Characters: Tier list

[RobinSAC]

Hello everybody.

Ok, since the single player experience is heavily imbalanced between characters, I'll try to do a tier list based on the strengths & weaknesses of every characters:


S+ tier (top tier):

WX-78
If you can't see how/ why this character is the god of this game, you should probably play something else. He has it all. 15 gears nets him 400 health, 200 hunger, and 300 sanity.
Also acts as a mobile lightning rod which further enhances his power, speed, and gives light for one day.
As if the darkness wasn't already nothing for him, late game he is the only character that can avoid doing campfire if he is wet.
You can't die if you forget - as it happens quite alot - to do a last second campfire with him during rainy days.
Also gears provides regeneration (health hunger & sanity) + boost before the 15th gears that you eat, giving a massive bonus.
Last but not least, spoilage is meaningless to him. This can allow massive stack of food and one of the reason WX-78 is broken in my opinion: he is the only character that can perfectly turtle for 2 months without ever leaving his base, making the game super easy provided you know the mechanics.

 

Wolfgang

(Belt of Hunger only, else low tier)
There is no putting this gently - Wolfgang with a belt of hunger is an absolute beast. He hits for twice the damage of others while having 300 hunger - although he'll still loses 130+- hunger a day and at 210-220 you lose your full belly bonus, it means to always get abundant food in your inventory.
Because of his giant 2x damage and 300 health, he's quite a formidable warrior.


S tier (borderline top tier):

Wigfrid

She changes the complete mechanic of Don't Starve: she can't focus too much on turtling & base building and instead needs to live a nomadic life for quite a while.
She is extremely strong because of stats - 200 health 25% damage negated = 266.66 TRUE health. Also she feasts upon monsters to regain stats but what really breaks this character is Hound farming + Birdcage + Meatball. You can basically settle in Desert near an Hound camp and transform half of the cooked monster meat into eggs, then add anything. 
Also, her character-specific weapons are extremely efficient, hits hard, and are very easy to build.

 

A tier (solid tier):

 

Wilson

He's your standard character with no problem surviving winters (+130 insultation max beard) and being an infinite beardhair source for meat effigy.
 

Maxwell 

(advanced users, else mid tier)

If you are a real veteran in the art of fighting, picking up fight, and retreating, your 75 health will means quite nothing and you can get one of the fastest start out of every character with dark sword (only Wickerbottom being faster). Just be sure to always get dark sword + night armor + football helmet or better helmet at all time, even in base.
 

 

B tier (average tier):

 

Webber

Although seemingly overpowered at first, the infinite silk ressource actually is not a real bonus as silk is one of the easiest ressource to get. He still is the only one able to settle on a spider base if needed, and gets an insultation with his beard (+100+-)for better winter survival.

 

Maxwell

(average users)

Maxwell is quite hard to play if you can't kite. When your armor/helmet get depleted and you don't pay attention, you die in a few hits.

Wickerbottom
While she has the strongest start and many special books, the fact that any spoiled food can't be eaten is a major disadvantage and forces wickerbottom to live a nomadic life at first before getting enough ressources to turtle.

Wendy
While Abigaïl & her lower sanity drain from darkness is a plus, her strong start comes at a price: she does 0.75x damage, only has 150 health, and 150 hunger.

You always need log suit and football helmet at all time, even in base if you turtle.

 

C tier (low tier):

Woody
While his Beaver form might appear fun & imbalanced at first, the longer the game, the more useless this form is. Also with no map & massive stats reduction while transforming into human form, this is easy to die.
The fact that you can't farm woods at will is a severe disadvantage for early game.
Woody simply put, is the most overrated character.

 

Wolfgang
Before Belt of Hunger, Wolfgang is really nothing special. If anything, he's quite bad as he needs alot of food before and after every battle. If you don't nourrish him, he gets the worst stats in the game.

 

Willow

The power of eternal darkness survival is mitigated by random fire even in your base that could cause your doom. She brings nothing concrete to the table and she is a weaker version of wilson.

Wendy

Wes tier:
 

Wes
There is nothing good in this character. Low stats, 0.75x damage... he's just your hard character for a challenge.

[greenglacier]

I don't agree with Webber's rank. I'm pretty sure he would fit in A rank, at least.

[acemurdock]

So harsh to Woodie :< 
He's really good if you like building good bases early on, and the whole "can't die as a beaver" thing helps when fighting. 
I always take out spider dens with it. 

Also, I think Wickerbottom's nerf is not as powerful as you put it. Sure, it's a bummer at first, but her science boost makes up for that slow start. Once you get her going with her books, she can farm easily and get as much food as she needs. She's pretty powerful.

Otherwise though, nice job analyzing them! Interesting read. 

[Mobbstar]

This seems reasonable, but I noticed a few... conspicuities: (what I don't mention, I don't mind)

 

You probably know WX from base DS. In default RoG, he has a rough start and is only for experienced players (gears are easier to get early, so yeah... Sips ain't knowin' that)

 

Maxwell actually is ideal for Adventure Mode, you didn't directly touch AM. I just wanted to clarify this point.

 

Webber is difficult to categorize, isn't he? You are right about the silk. His greatest perk is being able to build up a spider imperium easily, but many otherwise useful game elements turn against him (pigmen early defense, bunnymen fighting off other threats, etc.). I agree with the rank, but maybe you could expand on the reasons.

 

Wickerbottoms sensible stomach is not a big survival disadvantage, surely you wouldn't live off random food lying on the ground? Even if you were to live of koalefants or something, the food can be cooked to be better again. Later on, honey. Just, honey. Honey.

 

Wendy has standard health and hunger. Why do you say "only"?

 

Wes is good, he can produce unique decoration items. For the bored! You-Must-Be-Very-Bored-Tier I say!

 

 

You're a lot about the food, aren't you? ... Don't Starve I guess.

[Starvation]

I agree with @greenglacier , webber should be higher. You literally OWN the caves, if u have enough meat that is. with spiders not being a threat you have a lot fewer dangerous enemies.

 

But nice list, I now know what character i need to pick next to break my 57-day record so far. xD (I'm so bad at this game)

[lynlynlora]

This seems reasonable, but I noticed a few... conspicuities: (what I don't mention, I don't mind)

 

You probably know WX from base DS. In default RoG, he has a rough start and is only for experienced players (gears are easier to get early, so yeah... Sips ain't knowin' that)

 

Maxwell actually is ideal for Adventure Mode, you didn't directly touch AM. I just wanted to clarify this point.

 

Webber is difficult to categorize, isn't he? You are right about the silk. His greatest perk is being able to build up a spider imperium easily, but many otherwise useful game elements turn against him (pigmen early defense, bunnymen fighting off other threats, etc.). I agree with the rank, but maybe you could expand on the reasons.

 

Wickerbottoms sensible stomach is not a big survival disadvantage, surely you wouldn't live off random food lying on the ground? Even if you were to live of koalefants or something, the food can be cooked to be better again. Later on, honey. Just, honey. Honey.

 

Wendy has standard health and hunger. Why do you say "only"?

 

Wes is good, he can produce unique decoration items. For the bored! You-Must-Be-Very-Bored-Tier I say!

 

 

You're a lot about the food, aren't you? ... Don't Starve I guess.

 

I'm gonna disagree with you about Maxwell being ideal for Adventure Mode.  His dapper-ness can be a serious issue when trying to cross obelisk bridges, if you have trouble finding mushrooms.  I once got trapped between two sets of obelisk bridges in a wasteland with no mushrooms.  I realize that this is just pure bad luck for me, but it's a definite risk in AM. the darkness sanity drop simply doesn't work fast enough versus his natural sanity gain, and he only gets his powerful starting equipment in the first world.  He's just too squishy.

 

[Starvation]

I'm gonna disagree with you about Maxwell being ideal for Adventure Mode.  His dapper-ness can be a serious issue when trying to cross obelisk bridges, if you have trouble finding mushrooms.  I once got trapped between two sets of obelisk bridges in a wasteland with no mushrooms.  I realize that this is just pure bad luck for me, but it's a definite risk in AM. the darkness sanity drop simply doesn't work fast enough versus his natural sanity gain, and he only gets his powerful starting equipment in the first world.  He's just too squishy.

 

 

Maintaining low sanity is easy with Maxwell, just make the max amount of shadow puppets.

[lynlynlora]

Maintaining low sanity is easy with Maxwell, just make the max amount of shadow puppets.

 

well, sure, as long as you can get more nightmare fuel.  he only starts with 4, which is enough for two shadow puppets, which reduces his sanity by just over half, not enough to drop obelisk bridges. and I don't know about you,  but collecting nightmare fuel is something that I don't put a high priority on based on the dangerousness of Adventure Mode worlds.  it's all about food and armor. taking the time and resources to build the machines to be able to craft nightmare fuel just doesn't seem practical to me.

[Toroic]

well, sure, as long as you can get more nightmare fuel. he only starts with 4, which is enough for two shadow puppets, which reduces his sanity by just over half, not enough to drop obelisk bridges. and I don't know about you, but collecting nightmare fuel is something that I don't put a high priority on based on the dangerousness of Adventure Mode worlds. it's all about food and armor. taking the time and resources to build the machines to be able to craft nightmare fuel just doesn't seem practical to me.

A way easier solution is to just leave his armor and sword equipped, because it drains 10 sanity per minute.

Or just eat a green mushroom or two.

[lynlynlora]

A way easier solution is to just leave his armor and sword equipped, because it drains 10 sanity per minute.

Or just eat a green mushroom or two.

 

of course.  my point was that after the first world in Adventure Mode he doesn't get the armor and sword anymore.  and in the particular instance I was dealing with, I was stuck in a wasteland with no mushrooms.  I realize that is just one specific instance, but this kind of thing happens in AM.  The Don't Starve gods are capricious and cruel.

 

[Toroic]

of course. my point was that after the first world in Adventure Mode he doesn't get the armor and sword anymore. and in the particular instance I was dealing with, I was stuck in a wasteland with no mushrooms. I realize that is just one specific instance, but this kind of thing happens in AM. The Don't Starve gods are capricious and cruel.

They are! You could take the sword with you, as it cancels out his sanity gain, which means you're basically at the same level as other characters minus an item slot.

[lynlynlora]

They are! You could take the sword with you, as it cancels out his sanity gain, which means you're basically at the same level as other characters minus an item slot.

 

this is true.  but if my game is going the way I want it to the sword simply doesn't rank high enough to come along.  My solution, (After dying horribly in that particular situation, since I simply wasn't prepared.) was just to dig up and carry every green mushroom I found. (up to one stack's worth.)  then I can freely pass any obelisk bridge I come to.