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How to read this Vampire Survivors tier list
Each character brings a starting weapon and a passive bonus; both shape how comfortably a run begins and how much a character can gain from later weapon and passive choices. The tiers below weigh early-run safety, passive-stat value, late-game scaling, unlock accessibility, and reliance on a particular stage or setup. They are qualitative comparisons of character kits, not placements from an official scoring system or controlled performance tests.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Dragon is Dead - Nintendo Switch | $34.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion™ Remastered – Physical Deluxe Edition – Nintendo Switch 2 | $88.90 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Minecraft - Nintendo Switch | $29.83 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Dragons Dogma 2: Dark Arisen - Nintendo Switch 2 | $49.99 | Buy on Amazon |
The baseline is an ordinary run without heavy Golden Egg investment. Arcanas, Limit Break, weapon evolution, stage difficulty, and build choices can all shift a character’s performance. A specialized setup may push a character above its general-purpose tier, while a build that takes time to come together can be a poor fit for a first clear. The tier labels therefore describe practical recommendations under the stated baseline, not an absolute power ranking for every mode.
| Tier | What it means here | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
| S | Exceptional general-purpose kit with strong early value and a high ceiling. | Players who want a powerful, flexible pick. |
| A | Very strong, but with a noticeable trade-off in accessibility, consistency, or setup dependence. | Players comfortable with ordinary unlocks and build planning. |
| B | Capable in a standard run, but less forgiving or less broadly rewarding than higher tiers. | Players who enjoy a particular kit or have a specific goal. |
| C | More situational under this baseline; may need favorable conditions or investment. | Players choosing for variety, challenge, or a niche strategy. |
Who are the best characters in Vampire Survivors?
For a flexible standard-run recommendation, prioritize characters whose starting weapon handles early threats reliably and whose passive bonus remains useful as the build fills out. Characters that need a particular Arcana, stage, or late-game combination can still reach impressive results, but they are less dependable as all-purpose picks. Unlock availability matters too: a strong character behind a demanding unlock is not the same recommendation as an early, accessible character.
#1 Best Overall
- Play as an immortal Successor - You are a Successor, an immortal warrior empowered by the gods Lu, Ashuran, and Harnia. When you die, you revive with your gear, runes, and unlocks intact and head back out from Cliffshire to push further into corrupted zones. Choose your Successor - You'll start as the Spellblade and unlock additional Successors as you progress. Each has its own skill tree, weapons, and playstyle
- Playable Classes - Spellblade-Element-focused hybrid with close and mid-range attacks built around fire, frost, and lightning. Berserker - Heavy melee bruiser that trades its own HP and positioning for huge damage and armor. Hunter - Mobile ranged fighter using thrown weapons, poison, and beast abilities to apply damage over time and control space.
- 2D Roguelite Hack-and-Slash Combat - Combat revolves around precise dodges, reading telegraphed attacks, and committing to aggressive combos. Areas are multi-layered 2D stages that reshuffle enemy layouts, hazards, and loot each run. When you fall, you lose gold and temporary bonuses, but your gear and runes stay with you and form the base of your next attempt.
- Loot, Runes, and Artifacts - Hunt Elites and Bosses to claim Rune Stones, then craft them into Legendary and Mythic equipment. Runes and class skill trees interact to define your build, while artifacts you pick up mid-run stack into powerful synergies.
- Bonus Goodie - Poster is packed inside.
Because the current roster includes content released after many older tier lists, a definitive character-by-character placement cannot be substantiated here without reliable current kit details and unlock conditions for every character. Rather than assign invented tiers, use the criteria below to compare the characters available in your own roster and to decide which recommendation matches your goal.
For an easier first clear
Favor a character whose starting weapon can reach or protect you from enemies without requiring a precise position, and whose passive bonus helps across more than one narrow build. Reliable early damage and room to recover from imperfect weapon choices are more valuable here than a theoretical maximum after a long setup.
Rank #2
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered modernises the 2006 Game of the Year with all new stunning visuals and refined gameplay.
For a reliable ordinary run
Look for a balance: an opening weapon that keeps the first minutes manageable, a broadly useful passive, and a kit that still benefits from ordinary weapon evolution and passive selection. If a character’s strength depends on one specific stage or Arcana, treat that as a conditional recommendation rather than a general-purpose top pick.
For maximum late-game strength
Late-game-focused rankings answer a different question from beginner rankings. A character may scale especially well after weapon slots, evolutions, Arcanas, and other choices align, even if the opening is less safe. Pocket Gamer’s September 18, 2026 guide explicitly ranks characters by late-game power; that is one editorial methodology, not proof of universally best placements. Read Pocket Gamer’s Vampire Survivors tier list.
Rank #3
- Minecraft is a game about placing blocks and going on adventures
- Explore randomly generated worlds and build amazing things from the simplest of homes to the grandest of castles
- Play in creative mode with unlimited resources or mine deep into the world in survival mode, crafting weapons and armor to fend off the dangerous mobs
- Play on the go in handheld or tabletop modes
- Includes Super Mario Mash-Up, Natural Texture Pack, Biome Settlers Skin Pack, Battle & Beasts Skin Pack, Campfire Tales Skin Pack; Compatible with Nintendo Switch only
How DLC and the current build affect the ranking
Legacy of the Bloodmoon launched on August 28, 2026. Poncle’s release announcement says the expansion adds 12 new friendly villains, 16+ weapons and evolutions, one Adventure, and one large stage; it identifies version 1.16.100 as the associated game update. The official hotfix announcement dated August 30, 2026 identifies version 1.16.107, which is the cutoff used here. See poncle’s Steam announcements.
Steam states that Legacy of the Bloodmoon requires the Vampire Survivors base game. DLC ownership therefore changes which characters and content are available to recommend; it does not make a DLC character automatically stronger than a base-game character. Check the expansion’s availability for your region and platform before planning around its roster. Vampire Survivors on Steam.
Rank #4
- Relic Expedition Cycle – Throughout their journey in the kingdom of Norgan, the Arisen must unearth and appraise forgotten relics to unlock powerful new weapons and skills.
- New Dungeon Challenges – The 12 freshly uncovered Lost Rites dungeons house trials designed by the Pathfinder to sharpen the Arisen’s skills and recover rare equipment once held by past Arisen that now lay dormant.
- Deeper Character Customization – New tattoo and hair options have been added to the already robust character creation tool in Dragon’s Dogma 2 so Arisen and Pawns can have even deeper personalization.
- Now on Nintendo Switch 2 – Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen brings the classic fantasy world of Dragon’s Dogma 2 and the Dark Arisen Expansion to the Nintendo Switch 2 for the first time.
- Pre-order Bonuses – The Norgan Fashion Set - Northern Attire will be available as a pre-order bonus, which can be accessed via in-game storage at launch.
Older roster totals should not be treated as current: the wiki’s reported 165-character count predates the 2026 expansion. A current total is not established by the sources cited here, so this ranking does not give one. Character reference on the Vampire Survivors Wiki.
A practical way to choose your next character
- Decide what the run is for. Choose whether you need a safe first clear, an adaptable standard run, or a late-game ceiling. These goals reward different strengths.
- Check what you can actually use. Confirm the character is unlocked and whether its content requires an expansion. Steam lists Legacy of the Bloodmoon as requiring the base game.
- Compare the opening kit. Assess whether the starting weapon can clear threats consistently before the build is complete; weigh the passive bonus by how broadly it supports weapon and passive choices.
- Account for setup dependence. Note whether the character needs a particular Arcana, stage, evolution, or other condition. Treat those as part of the recommendation, not as guaranteed baseline performance.
- Reassess after roster or balance updates. This guide is stamped to version 1.16.107; new characters, weapons, and balance changes can alter the comparison.
Why tier lists disagree
Two rankings can differ without either being a factual contradiction. One may reward a safe opening and accessible unlocks; another may rank only peak late-game performance. Golden Eggs, stage difficulty, Arcanas, Limit Break, DLC ownership, and assumptions about weapon evolution also change the result. No standardized official character performance test or developer-endorsed tier list was located for this ranking, so placements from any guide should be read as its author’s judgment under its chosen conditions.
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