Arknights Endfield Tier List September 2026: Best V1.5 Operators

Endfield’s meta at Version 1.5 has a clear shape: Arcane and Zhuang Fangyi are the two damage kings (Arcane for shape-shifting flexibility, Zhuang for single-element hypercarry ceiling), and Ardelia is the free pick every account builds around — she ships to every launch player and anchors most of the top teams. Below: the full DPS / sub-DPS / support spread, plus the team comps actually clearing Patch 1.5 content.

Note: Verified September 17, 2026 against endfield.gg, Prydwen, Game8’s September tier list and endfieldhub’s Version 1.5 team testing. Tiers shift with each version update — current patch context: Dreamscape of Wind and Snow.

How to Read This List

• S-tier = shapes the meta; pull target if you’re rerolling.
• A-tier = does the job at a strong level, usually with more setup.
• Ratings reflect endgame clears (outposts, Contingency Contract, Deep Cold Issue content) and assume correct element matchmaking — element synergy is the real multiplier in this game.

Best DPS Operators (Main Damage)

Tier	Operators	Why
S	Arcane, Zhuang Fangyi, Mi Fu, Rossi	Meta-defining hypercarries
A	Typhoeus, Laevatain, Yvonne, Last Rite, Avywenna	Reliable, element-locked ceiling
B	Endministrator, Da Pan, Wulfgard	Usable, need heavy investment

• Arcane — the shape-shifter: INT Form hits like a runaway truck on single targets; WILL Form pivots to team support. The most flexible DPS in the roster — she doesn’t just deal damage, she enables.
• Zhuang Fangyi — the best single-element burst DPS once her Ultimate is up. She eats SP charging and wants setup time, but when the stack lands, the damage is enormous — that’s why every meta Electric team runs her as the finisher (the “Winter Hunt Whale” comp clears Rhodagn at ~58 seconds).
• Mi Fu — best physical DPS after Version 1.4’s buffs. She applies her own Physical Susceptibility and stacks Crush twice per rotation — boss shredder, minimal team dependency, one-rotation boss kills with a well-timed setup.
• Rossi — strong Heat/Electric hybrid finisher, great in mixed teams where setup windows run fast.

Best Sub-DPS and Supports

Tier	Operators
S	Tangtang, Pogranichnik, Perlica, Lifeng
A	Arclight, Chen Qianyu, Endministrator
B	Alesh, Estella
C	Fluorite

• Tangtang (Cryo caster, pistol) does Cryo Susceptibility, solid damage, and an Ultimate that stuns bosses — one of the best support-DPS blends in the game.
• Pogranichnik is the Physical team’s battery: SP regen, Physical Breach boosts, and respectable Ultimate damage.
• Perlica (electric caster) → her Combo Skill applies Electrification exactly when your Zhuang/Arcane want to consume it. Place her before your main DPS in the team menu — order matters for trigger sequencing.
• Lifeng does Physical Susceptibility + Link support; strong support belt for Mi Fu.

Best Teams Right Now

Tier	Team	Roster	What it does
SS	Winter Hunt Whale	Zhuang Fangyi, Perlica, Arclight, Gilberta	Mono-Electric hypercarry; 9 Sunderblade stacks into Zhuang’s Battle Skill. ~58s clears
SS (F2P)	Melt Queen	Laevatain, Wulfgard, Akekuri, Ardelia	Heat/Combustion train with a cheap, stable rotation; only one 6★ DPS required
SS	Sanguine Pyre	Laevatain, Camille, Wulfgard, Ardelia	Camille’s Heat Suscept + Weaken turn this into the premium Heat team
S	Cryo-Nature Executioners	Last Rite core	The cleanest single-target boss-killer comp

Two mechanical notes from the live meta worth your attention:

• Xaihi (5★) moved UP because her Combo Skill applies Inflictions fast enough to drive Corrosion to tier 4 — Liino (6★) can’t reach that depth. Mechanically justified promotion: a 5★ taking a universal-support seat where the math checks out.
• Ardelia is the glue — free to all launch players, so even fresh accounts can anchor into any of the tier-1 squads on day one.

Outpost (AIC) Best Characters

Factory duty has its own tier logic — the outpost Liaison you place activates specific outpost skills. Quick shortlist:

• Refugee Camp: Laevatain (activates everything), Antal/Camille as fillers.
• Infra-Station: Yvonne at Outpost Lv 4 (stock-bill regen), Chen Qianyu below that.
• Reconstruction HQ: Gilberta (all skills online; Laevatain if you don’t have her).
• Sky King Flats: Tangtang, Wulfgard, Arcane.

Full outpost matrix is in the beginner guide’s factory section.

FAQ

Who is the strongest operator in Endfield right now? Zhuang Fangyi — team-based sources rate her as the strongest DPS by a wide margin once her Ultimate window is running, with Arcane right behind as the most flexible operator (INT⇄WILL form-switching).

Is Rerolling worth it in Endfield? Rerolling for 6★ DPS matters less than at launch — the Version 1.5 meta teams run fine with any single 6★ DPS and the free 5★ supports (Chen Qianyu/Antal/Ardelia). Don’t burn dozens of rerolls chasing Mi Fu; Melt Queen clears the same content in ~65 seconds.

What are the best teams in Version 1.5? Winter Hunt Whale (Zhuang/Perlica/Arclight/Gilberta) tops the speedrunning charts; Melt Queen (Laevatain/Wulfgard/Akekuri/Ardelia) is the F2P pick. Full team breakdowns in the beginner guide.

Is 5-star Arclight worth using? Yes — 5★ Vanguard, Electric, Sword. She’s the Electric team’s SP generator and Infliction-stack opener; she and Perlica form a battery pair that runs the top comps on two-game-average clears.

When does the tier list next change? With Version 1.6’s operator additions — Endfield.gg and Prydwen update theirs on patch day. This page is calibrated to Dreamscape of Wind and Snow (current version as of writing).

Is Typhoeus out yet? Not as of September 17’s tier list — the new 6★ Nature Striker announced for this window comes with the September 2 update, and pulls are open now pending the full banner release.