BASIC PROTOCOLS 閳?META

Character Tier List

Community-driven rankings for every operative and memory. Updated for the current Abyss rotation.

ENTRY_#013 2026.06.29 TIER_LIST

Disclaimer: Tier lists are subjective and meta-dependent. This list reflects the current Abyss rotation and community consensus. Operatives ranked lower can still clear all content with proper investment. Use this as a spending priority guide, not a "don't use" list.

Written by Kaelen — Deepspace Hunter Station Team

Tier Definitions

Meta-defining. Excels in all content. High priority for investment. Never a bad pick.

Strong in most content. Excels in specific scenarios. Solid investment for any account.

Situationally strong. Requires specific team comps. Good if you lack S/A options.

Niche use. Outclassed in most scenarios. Only invest if you need element coverage.

Operative Tier List 閳?Overall

Overall rankings weighted across all content types (Abyss, Story, Boss, Bounty).

S TIER

Xavier

Best all-rounder. Light element is never resisted. Strong burst, flexible team comps, easy to play. Dominates both single-target (Abyss bosses) and AoE (Bounty) content.

9.5 / 10

Sylus

Highest ceiling in the game. Execute mechanic shreds Abyss floors. Requires more skill and proper team support, but rewards investment more than any other operative.

9.5 / 10

A TIER

Zayne

Best support in the game. Freeze is invaluable for Abyss floors with multiple elites. Damage is lower than S-tier but CC utility makes him irreplaceable in specific rotations.

8.5 / 10

Rafayel

AoE king. Clears Bounty missions and story stages faster than anyone. Weakness is single-target burst 閳?needs a strong partner for Abyss boss floors. Element (Flame) is well-positioned in current meta.

8.0 / 10

Note: Only 4 operatives exist in the current roster. Rankings reflect their performance spread across content types. The gap between S and A tier is small 閳?team composition matters more than individual rankings.

Scenario-Specific Rankings

Different content favors different operatives. Here's the breakdown by scenario:

Abyss Boss (Single) Sylus, Xavier Zayne Rafayel

Abyss Adds (Multi) Rafayel, Xavier Sylus Zayne

Story Mode Xavier Rafayel, Sylus Zayne

Bounty / Farm Rafayel Xavier, Sylus Zayne

Boss Rush Sylus Xavier, Zayne Rafayel

Memory Priority Tier List

Not all memories are created equal. Here's which memories to prioritize:

S TIER 閳?PRIORITY PULL

Xavier 閳?Stellar Contract

Best memory in the game. 40% ATK buff on skill use, stacking. Transforms Xavier from strong to broken. Core memory for any Xavier build.

Sylus 閳?Twilight Oath

Execute threshold increased by 15%. Synergizes with Sylus's entire kit. Removes the main weakness of his playstyle (slow start).

A TIER 閳?STRONG PULL

Zayne 閳?Permafrost Covenant

Freeze duration +2s and extends freeze to nearby enemies. Turns Zayne's CC into AoE CC. Best support memory in the game.

Rafayel 閳?Inferno Waltz

Burn damage doubled and spreads to 2 additional targets. Makes Rafayel the fastest clearer in the game. Drops to A because single-target remains weak.

B TIER 閳?SITUATIONAL

Xavier 閳?Light's Guard

Defense-oriented memory. Useful for survival in specific boss fights but outclassed by Stellar Contract for damage.

Sylus 閳?Shadow Step

Mobility memory. Fun for open world but loses value in timed content like Abyss. Niche pick.

Zayne 閳?Frost Barrier

Shield memory. Strong in survival scenarios but Abyss is a DPS check, not a survival check.

Rafayel 閳?Flame Dance

Dodge-recovery memory. Increases survivability but doesn't solve Rafayel's single-target DPS problem.

Team Comp Tier List

Best team compositions ranked by performance across Abyss rotations:

S TIER

Xavier + Sylus Twilight Resonance. Highest damage ceiling. Xavier provides consistent burst, Sylus executes. Covers Light + Dark elements. Best boss-killing team.

A TIER

Xavier + Zayne Crystal Resonance. Defense shred + burst. Slightly lower damage than S-tier but much safer. Best for learning boss patterns.

A TIER

Sylus + Rafayel Infernal Resonance. Burn + execute sustain. Rafayel's AoE covers Sylus's lack of wave clear. Best hybrid team for mixed Abyss floors.

B TIER

Zayne + Rafayel Freeze + burn. Two elements that don't resonate directly. Viable but outperformed by resonance pairings. Use as filler.

Pull Priority Guide

If you're a new or F2P player wondering who to save for:

1. Xavier (Stellar Contract) 閳?Highest ROI. Xavier is the safest investment. Works in every team, every scenario, every rotation. His S-tier memory (Stellar Contract) transforms him into the best operative in the game. If you can only guarantee one limited memory, make it this one.

2. Sylus (Twilight Oath) 閳?Best for Abyss. If your goal is Abyss progression, Sylus is the second priority. His execute mechanic directly translates to faster clear times. Requires more skill but rewards it proportionally.

3. Zayne (Permafrost Covenant) 閳?Best for Support. Zayne doesn't top damage charts, but his CC enables every team to perform better. Pull for Zayne if you're struggling with survival or multi-elite floors.

4. Rafayel (Inferno Waltz) 閳?Best for Farming. Rafayel is the last priority for Abyss-focused players. His strength is clear speed, not boss killing. Pull for Rafayel if your account lacks AoE or you want faster daily clears.

Common Tier List Mistakes

Mistake #1: Taking tier lists as absolute truth. A tier list reflects community consensus, not your account's specific needs. If your only SSR is Rafayel, you build around Rafayel 閳?don't bench him because he's A-tier. A-invested operative beats a S-tier operative with no memories.

Mistake #2: Ignoring rotation changes. Tier lists shift every Abyss rotation. The current meta favors Xavier (Light) because the boss lineup is weak to Light. Next rotation might favor Flame or Frost. Build depth, not flavor-of-the-month.

Mistake #3: Confusing "tier" with "usability." A C-tier operative on the correct element (matching boss weakness) outperforms an S-tier operative on a resisted element. Element advantage is worth more than any tier ranking. Always check the boss before choosing your team.

The Bottom Line: Tier lists are a starting point, not a destination. Xavier and Sylus share the top spot for different reasons. Zayne enables teams. Rafayel clears fast. Pull for your account's needs, not for the tier list. And remember: a well-built team with proper Stellactrum and element matching beats a misaligned "S-tier" team every time.