Arknights Endfield Tier List: Best Operators & Teams 2026
Glyphiq
Arknights Endfield Tier List: Best Operators & Teams 2026
Been rerolling accounts for three days straight. Not because I’m a masochist – because team building in Endfield actually matters. This isn’t one of those gachas where any 6-star carries you through everything.
The elemental system, combo skills, and reaction chains mean your team composition is make-or-break. Wrong lineup? You’re struggling against bosses that other players melt in seconds.
Here’s the current tier list for Version 1.0, plus actual team builds that work. No theoretical nonsense – these are tested compositions.
Tier List Overview
Quick context: Endfield has 23 operators at launch. Rankings are based on endgame viability, versatility, and how much they contribute to team damage/utility.
Tier Definitions
| Tier | Meaning |
|---|---|
| S | Meta-defining. Build teams around these. |
| A | Excellent. Strong in their niche or great support. |
| B | Solid. Work well in specific comps. |
| C | Usable. Require more investment for similar results. |
| D | Weak. Avoid investing unless you really like them. |
S-Tier Operators
The best of the best. If you have these, prioritize them.
Laevatain (6-Star, Heat, Guard)
The limited banner queen. Laevatain is a one-woman army when built correctly.
Why she’s broken:
- Ultimate scales with Combustion and Corrosion stacks
- Chain-heat lasers delete entire waves during ult
- Melting Flame mechanic amplifies AoE damage
- Best Heat DPS in the game (no competition)
The catch: Needs team support to stack reactions. Pair with Corrosion applicator (Ardelia) and Heat enablers (Wulfgard, Akekuri).
Pull verdict: If she’s on banner, go all in. Limited = won’t return for months.
Last Rite (6-Star, Cryo, Striker)
The Cryo counterpart to Laevatain. Dominates both crowd control and single-target.
Why she’s top tier:
- Cryo Susceptibility debuff shreds enemy resistance
- Insane freeze uptime with proper team
- Strong against bosses AND mobbing
- Self-sufficient damage even without ideal comp
Team requirement: Works best with Cryo enablers but functions okay solo. More forgiving than Laevatain.
Pull verdict: Excellent standard pool 6-star. Worth pulling on any banner featuring her.
Yvonne (6-Star, Electric, Caster)
Electric specialist with ridiculous AoE potential.
Why she ranks S:
- Chain lightning melts grouped enemies
- Electric reactions provide crowd control
- Strong sustained damage over time
- Good SP generation for team
Notes: Slightly more niche than Laevatain/Last Rite but dominates her element completely.
Ardelia (6-Star, Nature, Supporter)
The universal support. Fits in literally every team.
Why everyone wants her:
- Heals, buffs, AND applies Corrosion
- Corrosion triggers Combustion with Heat (Laevatain synergy)
- Physical Susceptibility buff
- Zero wasted kit
Team fit: If you have her, she’s probably on your team. That simple.
Pull verdict: Safe investment. Never a bad pull.
A-Tier Operators
Excellent units that anchor specific strategies or provide crucial utility.
Pogranichnik (5-Star, Physical, Vanguard)
Physical teams’ best friend. Generates SP for the entire squad.
Why he’s essential:
- SP battery keeps rotations fluid
- Physical Vulnerability debuffs
- Frontline presence
- Future-proof – Physical meta is strong
Usage: Core unit for any Physical composition. Don’t sleep on him.
Endministrator (Free 6-Star, Physical, Guard)
Your free 6-star from story. Actually good.
Strengths:
- Accessible to everyone
- Solid Physical DPS
- Works with starter teams
- Scales well with investment
Reality check: Not S-tier, but absolutely viable for all content. Don’t feel bad using them.
Gilberta (5-Star, Arts, Supporter)
Arts support specialist.
Why she’s valuable:
- Arts Susceptibility enables caster DPS
- Buffs team damage significantly
- Pairs well with Yvonne or arts-focused teams
Caveat: Needs a strong Arts DPS to support. Don’t build her first.
Wulfgard (5-Star, Heat, Guard)
Heat enabler for Laevatain teams.
Role:
- Applies Heat Infliction consistently
- Provides Melting Flame stacks for Laevatain
- Decent personal damage
Tier context: Excellent in Heat teams, mediocre outside them.
Akekuri (5-Star, Heat/Cryo, Supporter)
Versatile SP generator.
Why she’s everywhere:
- Works in Heat AND Cryo teams
- SP battery function is universal
- Combo Skill triggers off Stagger
- Budget-friendly investment
Team fit: Almost always a good pick. Very flexible.
Antal (5-Star, Electric, Caster)
Electric sub-DPS and enabler.
Strengths:
- Pairs with Yvonne for Electric teams
- Good personal damage
- Chain reaction potential
B-Tier Operators
Solid performers that work in their niches but don’t define meta.
Ember (5-Star, Physical, Defender)
Physical defender with support utility.
What she offers:
- Vulnerable stacks for team
- Healing capability
- Tanky frontline
- Pairs okay with Endministrator
Honest take: Usable, not exciting. If you need a defender, she works.
Chen Qianyu (5-Star, Physical, Guard)
Starter-friendly Physical DPS.
Strengths:
- Vulnerable application
- High Stagger damage
- Synergizes with Endministrator
- Available early
Usage: Great for starter teams. Gets outscaled later but carries early-mid game.
Lifeng (5-Star, Nature, Supporter)
Nature support with Arts utility.
Niche:
- Arts Susceptibility like Gilberta
- Different element coverage
- Okay healing
Problem: Needs top-tier DPS to shine. Without Laevatain/Last Rite/Yvonne, feels weak.
Xaihi (5-Star, Cryo, Striker)
Cryo sub-DPS.
Role:
- Cryo Infliction for Last Rite teams
- Decent personal damage
- Freeze uptime contribution
Context: Good in Cryo teams, forgettable elsewhere.
Fluorite (5-Star, Cryo, Caster)
Cryo enabler.
What she does:
- Boosts Cryo Infliction stacking
- Supports Last Rite specifically
- AoE coverage
C-Tier Operators
Usable but require significant investment for middling returns.
Alesh (5-Star, Physical, Striker)
The problem: Random “fishing” mechanic in his kit. Inconsistent damage in a game that demands consistency.
Snowshine (4-Star, Cryo, Defender)
Budget option: Works if you need Cryo defense. Outclassed by higher rarity options.
Perlica (4-Star, Physical, Supporter)
Starter viable: Part of early game comps. Replace when possible.
Avywenna (5-Star, Nature, Caster)
Niche: Some Nature utility but doesn’t excel anywhere.
Arclight (5-Star, Electric, Striker)
Issue: Electric has better options. Fine if you lack Yvonne/Antal.
D-Tier Operators
Avoid investing unless waifu/husbando reasons.
Da Pan (4-Star, Physical, Defender)
Why avoid: In Endfield, offense is the best defense. Shielding wastes DPS time.
Catcher (4-Star, Physical, Vanguard)
Problem: Doesn’t do enough of anything. Other Vanguards outclass completely.
Estella (5-Star, Physical, Guard)
Issue: Mediocre kit that doesn’t synergize well with meta teams.
Best Team Compositions
Theory is nice. Here are actual working teams.
Heat Team (Laevatain Core)
Lineup: Laevatain + Wulfgard + Akekuri + Ardelia
How it works:
- Wulfgard and Akekuri apply Heat Infliction
- Heat stacks build Laevatain’s Melting Flame
- Ardelia applies Corrosion for Combustion reactions
- Laevatain’s Ultimate deletes everything
Damage type: Primarily Heat/Arts
Investment level: High (needs Laevatain)
Cryo Team (Last Rite Core)
Lineup: Last Rite + Fluorite + Xaihi + Akekuri
How it works:
- Fluorite and Xaihi stack Cryo Inflictions
- Last Rite applies Cryo Susceptibility
- Akekuri generates SP for skill rotations
- Freeze + shatter cycle for massive damage
Damage type: Cryo/Arts
Investment level: High (needs Last Rite)
Physical Team (F2P Friendly)
Lineup: Endministrator + Pogranichnik + Chen Qianyu + Ember
How it works:
- Pogranichnik batteries SP and applies Physical Vulnerability
- Chen Qianyu and Ember apply Vulnerable stacks
- Endministrator triggers Crush for big damage
- High Stagger uptime for consistent Finishers
Damage type: Physical
Investment level: Low-Medium (accessible units)
Starter Team (Day One)
Lineup: Endministrator + Chen Qianyu + Perlica + Akekuri
How it works:
- Endministrator main DPS
- Chen Qianyu provides Vulnerable + secondary damage
- High Stagger enables Akekuri Combo Skill
- Perlica provides utility until replaced
Upgrade path: Replace Perlica first, then Chen Qianyu as you pull better units.
Ember Alternative Team
Lineup: Ember + Endministrator + Akekuri + Ardelia
How it works:
- Ember’s Vulnerable stacks enable Endministrator
- Ardelia Physical Susceptibility + Corrosion
- Akekuri SP generation
- Ember provides off-healing
For players who: Pulled Ember early but not Laevatain/Last Rite.
Who Should You Pull?
Let’s be practical about gacha priorities.
Must Pull (If Available)
- Laevatain – Limited, defines Heat meta
- Last Rite – Standard pool but top tier
- Ardelia – Universal support, never wrong
Safe Investments
- Pogranichnik – Physical teams need him
- Akekuri – Flexible, works everywhere
- Yvonne – Electric specialist if that’s your element
Skip Unless Waifu
- Da Pan, Catcher – Just weak
- Alesh – Inconsistent mechanics
- Estella – Doesn’t fit meta teams
Wait and See
- Future banners – Meta will evolve
- Anniversary units – Usually strong
- Limited reruns – Patience pays off
Understanding the Meta
Few concepts to internalize for team building.
Elemental Reactions Matter
Endfield isn’t about raw stats. Reaction chains multiply damage:
- Heat + Corrosion = Combustion (AoE explosion)
- Cryo + targets = Freeze (CC + shatter damage)
- Electric chains between enemies
- Physical relies on Vulnerability/Breach stacking
Build teams that enable reactions, not just high individual damage.
SP Economy
Skills win fights. SP generation determines how often you use them.
- Akekuri is everywhere because SP battery is that valuable
- Pogranichnik enables Physical teams for same reason
- Don’t neglect SP generation when team building
Breach vs. Crush
Physical damage mechanics:
- Breach: Reduces Physical resistance
- Crush: Triggered when Breach threshold hit, big damage
Physical teams stack Breach, trigger Crush, repeat. That’s the loop.
Team Order Matters
Operator lineup (left to right) affects:
- Combo Skill trigger priority
- Elemental reaction sequencing
- Default switching patterns
Experiment with order. Small changes can optimize damage significantly.
Future Meta Predictions
Version 1.0 meta will shift. Here’s what to watch:
Physical Staying Strong
Breach is easy to apply. Physical teams have low barrier to entry and scale well. Safe long-term investment.
Heat Needs Laevatain
Without her, Heat teams are incomplete. If you’re building Heat, pray for Laevatain banner.
Cryo More Accessible
Last Rite is standard pool. Cryo teams are easier to build over time as you naturally pull her.
New Elements Coming
Nature and Electric are underdeveloped. Future patches will likely add more units, potentially shifting tier positions.
Limited Units Usually Strong
Gacha economics. Limited banners drive spending, so those units tend to be powerful. Save for limited.
Investment Priority Guide
Resources are scarce. Here’s optimal spending order.
First Priority (Max ASAP)
- Main DPS (Laevatain/Last Rite/Endministrator)
- Core support (Ardelia/Akekuri)
Second Priority
- Element enablers (Wulfgard for Heat, Fluorite for Cryo)
- SP battery (Pogranichnik for Physical)
Third Priority
- Sub-DPS
- Backup teams
- Niche specialists
Skip Until Late Game
- Multiple teams for different elements
- Collection completion
- D-tier units
Common Team Building Mistakes
Mixing Damage Types Early
Don’t run Laevatain + Last Rite + Yvonne together. Pick ONE element and build around it.
Reactions need consistent element application. Mixed teams apply nothing effectively.
Ignoring Supports
“I’ll run four DPS for maximum damage!”
No. Supports enable DPS to actually deal damage. Ardelia’s Corrosion multiplies Laevatain’s output. Pogranichnik’s SP lets skills cycle faster.
Support slots aren’t wasted slots.
Building Everyone Equally
Spread resources = no one is strong.
Focus resources on 4-5 units max early game. A maxed core team beats a mediocre roster every time.
Chasing Every New Banner
Standard gacha trap. Not every new unit is worth pulling.
Check tier lists, evaluate team fit, then decide. Impulse pulling depletes resources for actually good banners.
Quick Reference Tables
6-Star Rankings
| Operator | Element | Role | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laevatain | Heat | DPS | S |
| Last Rite | Cryo | DPS | S |
| Yvonne | Electric | DPS | S |
| Ardelia | Nature | Support | S |
| Endministrator | Physical | DPS | A |
5-Star Rankings
| Operator | Element | Role | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pogranichnik | Physical | Vanguard | A |
| Gilberta | Arts | Support | A |
| Wulfgard | Heat | Enabler | A |
| Akekuri | Heat/Cryo | Support | A |
| Antal | Electric | Sub-DPS | A |
| Ember | Physical | Defender | B |
| Chen Qianyu | Physical | DPS | B |
| Lifeng | Nature | Support | B |
| Xaihi | Cryo | Sub-DPS | B |
| Fluorite | Cryo | Enabler | B |
| Alesh | Physical | Striker | C |
| Avywenna | Nature | Caster | C |
| Arclight | Electric | Striker | C |
| Estella | Physical | Guard | D |
Best Teams Summary
| Team | Core Unit | Element | F2P Friendly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heat | Laevatain | Heat | No |
| Cryo | Last Rite | Cryo | No |
| Physical | Endministrator | Physical | Yes |
| Starter | Endministrator | Physical | Yes |
Final Thoughts
Endfield’s meta rewards understanding over spending. A well-built free team clears content that poorly constructed whale accounts struggle with.
Key takeaways:
- Focus one element
- Enable reactions
- Support slots matter
- Don’t spread resources
- Save for limited banners
Tier lists will evolve as patches drop. But the fundamentals – team synergy over individual power – won’t change.
Now go build something that actually works instead of slapping your favorite characters together and hoping for the best. We’ve all been there. It doesn’t work.
More Arknights Endfield guides:
- Beginner Guide: Day One Tips – what to do first, basics explained
- AIC Factory Guide – automation setup, Stock Bills farming
Sources: