Fans of mobile gacha-style games flocked to Trails of Cold Steel NW, the latest party-based combat game in the Legend of Heroes Trails series. If you’re getting into the game but feeling a little overwhelmed by the vast array of characters, read on for my complete Cold Steel North War Path List.
Tier List of all Heroes in Trails of Cold Steel Northern War
Note that in general, in-game heroes marked as SSR are better than SR heroes and in most cases you should avoid putting any time and resources into R heroes. However, depending on your play style, synergies will often outweigh individual skills – this is indeed a squad-based game. Also, as is always the case with multi-character gacha games, there are no right answers. Play how you want to play, because putting together a full team of S-rank heroes won’t be necessary for success until you start hitting mid-late game content.
Best heroes in Trails of Cold Steel NW
I’ve listed some of the best heroes in each tier below, highlighting their strengths to show why you might consider adding them to your squad.
| Rank | Hero Name |
| S | Agate Cosner, Alex Dudley, Alissa Reinford, Ennea, Lloyd Bannings, Olivert Reise Arnor, Rean Schwarzer, Ries Argent, Rufus Albarea, Sigmund Orlando |
| A | Alan Richard, Alfin Riese Arnor, Duvalie, Elie MacDowell, Fie Claussell, Garcia Rossi, Joshua Bright, Julia Schwarz, Klaudia von Auslese, Laura S. Arseid, Mireille, Mueller Vander, Tio Plato, Wazy Hemisphere |
| B | Aeolia, Anelace Elfead, Claire Rieveldt, Elliot Craig, Estelle Bright, Kevin Graham, Kirika Rouran, Lechter Arundel, Randy Orlando, Renne, Rixia Moa, Rogan Mugart, Scherazard Harvey, Scott, Shirley Orlando, Towa Herschel |
| C | Gilbert Stein, Grant, Josette Capua, Lynn, Martin S. Robinson, Michel, Morgan, Noel Seeker, Tita Russel, Toval Randonneur, Zin Vathek |
| D | Douglas, Ernest Reis, Gareth, Imperial Army, Iseria Frost, Lavian Winslet, Mishy, Northern Jaegers, Red Constellation, Talion Drake |
S level
All heroes in the S-Tier are worth investing in as soon as you get them. They will be stars of your squad until the final game content and you will see them in the teams of the most successful players.
- Alyssa Reinford: Human control is a huge part of playing Trails of Cold Steel NW well, and Alissa is the queen of it. She also boosts her own already strong magic attacks, making her one of the best magic users in the game.
- Ennea: A good squad needs a top ranger dealing massive DPS damage and they don’t come much deadlier than Ennea. She will put out a constant stream of damage, allowing your tanks and support characters to do their thing alongside her.
- Rean Schwarzer: Rean is generally considered one of the best heroes in the game thanks to being so well rounded. Who doesn’t love a character that has no weaknesses and is also the best assassin in the game with high DPS?
A-Tier
The heroes in the A level are either just a step down of their counterparts in S-Tier or are the best in their field but have niche skill that not every player, or every situation, requires. Investing in them is rarely a bad idea, but your personal squad choices may mean you can overlook some of them.
- Elie MacDowell: It’s rare that you’ll find the best healer in a squad game outside of S-tier, but that’s where Elie landed. Her problem is that you need a strong support cast to keep her alive, as she is swingy if unprotected. If the rest of your squad can keep her alive, she’ll return the favor!
- Fie Claussell: You’ll see Fie in many high-level squads thanks to her excellent speed and evasion stats, which complement her ability to have high strength (if you make the effort to raise it).
- Laura S. Arseid: Many players will stick with Laura until the endgame, as her tanking ability is up there with the best of them. Lloyd and Sigmund are probably better on points, but Laura’s Life Leech and sustain abilities help her keep herself and her teammates upright.
B-Tier
These characters will do work for you and will get you through a lot of the game’s content. There will always be a better option though, so invest in them wisely and be sure to look out for a replacement for the top A and S tiers.
- Elliot Craig: Some players will be surprised to see Elliot so low on my list, as he is a solid hero with strong support abilities. However, the fact that he can heal and buff you ends up with a hero who is a jack of all support abilities, but a master of none. He’s a great option if you feel like you can live without a top tier healer.
- Renne: Rene is a nice example of a hero that will appeal massively to some players and be ignored by others, depending on your playstyle. She is complicated to play, being a magic user with Inhibit and Life Leech abilities, but in the right squad setup, and played well, she can shine.
C-Tier and D-Tier
These are the heroes we suggest to you avoid investing in at all, As far as possible; they are all replaceable with better heroes who do a similar or the same job and who are also relatively easy to access. You would only invest in these guys if you really love the character and are happy to enjoy the roleplay of the game rather than worrying about having the best possible team in terms of performance.
- Douglas
- Ernest Reis
- Gareth
- Gilbert Stein
- Grant
- Imperial Army
- Iseria Frost
- Josette Capua
- Lavian Winslet
- Lynn
- Martin S. Robinson
- Michel, Morgan
- Mishy
- Noel Seeker
- Northern Jaegers
- Red Constellation
- Thalion Drake
- Tita Russell
- Toval Randonneur
- Zin Vathek
For more on the Legend of Heroes series here on Pro Game Guides, check out What order do I play The Legend of Heroes games (Paths)?
