Anime Vanguards Tier List (2026) — Best Units Ranked

Anime Vanguards just dropped Update 11.5 Moonless Sky, and the unit meta has shifted hard. Savior (Moonless) arrived with a kit that's already warping team compositions at every level of play. Whether you're pushing endgame content or just starting out on Roblox, knowing which units actually matter in March 2026 can save you hours of wasted resources and failed runs.

This tier list ranks every notable unit from S through C based on raw DPS, passive scaling, team synergy, and overall usefulness in the current meta. We've factored in Update 11.5's balance changes, rarity reworks, and the new Moonless Sky mechanics to give you rankings that reflect what's actually performing right now — not what was strong two patches ago.

S Tier — Best Units in Anime Vanguards

These are the units that define the Update 11.5 meta. If you've got any of these on your roster, you're working with the strongest tools the game currently offers. S Tier units dominate in DPS, bring unique passives that warp team compositions, and remain relevant across all content types.

Savior (Moonless)

Savior (Moonless) is the headline addition in Update 11.5 Moonless Sky, and it didn't take long for the community to figure out just how strong this unit is. The core of Savior's kit revolves around a 10% stacking passive that scales damage the longer it attacks the same enemy. Against bosses and high-HP waves, that passive turns Savior into a damage machine that only gets more dangerous over time.

But the passive is only part of the story. Savior's nuke ability can reach up to 3,000% damage when all 3 stocks are used, which is enough to delete most enemies outright. Follow-up attacks ignore enemy damage reduction entirely, which means even heavily shielded bosses can't mitigate Savior's output. On top of that, every basic attack doubles all active percentage buffs on the unit, creating a feedback loop that spirals out of control in longer fights.

There's also a self-cleanse on every follow-up attack, which keeps Savior from being shut down by debuffs. And perhaps most conveniently, Savior counts as any group for team-building purposes, so it slots into literally every team composition without breaking group synergies. There's no way around it — Savior (Moonless) is the strongest unit in the game right now.

Alocard (Vampire King)

Alocard (Vampire King) got a significant boost when his rarity was upgraded from Secret to Vanguard back in Update 11.0. That rarity change wasn't just cosmetic. The Vanguard Familiar that comes with it boosts the Wounded damage bonus all the way up to 35%, which is a massive multiplier when you consider how many sources of Wounded are in the current meta.

What makes Alocard stand out from other high-tier units is how quickly he starts contributing. He applies Bleed, inflicts Wounded, and deals full AoE damage from the moment you place him. There's no ramp-up time. No waiting for stacks to build. He's one of the most immediately impactful units you can drop onto the field, and that consistency is what keeps him firmly in S Tier as of March 2026. For more strategies and unit guides, check out the Anime Vanguards hub.

Divalo (Requiem)

Divalo (Requiem) rounds out the S Tier as a pure damage dealer that doesn't need gimmicks to dominate. Where Savior relies on stacking mechanics and Alocard leans into debuff synergy, Divalo just hits hard. Consistently. Every single round.

His damage output sits at the top of sustained DPS charts, and he doesn't fall off as content gets harder. Divalo performs just as well on wave 50 as he does on wave 10, which can't be said for a lot of units that look strong early but struggle to scale. If you want a unit that simply does the most damage without requiring a specific team built around it, Divalo is the pick.

A Tier — Excellent Units

A Tier units are genuinely powerful and can carry you through most content in the game. They lack the raw ceiling of S Tier picks, but they bring focused strengths that make them invaluable in the right situations. Several of these units outperform S Tier choices in specific matchups.

Haruka Rin (Dancer)

Haruka Rin (Dancer) delivers strong, consistent damage without the variance that plagues some higher-profile units. She doesn't have flashy mechanics or game-breaking passives. What she does have is reliable output that you can count on every single run. Her damage stays competitive across all content types, and she doesn't need a specific team composition to perform well.

In a meta that's increasingly defined by complex stacking mechanics and conditional passives, there's something refreshing about a unit that just works. Haruka Rin won't top any DPS charts in a perfect scenario, but she also won't leave you hanging when conditions aren't ideal. That reliability has real value.

Choy Jong En

Choy Jong En holds the title of best damage-over-time dealer outside of the S Tier. His DoT effects tick for serious numbers, and they stack in ways that punish enemies for staying alive too long. Against waves with high-HP targets that take multiple hits to bring down, Choy Jong En's sustained damage starts outpacing a lot of burst-focused units.

The main limitation keeping him in A Tier is that DoT damage is inherently slower than burst damage. In stages where you need to clear waves quickly before they overwhelm your defenses, that speed gap matters. But for boss encounters and endurance runs, Choy Jong En is one of the best units you can field. If you're looking for active Anime Vanguards codes, we keep an updated list.

Yomomata (Captain)

Yomomata (Captain) has one of the most unique mechanics in the game — he converts defeated enemies into summons that fight alongside your team. In practice, this means that the harder a stage throws at you, the stronger Yomomata becomes. Each enemy he kills adds another body to your side, and those summons can overwhelm waves through sheer numbers.

This snowball effect makes Yomomata exceptionally strong in stages with dense enemy waves. The summons aren't individually powerful, but when you've got 8 or 10 of them stacking up, the collective damage and distraction they provide is substantial. He's less effective in boss-only stages where there aren't many adds to convert, which is why he sits in A Tier rather than S.

The Smith (John)

The Smith (John) is a specialist that scales his damage buff based on the HP difference between the enemy and his current damage output. The wider that gap, the harder he hits. This makes him exceptional against high-HP bosses, where the difference between enemy health pools and John's base damage is enormous — resulting in damage multipliers that rival S Tier numbers.

Against regular waves with moderate HP targets, John's scaling doesn't have room to ramp up, and his output drops to merely average. He's a niche pick, but in the content where he shines, he's nearly irreplaceable. Smart players bring him to boss encounters and swap him out for wave-clearing stages.

B Tier — Good Units

B Tier units are solid performers that work well in most situations. They won't single-handedly carry your team through the hardest content, but they fill their roles competently and remain useful well into mid-game and beyond. Each one has a clear strength that justifies a roster spot.

Kira (Light)

Kira (Light) brings good DPS and reliable performance across most content types. He doesn't excel in any single area the way higher-tier units do, but he also doesn't have any glaring weaknesses. His damage output is consistent, his attack patterns cover a reasonable area, and he slots into most team compositions without causing issues.

For players who are still building their roster and don't have access to S or A Tier options, Kira is a dependable choice. He'll get the job done in mid-game content and can contribute meaningfully even in harder stages when paired with stronger units. Think of him as a reliable foundation piece rather than a centerpiece.

Goku (Ultra)

Goku (Ultra) is a solid damage dealer with good range. His attacks hit at distances that keep him safe from most enemy abilities, and his damage output stays relevant through the mid-game without dropping off as sharply as some other B Tier picks. The range advantage is particularly valuable in stages with dangerous melee enemies that can disrupt close-range units.

Where Goku falls short is in raw DPS comparisons with A and S Tier damage dealers. His output is respectable but not remarkable, and he doesn't bring any unique mechanics that elevate him beyond his base numbers. He's a straightforward damage unit that does exactly what you'd expect — nothing more, nothing less. You can see how Anime Vanguards compares to other tower defense games in our Anime Vanguards vs Jujutsu Shenanigans comparison.

Naruto (Sage)

Naruto (Sage) offers decent support through his clone mechanics. The clones provide additional targets for enemies and contribute supplementary damage that adds up over longer engagements. It's not the same level of summoning power that Yomomata brings, but the clones serve a different purpose — they're more about creating breathing room than overwhelming the enemy.

Sage Naruto works best as a support unit that complements your primary DPS rather than trying to carry damage himself. In that supporting role, he performs well enough to justify his spot on most teams, especially in content where survivability matters more than pure burst.

C Tier — Average Units

C Tier units aren't bad picks by any means — they just can't keep pace with the competition as content difficulty ramps up. They're solid choices for new players working through early and mid-game stages, but you'll want to transition to higher-tier options before tackling endgame content.

Luffy (Base)

Luffy (Base) is an average fighter who gets the job done in early content but is outclassed by his own evolved forms and most units above him on this list. His kit is straightforward and easy to use, which makes him a fine starter unit. But once you've got access to better options, Luffy (Base) slides out of your active roster pretty quickly.

The main appeal here is accessibility. Luffy (Base) is one of the easier units to obtain, and he teaches new players the fundamentals of unit placement and attack patterns. Consider him a stepping stone rather than a long-term investment.

Ichigo (Substitute)

Ichigo (Substitute) is a basic sword fighter with decent single-target damage and good early-game performance. His attack animations are clean and his targeting is reliable, which matters more than most people think when you're learning how the game's mechanics work. He'll carry you comfortably through the first several stages.

The problem is that Ichigo's damage ceiling is low. Once enemies start showing up with larger HP pools and damage reduction, his numbers don't scale well enough to stay competitive. He's a perfectly fine unit for your first dozen hours with the game, but plan to replace him as your collection grows.

Deku (Full Cowl)

Deku (Full Cowl) brings decent attack speed to the table, hitting faster than most units at his tier. That speed gives him a slight edge in scenarios where quick target switching matters. However, his damage per hit is limited, which means the fast attacks aren't translating into the kind of DPS numbers you need for harder content.

Deku works reasonably well in stages with many weak enemies where his speed lets him clear targets efficiently. Against bosses and high-HP waves, the limited damage ceiling becomes a real liability. He's a niche early-game option that falls off noticeably past the mid-game threshold. For tips on earning resources faster, check out our Anime Vanguards free Robux guide.

Tier List Summary Table

Here's a quick-reference table covering every unit we've ranked in Update 11.5 Moonless Sky. Use this for at-a-glance comparisons when you're deciding which units to invest in.

How We Ranked These Units

We based these rankings on four core factors: raw DPS output, passive and scaling mechanics, team synergy and flexibility, and overall meta relevance as of March 2026. Performance data comes from in-game testing across multiple content types, including standard wave stages, boss encounters, and endurance runs in Update 11.5 Moonless Sky.

We weighted units that perform well across multiple content types higher than one-dimensional specialists. That said, standout niche performance was recognized through tier placement notes — The Smith (John), for example, sits in A Tier but can rival S Tier output in boss-focused content. Trading value and rarity were considered for context but didn't directly influence placement. A unit's ranking reflects how good it is to use, not how hard it is to obtain.

We also accounted for recent changes. Alocard's rarity upgrade from Secret to Vanguard in Update 11.0 fundamentally changed his viability, and the introduction of Savior (Moonless) in Update 11.5 reshuffled the entire top end of the tier list. These rankings reflect the game as it exists today, and we'll update them when the next significant patch drops.

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