The Ratatan tier list changes dramatically between Episodes 1-2 and the post-1.0 content drop, where Episodes 3-4, World 6, and all eight Dark Ratatan bosses redefine what counts as a top pick. Whether you queue into co-op rhythm combat or grind solo climbs, a current character ranking paired with the right Mythic weapon and stacked Ratakaruta determines whether a run survives the late-episode damage gates.
This Ratatan tier list ranks every playable character, the Mythic weapons that actually carry runs past Episode 3, and the Ratakaruta upgrades worth chasing, all cross-referenced against the official Steam v1.1.9 release notes and a long-running Steam Community guide that maps elemental stacking across Fire, Water, Ice, Poison, Lightning, and Wind. Use the picks below as a decision framework rather than a strict ladder: synergy with your weapon rarity, party composition, and which element you stack with two identical Ratakaruta cards ultimately matters more than chasing a single S-tier name.
How Ratatan Tier Rankings Work in 2026
Rankings inside the Ratatan character ranking system are not static: Episode 3 unlocked World 6, the final boss, and a new batch of Mythic gear, which compressed the gap between older top picks and freshly buffed late-game specialists. Anything that survived the 1.0 patch without nerfs is a candidate for S-tier, while characters whose damage falls below the Episode 3 damage gate drift toward B or C.
The three pillars of every competitive Ratatan ranking — character kit, weapon rarity, and Ratakaruta stacking — are evaluated independently first, then combined, because no single metric captures a character's full ceiling. For example, a B-tier character with Standard gear can vault into A-tier territory once two matching-element Ratakaruta trigger an Elemental Force, and an S-tier Mythic wielder without kit synergy can still underperform in rhythm-input windows. Treating the pillars as separate filters, then weighting them against the Episode 3 damage gate, keeps the ratatan tier list honest across the 2026 character, weapon, and Ratakaruta rankings.
-
Character kit — active skill uptime, passive triggers, and synergy with the rhythm-input window.
-
Weapon rarity — Standard, Rare, Mythic, and the new Mythic+ Decorune variants change scaling curves.
-
Ratakaruta stacking — holding two of the same element produces an Elemental Force, which can flip a mid-tier character into a top performer.
| Pillar | What it affects | Where it shows up in this tier list |
|---|---|---|
| Character kit | DPS ceiling, survivability, support utility | Every S/A/B row in the character table |
| Weapon rarity | Base damage, special effects, scaling | Mythic weapon ranking section |
| Ratakaruta stacking | AoE coverage, elemental procs, run length | Ratakaruta tier table |
The ranking method below is grounded in three sources: the v1.1.9 release notes for the latest content additions, the Steam Community guide for stacking behavior, and player-reported performance on the discussion boards where matchmaking, version-mismatch bugs, and Welcome Mode availability dominate. Treating each pillar separately, then combining them, gives a much sharper picture than any single leaderboard.
Tier Notation and Synergy Rules
Each entry is tagged with a primary role, a recommended weapon rarity floor, and the Ratakaruta element that maximizes its kit. Roles follow the same convention used across the broader tier list ecosystem: DPS, support, tank, and hybrid. Two important rules before reading further:
-
Two identical Ratakaruta cards held simultaneously convert into an Elemental Force, which inherits and amplifies the base effect.
-
Knockback and long-stagger Ratakaruta can interrupt your own follow-up attacks in tight windows, so the weapon ranking section flags which effects are unsafe to stack blindly.
Ratatan Best Characters Tier List (Episode 3+ Meta)
The Ratatan best characters tier list below assumes access to the v1.1.9 roster, including the four new Dark Ratatan (Shellshock, Panda Monium, The Bamboozler, Tangletung) and the post-1.0 balance pass. Characters are evaluated on rhythm-input efficiency, mobility during late-episode damage spikes, and how well they convert two-of-a-kind Ratakaruta into a sustained Elemental Force.
| Tier | Character | Role | Best Element | Weapon Rarity Floor | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | Kobo | DPS | Fire | Mythic | Highest sustained DPS when chained with Fire Elemental Force |
| S | Pina | Support | Wind | Rare | Buff aura amplifies party rhythm score; safe in co-op |
| S | Yoshi | Hybrid | Lightning | Mythic | Teleport cancels recover tempo, lightning procs shred armored foes |
| A | Tomeo | Tank | Ice | Rare | High HP pool, slow aura buys revives in Episode 3+ |
| A | Momotaro | DPS | Water | Mythic | Wave clear is unmatched in mob-dense corridors |
| A | Hanzo | Hybrid | Poison | Mythic | DoT stacks double-dip with poison Elemental Force |
| B | Kuro | DPS | Fire | Rare | Strong opener but falls off in World 6 boss phases |
| B | Shiro | Support | Wind | Rare | Clean utility, no defining late-game edge |
| B | Sukezaemon | Tank | Ice | Rare | Solid in Episodes 1-2, struggles past damage gate in Episode 3 |
| C | Garun | DPS | Lightning | Standard | Viable only with Mythic weapon and stacked Lightning cards |
| C | Tapi | Support | Water | Standard | Co-op niche; solo runs gain little |
The top of the table rewards characters whose kits interact cleanly with the two-of-a-kind stacking rule. Kobo's fire scaling compounds when you collect two Fire Ratakaruta, while Yoshi's lightning procs accelerate rhythm scoring during boss windows. Pina stays S-tier even on Rare weapons because her wind aura applies broadly and does not depend on raw damage scaling.
The bottom of the table is not "bad" — Garun and Tapi both function with the right Mythic weapon and a tightly stacked element, but they require more setup than higher-ranked picks. If you are new to the post-1.0 content, prioritize Kobo, Pina, or Yoshi before experimenting with conditional specialists.
Role-by-Role Breakdown
A role-first view is more practical when you are chasing a specific Mythic weapon drop, since most of the high-rarity Ratatan weapons are gated behind a weapon-type match rather than character rarity. For example, building Momotaro (A-tier DPS) around a Legendary spear Mythic gives you better sustained output than rerolling into Kobo (S-tier) on a non-matching weapon, and pairing a B-tier Support like Shiro with a tank-bait Mythic shield can outperform forcing Pina into a role she isn't specced for.
-
DPS — Kobo (S), Momotaro (A), Kuro (B), Garun (C).
-
Support — Pina (S), Shiro (B), Tapi (C).
-
Tank — Tomeo (A), Sukezaemon (B).
-
Hybrid — Yoshi (S), Hanzo (A).
For a deeper pass through support and tank picks, the dedicated Ratatan characters list walks through every unlock path and stat line, including which Episode clears gate each new roster addition. Pairing that page with the table above lets you decide whether to commit resources to a Mythic weapon for a B-tier character or reroll into an easier S-tier matchup.
Ratatan Weapon Tier List and Mythic Weapon Ranking
Weapons in Ratatan come in four practical rarities after the v1.1.9 update: Standard, Rare, Mythic, and the newer Mythic+ Decorune variants that ship with Episodes 3 and 4. The weapon rarity floor in the character table is the minimum tier a character needs to feel competitive in World 6; falling below that floor is the most common reason a "strong" character underperforms in practice.
| Weapon | Rarity | Best Character Match | Element Synergy | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inferno Cymbals | Mythic+ | Kobo | Fire | Decay-free DPS, top pick for sustained fire stacking |
| Thunder Fists | Mythic+ | Yoshi | Lightning | Teleport cancel feeds rhythm scoring |
| Tide Drum | Mythic+ | Momotaro | Water | Wave clear scales with mob density |
| Bamboo Blaster | Mythic | Hanzo | Poison | DoT double-dips with poison Elemental Force |
| Frost Baton | Rare | Tomeo | Ice | Reliable slow, budget-friendly pickup |
| Gale Maracas | Rare | Pina | Wind | Support-friendly, low personal DPS |
| Iron Triangle | Standard | Any | None | Stopgap until first Rare drop |
| Rusted Clapper | Standard | New players | None | Welcome Mode starter, replace ASAP |
The Ratatan best weapons ranking places Mythic+ weapons at the top because they survive the Episode 3 damage gate without requiring perfect rhythm inputs, while Mythic-tier weapons demand tighter play but still clear the late-episode checks. Rare weapons remain the workhorses of Episodes 1-2 and the recommended floor for support and tank characters; Standard weapons should be treated as transitional gear, not long-term loadouts.
Decorune and Mythic Accessory Pairings
The v1.1.9 patch introduced a dedicated Decorune slot for Mythic+ weapons, plus new accessories designed around late-episode boss patterns. When chasing a specific weapon, look at whether your target character's best Mythic has a matching Decorune; mismatched pairs force you to build around a weaker elemental identity, which can drop a top-tier weapon into B-tier performance territory.
For a broader walk through every weapon in the game, including how to unlock each Mythic and which Episode clear gates them, the Ratatan weapons list breaks down rarities, drop sources, and pairing notes in one place. It is the most useful companion to this ranking when you are deciding whether to commit upgrade materials to a Mythic or save them for the next Mythic+ drop.
Ratatan Ratakaruta Tier List and Stacking Guide
Ratakaruta are the in-run elemental upgrades grouped across Fire, Water, Ice, Poison, Lightning, and Wind. According to the Steam Community guide on Ratakaruta, holding two of the same element produces an Elemental Force, which inherits the base effect and amplifies it for the rest of the run. That single rule is the entire reason the Ratatan ratakaruta tier list matters: the right two-card combo can lift a B-tier character into late-episode viability.
| Element | Best Use Case | Notable Cards | Elemental Force Effect | Stacking Warning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fire | Boss DPS races | Crimson Sweep, Ember Barrage | Continuous burn, refreshes on hit | Self-knockback interrupts follow-ups |
| Water | Mob-dense corridors | Tidal Push, Bubble Burst | Expanding waves, extends run length | Wave effect can over-extend short stages |
| Ice | Survival, slow aura | Frost Ring, Glacial Spike | Persistent slow, freeze on heavy hits | Slow can prevent finishers on low-HP enemies |
| Poison | Long fights, DoT scaling | Toxic Mist, Venom Strike | Stacking poison ticks | DoT overkill on trash mobs |
| Lightning | Rhythm score, burst windows | Storm Call, Spark Drift | Chain lightning on rhythm hits | Chain can spread to off-screen adds |
| Wind | Mobility, support | Gale Step, Zephyr Lift | Party-wide speed and i-frames | Wind speed clips some map geometry |
The Ratatan best ratakaruta table treats Elemental Force effects as the primary ranking driver, because every other advantage in a run comes from that one conversion. Fire and Lightning dominate the top of the list because their forces reward aggressive play, which matches the rhythm-combat timing window better than slow or DoT effects. Water is the cleanest general-purpose pick: it scales with mob count, which is the most common late-episode scenario.
When to Avoid Elemental Force Stacking
Stacking is not always correct. The community guide flags two recurring failure modes that often push a high-tier Ratatan character ranking build into mid-tier performance during rhythm scoring: over-stacking a single element dilutes your Beat gauge returns because Elemental Force bonuses cap at the third same-type card, and forcing Fire knockback on a slow melee weapon breaks the combo window that rhythm-scoring rewards. Both issues are visible in the Ratatan weapon tier list benchmarks, where mixed Fire+Wind loadouts outperform pure Fire builds on Kobo and Hanzo despite Fire's higher raw damage.
-
Knockback effects (notably some Fire cards) interrupt your follow-up attacks, which can drop rhythm score and waste DPS windows.
-
Area effects that stretch the run length can push you past a stage's soft timer, especially in tight Episode 3 corridors.
A practical rule: if your weapon is melee-range and your character has a tight combo string (Kobo, Hanzo, Momotaro), avoid Fire knockback. If you are running a mobile character with ranged payoff (Yoshi, Garun), Fire becomes much safer because you can space around the knockback.
How to Build Around the Meta Tier List
The Ratatan meta tier list is most useful when you treat it as a decision tree rather than a shopping list. Start with the role you enjoy, lock in a character from the appropriate row, then pick a weapon rarity and Ratakaruta element that match. Three concrete builds show how the rankings combine:
-
Kobo + Inferno Cymbals + Fire stack — S-tier DPS race build. Aim for two Fire Ratakaruta by the mid-run, convert to Elemental Force, and burn through boss HP gates. Skip Fire knockback cards to protect your combo string.
-
Pina + Gale Maracas + Wind stack — S-tier support build. Prioritizes party-wide buffs, safe in co-op matchmaking, and clears Episode 2 without a Mythic. Upgrade to Mythic+ when you have spare materials.
-
Yoshi + Thunder Fists + Lightning stack — S-tier hybrid build. Teleport cancels buy back rhythm score, lightning procs shred armored World 6 adds. Effective in both solo and coordinated co-op.
Each build can be tuned further by replacing one Ratakaruta with a Wind mobility card (Zephyr Lift) for safer resets, which is especially valuable when you are learning new boss patterns in World 6. For a closer look at the early-game decisions that lead into these late-game builds, the Ratatan best starter weapon guide covers the Standard-to-Rare climb and which first Rare you should hold onto.
Players chasing a specific late-game ceiling should cross-reference this ranking with the Ratatan boss difficulty ranking, which orders the eight Dark Ratatan and the World 6 final boss by damage patterns. Matching your build to the hardest incoming encounter is a faster path to clearing Episodes 3 and 4 than chasing the highest-DPS pick on paper, because the boss mechanics dictate which Ratakaruta effects actually proc.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current Ratatan tier list order after the v1.1.9 update?
After the v1.1.9 update, the Ratatan tier list places Kobo, Pina, and Yoshi in S-tier, followed by Tomeo, Momotaro, and Hanzo in A-tier, with Kuro, Shiro, and Sukezaemon in B-tier, and Garun and Tapi rounding out C-tier. The shifts from earlier patches come from new Mythic+ weapons, the Episode 3 damage gate, and the addition of the four new Dark Ratatan boss patterns.
Which Ratakaruta should I stack for the best late-game runs?
Fire and Lightning are the strongest Ratakaruta stacks for late-game runs because their Elemental Force effects reward aggressive rhythm play. Water is the safest general-purpose pick for mob-dense corridors, while Ice and Poison shine in long single-target fights. Avoid stacking Fire knockback cards on tight-combo characters, since the knockback interrupts follow-up attacks and drops rhythm score.
Are Mythic+ weapons worth chasing over Mythic weapons in Ratatan?
Yes, Mythic+ weapons are worth chasing because they clear the Episode 3 damage gate without requiring perfect rhythm inputs, which makes them more forgiving than standard Mythic weapons. The trade-off is that Mythic+ weapons demand a matching Decorune and more upgrade material, so new players should fully upgrade a Mythic first, then pivot to Mythic+ once the late-episode content is unlocked.
How does the Episode 3 damage gate change the Ratatan character ranking?
The Episode 3 damage gate raises the minimum effective DPS and survivability needed to clear, which pushed characters that excelled in Episodes 1-2 (like Sukezaemon) down the rankings while lifting mobile hybrids like Yoshi. Characters whose kits do not scale with Mythic+ weapons or Elemental Force stacking tend to fall into B or C-tier, even if they were strong in earlier patches.
Where can I find the most up-to-date community rankings for Ratatan?
The most up-to-date community rankings live in the Ratatan Steam discussion boards, where players post patch-by-patch tier changes and matchmaking notes. Cross-referencing those threads with the v1.1.9 release notes and the Ratakaruta stacking guide gives a complete picture of the current meta.