This Chaos Zero Nightmare Tier List isn’t just about who hits the hardest. It’s about which characters actually carry, who supports them best, and how their mechanics fit together once you dive into mid- and late-game content. Whether you’re rerolling for your ideal start, or figuring out which 4★ unit deserves your next upgrade, this guide gives you the practical insight you actually need.
Each character below is ranked based on:
-
Reliability across content (PvE, Chaos runs, Roguelike)
-
Ease of setup and team flexibility
-
Scaling potential with synergy or epiphany upgrades
-
Value for both new and long-term players
Instead of rushing a one-dimensional meta chart, we built this list on real mechanical understanding — drawn from the beta data, community testing, and post-launch balancing discussions. The idea isn’t to chase numbers, but to understand the core identity of each fighter and how you can use them to build your own success story inside Chaos Zero’s ever-changing battlefield.
So before you summon your first 5★ or reroll endlessly for the “perfect start,” take a moment to see which heroes truly fit you — your pace, your playstyle, and your preferred kind of chaos.
Overall Tier
S Rank
Khalipe (★★★★★), Mei Lin (★★★★★), Nia (★★★★), Kayron (★★★★★), Cassius (★★★★), Selena (★★★★)
A Rank
Magna (★★★★★), Rei (★★★★), Tressa (★★★), Mika (★★★★), Maribell / Mirabel (★★★/SR), Renoa (★★★★★), Hugo (★★★★★), Beryl (★★★★), Veronica (★★★★★)
B Rank
Orlea (★★★★★), Lucas (★★★★), Rin (★★★★★), Owen (★★★★), Luke (★★★★★), Amir (★★★★)
TBD
Haru (★★★★★) — promising, needs more live testing
Tier Explanations
S — Meta-definers: reliable, flexible, or extremely high ceiling with forgiving setups. Pick these if you want the safest carry/support options.
A — Strong, but more set-up, timing, or synergy required. They shine when you build around them.
B — Niche or situational: fine in specific comps; often outpaced by S/A choices unless expertly piloted.
TBD — Awaiting more data / real-match testing.
S TIER
Khalipe — ★★★★★ (Stella Familia, Vanguard, Instinct)
Why S: The premiere “shield + damage” carry. Her retain/autoplay (Vulture) loop turns shields into repeated AoE and tenacity damage; she scales effortlessly into long fights.
Playstyle: Set up retained Vulture cards and trigger them tactically — she farms AoE while making the team nearly unkillable.
Best with: Mika or Nia (sustain + tempo), Veronica/Hugo for extra-attack synergy when you want more pressure.
Mei Lin — ★★★★★ (Terrascion, Striker, Passion)
Why S: High single-target burst via Ember mechanics and tenacity break synergy — ideally built as break-window nuker. She applies Passion weakness reliably and converts breaks into AP and follow-up damage.
Playstyle: Stack embers, open break windows, unload. Rewarding for players who time their windows.
Best with: Controllers that guarantee break or manipulate draws (Nia, Cassius).
Nia — ★★★★ (Terrascion, Controller, Instinct)
Why S: A 4★ that plays like a 5★ in utility—stabilizes hands, buffs extra-attacks, and smooths RNG. She amplifies multi-hit kits and makes runs consistent.
Playstyle: Use as backbone support; she lets high-DPS units perform reliably.
Best with: Multi-hit or bullet characters (Hugo, Luke, Renoa).
Kayron — ★★★★★ (Wanderer, Psionic, Void)
Why S: Flexible psionic DPS/control hybrid. Works as main or sub-DPS across comps; value comes from adaptability and consistent damage without exotic setup.
Playstyle: Flexible — slot him where your team needs either pressure or control.
Best with: Sustainers (Mika) and controllers (Cassius) for longer chaos runs.
Cassius — ★★★★ (Peltion, Controller, Instinct)
Why S: The premier draw-control/selection specialist. His ability to fetch and manipulate cards gives huge consistency and lets you chain ideal turns.
Playstyle: Build combos around key-card pulls; great mid/late-game enabler.
Best with: Mei Lin, Renoa, or any character that needs specific cards to pop off.
Selena — ★★★★ (Stella Familia, Ranger, Passion)
Why S: Mark + extra-attack synergy makes her excellent in sustained fights. She converts allies’ actions into huge follow-ups and scales quietly but quickly.
Playstyle: Set up mark chains and pair with extra-attack amplifiers.
Best with: Hugo, Veronica (extra-attack synergies), and Passion comps.
A TIER — Strong picks that need a plan
Magna — ★★★★★ (Stella Familia, Vanguard, Justice)
Why A: Defensive scaling via crystallization + counterattacks. Extremely resilient but slower to ramp — shines in long, drawn-out encounters.
Playstyle: Build shield stacks, then let counters do the work.
Best with: Sustains like Mika and draw/tempo supports.
Rei — ★★★★ (Terrascion, Controller, Void)
Why A: Solid f2p support; has exhaust interactions and useful utility for Void-focused decks. Good early pick for players who want consistent team-help without complexity.
Playstyle: Versatile buff/exhaust role.
Best with: Kron, Kon-style decks that use exhaust/banish.
Tressa — ★★★ (Terrascion, Psionic, Void)
Why A: Free DoT specialist (agony) and shadow-dagger spam — great for follow-up and attrition builds. Easy to play.
Best with: Teams that want prolonged chip damage; complimentary to AoE shields.
Mika — ★★★★ (Terrascion, Controller, Justice)
Why A: The best free AP/heal package. Her tide/AP engine is huge for enabling multiple big turns. Scales less into late-game raw power, but invaluable for consistency.
Playstyle: Anchor runs that rely on consecutive high-cost turns.
Best with: High-cost DPS like Khalipe or Renoa.
Maribell (Mirabel) — ★★★ (Ironrain, Vanguard, Passion)
Why A: SR tank with good shielding and counter scaling. Accessible and dependable as a frontline for new players.
Playstyle: Defensive anchor for roguelike runs.
Best with: AP generators and passive supports.
Renoa — ★★★★★ (Terrascion, Hunter, Void)
Why A: Bullet engine specialist — discard/graveyard mechanics let her either generate extra hits or convert graveyard bullets into big finishers. High ceiling, higher execution.
Playstyle: Decide early between “play-for-draw” (zero-cost bullets) or “play-for-graveyard” discard loops.
Best with: AP & draw supports; combos with Hugo or Veronica for extra triggers.
Hugo — ★★★★★ (Stella Familia, Ranger, Order)
Why A: Haste + hunt-commence: excels when allied attacks create follow-up opportunities. Very fun, kinetic, and perfect as a sub-DPS.
Playstyle: Put in aggressive rotation teams; he benefits from draw and AP.
Best with: Veronica, Renoa — teams that produce targeted attacks.
Beryl — ★★★★ (Ironrain, Ranger, Justice)
Why A: Burst-focused ranger who retains/charges next attack; good for single-target or planned heavy hits.
Playstyle: Hold/retain cards and time big strikes.
Best with: Supports that increase retentions or lower costs.
Veronica — ★★★★★ (Stella Familia, Ranger, Passion)
Why A: Ballista engine: passive, end-of-turn damage with reload stacks — she’s an excellent sub-DPS + team draw enabler. Extremely flexible and consistent in longer fights.
Playstyle: Treat her as persistent damage and draw facilitator rather than a main finisher.
Best with: Hugo, any extra-attack teammate; she smooths turns and adds consistent value.
B TIER — Playable, but narrow windows
Orlea — ★★★★★ (The Holy Crusaders, Controller, Instinct)
Why B: Jack-of-all-trades support; accessible but can be messy because her kit throws many cards at you. Works but lacks the focused payoff of Cassius/Nia.
Best with: Players who enjoy experimenting – she can fit many roles.
Lucas — ★★★★ (Ironrain, Hunter, Passion)
Why B: Bullet/AoE focus — good but niche. Works best in Love/Passion comps.
Best with: Bullet synergy teams and extra-attack buffers.
Rin — ★★★★★ (Wanderer, Striker, Void)
Why B: Very powerful when solo-focused (Dark Cloud stance), but greedy—requires designing a team that almost never plays attack cards aside from Rin. High risk/reward.
Best with: Specialized solo-DPS builds or teams built around non-attack support.
Owen — ★★★★ (Terrascion, Striker, Justice)
Why B: Free-to-play decent DPS—useful as early filler but outclassed by dedicated 5★s later.
Best with: New players who need a reliable starter DPS.
Luke — ★★★★★ (Ironrain, Hunter, Order)
Why B: Great concept (bullets), but heavily RNG/crit-dependent at launch — he needs crit support to reach potential. Will likely age well as gear/meta improves.
Best with: Crit-focused builds and partners that guarantee crit/draw.
Amir — ★★★★ (Terrascion, Vanguard, Order)
Why B: SR shielder with defensive scaling; decent when you lack better tanks. Lower base defense compared to other shielders, so she’s more situational.
Best with: Teams that convert damage to shields or need low-cost defensive anchors.
TBD — Watchlist
Haru — ★★★★★ (Terrascion, Striker, Justice)
Why TBD: Strong design hints (Justice striker with combo potential) but lacking finalized live data. Keep an eye — she can move into A/S depending on adjustments.