NIKKE Tier List 2026: Best Characters for Story, Raids & PvP

Goddess of Victory: NIKKE has multiple playable characters to choose from. While some are excellent for newcomers, others are better for those who want to craft the best teams possible. If you’re part of the second group, then we’re here to highlight the best characters for story mode, raids, and PvP. This should help you construct the best teams possible.

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What are the best NIKKE characters for the story?

NIKKE has a large and interesting story, and is usually the game mode that most players go for. While it starts off easy, things get progressively harder once players start pushing high combat power deficits. Because of this, you want characters who can take out waves quickly, decimate tanky bosses, and survive long fights. It’s even better if you use LootBar to strengthen your team even more.

Red Hood

The NIKKE character Red Hood

Red Hood is easily the best NIKKE character for the game’s story. She’s extremely flexible, but that flexibility doesn’t mean she has to compromise her power in any way. Red Hood’s biggest strength is that she can temporarily function in multiple burst stages, letting you pair her with all sorts of teams. 

This character’s base damage output is off the charts, letting her quickly wipe out large waves, while also dealing serious damage to boss enemies. It doesn’t matter what sort of story mission it is, because there’s a good chance that Red Hood will dominate regardless.

Then, there’s Red Hood’s consistency. Most DPS units only perform well in certain situations, but Red Hood can take out all sorts of enemies, regardless of whether they’re mobs, shields, or even bosses. She even scales well with investment. Upgrading her gear increases her carry potential, making her a key player in most story teams.

Crown

The NIKKE character Crown

While Red Hood is an excellent DPS character, Crown is one of the best support characters for the story. She provides defense utility and powerful buffs that make it easier for teams to survive in the later stages of the campaign.

Crown doesn’t do much herself, but she does bring out the best in other characters. Powerful hypercarry DPS characters like Red Hood and Scarlet: Black Shadow benefit from Crown’s buffs the most, since they can deal more damage and actually survive during extended fights. 

Of course, there’s also the fact that the later stages of the campaign practically demand that players rely on more than just their strength. Survivability, cooldown management, and reliable support are all important to consistently clear stages, and Crown has all three in spades.

What are the best NIKKE characters for raids?

Finding the best NIKKE team for raids isn’t too hard. Here, the main priority is how much damage characters can deal to a boss within a limited time. These raids are all about burst damage, team synergy, and maintaining strong DPS rotations.

Snow White: Heavy Arms

The NIKKE character Snow White Heavy Arms

2026 saw the rise of Snow White: Heavy Arms as one of the best raid characters in the game. Her damage potential is insane against most bosses, and many players construct entire teams that just revolve around maximizing her damage output against a single target.

Much of this character’s strength comes from her ability to punish bosses who have exposed cores and breakable parts. Her attacks deal massive damage during short burst windows, which can help many players push for scores that they may not have thought possible otherwise.

Snow White: Heavy Arms also scales well with proper support on her team. Whether it’s pure buffing or cooldown reduction, the right support can help her become even more dangerous. Not to mention, she’s also a powerhouse when it comes to the endgame, comfortably decimating most PvE teams.

Little Mermaid

The NIKKE character Little mermaid

Speaking of the right support, you’ll be hard-pressed when looking for a raid support character that’s better than Little Mermaid. The value she provides high-damage team compositions is frankly insane, since she can comfortably boost damage consistency. 

Little Mermaid is extremely popular with elemental-focused teams, especially wind-based compositions. However, this doesn’t mean that she can’t shine with other DPS teams. Her abilities let her support DPS characters during Burst rotations, letting players squeeze out even more damage from characters who are already powerhouses.

We can’t forget that Little Mermaid is one of the most flexible supports out there. She works well with most units and fits into a variety of raid setups. Roster depth is usually already important, and Little Mermaid helps cover most bases with her reliable supporting abilities.

What are the best NIKKE characters for PvP?

Most players struggle to construct good PvP teams in NIKKE. This is mostly because the focus here is to ensure characters can activate their Burst quickly to eliminate enemies before they respond. Two characters stand out as having the potential to do just this.

Jackal

The NIKKE character Jackal

Jackal’s incredible Burst generation and utility make her the best PvP NIKKE character in 2026. She helps accelerate the process of reaching Full Burst, helping players quickly wipe out enemy teams before they can scale.

Her biggest strength is definitely how well she fits into aggressive Arena teams. Since this game mode demands fast rotation and the potential to get early momentum, Jackal can help players decide a match before the enemy can stabilize properly. If the enemy is also running a similar team, then Jackal’s disruptive playstyle can easily put a thorn in it.

Jackal fits into most team comps without hindering their potential. Whether it’s a burst team or a more balanced defensive setup, this one character can provide strong value without you having to adjust your playing style.

Scarlet

The NIKKE character Scarlet

Scarlet’s abilities let her instantly threaten entire enemy teams with massive damage, and she can punish opponents during crucial moments to hinder how fast they can land their Bursts.

Scarlet’s explosive AoE damage means that one well-timed burst can potentially eliminate multiple enemies at once. Pairing her with a character like Jackal can help her generate Burst even quicker, making her an even bigger threat.

Of course, all of this is assuming that you have the right gear to ensure Scarlet can really shine on the PvP battlefield. If you don’t, then you can always buy a NIKKE top up to start lining up those wins!

Conclusion

NIKKE may have all sorts of characters, but finding the ones who best fit your playing style is one of the best parts of the game. Whether it’s a team that can last in prolonged story fights or one that can deal devastating damage to single raid bosses, don’t be afraid to experiment with your favorite characters to find the teams that work for you.