S-rank characters in Neverness to Everness sit at the top of the gacha rarity ladder, and at version 1.0 the roster is small enough that picking the right one actually matters. Most are locked behind the Scarborough Fair gacha, with a couple of exceptions tied to story progress and the in-game Tycoon system.
The current S-rank roster
At 1.0 there is one limited S-rank (Nanally) and a handful of standard S-ranks that share the permanent pool. Chiz is the odd one out, unlocked through the City Tycoon system rather than gacha. Esper Zero, the protagonist, is granted through normal play.
| Character | Element | Role | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nanally | — | DPS | Limited banner |
| Jiuyuan | Psyche | Sub-DPS / Healer (with A2) | Standard banner |
| Sakiri | Incantation | Support | Standard banner |
| Baicang | Incantation | DPS (DoT) | Standard banner |
| Daffodill | Chaos | Burst DPS | Standard banner |
| Hathor | Lakshana | Melee DPS | Standard banner |
| Fadia | Psyche | Survival / Tank | Standard banner |
| Chiz | — | DPS | City Tycoon progression |
| Esper Zero | — | All-rounder | Story (free) |
How to get S-rank characters
The Scarborough Fair gacha is the main path. Pulls cost Solid Dice on standard banners and Fabricated Dice on limited ones. If you're short on either, Annulith exchanges at a flat 160 per Dice.
Limited S-ranks only exist while their banner is live. Once it closes, that character is unavailable until a rerun in a future patch. Standard pool S-ranks remain pullable indefinitely.
There's also a soft pity built into the standard track: hitting 50 pulls on the Standard Board grants a free S-rank selector, letting you pick from the standard pool. Global players are receiving an additional free S-class selection box alongside 1,600 Annulith as a launch promotion.
Tier placement at 1.0
Tier evaluations early in a gacha's life cycle skew toward immediate combat power, so DPS units tend to rate above utility picks even when long-term value flips later. With that caveat in mind, here's where the S-ranks land in the current meta.
| Tier | S-rank Characters |
|---|---|
| S | Nanally, Chiz, Jiuyuan, Sakiri |
| A | Daffodill, Baicang |
| B | Hathor, Fadia |
Nanally carries early-game damage as the first limited unit. Chiz scales hard once her Awakenings are unlocked through Tycoon, but reaching that point takes time. Jiuyuan's S placement assumes one dupe to activate her A2 awakening, Intel Turns Into Blades, which converts her into a viable team healer. Sakiri's value comes from team-wide buffs and enemy grouping rather than raw output.
Daffodill received nerfs between beta 3 and launch, but still functions as a strong burst DPS against stance-broken bosses. Baicang runs Incantation DoT damage and has a high skill ceiling. Hathor's combat numbers fell off after balance changes, though her Life Skill produces extra Cartridges and other daily resources. Fadia's damage redirection mechanic is mechanically interesting but currently underperforms.
Picking with the free S-class selector
The selector unlocks after 50 standard pulls. Two principles drive a good pick:
- Fill the gap your team has. Missing a DPS, take Baicang or Daffodill. Missing a support, take Sakiri. Missing sustain, Jiuyuan (with the intent to dupe later) or Fadia.
- Wait if you can. Spend standard pulls first so you don't burn the selector on a character you'll later pull naturally.
If you already own the S-ranks you wanted, the selector is best used as an Awakening dupe on a core team member. Jiuyuan's A2 healing is the clearest example of an Awakening that meaningfully changes a character's role.
Element coverage
Element selection matters for the Esper Cycle reaction system. The S-rank pool currently covers Psyche, Incantation, Chaos, and Lakshana. Cosmos and Anima S-ranks aren't represented at 1.0.
| Element | S-rank Options |
|---|---|
| Psyche | Jiuyuan, Fadia |
| Incantation | Sakiri, Baicang |
| Chaos | Daffodill |
| Lakshana | Hathor |
| Cosmos | None at 1.0 |
| Anima | None at 1.0 |
Daffodill being the lone Chaos S-rank makes her the default anchor for Discord cycle teams right now. A second Chaos unit, Lacrimosa, is expected in the first major patch and is anticipated to outperform her, so resource investment in Daffodill should account for that timeline.
What happens when a limited banner ends
When Nanally's run closes, she's removed from the pull pool entirely until her rerun. Any Fabricated Dice you have can still be used on the next limited banner, but pity carries forward only within the limited track per the standard banner rules. Standard pool S-ranks are unaffected by these rotations.
For most accounts, the practical play at 1.0 looks like this: roll the standard banner to 50, claim the selector, fill in whichever role your starting team is missing, then decide whether to spend Annulith chasing Nanally on the limited side. Holding pulls for a rerun or the next limited unit is reasonable if your current roster already covers DPS and support roles.