Arknights Tier List: Best Operators on Global (November 2026)
Our Arknights tier list for Global, November 2026: Logos, Wiš'adel, Ines, Młynar and Goldenglow top the list after Kal'tsit Esperanta and Closure arrived.
This Arknights tier list ranks the operators we’d build first on the Global server as of November 2, 2026, after the Critical Phase Transition event (Episode 17) brought Kal’tsit Esperanta and Closure to Global on October 14, per the Arknights Terra Wiki. Our top tier: Logos, Wiš’adel, Ines, Młynar and Goldenglow, five operators that pull weight on almost any hard stage. Every rank here is our opinion for endgame PvE, meaning Contingency Contract, Integrated Strategies and event challenge stages. Classes and branches come from the wiki.
Key takeaways
How this Arknights tier list ranks operators
We rank across classes, not within them, because you build a squad, not a class. Four things decide where an operator lands:
- Impact on hard content: how much the operator raises your odds of clearing high-risk Contingency Contract, deep Integrated Strategies runs and event challenge modes.
- Flexibility: whether they fit most maps or only specific gimmicks.
- Investment: how much Elite 2 promotion and skill mastery they need before they carry their weight.
- Availability: limited operators are flagged, since you can’t pull them until a rerun.
We only rank 6★ operators, and only ones out on Global. The Arknights Terra Wiki counts 416 of CN’s 439 operators as available on Global, so some names you see in CN guides aren’t pullable here yet. Newly released operators carry a “provisional” tag until they’ve had time in harder content.
Arknights tier list, November 2026 (Global)
Here’s the full list at a glance. Short reasons for every entry follow below the table.
| Tier | Entries | Why |
|---|---|---|
| S+ | Logos, Wiš’adel (limited), Ines, Młynar, Goldenglow | Fit almost any stage and change how hard content plays |
| S | Ela (limited), Ch’en the Dawnstreak, Lappland the Decadenza (limited), Kal’tsit Esperanta (limited, provisional), Degenbrecher, Mudrock | Top performers with a narrower job or higher availability cost |
| A | Closure (provisional), Muelsyse (limited), Bagpipe, Penance, Hoshiguma the Breacher (limited), Mantra, Lemuen, Ch’en the Holungday (limited), Dorothy, Ling (limited), Gnosis, Mon3tr | Strong picks that shine in the right squad |
| B | Executor the Ex Foedere, Narantuya, Fiammetta, Ifrit, Horn, Kal’tsit, Lumen, Gladiia | Good, but situational or outclassed in their role |
S+ tier
Logos is a Core Caster with top-end arts damage, and he fits nearly any map or boss. Wiš’adel, a limited Sniper, clears dense waves with wide-area blasts that few units match. Ines, an Agent Vanguard, redeploys fast, builds DP and steals enemy ATK with her talent, so she earns a slot from deployment one to the final wave. Młynar is a Liberator Guard who stores power while idle, then dumps it as heavy burst damage when his skill fires. Goldenglow, a Mech-Accord Caster, hits from long range through her drones with very little babysitting.
S tier
Ela is a Trapmaster whose mines soften enemies so the rest of your team hits harder. Ch’en the Dawnstreak is a non-limited Arts Fighter Guard who debuted on the July 2026 Festival banner; dealing arts damage in melee means high-DEF enemies don’t wall her. Lappland the Decadenza, a limited Mech-Accord Caster, fills the same drone-damage slot as Goldenglow. Kal’tsit Esperanta (provisional) is a limited Watchman Medic, a branch that can Take Off, per the wiki, which opens placements few medics offer. Degenbrecher, a Swordmaster Guard, delivers fast, repeatable burst damage. Mudrock, a Juggernaut Defender, sustains herself and holds lanes without a dedicated medic.
A tier
Closure (provisional) is a new Tactician Vanguard in the same branch as Muelsyse, whose clones copy other operators and double up your best units. Bagpipe, a Charger Vanguard, pairs DP gain with real physical burst. Penance is a Juggernaut Defender with barrier-based sustain and genuine damage. Hoshiguma the Breacher, a limited Arts Protector Defender, blocks a lane while dealing arts damage. Mantra is a Primal Caster, the branch built around Elemental damage. Lemuen, a Deadeye Sniper, picks off priority targets from long range. Ch’en the Holungday, a Spreadshooter Sniper, shreds groups up close. Dorothy, a Trapmaster, locks enemies down along their path. Ling, a Summoner Supporter, adds dragons that block and deal damage. Gnosis, a Hexer Supporter, stacks debuffs that make bosses manageable. Mon3tr is a Chain Medic, whose healing jumps between allies, losing 25% per jump per the wiki.
B tier
Executor the Ex Foedere, a Reaper Guard, handles groups but needs the right map. Narantuya, a Loopshooter Sniper, is best at chokepoints. Fiammetta, an Artilleryman Sniper, still lands big area hits at long range. Ifrit, a Blast Caster, remains great against enemies stacked in a line. Horn gives a Fortress Defender’s ranged area damage from a blocking slot. Kal’tsit is a single-target Medic who brings her Mon3tr summon for damage, now outshone by her alter. Lumen, a Therapist Medic, heals and protects against negative statuses. Gladiia, a Hookmaster Specialist, drags enemies into kill zones on maps that reward it.
Who to build first
Our take: build for coverage before depth. A typical squad for hard stages needs a DP engine, a lane holder, sustain, area damage and one boss killer. If you own Ines, Mudrock, Kal’tsit Esperanta or Mon3tr, Wiš’adel and Logos, you’ve covered all five, mostly with S-tier or better picks. Missing some? Fill gaps from the A tier before you pour more materials into a second unit for a role you’ve already covered.
Pull math: what a limited 6★ really costs
Banner odds explain why limited operators sit high on wish lists and low on actual rosters. Per the wiki’s headhunting page, each pull costs 600 Orundum, the base 6★ rate is 2%, and after 50 pulls without a 6★ the rate climbs 2% per pull until it’s guaranteed at pull 99. On a limited banner, the two rate-up 6★ share 70% of 6★ results, so each gets about 35%. Every limited pull also earns a Headhunting Data Contract, and 300 of them buy the rate-up 6★ outright.
We ran those rules through a simple calculation to show the odds of landing one specific limited 6★ from zero pity:
| Pulls | Orundum | Chance of any 6★ | Chance of one specific limited 6★ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 30,000 | About 64% | About 30% |
| 100 | 60,000 | 100% (pity hits by pull 99) | About 63% |
| 150 | 90,000 | 100% | About 79% |
| 200 | 120,000 | 100% | About 89% |
| 300 | 180,000 | 100% | 100% via the spark |
Our estimates, based on the wiki’s published rates and a 200,000-run simulation of those rules. The average gap between 6★ pulls works out to about 35 pulls, which matches the wiki’s own “about 3% per pull” effective rate. The lesson: saving 60,000 Orundum gives you better-than-even odds at one limited, and only a full 180,000 makes it certain.
What’s next for Global
The wiki lists Thunder in the Azure Dream, the second Monster Hunter crossover, for November 16, 2026, with Violet Mizutsune Orchid, Zinogre S Catapult and Rhodes Island Recon as new operators. Current headhunting runs are Orienteering #7 (through November 11) and Standard Pool #178 (through November 6), per the wiki’s banner list.
Our take: we’ll rank the crossover operators once they’re live on Global. Crossover units rarely come back, so if you like them, plan your Orundum now rather than after the banner opens.
Rolling in more than one gacha? Our Limbus Company tier list, Azur Lane tier list and AFK Arena tier list use the same opinion-based tiers.
Arknights tier list FAQ
Who is the best operator in Arknights right now?
On Global in November 2026, our pick is Logos. He’s a Core Caster whose arts damage works on almost every stage and boss, and he isn’t limited, so new players can still get him. In our view, Wiš’adel is the strongest limited pick, but she’s only available during her banner reruns.
Does this tier list follow CN or Global?
Global only. CN runs months ahead, and the Arknights Terra Wiki lists 416 of CN’s 439 operators as available on Global as of November 2026. Operators already out in CN, such as those from the Yet Another Wave event, will join this list when they reach Global.
Should I pull for Kal’tsit Esperanta on her rerun?
If you lack a strong medic, yes. Watchman Medics can Take Off, per the wiki, which gives her placements most medics can’t use. Her October 2026 banner ended on the 28th, so she’s only obtainable again on a future limited rerun.
Tier lists age fast. Build the S+ picks you own, cover your roles, and save Orundum for the next limited you actually want.
Cassia Fenwick
Cassia Fenwick is a staff writer at Console Alley, covering console gaming from the latest hardware questions to the games players return to for years. Her work moves across news, practical guides, reviews, gaming gear, and the wider culture around games. Whether she is breaking down a new console feature or explaining a mechanic in a familiar favorite, she writes with a straightforward goal: help readers understand what matters and what to do next. She pays particular attention to the small details that shape the playing experience. A controller compatibility rule, a battery-life setting, a difficult-to-find resource, or a change introduced by a game update can make the difference between a frustrating evening and a rewarding one. Her published coverage includes Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 questions, Terraria, Stardew Valley, and The Sims 4, with explanations that welcome readers who may be discovering a game for the first time or returning after time away. Cassia's style is clear, patient, and grounded in practical examples. Rather than assuming readers already know the terminology, she begins with the question at hand, adds the context that genuinely helps, and keeps instructions easy to follow. She is interested not only in how a feature works, but also why its design matters—especially when a small interaction, interface decision, or unexpected mechanic changes how a game feels. Outside her gaming coverage, Cassia enjoys colorful postcards, making books, and noticing the shapes, colors, and details built into everyday objects. That curiosity carries naturally into her writing, where overlooked features and thoughtful design can provide a fresh way to look at a game. Her aim is for every article to be useful on its own: approachable enough for a newcomer, specific enough for someone looking for a quick answer, and enjoyable enough to leave readers with something new to explore.
