If fighting games and MOBA’s had a child, you’ll meet For Honor. This sword-fighting game takes the formula of MOBA objectives and intensity of 1v1 duels into a fresh and unique take on team battles. In this game, you can live the fantasy of warfare between Knights, Vikings, and Samurai.
Everyone has their main characters, both newcomers and veteran players alike. With the selection of heroes now totaling 30 and a new hero on the way by the end of July 2022, the choice to pick a main can be overwhelming. So we came up with an updated tier list to help you pick up a new main or stay faithful to that rep 70 hero you only play.
S-Tier (Heroes who are dominating every game mode with superior moveset and feats above all others. Even new players can land first on the scoreboard with these heroes.)
Shugoki 95/100
Hitokiri 93/100
Jiang Jun 91/100
Conqueror 90/100
Raider 88/100
Kensei 85/100
A-Tier (Heroes that are viable in both team fights and 1v1s. With enough practice, they can tear apart the enemy team and confuse them with mixups)
Black Prior 84/100
Shinobi 83/100
Warmonger 82/100
Zhanhu 81/100
Tiandi 80/100
Orochi 80/100
Pirate 79/100
Kyoshin 76/100
Centurion 76/100
Warden 75/100
B-Tier (Heroes that are picked for their niche mechanics, out-of-the-box movesets, or just plain survivability. Their effectiveness in team fights are hit or miss depending on the player.)
Lawbringer 74/100
Warlord 73/100
Gryphon 72/100
Jormungandr 70/100
Berserker 69/100
Shaman 69/100
Gladiator 65/100
Shaolin 60/100
C-Tier (Heroes that fell victim to lack of update in their movesets or predictable combo chains. Though in the hands of expert players they can still kick ass but that’s about their redeeming qualities.)
Highlander 58/100
Nobushi 56/100
Aramusha 52/100
D-Tier (Worst pick of the lot in the current meta. Their lack of offensive options makes them easy targets in team fights. Only the best players can make them viable at the very least.)
Peacekeeper 50/100
Valkyrie 49/100
Nuxia 45/100
1. S-Tier
Shugoki
I will hug the crap out of you.
The guardians of the Samurai faction, the Shugoki are the slowest but the hardest hitters among the Heavy class heroes in For Honor. These chonky big boys are the only hero among the Samurai that use a blunt weapon, the mighty Kanabo. It demonstrates their fearsomeness on the battlefield and their raw strength in wielding such an unreasonable and clumsy weapon.
Among the heroes in the S-tier, Shugoki takes the top spot as he dishes out ridiculous amounts of damage in battle and has plenty of health to trade blows with. Thanks to the last rework he’s undergone, even his slow running speed was solved. He was also given a damaging neutral bash and a charged heavy attack that can be variably timed.
His hug (Demon’s Embrace) gives the perfect setup in team fights. On 1v1s, his charged heavies can easily delete the enemy’s health bar in a matter of seconds. On top of that, his Staggering Blow feat can knock opponents down without them running out of stamina which gives him and his teammates more chances of attack.
It doesn’t matter what game mode he’s in, Shugoki will always prove to be the character to beat in every fight.
Hitokiri
I whisper very loud.
Translated as Manslayer, Hitokiri was once the Samurai faction’s dedicated executioner. She lost her faith in humanity due to war and her twisted belief that death was her gift to the world. Wielding her big Masakari axe, she lingers on the battlefield bringing death wherever she pleases.
Much like Shugoki, Hitokiri’s ability to dish out big damage in battle with very little effort makes her one of the S-tier heroes in For Honor. She’s another hero hailing from the Heavy class and can set up many mixups that confuse enemies to eat relentless heavies. With the addition of a dodge heavy attack, her arsenal of moves grew even bigger and gave more chances for executions.
She can also charge her heavy attacks for bigger damage but can opt not to do so for an infinite chain of heavies. But it doesn’t end there, if she lands her kicks mid-combo, it guarantees her another heavy and resets her combo. Oh, and she also throws these attacks while under hyper armor, guaranteeing her more damage in case of trades.
In modes that enable feats, she’s the only hero that can ̶d̶i̶e̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶t̶h̶r̶o̶a̶t̶ ̶c̶a̶n̶c̶e̶r̶ insta-kill anyone. So whether she’s in team fights or 1v1, she can easily hack her way out and still get a guaranteed execution.
Jiang Jun
My swings reach point A to point B.
He may be the oldest among all the heroes in For Honor but he’s one of the most difficult to fight against. Hailing from the Wu Lin and wielding his trusty Guan Dao, Jiang Jun swings into battle.
Jiang Jun’s range and versatility in team-based game modes are unparalleled thanks to his unique moveset. He’s the only heavy in the game that has a special stance (Sifu Stance) for faster stamina recovery and can be used as a dodge. Add to that his unblockable zones and finishers and you have an unstoppable force that can demolish the enemy team quickly.
His feats are more on the support side befitting his character being a general but don’t let it fool you. His mixups and recoveries prove to be one of the most effective in both solo battles and team fights making him a force to be reckoned with.
Conqueror
RAAAH! RAAAH! RAAAH!
With his most recent rework, Conqueror managed to climb up to the rank of S-tier. He’s once one of the most defensive characters but now with his relentless offensive pressure and viability in team fights, he’s become more of a menace than ever before.
He used to be the only character unable to feint any attacks but now that’s removed. He can now apply more pressure as an aggressor to any enemy he faces. Not only that, once he gets in with either a light or shield bash, his infinite heavy chain turns into unblockables which he can cancel to his all guard or just feint. He makes it rain orange wherever he goes. It’s insanity.
His damage values are also off the charts thanks to his rework. Unlucky players that face Conqueror can only hope for a nerf in the meantime or just plain “git gud”.
Raider
We all wanted to main him at least once. Anyone? Just me? Alright.
The Vanguard of the Vikings, Raider is arguably one of the easiest heroes to play. He’s easily picked by both newcomers and veterans thanks to his simple moveset and easy access to mixups and setups.
He’s the only hero that can do an unblockable zone attack mid-chain. He can do that twice consecutively. And he can soft-feint it to a quick light attack or a guard break. No wonder he’s an easy pick. You can turn off your brain when playing him and still win. Easy.
On objective modes, he’s one of the best minion clearers in the game thanks to his triple-heavy attack chain. He can also pull off the Fury and Fire Flask feat combos to further increase his damage output.
Kensei
We all spammed dodge heavy with this guy. Just me again? Okay.
Kensei is one of the best team fighters in For Honor right now. He’s arguably one of the best balanced heroes in the game as his moveset has been what it was since release. He’s one of the slower vanguards in the game but he can hold his own when outnumbered in team fights.
Kensei’s range is his best asset in every fight. In team fights, this range shines brighter as he can swing wide in every direction and can catch enemies off if they’re in the wrong guard direction. He can also can enemies dodging on the side in 1v1s thanks to his wide swings. And if all else fails, he can do that spin zone attack into a ballerina.
His mechanic of soft feints to almost every possible attack from his top heavy is where his complexities come in. He can be just as offensive in the hands of a beginner but an unpredictable sword saint in the hands of a veteran player.
2. A-Tier
Black Prior
I will show you true DAAAAHKNESS!
Black Prior is the ultimate anti-gank machine. His unique defense move, the Bulwark Counter, can counter anything in the game from unblockables to bashes. ANYTHING. He’s the only character that can counter moves even when faced with 1v4 scenarios. Though in the hands of a beginner, he can be a little overwhelming. When to time his Bulwark Counter is the measure of a true master on Black Prior.
In duels, he can hold his own with crushing counter lights and undodgeable heavies. In dominion and other team-based modes, he’s a force to be reckoned with. His unique feats revolve around granting shields to allies or stripping them away from enemies under revenge shields.
He’s also just behind Hitokiri to most likely die of throat cancer.
Shinobi
Do you have any idea how fast I'm going?
Shinobi is one of the fastest in For Honor right now in both attacks and movement. Since his recent rework, the predictability of his moves has been reduced and his presence in team fights has been improved. His ranged heavies are now laid to rest but he’s also become more slippery than ever.
His backflips and rolls are the bread and butter of his kit and now that his finishers are either unblockable or undodgeable, his mixup game is now on par with other heroes. His offensive options are now expanded to compensate for his issue of low survivability. And should he find himself in a tough spot, he can always retreat with his Naruto Run (Super Sprint). HE’S FAST AF BOI.
Warmonger
Feat 1 unlocked! *Queue Run by AWOLNATION
Apollyon’s faithful and the main antagonist of the story thus far, Warmongers are one of the toughest Vanguards in For Honor. Her moveset may have been almost identical to Warden’s to some extent but she’s far more offensive than the first Knight Vanguard. She has the option to feint all her dodge heavies that are either undodgeable or unblockable, making her an asset in any team fight.
Speaking of team fights, her virus Corruption feats wreaked havoc when it was first introduced on her launch. Even though it has been nerfed for a while now, her Corruption feats can easily turn any team fight to her advantage. It either damages enemies that are near each other or forces them to disperse to avoid damage.
Zhanhu
Feeling cute. Might burn you later idk
Zhanhu is the Wu Lin’s equivalent to Kensei except for unblockables for every finisher in his chain. He’s equivalent to Kensei in the sense that his attack range covers almost the same as the Samurai Vanguard. His wide heavy swings will almost always catch dodging opponents or those on the wrong guard in team fights.
He’s one of the few characters with an undodgeable zone attack making dodging a less viable defensive option against him. He’s also a good minion clearer on dominion thanks to his wide attack swings. Having said that, he’s an easy target for guard breaks if the player is dependent on heavy attacks.
Tiandi
*Dodge attacks once *Queue Yi Jian Mei
Tiandi is the king of dodge attacks in the Wu Lin faction. His quick light attacks and extended dodge properties on his dodge heavies make him a ̶g̶o̶o̶d̶ ̶d̶a̶n̶c̶e̶r̶ slippery choice for a Vanguard. His undodgeable lights also turn into a crushing counter if done on a correct read.
Aside from dodge attacks, he’s also a good isolator in team fights thanks to his Dragon Kick. With a neutral bash in the form of his Palm Strike, he almost always guaranteed to have a light attack or a heavy attack to trade.
Orochi
Light spam king wassup
Orochi used to have the fastest light attacks in the game before the CCU (Core Combat Update) but it doesn’t mean that his lights have slowed down to the point that it’s so easy to react to. His light spam may have toned down but with the unblockable mixup now in his moveset, he can still drive enemies into a defensive corner.
He was also given a neutral kick bash (which had a crazy recovery window before it was nerfed) that gave him another mixup option for offensive pressure. Add that to his already existing dodge attacks and he can chase you down quickly. Although his attacks were for pushing enemies on the defense, his attacks can be very predictable and can be punished very easily.
Pirate
We all wanted a Jack Sparrow-type Pirate. Admit it.
Pirate is the newest hero in For Honor, hailing from the newest Outlander faction. She’s the only character that uses a gun along with a blade in battle and can use feats in her attack chains. Much like other new characters on launch, her moves were too strong and were badly in need of a nerf. Though the nerf came in, she’s still kicking ass thanks to her dodge recoveries.
Even though her kit revolves around the use of her gun and feats in battle, she can offer more offensive tactics thanks to her unblockables and grabs. On the other hand, her dodge attacks can be easily read and guard breaks can catch her when dodging if timed right for punishes.
And yes, Black Prior can flip that gun.
Kyoshin
Anime: The Hero
Kyoshin is one of the most defensive characters in the game thanks to his Kaze Stance, his all-guard move. Though defensive, his offensive pressure can be unmatched if done properly and if the enemy fails to react. With a superior block property to his light attacks, he can easily intercept enemy attacks and turn the offensive in his favor.
His Kaze Stance is perhaps his bread and butter, especially in team fights where he can dish out multiple strikes and not get hit even once. Though this is possible, only the most experienced players can pull it off. Most new players picking up Kyoshin fall into the trap of going into Kaze Stance immediately in team fights making them predictable and getting shut down quickly.
Centurion
Come on say the line say the line
Centurion is one of those heroes that can shut you down from 100 to 0 in a matter of seconds. His multiple nerfs may have toned down his aggressiveness but this was addressed in his last rework. The unblockable-bash-feint guessing game is back and will tear down any poor defense. INCREDIBILIS!
His relentless offense makes him a top pick when choosing a character for the maximum offense. Having said this, his defensive options are very limited once he gets caught in any attack except the usual block and parry.
Warden
Remember the guardbreak instakill glitch? Good times.
Warden is one of the most basic characters that new players pick in For Honor. His vortex moveset is very simple and easy to learn for beginners but in the hands of veteran players, he can be a juggernaut in an offense that keeps his opponent guessing every time.
In team modes, he can be a support thanks to his feats or can easily carry the team in team fights. In duels, Warden can be a 50/50 pick depending on the player.
3. B-Tier
Lawbringer
Still surprised the devs gave the gun to Pirate and not him.
Lawbringer is described as a Hybrid in-game but his features are closer to a Heavy thanks to his defensive nature. His long reach and unblockables can be an asset in team fights or he can simply stall for time with his defensive options.
He’s one of the characters that gets a lot of hate in the community because his gameplay revolves around being defensive. He offers almost no offensive other than his parry options.
Warlord
Are you far away from any ledge? Are you sure?
Warlord is considered to be the ledge king in For Honor aside from Raider. His moveset is the typical 2-hit chain for Heavies with the addition of hyper armor for trading blows. Aside from this, he has an all-guard stance that makes him immobile and only useful for players that can read opponents well.
His ledge tactic can be very effective for unsuspecting players but once read, he can be easily punished with very few options to choose from.
Gryphon
Hate me or love me, players will still pick me.
Gryphon is almost an alternative version of Lawbringer since his character used to be a Lawbringer itself. He’s also hated in the For Honor community as his launch was the most overpowered of all heroes released ever. The devs have addressed this with multiple nerfs but the core of his kit (dodge heavies, undodgeable lights, and guaranteed heavy after a kick) remained unchanged.
He was a top pick when he just came out because he was outright broken. Now that his damage output has been watered down and his moves easily read, he can now be easily shut down.
Jormungandr
Nutcracker: The Hero
Jormungandr had a solid launch when she was first introduced in For Honor. Her kit revolving around draining the enemy’s stamina was interesting and gave her the offensive edge in fights. Her heavies used to have hyper armor windows that can easily trade but it has since been nerfed.
She can still use her unblockable mixups and grabs to keep opponents guessing. In team fights though, her grabs and punches can easily feed revenge and do more harm than good.
Berserker
Imagine getting a good deflect.
Berserker is the only hero from the Assassin class that has hyper armor for trading blows (Orochi’s hyper armor on deflect doesn’t count). And since he’s an Assassin, his attacks are faster than other characters that can trade blows. This might be a nice gimmick but with lower health than average, trading blows doesn’t exactly make him more viable.
He also got the short stick of the deflect lottery because he’s the only hero that gets a guard break instead of a guaranteed attack. It takes time to get used to this mechanic even for veteran players and newer players won’t be able to adjust as quickly.
Shaman
The only hero that goes to war hungry.
Shaman has the unique mechanic of Blood Trance where she heals from striking bleeding opponents. Either she or an ally can inflict the bleed and she’ll reap the rewards for every attack she lands. She can also grab bleeding enemies and get a bigger heal from a pizza time bite.
This is an interesting mechanic that only she has if we’re talking about 1v1 duels. When in team fights though, her grabs will feed revenge very quickly and those heals will just be taken back with interest.
Gladiator
ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!
Gladiators have a decent mixup tactic thanks to their unblockable impale. His toe stab remains one of the most reliable neutral bashes in the game but for very little damage. His other bash options are his shield punches but it won’t guarantee a heavy.
His deflect game is decent and can land a big chunk of bleed damage but it takes getting used to since his dodge attacks are heavies.
Shaolin
Buddha bless you. *Proceeds to kung-fu kick you in the chest
Shaolin had his recent rework together with Conqueror and fixed his offensive viability. However, unlike Conqueror’s total dominance in team fights, Shaolin had a lackluster rework where his unblockable top heavy from Qi Stance was removed. This was replaced with a top undodgeable and as expected, his team fight pressure was toned down.
Aside from that, his moves can now flow more easily than before and gave him a new pseudo-infinite chain with his sweep. As for defense, his reflex guard was left untouched and he’s still having a hard time in defense.
4. C-Tier
Highlander
SCOTLAND FOREVEEEEEEERR!!!
Highlander may have been forgotten by the devs at this point. His offensive and defensive stance offered a lot of options back then when he was released. Today, almost everyone knows how to counter him.
Only the most dedicated Highlander mains remain to play him religiously and pull off some mixups only viable for him.
Nobushi
I will stabby stab you UwU
Nobushi’s stab-and-bleed mechanic is her only viable offensive option. Her rework on undodgeable heavies may have tweaked her to be more offensive but her attack speed remains slow. She has one of the most predictable light attacks in the game and can get easily punished when correctly read.
Her Hidden Stance is her defensive option but only the most skilled players can utilize this move to its potential.
Aramusha
Imagine being an Edgelord so much the devs actually give you an Edgelord weapon set.
Aramusha used to be one of the most aggressive heroes in For Honor along with Centurion. However, the CCU more than harmed his offensive viability and made it look like he was fighting underwater. His soft feints were still there but everything about him now seems slower than before.
He had his rework to make his infinite chain easier but he still can’t get a guaranteed side heavy from a guard break. His Blade Blockade can be a useful tool when used correctly but when used too much, he gets predictable.
5. D-Tier
Peacekeeper
The only hero that can pull off 28 stab wounds.
Peacekeeper used to be a menace in duels and team fights before her damage output became toothpick damage thanks to the countless nerfs she had since release. Her last rework gave her unblockables when she procs bleed to the enemy but it just wasn’t the same as before.
In team fights, she can be a creeping shadow that will grab and stab you if she’s on stealth. But once she’s in the fight, she’s easy to strike down.
Valkyrie
Remember the No Touch execution? Me neither.
Valkyrie’s superior block on light attacks gave her offensive viability but that’s that. Her fast light attacks became easily readable the same as Nobushi’s thanks to the CCU. Her sweep move in her chain may be useful in 1v1s but in team fights, it can also sweep allies.
Her last option is her deflect-like bleed attack but this too has been nerfed and doesn’t give her any incentives to pull off.
Nuxia
Imagine getting a GUARANTEED deflect.
Nuxia has been in the bottom tier for quite some time for a lot of reasons. Her trap mechanic may have shaken the meta when Marching Fire came but when players got used to it, her opponents only became more aggressive.
As an Assassin, she gets a deflect if done right but she won’t even get a guaranteed attack from this. Additionally, her feats are more focused on 1v1 battles instead of team fights which defeats the purpose of having feats in the first place on team modes.
