The Be The Final Boss hero tier list remastered is the UPD2 meta refresh that incorporates the two new heroes added in the patch — Banshee and Warlord — plus the threat-profile shifts caused by the armor system and the Doomfist unit changes. The original Hero Tier List page is still accurate for the broad hero archetypes, but the UPD2 refresh shifted three heroes between tiers and added two new entries to the S-tier list. This remaster covers every change, every new hero, and every updated counter strategy. If you are still using the UPD1 tier list as your defensive reference, this page will catch you up on the live meta.
The UPD2 refresh is significant because the new heroes (Banshee, Warlord) created two new S-tier synergies that did not exist in UPD1, and the armor system changes shifted the threat profile of several mid-tier heroes. Some heroes that were S-tier in UPD1 dropped to A-tier after the armor buffs made tanks more resilient, while a few heroes that were C-tier jumped to S-tier because the new mutation system countered their previous weaknesses. The table below summarizes the deltas between the UPD1 and UPD2 tier lists.
| Hero | UPD1 Tier | UPD2 Tier | Reason for Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phantom Assassin | S | S | Unchanged |
| Aura Mage | S | S | Unchanged |
| Siege Golem | S | S | Unchanged |
| Storm Knight | A | A | Unchanged |
| Healing Cleric | A | A | Unchanged |
| Berserker | A | B | Armor system reduced damage scaling |
| Archer | B | B | Unchanged |
| Knight | B | B | Unchanged |
| Scout | B | C | Doomfist AOE handles easily |
| Militia | C | C | Unchanged |
| Cavalry | C | C | Unchanged |
| Peasant | D | D | Unchanged |
| Banshee | — | S | New UPD2 hero, encounter-defining |
| Warlord | — | A | New UPD2 hero, melee amplifier |
Reading the Refresh
The refresh shows three structural patterns. First, the S-tier list grew from three heroes to four with the addition of the Banshee. Second, two mid-tier heroes (Berserker, Scout) dropped a tier because the new tank resilience made their threat profiles less dangerous. Third, two new heroes (Banshee, Warlord) entered the tier list directly into S and A tier respectively. Understanding the patterns lets you predict the next patch's likely tier shifts with roughly 70% accuracy.
Updated S-Tier Heroes
The S-tier list now contains four heroes, each of which is encounter-defining and demands specific counterplay. The S-tier is the foundation of any defensive playbook because letting any S-tier hero operate unopposed will delete your castle or your formation within thirty seconds.
| Hero | Wave Debut | Why S-Tier | Counter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phantom Assassin | Wave 18 | One-shots backline minions in a single crit | Tank wall + AOE damage |
| Aura Mage | Wave 12 | Buff aura amplifies nearby heroes | Burst the mage first |
| Siege Golem | Wave 25 | Massive HP, castle damage | Sustained DPS + castle defense |
| Banshee | Wave 22 | Silences your minions | Burst before silence lands |
Banshee: The New S-Tier Disabler
The Banshee is the new S-tier hero added in UPD2 and is the most dangerous support caster in the live meta. Her silence ability disables every special ability your minions rely on — AOE damage, burst damage, healing, and tank shielding — for three seconds. Three seconds of silence is enough time for the rest of the wave to deal devastating damage to your formation, particularly when paired with the Storm Knight's AOE stun. The counter is to burst the Banshee with weapon fire before her silence lands, ideally within the first five seconds of the wave.
Why Banshee Is S-Tier
The Banshee is S-tier because her silence mechanic counters the live meta's most popular composition. The current meta is built on Doomfist AOE damage and Sniper burst, both of which require special abilities that the Banshee disables. A BOSS running the standard meta composition will see their entire formation's damage output drop to zero during the silence window, which is enough time for the hero wave to deal lethal damage. The counter-meta is to either burst the Banshee first (weapon fire) or run a composition that does not rely on special abilities (raw-stat DPS minions).
Siege Golem: The Unchanged Anchor
The Siege Golem remains the Wave 25 checkpoint boss and the most dangerous single hero in the game. With 5,000 HP and 200 damage per swing, the Golem demands sustained DPS plus pre-invested Castle Defense skill tree nodes. The counter has not changed in UPD2 — two tanks, four DPS, one AOE, one sustain is the minimum viable composition. The Golem's role in the meta is unchanged, but the addition of the Banshee to the same wave means the Wave 25 fight now requires two priority burst targets (Banshee + Golem-supporting Cleric) rather than one.
Updated A-Tier Heroes
The A-tier list now contains four heroes, including the new Warlord entry. A-tier heroes will not single-handedly destroy your castle, but ignoring them guarantees a slow bleed of HP and souls. Each A-tier hero requires either a positional adjustment or a specific minion type to handle cleanly.
| Hero | Wave Debut | Why A-Tier | Counter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Storm Knight | Wave 15 | AOE stun disables tanks | Spread formation + ranged focus |
| Healing Cleric | Wave 10 | Heals entire wave to full HP | Burst hero with single-target damage |
| Warlord | Wave 24 | Buffs nearby melee damage by 30% | Burst before melee engages |
| Banshee-Pair Storm Knight | Wave 22 | Combined silence + stun chain | Burst Banshee before stun lands |
Warlord: The New A-Tier Amplifier
The Warlord is the new A-tier hero added in UPD2 and is a melee-amplifying support caster. His aura adds +30% melee damage to nearby heroes, which stacks with the Aura Mage's +25% damage aura to produce a combined +62% damage boost on nearby melee heroes. The counter is identical to the standard Aura Mage counter — burst the support caster first with weapon fire. The Warlord is slightly less efficient than the Aura Mage because his aura applies only to melee heroes, while the Mage aura applies to all heroes.
Why Berserker Dropped to B-Tier
The Berserker dropped from A-tier to B-tier in UPD2 because the armor system changes reduced his damage scaling. In UPD1, the Berserker's speed buff compounded with his base damage to one-shot unupgraded tanks. In UPD2, the armor system adds a flat damage reduction to all minions, which means the Berserker's ramped damage is no longer enough to one-shot a tank. The counter is unchanged (slow or stun), but the threat profile is lower because he no longer single-handedly deletes your frontline.
Why Scout Dropped to C-Tier
The Scout dropped from B-tier to C-tier in UPD2 because the Doomfist elite unit handles flanking heroes with ease. In UPD1, the Scout's flanking speed was countered only by a secondary tank at the secondary chokepoint. In UPD2, the Doomfist's AOE damage catches flanking heroes before they reach the backline, which means the Scout is no longer a threat to a composition that includes the Doomfist. The Scout remains a B-tier threat for compositions without the Doomfist, but the Doomfist meta is dominant enough that C-tier is the appropriate ranking.
Updated B-Tier Heroes
The B-tier list contains the standard wave heroes that your frontline should handle automatically. The B-tier is the bread and butter of every wave in Be The Final Boss, and your standard two-tank / four-DPS / two-support formation handles them without dedicated counterplay.
| Hero | Wave Debut | Why B-Tier | Counter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archer | Wave 1 | Ranged damage from afar | Frontline tank blocks line of sight |
| Knight | Wave 3 | Balanced melee fighter | Standard tank + DPS |
| Berserker | Wave 8 | Speed buff after taking damage | Slow effect or stun (low priority) |
Berserker: The Lower B-Tier Threat
The Berserker in UPD2 is a B-tier threat rather than A-tier. He still gains the speed buff after taking damage, but the buff no longer one-shots tanks because of the armor system. The counter is unchanged — slow or stun before the buff triggers — but the priority is lower because the buffed Berserker is no longer encounter-defining. Most BOSSes can let the Berserker ramp and still clear the wave without dedicated counterplay.
Updated C-Tier and D-Tier Heroes
The C-tier and D-tier list contains the minor nuisances that exist to fill out wave counts. These heroes are not threatening on their own, but they teach role-mix recognition and provide soul-farming opportunities.
| Hero | Wave Debut | Why C/D-Tier | Counter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scout | Wave 5 | Fast movement, scouting | Doomfist AOE catches |
| Militia | Wave 1 | Weak melee filler | Any minion handles |
| Cavalry | Wave 7 | Charge damage on first hit | Backline tank handles |
| Peasant | Wave 1 | Zero threat | Ignored entirely |
C-Tier Scout: The Doomfist-Affected Hero
The Scout dropped from B-tier to C-tier specifically because of the Doomfist's AOE coverage. The Scout's speed and flanking ability made her a B-tier threat in UPD1, but the Doomfist's 180 AOE damage per pulse catches flanking heroes before they reach the backline. A composition that includes the Doomfist effectively neutralizes the Scout, which is why C-tier is the appropriate ranking for the live meta.
Hero Synergies Refresh
The UPD2 patch added two new S-tier synergies that did not exist in UPD1. The original synergies from the Hero Synergies page are still relevant, but the new entries are encounter-defining and demand dedicated counterplay.
| Combo | Synergy Mechanic | Threat Level | First Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banshee + Storm Knight | Silence + AOE stun | Wave 22+ | Burst Banshee first |
| Aura Mage + Warlord | Double amp on melee | Wave 24+ | Burst Mage first |
| Banshee + Berserker | Silence + speed buff | Wave 22+ | Burst Banshee first |
| Warlord + Berserker | Amp + speed buff | Wave 24+ | Slow Berserker |
Banshee + Storm Knight: The Disable Chain
The Banshee + Storm Knight combo is the most brutal crowd control chain in the live meta. The Banshee silences your minions for three seconds, which disables every special ability your formation relies on. While your minions are silenced, the Storm Knight lands a free AOE stun that opens the formation to backline attackers. The counter is to burst the Banshee before her silence lands, ideally within the first five seconds of the wave.
Aura Mage + Warlord: The Double Amplifier
The Aura Mage + Warlord combo is the UPD2 addition to the S-tier synergy list. Both heroes apply amplification auras — Mage adds +25% damage to nearby heroes, Warlord adds +30% melee damage — and the two auras stack multiplicatively. The combined effect is a 62% damage boost to nearby melee heroes, which shreds any unupgraded frontline. The counter is to burst the Mage first with weapon fire before she reaches the formation.
Hero Threats by Wave Range (UPD2 Refresh)
The wave-range table below updates the original threat profile to reflect the UPD2 meta. The two main changes are the Wave 22 Banshee debut and the Wave 24 Warlord debut, which create a late-game pressure spike between Wave 22 and Wave 25.
| Wave Range | Common Heroes | Recommended Formation |
|---|---|---|
| 1-5 | Peasant, Archer, Knight, Militia | 1 tank, 2 DPS, 1 backup DPS |
| 6-10 | Scout, Berserker, Healing Cleric | 2 tanks, 3 DPS, save weapon ammo for cleric |
| 11-15 | Aura Mage, Storm Knight | 2 tanks, 4 DPS, AOE minion unlocked |
| 16-20 | Phantom Assassin debut | 2 tanks, 4 DPS + AOE, weapon ready |
| 21-25 | All previous + Siege Golem + Banshee | 2 tanks, 4 DPS + AOE, Castle Defense online, Banshee priority |
The Wave 22-25 Pressure Spike
The new pressure spike between Wave 22 and Wave 25 is the defining feature of the UPD2 meta. In UPD1, the late-game pressure built gradually from Wave 18 (Phantom Assassin) to Wave 25 (Siege Golem). In UPD2, the addition of the Banshee at Wave 22 creates a sharp difficulty spike two waves before the Siege Golem, which means the Wave 22-25 window now requires three priority targets (Banshee + Cleric + Golem) rather than two. The Castle Defense skill tree nodes are even more important in UPD2 because the Banshee's silence disables the healing nodes if she is left alive.
Updated Counters by Hero
The counter table below summarizes the live-meta counter for each hero archetype. Where the UPD1 counter has changed in UPD2, the change is noted in the "UPD2 Update" column.
| Hero | Original Counter | UPD2 Counter | UPD2 Update |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phantom Assassin | AOE damage | AOE damage | Unchanged |
| Aura Mage | Weapon burst | Weapon burst | Unchanged |
| Siege Golem | Sustained DPS | Sustained DPS | Unchanged |
| Storm Knight | Spread formation | Spread formation | Unchanged |
| Healing Cleric | Single-target burst | Single-target burst | Unchanged |
| Berserker | Slow effect | Slow effect (lower priority) | Lower threat |
| Archer | Frontline blocks LOS | Frontline blocks LOS | Unchanged |
| Knight | Standard tank | Standard tank | Unchanged |
| Scout | Secondary tank | Doomfist AOE | Easier counter |
| Banshee | (New hero) | Weapon burst first | New entry |
| Warlord | (New hero) | Burst before melee engages | New entry |
Why the Counters Changed
The Berserker counter priority dropped because the armor system reduced his damage scaling. The Scout counter shifted from a secondary tank to the Doomfist AOE because the Doomfist is now the standard late-game anchor. The new hero counters (Banshee, Warlord) follow the standard support-caster burst pattern.
Solo vs Multiplayer Tier Differences
The tier list applies equally to solo play and 6-player server play, but the threat profile of specific heroes shifts based on team composition. The table below summarizes the multiplayer-specific differences.
| Hero | Solo Threat | Multiplayer Threat | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phantom Assassin | S | S | Equally threatening |
| Aura Mage | S | S | Equally threatening |
| Siege Golem | S | S | More HP in multiplayer |
| Banshee | S | S+ | Disables multiple formations |
| Warlord | A | A | Equally threatening |
| Berserker | B | B | Equally threatening |
Banshee Multiplayer Threat
The Banshee is more threatening in multiplayer than in solo because her silence affects multiple BOSSes' formations simultaneously. In a 6-player server, a single Banshee can silence the entire team's special-ability damage for three seconds, which is enough time for the wave to deal lethal damage across all six castles. Coordinate with your team to ensure one BOSS is assigned to burst the Banshee first, rather than two BOSSes doubling on the same target.
Frequently Asked Questions
What changed in the hero tier list in UPD2?
The UPD2 patch added two new heroes — Banshee (S-tier) and Warlord (A-tier) — and shifted two existing heroes. The Berserker dropped from A-tier to B-tier because the armor system reduced his damage scaling. The Scout dropped from B-tier to C-tier because the Doomfist AOE handles flanking easily. The original Hero Tier List page covers the broad archetype rankings; this remaster covers the UPD2-specific changes.
Is the Banshee stronger than the Aura Mage?
Yes — the Banshee is currently considered more dangerous than the Aura Mage in the UPD2 meta because her silence disables the Doomfist AOE and Sniper burst, which are the foundation of the current meta composition. The Aura Mage's damage amplification is dangerous but does not disable your formation outright. Burst the Banshee first if both are present.
How do I counter the Banshee in multiplayer?
In 6-player servers, coordinate with your team to assign one BOSS to burst the Banshee before her silence lands. The standard pre-wave callout is "Banshee priority, [BOSS name] on burst duty." The callout prevents two BOSSes from doubling on the same target while the Banshee silences the rest of the team.
Should I still use the UPD1 tier list?
No. The UPD1 tier list is missing the Banshee and Warlord entries, and the Berserker / Scout tier shifts reflect meta changes that affect Wave 18-25 gameplay. Use this remastered page for the live meta, and check back within 48 hours of any future patch for the next refresh.
Will the tier list change again in UPD3?
Almost certainly. Apparently Champions typically adds two new heroes per major patch, and the armor system changes are likely to continue refining the mid-tier heroes. The tier list will be updated within 48 hours of every future patch landing, so bookmark this page and recheck before any major update. The skill tree priorities and counter strategies may shift, but the underlying principle — match your defensive investment to the hero threats you actually face — remains stable.