How these tiers are judged
Three things decide placement. First, how fast a Nightfarer clears its objectives. Second, how safely it deals damage while the Night is closing. Third, whether it can still carry value when the team is behind.
Any class can clear content. These tiers are about how much room you have for error.
S tier
Nightfarers that both survive and clear well. They forgivingly handle most of the map, and they keep working even when a run goes badly.
These are the safest picks for learning expeditions, because they punish fewer mistakes and still finish territory quickly.
A tier
Strong picks with a clear weakness. Usually they trade either survivability or team utility for something else, which makes them excellent in the hands of someone who knows how to cover that gap.
They reward players who already understand routing and target choice.
B tier
Nightfarers that need more setup or more support. They can be excellent, but they ask you to build around them, and they punish slow decisions more than the tiers above.
Treat these as projects. They pay off once you know the expedition loop.
The real rule
Pick the Nightfarer whose skills you land under pressure. A lower-tier class played well finishes more expeditions than a top-tier one played badly, and every Nightfarer clears with enough practice.
Tier lists are a starting point for discussion, not a rule about what you should enjoy.
Tiers are a starting point
Lists shift with every patch, and a Nightfarer you play well outranks a higher-tier one you fumble. Use the tier list to narrow choices, not to decide for you.
Match the Nightlord
Some Nightfarers excel at single targets, others at swarms. Pick for the boss you are actually fighting rather than the abstract top of the list.