Best Characters in Rivals of Aether: Ranked Tier List

While the original intent of platform fighters like Super Smash Bros. was to create a more accessible fighting experience, games like Rivals of Aether prove that there’s plenty of room for a competitive scene. Of course, to be competitive-ready, you need to know which characters are worth a darn. Here’s a ranked tier list of the best characters in Rivals of Aether.

Best Characters in Rivals of Aether: Ranked Tier List

When selecting a character in Rivals of Aether, as with any fighting game, the most important thing is your personal preference. Some people have a remarkable talent for bringing out the true potential of weird or gimmicky characters, after all. The second most important thing, though, is usability, and that’s what we’re talking about here.

Related: Soulcalibur 6 Tier List: Best Characters Ranked

As every character has their own abilities and specialities, some are more overtly useful and competition-ready than others. Factors like ease of use and learning, counter resistance, and more are all taken into account when deciding who sits atop the Aether throne.

S-Tier Rivals of Aether Characters

These characters are the absolute cream of the crop. While some of them may have a bit of a high skill ceiling for newer players, anyone who can learn their ways will find themselves with a favorable win-lose ratio nine times out of ten.

• Ori and Sein
• Maypul
• Sylvanos
• Forsburn

A-Tier Rivals of Aether Characters

While not quite at the cusp of their stuff, these characters are no pushovers either. Their innate strengths and accessibility make them excellent picks for both veterans and newbies, and with enough practice, they can bring about fairly consistent victories.

• Absa
• Wrastor
• Zetterburn
• Ranno
• Mollo

B-Tier Rivals of Aether Characters

With these characters, victory tends to come about more in spite of their specializations rather than due to them. They can be good, certainly, but consistent success with them will require more lab time on your part, and they may fall victim to higher-tier counter picks.

• Clairen
• Kragg
• Etalus
• Elliana
• Pomme
• Olympia
• Hodan

C-Tier Rivals of Aether Characters

Out of the hands of the most skilled players, these characters are just too weak or weird to be of much use in a competitive setting. They’re fun enough in casual play, but that’s about it.

• Orcane
• Shovel Knight

Honorable Mention Rivals of Aether Characters

We’d be remiss if we didn’t at least make a passing mention of the game’s massive catalog of Steam Workshop characters. While most of these characters are disqualified from competitive play by default, many of them are expertly designed and balanced. If you’re playing in a modified tournament that allows them, try using your favorite Workshop characters to really mix things up.

As we’ve said, the ultimate factor in choosing a character is simply whichever one speaks to you. If you like the weirdo characters, that’s great! Just be ready to put a lot of lab time in to make them competitively viable.

For more competitively viable picks in fighting games, check out our tier lists for BlazBlue Central Fiction and DNF Duel. Visit our Facebook page as well for more news and guides.