Anime Expeditions Best Starter Units: 2026 Tier List - Ranking

Anime Expeditions Best Starter Units: 2026 Tier List

Discover the anime expeditions best starter units to jumpstart your campaign. Compare traits, support units, and early-game meta strategies.

2026-07-16
anime expeditions Wiki Team
Quick Guide
  • Anime expeditions best starter units include True Saint, Toy Maker, and Uryu for rapid early-game level progression.
  • Trait synergy is critical; match Unbound with DPS, Primordial with supports, and Draconic with Damage-Over-Time units.
  • S-tier supports like Forbidden Teacher and Hero provide massive physical and magical damage buffs to carry teams.
  • Farming efficiency relies heavily on Senku, the top-rated epic farm unit essential for generating sufficient placements.

Trait Synergy and Core Mechanics

Starting your journey in Anime Expeditions requires a firm grasp of how units interact with traits. Selecting the anime expeditions best starter units is only half the battle; maximizing their potential requires matching them with the correct traits to boost Range, SPA (Seconds Per Attack), Critical Hit Rate, or Damage Over Time (DOT).

Video Highlights:

  • Learn which traits optimally match specific units to maximize DPS output.
  • Understand why Senku remains the undisputed best farm unit in the current meta.
  • Discover the exact ranking of every release unit from C-tier to S-tier.

Understanding traits is the foundation of building a high-performing squad. The game features four primary traits that can completely alter a unit's viability. Unbound is the rarest and most powerful trait, offering massive raw damage increases that make it perfect for solo-placement DPS units. Primordial focuses on SPA and range boosts, making it the ideal choice for slow-attacking utility units. Forsaken enhances critical hit capabilities, while Draconic is tailored specifically for units that rely on Damage-Over-Time (DOT) mechanics like burn and bleed.

TraitRarityPrimary BuffsBest Unit Matches
UnboundMythicMaximum Damage OutputToy Maker, Pure DPS
PrimordialLegendarySPA & Range BoostSalmon Sorcerer, Slow Supports
ForsakenEpicCritical Hit RateIchigo, Fury
DraconicRareDOT (Bleed/Burn) BoostYuta, Ace, Gabimaru
Trait Optimization

Always prioritize rolling Unbound for pure DPS units, while keeping Primordial for slow-attacking support units like Salmon Sorcerer.

Support Unit Rankings and Farm Meta

Support units are the backbone of any successful run in Anime Expeditions. While DPS units deal the final blow, supports slow down enemies, freeze threats, or multiply your active damage. Additionally, generating currency is essential, making farm units like Senku indispensable.

Senku stands out as the premier epic farm unit, outperforming even some legendary alternatives in standard game modes. For high-cost game modes like raids, players often run both Senku and the legendary farm unit to sustain the expensive upgrade costs of S-tier placements. Meanwhile, crowd control units like Salmon Sorcerer provide massive utility by slowing down enemies by up to 85%, far outclassing basic options like Ice Mage or Rukia. Rukia offers a freeze mechanic, but her limited range makes her highly situational.

UnitRarityRoleMeta Rating
SenkuEpicCurrency Farm★★★★★ (S-Tier)
Forbidden TeacherLegendaryMagic Buff (+5% per upgrade)★★★★★ (S-Tier)
HeroLegendaryPhysical Buff (+5% per upgrade)★★★★★ (S-Tier)
Salmon SorcererEpicSlow (Up to 85% reduction)★★★★☆ (A-Tier)
Water PrincessEpicDebuff & Stun Protection★★★☆☆ (B-Tier)
RukiaRareEnemy Freeze★★☆☆☆ (C-Tier)
Ice MageRareBasic Slow★☆☆☆☆ (D-Tier)
Buff Stacking Limits

Physical and magical buffs do not stack infinitely. Ensure your team composition aligns with either Forbidden Teacher (Magic) or Hero (Physical) to avoid wasted slots.

Anime Expeditions Best Starter Units: B & C Tier Analysis

When starting out, you will rely heavily on common, rare, and epic units. Avoid C-tier units entirely as they fall off immediately. B-tier units, however, provide solid value for clearing early stages.

True Saint

  • Best early starter unit
  • High single-target damage
  • Cheap placement costs

Toy Maker

  • Excellent summoner unit
  • Scales with damage stats
  • Strong mid-game transition

Uryu

  • Budget range option
  • High attack speed
  • Easy to summon early

Units in the B-tier serve as excellent stepping stones. The True Saint is the premier starter unit given to players early on, offering reliable single-target damage that can carry you through the initial chapters. Uryu is another notable budget option, boasting high attack speed for a rare unit. On the other hand, units like Zoro and Levi fall short due to their slow attack intervals and poor scaling, making them sub-optimal choices even for beginners.

Starter UnitPlacement CostPrimary AttributeEarly-Game Viability
True SaintLowHigh Base Single-TargetExcellent Starter
GreedMediumBalanced AoEModerate Starter
UryuLowRapid Single-TargetGreat Budget Option
ZoroMediumFast Attack SpeedLow Viability
LeviMediumHigh Mobility SlashLow Viability
Starter Transition Tip

Do not over-invest resources into upgrading B-Tier units once you secure your first Legendary or Mythic damage dealer.

Advanced Starter & Progression Units (A Tier)

A-tier units are highly usable throughout mid-game content and can even hold their own in early endgame raids. This tier features excellent synergy mechanics, particularly involving Burn and Bleed damage over time.

Ichigo stands out as a premier physical DPS unit in this tier. Although his base damage stat is lower than some peers, his kit is built around critical hits. When equipped with critical hit gear and the Forsaken trait, Ichigo achieves near-guaranteed crits on all placements. Furthermore, his Mirage Step ability summons a clone that inherits his stats and can also land critical hits, doubling his effective damage output.

UnitElement/TypeSpecial AbilityKey Synergy
IchigoPhysicalMirage Step (Summons Clone)Critical Gear / Forsaken Trait
DoflamingoPhysicalEnemy Stun & Follow-up AttacksWorks well with high-DPS units
ChosoBleedMarks enemies for explosionsDraconic Trait / AoE setups
SaboFireCreates firewalls for extra burnPairs perfectly with Gabimaru
GabimaruFireBoosts DOT on burning targetsSabo or other burn activators
Synergy Spotlight

Pairing Gabimaru and Sabo creates a devastating burn synergy. Sabo applies constant burns, which directly increases Gabimaru's DOT damage.

For players looking for utility, Doflamingo offers excellent crowd control. He stuns enemies in his range, triggering follow-up attacks from your other deployed units. This makes him a hybrid support-DPS unit that amplifies your entire team's damage. Choso is another powerhouse, applying constant bleed effects and marking enemies for explosive AoE damage.

Step-by-Step Starter Team Setup

Building a balanced team in Anime Expeditions requires a strategic mix of farm, slow, buffers, and DPS. Follow this structured setup to optimize your progression.

1

Secure Your Economy

Deploy Senku as early as possible. Upgrading your farm unit early ensures you have the cash flow required for high-cost S-tier placements later.

2

Establish Crowdflow Control

Place a slow support unit like Salmon Sorcerer at a strategic choke point to delay fast-moving enemies.

3

Deploy Your Main Starter DPS

Position your primary damage dealer, such as True Saint or Toy Maker, near the slow zone to maximize their damage uptime.

4

Apply Buffers and Synergy

Add Forbidden Teacher or Hero depending on whether your primary DPS is magical or physical, boosting their damage by 5% per upgrade.

Placement Order

Always place your farm unit (Senku) first during easy waves to maximize your economy before bosses arrive.

Endgame Goals & Checklist

Once you master the starter units, your ultimate goal is to transition into S-tier powerhouses like Kenpachi, Megumi, and Yuta. These units possess massive DPS multipliers, advanced summon mechanics, and domain expansions that dominate late-game content.

For instance, Megumi summons multiple shadows that copy his traits, allowing you to flood the map with high-damage summons. His domain expansion also pushes enemies back while buffing all magic units within his range. Kenpachi, the top unit in the game, utilizes his flurry weave and circular range to deal the highest raw DPS available, especially when paired with critical hit relics.

Endgame Progression Checklist:

  • Unlock Senku and maximize his upgrade path for raids
  • Acquire Kenpachi for the highest raw DPS in the game
  • Roll the Draconic trait on Yuta to maximize bleed damage
  • Equip high-crit gear on Ichigo for guaranteed critical hits
Resource Management

Do not waste premium gems on low-tier banners. Save them for pity pulls on S-tier units like Kenpachi or Megumi.

Q: What are the anime expeditions best starter units for beginners?

The best starter units for beginners are True Saint, Toy Maker, and Uryu. These units offer high early-game damage for low placement costs, allowing you to clear early story waves easily.

Q: Why is Senku considered the best farm unit?

Senku is an epic farm unit that generates high currency yields per wave. He is highly cost-effective compared to legendary alternatives, making him essential for funding expensive S-tier units.

Q: How does the synergy between Sabo and Gabimaru work?

Sabo applies constant burn effects and creates firewalls. Gabimaru's passive increases his own DOT damage whenever an enemy is burning or stops burning in his range, making them a perfect pair.

Q: Which trait is best for DPS units like Kenpachi?

Unbound is the best trait for pure DPS units as it offers the highest raw damage multiplier. For crit-focused units like Ichigo, the Forsaken trait is preferred.