If you’ve been grinding through Tiles Survive, you already know that choosing the right heroes can make or break your formations. Some heroes are absolute powerhouses that carry entire fights, while others… well, belong in the “poop” pile.
This Tiles Survive Tier List guide ranks all 16 current heroes — from S-tier legends to complete duds — explaining exactly why each one performs (or fails) across PvP, Arena, and campaign play.
S-TIER HEROES — The Meta Kings
1. Leila (Gen 2)
Leila is, without question, the strongest all-around hero in Tiles Survive. She’s everything you could want in one unit — healing, tanking, and ridiculous sustain.
Her core skill grants +26% bonus HP at level 30, and when paired with Guard-heavy formations (4–5 of the same type), she scales to absurd levels of durability. Leila can out-heal even dedicated healers and still dish out solid damage.
Why She’s S-Tier:
- Immense HP scaling + sustain.
- Reliable healing across the team.
- Fits every single top-tier formation.
- Makes any frontline nearly unbreakable.
Ideal Role: Frontline Support/Tank
Synergy: Works perfectly with Nicola, Rosie, and Tara.
2. Nicola (Gen 2)
Nicola is your frontline fortress. He’s not just a tank — he’s the tank. His shields trigger at near-death, saving him multiple times per fight, and he can repeatedly apply self-shielding through combat skills.
In fights that stretch long, Nicola’s defense scaling allows him to shrug off hits that would melt other tanks instantly.
Why He’s S-Tier:
- Consistent shielding mechanics.
- Superb synergy with defense-stacking weapons.
- Excels in both PvP and Arena.
Ideal Role: Primary Tank
Synergy: Pair with Layla to form an unbeatable front row.
3. Rosie (Gen 1)
If Leila keeps your team alive, Rosie kills everything else. She’s the undisputed queen of AoE damage in Gen 1, dealing heavy splash attacks while constantly self-healing.
Her survivability is shocking — in long fights, Rosie often ends up the last hero standing, out-healing everyone while burning down enemies.
Why She’s S-Tier:
- Enormous AoE damage potential.
- Built-in self-healing makes her self-sufficient.
- One of the few DPS heroes that scales into the late game.
Ideal Role: Backline Carry
Synergy: With Leila and Nicola for ultimate sustain.
4. Tarzan (Gen 2)
Tarzan rivals Rosie in raw output but hits a bit differently. Instead of front or cone-shaped AoE, Tarzan targets the enemy backline, instantly punishing squishy supports and DPS units.
While he lacks Rosie’s self-heal, his nukes can completely change the flow of a fight. Together, the two make for a devastating dual-carry combo.
Why He’s S-Tier:
- High AoE burst that targets enemy backlines.
- Excellent team buff synergy.
- Matches Rosie’s DPS potential when well-geared.
Ideal Role: Secondary DPS
Synergy: Works with defense-heavy setups where he can stay alive longer.
A-TIER HEROES — Powerful but Situational
5. Tara (Gen 2)
Tara may not top the damage charts, but her global defense buff makes her invaluable in the right lineup.
Her skill grants all allies a teamwide DEF increase, stacking beautifully with Nicola’s shields and Leila’s healing bonuses. While her individual stats are moderate, her support impact on overall survivability is massive.
Why She’s A-Tier:
- Teamwide defensive buff.
- Decent damage output for a support.
- Key synergy piece for Guard-heavy comps.
Ideal Role: Defensive Support
Synergy: Core part of the Leila–Nicola defense build.
6. Becca (Gen 1)
Becca is your traditional damage dealer — a powerful cannon who fires in straight lines, hitting multiple enemies. Her ultimate cuts through tightly packed teams, especially when positioned correctly.
She’s reliable and straightforward, but lacks the sustain and adaptability of Rosie or Tarzan.
Why She’s A-Tier:
- High raw damage potential.
- Consistent output in straightforward fights.
- Great for early-to-mid PvP metas.
Ideal Role: Backline Damage Dealer
Synergy: Works best when protected by strong tanks.
B-TIER HEROES — Playable, but Replaceable
7. Maddie (Gen 1)
Maddie was supposed to be the “balanced” hero — offering tanking, healing, and damage. Unfortunately, she’s mediocre at all three. Her healing doesn’t scale well, and her survivability drops fast against burst-heavy opponents.
Why She’s B-Tier:
- Slightly above-average stats overall.
- Decent filler hero when starting out.
- Quickly outclassed by Leila or Tara.
Ideal Role: Hybrid Support
Synergy: Early-game Guard lineups only.
8. Eva (Gen 1)
Eva isn’t great, but she isn’t bad either. She’s your average middle-of-the-road hero — capable of holding a slot early on but offering no standout traits.
Why She’s B-Tier:
- Consistent but unimpressive stats.
- Has no major weaknesses or strengths.
- Good until you pull higher-tier heroes.
Ideal Role: Transitional Support or DPS.
9. Chef (Gen 1)
Chef once looked promising due to his combination of healing and tanking, but the numbers just don’t hold up. He performs fine in low-tier matches, but he’s too slow and underwhelming for high-level PvP.
Why He’s B-Tier:
- Good early-game sustain.
- Lacks late-game scaling.
Ideal Role: Early-game frontline filler.
10. Travis (Gen 1)
Travis actually surprises a lot of players. He’s a rare-tier hero that punches above his weight class, sometimes hitting near-A-tier performance when conditions align.
Why He’s B-Tier (Borderline A):
- Solid damage and flexibility.
- Strong for rare hero standards.
Ideal Role: Early-mid game DPS filler.
11. Ghost (Gen 1)
Ghost is one of the better rare-tier options — durable and consistent. He’s not a meta hero by any means, but for players without full legendary teams, he’s reliable and sturdy.
Why He’s B-Tier:
- Strong for a rare hero.
- Decent at soaking damage.
Ideal Role: Fallback tank for early players.
POOP-TIER HEROES — The Ones to Avoid
12. Lucky Folk (Gen 1)
Easy to obtain, easy to level — but absolutely useless. She lacks meaningful damage, survivability, or utility. A clear skip for all players.
Why She’s POOP-Tier:
- No synergy, no scaling.
- Purely filler material.
13. Rusty (Gen 1)
Rusty might look fun on paper, but he contributes very little. His output is abysmal, and he dies before making any real impact.
Why He’s POOP-Tier:
- Weak base stats.
- Nonexistent synergy.
14. Sarge (Gen 1)
Sarge joins the “polished turd” club — looks better than he performs. You’ll quickly find stronger replacements.
Why He’s POOP-Tier:
- Outclassed in every way.
- Fails both offensively and defensively.
15. Ray (Gen 2)
Ray is the biggest disappointment of Gen 2. On paper, he should be a beast — his skills list insane damage multipliers. In reality, his numbers never deliver. He dies quickly and often ends up below your healer in total damage dealt.
Why He’s POOP-Tier:
- Three flashy skills, zero actual output.
- Squishy and inconsistent.
16. Lucky Folk’s Best Friend — The Tea Party Crew
As Brander joked, Lucky and Rusty can hang out at the bottom together. They’re easy to build, easy to love for new players, and easy to forget once you’ve pulled anyone else.
The Tiles Survive Gen 1 & 2 meta is built around durability and synergy.
If you take anything from this list, let it be this: Leila, Rosie, and Nicola define the current top meta.
Tara adds vital support depth, while Tarzan ensures your backline melts enemies before they can react.
As future generations release, these heroes will still hold their ground because their kits are scalable, flexible, and meta-safe — the three traits every long-term player should prioritize