Blast Archer Crown
+20% Damage · +12% HP · +7% Cooldown Reduction · +7% Drop Rate
A later damage upgrade. Keep your current head item while saving the recipe.
UPDATE 02 · THE META
Anime Zero Tier List
Shadow Monarch, Flame Director, Cataclysm or Mochi Commander? Here’s how we rank the weapons and Traits for PvE, with builds for the top picks.
QUICK PICKS
Shadow Monarch, Flame Director, Cataclysm and Mochi Commander lead this general PvE list. Cursed King is our next Arcane pick. Supernova suits most damage builds; Deadeye is the pick for critical damage.
14 weapons · General PvE recommendations
SPRIORITY
Shadow MonarchSung Jinwoo
Strengths & trade-offs
The System adds damage as you level it.
Keep in mind: Drops from Nightmare Shadow Gate, not Arsenal.
Find a partner →
Mochi CommanderCharlotte Katakuri
Strengths & trade-offs
Three turret casts between uses of Skill 1.
Keep in mind: Requires the Zenless banner.
Find a partner →
Flame DirectorHu Tao
Strengths & trade-offs
Fire attacks for a damage-focused build.
Keep in mind: Unavailable from Arsenal summons.
Find a partner →
CataclysmHoshimi Miyabi
Strengths & trade-offs
Fast katana attacks and frost skills.
Keep in mind: LYTH rarity makes it a difficult summon target.
Find a partner →ASTRONG
Cursed KingRyomen Sukuna
Strengths & trade-offs
Slashes and fire attacks hit groups of enemies.
Keep in mind: An Arcane pity pull does not guarantee Sukuna.
Find a partner →
Immortal SovereignAlucard
Strengths & trade-offs
Damage-focused Mythic kit.
Keep in mind: The pair bonus requires Cursed King in the other slot.
Find a partner →
Dragon EclipseGuts
Strengths & trade-offs
Wide melee swings for groups.
Keep in mind: You need to stay close to enemies to land melee attacks.
Find a partner →BSOLID
Lights of DivinitySaber / Artoria Pendragon
Strengths & trade-offs
Two named pair options.
Keep in mind: Each partner gives a different bonus.
Find a partner →
Divine EmperorShanks
Strengths & trade-offs
Broad sword attacks.
Keep in mind: Its Rubber Man pair adds health rather than damage.
Find a partner →CEARLY
Twisted AgonyJuuzou Suzuya
Strengths & trade-offs
Knife and scythe attacks.
Keep in mind: Lower priority than the Mythic and Arcane picks on our PvE list.
Find a partner →
Kings GambitYoichi Nagumo
Strengths & trade-offs
Combos that switch between weapons.
Keep in mind: A lower priority for late-game upgrades on our PvE list.
Find a partner →
Rubber ManMonkey D. Luffy
Strengths & trade-offs
Simple melee attacks for early stages.
Keep in mind: Low priority for late-game damage.
Find a partner →DSTARTER
Cosmic WarriorGoku
Strengths & trade-offs
Energy attacks and movement skills.
Keep in mind: A starter pick on our PvE list.
Find a partner →
Thunder ProdigyKillua Zoldyck
Strengths & trade-offs
Lightning attacks and movement.
Keep in mind: Low priority for late-game upgrades.
Find a partner →Choose for the run you need to finish
| Your situation | Start here | Before you invest |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Story | Cursed King + Immortal Sovereign, if owned | Upgrade a usable main first. Keep an already-developed alternative while collecting its replacement. |
| Dying during your first difficult clear | Divine Emperor + Rubber Man | The named health bonus helps with survival. It does not remove timed boss mechanics. |
| Repeating a safe farming route | Cataclysm + Lights of Divinity | Compare resources per session against your existing build before spending rerolls on farming stats. |
| Preparing for later raid clears | Flame Director + Cataclysm | Budget the awakenings first. This pair has the default bonus, not the named speed/cooldown synergy. |
Compare two weapons before changing your main, or find a preset using weapons you own.
Best accessories by slot
Start with the slot you need to fill. These are gear targets for our PvE builds; a cheap item you can craft now may help more than an expensive upgrade you are still farming.
Sunglasses
+3% Damage · +4% HP · +11% Crit Chance · +5% Coins · +1 Walk Speed
Choose this when a critical-damage Trait needs more critical chance.
Panther Hollow Mask
+12% Damage · +10% HP · +4% Drop Rate
An alternative to Sunglasses for damage, health and farming. You can only wear one Face item.
Capsule Scarf
+4% Damage · +5% Coins · +7% EXP · +1 Walk Speed
Fill the Neck slot with the gear you can afford before chasing expensive upgrades.
Blast Archer Wings
+16% Damage · +14% HP · +5% Cooldown Reduction · +10% Coins · +10% EXP · +10% Drop Rate
A damage and farming target. Keep the ingredients for your main weapon’s awakening first.
Four builds to try
Each setup includes a weapon pair, Trait and accessories. Open the full build for gear alternatives and upgrade order.
cursed king + immortal sovereign
Story clears while you save for raid upgrades.
Cursed King and Immortal Sovereign get a named damage bonus. Start with the main's upgrades and cheap equipment; save the search for a perfect trait until later.
divine emperor + rubber man
Boss attempts that end because regular attacks kill you.
Divine Emperor and Rubber Man add maximum health. Use it to survive hits while learning the fight; timed raid phases still need you to kill the right enemies.
cataclysm + lights of divinity
Story or Infinite routes you can already finish without repeated deaths.
Cataclysm and Lights of Divinity get a named speed and cooldown bonus. Keep the setup that earns more of your target resource over the full session.
flame director + cataclysm
Repeated raid clears with awakened weapons.
Flame Director and Cataclysm use the default pair bonus. The named speed and cooldown bonus belongs to Cataclysm + Lights of Divinity.
How to read these rankings
We rank weapons for general PvE, taking their skills, pair bonuses and upgrade costs into account. These are recommendations, not results from a controlled DPS test. An awakened A-tier weapon may serve you better than an S-tier pull you haven’t upgraded yet.
| Tier | What it means | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| S | Our top PvE picks | Worth awakening and building around if you own one. |
| A | Strong alternatives | Keep using one you’ve upgraded while farming an S-tier weapon. |
| B | Useful partner weapons | Use for a pair bonus or if you already have its upgrades. |
| C | Early progression | Fine for early stages; save rare rerolls for a later weapon. |
| D | Starter options | Use until you pull a stronger weapon. |
Which weapon should you build first?
NEW PLAYER
Equip your first two weapons
Redeem codes for spins and equip two weapons through Arsenal. Clear the early stages with those weapons before spending your rare Trait Rerolls.
Follow the beginner routeMID GAME
Awaken your main weapon
Awakening unlocks the ultimate. If you have Cursed King, start with Fine Cloth, Eyeballs, Cursed Fingers and Magic Pendants from Chapter 1.
Plan an awakeningRAID READY
Farm a raid weapon
Pick Shadow Gate for Shadow Monarch or Spirited Away for Flame Director. Keep materials for the weapon you are actually pursuing.
Compare raid routesTraits and accessories change the result
Supernova adds several damage stats. Deadeye works best when you have enough critical chance to use its critical-damage bonus. Fortune boosts farming rewards; keep it for runs you already finish comfortably.
Use the accessory database to compare gear by the stat you need. Then check your complete build: stacking an already capped stat does not solve a missing damage or survival requirement.
Frequently asked questions
Is the rarest weapon always the strongest?+
No. Skills, upgrades and the other weapon in your pair all matter. A rare pull with no upgrades can be weaker than the main you already use.
Should I reroll an A-tier weapon?+
Not automatically. Keep a developed weapon that clears reliably while you gather upgrades. Compare the cost of replacing it with the gain from awakening or crafting better gear.
Is this a PvP tier list?+
This list focuses on general PvE progression. It is not a PvP matchup table or a measured boss-DPS leaderboard.
Does a named pair always beat a default pair?+
No. A pair bonus is only one part of the loadout. Use the pair finder to check the bonus, then consider whether both weapons fit your playstyle.