This Tiles Survive heroes tier list puts Rosie, Layla and Tarzan in S tier, because all four hero rankings we checked on October 30, 2026 rate them S. It ranks the named heroes by how safely you can spend shards and upgrade materials on them. The four lists are pocketgamer.com (updated October 18, 2026, game version 2.6.200), topuplive.com (July 7, 2026), packsify.com (May 11, 2026) and treyexgaming.com (April 1, 2026). They agree at the top and split hard below it, so the agreed ranking and the contested heroes stay separate.
S tier: Rosie, Layla and Tarzan on all four lists, plus Nikola on the three lists that name him. A tier: Tara, rated A on three lists and S on one. The best hero lineup is 4 Guardians and 1 Gunner: Nikola and Layla in front, Tarzan, Tara and Rosie in the back.
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Which Tiles Survive heroes are S tier?
Rosie, Layla and Tarzan are S tier on every list. Nikola is S on Packsify, TopUpLive and Treyex Gaming, while Pocket Gamer does not name him. Tara has the strongest floor below S.
| Hero | Pocket Gamer | TopUpLive | Packsify | Treyex Gaming | Agreed tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rosie | S | S | S | S | S (4 of 4) |
| Layla | S | S | S | S | S (4 of 4) |
| Tarzan | S | S | S | S | S (4 of 4) |
| Nikola | Not named | S | S | S | S (3 of 3 that rank him) |
| Tara | A | A | S | A | A (none lower) |
The rows within a tier are not a hidden order. The four sources do not give enough shared evidence to rank Rosie, Layla and Tarzan against each other. If you own more than one of the three, spend within that group based on what you already have.
Nikola sits one step behind them in certainty, but not in the printed tier. Pocket Gamer does not place him lower; it leaves him off its named tiers. That missing rating is why he has a 3 of 3 score instead of joining the unanimous group.
What is the best Tiles Survive hero lineup in 2026?
Run 4 Guardians and 1 Gunner: Nikola and Layla in the front row, Tarzan, Tara and Rosie in the back. Packsify and TopUpLive both name this lineup and agree on the exact front and back rows.
| Row | Heroes | Agreed tier |
|---|---|---|
| Front | Nikola, Layla | S, S |
| Back | Tarzan, Tara, Rosie | S, A, S |
Both lists put Layla in the front row even though she heals. Packsify says the four-Guardian setup adds 15% team HP. Four of the five heroes are S tier, and Tara is A at worst on all four lists. The lineup has two sources, so keep that apart from the four-source tier agreement.
Why is Tara A tier and not S?
Three lists rate Tara A and only Packsify rates her S, so A is the majority rating and the shared floor. No list puts her below A.
That makes Tara safer than the heroes whose ratings swing from A to the bottom. Pocket Gamer says she buffs her allies’ DEF and gives shields and heals. If you have no S-tier hero ready for investment, Tara is the clearest supported option below them.
Which heroes do the lists disagree on?
Maddie, Ray, Freja, Travis and Sarge are contested: at least one list rates each of them A or S, and at least one calls them filler or bottom tier. Ghost, Chef and Eva are a steady B. Rusty is filler or bottom on every list that names him.
| Hero | Pocket Gamer | TopUpLive | Packsify | Treyex Gaming | Our read |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maddie | A | B/C | A | B | Contested, 2 against 2 |
| Ray | A | B/C | A | Bottom | Contested |
| Freja | S | B/C | Filler | Not ranked | Contested, widest gap |
| Travis | A | Not ranked | Filler | B (borderline A) | Contested |
| Sarge | A | Not ranked | Filler | Bottom | Contested, leans low |
| Ghost | B | Not ranked | Filler | B | B |
| Chef | B | Not ranked | Filler | B | B |
| Eva | B | Not ranked | Filler | B | B |
| Lucky | B | Not ranked | Filler | Bottom | B or lower |
| Rusty | Not named | Not ranked | Filler | Bottom | Bottom |
Maddie has an even split. Pocket Gamer and Packsify rate her A, while TopUpLive and Treyex Gaming place her in B or lower. There is no honest tie-breaker in those results.
Ray splits the same way, but further: A on Pocket Gamer and Packsify, bottom tier on Treyex Gaming. Packsify calls him a stand-in for Tara until you pull her. Freja has the widest gap on the board, S on Pocket Gamer and filler on Packsify.
Some heroes appear on one list only. TopUpLive rates Candy, Kiki, Tony and Jacob A, and Treyex Gaming rates Becca A. With one source each, they stay off the agreed ranking.
What should you do with shards if you have no S-tier hero?
Do not force a large spend into a contested hero just because one list rates that hero A or S. Protect your main stock of shards and materials for the heroes with broad support.
- Use Tara as the supported A-tier spend if you already have her.
- Ghost, Chef and Eva are playable B-tier heroes, but stop short of treating them as long-term investments.
- Keep Maddie, Ray, Freja, Travis and Sarge in the contested group. Their ratings do not support a safe upgrade order.
- Do not spend on Rusty. Lucky is B at best and bottom tier on Treyex Gaming.
- Save the biggest commitment for Rosie, Layla, Tarzan or Nikola.
New heroes will move this list. FunPlus’s Developer Feedback of October 30, 2026 says Alita, an X-SSR hero from the Aeronaut faction, is in development.
Upgrade materials come from daily farming. On a Windows PC, the Tiles Survive bot runs that routine, including hero recruitment, gathering and quest rewards. If your next choice is about buildings rather than heroes, use the Tiles Survive Power Plant guide. A farm account keeps the main city fed. Our Tiles Survive accounts page is the one we sell.
Tiles Survive hero tier list FAQ
Who are the best heroes in Tiles Survive?
Rosie, Layla and Tarzan. All four lists rate all three S tier. Nikola is S on the three lists that rank him.
What is the best hero lineup in Tiles Survive?
4 Guardians and 1 Gunner: Nikola and Layla in front, Tarzan, Tara and Rosie in the back. Packsify and TopUpLive agree on this lineup.
Does Nikola belong in S tier?
Three of the four lists say yes. Pocket Gamer does not name him, so his S-tier spot has strong support but not unanimous support.
Are Maddie and Freja safe shard investments?
The four lists do not agree. Maddie splits two against two between A and B or lower. Freja ranges from S to filler, the widest gap on the board.
Should I use Ghost, Lucky or Rusty?
Ghost is B on two lists and filler on Packsify, so he is playable but not an investment target. Lucky is B at best. Rusty is filler or bottom on every list that names him.
Facts checked October 30, 2026 against: pocketgamer.com, topuplive.com, packsify.com, treyexgaming.com, tilessurvive.com (Developer Feedback October 30; current game version 2.6.300).
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