Arknights: Endfield 1.6 Tier List – Best Characters (October 2026)

Arknights: Endfield has plenty of operators to choose from, but not every character performs equally well in the current meta. With Version 1.6 arriving in the October 2026 update cycle, it is a good time to look at the strongest characters, the best supports, and which operators are worth investing in for difficult combat challenges. In this guide, we will go through the Arknights: Endfield 1.6 tier list, explain which characters are the strongest, and look at what makes each operator useful. We will also cover the new 1.6 characters, including Si and Argent Flow, alongside the established DPS characters and supports from the previous version. One important thing to keep in mind is that the available detailed rankings are from Version 1.5, including the September 24 Purrchena update. The complete 1.6 rankings for Si and Argent Flow are not confirmed in the information available here, so I will use the previous meta as our baseline and explain what you should know before deciding which characters to build.

Arknights: Endfield 1.6 Tier List – Best Characters (October 2026)

The following list uses the supplied Version 1.5 rankings as a starting point for the October 2026 meta. These rankings consider combat performance, damage, team utility, and how useful an operator is in different types of content. The new 1.6 characters need further evaluation before their final positions can be confirmed.

SS Tier – Best Characters

These are the strongest operators in the supplied ranking. They offer exceptional damage, powerful support abilities, or excellent flexibility across multiple teams.

• Arcane
• Gilberta
• Zhuang Fangyi
• Rossi
• Camille
• Mi Fu
• Tangtang
• Perlica

S+ Tier – Excellent Characters

These operators are powerful in their intended roles and can form the core of some of the strongest teams.

• Laevatain
• Chen Qianyu
• Pogranichnik
• Typhoeus
• Liino
• Xaihi
• Avywenna

S Tier – Strong Characters

These characters remain effective choices, especially when you have the right teammates and build them around their strengths.

• Ardelia
• Last Rite
• Yvonne
• Endministrator
• Arclight
• Wulfgard
• Lifeng

A Tier – Good Characters

A-tier operators can perform well, but they generally have more restrictions or face stronger competition from characters in higher tiers.

• Akekuri
• Antal
• Alesh
• Purrchena
• Ember

B Tier – Situational Characters

These operators can work in specific teams, but their limitations make them less attractive investments compared with stronger alternatives.

• Da Pan
• Snowshine
• Estella

C Tier – Lowest Priority

These characters have limited utility or are outperformed by more flexible alternatives in the supplied ranking.

• Fluorite
• Catcher

Where are Si and Argent Flow? Both are associated with the Version 1.6 update cycle, but their exact positions cannot be confirmed from the supplied Version 1.5 tier list. I would not assign either character an SS or S+ ranking without reliable performance data.

What’s New in Arknights: Endfield Version 1.6?

Version 1.6 is the main focus for this October 2026 guide, particularly because players are interested in the new operators and how they fit into existing teams.

Si

Si is one of the characters to watch in Version 1.6. She is a 6-star Cryo Supporter with several possible builds, including main DPS, sub-DPS, and support setups. Her build options make her interesting because she can be equipped for different roles rather than relying on one fixed gear combination. Some of the main things to consider when building Si include:

• Talent priority: Combo first, followed by Skill, Basic Attacks, and Ultimate under the standard priority list after Level 9.
• DPS weapon: Jade Vessel R9 is the strongest option in the supplied weapon comparison.
• Standard gear: Type 50 Yinglung Soft Armor, Type 50 Yinglung Gauntlets, Type 50 Yinglung Beacon, and Redeemer Seal.
• Energy requirements: Her equipment needs to match the number of Combos in your rotation and the Ultimate Energy Efficiency required.
• Potential upgrades: Potential 5 adds an extra Infliction to her Combo and improves the ATK buff associated with Potential 2.

If you want to use Si as an on-field finisher, you should also consider prioritizing Basic Attacks more highly. For a support-focused setup, choose equipment based on the energy requirements of your team. Although her build options are documented, her final 1.6 tier position still needs to be established separately.

Argent Flow

Argent Flow is another character associated with the Version 1.6 banner information. However, the supplied material does not include a complete kit breakdown, weapon comparison, or team analysis for this operator. Because of that, it would be premature to rank Argent Flow against established characters such as Arcane, Zhuang Fangyi, or Gilberta. When evaluating Argent Flow, look at the following factors:

• How much damage the character can deal in a complete rotation.
• Whether the character needs specific teammates to perform well.
• How easily the character can fit into existing team compositions.
• Whether the character provides useful buffs, debuffs, healing, or crowd control.
• How much investment is needed to compete with existing operators.

These details will help determine whether Argent Flow belongs in the highest tiers or is more useful as a specialized team member.

Best Characters in the Current Meta

Before deciding which characters to invest in for Version 1.6, it helps to understand why the strongest operators from the previous version performed so well.

Arcane – Best Overall Flexibility

Arcane is one of the most valuable characters in the supplied ranking because she can fill both DPS and support roles. Her INT Form provides powerful damage and can compete with top hypercarries. Her WILL Form trades some of that damage potential for team utility, including Arts Inflictions, debuffs, and crowd control. Why Arcane is strong:

• Can function as a DPS or support.
• Deals strong area damage in INT Form.
• Offers useful crowd control in WILL Form.
• Can apply Cryo and Nature Susceptibility.
• Fits into different Arts-focused teams.

Her main weakness is that some of her debuffs have limited uptime, and she can rely more heavily on her signature weapon than many other characters.

Gilberta – Best Support

Gilberta is one of the strongest support characters because she combines powerful debuffs with crowd control. She can apply Arts Susceptibility, provide minor healing, and help control enemies. Her support abilities are particularly valuable in Arts and Hybrid teams. Why Gilberta is strong:

• Provides powerful Arts Susceptibility.
• Offers crowd control to group enemies.
• Can apply Vulnerable and Arts Infliction.
• Helps enable Hybrid team compositions.
• Improves the damage potential of other operators.

Her performance is especially strong when the team can take advantage of her debuffs consistently.

Zhuang Fangyi – Best Electric DPS

Zhuang Fangyi is one of the strongest damage dealers in the supplied ranking. Her Ultimate has a long duration, allowing her to perform well against bosses and in multi-wave combat. She can provide some of her own buffs, but she still needs Electric Infliction from teammates to make her kit work properly. Why Zhuang Fangyi is strong:

• Exceptional damage during her Ultimate.
• Good range and performance against multiple enemies.
• Useful in difficult endgame challenges.
• Flexible team-building options.

Her main weakness is her expensive Ultimate and heavy SP requirements. You need to manage your rotation carefully to get the most out of her.

Rossi – Best Flexible DPS

Rossi is one of the most versatile DPS characters because she can be used as a hypercarry or a sub-DPS. She provides her own buffs and debuffs while helping the rest of the team deal more damage. Her ability to work in different compositions makes her valuable for accounts with different character rosters. Why Rossi is strong:

• Can focus on Ultimate burst damage or sustained damage.
• Fits into Physical, Heat, and Hybrid teams.
• Applies Vulnerable and other useful debuffs.
• Can support the damage output of other carries.

Her main limitation is that she becomes easier to use when paired with Gilberta and other teammates that complement her mechanics.

Tangtang – Best Versatile Cryo Support

Tangtang is another excellent character because she can function as a DPS, sub-DPS, or support. She combines damage with crowd control and Arts Susceptibility, allowing her to contribute more than a typical support character. Why Tangtang is strong:

• Offers strong crowd control.
• Can apply Arts Susceptibility.
• Deals meaningful damage while supporting the team.
• Fits different team roles depending on your roster.

The main downside is that her maximum debuff potential requires casting her Combo Skill twice, so her full value is not always available immediately.

Mi Fu – Best Physical Crush DPS

Mi Fu is one of the strongest Physical damage dealers in the supplied ranking, particularly for players who want to focus on Crush mechanics. She can apply her own Physical Susceptibility and trigger Crush twice in succession when the required SP conditions are met. Why Mi Fu is strong:

• High burst damage.
• Can provide her own Vulnerable stacks.
• Applies Physical Susceptibility in a small area.
• Has fewer restrictions than some other Crush-focused carries.

However, her skills have specific requirements, so you need to manage your rotation and Vulnerable stacks properly.

Perlica – Best Arts Enabler

Perlica is useful in a wide range of Arts teams because she can apply Electric Infliction and trigger Electrification through her Combo Skill. This allows her to support different operators and activate important team interactions. Why Perlica is strong:

• Fits into many Arts-focused teams.
• Can apply Electrification on demand.
• Helps trigger Combo Skills.
• Supports Electric and Hybrid compositions.

Her biggest limitation is the short duration of Electrification, so you need to time her abilities correctly.

S+ Tier Characters Explained

Laevatain – Excellent Heat DPS

Laevatain is a powerful Heat damage dealer with wide area attacks and strong damage against both groups of enemies and individual bosses. She is relatively easy to use because her general rotation works in different combat situations. However, she needs teammates who can provide the required Heat Infliction, Combustion, and Corrosion effects.

Chen Qianyu – Core Physical Support

Chen Qianyu is especially valuable in Physical teams because she can apply Vulnerable stacks and provide crowd control. Her Combo Skill and Battle Skill can Lift enemies, while her Ultimate offers additional damage and Stagger potential. She is less useful outside Physical-focused compositions, but she is an important option when building around Crush or Breach mechanics.

Pogranichnik – Strong SP Generator

Pogranichnik is a valuable Vanguard for Physical teams. He generates SP, applies Breach, and can deal damage from off-field through his Ultimate. His main drawback is that he consumes Vulnerable stacks to maximize his damage and SP generation, so your team rotation needs to be planned carefully.

Typhoeus – Nature Hypercarry

Typhoeus is a strong Nature Striker who focuses on Arts Burst damage and aerial attacks. Her aerial combat can protect her from many melee attacks, but she depends heavily on teammates to provide Nature Infliction. Her weapon options are also more limited than those of some other characters.

Liino – Flexible Support

Liino is a versatile support who offers ATK buffs, healing, off-field damage, and SP recovery. Her low SP consumption makes her useful in Electric teams and several other compositions, especially Arts-focused ones.

Xaihi – Essential Cryo Support

Xaihi is a core support for Cryo teams. She provides Cryo-related buffs and debuffs, including Arts Amp, Cryo Amp, and increased Cryo damage. If you are building around Cryo carries such as Last Rite or Yvonne, Xaihi is an important character to consider.

Avywenna – Strong Electric Carry

Avywenna can deliver excellent burst damage in Electric teams when her setup is performed correctly. She can apply Electric Susceptibility and is especially useful in certain endgame challenges. However, her damage takes time to set up, and she competes with Zhuang Fangyi for some team options.

S Tier Characters Explained

Ardelia

Ardelia is a flexible healer who can fit into many teams. She offers healing, Arts and Physical Susceptibility, and Corrosion application. She is an excellent sustain option, although she is not always the best-in-slot support for a specific team.

Last Rite

Last Rite is a strong Cryo DPS with excellent single-target burst damage. She can also apply Cryo Susceptibility to improve her own damage. Her main limitation is her requirement for three or more Cryo Inflictions to perform her burst combo. This restricts her team options and makes her more dependent on a carefully planned rotation.

Yvonne

Yvonne is a strong Cryo carry who specializes in defeating individual bosses and elite enemies. With sufficient investment and the correct team, she can deal enormous damage through her Ultimate. However, she struggles against scattered groups of enemies and in modes that begin without Ultimate energy. These limitations explain why she was moved down to S Tier in the supplied September 2026 update.

Endministrator

Endministrator is a reliable Physical DPS who can deal strong single-target damage through Crush mechanics. The character can also provide team support through the Realspace Stasis talent. However, maximizing Crush damage requires proper Vulnerable stack management, so team composition and SP usage matter.

Arclight

Arclight is a Vanguard designed primarily for Electric teams. She helps generate SP and supports Combo Skill rotations. Her main weakness is that some of her buffs require spending a large amount of SP, which can conflict with the needs of carries such as Zhuang Fangyi.

Wulfgard

Wulfgard can function as a Heat Infliction support or a Combustion-focused DPS. He is useful for setting up Arts Reactions, but his damage and support utility are more limited than those of the highest-ranked characters.

Lifeng

Lifeng provides Physical Susceptibility, Link buffs, and some crowd control. He can deal damage while supporting the team, making him useful in Physical compositions. However, his long animations can leave him vulnerable to interruption if timed poorly.

A Tier Characters Explained

Akekuri

Akekuri is a flexible Vanguard who can help generate SP for many different teams. She is a useful substitute when you need an SP generator, but her performance depends heavily on enemy availability and she can be outperformed by more specialized Vanguards.

Antal

Antal offers Heat and Electric buffs and debuffs. He can help improve the performance of carries such as Laevatain, but his support abilities are mainly focused on single targets and particular damage types.

Alesh

Alesh provides SP generation and can support Shatter-focused teams. His kit has several conditions involving Cryo Infliction stacks, and his damage can be inconsistent. His limited team utility makes him less attractive than stronger Vanguards.

Purrchena

Purrchena was added to the supplied tier list in September 2026 and placed in A Tier. She provides Protection, healing, crowd control, Stagger, and Nature Infliction. Compared with other Defenders, she offers a useful combination of defensive and offensive utility. However, her Combo Skill and Ultimate involve random effects. This makes her less reliable when you need a specific debuff or crowd-control effect at a particular point in your rotation.

Ember

Ember provides healing, shields, and Vulnerable stacks, making her useful in certain Physical and Hybrid teams. Her main drawback is that some of her healing and support effects depend on specific conditions, which can make her less consistent than other sustain characters.

B Tier Characters Explained

Da Pan

Da Pan is a Physical Crush DPS who performs well against groups of enemies. His Ultimate can reduce cooldowns, helping him deal damage in area-focused content. However, his main damage source depends on his Combo Skill, and cooldown restrictions can make his rotations awkward.

Snowshine

Snowshine provides healing and can force Solidification through her Ultimate. Her main limitation is that her Cryo Infliction depends on enemy behavior, making it difficult to rely on her for consistent rotations. She is usable as a sustain option, but her utility is restricted compared with stronger supports.

Estella

Estella is designed for Shatter teams and can apply Physical Susceptibility to enemies affected by Solidification. Unfortunately, the Shatter archetype is relatively weak in the supplied ranking, and her specialized role limits her usefulness compared with more flexible characters.

C Tier Characters Explained

Fluorite

Fluorite can provide additional Cryo or Nature Infliction, giving her a limited niche in certain team compositions. However, her high Combo Skill cooldown and Ultimate cost restrict how frequently she can provide that utility. She also lacks several team-supporting effects available from stronger characters. Tangtang is generally the more flexible option in the supplied comparison because she can provide damage, debuffs, and crowd control in addition to her Cryo utility.

Catcher

Catcher provides Protection, shields, Weaken, and some Vulnerable application. The problem is that his defensive abilities have restrictive conditions, and his shield depends on an ally falling below a certain HP threshold. This makes him less reliable than other defensive options.

Best Characters to Invest in for Version 1.6

If you are deciding which operators deserve your resources, I would start by looking at the characters that provide the greatest flexibility or fill important roles in their teams.

Character	Main Role	Why Consider Them?
Arcane	DPS / Support	Flexible forms and excellent overall utility
Gilberta	Support	Powerful debuffs and crowd control
Zhuang Fangyi	Electric DPS	Exceptional Ultimate damage
Rossi	DPS / Sub-DPS	Flexible team options and strong debuffs
Tangtang	Cryo DPS / Support	Damage, crowd control, and Arts Susceptibility
Mi Fu	Physical DPS	Strong Crush burst damage
Perlica	Arts Enabler	Reliable Electrification setup
Laevatain	Heat DPS	Strong area damage and boss damage
Xaihi	Cryo Support	Important buffs for Cryo carries
Si	Cryo Support	Multiple build options; final 1.6 tier position unconfirmed

These are starting points rather than a universal investment order. The best choice for your account depends on which operators you already own, the teams you can build, and the content you want to clear. For example, if you already have a strong Electric team, Zhuang Fangyi may offer more value than investing in another carry that needs an entirely different set of supports. If your roster lacks a flexible support, Arcane or Gilberta may improve several teams at once. For Si, I would first check the available banner details, her kit, and the energy requirements of the teams you want to build before making a final investment decision. The Version 1.5 rankings provide a useful starting point for understanding the Arknights: Endfield meta. Arcane, Gilberta, Zhuang Fangyi, Rossi, Tangtang, Mi Fu, Camille, and Perlica stand out because they provide strong damage, valuable support, or flexible team-building options. For Version 1.6, Si and Argent Flow are important characters to watch, but their final rankings should depend on verified performance rather than assumptions based on their rarity or banner placement. Si has several interesting build options, especially for Cryo teams, while Argent Flow needs a fuller kit and team analysis before a reliable ranking can be assigned. If you are building your account right now, prioritize operators who improve your existing teams, then consider pulling for characters who fill a role you are missing. That approach will generally give you more value than chasing every new character as soon as an update arrives.