Arknights: Endfield launched globally on January 22, 2026, and the meta is already taking shape fast. With 23 operators available at launch and resources on Talos-II being genuinely scarce, pulling and leveling the wrong unit can set you back for weeks. This tier list cuts through the noise so you know exactly where to put your Originium.
One thing to settle before diving into rankings: there is no single “best operator” in Endfield. The game’s combat revolves around elemental reactions, which means team fit matters more than raw numbers. A well-built A-tier operator in the right team often beats an S-tier operator dropped into a composition that clashes with their element. Rankings here reflect each operator’s performance within their role, assuming reasonably matched teammates.
This list covers Version 1.0, February 2026. All 23 launch operators are included, split by role — DPS, Support, Sub-DPS, and Defenders. Rankings are based on endgame content performance, specifically Algorithmic Memories mode, flexibility across team types, and long-term investment value.
How the Elemental System Shapes Every Tier Ranking
Before looking at any individual operator, you need to understand how elemental reactions work in Endfield. This is the one mechanic that makes every tier list in this game different from what you’ve seen in Genshin Impact or Wuthering Waves.
Hitting enemies with Heat, Cryo, Electric, or Nature damage applies an Arts Infliction — a stackable debuff that builds up to 4 stacks. When you apply the same element twice on a fully stacked enemy, you trigger an Arts Burst, which deals bonus elemental damage. When you apply a different element to a stacked enemy, you trigger an Arts Reaction — a special effect that depends on which element lands second.
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| Triggering Element | Reaction Name | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Heat (on Cryo stacks) | Combustion | Burns the enemy, dealing damage over time scaled to infliction stacks |
| Electric (on any stacks) | Electrification | Increases all Arts damage the enemy takes for a duration |
| Cryo (on any stacks) | Solidification | Freezes the enemy — follow up with Physical for Shatter burst |
| Nature (on any stacks) | Corrosion | Reduces all elemental resistance over time |
Physical damage runs on a completely separate loop. Apply Vulnerable status, then build stacks via Lift or Knock Down, then consume with Crush or Breach for massive burst damage. Shatter bridges the two systems: freeze an enemy with Cryo (Solidification), then hit with Physical to shatter the frozen state for a huge damage spike.
Arknights: Endfield DPS Tier List — Best Damage Dealers Ranked
DPS operators are where most of your investment goes. They define which reactions your team builds around, which means picking your main damage dealer first is almost always the right call.
| Tier | Operator | Element | Why They're Here |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | Laevatain | Heat | Best AoE damage in the game. Her kit builds Combustion and Corrosion reactions, her Ultimate transforms basic attacks into chain-heat lasers for mob clearing, and her best team (Ardelia, Antal, Akekuri) is built entirely from free operators. Easiest high-ceiling team to put together at launch. |
| S | Yvonne | Nature | Best single-target damage in the game. Excels in boss content and becomes stronger with Gilberta on the team for Nature infliction setup. Less flexible in AoE scenarios than Laevatain. |
| A | Last Rite | Cryo | Strong burst damage within a Cryo team. Great at applying Solidification for Shatter combos. Needs a ramp-up window and is currently available as the free 6-star selector from the standard banner — excellent value. |
| A | Avywenna | Electric | Solid damage in Electrification teams. More element-locked than the S-tier picks, but reliable in the right setup. |
| B | Chen | Physical | Not a DPS in the traditional sense, but she is non-negotiable in Physical teams. She applies the most Vulnerable of any operator, contributes strong damage, and is the glue that holds Physical compositions together. If you run Physical, Chen is always in. |
| B | Endministrator | Physical | The primary Vulnerable consumer in Physical teams. Pairs with Chen for big damage payoff moments. Rewards careful SP and skill management. |
| B | Wulfgard | Heat | Functional DPS but needs Electrification or Combustion active to stay competitive. Best used as a free Heat support in Laevatain teams. |
| B | Da Pan | Physical | Can fill a Physical DPS slot but struggles with Crush cooldown management compared to Endministrator. |
If you missed Laevatain’s banner, don’t panic. Chen + Endministrator + Pogranichnik form a genuinely strong Physical team that clears all current endgame content. It demands more attention to rotation timing, but the ceiling is high.
Best Support Operators in Endfield — Who Multiplies Your Damage
Support operators in Endfield don’t just top off HP. They apply Susceptibility debuffs that multiply the damage your DPS deals, and the best ones do it without conflicting with your team’s elemental loop. Getting your support right often matters more than pulling a second damage dealer.
Gilberta was initially rated lower before launch, but after the global release Susceptibility numbers were adjusted across the roster, and she rose in relative value. She applies Arts Susceptibility, provides crowd control via Lift, and opens up Yvonne's best team. Her combo skill relies on Arts Reactions being active, and her Ultimate window is quite short, but in the right team she's excellent.
Sub-DPS Operators Tier List — Utility Damage That Elevates Your Team
Sub-DPS operators provide damage alongside meaningful utility — buffs, debuffs, SP generation. They’re the operators that raise your team’s ceiling without replacing your main DPS slot.
| Tier | Operator | Element | Role in Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | Pogranichnik | Physical | Breach application, SP generation that scales with Vulnerable consumption, and a strong Attack buff via Thermite Cutter. Indispensable in Physical teams. Raises the floor and ceiling of any Physical composition. |
| S | Lifeng | Physical | Applies Physical Susceptibility and Vulnerable simultaneously, provides Link to teammates, and fits cleanly into Physical team rotations. Excellent synergy with Pogranichnik. |
| A | Gilberta | Nature | Also pulls double duty as a sub-DPS in Nature teams, with AoE skills that smooth out Overworld content significantly. |
| B | Waihi | Cryo / Nature | Versatile Arts debuffer with some healing utility. Not a priority investment but useful in mixed comps. |
Arknights: Endfield Defender Tier List — What to Expect at Launch
Defenders are the weakest role at launch, and that’s worth being direct about. No operator in this category has the same endgame impact as a well-built DPS or support. They’re functional for story content, but no Defender at launch warrants heavy investment over your primary team’s needs.
The exception is Pogranichnik, who is listed under Sub-DPS because that’s what he functionally is in high-level content. Among the remaining Defenders, none currently reach A-tier based on Algorithmic Memories performance. This category will almost certainly see the biggest tier shifts as new operators release.
Who to Build First — Investment Priority for New Players
Resources in Endfield are tight. Spreading materials across five half-leveled operators is one of the fastest ways to stall your progress. Focus one team, then expand.
- Build your main DPS first, always. Laevatain if you pulled her. Chen + Endministrator if you’re running Physical. Your damage dealer defines the entire team’s direction.
- Ardelia is your second priority regardless of what team you run. She fits everything and makes every team stronger.
- Antal and Akekuri are free, strong, and need minimal resources to become functional. Raise them alongside your main team — not instead of it.
- Don’t build a second DPS before your first team is polished. A complete, well-invested team of four clears more content than two half-built squads.
If you received the free 6-star selector from the February 5 update, Last Rite is the recommended pick if you don’t have Laevatain and don’t already have both Pogranichnik and Lifeng. She’s the second-strongest DPS at launch and has accessible team options.
D-Tier Operators: Who to Skip in Endfield Version 1.0
Every operator in Endfield can clear story content. That’s not the question. The question is where you put your limited upgrade materials, and these operators simply don’t raise your team’s ceiling the way alternatives do.
Alesh, Catcher, Estella, and Fluorite are the current bottom of the roster. Catcher is often described as a budget version of Ember — he applies Vulnerable, which has value, but other Physical operators do that while also adding meaningful damage or utility. Alesh, Estella, and Fluorite don’t have a team where they’re the best option available. If you pulled them, they can hold a roster slot. Don’t spend Advance Materials on them.
What Will Change This Tier List — And When to Check Back
Tier lists in gacha games age fast, and this one will too. A few things to track: new DPS operators typically compress the rankings of existing ones as their multipliers get higher over patches. Support and reaction-enabling operators tend to age better — Ardelia will likely stay relevant for a long time. The Physical team meta (Chen + Endministrator + Pogranichnik) is already gaining ground faster than expected and may challenge Laevatain’s dominance sooner than anticipated in specific endgame modes.
This list will update with every new banner drop and major patch. Algorithmic Memories rotations and new elemental content are the main reasons rankings shift between updates.
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