Practical tier list for version 1.0
Rank survivors by job rather than pretending one ordering works for Boss Rush, Infinite, and fresh progression.
Direct answer
Treat the roster as role tiers: SWAT and Huntress lead general damage setups; Engineer and Mechanic lead turret control; Ghost brings mobile burst; Tank and Medic stabilize difficult progression; Ranger improves team Crit, Luck, and healing.
What to know before the run
- Ranking basis
- Role and mode
- Patch baseline
- Version 1.0
- Main variable
- Skill-tree rank
- Scoreboard rule
- Compare equal investment
General damage
- S: SWAT, Huntress
- A: Ghost, Engineer, Ranger
- Support picks: Tank, Medic, Mechanic
- Specialist: Pyro when a fire-tag plan is already available
Why this is not a universal ranking
Mode rules change the answer. Infinite rewards scaling and broad item access, Boss Rush rewards damage before minute ten, and Extermination limits abilities. Rank and permanent upgrades also change the practical result.
Role tiers are more useful than one list
- Damage: SWAT, Huntress, Ghost
- Control: Engineer, Mechanic, Tank
- Support: Medic, Ranger
- Tag specialist: Pyro
Account progression changes the result
A survivor with rank-five passives and unlocked evolutions can outperform a theoretical top pick with an unfinished tree. Compare characters at similar investment before changing your main squad.
Do not rank from total damage alone
Taunts, marks, healing, armor, and Transmitter buffs increase another survivor's output without appearing as the support's own damage. Ranger can finish near a much higher-rank carry in one route and fall far behind in another because mark uptime, weapon upgrades, and team resources changed. Use the score screen to diagnose the build, not to produce a universal ranking.
Mode pressure changes the top picks
- Boss Rush favors weapons that mature before minute ten
- Endurance rewards healing, taunt, and cooldown control after minute twenty
- Infinite favors tag thresholds and item interactions with no slot cap
- One Hit rewards range, decoys, stuns, and projectile denial over maximum health
A practical roster test
Run each candidate as the leader with the same badge quality, difficulty, and support roles. Check whether the squad clears basic enemies, kills elites before hazards stack, and keeps one escape lane open. Promote a survivor only when they improve the objective you are failing.
Strategy sections are independent editorial guidance based on observed version 1.0 gameplay. The official sources below support version facts, not every tactical recommendation. Facts last checked Aug 26, 2026.