Hardcore Leveling Warrior Tier List – Best Companions (February 2025)

It would be very difficult to complete Hardcore Leveling Warrior on your own, but fortunately, the game offers you the choice of 24 different hero companions that will help you out immensely. In this guide, we'll provide you with a tier list of all companions in HLW, including their strengths and weaknesses.

All Companions Tier List in Hardcore Leveling Warrior

Note that you can recruit up to three companions for your party, so it's imperative that you pick up only the best ones. All these companion heroes belong to various guilds, where each guild offers different buffs, including Grass Roots Guild that grants a final damage boost, Giga Guild that grants an attack boost, Peculiar Fate that grants an HP increase, and many others.

Ranking	Companions
S
A
B
C
D

S-Tier – Best Attackers

Attackers are the strongest companions in the game. You definitely want at least one strong attacker in your party, especially when facing boss monsters. These companions have the highest attack stat in the game, as well as damage output.

Companions	Stats	Pros/Cons
No-Name	ATK: 5 HP: 1 Range: 2 ATK SPD: 5 Move SPD: 5	+Skill acceleration is increased by 4 pts. +San Salvador Slash increases damage by 15% per level. +Deals 375% damage 5 times to up to 10 enemies within 8 units of range. +The defense of the target hit is reduced by 10%. +The damage dealt to restrained enemies increases by 70%. +Increases the movement speed of all allies by 6 pts. +Final damage increases by 10% for every target up to 200%. -HP is too low for a forward attacker.
Heart Heater	ATK: 5 HP: 2 Range: 2 ATK SPD: 1 Move SPD: 4	+Best farm unit and attacker. +Increases gold gain on each stage by 150%. +Meteor Strike increases flame damage by 110% per level. +Summons a meteor that deals 1490% damage to all enemies within range. +The meteor inflicts a Burn effect on all enemies affected. +The meteor creates a lava field that deals 80% damage every 0.5 sec. -Attack speed is too slow. -You cannot move when casting Meteor Strike.
Sword Master	ATK: 5 HP: 1 Range: 2 ATK SPD: 3 Move SPD: 5	+Basic attack damage is amplified by 400%. +Lacerate increases physical damage by 60% per level. +Deals 840% damage to 20 enemies within range 3 times. +If the enemies are bleeding, the damage increases by another 70%. +Charges every 5 seconds, dealing 260% damage to all enemies. +This attack inflicts a bleeding effect on affected enemies. -HP is too low for a forward attacker.
Zero	ATK: 5 HP: 1 Range: 2 ATK SPD: 3 Move SPD: 3	+Attack is amplified by 400%. +Void Outpour increases void damage by 125% per level. +Summons a void vortex that deals 1725% damage to all enemies within range. +Every sixth attack inflicts Infected effect on all enemies surrounding the target. -You cannot move when casting Void Outpour. -HP is too low for a forward attacker.
Master Swordsman	ATK: 4 HP: 3 Range: 2 ATK SPD: 2 Move SPD: 5	+Damage to normal monsters is amplified by 500%. +Core increases physical damage by 140% per level. +Strikes down a blade that deals 2010% damage to all enemies within range. +This attack inflicts Stasis effect on all enemies affected. +Automatically charges ahead every 5 sec. to deal 200% damage to all enemies on the path.

A-Tier – Solid Chargers

These characters may not have the highest attack damage, but their speed and agility allows them to be very effective on the battlefield. They also often have some excellent support skills that can be very useful in different scenarios.

Companions	Stats	Pros/Cons
Witch	ATK: 2 HP: 4 Range: 3 ATK SPD: 5 Move SPD: 5	+Skill damage is amplified by 400%. +Divine Bomb increases explosion damage by 80% per level. +Creates a sphere of light that deals 250% damage. +The sphere of lights explodes, dealing 1320% damage. +If the enemies were stunned, the damage increases by another 100%. +Every time you defeat an enemy, your skill cooldown is reduced by 0.1 sec. -Base attack is too low for a charger.
Tempest	ATK: 2 HP: 1 Range: 5 ATK SPD: 3 Move SPD: 3	+PEN is increased by 30 pts. +Luminous Outpour increases divine damage by 60% per level. +Creates a luminous fissure that recovers 12% HP and deals 740% damage to enemies within range. +You recover 1% HP every time an enemy takes damage. +Deals 100% damage to all enemies automatically every 8 sec. -Has a tendency to move to random locations. -HP is too low for a charger.
Drip Soup	ATK: 4 HP: 1 Range: 2 ATK SPD: 1 Move SPD: 4	+Damage to boss monsters is amplified by 120%. +Earthquake Smite increases earth damage by 40% per level. +Inflicts earthquakes that deal 480% damage to all enemies within range and stuns them. +Increases damage to stunned enemies by 100%. +Every fifth attack has a 100% inflicting a critical damage. -HP and speed of attack are too low for a charger.
Fengxian	ATK: 4 HP: 1 Range: 2 ATK SPD: 2 Move SPD: 3	+Damage to normal monsters is amplified by 120%. +Blaze increases flame damage by 95% per level. +Summons a pillar of fire that deals 1255% damage to all enemies within range. +Inflicts Burn status effect on all affected enemies. +All basic attacks inflict Bleed effect on enemies. -HP is too low for a charger.

B-Tier – Top Defenders

The defender companions will make sure that your party stays safe. This doesn't mean tanking only, although there are some pure tanks here, but they can also debuff enemies and make them much weaker.

Companions	Stats	Pros/Cons
Light	ATK: 3 HP: 4 Range: 5 ATK SPD: 3 Move SPD: 2	+Increases attack speed of all allies by 7 pts. +Mass Chain Holy Light increases divine damage by 30% per level. +Creates a luminous vortex that tracks the traget. +This attack deals 370% damage up to 24 times to all enemies within range. +Every time you defeat an enemy, all enemies get stunned. -Damage to player is amplified by 100%.
Nightmare Drip Soup	ATK: 2 HP: 3 Range: 2 ATK SPD: 4 Move SPD: 4	+Attack is amplified by 110%. +Sword of Nightmare increases damage by 8% per level. +Drops the sword on all enemies within range, dealing 307% damage. +The sword restrains all enemies every 2 sec. +It additionally restrains enemies on every fifth attack.
Sad Smile	ATK: 3 HP: 1 Range: 4 ATK SPD: 3 Move SPD: 3	+Increases accuracy stat by 30 pts. +Curse increases void damage by 25% per level. +The curse also increases move speed by 40% and damage by 50%. +Randomly shoots 5 cursed fireballs, dealing 425% damage. +Basic attacks inflict Infected effect on enemies. -The curse increases damage taken by 15%. -HP is too low for a defender.

C-Tier – Good Supporters

Typically, you want one attacker and one supporter in your party, as attackers often have very low HP. Some of the supporter skills can also increase their damage and regenerate their health much faster than usual.

Companions	Stats	Pros/Cons
Constant	ATK: 2 HP: 2 Range: 3 ATK SPD: 4 Move SPD: 4	+HP regen is amplified by 300%. +Final fooler increases void damage by 180% per level. +Creates a spike that deals 55% damage to 12 random enemies within range. +After 1 sec., the spike deals another 2120% damage. +The spike inflicts a Stasis effect on enemies. +Every time you attack, all enemies are restrained. -You cannot move while casting Final Fooler. -Base HP is too low for a supporter.
Armes	ATK: 2 HP: 4 Range: 2 ATK SPD: 4 Move SPD: 5	+All companions recover 20% of their max HP every time you summon the Santa Maria ship. +Damage to boss monsters is amplified by 500%. +Departure increases summon damage by 4700% per level. +Decreases the attack speed of all enemies by 20% within range. +Santa Maria ship shoots a cannon that deals 603% damage 5 times. -Uses 45% of the max mana to summon the Santa Maria ship. -Santa Maria has only 40% of the character's HP.
Nathan Han	ATK: 2 HP: 2 Range: 4 ATK SPD: 3 Move SPD: 4	+HP regeneration is amplified by 200%. +Hail Storm increases ice damage by 26% per level. +Creates an ice tornado that deals 434% damage to all enemies within range. +When the tornado disappears, it deals 120% damage to all enemies and freezes them. +Automatically freezes all enemies when you defeat a target. -The ice tornado moves randomly on the map.
Choco Bibi	ATK: 3 HP: 3 Range: 2 ATK SPD: 3 Move SPD: 2	+Final damage is amplified by 110%. +Space Travel increases divine damage by 68% per level. +Has the ability to teleport to the enemy's position. +Deals 862% damage to 4 units within range. +Skill attacks deal 30% more damage. -Range and speed are low for a supporter.

D-Tier – Basic Companions

The following companions will be available to you in the first few hours of gameplay. It doesn't really matter which one you choose, as they all have very low stats. So just pick the one you feel the best about and change them as soon as possible.

Companions	Stats	Pros/Cons
Dacon	ATK: 2 HP: 2 Range: 2 ATK SPD: 2 Move SPD: 3	+PEN is increased by 20 pts. +Has a chance to burn enemies, dealing 895% damage. -Deals critical damage only if enemies were burned.
Kyo	ATK: 1 HP: 1 Range: 5 ATK SPD: 2 Move SPD: 4	+Highest range among all basic heroes. +PEN is increased by 20 pts. +Increases damage to all frozen enemies by 40%. -Has only a 50% chance to stun enemies, -Attack and HP are too low.
Lazie	ATK: 2 HP: 3 Range: 2 ATK SPD: 1 Move SPD: 2	+Increases attack by 150%. +Decreases attack speed of enemies by 20 pts. -Deals critical damage only if enemies are in fear. -Attack speed is very slow.
Foodie Sora	ATK: 2 HP: 3 Range: 2 ATK SPD: 2 Move SPD: 3	+Increases defense by 20 pts. +Increases damage to all bleeding enemies by 40%. -Recovers only 2% HP per attack. -Recovers only 3% HP to her allies.
Rim	ATK: 3 HP: 1 Range: 2 ATK SPD: 3 Move SPD: 3	+Increases defense by 20 pts. +Has a chance to electrocute enemies, dealing 339% damage. -Deals critical damage only if enemies were electrocuted. -HP is too low even for a basic hero.
Boy Dark	ATK: 1 HP: 1 Range: 3 ATK SPD: 4 Move SPD: 4	+Skill acceleration is increased by 2 pts. +Summoned Blood Golem deals 280% damage to all enemies within range. -Must consume 25% of your own HP to summon a Blood Golem. -Can restrain enemies, although the chance is only 70%.
Scallion Head	ATK: 1 HP: 1 Range: 3 ATK SPD: 3 Move SPD: 3	+PEN is increased by 20 pts. +Every time you recover HP, Blessing of the Earth deals 368% damage to all enemies. -Recovers only 1% HP to allies when attacked. -Attack and HP are too low.
Octonash	ATK: 1 HP: 2 Range: 2 ATK SPD: 3 Move SPD: 4	+HP regeneration is amplified by 120%. +Deals 50% damage to enemies and knocks them back. -Earth Fangs restore only 0.5% HP. -Attack is too low even for a basic hero.

That's it for our tier list of all companions in Hardcore Leveling Warrior. For more guides, check out High Seas Hero Weapon Skills Tier List and Heroes of Hammerwatch 2 Class Tier List – All Specializations Ranked.