A strong Anime Vanguards best units tier listshould do four things well: identify the units that matter most right now, explain why they rank there, show where they perform best, and help you decide what to build next. Anime Vanguardsis a Roblox tower-defense game, and the current live content cycle is tied to Update 11.5 / Moonless Sky. Data as of 2026; check the latest official notes before treating any fresh-patch placement as permanent. This is a best-units tier list, not a full ranking of every unit in the game. I’m focusing on the units that matter most for Story, Infinite, Boss Rush, Raids, Dungeons, and Worldlines.
- Best overall units right now:Demon Leader (Control), Savior (Moonless), Koguro (Unsealed), Warlord (Of the Sea), and Arbiter (Of the Void)
- Best beginner-friendly carry:Demon Leader (Control)
- Best support anchor:Sakuya (Time Maid)
- Best economy specialist:Sprintwagon
- Most volatile placements:the newest 11.5-impact units, because fresh update metas shift quickly after release.
| Need | Best pick |
| Best overall DPS | Demon Leader (Control) |
| Best burst boss killer | Savior (Moonless) |
| Best long-run carry | Koguro (Unsealed) |
| Best synergy-heavy SS pick | Warlord (Of the Sea) |
| Best support/control pick | Sakuya (Time Maid) |
| Best economy specialist | Sprintwagon |
This patch matters because it gave the meta new pressure points instead of just adding filler. The official update materials show new unit-specific Memoria for the newest units, a new Savior evolution quest, Deceiver and Diablo-exclusive Memoria in the Dungeon Shop flow, and Teacher-exclusive Worldlines Memoria. That is the kind of update that can move rankings fast. Data as of April 2026.
The short version: Update 11.5 made it more important to separate stable top carriesfrom fresh-patch risers. That is why some units below are ranked aggressively, but still flagged as more volatile than older staples.
The official wiki describes its tier list as an overall ranking of units across game modes, with competitive play considered, and notes that units are ordered left to right, best to worstwithin each category.
My ranking filters are:
- Role strength- DPS, support, utility, or economy
- Mode performance- Story, Infinite, Boss Rush, Raids, Dungeons, and Worldlines
- Build efficiency- how strong the unit feels before perfect min-maxing
- Trait fit- whether its best trait meaningfully changes performance
- Patch stability- how likely the unit is to stay strong once the patch settles
Traits are permanent stat modifiers that can significantly improve a unit’s performance, and they can be rerolled through Trait Rerolls. The official unit list also notes that units can be enhanced with Traits, Memoria, and Familiars, which is why two players can own the same unit and still get very different results.
I’m not trying to mirror every community list exactly. This version prioritizes practical performance across the main modes people actually farm, plus trait fit, acquisition friction, and how well a unit performs without a perfect endgame shell.
That means some placements may differ from broader consensus pages that aim to rank every unit in the game. The goal here is not to be the widest list on the internet. It is to be the most useful best unitslist for players making build decisions today.
This ranking focuses on the best units players are most likely to build around in Update 11.5, rather than every unit in the game.
| Tier | Units |
| SS | Demon Leader (Control), Savior (Moonless), Koguro (Unsealed), Warlord (Of the Sea), Arbiter (Of the Void) |
| S | Teacher (Final Stand), Deceiver (Monster), Iscanur (Pride), Elastic Captain (Evolved), Sakuya (Time Maid), Sukono |
| A | Diablo (Renacimiento), Ackers (Ken), Pink Villain (Celestial), Priestess (Holy), Club (Pyro) |
| B | Ice Queen (Release), Johnni (Infinite Spin), Alligator, Kiskae (Scientist) |
| C | Demon Hunter (Contract), Elastic Captain (Base), Explosive Demon (Bomb), Delusional Demon (Blood) |
These are the headline units of the patch: the ones that can define a team instead of just filling a slot.
Tier list "SS" rank featuring five Roblox-style anime character portraits with red and purple borders. - Role:Main DPS carry
- Best for:Story pushing, Infinite, boss-focused teams, long-term account building
- Why they are here:Demon Leader (Control) is the cleanest all-around carry in the current meta because it combines elite damage with practical usability.
- Pros:High damage ceiling; strong across multiple modes; reliable centerpiece unit
- Cons:Expensive to finish; wants support to reach full ceiling
- Best Trait:Solar
- Role:Burst DPS / boss killer
- Best for:Boss Rush, short high-pressure fights, endgame burst teams
- Why they are here:Update 11.5 gave Savior (Moonless) real top-tier upside, and the official wiki’s FAQ and event pages tie it directly to the new Spirit Mask evolution flow.
- Pros:Huge burst; excellent for boss pressure; premium endgame upside
- Cons:Fresh-patch volatility; full value depends on finishing the quest/evolution path
- Best Trait:Solar
- Role:Hybrid DPS / scaling carry
- Best for:Infinite, long fights, teams that want scaling over instant burst
- Why they are here:Koguro is one of the safest premium carries because the kit stays useful even when a map drags out.
- Pros:Excellent scaling; flexible; strong in long-run content
- Cons:Wants setup and better supports than beginner teams usually have
- Best Trait:Blitzor Marksman
- Role:DPS carry with synergy upside
- Best for:Optimized endgame teams, synergy-heavy comps, Infinite
- Why they are here:Warlord rewards smart team construction more than raw slotting, which is exactly why advanced rosters keep it high.
- Pros:High damage ceiling; strong synergy value; excellent in polished teams
- Cons:Less plug-and-play than Demon Leader
- Best Trait:Solar
- Role:Burst DPS
- Best for:Boss waves, short pressure windows, active-based damage teams
- Why they are here:Arbiter has excellent burst identity, and its official unit page ties its evolution and specialty Memoria directly to damage amplification. It was added as a Season 11 Battlepass reward.
- Pros:Strong burst; strong active-cycle pressure; excellent for shorter hard encounters
- Cons:Less forgiving than broad-spectrum carries; support quality matters
- Best Trait:Solar
These units are strong enough to anchor real progress, but each asks for a bit more context, support, or mode awareness.
Tier list "S" rank featuring six Roblox-style anime character portraits on a red and orange background. - Role:Hybrid DPS / summon-assisted pressure
- Best for:Long maps, snowball teams, Dragon Sphere setups
- Why they are here:Teacher (Final Stand) is a genuine 11.5-impact unit. The official page says it can be obtained by clearing Floor 50 of Worldlines Season 10, and its passive spawns Student (Enraged), giving it layered pressure instead of simple one-track DPS.
- Pros:Great lane pressure; strong patch upside; valuable passive interactions
- Cons:More technical than simpler carries; still settling in the live meta
- Best Trait:Monarch
- Role:DPS / utility hybrid
- Best for:Raids, harder content, mixed-damage teams
- Why they are here:Deceiver earns S tier because it does more than just hit hard. The official Anime Vanguards wikisays Deceiver is bought from the Dungeon Shop, and the tier page notes it can function as both a viable DPS and support option.
- Pros:Modern kit; useful in punishing content; dual-role value
- Cons:Dungeon-shop grind; slightly less straightforward than pure carries
- Best Trait:Solar
- Role:Bossing DPS
- Best for:Boss fights, priority-target damage, teams that already have support covered
- Why they are here:Iscanur stays relevant because it offers sharp single-target pressure without needing the latest patch gimmick to feel useful.
- Pros:Strong boss damage; dependable late-game value
- Cons:High investment; less forgiving for early rosters
- Best Trait:Solar
- Role:Efficient DPS carry
- Best for:Mid-game progression, flexible Story/Infinite use, efficient builds
- Why they are here:Elastic Captain (Evolved) keeps winning on efficiency. It is not the most explosive unit here, but it consistently overperforms its investment cost.
- Pros:Great tempo; reliable damage; easy to justify in progression
- Cons:Lower ceiling than true SS carries
- Best Trait:Solar
- Role:Assist / support / control
- Best for:Buffing premium carries, harder content, control-focused teams
- Why they are here:Sakuya is one of the best support anchors because it makes already-good carries feel much stronger. The official wiki lists Sakuya (Time Maid) as a Battle Pass (Level 50)unit.
- Pros:Excellent support value; strong control utility; scales well with better teams
- Cons:Not a standalone carry
- Best Trait:Monarch
- Role:Burst DPS
- Best for:Boss pressure, cleanup damage, teams that already have structure
- Why they are here:Sukono is still one of the cleaner “delete the threat” damage picks when the rest of the roster already covers economy and support.
- Pros:Strong burst; scary closer; good damage slot in organized teams
- Cons:More roster-dependent than all-purpose carries
- Best Trait:Solar
A-tier units are strong enough to use confidently, but they need the right map, mode, or roster context to become priorities.
Tier list "A" rank featuring five Roblox-style anime character portraits with colored borders. - Role:DPS
- Best for:11.5-focused teams, players actively farming current content
- Why they are here:Diablo is part of the 11.5 unit cluster, so the upside is real, but the long-term placement still feels less locked than the best SS and S units.
- Pros:Strong current-patch upside; real carry potential
- Cons:Placement is still more volatile than older established picks
- Best Trait:Solar
- Role:DPS
- Best for:Steady damage, no-frills teams, general progression
- Why they are here:Ackers is a reliable damage unit that rarely looks flashy but usually does enough.
- Pros:Consistent output; easy to slot into ordinary teams
- Cons:Not enough ceiling to challenge top carries
- Best Trait:Solar
- Role:DPS / utility mix
- Best for:Balanced teams, flex slots, support-assisted comps
- Why they are here:Pink Villain has enough upside to matter, but it feels more like a strong secondary piece than the core of a team.
- Pros:Well-rounded; scales nicely with supports
- Cons:Rarely your first priority
- Best Trait:Solar
- Role:Support / sustain utility
- Best for:Beginner rosters, stability, awkward team states
- Why they are here:Priestess remains one of the better reminders that non-carry units can still change how safe a run feels.
- Pros:Great support value; beginner friendly; cleans up weak roster problems
- Cons:Lower personal carry value
- Best Trait:Monarch
- Role:Budget DPS
- Best for:Early progression, bridge builds, low-resource accounts
- Why they are here:Club (Pyro) is a classic bridge unit: not an endgame icon, but absolutely useful while a roster is maturing.
- Pros:Strong value for the cost; easy to justify early
- Cons:Eventually outclassed
- Best Trait:Solar
B tier units are playable, but they are more “use if needed” than “build around this now.”
Tier list "B" rank featuring four Roblox-style anime character portraits with blue and purple borders. - Role:Utility DPS
- Best for:Mid-game bridging, imperfect rosters, temporary utility
- Why they are here:Ice Queen still has uses, especially when an account needs an evolved option without reaching higher-end units yet.
- Pros:Playable; useful as a bridge
- Cons:Outpaced by stronger modern options
- Best Trait:Solar
- Role:DPS
- Best for:Temporary progression, niche map use
- Why they are here:Johnni can still do enough damage to matter, but the surrounding alternatives are usually better.
- Pros:Functional damage; usable while building out a roster
- Cons:Limited ceiling
- Best Trait:Solar
- Role:Budget assist / utility
- Best for:Newer accounts, cheap roster balance, early support shells
- Why they are here:Alligator survives on practicality. It helps weaker teams function before better support pieces arrive.
- Pros:Accessible; low-pressure investment
- Cons:Falls off hard later
- Best Trait:Monarch
- Role:Utility support
- Best for:Niche support use, filler utility, limited rosters
- Why they are here:Kiskae is useful when an account needs function more than ceiling.
- Pros:Helpful in imperfect rosters
- Cons:Rarely best-in-slot
- Best Trait:Monarch
These are the units I would only keep around as temporary fillers or stepping stones.
Tier list "C" rank featuring four Roblox-style anime character portraits with teal and red borders. - Role:DPS
- Best for:Very early progression, placeholder damage
- Why they are here:The kit is usable, but not strong enough to justify long-term investment once better units appear.
- Pros:Early usability
- Cons:Weak long-term return
- Best Trait:Solar
- Role:Early DPS
- Best for:Temporary use before evolution
- Why they are here:Base Elastic Captain mostly exists to show how much the evolved version improves the line.
- Pros:Fine as a bridge
- Cons:Huge drop-off versus the evolved form
- Best Trait:Solar
- Role:Situational DPS
- Best for:Temporary slot filling
- Why they are here:Explosive Demon can contribute, but not enough to justify serious long-term resources.
- Pros:Some short-term usability
- Cons:Poor scaling
- Best Trait:Solar
- Role:DPS
- Best for:Early placeholder damage, temporary filler teams
- Why they are here:Present in the current unit pool, but not a standout meta priority compared with the stronger evolved or patch-defining options.
- Pros:Usable short-term; easy extra slot for full-list coverage
- Cons:Low long-term priority; overshadowed by stronger DPS choices
- Best Trait:Solar
If you are comparing the current meta across similar anime games, our Anime Saga tier listis a useful next read. Sprintwagon deserves to be mentioned because it is still the signature economy specialist, and the official wiki notes that Fortuneis the only useful trait for Sprintwagon. But I’m keeping it outsidethe main combat ladder because its value comes from economy support rather than from direct combat carry performance.
That makes Sprintwagon a high-priority specialist, but not a clean fit for a DPS/support/utility combat ranking.
This is the fastest section for players who do not care about the full tier ladder and just want picks by job.
- Best DPS:Demon Leader (Control), Savior (Moonless), Koguro (Unsealed), Warlord (Of the Sea), Arbiter (Of the Void)
- Best support:Sakuya (Time Maid), Priestess (Holy), Teacher (Final Stand)
- Best utility:Deceiver (Monster), Koguro (Unsealed), Ice Queen (Release)
- Best economy:Sprintwagon
- Best for Story Mode:Demon Leader (Control), Club (Pyro), Priestess (Holy), Alligator Story is the main early progression path and a major source of Gems, Gold, and XP food.
- Best for Infinite:Koguro (Unsealed), Warlord (Of the Sea), Sakuya (Time Maid), Deceiver (Monster) Long-run content rewards scaling and efficiency, and Worldlines includes Infinite Convergenceafter Floor 50.
- Best for Boss Rush:Savior (Moonless), Arbiter (Of the Void), Iscanur (Pride), Sukono Boss Eventsdisable Traits and Familiars in both Normal and Nightmare, which raises the value of naturally strong bossing kits.
- Best for Raids and Dungeons:Teacher (Final Stand), Deceiver (Monster), Demon Leader (Control), Savior (Moonless) Raids are longer than Story stages and usually force players to deal with unique mechanics.
- Best for Worldlines:Teacher (Final Stand), Koguro (Unsealed), Deceiver (Monster), Sakuya (Time Maid) Worldlines uses a weather system and resets every x.5 update cycle.
A tier list becomes much more useful once it turns into an actual team.
- Main carry:Demon Leader (Control)
- Secondary damage:Club (Pyro)
- Support:Priestess (Holy)
- Utility:Alligator
- Flex:Ice Queen (Release)
- Main carry:Koguro (Unsealed)
- Boss damage:Savior (Moonless)
- Support/control:Sakuya (Time Maid)
- Utility hybrid:Deceiver (Monster)
- Flex DPS:Warlord (Of the Sea)
- Main damage:Savior (Moonless)
- Burst closer:Arbiter (Of the Void)
- Secondary burst:Sukono
- Flex DPS:Iscanur (Pride)
- Stable carry:Demon Leader (Control)
This is one of the most useful adjacent intents for this query: once a player sees a top unit, the next question is usually how to get it.
- Demon Leader (Control):evolve Demon Leader using items from Tokyo Railway Legend Stage Act 3; the official Demon Leader page lists the Legend Stage obtainment path.
- Savior (Moonless):summon Ichiga (Savior)from the Special Banner, then complete the Spirit Mask Evolution Quest; the Spirit Mask is a quest item introduced in Update 11.5.
- Arbiter (Of the Void):get Arbiter through Season 11 Battle Pass progression, then evolve it.
- Teacher (Final Stand):obtain it by clearing Floor 50 of Worldlines Season 10.
- Deceiver (Monster):buy Deceiverfrom the Dungeon Shop, then evolve it.
- Sakuya (Time Maid):obtain Sakuya from Battle Pass Level 50, then evolve it.
The broader official unit list also confirms that Anime Vanguards units are acquired through a mix of Summoning, stage rewards, events, and shops, depending on the unit.
If you want the cleanest path forward, use this order:
- Start with the mode you play most.
- Pick one main carryfrom SS or S.
- Add one support or utility unitthat fits that carry.
- Check the obtainment pathbefore committing resources.
- Reroll traits last, after you know the unit is staying in your core team.
That flow keeps the page practical instead of turning it into another list you read once and forget.
The best overall units in this version are Demon Leader (Control), Savior (Moonless), Koguro (Unsealed), Warlord (Of the Sea), and Arbiter (Of the Void).
Demon Leader (Control), Club (Pyro), Priestess (Holy), Ice Queen (Release), and Alligator are the safest beginner picks in this ranking.
Koguro (Unsealed), Warlord (Of the Sea), Sakuya (Time Maid), and Deceiver (Monster) are the strongest Infinite-focused picks here.
Savior (Moonless), Arbiter (Of the Void), Iscanur (Pride), and Sukono stand out most for boss-heavy content.
Usually, yes. The official evolution system exists because many units gain major stat or kit upgrades through evolution.
You get Ichiga (Savior) from the Special Banner, then complete the Spirit Mask Evolution Quest to reach Savior (Moonless).
You evolve Demon Leader through the Tokyo Railway Legend Stage path listed on the official Demon Leader page.
After meaningful updates, new mechanics, or major meta discoveries. Update 11.5 introduced enough new systems and unit-specific progression that rankings should be read with a Data as of April 2026mindset.
No. They overlap as anime-styled Roblox tower-defense games, but their unit pools, mode structures, progression, and balance are different.
Use this page like a builder’s map, not a collector’s checklist: start with the SS/S units, check the Best forline for the content you actually play, then use the How to getsection to plan your next upgrade path.
Because this is framed as a best units tier list, the article is tighter than an all-units spreadsheet on purpose. The goal is not to rank everything. The goal is to help you pick the next unit that actually improves your team.
Players who like checking how another anime defense meta is shaping up can also see our Anime Reborn tier list.