Wuthering Waves tier list and who to pick at the start
I know you're eager to dive straight into our Wuthering Waves tier list, but before we take a look at the best characters in the game, it's good to know a few important things.
The first time you start, you will be able to choose a free 5* character. This will probably be one of the first 5-stars you get, so you need to pick the right one. If you aren't sure which one to pick, there's an explanation at the bottom of this tier list.
- Don't forget to also redeem all the latest Wuthering Waves codes for more chances to summon the characters you want!
Who are the best characters?
In this Wuthering Waves tier list, I've ranked the characters based on how well they perform in PvE, but also how they could potentially transition into the late game.Not all the top-tier characters are 5*, which goes to show just how versatile this game really is. If you've played Genshin Impact, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. Make sure you spend your resources on the S-tier characters as soon as you get them, because they are the ones you will ultimately fit into your end-game teams.
About Rover
Rover is the main character (in a way, the equivalent of Traveler in Genshin Impact), and he's an excellent character all throughout the game. Later on, you will be able to unlock Rover-Havoc, which is a top-tier one.The reason Rover has not been added to the tier list is that he is quite a situational character, and you will probably use him in the early game, but as soon as you acquire a few high-tier characters, you could end up replacing him. That is until you get Rover - Havoc.
- Rover (Havoc) - S/A Tier (situational)
- Rover (Spectro) - B Tier (A Tier early game)
Feel free to use the links below to find out more about the characters in each tier!
S Tier | A Tier | B Tier | C Tier | D Tier
1
S Tier
In the S tier, we have the best characters in Wuthering Waves at the moment. If you are lucky and obtain these characters, you could deploy them all together and form a powerful team from the get-go. You can reliably use each of them into a team of their own and still benefit from all they bring to the table since the characters mentioned here are quite versatile and easy to play.
| S Tier | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Icon | Name | Rarity | Element | Weapon |
 |
Jiyan | 5* | Aero | Broadblade |
| Jiyan is the perfect DPS. He is a character that could be the main DPS of any team, and his playstyle is quite easy to adapt to. He relies heavily on his Ultimate, so you should think about having some Energy regen when playing him. | ||||
 |
Yinlin | 5* | Electro | Rectifier |
| Yinlin can be a great addition to your team as a secondary DPS, since her AoE doesn't require much and is reliable. She relies heavily on combos, so even if she doesn't need much time on the field, she can complement any character, such as Jiyan, hence why she lands in the top tier. | ||||
 |
Verina | 5* | Spectro | Rectifier |
| Verina is the only 5* healer in the game right now, and she can form an amazing team with the characters we've highlighted already. She grants buffs to the entire team, and just like Yinlin, doesn't require a lot of field time - you can simply deploy her, heal/buff your team, then swap back to your main DPS. | ||||
2
A Tier
The A tier has very strong characters, and despite not being as strong as the S tier options, they are worth investing into, either for a secondary team or for your main team. I recommend upgrading them - at least, the 4* characters, because they can come in handy against certain bosses or in some situations.
| A Tier | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Icon | Name | Rarity | Element | Weapon |
 |
Calcharo | 5* | Electro | Broadblade |
| Calcharo is a main DPS character, much like Jiyan, but the only reason he is in the A tier and not S tier is because he's not as easy to play. If you manage to get him and build a team around him, he can easily be S tier, as long as you learn his combos properly and have the right teammates to provide buffs. | ||||
 |
Encore | 5* | Fusion | Rectifier |
| If you want to play something fun, Encore is a safe choice. She is a main DPS, who can work really well as a secondary damage too, especially if you're looking to swap to another character during Ult downtime. With her Ultimate transforming her into a melee DPS, she has a versatile playstyle that works well in teams that rely on fast swapping. | ||||
 |
Mortefi | 4* | Fusion | Pistols |
| Despite being just a 4*, Mortefi is an amazing DPS that works well as a secondary damage dealer, especially when teamed up with Jiyan. They have a good synergy mainly because he can step in during downtime, and provide additional damage. | ||||
 |
Sanhua | 4* | Glacio | Sword |
| Sanhua is another 4* character that is noteworthy. She has a very fast rotation, being able to cast her combo often and not at the cost of a lot of Energy. If you pull her a few times on top of the free copy you get at the start, she is worth investing in and having on your main team. | ||||
 |
Jianxin | 5* | Aero | Gauntlets |
| Jianxin is a jack-of-all-trades when it comes to her kit. She has amazing support skills, and on top of that, she also has a good AoE to clear packs of monsters. Although she is not as good a support as Verina, she can be a good addition if you are looking for more damage-oriented support to have on your team. She's great for mid-to-end-game grinding and for ToA farming. | ||||
3
B Tier
In the B tier, we have characters that can work in the early game but tend to fall off the more we progress. It's been tried and tested, and I already mentioned that at the very start with Rover (Spectro). I recommend not investing too much into these characters unless you absolutely need to at the start. Afterward, just upgrade them when there is no other character for you to upgrade from the higher tiers.
| B Tier | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Icon | Name | Rarity | Element | Weapon |
 |
Danjin | 4* | Havoc | Sword |
| Danjin is a good DPS, but being a damage dealer, she's automatically going to lack defenses. She cannot hold too well into the end game sadly, mainly because unless she's able to dodge, she will most likely end up getting one shot by enemies. | ||||
 |
Baizhi | 4* | Glacio | Rectifier |
| Despite being a pretty decent healer, Baizhi is not ideal if you want to have heals without un-fielding your main DPS for too long. She is a much weaker version of Verina, so if you want a healer, just pick Verina from the pick-up summon. | ||||
 |
Yangyang | 4* | Aero | Sword |
| Yangyang can be a decent support, but is heavily reliant on her combos. She can be okay if you use her for the Energy recovery, but most often you will not use her in the late game. | ||||
4
C Tier
In the C tier, we have characters that could have been good... but are not. I strongly advise against upgrading any of them, and most importantly, against getting Lingyang as your beginner character, unless it's a secondary account and you know exactly what you're doing (and actually like his playstyle or want to try it out).
| C Tier | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Icon | Name | Rarity | Element | Weapon |
 |
Chixia | 4* | Fusion | Pistols |
| Even though she is amazing in terms of damage, Chixia is going to require a lot of field time. On top of that, she is also mostly single target-fcoused, so when you put in balance the pros and cons, you're better off just picking an entirely different character as the main DPS. | ||||
 |
Lingyang | 5* | Glacio | Gauntlets |
| Lingyang is a DPS character unlike any other. In short, he's in the C tier because you're either going to love his playstyle, or you're going to dread it. He can actually fly and do all of his combos while in the air, so it's unlike any other. On the downside, if you can't get even the most basic understanding of his kit... well, you understand why he's in C tier. | ||||
 |
Aalto | 4* | Aero | Pistols |
| Aalto can be a decent support for other Aero characters, but I wouldn't bother upgrading him. His kit is quite underwhelming and doesn't provide much else - in terms of damage or buffs. | ||||
 |
Yuanwu | 4* | Electro | Gauntlets |
| Yuanwu is kind of in a similar spot to Aalto. He doesn't do a whole lot of damage, doesn't provide any 'wow' buffs to the team, and while he has a fast combo and doesn't require much field time, chances are you won't use him, probably ever. | ||||
5
D Tier
Sadly we had to make a bottom of the Wuthering Waves tier list where we have but one character. I don't recommend going for her at all - if you get her and want to try her out, then you can do so at your own risk!
| D Tier | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Icon | Name | Rarity | Element | Weapon |
 |
Taoqi | 4* | Havoc | Broadblade |
| Being a Havoc support character without an outstanding Havoc main DPS, Taoqi is bound to land in the lowest tier possible. Her kit is decent, but at the moment she doesn't have any outstanding synergies with other characters. She provides heals and shields, which are great, but also requires a lot of field time, which is not ideal for a support like her. | ||||
That's the complete tier list for Wuthering Waves, which will get updated with new characters as soon as they get released. So, bookmark this page, and see how new characters will fit. For similar content, advise a tier list for Honor of Kings and if you're a superhero fan, Invincible: Guarding the Globe tier list will suit you better.
That's the complete tier list for Wuthering Waves, which will get updated with new characters as soon as they get released. So, bookmark this page, and see how new characters will fit. For similar content, advise a tier list for Honor of Kings and if you're a superhero fan, Invincible: Guarding the Globe tier list will suit you better.
Now let's see which characters should you pick right at the start.
6
Who to pick from the beginner Targeted Convene
In Wuthering Waves, you can pick your first 5* for free from the Targeted Convene. These are the characters you can choose between:
- Calcharo (DPS)
- Encore (DPS)
- Jianxin (Support/Shields/Average DPS)
- Lingyang (DPS)
- Verina (Healer)
The one I recommend you pick is Verina, since she's the best healer in the game at the moment. She's the only 5* healer right now, so she will make things a lot easier in the future. Alternatively, if you don't want to pick Verina, I recommend going for either Calcharo or Encore.
Both Jianxin and Lingyang are somewhat unique characters, thus they might be hit or miss, depending on how you prefer playing the game. Verina, Encore, or Calcharo are a sure win.
