Chaos Zero Nightmare is about to turn one, and its roster now holds 38 Combatants after Season 4 added Hilde, Arabella, and Olga. This results in more interesting heroes to build but scarcity of resources to invest. This Chaos Zero Nightmare tier list ranks every character as of the current meta, so players know who deserves Rescues, Chaos runs, and other upgrade materials. View the list of best CZN characters below!

Chaos Zero Nightmare Tier List October 2026: All Combatants Ranked

TIER	DAMAGE DEALERS	SUPPORTS
SS	Heidemarie, Selena	Cassius, Nia
S	Diana, Haru, Hilde, Hugo, Sereniel, Tenebria	Narja, Veronica
A	Arabella, Fei, Luke, Mei Lin, Olga, Renoa, Rin	Adelheid, Anika, Beryl, Rei, Tiphera
B	Chizuru, Kayron, Nine, Yuki	Mika, Orlea
C	Amir, Maribell, Rita, Tressa	Khalipe, Lucas, Magna, Owen

SS Tier Characters

Check out all the characters in this tier:

Heidemarie

Heidemarie is a 5-Star Passion Ranger and the strongest damage dealer in the current meta. Cards like Sword Rain create Effulgent Blades, which fire a free Extra Attack whenever they are discarded. She then cashes them all in with Effulgent Release, a finisher that gains damage for every Blade sitting in the Graveyard.

Her best team pairs her with Selena or Hugo, plus Cassius to keep her Linked cards cycling. She is a limited Combatant and is not on a banner right now, so players who missed her should save for her rerun. Manifest Ego 2 is her biggest upgrade, as it adds Crimson Blade stacks that fire up to five extra attacks every turn.

Selena

Selena is a 4-Star Passion Ranger who does most of her damage from the sidelines. High-Power Scope and Target Spotted apply Mark, Sniper’s Domain makes that Mark damage much stronger, and the result is a steady stream of Extra Attacks. Drone Bombing also hits every enemy and applies Passion Weakness, which suits Passion teams perfectly.

What pushes her into SS tier is how well she plays with others. She is the top partner for Heidemarie, and in Sereniel teams she restores enemy Tenacity so Sereniel can Ravage the same boss again and again. As a 4-Star, she is cheap to max out, which makes her one of the best value units in the game.

Cassius

Cassius is a 4-Star Instinct Controller and the most flexible support in Chaos Zero Nightmare. His Pop Eyed Popper card starts Quests, small goals like playing three 0-cost cards, which reward the team with free cards that draw, deal damage, heal, or grant Morale. Joker picks any card from the Draw Pile, and Shuffle swaps out a bad hand in one go.

Card control is the most valued skill in the current meta, and nobody does it better. Cassius sits in nearly every top team, from Heidemarie and Diana to Luke, Hilde, and Sereniel. His first Manifest Ego is a big upgrade, since it lets Joker grab cards from the discard pile as well.

Nia

Nia is a 4-Star Instinct Controller built around deck cycling and discards. Adagio draws and discards for 0 AP, G Chord plays the top card of the Draw Pile for free, and Mute Accent discards the most expensive card in hand to trigger an Extra Attack from its owner. Soul Rip then heals the team and builds Decibel every time a card is discarded.

That makes her the perfect partner for discard carries like Diana, Heidemarie, Renoa, and Tenebria. Her second Manifest Ego adds Rhythm Boost, a damage buff that refreshes on every shuffle, and her sixth turns her into a strong healer too. Anyone running Diana or Haru should treat her as a core piece.

S-Tier Characters

Check out all the characters in this tier:

Diana

Diana is a 5-Star Passion Hunter whose kit runs on Quietus, a tag that triggers effects when a card is discarded. Her starting cards create Heart Breaker bullets that fire a free Extra Attack when discarded, and Cupid Shot hits harder for every Bullet card in hand. Pistol of Purification adds Resonance stacks that go off several more times when it gets discarded.

She is at her best next to Cassius, Nia, Selena, or Renoa, since all of them discard or cycle cards for her. Manifest Ego 2 adds Flutters, stacks gained every time an ally discards that power a big Extra Attack at the end of the turn. It is a strong upgrade for Chaos runs in particular.

Haru

Haru is a 5-Star Justice Striker and the face of the launch banner, and she is still one of the hardest hitters in the game. Her damage comes from Anchor Shot, a heavy attack that gets scarier the more times she can play it in a single turn. Teams that feed her extra cards let her end fights in one big swing.

Her weak spot is AP, as her best turns cost a lot. Narja fixes that with healing, damage buffs, and cost reduction, which is why her best team runs Narja with Veronica, Nia, or Cassius in the last slot. She also works as the second carry in Hugo and Hilde teams.

Hilde

Hilde is a 5-Star Instinct Ranger and Season 4’s first limited Combatant. Quiver Reload fills the Draw Pile with Homing Arrows, 0-cost cards that fire an Extra Attack and draw a card, while Vortex Arrow draws 3 and gains damage for every Attack card drawn that turn. She mixes AoE and single target damage with Fracture damage over time.

All that draw lets her work as either a carry or a draw support. Her top team pairs her with Hugo or Selena plus Cassius, and she also teams up with Hugo as a double carry alongside Olga or Haru. Manifest Ego 2 adds +10% Critical Chance and Double Tap, which fires bonus attacks whenever a Homing Arrow goes off.

Hugo

Hugo is a 5-Star Order Ranger who deals his damage through follow-up attacks. His Commence the Hunt effect triggers when allies attack, so he adds big single target damage without needing much AP of his own. He struggles in AoE teams that lack targeted attack cards.

Hugo is one of the most flexible damage dealers in Chaos Zero Nightmare, slotting into top teams with Heidemarie, Hilde, Luke, Fei, Chizuru, and Tressa. Any carry that plays lots of cheap single target cards makes him shine. If a team needs a second damage dealer, Hugo is usually the safest pick.

Sereniel

Sereniel is a 5-Star Instinct Hunter and the game’s first limited seasonal Combatant. Her Homing Lasers cost 0 AP and jump back to her hand every time an enemy is Ravaged, which happens when its Tenacity breaks. Shining Core keeps creating Homing Laser L copies, so her laser count grows each turn.

Her best team runs Selena, who restores enemy Tenacity for repeat Ravages, plus Cassius or the new Anika for Morale buffs. Her very low AP needs free up space for supports that need lots of AP. Her rerun with her Partner Peko ends on October 21, so this is the last chance to grab her for a while.

Tenebria

Tenebria is a 5-Star Passion Psionic and a limited Combatant who arrived in June 2026. Her Opener card exhausts the team’s Basic Attack cards and turns them into Rhythm cards, which trigger extra effects, lower costs, and chain into one another. Sound Check is her Basic Attack card, and it feeds the whole engine.

Her best team pairs her with Rei for Morale buffs and deck thinning, plus Nia, Veronica, or Narja in the last slot. Rhythm loops need a steady flow of cards, so a draw support is a must. Players who enjoy long combo turns will find her one of the most fun units in the game.

Narja

Narja is a 5-Star Instinct Controller who heals, buffs damage, and supplies AP through her Voracity and Predation mechanics. She brings four unique cards, including Meal Time, which make building strong Save Data much easier. The catch is that she has no card draw of her own.

Because of that, she needs a draw partner like Veronica, Nia, or Cassius to work. Inside the right team, she is a powerhouse, carrying Haru, Rin, Yuki, Amir, and Tenebria lineups. Her rerun with her Partner Gaya just ended, so new players will need to wait for her next return.

Veronica

Veronica is a 5-Star Passion Ranger who summons Ballistas that deal damage every turn at no cost. She can also draw cards that belong to her teammates, which makes her both a sub-DPS and a draw support. Her passive damage is great in AoE fights against several enemies.

She fills the draw slot in many of the strongest teams, including Haru, Rin, Tenebria, Arabella, and Yuki lineups. Narja teams in particular need her, since Narja cannot draw on her own. She is one of the safest 5-Star supports to invest in.

A-Tier Characters

Check out all the characters in this tier:

Fei

Fei is a 5-Star Void Ranger who gains Descent stacks every time an ally draws a card. Those stacks power Heavensfall, her big finishing attack, while Flame Arts chains extra attacks between her cards. She can also act as a draw support, which gives her two roles in one slot.

Her best teams pair her with Hugo and Cassius, or with Cassius and Nia, and she also helps Renoa as a card feeder. Her Partner Ruixiang is built to boost her damage. She is confirmed as an option in the 1st anniversary selector, which makes her an easy free pick.

Olga

Olga is a 5-Star Instinct Psionic who joined on September 9 with the Season 4 chapter The Scythe That Only Takes. She applies Fracture and Agony, two damage over time effects, and cards like Rift of Severance both create and trigger Fracture. Her Shattering effect then amplifies that damage.

She can also be built as a team buffer through Morale Epiphanies, which is why she appears in both damage and support roles. Her best teams include Arabella and Veronica, or a double carry setup with Hugo and Hilde. Her Partner Emilie is the top pick for players investing in her.

Arabella

Arabella is a 5-Star Instinct Striker from Season 4 Phase 2 who fights with a whip-like snake sword. Her playstyle revolves around Fracture, with builds that either trigger Fracture over and over or stack multi-hit attacks. Her Partner Licinia is built for her and gives the best results.

She performs best with Orlea or Olga, plus Veronica, Tiphera, or Hilde for draw and support. Her damage is strong, but she needs a dedicated team to get there. Players who already own Olga will get the most out of her.

Anika

Anika is the first post-launch 4-Star, an Order Striker added on September 30 as the 4-Star rate-up in the Sereniel rerun. Her Lead cards like Ignition Slash and Shock Gun gain bonus effects when their cost is reduced, and her Shockwave debuff adds extra Tenacity damage. She also stacks Morale for the whole team.

In Sereniel teams, Anika can max out Morale by herself thanks to Sereniel’s low AP needs. That makes her a real alternative to Cassius whenever he is busy in another team. As a 4-Star, she will reach full Manifest Ego quickly from regular Rescues.

Adelheid

Adelheid is a 5-Star Void Vanguard and one of the most complete defensive supports in the game. Her cards apply Blessing, she hands out big shields, and cards like Teddy and Doggie cost 0 AP and act right away. She also has solid draw, so she keeps decks moving while protecting the team.

She is extremely consistent in Chaos and Sortie runs, where safety matters more than raw damage. She works well with Heidemarie and Nia, or Diana and Mika, and can even play as a sub-DPS. Her Partner Clara is her best match.

Rei

Rei is a free 4-Star Void Controller and the best support that costs nothing. She stacks Morale for multi-hit attackers, thins the deck, and helps with card cycling. Every new account should build her early.

She is the key support for Tenebria and a strong fit with Sereniel, Chizuru, and Beryl. Paired with Beryl and Orlea, she forms a budget team that still clears most content. Her buffs stay relevant no matter how many new units arrive.

Tiphera

Tiphera is a 5-Star Order Controller who creates three types of Creation Cards at random. These cards supply AP, buffs, and healing, so she keeps high-cost carries running smoothly. Event Horizon is one of her main AP sources.

She pairs well with Arabella, Kayron, Nine, and Rita, all of whom need extra AP to function. Her random card generation takes some practice to manage. Her Partner Tiana buffs allies whenever she creates Exhaust cards.

B-Tier Characters

Check out all the characters in this tier:

Mika

Mika is a free 4-Star Justice Controller who heals and restores AP. Essence of Water gives AP back at 0 cost, and she builds Waves to fuel more AP for the team. She fits almost any lineup and is easy to build.

She has slipped as Cassius, Nia, Narja, and Tiphera took over the top support spots. Even so, she remains the best free healer and a great pick for high-cost carries like Rita. New players should build her right away.

Nine

Nine is a 5-Star Order Vanguard who works as both a damage dealer and a tank. Her damage grows as she Exhausts cards and stacks Ignition, so she gets stronger the longer a fight lasts. Hew Strike builds turn her into a heavy hitter.

Her rerun with her Partner Alcea runs from October 13 to November 3. She is a solid unit, but she is not an urgent pull since newer carries outdamage her. Tiphera and Orlea are her best supports.

Chizuru

Chizuru is a 5-Star Void Psionic whose Inhibit effect lowers the cost of the team’s cards but stops them from gaining AP. She builds Will-o’-Wisp stacks by attacking and turns them into Shadow of the Moon attack cards. Moonslash and Bound at Dusk are key cards in most of her builds.

Her best team runs Hugo with Cassius or Anika, where her many cheap hits keep Hugo’s follow-ups firing. The AP lock makes her harder to team build than most carries. Kayron, Yuki, and Orlea sit in this tier too, each strong in their own niche but outclassed in most teams.

Best Chaos Zero Nightmare Teams to Build and Use

TEAM	COMBATANTS	WHY IT WORKS
Heidemarie Discard	Heidemarie, Selena or Hugo, Cassius	The strongest team in the game, with Cassius cycling Linked cards while Selena adds Extra Attacks
Sereniel Ravage	Sereniel, Selena, Cassius or Anika	Selena restores Tenacity so Sereniel keeps Ravaging and reusing her Homing Lasers
Diana Discard	Diana, Selena or Renoa, Cassius or Nia	Every discard fires Quietus effects and Heart Breaker Extra Attacks
Haru Burst	Haru, Narja, Veronica or Nia	Narja covers Haru’s AP needs while the last slot feeds her cards
Hilde Follow-Up	Hilde, Hugo or Selena, Cassius	Hilde’s draw keeps Hugo’s follow-ups and Cassius’s Quests running
Tenebria Rhythm	Tenebria, Rei, Nia or Veronica	Rei’s Morale and steady card draw keep Rhythm chains going
Luke Bullet	Luke, Hugo, Cassius	A cheaper 5-Star core where Hugo adds follow-ups to Luke’s Bullets

Most top teams follow the same pattern: one main carry, one card cycler, and a flex slot for a second damage dealer or a healer. The good news for low spenders is that three of the four SS tier units are 4-Stars. Selena, Cassius, and Nia all come from regular Rescues, so they reach full Manifest Ego far faster than any 5-Star.

Players can enjoy playing Chaos Zero Nightmare on a bigger screen of their PC or Laptop via BlueStacks along with your keyboard and mouse.