Before the list, one rule from the official fleet guide that changes how you read any tier list: three champions of the flagship's style give +20 percent ATK, DEF and INT, two give +10 percent. A "B tier" champion of your style often beats an "S tier" champion of the wrong style. Read this together with our ships and flagships guide and the Foundation: Galactic Frontier hub.
How champions work
Each champion has a rarity (Epic or Legendary), a style (Beam, Kinetic or Ion), a role (damage, support, defense) and two sets of abilities: space abilities that buff the fleet they command and ground abilities for landing missions. The official 10 tips guide stresses that some champions are better on the ground and others in space, and gives the "Kaboom, Robots" event as a ground example.
- Level cap is tied to the Energy Core. Each Energy Core level from 31 to 35 raises the champion cap by 5.
- Promotion unlocks stronger abilities and uses champion fragments and promotion resources.
- Champion Weapons (added in update 1.1.0, March 2026, with exclusive weapons in 1.1.111) are a second power layer for your core champions.
- Recruitment uses Virtuous Memories; events and the Steam launch hand out extra recruitment items.
Ground versus space. A champion's tier is mostly about fleet value, because space combat decides ports, rallies and PvP. Ground missions matter for story progress, landing events and Combat Lab (a ground combat event tested from September 2026). If a champion is weak in your fleet trio but strong on the ground, keep them levelled just enough for landings and put the big investment into your fleet trio.
The roster we could confirm
The official site profiles the nine characters above, with backstories but not stats. Styles marked "official" come from the Steam launch post or from the in game cards in the official Steam trailer (style icon in the corner). For the other champions we list a style only when two independent guides agree.
Consensus tier list, November 2026
Sources: PocketGamer (updated 2 October 2026, version 1.1.140), LDShop (18 June 2026) and BlueStacks (January 2026), plus official style data. Where they disagree we show the spread. Tiers are for an all round account; for one style, use the style table further down.
| Tier | Champion | Style | Role | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | Zora Domini | Kinetic (official) | Damage | Top or near top in every list; area damage and Unyielding Decree. Free from the Steam first purchase |
| S | Ajita | Ion (LDShop) | Support | PocketGamer S, LDShop SSS: heals based on total ATK and buffs the team |
| S | Eva von Trier (Warden) | Kinetic (official) | Support / debuff | Lowers enemy DEF; Kinetic Overload boosts all Kinetic champions |
| S | Evan Rogers | Beam (2 sources) | Damage | Limited champion; core of the strongest Beam fleets per AllClash and LDShop |
| S / A | Killer Bee | not confirmed | Damage | Limited; PocketGamer S for damage and self healing |
| A | Jodie Béart | Ion (2 sources) | Support / all round | S in two lists, A in one; sustained healing for long fights |
| A | Doug Rockwell | Beam (official) | Support / healer | A or S everywhere; reliable Beam support, beats Lani Verita |
| A | Cocoon | Kinetic (official) | Defense | Good tank for Kinetic fleets; BlueStacks rates her lower |
| A | Lily | Ion (LDShop) | Damage | A to SSS; scales well with investment |
| A | Aliya | sources disagree | Support | A to S; strong support, style listed differently by sources |
| A | Kama Moai | sources disagree | Damage | Solid damage if you lack the top picks |
| B | Riian Dessos | Kinetic (official) | Damage | Clears weak waves, struggles against bosses |
| B | Lani Verita | sources disagree | Support | Early filler, replace with Cocoon or Doug |
| C | Klara | Beam (2 sources) | Support | Early game only |
| C | Phade | Ion (2 sources) | Support | Early game only in all three lists |
| C | Lucius Pullo | Beam (2 sources) | Damage | Falls off at higher difficulty; LDShop is kinder (A) |
Best trios by style
| Style | Slot 1 (first) | Slot 2 | Slot 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kinetic | Eva von Trier (Warden) | Cocoon | Zora Domini |
| Beam | Doug Rockwell | Klara or Lucius Pullo until upgraded | Evan Rogers |
| Ion | Ajita | Jodie Béart | Lily |
The Kinetic trio is the one the developers themselves recommend in the Steam launch post, and the only one that new Steam players can complete without the gacha. The Beam and Ion trios follow the community builds; swap in whatever champion of that style you have at the highest level.
Foundation: Galactic Frontier: Season 2, New Gameplay (official channel)Who to invest in first
- Your main style's damage dealer. For most accounts that is Zora Domini in 2026.
- The support that unlocks the style bonus. Warden for Kinetic, Doug Rockwell for Beam, Ajita for Ion.
- The third style match, even an Epic, to reach the +20 percent bonus.
- One good ground champion for landing events if your fleet trio is weak on the ground.
- Second style only when your first fleet is fully levelled and you have a second battle queue.
Champion Weapons and other 2026 additions
The champion system has grown a lot since launch, which is why tier lists from early 2026 age badly. The App Store release notes give the timeline:
| Version | Date | Champion change |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0.45 | December 2025 | Lily Champion Fragments added |
| 1.0.101 | March 2026 | Champion Weapon point quests |
| 1.1.0 | March 2026 | Champion Weapon system released |
| 1.1.11 | April 2026 | Champion Weapon drawing changes |
| 1.1.36 | April 2026 | Jodie Béart classic look unlocked |
| 1.1.67 | June 2026 | Stamina and Champion Weapon items in the Discount Shop |
| 1.1.111 | July 2026 | Champion exclusive weapons |
Exclusive weapons favour the champions you already play most, so they reinforce the advice above: commit to one trio and put your weapon resources into it, instead of spreading them over a bench.
Champions to skip and common traps
- Klara, Phade and Lucius Pullo are rated early game only by at least two sources. Use them, do not promote them.
- Limited champions such as Evan Rogers and Killer Bee are strong but not always recruitable. Do not plan an account around a banner that is gone.
- Pretty portraits are not stats. Hari Seldon is the face of the game; we found no reliable stats or tier data for him, so we leave him unranked.
- Old lists. Lists from early 2026 predate Champion Weapons and several new champions. Check the date.
For where recruitment items come from, see our resources guide; for using your champions in guild fights, the PvP and alliances guide.
FAQ
Who is the best champion in Foundation: Galactic Frontier?
Zora Domini appears at or near the top of every 2026 tier list we checked. She is an SSR Kinetic damage champion and comes with the first purchase on the Steam version.
Are champions the same as heroes?
Yes. The game calls its heroes champions. Each one fights on the ground in a three champion squad and also commands a fleet in space.
What is the best Kinetic team?
Warden (Eva von Trier), Cocoon and Zora Domini, in that order. The developers recommended this trio in the Steam launch post because Warden's Kinetic Overload boosts all Kinetic champions.
How do I recruit champions?
Recruitment unlocks through the story and uses Virtuous Memories. Events, the Returning Friend event and the Steam launch also give recruitment items and specific champions.
Is Klara worth upgrading?
Not long term. All three tier lists we compared rate Klara as an early game champion to replace once you have better supports of your style.
Do styles matter more than tiers?
Often yes. Three champions of the flagship's style give 20 percent more ATK, DEF and INT, so a lower tier champion of your style can beat a higher tier one of another style.