Duet Night Abyss launch tier list — best picks and why

Duet Night Abyss launches without character gacha, so you can eventually unlock the entire roster. That freedom puts more weight on where to invest early resources. Here’s a grounded view of who stands out right now, how Intron levels can shift rankings, and which characters you can secure for free to jump‑start a strong team.

Quick launch snapshot: how current lists rate each character

Tier placements below compile how launch rankings currently position each character. Expect movement as players push higher Intron levels and harder content.

Note: Some placement differences reflect Intron level and content type. “—” indicates a character wasn’t explicitly placed in that list’s overview snapshot.

Best DPS picks at launch (strengths in brief)

• Psyche — Burst carry that spends HP instead of Sanity for a massive ultimate. Scales hard with CRIT and can take to the air to kite melee pressure.
• Rebecca — Zone control specialist. Her summons deal repeated, large‑radius Hydro damage; at higher Intron, additional summons and a stronger passive push her AoE further.
• Lisbell — Combo‑driven brawler. Charged heavy attacks with Samael deliver big burst, and with tight execution she can maintain her empowered state and stunlock groups.
• Yale & Oliver — Aerial bomber. Hovering attacks let you drop explosives from safety, trivializing melee pressure and punishing clustered targets.
• Lynn — Channeling DPS. With smart positioning, her ultimate and Laceration stacks can overwhelm bosses and mob packs alike.
• Phantasio — Stack‑based burst. Builds Adagio stacks to enter Bestial Fury; triggers like Fermata amplify damage for decisive windows.

If you prefer a stable, low‑risk path, Rebecca and Yale & Oliver offer safe spacing and crowd control. For higher skill ceilings and payoff, Psyche and Lisbell reward execution with top‑end damage.

Best support picks at launch (what they bring)

• Daphne — Dedicated healer with reliable sustain, crowd control, and team buffs/debuffs. Fits into almost any composition and shines in long fights.
• Truffle & Filbert — Consistent, mobile healing with easy team fit. Frequently rated among the most universally useful supports for both farming and bosses.
• Randy — Defensive utility. Shields and DEF tools that stabilize risky DPS lineups and smooth out early progression.
• Tabethe — Control‑leaning support. Opinions vary, but her control and weapon support effects can enable specific comps, especially in content where crowd manipulation matters.
• Lady Nifle — Debuff‑oriented damage support. More situational and sanity‑hungry, but useful when builds lean into her target debuffs.

For most players, Daphne or Truffle & Filbert will be the support cornerstone. Add Randy if survivability is a problem, or Tabethe/Lady Nifle if your team benefits from control or debuffs.

Why Intron level changes some rankings

Intron progression materially alters kits. Some characters pick up new passives or stack faster, changing their ceiling or comfort:

• Rebecca — Gains the ability to field more summons simultaneously at higher Intron, juicing sustained AoE and objective defense.
• Lisbell — Builds combo points faster at higher Intron, shortening the time between max‑power charged attacks and extending her empowered uptime.
• Margie — Performs better at higher Intron but remains gatekept by Jackpot stack requirements, keeping her a niche pick in many groups.

If a character feels underwhelming at Intron 0, re‑evaluate after unlocking key intrinsics or passives; several picks move up a tier once their core loop smooths out.

Free characters you can secure early (and how)

You can lock in several useful Daimon early without any rolls. These are available at launch through story progression, events, or side content:

Tip: Pair these free unlocks into a balanced trio early on (one sustained DPS, one burst or flexible DPS, one support). A core like Rebecca or Yale & Oliver plus Daphne or Truffle & Filbert carries you through most launch content.

Near‑term arrivals that may shift the meta

• Fina — Planned to arrive on November 25 (post‑launch). Lumino support with debuff utility and notable damage potential; widely projected to land near the top of support rankings.
• Version 1.1 lineup — Zhiliu, Fushu, Yuming, and Kezhou are slated for the first major update. Hilda is planned later.

Once 1.1 lands, expect recalibrated rankings as new kits and balance changes hit the live game.

How to use this tier list

These placements reflect how kits are performing at launch across common content types. They’re a starting point, not a mandate. Because every character is unlockable for free, there’s little downside to building the kits you enjoy while anchoring your team with a proven DPS and a reliable support. Revisit rankings as you climb Intron levels — several characters notably improve once their core passives come online.

Bottom line: if you want the safest early path, build around Psyche or Rebecca for damage and Daphne or Truffle & Filbert for support. Add a third slot that fits your playstyle — aerial safety from Yale & Oliver, high‑execution payoff from Lisbell, or steady pressure from Lynn — and you’ll be well‑equipped for launch content and beyond.