Killer Instinct Tier List: All 29 Characters Ranked

Killer Instinct has 29 characters for you to choose from, and all of them are different in their own way. Some specialize in close-range scenarios, while others can help you handle your opponent from far away. Nevertheless, to help you select the right characters, we have curated a Killer Instinct tier list, in which we have ranked all characters from best to worst.

All Killer Instinct Characters Comparison

Complete stats for the characters in Killer Instinct: 

S-Tier 

S-Tier characters on our list are the strongest characters in Killer Instinct. These characters have some of the best stats and offer unrivaled moves.

Fulgore

• Specialty: Master of zoning and rush-down tactics.
• Key Abilities: Utilizes Fireballs and Lasers to keep opponents at bay, excelling in both offense and defense.

Rash

• Specialty: Combo-centric fighter with rapid execution.
• Key Abilities: Offers a diverse range of powerful combos that are challenging for opponents to break, ideal for aggressive playstyles.

Aganos

• Specialty: Dominates with close-up power and remarkable defense.
• Key Abilities: Despite limited mobility, Aganos boasts formidable close-range attacks and a robust defense mechanism, making him a tough contender.

Aria

• Specialty: Exceptional range and hard-hitting combos.
• Key Abilities: Aria stands out with her extensive range attacks and complex combos, capable of overwhelming any adversary with precision and versatility.

Omen

• Specialty: Supreme mobility on the battlefield.
• Key Abilities: Omen’s unmatched mobility allows for dynamic and unpredictable movement, making him a relentless foe.

A-Tier 

A-Tier characters fall just below S-Tier characters, but they are still pretty powerful. They have some of the best attacks in the entire game and can help you quickly destroy your opponent. 

Eyedol

• Specialty: Dual-nature gameplay with distinct heads for varying strategies.
• Abilities: The savage head excels in aggressive rush-down tactics, while the warlock head adopts a more strategic, patient approach to dismantle opponents.

Thunder

• Specialty: High damage output in close combat.
• Abilities: Thunder dominates up-close with devastating attacks, making him a fearsome adversary once he breaches the gap between him and his opponent.

Glacius

• Specialty: Long-range combat and zoning capabilities.
• Abilities: Utilizes unique projectiles to maintain distance and control space, effectively keeping opponents at bay while dealing consistent damage.

Arbiter

• Specialty: Durability and defensive play.
• Abilities: Features high health and an energy shield for extended survivability, allowing for a defensive stance that can absorb incoming attacks while gradually wearing down adversaries.

Tusk

• Specialty: Powerful strikes with added mobility.
• Abilities: Known for his Deflect Window, enabling automatic counterattacks, Tusk combines formidable striking power with surprising agility, offering a balanced offense and defense.

B-Tier 

B-Tier characters are neither too powerful nor too strong. They offer decent stats and abilities, but they are nowhere near perfection. However, they can do wonders but only when in the right hands. 

Jago

• Specialty: Health regeneration in Instinct mode.
• Advantage: Consistently regaining health makes him resilient, especially useful for prolonged engagements.

Hisako 

• Specialty: High damage output despite slow speed.
• Advantage: Tricks to bypass enemy defenses make her a formidable opponent in skilled hands.

Eagle

• Specialty: Zoning with bird companion assistance.
• Advantage: Can stun opponents for follow-up attacks, excelling at keeping enemies at bay.

Spinal

• Specialty: Offensive powerhouse with a full skull meter.
• Limitation: Lacks defensive options, focusing purely on attack.

Shadow Jago

• Specialty: Faster and more skillful than his regular counterpart.
• Advantage: Better at zoning with stronger, faster projectiles and teleportation abilities.

Gargos

• Specialty: Demonic strength and the ability to summon minions.
• Advantage: Minions add to his offense, making him a challenging opponent due to added battlefield control.

Maya

• Specialty: Offensive play with versatile dagger techniques.
• Advantage: Can break opponents’ stances and create powerful weapons, excelling in aggressive tactics.

Cinder

• Specialty: Combo-heavy playstyle.
• Advantage: Advanced combos can overwhelm opponents, suited for players who enjoy technical, combo-driven gameplay.

Mira

• Specialty: High-risk, high-reward attacks that can drain health.
• Advantage: Exceptional mobility and powerful attacks make her a threat at any range.

Kilgore

• Specialty: Excellent zoner with fast projectiles.
• Advantage: Capable of keeping opponents pinned down from a distance, excelling in control and damage from afar.

C-Tier

C-Tier characters in our Killer Instinct tier list, are some of the worst in the game. You can’t expect them to help you do wonders during a match, and they don’t have powerful skills to offer. 

Shin Hisako

• Strengths: Excellent in close-range combat with various attacks to counter zoners.
• Limitations: May struggle against characters with superior zoning capabilities or those who excel in crowd control.

Riptor

• Capabilities: Possesses a mix of agility and decent attacks, with a focus on rush-down tactics.
• Drawbacks: Lacks the overwhelming power or utility seen in higher-tier characters, making her more predictable.

Kim Wu

• Specialty: High damage output and effective at close range, challenging to zone out.
• Challenges: Requires a steep learning curve due to a unique playstyle, making mastery difficult but rewarding.

General Raam

• Traits: Emphasizes brute strength with powerful grab and close-combat moves.
• Weaknesses: Can be predictable and might struggle against fast or ranged characters who can keep him at a distance.

TJ Combo

• Advantages: A combo-centric fighter with fast movement and difficult-to-break combos.
• Disadvantages: Reliance on combos can be a double-edged sword against opponents who can anticipate and counter effectively.

Kan-Ra

• Approach: Utilizes traps to control the battlefield and dictate the pace of the match.
• Risks: Highly dependent on strategic trap placement; ineffective if traps are consistently avoided or countered.

D-Tier

D-Tier characters are the worst in Killer Instinct, and you must avoid playing with them at all costs. These characters aren’t worth picking as there are much better options available.

Orchid

Orchid is one of the fastest characters in our tier list, as she can cover great distances quickly. However, she also happens to be one of the worst, as there isn’t much that you can do with her other than move around quickly. Sure, she has some decent moves that can help her deal a good amount of damage, but these moves aren’t something that can help you turn the situation in your favor.

Sadira

Sadira is yet another character in Killer Instinct who should be avoided at all costs. This is because Sadira relies mostly on her Instinct mode, and you can’t always stay in it. Furthermore, Sadira excels mostly in her jumping attacks, so you can’t expect much from her. 

Sabrewulf

Finally, we have Sabrewulf. While the character looks badass, there isn’t much it can do. Just like the characters mentioned above, this one also fails to perform well against zoners as they can keep him at bay easily. 

Ranking Criteria

It took us days of research to create this tier list, as we had to examine the abilities and stats of every character in the game. The tier list has been carefully created to help new and even old players select the right characters for their playstyle.

The research process involved exploring different forums and watching multiple videos to develop an opinion about a character. After we did our research, we put each character in a certain tier based on the results. Nevertheless, the characters are subjective, and the rankings will differ for everyone. 

This was everything you needed to know about the Killer Instinct tier list. We have tried our best to rank all of the characters in the best possible way. It is important to remember that even if you choose an S-Tier character, it is not necessary that you’ll perform well with him.

This is because the style of the character might not suit you, and you might perform better with an A-Tier character. For this reason, it is important to try out multiple characters before sticking to one. Before leaving, make sure to check out our Dead By Daylight tier list as well.