps for Easy Play
A Tier – Strong but Team-Dependent Operators
A-Tier operators are solid, reliable characters that perform very well when placed in the right team or situation. They may not be universally powerful like SS Tier supports or as dominant as S Tier carries, but they can absolutely shine when their kits are properly supported.
These operators are often excellent secondary investments or strong picks if you’re missing higher-tier alternatives.
|
Character |
Role |
Element / Damage Type |
Why They’re Picked |
|
Endministrator
|
Guard |
Physical |
As the free starter protagonist operator, Endministrator delivers solid early-to-mid game performance through easy combo triggers, built-in crowd control via sealing effects, and team-friendly Physical damage spikes from consuming Vulnerabilities or Crystals. |
|
Ember
|
Support / Sustain |
Heat |
Provides shields and healing while applying Knockdown. Works especially well in Physical teams and as a comfort pick for difficult content. |
|
Perlica
|
Elemental Enabler |
Electric / Arts |
Reliable Electrification application that boosts Arts damage. Core unit in Electric teams and a strong secondary pick in Cryo and hybrid setups. |
|
Akekuri
|
SP Support |
Heat/ Arts |
Strong SP generation that enables faster ultimates. Best used in teams that rely on frequent skill usage, though her Ultimate is costly. |
|
Snowshine
|
Tank / Support |
Cryo / Arts |
High survivability and forced Solidification make her a safe option for Cryo teams, especially in early to mid-game content. |
|
Da Pan
|
Physical DPS |
Physical |
Strong Vulnerable stack consumer capable of high burst damage, but requires proper setup and timing to perform consistently. |
|
Fluorite
|
Elemental Support |
Nature/ Arts |
Fast Nature stack application makes her useful for enabling reactions, though her long combo cooldown limits overall impact. |
|
Avywenna
|
Main DPS |
Electric/ Arts |
Best suited for players who enjoy high-mechanical teams. Delivers explosive single-target burst and endless combo flow once her Thunderlance setup is fully online. |
|
Alesh
|
SP Battery / Hybrid DPS |
Physical |
Enables SP-efficient Physical rotations by converting Cryo Infliction into Solidification and frequently triggering Combo Skills. Scales into a meaningful secondary DPS at higher Potential, making him a strong budget enabler. |
B Tier – Niche or Early-Game Operators
B-Tier operators can still clear content, especially early in the game, but they usually require very specific setups or are outperformed by higher-tier options later on. If you enjoy their playstyle, they’re still perfectly usable, but it’s wise to think twice before leveling up Arknights: Endfield operators.
|
Character |
Role |
Element / Damage Type |
Why They’re Picked |
|
Arclight
|
Support / Buffer |
Electric / Arts |
Provides Electric damage support and interacts with Electrification, but is generally outclassed by other SP or damage-focused supports like Akekuri or Antal in most team builds. |
|
Wulfgard
|
Utility / Infliction Support |
Fire / Arts |
Reliable Heat Infliction provider for Fire teams. At high Potential, he can solo-stack Heat to enable Laevatain’s enhanced skills. However, his personal damage is low, AoE performance is weak, and his value drops sharply outside strict Fire utility use. |
|
Catcher
|
Defensive Support |
Physical |
Budget survivability option for Physical teams. Primarily used to stabilize high-difficulty content when premium defenders are unavailable. Offers dependable defense but minimal offensive contribution compared to higher-rarity options. |
|
Estella
|
Debuffer / Rotation Enabler |
Physical |
Efficient Physical debuffer for low-spec teams. Excels at fast rotations and consistent uptime due to low SP costs. Her Physical Susceptibility window is short, but optimized teammates can reliably capitalize on it. |
Best Characters to Build First
If you just want a fast answer and don’t want to overthink team building yet, these operators are the safest and smartest investments right now. They fit into multiple teams and stay useful as you unlock more characters.
Ardelia - Best Overall Operator to Build
If you can only build one character early on, make it Ardelia. She provides healing, applies Corrosion, and enables both Physical and Arts damage teams. No matter which DPS you end up using later, she will almost always have a place on your team.
Antal - Best Support for Damage & SP Value
Antal is one of the strongest low-rarity operators in Arknights: Endfield. He boosts damage for Electric and Heat teams, fits easily into many team builds, and is extremely F2P-friendly. A great long-term investment.
Pogranichnik - Best Physical Team Enabler
If you plan to run Physical teams, Pogranichnik is a game-changer. His SP generation and teamwide attack buffs dramatically improve combo flow and overall damage.
Last Rite - Best Cryo DPS to Commit To
For players interested in Cryo-based teams, Last Rite is a strong and reliable DPS choice. She scales well with proper setup and rewards good combo timing.
Lifeng - Best Flexible Damage Buffer
Lifeng’s Physical Susceptibility and Link buff make him a flexible pick that can enhance many different team compositions. He’s especially valuable if you enjoy optimizing burst windows.
Laevatain - Best Fire DPS to Commit To
Extremely powerful Heat DPS that scales with SP generation. Capable of frequent ultimates and high burst when supported properly.
Conclusion
This Arknights: Endfield tier list is meant to guide smart, long-term decisions rather than chasing short-lived power spikes. While strong DPS units can carry fights, operators that provide support, SP generation, and team-wide utility tend to offer more value as the game evolves. And if you want to plan those investments or reroll without being stuck at your PC, OSLink lets you play the PC version on your phone, making long sessions and early setup easier wherever you are.
Download OSLink
