The definitive operator rankings to help you build the right squad from day one on PC.
If you’re just starting out in Arknights: Endfield, knowing which operators to invest in early makes the entire experience more rewarding. This tier list covers all 23 launch operators, explains what makes each one worth building or skipping, and gives you a clear path to a squad that dominates Talos-II. The best part: the strongest team in the game uses free operators you earn through story progression.
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S-tier: the operators that make everything click
Laevatain is the best operator in the game right now and it is not particularly close. Her Heat-focused kit stacks Melting Flame to trigger Combustion reactions that erase entire enemy waves in seconds. Once her Ultimate activates, her basic attacks transform into auto-firing heat lasers dealing massive AoE damage with almost no input required. Protocol Spaces and Energy Alluvium sites that would challenge other teams become straightforward with her in your roster.
The game doesn’t explain this very well, but her optimal team is built around free story operators: Ardelia, Akekuri, and Antal. That combination of top-tier damage and complete accessibility makes her the best pull target on current banners. Download the game, clear the early story, get Antal and Ardelia for free, then save for Laevatain. That is the fastest path to a genuinely powerful squad.
Ardelia is the most versatile support in the game. She applies both Arts and Physical Susceptibility simultaneously, which means she fits every team composition regardless of element. Multiple healing sources keep your squad alive through extended runs without needing a dedicated healer. She is the safest support investment in Version 1.0, and you start building her the moment you boot up the game.
Yvonne rounds out S-tier as the best single-target damage dealer. Her forced Solidification mechanics create massive damage windows against bosses and elite enemies. Where Laevatain clears waves, Yvonne dismantles individual targets. The two work exceptionally well together.
A-tier: powerful operators that anchor strong compositions
Chen Qianyu is essential for Physical teams. Fast attacks generate frequent Lifts while her low Ultimate cost makes her consistently impactful. Physical compositions feel noticeably stronger once she is in the lineup.
Pogranichnik brings SP recovery, enemy gathering, and solid sub-DPS to Physical setups. His Attack buff amplifies team damage in a way you feel immediately.
Last Rite dominates Cryo teams with burst damage and Susceptibility application. She requires some ramp-up time but reaches damage ceilings that rival S-tier when properly supported.
Gilberta enables Nature Infliction teams and smooths out Overworld exploration considerably. Once you have her, traversal through new regions feels faster and more controlled.
Antal is the best argument in the game that 4-stars can compete with premium pulls. Powerful Heat and Electric buffs make him a cornerstone of Mono-Electric compositions, and he is completely free through story progression. Build him early.
B-tier: solid operators that fill important roles
Endministrator, the protagonist you control directly, is genuinly competitive when properly invested. Unusual for a gacha protagonist, he functions as a Vulnerable consumer in Physical teams with impressive payoff damage. Your story character is actually useful.
Avywenna serves as a strong Electric DPS option when Laevatain is not available. Sustained damage against Electrified targets reaches impressive numbers once you understand her positioning requirements.
Snowshine is the best Defender available at launch. Default tank choice when your content needs dedicated survival focus rather than raw damage.
Ember handles Physical damage mitigation and battlefield control reliably. Solid Defender option for content demanding survival over offense.
Wulfgard simplifies Combo Skill activation through Heat mechanics. A great fit if you are still learning elemental reactions before moving to more complex compositions.
Da Pan delivers the heaviest Crush finishers in his tier against staggered bosses. Slower animations are a fair tradeoff for the raw damage output.
Akekuri is a free story operator who generates SP and adds Combustion reaction value in fire teams. Much stronger than his availability suggests.
C-tier and D-tier: where to hold your resources
C-tier operators (Arclight, Perlica, Lifeng, Alesh) are functional and will carry you through story content, but better alternatives exist for each role. Use them while you save for stronger options rather than investing heavily.
D-tier (Catcher, Estella, Fluorite) are safe skips. Your resources do more work elsewhere. Story content is completable with the free operators you earn through progression anyway.
Building your first squad
Here’s a simple way to get started. Pick one main DPS, ideally Laevatain or Last Rite if you pulled either. Add Ardelia as universal support because she works in everything. Include Antal for strong buffs despite being a 4-star. Fill the fourth slot with a second DPS or Defender based on what content you are running.
This core clears most story content and early endgame comfortably. Once you have it running, expand into elemental synergies based on what you pull next. Physical teams grow with Chen Qianyu. Electric compositions open up with Avywenna. Heat builds deepen with Laevatain as your center.
The starting experience in Endfield is designed to give you strong free options immediately. You are not waiting ten hours before your squad feels capable.
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Understanding elemental reactions
Once you understand how reactions work, the entire game opens up. Combustion from Heat clears groups instantly. Solidification creates Physical damage windows that turn good DPS into great DPS. These mechanics often matter more than raw operator tier.
A well-built B-tier team using correct reactions regularly outperforms a poorly-synergized S-tier composition. This is what makes Endfield’s combat system satisfying: smart play is genuinely rewarded, and you do not need the rarest operators to feel powerful.
Investment priorities
Max your main DPS first. Damage output matters most for clearing content efficently. Then invest in Ardelia or your best support. Defenders and sub-DPS come third.
Weapon enhancement delivers a bigger power spike than raw level increases in the early game. The factory automation system generates upgrade materials while you play, so the longer you are in the game, the faster your squad improves.
Laevatain, Ardelia, Chen Qianyu, and Antal form the meta foundation for Version 1.0. Their kits provide lasting value that does not get replaced easily. Build these four and you have a squad capable of clearing everything currently in the game.
The bottom line
Endfield gives you powerful free operators from the moment you start. Ardelia and Antal come through story progression. The Endministrator is genuinly competitive. The strongest team composition is accessible without spending anything beyond your first major pull.
Download it on PC, earn your free operators through the story, and start building toward Laevatain. You will have a squad capable of clearing all current content within your first month of play without spending a dollar.
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