Every tier list for Raid disagrees with the others somewhere, because each one weighs game modes differently. So this page does not invent its own scores. It is cross-checked against HellHades, Pocket Gamer (list updated 5 November 2026 for version 11.85.5), Pocket Tactics (August 2026), PCGamesN (June 2026), the official champion guides on raidshadowlegends.com and the official balance patch notes up to Update 11.90. A champion gets a rank in an area only where two of those sources point the same way. Where the lists split, we say so. For the rest of the series, start at the Raid: Shadow Legends hub.
How to read this tier list
Ranks are per area, not overall. A champion who is S in Hydra can be useless in Arena, and that is normal. We use three labels:
- S: rated top tier by at least two current lists, and the official guide names this area as a main use.
- A: strong and widely used in this area, rated A or better by the lists that rate it.
- B: works and fills a gap, but the lists rate it lower or split on it.
Two more columns matter as much as the rank. Rarity decides how expensive a champion is to build: Rares and Epics level with cheaper skill tomes, Legendaries need Legendary tomes. Availability decides whether you can get the champion at all. Some come from Ancient, Void or Sacred shards, some only from fusions, some from login rewards or missions, and a few were time limited and cannot be obtained any more. Mythical champions are a separate rarity above Legendary; they sit at the top of Pocket Gamer's list, but they are the hardest pulls in the game, so we leave them out of the area tables and focus on champions a normal account can plan around.
How Champions Work: Types, Roles, and Team-Building GuideWhat changed in patch 11.90
Update 11.90 (10 November 2026) rebalanced three champions. The one that moves this list is Big 'Un. According to the official patch notes, his first skill now always follows up with a hit on all enemies and places Decrease ACC, his second skill now has a 75% chance to Stun and a 75% chance to place a 60% Decrease DEF on all enemies, his third skill cooldown dropped from 7 to 6, and a new passive makes his team deal 10% more damage with AoE attacks. Pocket Gamer and Pocket Tactics already had him at S before the buff, so he stays at the top for dungeons and wave content.
The other two are Brakus the Shifter, who got stronger damage and Fear effects, and Rhazin Scarhide. Rhazin matters for newer players: Plarium changed some of the Rare champions required to fuse him so they are easier to obtain, and gave him a new passive that makes all allies take 15% less damage from Bosses. Neither has been re-ranked by the lists yet, so they are not in the tables below.
NEW Champion Balance Patch, NOV 2026Clan Boss (Demon Lord)
Clan Boss is a long fight against one huge HP bar, so it rewards survival tools, debuffs and damage that scales with the boss's MAX HP. The rewards side is covered in the Clan Boss rewards guide.
| Champion | Rarity | Rank | Why | How to get |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demytha | Epic | S | Block Damage and buff extension, the base of many Unkillable and Block Damage teams | Void shards, new player code |
| Royal Guard | Epic | A | AoE damage based on enemy MAX HP, Decrease DEF on his first skill | Ancient, Primal, Sacred shards |
| Ninja | Legendary | A | Big single target damage plus Decrease DEF and HP Burn | Ninja Hunt event 2021 only |
| Geomancer | Epic | B to A | Passive reflects damage to targets under his HP Burn; lists split on him | Ancient, Sacred shards |
Demytha is S on both Pocket Gamer and Pocket Tactics, and the official guide calls her the core of Unkillable teams. Royal Guard is A on both lists. Ninja is A on Pocket Gamer, and the official guide says he deals massive damage against Clan Bosses, but nobody can get him now: he was a free reward from the Ninja Hunt login event that ran from July to October 2021. Geomancer is the split case: B on Pocket Gamer, A on Pocket Tactics, S on PCGamesN's PvE list.
Arena
Arena is decided in the first turns: who moves first, who strips buffs, who lands the debuffs before the nuke. Speed leads and buff removal are worth more here than raw damage. The full mode breakdown is in the Arena guide.
| Champion | Rarity | Rank | Why | How to get |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arbiter | Legendary | S | Speed lead and Turn Meter booster that opens speed teams | Progress Missions (free) |
| Madame Serris | Epic | S | Removes all enemy buffs, then places Decrease ATK and Decrease DEF | Void shards, new player code |
| Visix the Unbowed | Legendary | A to S | Turn Meter control, Provoke, AoE Decrease Speed | Daily login reward (free) |
| Angar | Legendary | A | Provoke on all enemies; enemies may turn into Sheep | Void shards, Summon Pool events |
| Thor Faehammer | Legendary | A | Several AoE attacks for nuking whole teams | 2024 fusion, shards |
| Loki the Deceiver | Legendary | B | Perfect Veil, healing and debuff spreading | Login reward (free) |
Arbiter is S on Pocket Gamer and S on PCGamesN's PvP list, and she is free. The official Madame Serris guide uses her as the opener of a classic Arena speed team: Arbiter fills the team's Turn Meter, Serris strips buffs, then the damage goes in. Serris herself is S on both Pocket Gamer and Pocket Tactics. Visix is S on Pocket Gamer and A on Pocket Tactics; the official guide adds that you cannot claim her before day 270 of logging in, which is why she is a mid game pick even though she is free.
Dungeons
Dungeons mix waves and a boss, so the best picks either clear waves fast, bring Decrease DEF, or answer one boss mechanic such as the Fire Knight's shield. Which dungeon to farm first is in the dungeons guide.
| Champion | Rarity | Rank | Why | How to get |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big 'Un | Legendary | S | Three AoE attacks, now with Stun and Decrease DEF; Aura +90 ACC in Dungeons | Ancient, Sacred, Primal shards |
| Stag Knight | Epic | S | AoE Decrease DEF and Decrease ATK on a short cooldown | Ancient, Primal, Sacred shards |
| Cardiel | Legendary | S | Support rated S+ for PvE on PCGamesN, S on Pocket Gamer and Pocket Tactics | Shards |
| Coldheart | Rare | S | MAX HP damage and 100% Turn Meter reduction for Fire Knight and Spider | Void shards, new player code |
| Royal Guard | Epic | A | Boss damage based on MAX HP; Aura +35% ATK in Dungeons | Ancient, Primal, Sacred shards |
| Angar | Legendary | A | Provoke on Spiderlings; Reflect Damage breaks the Fire Knight's shield | Void shards |
Coldheart is the standout here for low spenders: she is a Rare, Pocket Gamer and Pocket Tactics both put her in S, and the official guide calls her one of the strongest Rare picks for Fire Knight and Spider's Den. The catch is gear: she needs 70% Crit Rate and enough Accuracy before she performs.
Hydra
Hydra is a weekly clan boss with several heads, each with its own mechanic. Block Buffs, Provoke, cleansing and steady damage carry it. Team building for it is covered in the Hydra and Chimera guide.
| Champion | Rarity | Rank | Why | How to get |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uugo | Epic | S | AoE Decrease DEF plus Block Buffs, healing, cleanse, conditional team revive | Ancient, Sacred, Primal shards, new player code |
| Mad Hatter | Legendary | S | Hex and Weaken on all enemies, ally joins the attack, buff extension | 2025 fusion, guaranteed event for new players, shards |
| Angar | Legendary | A | Provoke, the official answer to the Head of Decay cleansing debuffs | Void shards |
| Royal Guard | Epic | A | His AoE hits all heads at once and scales with their MAX HP | Ancient, Primal, Sacred shards |
| Loki the Deceiver | Legendary | B | Perfect Veil and debuff spreading; official guide names Hydra as his best area | Login reward |
Uugo is S on Pocket Gamer and Pocket Tactics, and the official guide calls Hydra her primary use, with commonly quoted Accuracy targets around 220 for Normal and Hard and 250 to 300 for Brutal. Mad Hatter is S on Pocket Gamer and HellHades' April 2026 guide puts his strength in Hydra and waves. New accounts should check the Portal for a guaranteed champion event, since the official guide lists one for new players as a way to get him.
Doom Tower
Doom Tower is mostly waves between boss floors, plus Secret Rooms that only accept certain rarities, affinities or factions. That last part is why a cheap Rare can still earn a place here. More in the Doom Tower guide.
| Champion | Rarity | Rank | Why | How to get |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stag Knight | Epic | S | AoE debuffs on a short cooldown clear waves | Ancient, Primal, Sacred shards |
| Visix the Unbowed | Legendary | A to S | Provoke and Decrease Speed protect the team on waves and bosses | Daily login reward |
| Thor Faehammer | Legendary | A | Wave clearing is his main job; fits several Secret Rooms | 2024 fusion, shards |
| Wurlim Frostking | Legendary | B to A | Aura +40% ally DEF in Doom Tower, Strengthen, Freeze | Void shards |
| Warmaiden | Rare | A | AoE 60% Decrease DEF; fits Rare and Force Secret Rooms | Campaign chapter 9, shards |
Wurlim is an honest split: the official guide itself says he does not excel in any one area and other Void Legendaries outclass him, yet his Doom Tower DEF aura keeps him useful into the late game. Warmaiden is S on Pocket Gamer and in Pocket Tactics' Barbarian S tier, and the official guide singles out Doom Tower Secret Rooms as one of her best uses.
Champions the lists treat differently
Pelops the Victor is on HellHades' list of favourite champions of 2026 (October 2026) for his value from early game to endgame, mainly through his Magma Shield. The official guide recommends him from upper Arena to tanking in Cursed City and Grim Forest. Pocket Gamer does not rate him yet, so he gets no area rank here; if you fused him in March 2026, build him.
Grand Oak Padraig has five star ratings on the official site for Campaign, Doom Tower, Hydra, Faction Wars and most dungeons, and a 25% Speed aura in Dungeons. Neither Pocket Gamer nor Pocket Tactics lists him, so we do not rank him. He is not on Plarium's official list of active new player codes (checked on November 1, 2026); current offers are on the Raid promo codes page.
Kael is S on Pocket Tactics and A on Pocket Gamer. He remains the safest starter, which is covered on the starter champion page.
How to use a tier list without wasting resources
- Pick the area that blocks you. If Clan Boss chests are your bottleneck, look only at the Clan Boss table.
- Check what you already own. Filter your collection for the champions in that table, including Rares and Epics.
- Prefer the cheaper rarity at the same rank. An S Epic like Uugo or Stag Knight costs Epic tomes, not Legendary ones.
- Read the patch notes before you 6-star. A rebalance like Big 'Un's in 11.90 can lift a champion overnight.
- Do not chase time limited champions. Ninja cannot be obtained, and missed fusions return rarely, if at all.
For the spending side of this plan, see the free to play guide and the shard saving guide.
FAQ
Who is the best champion in Raid: Shadow Legends in November 2026?
There is no single best champion. Across current lists, Cardiel is the Legendary rated top tier by every list we checked, while Uugo, Demytha, Stag Knight and Madame Serris are the Epics both Pocket Gamer and Pocket Tactics rate S.
Is Big 'Un good after the 11.90 rebalance?
Yes. Update 11.90 gave his second skill a 75% chance to Stun and place 60% Decrease DEF on all enemies, cut his third skill cooldown to 6 and added a 10% AoE damage passive. He was already S on Pocket Gamer and Pocket Tactics.
Who is the best free champion for Arena?
Arbiter. She is free for completing half of the Progress Missions, rated S for PvP by Pocket Gamer and PCGamesN, and opens most Arena speed teams.
Which Rare champions are on Raid tier lists in 2026?
Pocket Gamer's November 2026 list puts Apothecary, Athel, Coldheart and Warmaiden in its Rare S tier. Coldheart and Warmaiden are also top tier on Pocket Tactics.
Can I still get Ninja in Raid: Shadow Legends?
No. Ninja was only available from the Ninja Hunt login event between July and October 2021, and the official guide says there is no other way to obtain him.