The current Wuthering Waves tier list puts Yangyang Xuanling, Suisui, Hiyuki, Sigrika, Aemeath, Iuno, Phrolova, Cartethyia, Lynae, Shorekeeper, Augusta, Galbrena and Mornye in the SS tier, with Qingxiao, Verina, Jiyan, Carlotta, Zani, Ciaccona and others in S.
For DPS, Aemeath, Hiyuki, Sigrika, Yangyang Xuanling, Cartethyia, Phrolova and Augusta are among the strongest current choices. For support, Shorekeeper, Suisui and Mornye stand out for their team-wide value, while top sub-DPS and hybrid picks can offer strong damage without taking excessive field time.
The ranking is based on damage, team synergy, endgame performance, flexibility, investment requirements and weapon dependence. Your best character to build or pull may differ from the overall ranking, especially if your account already has strong DPS or lacks a good support.
| Tier | Characters |
| SS Tier | Yangyang Xuanling, Suisui, Hiyuki, Sigrika, Aemeath, Iuno, Phrolova, Cartethyia, Lynae, Shorekeeper, Augusta, Galbrena and Mornye. |
| S Tier | Qingxiao, Lucilla, Luuk Herssen, Rebecca, Verina, Jiyan, Carlotta, Zani, Chisa, Ciaccona and Lupa. |
| A Tier | Brant, Cantarella, Qiuyuan, Encore, Spectro Rover, Xiangli Yao, Mortefi, Changli, Camellya, Jinhsi, Phoebe, Zhezhi, Aero Rover and Sanhua. |
| B Tier | Calcharo, Havoc Rover, Danjin, Jianxin, Roccia, Yinlin, Yuanwu and Baizhi. |
| C Tier | Chixia, Lingyang, Youhu, Lumi, Aalto, Yangyang and Taoqi. |
Jingran:His Version 3.6 debut makes him a character to watch, but he is not included in the established ranking until his live performance can be properly evaluated. Version 3.6 lists him as a Fusion/Broadblade five-star Resonator. Important:Tier placement is not the same as pull priority. A support you do not own may be more valuable to your account than another top-tier DPS.
This Wuthering Waves tier list weighs practical performance instead of assuming every character has maximum Resonance Chains and their signature weapon.
The main factors are:
- Endgame performance:How well the character handles difficult PvE content.
- Team synergy:How effectively the character works with strong current teammates.
- Damage and utility:Personal output matters, but so does what the character gives the rest of the team.
- Investment requirements:A unit that needs extreme investment is less universally valuable.
- Weapon dependence:Signature weapons can change performance significantly.
- Rotation difficulty:High theoretical damage is less useful if the required execution is unusually punishing.
- Overall flexibility:Characters that fit several good teams receive an advantage.
Current specialist rankings likewise emphasize difficult PvE modes, team performance and practical usability rather than a single damage measurement.
- Baseline Assumptions:This tier list ranks all Resonators at S0 without signature 5-star weapons to reflect practical, accessible investment.
- High-Dupe Scaling:Unlocking S6 significantly boosts damage, simplifies rotations, and can push lower-tier units into top-tier territory.
- Pull Advice:Unless you are heavily investing, judge characters by their baseline S0 performance rather than their maximum duplicate ceiling.
This is an overall ranking, so characters are judged by the value they bring to a team rather than raw personal damage alone.
SS-tier list row displaying 13 anime-style female character portraits. - Yangyang Xuanling (Havoc) - She sits at the top because of her exceptional offensive ceiling and ability to function as a premier carry in the current meta. Her main strength is turning sustained on-field pressure into very high damage rather than relying on one isolated burst.
- Suisui(Glacio)-Suisui earns SS status through the opposite route: extraordinary team value. Her buffs, debuffs and sustain make her useful across a wide range of compositions, which is exactly the kind of role compression that makes a support valuable long term.
- Hiyuki (Glacio) - Hiyuki is one of the standout Glacio Chafe carries. Her unusual strength comes from being able to apply and consume the mechanic herself, giving her a more self-contained damage loop than many specialist DPS units. Current Version 3.6 rankings consistently place her among the top offensive choices.
- Sigrika(Aero) - Her biggest selling point is how much her kit does at once. She combines strong Aero damage with self-buffing and crowd control, while leaning heavily into Echo Skill damage. That makes her powerful without turning her rotation into a complicated puzzle.
- Aemeath(Fusion) - Aemeath is SS because she is unusually flexible for a main DPS. She can work with Tune-focused teams, Fusion Burst setups and Mono Fusion compositions, while also bringing powerful self-buffs and very high damage multipliers.
- Iuno(Aero) - Iuno is valuable because she blurs the line between sub-DPS and support. She can deal substantial Resonance Liberation damage while also healing teammates and deploying her Full Moon domain, giving her far more utility than a conventional damage dealer.
- Phrolova(Havoc) - Her SS placement comes from a combination of on-field and off-field damage. She is particularly effective in Havoc-focused teams, letting her contribute meaningful damage without behaving like a purely selfish carry.
- Cartethyia(Aero) - Cartethyia stands out for her durability as well as her damage. Her HP-based scaling means she can build offense without becoming as fragile as some conventional carries, while her Aero kit gives her strong independent value. Current rankings continue to place her among the game's strongest Aero choices.
- Lynae(Electro) - Lynae's value is less about topping a personal damage chart and more about how effectively she fits modern team structures. Strong team compatibility and useful off-field contribution give her excellent account-wide value.
- Shorekeeper(Spectro) - Shorekeeper is the classic example of why an overall tier list cannot be built around DPS alone. She offers healing and powerful support utility, making her one of the safest high-value investments for players who want one character to improve multiple teams. Current rankings consistently keep her at or near the top.
- Augusta(Electro) - Augusta earns her place through high-end offensive output and a distinctive kit that gives her strong Heavy Attack performance. Her ability to create powerful damage windows, including her time-stop utility, gives her an unusually high ceiling.
- Galbrena(Havoc) - Galbrena remains an SS option because she combines very high damage with a less conventional scaling profile. Her value is strongest when her team supports the way her damage is distributed, but the payoff is considerable.
- Mornye(Spectro) - Mornye is here because modern WuWa teams place enormous value on amplification. She becomes especially powerful when her support effects line up with a team's preferred damage pattern, making her more impactful than a simple healer or buffer.
These are not all the same type of character. Some dominate through damage, while others earn SS because they make entire teams stronger.
S-tier list row displaying 11 anime-style character portraits. - Qingxiao(Aero) - As a new Version 3.6 Aero Sword five-star, Qingxiao deserves an S placement while the wider meta settles around her. She is designed as a modern offensive Resonator, but her final long-term value depends heavily on how well her new mechanics translate into optimized teams.
- Lucilla(Glacio) - Lucilla is especially valuable in Glacio Chafe teams because her fast rotations let her apply the mechanic efficiently. Her value is strongly tied to that team archetype, which keeps her just below the most universally useful SS characters.
- Luuk Herssen(Spectro) - Luuk is a powerful Tune Strain-focused damage dealer whose Basic Attack scaling gives him a distinct identity. He is excellent when the team is built around his intended mechanics, but that specialization slightly limits his flexibility.
- Rebecca(Electro) - Rebecca is a strong offensive pick built around Tune-shifting damage. Her ceiling is high enough to compete with the best, although she does not offer quite the same universal account value as the strongest SS-tier units.
- Verina(Spectro) - Verina remains one of the game's most practical supports because she combines healing with team utility. She is not as specialized as some newer buffers, but her broad usefulness keeps her highly relevant.
- Jiyan(Aero) - Jiyan remains an excellent Aero DPS, particularly when enemies can be grouped together. His AoE-focused kit gives him a clear niche even as newer carries push overall damage benchmarks higher.
- Carlotta(Glacio) - Carlotta remains one of the most reliable Glacio damage dealers. Her strength is consistency: she does not need an elaborate explanation to justify her value when a player simply wants a strong Glacio carry.
- Zani(Spectro) - Zani is particularly strong when her Spectro damage mechanics are fully supported. Her value rises in teams that can consistently enable her preferred damage pattern rather than forcing her into generic compositions.
- Chisa(Havoc) - Chisa's S-tier placement comes largely from utility. She can become extremely valuable in teams that take advantage of her Havoc-focused support functions, even when her personal damage is not the reason she is on the field.
- Ciaccona(Fusion) - Ciaccona offers a useful mix of offensive contribution and team interaction. She becomes especially appealing for players who want a character capable of adding value without demanding all of the field time.
- Lupa(Fusion) - Lupa remains a strong specialist who can contribute significant value in teams built around her particular strengths. She sits in S rather than SS because that value is more composition-dependent.
These characters are excellent choices, but they generally have either a narrower team niche or less account-wide impact than the SS group.
A-tier list row displaying 14 anime-style character portraits. - Brant(Fusion) - A capable damage dealer who remains useful when his team can support his intended playstyle, but stronger modern options now compete for the same investment.
- Cantarella(Glacio) - A solid hybrid choice whose biggest appeal is flexibility between damage and team utility. She is good at many things without dominating one category.
- Qiuyuan(Aero) - Qiuyuan remains a useful Aero option with respectable team value, but the current roster offers more specialized alternatives at the very top.
- Encore(Fusion) - Encore can still deliver impressive damage and remains a functional main DPS. She falls into A because newer carries offer stronger combinations of ceiling, utility and flexibility.
- Spectro Rover(Spectro) - As an accessible Spectro option, this Rover variant shines due to their unique time-stop utility and minor healing capabilities. Even in the late game, their ability to enable Spectro-focused teams and provide safe damage windows gives them lasting value over sheer damage output.
- Xiangli Yao(Electro) - A proven offensive option with strong personal damage, but newer carries now provide more specialized or efficient ways to reach the same endgame goals.
- Mortefi(Fusion) - Mortefi's strength is team interaction rather than raw field time. His off-field contribution can be valuable with the right carry, which makes him a strong specialist rather than a universal top pick.
- Changli(Fusion) - Changli remains mechanically capable and rewarding when her Forte stacks and rotations are managed well. Her placement reflects competition from newer characters rather than a lack of damage.
- Camellya(Havoc) - Camellya can still produce excellent sustained damage. Her position is lower mainly because current team structures and newer DPS options make the overall investment requirements more competitive.
- Jinhsi(Spectro) - Jinhsi's unique Incandescence-based damage pattern still gives her a meaningful niche, and her AoE output remains valuable. She is simply no longer the automatic answer to every DPS question.
- Phoebe(Glacio) - Phoebe is useful as both a sub-DPS and potential main carry, which gives her flexibility. Her versatility keeps her relevant even as the meta becomes more crowded.
- Zhezhi(Glacio) - Zhezhi remains an effective specialist whose value rises sharply with compatible characters. That team dependence is the main reason she sits below the top universal picks.
- Aero Rover(Aero) - Aero Rover provides excellent early-to-mid game utility, specifically through their ability to group smaller enemies. While premium Aero units eventually outpace their damage ceiling, their crowd-control and rapid energy generation keep them highly viable as a quick-swap sub-DPS.
- Sanhua(Glacio) - Sanhua remains one of the more practical lower-rarity options because she can contribute efficiently without demanding excessive field time. Her value is strongest when you need a compact sub-DPS rather than another carry.
These characters are absolutely worth building when they fit your roster. A-tier does not mean weak; it means the current meta gives you stronger or more specialized alternatives.
B-tier list row displaying 8 anime-style character portraits. - Calcharo(Electro) - He can still deal respectable damage, but his demanding rotations and tougher competition from newer carries reduce his current priority.
- Havoc Rover(Havoc) - A useful accessible DPS with a dependable kit, although the premium roster now offers more powerful alternatives for players focused strictly on endgame optimization.
- Danjin(Havoc) - Danjin can reward skilled play with strong damage, but her more demanding execution and narrower margin for error make her less universally attractive.
- Jianxin(Aero) - Jianxin offers useful utility and survivability, but her overall performance is less specialized than the top support and damage options.
- Roccia(Spectro) - Roccia can work well within the right composition, though she does not provide the same broad account value as the strongest current supports and hybrids.
- Yinlin(Electro) - Yinlin remains a valuable specialist when her team can exploit her off-field contribution. Her lower placement reflects greater competition and narrower current team relevance.
- Yuanwu(Electro) - Yuanwu can be effective in specific setups where his mechanics matter, but his value is considerably more conditional than that of the top sub-DPS choices.
- Baizhi(Glacio) - Baizhi remains useful, particularly for developing accounts that need accessible healing. She ranks lower because more capable premium sustain options offer substantially more utility.
These characters can still clear content. The question is whether investing heavily in them makes sense when stronger alternatives are available.
C-tier list row displaying 7 anime-style character portraits. - Chixia(Fusion) - Chixia can be effective in the right hands and against suitable targets, but her current overall ceiling leaves her behind stronger damage dealers.
- Lingyang(Glacio) - Lingyang still has a distinctive playstyle, but newer characters outperform him across too many important areas for him to remain a high-priority investment.
- Youhu(Glacio) - Youhu has useful niche applications, but her current overall contribution is less competitive than the better-supported alternatives.
- Lumi(Electro) - Lumi can work for players who enjoy her playstyle, but she has difficulty competing with stronger options for the same investment.
- Aalto(Aero) - Aalto remains a functional niche pick, yet his lower flexibility limits his value in a roster increasingly filled with stronger specialists.
- Yangyang(Aero) - Yangyang can provide useful early-game utility, but modern endgame standards make her harder to justify as a major investment.
- Taoqi(Havoc) - Taoqi can offer defensive utility, but her slower contribution and competition from stronger supports make her a low-priority choice for optimized accounts.
These characters are not automatically unusable. They are simply the easiest to replace when stronger alternatives are available.
If your goal is simply to build a powerful carry, the SS and S tiers provide the strongest starting point.
The leading offensive choices currently include Yangyang Xuanling, Hiyuki, Sigrika, Aemeath, Cartethyia, Phrolova and Augusta, with Qingxiao also entering the high-end DPS conversation after her Version 3.6 release.
The important distinction is between damage ceiling and practical damage. A theoretical powerhouse that needs a narrow team and difficult rotation can be less useful to an average player than a slightly weaker unit that performs consistently.
The best DPS characters usually combine:
- High sustained damagerather than one impressive screenshot.
- Efficient rotationsthat avoid unnecessary field time.
- Strong team synergywith currently useful supports.
- Good performance at realistic investment levels.
- Reliable endgame performanceinstead of only strong overworld damage.
- Maximum damage:Focus on the current SS-tier carries.
- Flexible team building:Prefer DPS units that work with multiple strong supports.
- New accounts:A strong carry paired with a reliable support is usually better than collecting several carries.
- Lower investment:Avoid characters whose performance depends heavily on premium weapons or high Resonance Chains.
- Endgame:Prioritize consistency in challenging combat over exploration convenience.
The best DPS is the one that gives you both strong damage and a team you can realistically build.
A good sub-DPS does more than add another damage number. The best ones contribute without stealing too much field time.
Phrolova, Lynae, Lucilla and several hybrid unitsbecome especially useful when their damage can continue while the main DPS takes over.
That is important because three-character teams create a constant trade-off between personal damage and field-time efficiency.
Look for characters that can combine damage with:
- team amplification
- off-field attacks
- efficient Outro effects
- strong elemental or status interactions
- useful energy or rotation support
That extra utility is often what separates an excellent sub-DPS from an average one.
Hybrid units can be some of the most efficient investments because they contribute in more than one way.
Iuno is a good example: she can deal substantial Resonance Liberation damage while also providing team healing and domain amplification.
If your account already has strong carries, a versatile sub-DPS can add more practical value than another main DPS.
Supports often have the strongest long-term account value because their usefulness can extend across several teams.
Shorekeeper, Suisui and Mornyestand out because they can improve a team's performance without requiring the player to build an entirely new roster around them.
Picture two accounts: one has three powerful DPS units and one has strong DPS but no premium support. The second account may gain far more from a top support than from pulling another carry.
Shorekeeper and Verinaremain highly attractive because they combine survivability with broader team utility.
A healer becomes much more valuable when healing is not their only job. The strongest sustain characters help maintain damage output rather than simply preventing defeat.
Specialist supports can outperform universal supports when a team is built specifically around their mechanics.
That is why overall rankings should never replace team-specific advice.
Once you have enough damage dealers, support quality becomes one of the best ways to improve an account.
Weapons can change the value of a character, particularly for DPS units.
A signature weapon may increase damage, improve a rotation or make a character's intended playstyle substantially easier to execute.
That does not automatically make the character bad without it.
The better question is: How strong is the character at the investment level you can realistically achieve?
A character with perfect Echoes, a signature weapon and several Resonance Chain upgrades may look dramatically stronger than the same character at S0 with a standard weapon.
For most players, consistent performance at a realistic investment is a more useful measure.
Tier listsanswer “who is strong?” Your account needs to answer “who should I actually pull?” Start with the current SS and S-tier carries, then choose the one whose element, team requirements and playstyle fit your roster.
A top support can be the better investment if your account already has enough damage.
Look for:
- powerful buffs
- healing
- off-field damage
- team amplification
- role compression
- compatibility with multiple carries
Favor versatility over theoretical maximum damage.
Limited Astrite makes it harder to justify a character that only becomes exceptional after expensive additional investment.
Give extra weight to:
- Tower of Adversity performance
- team efficiency
- current enemy mechanics
- rotation consistency
- investment requirements
Your best pull is usually the character that fills a gap in your roster, not simply the character at the top of the chart.
The strongest individual characters still need the right partners.
A hypercarry team gives most of the team's offensive resources to one main DPS while the other two Resonators maximize that character's damage window.
Dual-DPS compositions work well when both characters can contribute meaningful damage without constantly fighting for field time.
Specialized teams can become extremely effective when all three members reinforce the same damage mechanic or status interaction.
New players should prioritize teams that work with readily available characters rather than compositions that demand several limited five-stars.
A strong DPS, flexible support and reliable sustain is usually easier to develop than a highly specialized endgame team.
Yes. Tier lists are a prioritization tool, not a list of characters you are forbidden to use.
A lower-ranked Resonator can be the better choice when:
- you already have their best teammates
- you have invested heavily in them
- their playstyle suits you better
- they fill a missing role
- the higher-tier option requires much more investment
The strongest character on paper is not necessarily the easiest character for you to use well. Rotation comfort, positioning and familiarity all affect practical performance.
A fully built character should not automatically be abandoned because a newer Resonator moved above them on a tier list.
The real question is whether the improvement is meaningful enough to justify the resources required.
A generic ranking cannot account for every player's roster. That is why personal account context should always be the final filter.
The best character depends on role, team synergy and investment. Yangyang Xuanling, Suisui, Hiyuki, Sigrika and several other SS-tier units lead the current ranking.
Yangyang Xuanling, Hiyuki, Sigrika, Aemeath, Cartethyia, Phrolova and Augusta are among the strongest current DPS options.
Shorekeeper is one of the strongest universal supports because she combines sustain with valuable team utility, while Suisui and Mornye offer powerful modern amplification.
The best sub-DPS depends on the team, but Phrolova, Lynae, Lucilla and Iuno stand out for combining meaningful damage with broader team value.
No. S6 refers to a Resonator's sixth Resonance Chain sequence, not a ranking tier.
No. Tier lists are evaluations based on assumptions about investment, game modes, teams, weapons and current meta conditions.
No. Your roster matters more than the label alone. A support that fills a major account weakness may be more valuable than another S-tier DPS.
Different lists use different patches, game modes, investment assumptions, weapons, team compositions and evaluation priorities.
Yes. Some four-star characters remain highly useful because of their support utility, off-field contribution or compatibility with specific teams.
It can. A signature weapon may substantially improve damage or rotation efficiency, so weapon assumptions should always be considered when comparing rankings.
It should be reviewed after major patches, new Resonators, significant system changes and meaningful shifts in the endgame meta.
The best way to use a Wuthering Waves tier list is to treat it as a starting point rather than a final verdict.
Version 3.6.3 has a crowded top tier filled with high-output carries, flexible hybrids and powerful supports.
If your account lacks damage, start with the strongest DPS options. If damage is already covered, look toward support and sub-DPS value. And if you already have a well-built team, there is no reason to replace a perfectly functional character simply because a newer unit appears higher on a tier chart.
The best Resonator is not always the strongest one on the list. It is the one that makes your account stronger.