Etheria: Restart Tier List 2026: Best Animus for PvE and PvP

After the latest balance adjustments in Season SS5, characters with stronger Speed control, True DMG, and sustain have clearly benefited from the current meta, reshaping team priorities in both Summit Arena and high-difficulty PvE.

This updated Etheria: Restart Tier List is based on my hands-on experience this season, including clearing Grim Pursuit Abyss and reaching Mythic I in Summit Arena. All characters are ranked across five tiers: S+ /S / A / B / C. In addition to overall PvE and PvP rankings, I’ll also highlight the best characters to invest in across four roles: DPS, Debuff & Control, Support, and Sustain.

Want to build around core characters like Plume and Lily faster? You can top up Etheria: Restart on GamsGo and get Hydra Crystals for around 20% less, helping you complete your team more efficiently.

How We Rank Etheria: Restart Characters

The tier lists below evaluate characters separately for PvE and PvP, with different priorities for each mode. PvE places more emphasis on sustained damage, performance against high-difficulty bosses, team versatility, and survivability, while PvP values SPD, Action Bar control, CC, dispels, cleanses, and control over turn order and tempo more heavily.

Here is how each tier is defined.

Tier	Rating Description
S+	Meta Definingcharacters with outstanding strength and irreplaceable value in PvE or PvP.
S	Top Performer picks that consistently perform across most teams but are slightly less versatile than S+.
A	Strong Option that excel in suitable teams, but require more setup or synergy.
B	Niche Choice for most content, but noticeably weaker in high-end PvE or competitive PvP.
C	Low-priority characters with clear limitations or very limited use in the current meta.

Etheria: Restart does not assign Animus to fixed in-game classes. Based on each character’s skill mechanics and actual role in commonly used teams, I group them into four categories: DPS, Debuff & Control, Support, and Sustain. These roles are then used to highlight the best characters to invest in for the current version.

Etheria Restart Best PvE Characters Tier List

This PvE Tier List places greater emphasis on sustained damage, boss performance, skill rotation, team versatility, and survivability, rather than the first-turn speed, Action Bar pressure, and short-burst damage that matter more in PvP.

S+ Plume

Lily

Areal

Yeli

Valerian

Liliam

Kloss S Diting

Massiah

Raymerry

Freya

DokiDoki

Ninfoniel

Santik

Fuqiu

Lingluo

Viper

Sharon

Khloros

Heinrich

Rosa A Bornova

Nathenn

Qano

Sania [Vengeful Thorn]

Xiada

Xuan Li

Holden

Nahor

Lowan

Mio

Vice

Beyontin

Batsby

Fangus

Kokardi

Rahu

Rilmocha

Senyu

Xuan Chi

Dinah

Kazuyo [The Reverie]

Obol

Fiamelia

Helkid

The Lumiwarden Diting

Tiamat

Celince

Marvell

Cachi [The Guard]

Chiaki [The Echo]

Mizusumi Aya

Nell

Chiaki

Mia

Sylph

Sania B Hoyan

Rin [The Unbowed]

Gray

Kraken

Hizuki Mari

Palin

Steelheart Dinah

Sylvia

Tsukiyo Mi

Veronika

Yang

Dorothy

Borgne

Gianc

Kethos

Lian

RC-77

Lilith

Luvia

Kazami Kazuyo

Turandot

Rin

Victor

Piayera

Danvery

Nevette

Airon C Asal

Mizuki Makoto

Sybil

Tsutomu

Cachi

Dorothy [The Wisher]

No. 41

Andrew [Odd]

Andrew [Reason]

Oboro

Asshu

Oryes

Plume, Lily, and Areal are true all-purpose PvE picks and clear S+ choices. Khloros earns an S ranking thanks to his exceptional sustained single-target damage. Sania [Vengeful Thorn], however, sits in A because her performance varies greatly between PvE encounters: she excels against Terrormaton, but is heavily restricted in Aurora and DokiDoki.

Etheria Restart Best DPS Characters for PvE

Based on my PvE experience this season, Yeli,Liliam, Khloros, Diting, and Massiah stand out as some of the strongest DPS characters in the current meta.

Yeli

Versatile Main DPS Liliam

Burst Boss DPS Khloros

Sustained Single-Target DPS Diting

Cost-Efficient Single-Target DPS Massiah

Versatile Burst DPS

YeliandMassiah are better suited as versatile main DPS options. Liliam excels in short burst windows, while Khloros performs best in longer boss fights. Diting, meanwhile, is a cost-efficient choice who can deliver consistent damage with relatively low investment.

Etheria Restart Best DPS Characters for PvE

Among Support characters, Lily, Ninfoniel, Freya, DokiDoki, and Beyontin stand out as the most recommended picks in the current meta.

Lily

Versatile Core Support Ninfoniel

Burst Damage Support Freya

Action Bar Support DokiDoki

Sustained Rotation Support Beyontin

Burst Rotation Support

Lily is my top recommendation for a versatile PvE Support. For short burst windows, Ninfonielor Beyontin are better choices. Freya is more valuable when you need to control turn tempo, while DokiDoki is better suited to longer boss fights.

Etheria Restart Best PvE Sustain Characters

Sustain characters are essential for tackling high-difficulty PvE content. After repeated testing, I found that Areal, Valerian, Lingluo,Fuqiu, and Sania can cover a wide range of survivability needs, making them some of the best Sustain options to invest in.

Areal

Versatile Sustain Valerian

Shield Sustain Lingluo

Healing & Cleanse Sustain Fuqiu

Hybrid Sustain Sania

Revival Sustain

Arealis my top recommendation as the most versatile Sustain option. When facing heavy incoming damage, Valerian offers more reliable protection, while Lingluo is the better choice for Debuff-heavy stages. Fuqiu is better suited for teams that also need help maintaining combat tempo, while Sania stands out during progression and in fights where revival provides valuable room for error.

Etheria Restart Best Debuff & Control Characters for PvE

Based on my testing, Plume, Kloss, Viper, Dinah, and Kazuyo [The Reverie] each bring different Debuffs and crowd-control tools, helping weaken enemies, improve damage windows, and raise the team’s overall combat ceiling.

Plume

Versatile Debuffer Kloss

General Debuffer Viper

Dispel Debuffer Dinah

Single-Target Debuffer Kazuyo [The Reverie]

PvE Control Specialist

Plume is undoubtedly the strongest all-around Debuffer in the current meta. If you want to push boss damage even further, pair your team with Kloss or Dinah. Viperis the better choice when you need to remove enemy buffs, while Kazuyo [The Reverie] is more effective in content like DokiDoki, where crowd control mechanics have clear value.

Etheria Restart Best PvP Characters Tier List

Based on myPvP experience, especially in higher-ranked Summit Arena matches, PvP places much more value on SPD, Action Bar control, first-turn pressure, cleanses and dispels, Skill CD disruption, and the ability to counterattack after losing the opening turn. As a result, some characters with excellent PvE damage but limited self-protection or utility drop off noticeably in PvP.

S+ Plume

Lily

Areal

Freya

DokiDoki

Santik

Raymerry

Sharon

Nathenn

Lowan

Xuan Li

Sania S Liliam

Yeli

Massiah

Tiamat

Valerian

Lingluo

Piayera

Beyontin

Heinrich A Danvery

Fuqiu

Ninfoniel

Qano

Holden

Nahor

Mio

Oryes

Batsby

Fangus

Khloros

Kokardi

Rahu

Rilmocha

Senyu

Xuan Chi

Dinah

Celince

Kazuyo [The Reverie]

Marvell

Nevette

Obol

Airon

Cachi [The Guard]

Mizusumi Aya

Nell

The Lumiwarden Diting

Chiaki

Fiamelia

Helkid

Mia

Sylph B Bornova

Xiada

Kloss

Viper

Hoyan

Rin [The Unbowed]

Gray

Kraken

Hizuki Mari

Palin

Steelheart Dinah

Sylvia

Tsukiyo Mi

Veronika

Yang

Dorothy

Borgne

Gianc

Kethos

Lian

Victor

RC-77

Lilith

Luvia

Kazami Kazuyo

Turandot

Rin C Diting

Rosa

Sania [Vengeful Thorn]

Chiaki [The Echo]

Vice

Asal

Mizuki Makoto

Sybil

Tsutomu

Cachi

Dorothy [The Wisher]

No. 41

Andrew [Odd]

Andrew [Reason]

Oboro

Asshu

In the current PvP meta, I would still place all-around picks like Plume, Lily, and Areal in S+, while significantly raising the priority of Raymerry, Nathenn, Lowan, Xuan Li, and Sania.

By contrast, Diting remains a strong single-target DPS in PvE, but is much easier to control and punish in high-ranked PvP. Kloss and Viper have also lost some of the control advantage they had in earlier metas, so I would no longer rank them among the very top PvP options.

Best DPS Characters for PvP

In high-ranked Summit Arena matches, Raymerry, Nathenn, Liliam, Yeli, and Massiah are among the strongest DPS picks in the current meta. They cover both sustained pressure for Bruiser teams and high single-target burst for quickly eliminating key enemies.

Raymerry

AoE Bruiser DPS Nathenn

High-SPD Pressure DPS Liliam

Single-Target Burst DPS Yeli

Versatile Burst DPS Massiah

Cleave Burst DPS

Raymerry is better suited to Bruiser teams and anti-Cleave matchups, while Nathenn becomes a high-ceiling option once you have enough SPD. If your goal is to eliminate a key enemy immediately, Liliam is the better pick, while Yeli and Massiah offer broader team flexibility.

Best Support Characters for PvP

In PvP, Support characters are valued more for their ability to help the team secure turn advantage and disrupt the opponent's skill rotation. My top recommendations right now are Lily, Freya, DokiDoki, Santik, and Xuan Li.

Lily

Versatile Core Support Freya

Action Bar Support DokiDoki

Bruiser Support Santik

Hybrid Support Xuan Li

Core Bruiser Support

Lily remains the most versatile choice. Freya is better if you want to build around Action Bar control, while DokiDoki and Xuan Li fit Bruiser teams especially well. When the enemy relies heavily on Debuffs and crowd control, Santik becomes much more valuable.

Best Sustain Characters for PvP

PvP Sustain characters need to do more than simply heal. They also need answers to burst damage, crowd control, and Debuffs. In the current meta, Areal, Sania, Valerian, Lingluo, and Tiamat are the five Sustain picks I recommend most.

Areal

Versatile Core Sustain Sania

Revival & Cleanse Sustain Valerian

Anti-Burst Sustain Lingluo

Anti-Debuff Sustain Tiamat

Bruiser Sustain

Areal is the least team-dependent Sustain option. Against control-heavy teams, Sania or Lingluo are better choices. If you are worried about getting blown up in the opening turn, Valerian provides more reliable protection, while Tiamat fits teams that want to drag the match into a longer Bruiser battle.

Best Debuff & Control Characters for PvP

In high-ranked PvP, the value of Debuff & Control characters comes largely from their ability to disrupt the opponent's turn order and key skills. My top recommendations are Plume, Sharon, Lowan, Piayera, and Heinrich.

Plume

Versatile Debuffer Sharon

Anti-Bruiser Debuffer Lowan

Single-Target Controller Piayera

CD Disruption Debuffer Heinrich

Dispel & Lockdown Debuffer

Plume is still the versatile Debuffer I would prioritize first. Sharon is more effective against the current high-HP and Bruiser meta, while Lowan specializes in locking down a single key enemy. Piayera and Heinrich, meanwhile, are better at dismantling enemy teams by disrupting skill rotations and Buff-based setups.

Etheria Restart Reroll Tier List

Rerolled into a new character but still not sure whether you should stop? This Etheria: Restart Reroll Tier List is here to help. It highlights which Animus are the best early account anchors and which ones are also unlikely to fall off too quickly in the long run.

Role	Priority Reroll Picks	Why They Hold Value
DPS	Liliam Yeli Massiah	Liliamis a top-tier single-target burst DPS with lasting value in boss fights. Yeli brings single-target damage, AoE, and utility, making her one of the least mode-dependent choices. Massiah offers both burst and wave-clearing, making him a smooth pick from early progression into late-game content.
Support	Lily Freya DokiDoki	Lily’s SPD, Action Bar support, and skill cycle value are unlikely to become outdated. Freya is highly versatile and remains useful in both PvE and PvP. DokiDoki becomes more rewarding as battles go longer, making her especially valuable in extended fights.
Sustain	Areal Valerian Lingluo	Arealcombines healing, cleansing, and utility in one kit. Valerian is the better choice when you need stronger anti-burst protection. Lingluo has lasting value in content where cleansing and anti-Debuff utility matter more.
Debuff & Control	Plume Kloss Heinrich	Plume is one of the most worthwhile reroll targets thanks to her long-term value in both PvE and PvP. Klossis more specialized toward boss damage amplification. Heinrich’s dispel and lockdown utility also give him long-term relevance across both PvE and PvP.

Among all reroll targets, Plume has the highest reroll priority. She offers long-term value in both PvE and PvP, and unlike Lily, she cannot be filled in as reliably through early account progression. Lily can be obtained from the LD Selector on Day 2 for new accounts, so when rerolling, it is usually better to prioritize Plume first, then try to pick up a strong DPS like Yeli or Liliam.

That gives you a much smoother start with a more complete early team built around damage, support, and debuff utility.

Conclusion

This Etheria: Restart Tier List is based on the current SS5 Season and is not an official ranking. It evaluates Animus across PvE and PvP using factors such as damage, boss performance, skill rotation, Action Bar control, survivability, and team versatility.

Team comps, Prowess, gear stats, and playstyle can all affect a character’s performance, so a lower Tier does not mean a character is unusable. Some Animus still perform well in specific bosses, control teams, or PvP setups, so prioritize characters that fit your roster and main content.

New Animus, balance changes, and future seasons will continue to reshape the meta, and we will keep this tier list updated. If you need more resources for characters like Plume, Lily, or Yeli, you can top up Etheria: Restart onGamsGo and get Hydra Crystals at around 20% off.

FAQ

Is Etheria: Restart Worth Playing?

If you enjoy turn-based RPGs, team building, challenging boss fights, and PvP, Etheria: Restart is worth trying. The game is free to play and offers PvE, online PvP, and multiplayer content. However, character progression and gacha are a major part of the experience, so it is better suited to players who enjoy building teams over the long term.

Is Etheria: Restart on PS5?

Currently, Etheria: Restart is not available on PS5. The officially listed platforms are PC, Android, and iOS, and no information about a PS5 version or release date has been announced.

How to Reroll in Etheria: Restart?

Etheria: Restart does not offer a Guest Account option, so each reroll usually requires a new email address or a Gmail “+” alias. After completing the prologue, early tutorials, and the mandatory 10-pull, you can claim your rewards and continue summoning. Each reroll takes around 15–20 minutes.

EIs Etheria: Restart a Gacha Game?

Yes. Etheria: Restart is a gacha RPG where new Animus are mainly obtained through Summons using Hydra Crystals, Anima Prototypes, or Apex Prototypes. Shells are primarily obtained through gameplay content and do not need to be pulled from character banners

Related Articles

NTE 1.3 Linko Preview

Wuthering Waves 3.6 Banners

ZZZ 3.2 Banners Guide