How this tier list is ranked
Three things decide a rank. The starting item comes first, because it shapes the opening floors.
Base stats come next. Health, speed and damage set how much room a character leaves for a mistake.
The last measure is forgiveness. A forgiving character survives a bad room and keeps the run alive.
This list ranks decision value. It answers one question. How often does this character carry a run to the end?
The tier list at a glance
| Tier | Character | Why it ranks there |
|---|---|---|
| S | Azazel | Flies and fires a charged short laser, so early spikes and gaps cost nothing. |
| S | Isaac | Balanced stats with no weak point, and the D6 rerolls a thin item room. |
| S | Cain | An edge in damage plus high luck, which lifts drops and tear quality. |
| S | Judas | Book of Belial raises room damage and improves devil deal odds. |
| S | Magdalene | Extra red hearts forgive early mistakes; slower speed is the only cost. |
| A | Lazarus | Returns to life once after a death, then fights on with stronger stats. |
| A | Samson | Damage climbs as he takes hits, rewarding a bold line over a cautious one. |
| A | Eve | Whore of Babylon raises her power at low health, so she suits a planned build. |
| A | Bethany | Soul charges add extra active uses, and she starts with an item. |
| A | Lilith | Fights blindfolded while a familiar fires her tears in a steady stream. |
| A | The Forgotten | A melee bone club in one form and a soul form with its own health. |
| A | Tainted Isaac | Stores a set of items and swaps between them to fit the room. |
| B | Apollyon | Absorbs items through the Void for stat gain, though each absorb spends a slot. |
| B | Eden | Random stats and random items, so a run swings with the roll. |
| B | ??? (Blue Baby) | Starts with no red hearts and a pool of soul hearts that are hard to refill. |
| B | Jacob and Esau | Two bodies to steer at once, which doubles the dodge load in every room. |
| B | Keeper | Spends coins as health, so each hit drains money a later deal wants. |
| B | Tainted Magdalene | Heals as she takes damage, turning a hit into a resource for a bold player. |
| B | Tainted Forgotten | Throws a body while a separate soul follows, so placement is the whole fight. |
| C | The Lost | Falls in a single hit unless a revival trinket or item is carried. |
| C | Tainted Lost | Same fragility as The Lost, but with fewer chances to revive. |
| C | Tainted Eden | Randomizes the whole build when a hit lands, so a plan is hard to hold. |
| C | Tainted Jacob | Brings a body that hunts the other, adding constant pressure. |
| C | Tainted Keeper | Runs on the same coin health as Keeper, with a thin purse and a fast drain. |
S-tier characters
These picks carry early floors without a strong item. Each one stays alive through a rough room.
Azazel flies and fires a charged short laser. Flight skips spikes, gaps and most floor hazards.
Isaac starts with balanced stats and no weak point. The D6 unlock turns a thin item room into a reroll.
Cain carries an edge in damage and a strong luck stat. That luck lifts his drops and his tear quality.
Judas opens with Book of Belial. The book raises his room damage and improves his devil deal odds.
Magdalene begins with extra red hearts. That buffer forgives early mistakes, and her slower speed is the only cost.
A-tier characters
A strong player can reach the late floors with any of these. Each asks for one habit or one item to reach the top.
Lazarus returns to life once after a death. He comes back stronger, which turns a fatal mistake into a setback.
Samson gains damage as he takes hits. He rewards a bold line and punishes a cautious one.
Eve runs on Whore of Babylon, an effect that raises her power at low health. She suits a player who plans the build.
Bethany holds soul charges that add extra active uses. She also begins with an item, which gives her a faster start.
Lilith fights blindfolded while a familiar fires her tears. The familiar keeps a steady stream going without your aim.
The Forgotten swings a melee bone club in one form. Its soul form carries health of its own, which spreads the risk.
Tainted Isaac stores a set of items and swaps between them. The choice adds flexibility once you learn which item fits the room.
B-tier characters
These picks work, but each one adds a clause to your plan. Learn the clause before you commit to it.
Apollyon absorbs items through the Void for stat gain. The tool is flexible, though each absorb spends an item slot.
Eden rolls random stats and random items. A strong roll wins a run, and a weak roll makes the floors a grind.
??? (Blue Baby) starts with no red hearts and a pool of soul hearts. Refilling those soul hearts is the harder task.
Jacob and Esau steer two bodies at once. Two bodies mean twice the dodge load in every room.
Keeper spends coins as health. Every hit drains the money a later shop or devil deal wants.
Tainted Magdalene heals as she takes damage. The gimmick turns a hit into a resource for a bold player.
Tainted Forgotten throws a body while a separate soul follows. Two units to place makes positioning the whole fight.
C-tier characters
These picks are punishing by design. Take them after the base game feels easy, not before.
The Lost falls in a single hit. A run only continues when a revival trinket or item is carried.
Tainted Lost shares that fragility and trims the safety net further. Fewer revival chances make each room a final test.
Tainted Eden randomizes your whole build when a hit lands. Holding a plan across rooms is near impossible.
Tainted Jacob brings a body that hunts the other. The constant pressure leaves little room for a slow clear.
Tainted Keeper runs on the same coin health as Keeper. A thin purse and a fast drain make damage expensive.
Best characters for beginners
A new player should start with the forgiving picks. Azazel and Magdalene both fit that rule.
Azazel’s flight dodges the spikes and gaps that end early runs. His short laser clears a starting room with little aim.
Magdalene’s extra hearts buy time to learn enemy patterns. The slower speed is a fair trade for the safety.
Avoid The Lost and Keeper until the basics feel settled. Their low durability turns a small slip into a lost run.
Characters to avoid for now
This does not mean the picks are weak. It means their cost is high while you are still learning.
The Lost and Tainted Lost lose a run to one mistake. A revival item can save them, but you cannot count on it.
Tainted Eden randomizes the build on every hit. A plan becomes hard to hold from room to room.
Tainted Jacob adds a hunter that never stops. The extra threat needs quick decisions you may not have yet.
What to remember
Character choice sets the tone of a run, not its outcome. A strong pick in weak hands still loses to a plain pick played well.
Read the starting item and the stat line before you lock a pick. Those two facts decide how the first floors feel.
Return to this list after you unlock new characters. A rating can move once the whole roster is open.
Next: Item tier list and Which character to start.