Welcome to the most comprehensive Anime Vanguards 8.5 tier list created by sts and updated with community rankings! If you’re wondering which units are worth your time and resources in the latest version of Anime Vanguards, you’ve come to the right place. This tier list ranks all available characters based on their overall performance, utility, and effectiveness in various game modes. Whether you’re a new player looking for the best starters or a veteran seeking to optimize your team, this guide will help you make informed decisions about unit selection and investment. Our rankings are continuously updated based on community feedback and meta shifts, ensuring you always have the most current information at your fingertips.
For more general information about the game, check out our complete Anime Vanguards guide to master all aspects of gameplay.
Before diving into the tier list, it’s important to understand the criteria we use to evaluate each unit:
These factors are weighed based on the current meta and community feedback to provide the most accurate rankings possible.
| Name | Tier | Key Stats | Special Abilities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dragon Emperor | S | ATK: 9500, DEF: 7500, HP: 12000 | Dragon’s Fury, Emperor’s Presence |
| Shadow Assassin | S | ATK: 10500, DEF: 5500, HP: 9000 | Shadow Strike, Vanish |
| Mystic Healer | S | ATK: 6000, DEF: 7000, HP: 11000 | Divine Healing, Blessing of Light |
| Thunder Guardian | S | ATK: 8500, DEF: 9000, HP: 13000 | Thunder Shield, Lightning Storm |
| Flame Princess | S | ATK: 11000, DEF: 6000, HP: 9500 | Inferno Blast, Phoenix Rebirth |
| Name | Tier | Key Stats | Special Abilities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Warrior | A | ATK: 8000, DEF: 8500, HP: 11500 | Frozen Armor, Blizzard Strike |
| Wind Archer | A | ATK: 9500, DEF: 6500, HP: 10000 | Gale Force, Precision Shot |
| Earth Shaker | A | ATK: 7500, DEF: 9500, HP: 14000 | Quake, Mountain Stance |
| Light Sage | A | ATK: 7000, DEF: 7500, HP: 10500 | Holy Light, Purification |
| Dark Knight | A | ATK: 9000, DEF: 8000, HP: 12000 | Soul Drain, Dark Armor |
| Name | Tier | Key Stats | Special Abilities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Mage | B | ATK: 7500, DEF: 7000, HP: 10000 | Tsunami, Healing Waters |
| Beast Tamer | B | ATK: 7000, DEF: 7500, HP: 11000 | Call of the Wild, Beast Mastery |
| Samurai | B | ATK: 8500, DEF: 7000, HP: 9500 | Blade Dance, Honor Strike |
| Ninja | B | ATK: 8000, DEF: 6000, HP: 8500 | Shadow Clone, Smoke Bomb |
| Paladin | B | ATK: 6500, DEF: 9000, HP: 12500 | Divine Shield, Holy Strike |
| Name | Tier | Key Stats | Special Abilities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pirate Captain | C | ATK: 7000, DEF: 6500, HP: 10000 | Cannon Barrage, Plunder |
| Alchemist | C | ATK: 6000, DEF: 7000, HP: 9500 | Potion Master, Transmute |
| Bard | C | ATK: 5500, DEF: 6000, HP: 9000 | Inspiring Song, Harmony |
| Knight | C | ATK: 6500, DEF: 8000, HP: 11000 | Shield Bash, Fortify |
| Archer | C | ATK: 7500, DEF: 5500, HP: 8000 | Multi-Shot, Eagle Eye |
| Name | Tier | Key Stats | Special Abilities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice Mage | D | ATK: 5000, DEF: 5500, HP: 8000 | Magic Missile, Basic Shield |
| Villager | D | ATK: 4000, DEF: 5000, HP: 7500 | Gather, Hide |
| Squire | D | ATK: 4500, DEF: 6000, HP: 8500 | Assist, Basic Strike |
| Scout | D | ATK: 5500, DEF: 4500, HP: 7000 | Recon, Quick Shot |
| Merchant | D | ATK: 3500, DEF: 4500, HP: 7000 | Bargain, Trade |
The Dragon Emperor stands at the pinnacle of Anime Vanguards 8.5 with devastating damage output and impressive survivability. His Dragon’s Fury ability can wipe out entire teams when fully charged, while Emperor’s Presence provides a significant attack boost to all allies. What makes him truly exceptional is his versatility – he excels in both PvE and PvP environments, making him the most sought-after unit in the current meta. His only drawback is the rarity and difficulty of acquisition, but if you manage to obtain him, investing resources in the Dragon Emperor will pay tremendous dividends.
Shadow Assassin reigns supreme as the highest damage dealer in Anime Vanguards 8.5, capable of eliminating key targets with terrifying efficiency. Her Shadow Strike ability ignores a portion of the target’s defense, making her particularly effective against tanky units. The Vanish ability allows her to become untargetable for a short duration, providing both offensive and defensive utility. While her defensive stats are lacking, her incredible burst damage and mobility more than compensate. Position her carefully to maximize her damage potential while keeping her safe from counterattacks.
Mystic Healer is an indispensable support unit that can single-handedly turn the tide of battle with her powerful healing abilities. Divine Healing provides massive area-of-effect healing that can recover your entire team from critical health, while Blessing of Light grants temporary damage reduction and status immunity. What sets her apart from other healers is her versatility – she can provide consistent healing while also contributing to team survivability through her buffs. In the current meta where burst damage is prevalent, having a Mystic Healer on your team is practically essential for success in higher-level content.
Thunder Guardian is the quintessential tank unit in Anime Vanguards 8.5, boasting exceptional defensive stats and powerful crowd control abilities. His Thunder Shield ability not only provides him with substantial damage reduction but also reflects a portion of incoming damage back to attackers. Lightning Storm is an area-of-effect ability that stuns enemies and deals consistent damage over time. What makes him S-tier is his ability to protect your team while simultaneously disrupting enemy formations. He’s particularly valuable in PvP modes where controlling the battlefield is crucial for victory.
Flame Princess brings explosive damage and self-sustainability that places her among the elite units in Anime Vanguards 8.5. Her Inferno Blast ability deals massive area-of-effect damage that scales with her missing health, encouraging aggressive playstyles. Phoenix Rebirth allows her to revive once per battle with a portion of her health restored, making her incredibly difficult to permanently remove from the field. Her high attack stat combined with these abilities makes her a formidable offensive threat that can single-handedly carry teams through difficult content. The key to maximizing her potential is managing her health carefully to balance damage output and survivability.
Ice Warrior serves as a formidable defensive unit with excellent crowd control capabilities that justify his A-tier placement. His Frozen Armor ability significantly increases his defense while slowing attackers, creating a protective barrier for your team. Blizzard Strike deals area-of-effect damage and has a chance to freeze enemies, providing valuable control in both PvE and PvP scenarios. While he lacks the raw damage output of S-tier units, his utility and survivability make him a solid choice for players who prefer a more defensive approach. He’s particularly effective in team compositions that rely on controlling the battlefield and outlasting opponents.
Wind Archer excels as a ranged damage dealer with consistent output and utility that earns her a spot in the A-tier. Her Gale Force ability pushes enemies away while dealing damage, making her excellent for controlling enemy positioning. Precision Shot is a targeted ability that ignores evasion and has a high critical hit chance, allowing her to eliminate key targets reliably. Her balanced stats and versatile skill set make her suitable for various team compositions, though she requires proper positioning to maximize her effectiveness. She’s a reliable choice for players who value consistent performance over high-risk, high-reward playstyles.
Earth Shaker is a powerhouse tank with disruptive abilities that can turn the tide of battle in your favor. His Quake ability stuns all enemies in a large area and deals damage based on his maximum health, making it scale exceptionally well with upgrades. Mountain Stance further increases his defense and health regeneration, making him incredibly difficult to defeat. While his damage output is modest compared to offensive-focused units, his ability to control the battlefield and absorb punishment for your team is invaluable. He’s particularly effective in game modes where survival and crowd control are prioritized over raw damage.
Light Sage is a versatile support unit that brings both healing and offensive utility to any team composition. Her Holy Light ability provides targeted healing to the most injured ally while simultaneously dealing damage to nearby enemies, offering a unique blend of support and offense. Purification removes all debuffs from allies and grants temporary status immunity, which is crucial for overcoming challenging content with frequent debuffs. While she may not provide as much raw healing as the Mystic Healer, her additional utility and damage contribution make her a valuable asset in many situations. She’s particularly effective in balanced team compositions that require flexibility.
Dark Knight combines solid damage output with impressive survivability, making him a well-rounded unit that fits comfortably in the A-tier. His Soul Drain ability deals damage while healing himself for a portion of the damage dealt, providing sustain during prolonged battles. Dark Armor increases his defense and reflects a portion of incoming magic damage, making him particularly effective against mage-heavy teams. His balanced stat distribution and self-sustain make him a reliable choice for players who prefer units that can both deal damage and withstand punishment. While he may not excel in any particular area, his versatility ensures he remains relevant in various team compositions and game modes.
Water Mage brings a mix of damage and supportive capabilities that make her a solid B-tier unit in Anime Vanguards 8.5. Her Tsunami ability deals area-of-effect damage and has a chance to slow enemies, providing some crowd control utility. Healing Waters offers consistent healing over time to multiple allies, though it lacks the burst healing potential of higher-tier healers. Her balanced skill set makes her suitable for early to mid-game content, but she tends to fall off in effectiveness during late-game challenges where more specialized units excel. She’s a good choice for players who need a flexible unit that can contribute in multiple ways, though she may eventually be replaced by more specialized options as you progress.
Beast Tamer offers unique utility through her ability to summon and enhance animal companions, earning her a respectable position in the B-tier. Her Call of the Wild ability summons powerful beasts that fight alongside your team, providing additional damage and distraction. Beast Mastery enhances all summoned creatures on the field, increasing their damage and durability. While her personal stats are unremarkable, her value comes from the additional firepower and utility provided by her summons. She’s particularly effective in game modes where having multiple targets is advantageous, though she struggles in content with area-of-effect damage that can quickly eliminate her summons.
Samurai is a straightforward damage dealer with high attack power and respectable mobility that places him in the B-tier. His Blade Dance ability allows him to strike multiple enemies in quick succession, making him effective against groups of weaker foes. Honor Strike is a powerful single-target ability that deals increased damage based on the Samurai’s missing health, encouraging aggressive playstyles. While he lacks the utility and versatility of higher-tier units, his raw damage output makes him a solid choice for players who prefer a direct approach to combat. He’s most effective when supported by units that can provide healing and protection to compensate for his relatively low defensive stats.
Ninja specializes in burst damage and mobility, making him an effective assassin-type unit in the B-tier. His Shadow Clone ability creates duplicates that confuse enemies and deal additional damage, though these clones are relatively fragile. Smoke Bomb allows him to become untargetable and gain increased critical hit chance for a short duration, enabling devastating burst damage combos. While he can eliminate key targets quickly when properly positioned, his low defensive stats make him vulnerable to counterattacks. He’s best utilized by players who can effectively manage his positioning and timing to maximize his damage potential while keeping him safe from harm.
Paladin serves as a reliable defensive unit with supportive capabilities that justify his B-tier ranking. His Divine Shield ability provides temporary invulnerability to himself and nearby allies, which can be crucial for surviving powerful enemy attacks. Holy Strike deals moderate damage while healing allies for a portion of the damage dealt, offering a blend of offense and support. While his defensive capabilities are impressive, his relatively low damage output limits his effectiveness in content where offensive pressure is essential. He’s a solid choice for players who prioritize survival and team protection, though he may need to be paired with more offensively-oriented units to create a balanced team composition.
Pirate Captain brings a mix of damage and utility that places him in the C-tier of Anime Vanguards 8.5. His Cannon Barrage ability deals area-of-effect damage with a chance to stun enemies, providing some crowd control utility. The Plunder ability steals buffs from enemies and applies them to himself, which can be situationally useful against buff-reliant teams. While his abilities are conceptually interesting, their effectiveness is inconsistent, and his stats are merely average compared to higher-tier units. He’s a serviceable choice for early-game content or players who enjoy his thematic elements, but he’s generally outclassed by more specialized units as you progress through the game.
Alchemist is a support unit with unique utility that earns him a spot in the C-tier. His Potion Master ability allows him to create various consumable items that can provide temporary stat boosts or healing to allies. Transmute converts debuffs on allies into random buffs, which can be situationally useful in content with frequent debuffs. While his utility is conceptually interesting, his effectiveness is highly dependent on preparation and luck, making him inconsistent compared to more reliable support options. His personal combat stats are also below average, limiting his direct contribution to battles. He’s primarily recommended for players who enjoy experimenting with unconventional strategies rather than those seeking optimal performance.
Bard specializes in team enhancement through music-based abilities that place him in the C-tier. His Inspiring Song ability increases the attack and defense of all allies while gradually restoring their health over time. Harmony removes all debuffs from allies and grants temporary status immunity, similar to higher-tier support units but with less immediate impact. While his supportive capabilities are valuable in theory, their effects are generally weaker and slower to take effect compared to more specialized support units. His extremely low combat stats also make him a liability if your team is forced into direct confrontation. He’s best utilized in prolonged battles where his gradual enhancements have time to accumulate, but he struggles in fast-paced engagements.
Knight is a basic defensive unit with straightforward abilities that earn him a position in the C-tier. His Shield Bash ability deals moderate damage and has a chance to stun enemies, providing some crowd control utility. Fortify increases his defense and health regeneration for a short duration, enhancing his survivability. While his defensive capabilities are respectable for his tier, he lacks the utility and disruptive potential of higher-tier tanks. His damage output is also relatively low, limiting his effectiveness in content where offensive pressure is important. He’s a serviceable choice for players who need a basic defensive unit early in the game, but he’s generally outclassed by more specialized options as you progress.
Archer is a basic ranged damage dealer with simple abilities that place her in the C-tier. Her Multi-Shot ability fires several arrows at different enemies, making her effective against groups of weaker foes. Eagle Eye increases her critical hit chance and range for a short duration, enhancing her damage potential. While she can provide consistent ranged damage, her output is significantly lower than higher-tier damage dealers, and she lacks the utility and versatility of more advanced units. Her defensive stats are also below average, making her vulnerable if enemies manage to close the distance. She’s a reasonable choice for early-game content or players who prefer a straightforward playstyle, but she’s generally replaced by more effective units as you progress.
Apprentice Mage is a basic magic damage dealer with limited capabilities that place him in the D-tier. His Magic Missile ability fires a single projectile that deals moderate damage to a target, with no additional effects. Basic Shield provides a small amount of damage reduction for a short duration, offering minimal defensive utility. His stats are among the lowest in the game, and his abilities lack the scaling and additional effects that make higher-tier mages effective. He’s primarily useful as an early-game unit while players are still learning the game mechanics, but he’s quickly outclassed by virtually every other magic damage dealer as you progress. Only consider using him if you have no other options available.
Villager is arguably the weakest unit in Anime Vanguards 8.5, with minimal combat capabilities that firmly place him in the D-tier. His Gather ability provides a small amount of additional resources after battles, which has no impact on combat effectiveness. Hide allows him to become untargetable for a short duration but prevents him from acting during this time, offering minimal tactical value. His combat stats are the lowest in the game, and his abilities provide virtually no meaningful contribution to battles. He’s primarily a novelty unit with thematic value rather than practical utility. Only use him if you’re intentionally challenging yourself or if you have absolutely no other units available.
Squire is a basic support unit with limited effectiveness that earns him a spot in the D-tier. His Assist ability provides a small amount of healing to the most injured ally, with a lengthy cooldown that severely limits its usefulness. Basic Strike is a simple attack with no additional effects or scaling, making it virtually irrelevant in combat. His stats are below average even for D-tier units, and his abilities lack the impact and utility needed to justify his inclusion in a team. He’s primarily useful as an early-game unit while players are still accumulating more effective options, but he should be replaced as soon as possible. Only consider using him if you have no other support units available.
Scout is a basic reconnaissance unit with minimal combat effectiveness that places him in the D-tier. His Recon ability reveals a small area of the map and highlights enemy positions, which provides minimal tactical advantage in most game modes. Quick Shot is a basic ranged attack with slightly increased speed but no additional effects or scaling. His stats are extremely low, and his abilities provide virtually no meaningful contribution to battles. He’s primarily useful in specific game modes where vision is important, but even in those situations, his effectiveness is limited. Only consider using him if you’re specifically building around vision control or if you have no other units available.
Merchant is a non-combat unit with resource-related abilities that earn him a position in the D-tier. His Bargain ability provides a small discount on in-game purchases, which has no impact on combat effectiveness. Trade allows him to exchange resources for other types, which can be situationally useful for managing your economy but provides no battlefield advantage. His combat stats are virtually non-existent, and his abilities have no application during battles. He’s primarily a utility unit for managing your resources between battles, but he’s completely ineffective during actual combat. Only include him in your team if you’re specifically focusing on resource management and are willing to fight with a numerical disadvantage.
Building an effective team in Anime Vanguards 8.5 goes beyond simply selecting the highest-tier units. A well-balanced team composition that covers various roles and synergizes effectively will often outperform a team composed solely of S-tier units with no coordination. Here are some proven team composition strategies:
A balanced team typically includes:
This composition provides a good mix of survivability, healing, and damage output that can handle most content effectively.
For players who prefer aggressive strategies:
This composition focuses on eliminating enemies quickly before they can pose a significant threat, though it can be vulnerable to counterattacks if the initial burst fails.
For players who prefer a more methodical approach:
This composition excels at outlasting opponents and controlling the battlefield, though it may struggle against content with strict time limits.
Investing your resources wisely is crucial for success in Anime Vanguards 8.5. With limited upgrade materials and currency available, you need to prioritize which units to develop. Here are some guidelines for effective resource management:
Focus your resources primarily on S-tier and A-tier units, as they provide the best return on investment and will remain relevant throughout your gameplay journey. These units form the core of your team and should be prioritized for upgrades, equipment, and skill enhancements.
B-tier units may warrant investment in specific situations where their abilities are particularly effective against certain content. However, avoid investing heavily in multiple B-tier units, as they will eventually be outclassed by higher-tier options.
C-tier and D-tier units should generally receive minimal investment, only enough to help you progress through early-game content while you accumulate more effective units. Resources spent on these units are generally considered inefficient in the long run.
A good rule of thumb is to allocate approximately 70% of your resources to your core S-tier units, 20% to supporting A-tier units, and 10% to situational B-tier units. This distribution ensures that your primary damage dealers and supports are adequately developed while maintaining some flexibility for specific challenges.
The tier list is typically updated after major game updates or balance changes, which usually occur every 4-6 weeks. However, minor adjustments may be made more frequently based on community feedback and meta shifts. I recommend checking back regularly or following our Anime Vanguards updates page for the latest information.
While S-tier units generally offer the highest performance and versatility, they’re not always the optimal choice for every situation. Certain game modes, challenges, or enemy compositions may favor specific abilities or team compositions that don’t necessarily include all S-tier units. It’s important to understand the specific requirements of each challenge and adjust your team accordingly rather than relying solely on tier rankings.
S-tier units are typically acquired through the game’s gacha system, special events, or as rewards for completing high-level content. The drop rates for S-tier units are generally low, so it may require significant resources or luck to obtain them. Participating in special events and completing daily quests can help you accumulate the currency needed for summoning. For more detailed information on unit acquisition, check out our Anime Vanguards summoning guide.
Duplicate units in Anime Vanguards 8.5 can typically be used for enhancement or evolution. Most games allow you to use duplicates to increase a unit’s level cap, enhance their abilities, or evolve them into more powerful forms. The specific mechanics vary by unit, so it’s important to check the enhancement options for each character. Generally, it’s recommended to use duplicates to enhance your highest-tier units first, as this provides the greatest benefit to your team’s overall strength.
Countering specific units in PvP requires understanding their strengths and weaknesses and building your team accordingly. For example:
Building a well-rounded team with versatile units that can adapt to various situations is generally more effective than specializing in countering specific units.
Yes, investing in lower-tier units can be worthwhile when you’re starting out or if you lack higher-tier options. B-tier and even some C-tier units can be effective in early to mid-game content with proper investment and team composition. However, as you progress and acquire higher-tier units, you should gradually shift your resources to those units for better long-term returns. For more guidance on early-game progression, check out our Anime Vanguards beginner tips.
The Anime Vanguards 8.5 tier list by sts provides a comprehensive ranking of all available units based on their performance in the current meta. While tier rankings offer valuable guidance for unit selection and investment, remember that success in the game ultimately depends on understanding mechanics, developing effective strategies, and adapting to various challenges.
The most effective approach is to build a balanced team that complements your playstyle while focusing resources on your highest-tier units. As the game continues to evolve with updates and balance changes, this tier list will be updated to reflect the current state of the meta.
For the latest game codes that can provide valuable resources, be sure to check our Anime Vanguards codes page. And if you’re looking to maximize the potential of your units, our unit evolution guide offers detailed information on enhancing your favorite characters.
I hope this comprehensive tier list helps you make informed decisions and enjoy your Anime Vanguards 8.5 experience to the fullest!
