Neverness to Everness rankings
NTE Best Characters
A quick ranked view of the strongest NTE characters, with links into build context and team recommendations.
Nanally
Top-tier limited carry with automatic follow-up attacks and an Ultimate that summons an Underboss to crush enemies. Her wall-running exploration ability is a bonus.
Exceptional single-target and AoE damage, automatic follow-up attacks, strong late-game scaling, unique anti-gravity exploration ability.
Damage / Main DPS / Follow-up
S-Rank
Anima / Plasma
Hotori
Newest limited character (banner ends June 3, 2026). Can stop time with her Ultimate and record/replay ally skills for massive burst. Strong long-term investment.
Time-stop Ultimate, skill recording and replay mechanic, enables multiple team comps, hybrid Support/Sub-DPS role, helps with Pink Paws Heist mode.
Buff / Burst DPS
S-Rank
Cosmos / Solid
Sakiri
Incantation specialist available from the S-class selector after 50 pulls. Excels at crowd control and AoE mob clearing while buffing team ATK.
AoE crowd control, team ATK buff, triggers Scorch for DoT amplification, 'Eating Mode' locks down enemies, versatile across many team comps.
Buff / Control / Sub-DPS
S-Rank
Incantation / Gas
Baicang
Strong DoT-based damage dealer with excellent sustained damage. Pairs well with Sakiri for Incantation resonance and Scorch synergy.
High DoT damage output, strong in prolonged fights, Incantation resonance synergy, consistent damage across all content types.
Damage / Main DPS / DoT
S-Rank
Incantation / Synthesis
Daffodil
Burst-focused Chaos damage dealer with strong break potential. Excels in short damage windows and against shielded enemies.
High burst damage, shield breaking specialist, Chaos element coverage, strong in content with damage-check phases.
Damage / Burst DPS / Break
S-Rank
Chaos / Liquid
Lacrimosa
Upcoming V1.1 character (after June 3, 2026). Chaos DoT specialist expected to pair well with Daffodil for double Chaos resonance.
Chaos DoT damage, synergy with other Chaos units, strong sustained damage profile, expected to enable new team archetypes.
Damage / Main DPS / DoT
S-Rank
Chaos / Liquid
Jiuyuan
Anima burst damage dealer with crowd control utility. Strong for both damage and team protection through enemy lockdown.
Burst damage with control effects, Anima element coverage, good crowd control, reliable in both boss and mob content.
Damage / Burst DPS / Control
S-Rank
Anima / Solid
Chiz
Free S-Rank character unlockable at City Tycoon Lv.18. Solid Cosmos damage dealer and one of the best F2P-friendly options in the game.
Free S-Rank character, strong Cosmos damage, easy to build, accessible for all players, good investment value.
Damage / Main DPS
S-Rank
Cosmos / Gas
F2P value
Aurelia
Free 3-day login reward (available from May 1, 2026). Reliable Psyche damage dealer, great for new accounts needing a strong starter carry.
Free S-Rank from login event, Psyche element coverage, easy to obtain and build, solid damage for early-to-mid game.
Damage / Main DPS
S-Rank
Psyche / Plasma
F2P value
Hathor
Lakshana burst damage dealer who also provides team buffs. Good hybrid option for players wanting both damage and utility.
Burst damage with team buff utility, Lakshana element coverage, flexible role compression, strong in time-limited encounters.
Damage / Burst DPS / Buff
S-Rank
Lakshana / Plasma
Fadia
Defensive Psyche unit that redirects damage away from the team. Useful for difficult content where survivability is key.
Damage redirection mechanics, team protection, Psyche resonance, strong defensive utility for hard content.
Survival / DMG Redirection
S-Rank
Psyche / Synthesis
Esper Zero
Free protagonist character available from the start. Decent Cosmos damage dealer that can carry through early and mid-game content.
Free starting character, solid Cosmos damage, easy to build, good for learning game mechanics, viable in early-to-mid game.
Damage / Burst DPS
S-Rank
Cosmos / Solid
F2P value
Adler
Free story-unlocked defensive unit. Provides shields and minor DoT damage. Great budget survival option for new players.
Free from story, reliable shields, minor DoT contribution, easy to max potential, good stepping stone unit.
Survival / Shield / DoT
A-Rank
Incantation / Synthesis
F2P value
Edgar
Accessible Cosmos healer from the standard gacha pool. Reliable sustain for Cosmos resonance teams.
Consistent healing, Cosmos resonance synergy, easy to obtain from standard banner, pairs well with Hotori and Esper Zero.
Survival / Healing
A-Rank
Cosmos / Liquid
F2P value
Haniel
Free pre-registration reward. Strong Psyche buffer that boosts team damage. Excellent value for new accounts.
Free from pre-registration, team-wide damage boost, Psyche resonance, easy to slot into any team, low investment requirement.
Buff / DMG Boost
A-Rank
Psyche / Solid
F2P value
Mint
Free story-unlocked Anima damage dealer. Decent early-game carry that falls off in late game but is great for progression.
Free from story, Anima damage coverage, easy to max potential, good for early progression, low resource investment.
Damage / Main DPS
A-Rank
Anima / Liquid
F2P value
Skia
Budget Lakshana damage dealer from gacha. Usable filler for Lakshana teams but outclassed by higher-rarity options.
Lakshana element coverage, easy to obtain, functional in budget Lakshana teams, low investment floor.
Damage
A-Rank
Lakshana / Gas
F2P value
Who Are the Best NTE Characters in Version 1.0?
Identifying the NTE best characters is essential for maximizing your progression in Neverness to Everness. Our NTE best characters ranking evaluates all 17 launch Espers across damage output, survivability, team contribution, and F2P accessibility. Nanally consistently tops the NTE best characters rankings as the premier Anima main DPS with automatic follow-up attacks. Hotori ranks among the NTE best characters for her game-changing time-stop Ultimate and skill recording mechanic. When building your roster, consult this NTE best characters guide to avoid wasting pulls on underperforming Espers.
For F2P players, the NTE best characters list includes several excellent free options. Chiz (Cosmos/Gas, free at City Tycoon Lv.18) and Aurelia (Psyche/Plasma, free 3-day login) are among the NTE best characters that require zero gacha luck. Haniel (Psyche/Solid, free pre-registration reward) provides team-wide DMG boosts and deserves mention among the NTE best characters for new accounts. Sakiri, obtainable from the S-class selector after 50 pulls, is consistently rated among the NTE best characters for her universal support capabilities. Refer to our main NTE tier list for full interactive rankings with community votes.
NTE Best Characters by Role and Element
The NTE best characters vary depending on the role you need to fill. For main DPS, Nanally and Baicang are the NTE best characters with their high damage ceilings. For support and buff roles, Sakiri and Hotori stand as the NTE best characters for enabling team damage. When you need survivability, Fadia and Adler are the NTE best characters for damage redirection and shielding. Understanding Element synergy is also crucial when selecting the NTE best characters — Anima, Cosmos, Incantation, Chaos, Psyche, and Lakshana each offer unique resonance bonuses that can dramatically impact team performance. Use our NTE tier list filters to sort the NTE best characters by Element, Arc Type, and F2P value. For team building guidance, see our best NTE teams page for recommended team compositions featuring these top-ranked Espers.