With Warner Bros.'s crossover fighter MultiVersus out in the wild, here is an early tier list ranking every character available at launch.
Developed by Los Angeles-based studio Player First Games, WB's new free-to-play fighting games debuted for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC on May 28.
The online multi-player slug fest launched with 26 playable characters from across Warner's library of IP, with the promise of more to come (the first being The Matrix's Agent Smith). The starting rosters cover everything from beloved HBO dramas like Game of Thrones to iconic blockbusters like Gremlins.
S Tier
Banana Guard
One of the best characters early in MultiVersus' life has been Adventure Time's Banana Guard. The character falls into the Bruiser class, being a little heavier than some others on the roster, but packing a punch along with it.
While Banana Guard may look adorable, he is anything but on the battlefield with the long reach of his diamond-tipped spear and ability to charge himself up for extra damage being perfect for setting up combos that are finished off with a devastating final blow.
Bugs Bunny
Of course, no Warner Bros. fighting game would be complete without a couple of Looney Toons making an appearance, and Bugs Bunny seems to be doing the franchise proud. At launch, Bugs is one of seven Mage/Ranged characters but is easily the best.
Being from the Tooniverse, Bugs can keep his opponents guessing with a variety of projectiles to throw out.
Whether it is dropping a safe from above on an unsuspected target below or tunnels beneath the ground before tossing out a lit stick of dynamite, this Toon is anything but Looney, making him the most reliable ranged character in the game.
Harley Quinn
DC Comics' Harley Quinn comes into MultiVersus posing just as much of a threat in the multiplayer fighter as she does on the comic page. Harley is a member of the game's glass cannon Assassin class.
Using a mix of projectile attacks like a remote detonation bomb and blunt weapons (i.e., her iconic hammer and baseball bat), Harley can pack a punch unlike just about anyone else on the MultiVersus roster, but fans should be wary as Assassin classes take 5% more damage than other characters.
Shaggy
Turns out Scooby-Doo's Shaggy can do a lot more than solve mysteries and scarf down Scooby Snacks. He is one of the best characters in MultiVersus' launch day roster.
As a member of the Bruiser class, Shaggy mainly relies on hand-to-hand combat, but do not be fooled as Ultra Instinct Shaggy (based on the popular internet meme) can be unleashed, allowing the character to add a little extra something-something top his Street Fighter-esque move set of punches and kicks.
A Tier
Arya Stark
Arya Stark serves as MultiVersus' lone Game of Thrones representative at launch, and while she may not be as strong as fellow Assassin class Harley Quinn, she is no slouch.
Arya uses her sword needle mostly in battle, playing like Super Smash Bros. characters like March, Lucina, or Roy. She outputs decent damage, and can even heal an ally in a 2v2 battle with a helping berry pie.
She also possesses a passive ability granting her bonus damage on any backward enemies, meaning to get the full potential of the character players need to have a technical understanding of turning enemies around to attack from behind.
Batman
As a well-rounded Bruiser class character, Batman is a great starting place for new players jumping into MultiVersus for the first time. He is one of the quickest characters in the game, making him unpredictable for opponents to track on-screen.
Pair that bat-like nimbleness with his signature smoke bomb that hides his position from the enemy and the Dark Knight can be a doozy when playing against.
He also comes sporting his iconic Batarangs for long-distance attacks and the ability to make enemies more vulnerable to incoming damage with a passive on his basic attacks.
Finn the Human
Finn the Human is one of the more complicated fighters in Mulitversus, sporting his own unique mechanic in how his moves work. The Adventure Time protagonist creates coins with every regular attack, then after collecting enough coins the Assassin class character opens up a whole new roster of super-powerful attacks.
Finn wields his sword for most of his moves, but can also use a special movie to purchase temporary gear mid-battle as well as swing his backpack around to get a little extra height on his double jump.
Jason Voorhees
Jason Voorhees is the most hulking of tanks in the world of MultiVersus, which would make sense as he falls into the game's Tank class.
This massive Friday the 13th villain is just as imposing on the online battlefield of WB's free-to-play fighter as he is in the woods murdering camp councilors on a warm summer's night.
However, while Jason can output massive damage with his signature machete and sleeping bag grab move, the character is so big/heavy that he has very little recovery. If Jason falls off the stage, it is very unlikely he is coming back. And in a platform fighter such as this, that is essential.
The Joker
Joining the MultiVersus roster as another one of its Mage/Ranged characters is the Clown Prince of Crime himself, the Joker.
Like other Mage characters, Joker relies on projectiles to deal most of his damage, with hand-to-hand combat being a last resort or combo-ender.
His weapons of choice include a rocket launcher, a pogo stick for jumping on enemies, and a balloon that can send him flying upwards and back onto the stage after being knocked off.
Superman
Another Tank class character falling into the A Tier is DC's Superman. The Man of Steel plays like one would expect him to in a fighting game such as this, using moves like his heat vision, super strength, and flight to get the job done against his enemies.
He also possesses the power ability to freeze his foes in place and grab them out of the air, redirecting them off-stage if timed correctly.
Wonder Woman
Completing DC's iconic trinity of heroes is Diana of Themyscira (aka Wonder Woman). Just like Superman, Wonder Woman is a Tank character, using her super-strength and sword + shield to deal damage to her opponents and send them flying off-screen.
She also possesses the unique ability to create temporary platforms in the level, mixing a bit of Support class DNA (if there was one) into the way she plays.
The only reason Wonder Woman is not higher on the list though, is, that while her special moves like her Amazon Shout have interesting utility, she just does not output the damage of some of the game's other Tanks.
B Tier
Black Adam
In MultiVersus, Black Adam is great for dealing damage and setting up combos; however, the DC anti-hero lacks any sort of finishing potential, making him perfect for 2v2 matches, but on his own, it can be hard to get the knockout blow other characters have.
Black Adam is one of the title's many Bruiser characters, usually punching his way out of a situation. He also possesses the godly power of electricity, allowing him to charge up shocking electric attacks on the field of battle.
Iron Giant
Originally voiced by the iconic Vin Diesel, is the Tank class character Iron Giant. While this robot was passive in his beloved original animated film, he comes packing a punch in MultiVersus. I
ron Giant's move set is made up of attacks that mostly use his hulking size (being one of the biggest characters in the game) and rocket boots.
As is the case in most fighting games, there is a delicate balance between size and speed, and because of Iron Giant's massive character model, he is also incredibly slow, making it easy for faster characters to get hits in on him before he even has time to react with a counter.
Jake the Dog
Joining his Adventure Time best friend Finn the Human is the hilarious Jake the Dog.
This Tank character is mighty useful on the battlefield, best at breaking armor with some of his regular attacks and being a great option for players who like juggling their opponents in the air with his Up-Special.
But Jake simply lacks the attack power needed to make him a top-tier character. His moves are useful and unique, making him a hard character to counter. However, he sits in the middle of this list as he just does not hit hard enough to keep up much of the roster.
Morty
The biggest reason Morty sits this low on the list of characters is his inherent complexity compared to the rest of the roster.
The Rick and Morty mainstay primarily uses grenades, with many of his other abilities adding variance to the small projectiles in some way. Morty is a Bruiser who after throwing a grenade can track it with his laser gun or send it through a portal on the other side of the level with his pocket portal.
The skill ceiling on Morty is one of the highest in the game because of this; however, because of this, he probably has the best potential to rise on this list as gamers slowly unlock the intricacies of his character.
Rick
Just like Morty, Rick is a complex character, making his barrier to entry one of the main reasons he is ranked this low. He is a Mage character, relying on projectiles as opposed to swinging weapons or throwing punches.
Even more than Morty though, Rick is much more of a passive character, best used when players stand back, setting up portals, or using his Mr. MeSeekes to do the brunt of the damage for them.
Stripe
Stripe is an Assassin class character who fans will recognize as the dastardly villain from the hit 1984 film Gremlins. Stripe uses all the tools at his disposal to take out enemies, including a throwable buzz saw blade and a skateboard that can carry the little green monster across the stage.
While powerful, like many of the other Assassin class characters on the roster, Spike's attacks have incredibly long start-up animations making him vulnerable to any sort of counter-offensive employed by other players.
If timed right, Spike's arsenal can prove effective, but playing any sort of smart player with a faster character will be an uphill battle with the Gremlins villain.
Taz
Fans who played MultiVersus in its beta form will remember Taz as one of the strongest characters on the game's roster. Well, the development time since then has not been too kind to the ravenous Tasmanian Devil.
Taz is another Bruiser on the roster who uses moves like a strong bite to his iconic tornado form to damage the enemy. However, when it comes to recovering from off-stage, Taz severely lacks options.
His attacks also do severely less damage than they once did, making him another lackluster member of MultiVersus' middle class.
C Tier
Garnet
Joining MultiVersus from the hit Cartoon Network series Steven Universe is Garnet. This big-haired Bruiser can dole out quite the beating, with most of her move set relying on her gargantuan pink gauntlets.
But what puts her in the bottom tier is what has been plaguing many of the game's biggest characters: her speed. Garnet is incredibly slow and does not do the kind of damage of a character like Iron Giant to justify her glacial pace moving across the stage.
Gizmo
While MultiVersus has done a pretty good job of taking characters one would not think would work in a fighting game such as this and turning them into seasoned bare-knuckle brawlers (i.e., Shaggy and Bugs Bunny), Gizmo did not get the same treatment. Gremlins' central Mogwai is a Mage/Ranged character specializing in Support abilities.
His affecting enemy attacks with various status effects can be helpful when partaking in a team battle, but Gizmo lacks options to put up significant damage on an opponent in any real way.
Pair that with his relatively lightweight compared to the rest of the cast, and he makes for one of the weakest characters on the MultiVersus roster.
LeBron James
LeBron James may be a force to be reckoned with on the basketball court even at almost 40 years old, but that has not translated to his appearance in Warner Bros.'s latest online fighter.
The NBA star appears in the game following his leading role in WB's Space Jam: A New Legacy, playing as another projectile-based Mage/Raged character.
LeBron relies on the use of his basketball for most of his attacks, throwing it as well as dunking on opponents. However, if he becomes separated from his ten-paneled weapon of choice he becomes virtually useless, as he becomes vulnerable and most of his attacks lose much of their range.
Marvin the Martian
Of all the Looney Toons characters on the MultiVersus roster, Marvin the Martian is easily the weakest. He is an Assassin-type character who focuses largely on ranged attacks and keeping the enemy at a distance.
However, his lack of any sort of killing blows, as well as the immense start-up type for some of his biggest moves (like his UFO blast or ACME bubble blaster) puts him at a disadvantage when fighting anyone faster than him.
Reindog
Reindog is unique as he is the only original character made especially for use in MultiVersus. This antlered canine is a Mage/Ranged character like Bugs Bunny or LeBron James.
Reindog is another Support-focused character, better used for inflicting various status effects on the opponent rather than dealing impressive damage himself.
This makes the character a fantastic option for 2v2 gameplay when paired with a damage-focused teammate. On his own, his various tail swipes and magical projectiles are not enough to make him a viable 1v1 option.
Steven Universe
Steven Universe is a member of the Tank class of characters on the MultiVersus roster, and he is the weakest.
He is another character whose abilities mostly focus on supporting allies or adding status effects on enemies rather than inflicting devastating damage himself.
His healing/Watermelon Steve move is a great option when playing in a team-based game mode, but his utility remains somewhat stifled when playing solo.
Tom and Jerry
The only dual character in MultiVersus at launch is the beloved cartoon characters, Tom and Jerry. The Mage/Ranged duo uses their iconic on-screen antics to take inspiration for their moves, this includes Tom swinging a hammer and Jerry only for him to miss and hit the enemy instead.
Tom and Jerry sit this low because of the learning curve of playing the characters. They are one of the most complicated characters on the roster.
Given the rest of the cast's general propensity for countering the sort of projectiles most of Tom and Jerry's move set is made up of, timing attacks for the cartoon cat and mouse can prove incredibly difficult.
Velma
Velma in MultiVersus is another character that features a unique mechanic not seen anywhere else on the roster. The Scooby-Doo sleuth is a Mage/Ranged character whose attacks are mostly centered around generating pieces of evidence on the battlefield.
After enough basic attacks and collecting evidence, the Mystery Machine van will appear and can capture an enemy, driving them off the stage.
While it can be satisfying to bag an enemy and thrust them from the stage in the gang's iconic vehicle, Velma's basic moves leave her open to most up-close/bruiser-style attacks.
This makes her susceptible to rush-down attempts from the opponent, rendering her attacks fairly useless for anyone who gets close.
MultiVersus is available now on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC.
