Wuthering Waves tier list and who to pick at the start

Updated on June 20th, 2026 - Version 3.4.1 - Added: Lucilla, Rebecca, Lucy

I know you're eager to dive straight into our Wuthering Waves tier list, but before we take a look at the best characters right now, it's good to know a few important things.

The first time you start, you will be able to choose a free 5* character. This will probably be one of the first 5-stars you get, so you need to pick the right one. If you aren't sure which one to pick, there's an explanation at the bottom of this tier list.

Don't forget to also redeem all the latest Wuthering Waves codes for more chances to summon the characters you want! Who are the best characters? In this Wuthering Waves tier list, I've ranked the characters based on how well they perform in PvE, but also how they could potentially transition into the late game. 

Not all the top-tier characters are 5*, which goes to show just how versatile this game really is. If you've played Genshin Impact, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. Make sure you spend your resources on the S-tier characters as soon as you get them, though, because they are the ones you will ultimately fit into your end-game teams.

withering waves baizhi

About Rover Rover is the main character (in a way, the equivalent of Traveler in Genshin Impact), and he's an excellent character all throughout the game. Later on, you will be able to unlock Rover-Havoc, who is a top-tier option. 

The reason Rover has not been added to the tier list is that he is quite a situational character, and you will probably use him in the early game, but as soon as you acquire a few high-tier characters, you could end up replacing him. That is, until you get Rover - Havoc, of course.

Rover (Havoc) - S/A Tier (situational) Rover (Spectro) - B Tier (A Tier early game) Wuthering Waves Tier List Tier Character S Rebecca, Lucy, Hiyuki Sigrika, Brant, Aemeath, Lynae, Mornye, Augusta, Cartethyia, Ciaccona, Yinlin, Shorekeeper, Phrolova, Iuno, Galbrena, Qiuyuan, Lucilla A Denia, Lupa, Zani, Phoebe, Roccia, Carlotta, Camellya, Zhezhi, Changli, Jiyan, Verina, Cantarella, Sanhua, Chise, Luuk Herssen, B Danjin, Mortefi, Xiangli Yao, Rover, Encore, Calcharo, Buling, Danjin C Jianxin,Chixia, Lingyang, Aalto, Yuanwu, Baizhi D Youhu, Yangyang, Taoqi, Lumi

Feel free to use the links below to find out more about the characters in each tier!

S Tier  |  A Tier  |  B Tier  |  C Tier  |  D Tier
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