Wuthering Waves Tier List 2026: Best DPS, Sub-DPS & Support Characters
This is the updated Wuthering Waves tier list for 2026, ranking every 5-star Resonator across DPS, Sub-DPS, and Support roles. Rankings reflect endgame content (Tower of Adversity, Holographic Tactics, Whimpering Wastes boss DPS check), with notes on what changes if you don't have signature weapons or full Sonata sets.
If you're new to building characters, pair this tier list with our echo main stats guide and the Echo Scorer tool — a great character on bad echoes underperforms a B-tier character on optimal builds.
How we rank characters
- S-tier — meta-defining. Often top-1 in their role; commonly drives team comp decisions.
- A-tier — strong, comfortable picks. Slightly behind S in raw numbers but very flexible.
- B-tier — viable for all content with optimization. Strong in specific niches.
- C-tier — playable but consistently outperformed. Avoid for the hardest content.
- D-tier — outdated or extremely niche. Skip unless you love the character.
We weigh: damage output, rotation flexibility, energy economy, team enablement, and investment ceiling. A character with S-tier ceiling but punishing rotation skill cap drops to A.
Main DPS Tier List
| Tier | Character | Element | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | Carlotta | Glacio | Top Crit DPS. Hits damage cap with reasonable substats. Mandatory pull for clear speed. |
| S | Camellya | Havoc | Best burst window in the game. Slight rotation skill cap, otherwise S+. |
| A | Roccia | Havoc | Sub-DPS into Main DPS at C2+. Without resonance chains, plays as buffer. |
| A | Changli | Fusion | Excellent rotation, scaling with Heavy Attack. Better in Fusion teams than as universal pick. |
| A | Jinhsi | Spectro | Strongest Spectro DPS. Suffers without specific support comp. |
| B | Xiangli Yao | Electro | High ceiling, high floor. Requires Yinlin or Mortefi to peak. |
| B | Encore | Fusion | Comfortable Fusion DPS. Falls behind Camellya/Carlotta in TOA scoring. |
| C | Calcharo | Electro | Outdated Liberation DPS. Power-crept by Xiangli Yao. |
| C | Jiyan | Aero | Once meta, now mid-tier. Still fun, still works in Aero teams. |
Sub-DPS Tier List
| Tier | Character | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | Yinlin | Electro debuffer / off-field DPS | Universal off-field damage + debuff. Slots into nearly every team. |
| S | Zhezhi | Glacio off-field DPS | Best partner for Carlotta. Standalone damage is excellent too. |
| A | Mortefi | Heavy Attack amp | Premier amp for Heavy-Attack DPS (Changli, Xiangli Yao). |
| A | Sanhua | Glacio Basic Attack amp | 4-star powerhouse. Almost mandatory for any Glacio DPS. |
| B | Taoqi | Heavy Attack amp / DEF scaler | 4-star. Niche but works in Heavy Attack teams. |
Support / Healer Tier List
| Tier | Character | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | Shorekeeper | Healer + Spectro amp | Best support unit by a wide margin. Buffs, heals, generates Concerto. |
| A | Verina | Healer + ATK buffer | Universal ATK% buff. Used in most teams even without her signature. |
| B | Baizhi | Pure healer (4-star) | Excellent F2P option. No offensive buffs but solid healing. |
| B | Youhu | Aero shielder (4-star) | Niche shielder. Fits Aero comps. |
Best teams by element
Glacio (Carlotta core)
- Top tier: Carlotta + Zhezhi + Shorekeeper
- F2P friendly: Carlotta + Sanhua + Verina
Havoc (Camellya core)
- Top tier: Camellya + Roccia + Shorekeeper
- Budget: Camellya + Yinlin + Verina (Hybrid, off-element coverage)
Fusion (Changli / Encore core)
- Top tier: Changli + Mortefi + Shorekeeper
- Encore variant: Encore + Mortefi + Verina
Spectro (Jinhsi core)
- Top tier: Jinhsi + Yuanwu + Shorekeeper (Spectro Frazzle setup)
Should you pull?
Pull priorities for the next 6 weeks (May–Jun 2026), assuming you have at least one S-tier DPS already:
Skip-tier reruns
If you already own the on-element S-tier DPS (e.g., Carlotta for Glacio, Camellya for Havoc), most reruns of A-tier characters of the same element are skip. Save for the next new S-tier or for resonance chains (C1/C2) of your favorite DPS.
Always-pull tier
Shorekeeper reruns are universal — she fits every team. Yinlin is similar but element-specific (Electro debuff teams). If you're a new player without either, prioritize them on rerun.
Resonance chains worth chasing
S0 → S1 is the biggest power spike for most characters. S2 for Carlotta (better animation cancels) and Camellya (extended burst window) are also strong. Skip S3–S5 unless you're maxing out — they're luxury.
For detailed pull math, read our Pull Strategy 2026 guide.
FAQ
Is the tier list F2P-friendly?
Mostly, yes. The rankings assume the character has their standard 5-star weapon (the free one from selectors or shop) and a complete Sonata set with B-grade or better echoes. Signature weapons widen the gap but don't change tiers; they push S characters from S to S+ but don't elevate B characters to S.
How often is this list updated?
We update with every major version (every ~6 weeks) and within 24 hours of any character buff/nerf. Last updated: 2026-05-14.
Why isn't [character X] on this list?
4-star characters are only listed if they have meta-defining roles (Sanhua, Mortefi, Baizhi, Taoqi, Youhu). Some 5-stars with very narrow use cases or who have been fully power-crept may have been omitted — let us know at [email protected] if there's an obvious miss.
Related tools and guides
- Echo Scorer — Grade your echoes to see if your build is meta-ready
- Pull Calculator — Plan Astrites for any banner
- Material Planner — Calculate ascension and Forte costs
- Echo Main Stats Guide — What main stat to chase per role
- Sonata Set Tier List — Which 5-piece set for each character
- Pull Strategy 2026 — How many Astrites for guaranteed 5★
- Energy Regen Breakpoints — Real ER thresholds
- Echo Farming Routes — Fastest XP and Tuner farming