While battle royale games generally rely on what equipment you can loot once you drop into a map, Naraka: Bladepoint is unique in the fact that the characters you choose impact the game quite drastically. Characters range from being offensive machines to battle healers, and choosing the right one can make or break your experience.

However, it’s all up to you and how you play. There’s no Hero that will automatically win you the game. Some are a bit easier to play well though, and these characters are the best of the best.
 

Game modes and Hero selection

While any character can be used in any game mode (solos, duos, or trios), some shine in certain game modes specifically. Take healers like Ziping Yin for instance: Of course being able to heal yourself with abilities is great, but being able to heal yourself and your teammates is definitely stronger. 

When you’re playing duos or trios, you’ll want to think about picking Heroes that will complement each other. If your partner is playing Ziping Yin, you probably don’t want to pick another healer. Instead, an offensive character or one with some form of crowd control (stuns, knock-ups, etc.) would be better.

Playing around your teammate(s) will help you secure multiplayer wins, but in solo games, it’s really up to you and how you play. The Heroes below are great to play across a variety of game modes, but each Hero will have an explanation of how you can best use them and how to know if they’re the right main for you. 
 

Tessa

One of the best characters for beginners is Tessa. As a young woman whose soul is tied to an ancient fox spirit, her abilities call upon the ancient deity to best her enemies. 

Her F ability knocks enemies into the air while giving Tessa Foxfire. Whenever she’s staggered, Foxfire explodes and knocks back nearby enemies. Her V ability summons the fox spirit in a specific direction, taking any enemies’ souls in its way while healing Tessa and restoring her armor. The enemies have six seconds to get their souls back, and if they don’t, then they’re Enchanted (cannot move or attack) for three seconds.

This combination is incredibly beginner friendly, and its ability to knock back or ensnare enemies while also healing Tessa makes it a solid all-around option for anyone who isn’t yet sure how they want to play. It’s also great in every game mode.
 

Matari

Matari’s skills as a thief make her a stealth champion who’s impossible to outmaneuver. 

Her F ability enables her to flash forward while increasing her attack damage. Matari’s V ability resets the cooldown on her F ability and gives her and her allies Stealth, which makes them harder for enemies to spot when on the move and renders them nearly invisible when standing still. While this ability is active, she can use her F ability more often and over longer distances. She can also flash to an enemy’s back and use a special attack during this time period. 

The most important part to know about playing Matari is that you’ll need to be comfortable with the movement of the game. You’ll be dashing around and teleporting over short distances, so you don’t want to be moving faster than you can keep up with. If that sounds like you, then she’s an excellent choice—especially in solo games.
 

Yueshan

Yueshan’s alter ego is the Almighty General, and players can dominate the battlefield by transforming into this powered-up attacker.

Yueshan’s F ability sends him dashing forward, and it can be used while he’s being attacked. His V ability transforms him into the Almighty General for 30 seconds, healing him completely. Additionally, he gets a special charged attack and can use an execution move that hits instantly.

Just reading his abilities makes it easy to see how solid a Hero he is. Being able to get into and out of fights is incredibly important, as is the ability to instantly execute an attack. This is a great option for people who like to play glass cannons, as his playstyle of quickly engaging and disengaging combat mirrors that kind of gameplay. 
 

Ziping Yin

While there are a few different multiplayer healers in Naraka: Bladepoint, Ziping Yin stands out as one of the best. Her entire kit is focused on healing herself and others.

Ziping Yin’s F ability creates little Spiritual Twigs for 10 seconds, and the first ally who grabs one restores some of their armor and health. Her V ability makes it so that she and her allies recover more health when healed, along with restoring health and/or armor of everyone on her team.

In reality, this makes Ziping Yin and her allies incredibly hard to kill because they constantly regain health. She’s great for solo players (especially new ones that need a bit of a safety net), and she’s also stellar in multiplayer modes. If you enjoy playing a healer role, then she’s a great option.
 

Hadi

While not an official artificer, Hadi’s the closest thing to one in the game. He’s constantly trying to seek out knowledge, and his gadgets help him take down enemies. 

Hadi’s F ability is a mechanical arm that shoots out as a sort of long-range grappling hook. However, if it hits an enemy, then they’re dragged towards Hadi. His V ability enables him to fly around for 25 seconds, knocking back enemies when he takes off. Additionally, he can attack while in the air. While flying, he can land or get knocked down, but if it’s before the 25 seconds runs out, he can take off again.

Hadi is one of the most mobile units, which makes him really good on the battlefield. Being able to engage and disengage is, yet again, the most important part of his kit. Plus, it can be hard to hit him while he’s in the air, especially for players who aren’t carrying a ranged weapon. While he shines in solo games, he’s also great in multiplayer games to attack while enemies are distracted by other players.

For those who like that blitzkrieg-type playstyle, Hadi’s perfect. However, if you don’t want to pay attention to your health or maneuver around a lot, you may want to check out someone else. 
 

Shayol Wei

The young prodigy Shayol Wei is as serious about being a chief as she is about fighting. 

Shayol Wei’s F ability knocks enemies into the air, and it can be used while she’s being attacked. Her V ability also knocks back enemies and gives her three Black Tortoise Blocks, which last for 30 seconds. These items stop any attacks that would stagger her, and when they do so, she gets a Black Tortoise Guard. When a Black Tortoise Guard is active, she can use Counterstrike Combos, which restore her health or armor upon hitting enemies. 

She plays like a tank, and it’s the perfect Hero for anyone who likes tanks. She’s hard to kill, so she’s also great for beginners.
 

Tianhai

Tianhai isn’t just looking to save the world—the humble monk is also ready to save your games. 

His F ability blocks incoming damage and debuffs thrown at him while also reversing any ranged attacks shot at him. As if that’s not enough, his V ability transforms him into Vajra and heals him completely. While transformed, he can grab enemies, stomp, jump, and even smash them while he’s holding them.

Essentially, Tianhai is a bruiser. He’s tanky, and he’s got ways to block damage while also dishing out pretty good hits. Because of this, he’s a pretty good pick for new players (which is perfect considering he’s one of the starting Heroes everyone gets). 

However, he can be a bit tricky to play correctly because most players know to steer clear of him on the battlefield. Because of this, he’s better in multiplayer games when your teammates can distract enemies so you can go in for the kill. 
 

Viper Ning

Despite being the tutorial character, Viper Ning is a great option for both solo and multiplayer games. 

Her F ability knocks back enemies in front of her, and it can be used while she’s being attacked. Her V ability summons an orb that temporarily stuns enemies. However, Viper Ning can’t attack during the time it takes to summon the orb. 

Because she can’t attack while she’s using her V ability, Viper Ning is great for multiplayer games. However, combined with her F ability, she can do fairly well in solo games as well. The consistent crowd control can be hard to handle for other players, especially newer ones. She’s great for anyone who wants a character that’s ready to try and control the battlefield.
 

No Hero is truly busted

The beauty of Naraka: Bladepoint is that your Hero choice isn’t going to automatically win you the game. In fact, no specific Hero will give you much of an advantage, either. The player stats back this up: None of the characters have any significant differences in win rates. While some are more popular, it doesn’t necessarily translate to a better win rate.

The most important thing is to play someone you like and who fits your playstyle. This guide should help you decide who that is, and you can choose the best Heroes to unlock with your precious Hero Coins. 

If you haven’t gotten Naraka: Bladepoint yet, you can download it here for free on the Epic Games Store.