Destiny Rising has a wide roster of heroes. Each of them has its own abilities, weapon restrictions, and elemental alignments. Some of these characters excel in pure damage, while others shine in defensive or support roles.
Since every hero has their own strengths and abilities, their rankings often depend on how they perform in different game modes like PvE or PvP. When deciding which heroes to use, separating PvE and PvP rankings is important. Boss fights and dungeon encounters reward heroes with consistent damage and survival tools.
Destiny Rising PvE Hero Tier List
In PvE, characters are judged by how well they deal sustained damage, clear groups of enemies, or survive against tough bosses. While all heroes can perform well with the right strategy, some naturally excel in these areas.
S-Tier PvE Heroes
- Tan-2: Tan-2 is one of the best boss killers in PvE thanks to his Sniper and Scout rifle. His ascension passives boost Light Crystal damage, giving him excellent scaling. He also offers team-wide buffs. However, his healing super sometimes clashes with his high-DPS style.
- Jolder: Jolder is incredibly tanky while still dishing out great damage. She protects herself and her team through her super and gains damage boosts by simply taking hits. Her only drawback is that her sword can feel restrictive against certain bosses without the right exotic weapon.
- Maru: Maru combines defense and artillery offense, making her hard to take down while still offering reliable DPS. Her Abyss Engulf ability provides near-immortality in boss-heavy encounters. Although her raw damage isn’t the highest, her sustained output makes her a strong pick.
- Estela: Estela’s dragon summon delivers some of the best AoE damage in the game. With items like Bad Juju or Gallows, she can unleash devastating ultimate damage. Her downside is weaker scaling and limited healing, which keeps her from being higher on the list.
A-Tier PvE Heroes
- Wolf: Wolf is an excellent free hero who scales surprisingly well. He has strong AoE with his super, consistent DPS with rifles and grenade launchers, and stacking buffs to keep his damage relevant. While solid all around, he doesn’t dominate in either single-target or AoE damage.
- Gwynn: Gwynn has good self-sustain and mobility, making her one of the safer heroes for PvE. She can heal herself while dealing solid damage. However, her shotgun reliance limits her range, and her kit feels more tailored for PvP.
- Umeko: Umeko excels as a boss killer, especially with Sniper rifles. She applies debuffs, multiplies her damage, and recharges abilities by dealing damage. Despite this, her AoE damage is limited compared to other top heroes.
- Xuan Wei: Xuan Wei offers high AoE damage with shotguns and quick stacking multipliers. His kit has great uptime and crowd control. The trade-off is that he struggles in long-range encounters and can be fragile in tougher content.
B-Tier PvE Heroes
- Ning Fei: Despite decent single-target crossbow damage and shields, Ning Fei feels underpowered in PvE. His AoE damage is lacking, and he needs buffs to reach higher tiers.
- Finnala: Finnala is a melee-focused skirmisher who can deal decent damage in close combat. However, her sustain is weak compared to other melee characters, and she lacks the damage needed to compete with stronger heroes.
- Ikora: Ikora provides good burst damage with Nova Bomb and Rocket Launchers. While strong in short fights, her long cooldowns reduce her sustained damage, leaving her behind in longer encounters.
C-Tier PvE Heroes
- Kabr: Kabr can blind enemies and provide some defensive support, but his uptime is low and he isn’t as tanky as higher-tier tanks like Jolder. His weapon options also don’t synergize well with his abilities.
- Attal: Attal has flexible affinities, quick recharge rates, and a supportive ultimate, but her overall damage is poor. She leans heavily into support, which hurts her performance in tougher PvE fights.
Destiny Rising PvP Hero Tier List
PvP in Destiny Rising allows players to interact with other players from the community or compete against their friends. Rankings depend more on weapon access, burst damage, and survivability. Long-range weapons like Pulse, Scout, and Sniper rifles dominate here, while melee characters need more skill to succeed.
S-Tier PvP Heroes
- Estela: Estela’s dragon super is lethal in PvP, capable of racking up kills when used properly. Her Pulse rifle access also gives her strong ranged options.
- Gwynn: Gwynn thrives in PvP thanks to her mobility, sustain, and strong damage. While shotguns are risky, her sidearms allow her to poke safely before closing in.
- Tan-2: With Snipers and Scouts, Tan-2 is deadly in PvP if you can aim well. His kit remains powerful, though his healing super is less impactful in competitive settings.
- Ikora: Ikora flips from weak in PvE to dangerous in PvP. Her burst damage can instantly take out enemies, making her a threat despite weaker sustained DPS.
- Umeko: Like Tan-2, Umeko benefits from Sniper rifles in PvP. She can safely eliminate targets from a distance and punish overexposed opponents.
A-Tier PvP Heroes
- Attal: Attal’s fusion weapons, while weak in PvE, perform better in PvP. Her support skills also provide more value in team-based matches.
- Kabr: Kabr’s Pulse rifle access and defensive skills work well in PvP. Even with limited uptime, his kit offers good tactical advantages.
- Wolf: Wolf’s mobility and grenade launcher damage translate well to PvP. His auto rifle makes him reliable in most situations, though not oppressive.
B-Tier PvP Heroes
- Jolder: While tanky, Jolder’s strengths don’t shine as much in PvP. She’s still strong but lacks the impact of top-tier heroes.
- Maru: Maru deals good long-range damage, but her defensive tools are predictable and easier for players to play around.
- Ning Fei: Ning Fei is decent in PvP if you can aim crossbows effectively. Still, he doesn’t dominate compared to higher-tier picks.
C-Tier PvP Heroes
- Finnala: Finnala struggles in PvP because her melee sustain is hard to use effectively. Closing gaps against ranged opponents is a challenge.
- Xuan Wei: Xuan Wei has high damage potential, but his melee kit leaves him vulnerable to long-range weapons. Smart play can make him work, but he’s risky to use.
Keep in mind that PvE rewards consistent DPS, sustain, and AoE damage, while PvP favors ranged weapons, burst potential, and mobility. S-Tier heroes like Tan-2, Estela, Gwynn, and Wolf stand out as reliable picks, but every character can shine with the right strategy.
Also remember that Constant balance updates are expected in a free-to-play game like Destiny Rising. Rankings may shift over time, so keep an eye on changes to abilities and weapon tuning.
