Understanding Survivor Rankings in Risk of Rain 2
In Risk of Rain 2, every survivor is capable of completing a run, regardless of their position on a tier list. Rankings are subjective, often influenced by your preferred playstyle, the difficulty setting, and current item RNG. This guide assesses survivors based on their performance on Monsoon difficulty and their consistency in Eclipse modes.
When evaluating a character, consider these key metrics:
- Damage Output: Ability to clear Elites and bosses efficiently.
- Mobility: Essential for repositioning and executing "pillar skips."
- Survivability: Scaling through healing, armor, or invulnerability frames (I-frames).
- Item Scaling: How effectively common items convert into late-game power.
S-Tier: The Powerhouses
Survivors in this tier define the current meta due to their strong kit fundamentals and minimal reliance on specific items to remain effective.
- Loader: Widely considered the top survivor. She combines the highest single-hit damage in the game with exceptional grappling mobility, barrier generation on every hit, and fall damage immunity.
- Seeker: A feature-rich survivor with a built-in revive mechanic (at 7 Tranquility stacks), strong mobility via Sojourn, and a team-support kit that rewards high mastery.
- False Son: His growth passive allows for unique build flexibility by scaling with HP items. His Laser Burst provides massive sustained DPS, making him a threat from the early game onwards.
- Void Fiend: Offers a versatile "Jack of all trades" playstyle. His Shadowfade provides reliable healing, while his Corrupted form delivers immense burst damage, making him consistent across all stages.
A-Tier: Consistent Performers
These survivors are reliable on Monsoon but may require more mechanical precision or a deeper understanding of item interactions to reach their peak.
- Bandit: His Desperado ability provides infinite late-game scaling, while his backstab mechanic guarantees crits, allowing for fast boss clears.
- Acrid: A standout for long-term viability. His poison deals damage based on a percentage of the enemy's max HP, ensuring he remains relevant even as enemies scale exponentially.
- CHEF: Following the Seekers of the Storm update, CHEF has become a burst-damage machine. His boosted cleavers and freeze mechanics allow for devastating execution chains.
- Artificer: While lacking mobility, her burst potential is unmatched. Skilled players use Ion Surge for flight and pillar skips, managing cooldowns to maintain a high damage ceiling.
- Captain: His Defensive Microbots passive is a game-changer, neutralizing projectiles. While he lacks traditional mobility, his Diablo Strike offers the highest single-hit damage in the game.
B and C-Tier: Niche and Setup-Dependent
Survivors in these tiers are solid but often face clearer weaknesses, such as low base HP, zero mobility, or a reliance on specific item RNG.
- Mercenary: High skill ceiling due to his reliance on I-frames. While rewarding, he is highly vulnerable to mistakes in later stages.
- Engineer: A favorite for stationary play. His turrets provide massive on-hit procs, but he struggles significantly if he cannot establish a strong position or if his turrets are destroyed.
- REX: A high-risk, high-reward character. His self-damage mechanic is punishing in Eclipse modes where healing is reduced, requiring precise play to manage his health pool.
- Commando: Often cited as the weakest by the community due to his lack of standout mechanics, though veteran players note he scales well with on-hit items in very long runs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which survivor is best for beginners?
Commando and Huntress are the most accessible due to their straightforward kits. MUL-T and False Son are also recommended; MUL-T provides a massive HP pool, and False Son’s growth mechanic makes him forgiving as you collect items.
Does the tier list change on Eclipse difficulty?
Yes. Survivors with built-in sustain, such as Seeker and Void Fiend, rise in value because Eclipse modifiers reduce standard healing. Acrid is also highly valued here because his percentage-based poison damage ignores healing reduction mechanics.
Why is there no D or F tier?
Community consensus emphasizes that Risk of Rain 2 is well-balanced. Every survivor is viable with the right build. Even those labeled "weak" are simply more reliant on specific items or high skill expression to achieve the same results as top-tier characters.
How do I play Heretic?
Heretic is a hidden survivor that cannot be selected at the character screen. You must collect all four "Heresy" Lunar items during a single run to transform. She possesses the highest base stats in the game but requires constant healing to offset her passive HP drain.
For more information on specific builds, you can visit the official Risk of Rain 2 Steam page.
