Azur Lane is one of the best side-scrolling adventure RPGs to ever grace the mobile market! The numbers themselves support this fact along with the love showered by the 5 million+ players strong community. Collect and obtain over 500 different cute ship girls, each attributing many different stats and abilities. One of the biggest selling points of the game is their free-to-play friendliness that has only increased since its inception. Azur Lane is available as a free-to-play game on both Google Play Store and iOS App Store.

In this tier list for Azur Lane, we will be sharing a complete tier list for the best ships to use as a new player. Now, Azur Lane is an old game that has over 500 different ships. We have selected a few and filtered them up in 3 distinct tiers, with S tier containing the strongest ships and B tier having the worst one’s out of the bunch. We have carefully selected only main fleet ships that will help new players much more than reserve ships. We would also advise checking out some helpful tips to increase your efficiency. Let’s get right into the tier list!

S

Name RARITY Class
Azur Lane – Tier List for the Best Ships
Friedrich der Große Ultra Rare Battleship
Azur Lane – Tier List for the Best Ships
Kearsarge Ultra Rare Aviation Battleship
Azur Lane – Tier List for the Best Ships
Bismarck Zwei Ultra Rare Battleship
Azur Lane – Tier List for the Best Ships
New Jersey Ultra Rare Battleship
Azur Lane – Tier List for the Best Ships
Ulrich Von Hutten Ultra Rare Battleship

A

Name RARITY Class
Azur Lane – Tier List for the Best Ships
Flandre Super Rare Battleship
Azur Lane – Tier List for the Best Ships
Odin Super Rare Battle Cruiser
Azur Lane – Tier List for the Best Ships
Tamaki Super Rare Battle Cruiser

B

Name RARITY Class
Azur Lane – Tier List for the Best Ships
Essex Super Rare Aircraft Carrier
Azur Lane – Tier List for the Best Ships
Centaur Super Rare Light Aircraft Carrier
Azur Lane – Tier List for the Best Ships
Theseus Super Rare Light Aircraft Carrier

S Tier Ships

Let’s take a look at some of the ships in this tier:

Friedrich der Große

Azur Lane – Tier List for the Best Ships

Friedrich der Große is an UR grade partner that is classified as a Battleship. Her 1st active ability Symphony of Destruction reads as follows – “Upon taking damage or when an enemy ship enters a certain range: fires a Lv.1 (Lv.10) special barrage that ignores the enemy’s armor type (damage is based on the skill’s level). Has a cooldown of 15s.” Her 1st passive ability Sonata of Chaos does as follows – “Every odd salvo increases own Reload by 30% (50%) and damage by 10% (20%) until the next salvo is fired. Every even salvo increases critical rate by 10% (20%) and critical damage by 30% (50%) until the next salvo is fired.”

Kearsarge

Kearsarge is an UR grade partner that is classified as an Aviation Battleship. Her 1st active ability Multi-Linked Locking System reads as follows – “When this ship’s aircraft hits an enemy: 50% (100%) chance to inflict a special Burn ailment to that target for 10s, increasing that target’s shelling DMG taken from your Main Fleet by 8%. When this ship’s Main Guns hit an enemy: 50% (100%) chance to increase the target’s airstrike DMG taken from your Main Fleet by 4%; if the target is already affected by an AA stat debuff, further increases that target’s airstrike DMG taken from your Main Fleet by 8%. This effect lasts until the next time this ship fires her Main Guns.” 

Azur Lane – Tier List for the Best Ships

Her 1st passive ability Combat Adaption Module does as follows – “Increases this ship’s DMG dealt to Burning enemies by 1% (10%). When this ship launches an airstrike: launches an additional Lv.1 (Lv.10) special airstrike. Every 20s: fires a Lv.1 (Lv.10) special barrage with properties that change based on whether or not there are Burning enemies on the battlefield (inflicts a special Burn for 10s to enemies hit by the Oceanic Blaze special barrage; DMG is based on the skill’s level).”

Bismarck Zwei

Bismarck Zwei is an UR grade partner that is classified as a Battleship. Her 1st active ability Calamitous Voidflame reads as follows – “Increases this ship’s FP by 1% (10%) and RLD by 5% (15%). When this ship fires her Main Guns: The first volley of the salvo is guaranteed to critically hit. Fire a Lv.1 (Lv.10) special barrage (DMG is based on the skill’s level), which creates a zone on the battlefield that enemies are drawn to for 3s.” 

Azur Lane – Tier List for the Best Ships

Her 1st passive ability Reborn Temple of Iron does as follows – “Increases the FP, TRP, and AA of Iron Blood ships in the same fleet as this ship by 5% (15%). When a fleet this ship is NOT in starts a battle, and while this ship is still afloat: fires a Lv.1 (Lv.10) supporting barrage 18s after the battle starts (DMG is based on the skill’s level); if the Flagship of that fleet is an Iron Blood ship: also increases the AVI of that fleet’s Iron Blood CVs and CVLs by 5% (15%).”

NEW JERSEY

New Jersey is an UR grade partner that is classified as a Battleship. Her 1st active ability Dragon’s Breath reads as follows – “When this ship fires her Main Guns: 50% (100%) chance to fire a Lv.1 (Lv.10) special barrage that always deals Critical Hits (DMG is based on the skill’s level). Additionally, 10s after the battle starts: fires this same barrage.” 

Azur Lane – Tier List for the Best Ships

Her 1st passive ability Freedom through Firepower does as follows – “Decreases the Spread Range of this ship’s equipped Main Gun by 0.5 (5). When a fleet this ship is NOT in starts a battle, and while this ship is still afloat: fires a Lv.1 (Lv.10) supporting barrage 20s after the battle starts (DMG is based on the skill’s level); if the Flagship of said fleet is an Eagle Union ship: also increases AVI by 5% (15%) for your Eagle Union CVs and CVLs.”

A Tier Ships

Let’s take a look at some of the ships in this tier:

FLANDRE

Flandre is an SR grade partner that is classified as a Battleship. Her 1st active ability Apotheosis: Flourishing Assault reads as follows – “Every 20s: fires a Lv.1 (Lv.10) special barrage (DMG is based on the skill’s level). When this ship fires her 2nd Main Gun volley, if she has at least 60% HP remaining: randomly marks 1 enemy target, prioritizing Humanoid enemies. This ship deals 4.5% (12%) increased DMG to the marked enemy. The mark lasts until Flandre falls below 60% HP as a result of DMG taken.” 

Azur Lane – Tier List for the Best Ships

Her 1st passive ability Apotheosis: Lightplume Vestments does as follows – “Increases this ship’s EVA by 5% (15%) and FP by 5% (20%). Once per battle, when this ship’s HP falls below 50% as a result of DMG taken: restores 3% of this ship’s max HP once per second for 5s, then sets this ship’s Secondary Gun Eff. Range and Shell Range to 95 and increases her Secondary Gun efficiency by 30%.”

ODIN

Odin is a SR grade partner that is classified as a Battle Cruiser. Her 1st active ability Herteitr’s Rolling Thunder+ reads as follows – “Every 18s: 45% (75%) chance to fire an improved special barrage (DMG is based on skill’s level). Changes this ship’s torpedoes to parallel spread.”

Azur Lane – Tier List for the Best Ships

Her 1st passive ability Mimir’s Keen Eyes does as follows – “Changes this ship’s position (forward 15 units) and decreases its DMG taken by 5% (20%). Every 15s: commences a sonar scan, revealing the location of all enemy SSs for 5s (10s), reducing their Accuracy by 15% (25%), and decreasing your Vanguard’s DMG taken from torpedoes by 5% (15%) for 5s (10s).”

TAMAKI

Tamaki is a SR grade partner that is classified as a Battleship. Her 1st active ability Fitting Time reads as follows – “While this ship is afloat: decreases all enemies’ FP and TRP by 3.5% (8%). Every 16s: spawns a barrier (lasts 8s; can negate up to 3% of the recipient’s max HP in DMG) around 2 random Venus Vacation collab characters. Sets this ship’s Secondary Gun Range to 80 and, when she fires her Secondary Guns: decreases a random enemy’s SPD by 20% (40%) for 3s (8s cooldown between activations).” 

Azur Lane – Tier List for the Best Ships

Her 1st passive ability Lisianthus Halation does as follows – “Increases this ship’s Main Gun efficiency by 1% (10%) and increases her FP and ACC by 1% (10%). When this ship fires her Main Guns: 50% (80%) chance to fire a Lv.1 (Lv.10) barrage that inflicts Armor Break to enemies hit (DMG is based on the skill’s level).”

B Tier Ships

Let’s take a look at some of the ships in this tier:

ESSEX

Essex is a SR grade partner that is classified as an Aircraft Carrier. Her 1st active ability Valorous Avengers reads as follows – “When this ship launches an Airstrike: launches an additional Lv.1 (Lv.10) TBF Avenger airstrike that causes Flooding DoT to enemies hit by their torpedoes (Flooding DMG is based on this ship’s AVI stat and the skill’s level.) Also increases this ship’s DMG to enemy BBs (but not BCs or BBVs) by 4% (10%).” 

Azur Lane – Tier List for the Best Ships

Her 1st passive ability Absolute Evasion does as follows – “When there are 4 or more Eagle Union ships in the same fleet as this ship (including self): 4.5% (12%) chance to reduce DMG taken to 1 when a ship in your fleet is attacked by enemy Torpedo Bombers or Dive Bombers.”

CENTAUR

Centaur is a SR grade partner that is classified as a Light Aircraft Carrier. Her 1st active ability Swordfishes, Attack! reads as follows – “Increase own damage dealt to Battleships by 4% (10%). When launching an airstrike: deploys additional Swordfish planes that launch torpedoes (damage increases with skill level) which reduce the speed of enemies they hit by 40% for 6s.” 

Azur Lane – Tier List for the Best Ships

Her 1st passive ability Airspace Dominance does as follows – “When this ship launches an Airstrike: increases your Main Fleet’s AVI by 5% (15%) and FP by 4% (10%) for 8s.”

THESEUS

Theseus is a SR grade partner that is classified as a Light Aircraft Carrier. Her 1st active ability Ariadne’s Conundrum reads as follows – “3s after the battle starts, or when this ship launches an airstrike: launches an additional Lv.1 (Lv.10) special airstrike (DMG is based on the skill’s level). Increases this ship’s DMG dealt by 5% (15%) against enemies that have been afloat for 10s or longer.” 

Azur Lane – Tier List for the Best Ships

Her 1st passive ability Athena’s Aegis does as follows – “Every 20s (10s) after the battle starts: restores 1% of this ship’s max HP. When this ship has the Out of Ammo debuff: decreases the debuff’s DMG reduction effect by 5% (15%). When the fleet this ship is in sinks an enemy fleet: decreases this ship’s DMG taken by 1% (3.5%) for the rest of the sortie (can be stacked up to 3 times).”

Players can enjoy Azur Lane even more on a bigger screen with your keyboard and mouse via BlueStacks!