With Neverness to Everness launching at the end of April, early tier lists are already everywhere, but most of them focus on the usual rankings, and the problem is that this does not always help you decide who to pull.
Instead of just listing S-tier characters, it is more useful to look at long-term value, team flexibility, and how safe an investment each character really is.
Of course, you should always prioritize the characters you like, but for those who want to get the most out of their first few characters, we hope this will help you decide! Keep in mind also that this is pre-launch, and a lot of things can still change before the game releases!
High Value, Low Risk
If you want characters that will carry you early and remain useful later, a few names consistently stand out.
Nanally is the easiest recommendation right now. She deals strong single-target damage, but what really makes her stand out is how little effort she requires. Her follow-up attacks trigger automatically, meaning she keeps dealing damage even when she is off-field. On top of that, her mobility (including wall movement) makes her useful outside of combat too.
She is basically the definition of a safe main DPS pick.
Then there is Adler, who might actually be the most valuable character overall. Shields, damage-over-time, survivability, he does a bit of everything with almost no setup. He fits into nearly any team and does not demand mechanical skill, and all this makes him one of the best long-term investments in the game.
If you do not want to think too hard about team building early on, Adler just works.
Boss Specialists
Some characters are incredibly strong, but mostly in specific situations.
Daffodill is the best example. She is currently the top Break specialist, meaning she destroys boss stagger bars faster than anyone else. In a game where stun windows can decide fights, that is a huge deal.
The main problem with her is that her value is mostly linked to boss content, and even if she is still good elsewhere, her real strength shows against boss encounters.
Baicang is a bit similar since he has insane boss damage potential, but his problem is that he requires a lot of skill. If you know what you are doing, he can be better than top-tier DPS characters, but he is not beginner-friendly at all.
These are powerful choices, just not as “plug and play” as others.
Flexible Hybrids Great for Balanced Teams
Then you have got characters that do not necessarily dominate one category, but bring a lot of flexibility to your teams.
Jiuyuan is a strong example, combining DPS and healing in one slot. That kind of double role is extremely valuable early on, especially if your roster is limited.
Hathor also stands out here, mainly as an energy battery with solid AoE damage. She does not carry fights on her own, but she makes your entire team better to play.
These characters tend to age well because they enable other units, not just deal damage themselves.
Good, But More Situational
A lot of the roster falls into this category. They are strong, but dependent on your team or content.
Skia is amazing for mob clearing thanks to his crowd control, but noticeably weaker against bosses.
Sakiri has a similar issue, excelling in AoE but struggling in single-target fights.
Hotori can be strong, but relies heavily on specific team setups to really shine.
Even the main character (Esper Zero) is solid early on, but will likely fall off once you start getting more specialized units. Usually, in gacha games, the main character is very good at the start, perfect to carry you through all the early-game content, but they tend to fall off quickly.
These are not bad choices, but they are just not universal, and they might not last as long.
Characters You Might Want to Skip
Based on current beta impressions, a few characters simply do not offer enough value compared to others. Of course, this might change if kits get adjusted for launch, so take it with a grain of salt!
Mint is the most consistent example. She lacks both damage and meaningful utility, and that makes her hard to justify over stronger DPS options like Nanally.
Edgar and Haniel also struggle a bit, mostly due to clunky mechanics like positioning requirements or interruptible abilities.
And then there are characters like Chiz, who can be strong on paper, but are so mechanically demanding that most players will not get full value out of them.
Who Should You Pull?
If you are looking for the best start possible, a few characters clearly stand above the rest:
- Nanally → Best all-around DPS, easy to use, very future-proof
- Adler → Probably the most universally useful character at launch
- Daffodil → Top-tier for boss content and progression
After that, it really depends on what you want.
If you prefer safer, flexible teams, characters like Jiuyuan or Hathor are great additions. If you are aiming for high-end optimization, more specialized choices like Baicang can pay off, but only if you are ready to learn them.
Early tier lists will keep changing after launch, but as always, utility and flexibility matter more than raw damage. Characters that can fit into multiple teams, or cover multiple roles, are far more likely to stay relevant long-term than main DPS, who often get powercreeped fast.
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