Character Tier List
Best heroes ranked for PvP and PvE – see S-tier characters and who to avoid in the current meta.
Tier Evaluation Criteria
Archero 2 character tiers are evaluated on two axes: PvP arena win rate and PvE chapter/event clear efficiency. Outside of legendary characters, it is rare to be top-tier in both modes simultaneously. PvP-strong characters generally excel in short engagements and instant-survivability passives, while PvE-strong characters lean on movement speed, lifesteal, ATK growth, and ability acquisition. The same character can rank very differently between modes, so check both the PvP and PvE tabs and prioritize investment based on the content you focus on.
The tiers on this page represent relative strength assuming equal star tier, equal gear, and equal rune pool. Some characters only fully shine at or above a specific star tier — these are flagged on the character card with notes like ★5+ or ★8. Using a flagged character below the indicated star tier will make it perform 1-2 tiers lower than shown, so a meaningful comparison must factor in your own star tier.
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Characters labeled "Not recommended" are not necessarily weak themselves — it simply means investing the same resources into a different character is more efficient in nearly every situation. They can be used as a temporary fill while your roster is shallow in the early game, but they are not recommended as a long-term investment for shards and breakthrough resources.
In particular, if you just started the game and have no plans to spend, it can be better to invest in the Tier 5 rare "Nyanja" — easy to raise and decent in PvE — rather than chasing a strong PvP character.
Why PvP and PvE Tiers Differ
The same character can be rated differently between PvP and PvE because the engagement length and play environment are entirely different. PvP runs on auto-battle after you set up your character and build, with most matches decided within 30-60 seconds, so instant damage, survivability passives, and early-lead mechanics translate directly to win rate. PvE chapters take 10 minutes to an hour with you manually moving, dodging, and stacking ability picks, so movement speed, lifesteal, ATK scaling, and ability acquisition decide who wins. Characters strong in both axes — like Thor, Cleo, and Wukong — are rare; most characters that shine in one mode drop one or two tiers in the other.
Cleo gains an early lead with her Strong Flame passive and powerful skill mechanic. Thor's enchantment passive lets him close the gap to opponents easily, making him a great pick for Griffin users. Wukong locks in his Tier 1 spot at ★5+ once his clone mechanic and ATK/resistance skill options come online.
Tier 2 is the "as good as Tier 1 when conditions line up" group. Tata, with ★2+ and her skin, chains Invincibility/Berserk potion drops with her enchantment to maintain invincibility for much of the 60-second match. Tata's 2-star "increase crit rate and crit damage on damage taken" effect is especially powerful. Pinks reaches ★8 to deal heavy damage in synergy with Cleo and Thor, but falls short compared to Wukong ★5+, dropping one tier.
Tier 3 covers characters who only threaten Tier 1-2 when their build and matchup align. Muira can revive 100% with her skin effect — strong in the old PvP meta where fights ended in under 10 seconds, but rated Tier 3 now that the meta has shifted toward staying alive and dealing high damage. Helix is appropriate for free-to-play and low-spend players and performs decently. Rolla shows decent performance at ★5+ but loses some impact since Thor's enchantment auto-attacks regardless of Rolla's Strong Ice.
Tier 4 is not recommended unless already invested. Loki's skill and skin mechanics do not fit the current meta. Alex has no effect below ★8, making him hard to use, and he is essentially a downgrade of Tata, so he is rarely picked.
Not recommended in the current meta. Demon King starts with a "50% shield" and used to dominate against opponents of similar power, but in the current meta it is better to bring a higher-damage character and burn the opponent down faster.
Characters classified as not recommended in PvP (Nezha, Seraph, Dracula, Nyanja, Hela, Hou Yi) either have PvE-oriented mechanics or have very clear counters in the current meta. Use only as a temporary fill when your roster is shallow.
Recent Meta Changes
As of 2026-05-10- Since the introduction of the "Godforge" system and the arena damage-reduction patch, the average match length has grown to about 60 seconds. Where the meta used to be one-shot oriented, the outcome now depends on who can stack more damage over those 60 seconds.
- As a result, characters and builds that can land heavy damage in a short window have become more valuable than utility effects like revive, evade, or reflect. This is why Tier 1 Cleo, Thor, and Wukong have solidified their positions.
- With opponents adopting the Griffin Necklace + Oracle Armor combo at a rapid pace, matches where simple stacking builds cannot survive 60 seconds have become common. To maintain a good win rate, you need to pick characters and builds that combine early-lead mechanics with accumulated damage.
※ This guide reflects the general meta. Rankings may shift based on patches and events, so check the update date alongside the content.
Frequently Asked Questions
QWhich character should new players raise first?
For new players who plan to spend, Thor — Tier 1 in both PvE and PvP — is the safest choice. If Thor is unavailable, look at Cleo, and then Wukong. For free-to-play new players with no spending plans, raising the Tier 5 rare "Nyanja", which has a low investment cost, can be more efficient for stabilizing PvE progression.
QWhy does PvP Tier 1 Cleo have a ★5+ requirement in PvE?
Cleo holds the "Strong Flame" passive from 0 stars, so during chapter progression Strong Flame is excluded from her ability picks, indirectly raising the chance of other good abilities appearing. At ★2, an AoE attack is added, and at ★5, ATK +40% and an additional AoE attack unlock — meaningfully accelerating PvE clear speed. PvP has short ~60-second engagements, so star breakthroughs have a smaller impact, but in long PvE chapters, having ★5+ greatly determines late-boss decisiveness.
QWhat should I do with "Not recommended" characters?
You don't need to push them, but it's still worth naturally hitting the ★1/★4/★7 thresholds where global passives like ATK/HP increases unlock. Fill ★1/★4/★7 with shards that incidentally pile up while raising your core characters, and use leftover shards past ★7 toward "Hall promotion" exchanges. In other words, "not recommended" does not mean delete or ignore — just use them naturally without diverting core resources.
QIs it better to deeply raise one high-tier character, or shallowly raise several?
Early on, focusing investment on a single Tier 1-2 character to ★3-5 to first stabilize your main slot leads to the fastest progression. Next, raise the supporting characters that will fill your resonance slots with the same star-breakthrough priority as your main. Since resonance slot characters perform identically to the main, they should be treated as part of your "core rotation alongside the main" — not as "spots to fill later." Splitting between modes (separate PvP and PvE mains) becomes worth considering only after your main + resonance pool is stable.
Last updated: 2026-05-10
