7-Star Rank 4 changed everything. Between deeper Ascension paths and Statcast Relics warping class utility, half of last year’s tier list doesn’t hold up in 2026 Battlegrounds or Masters-tier Alliance War. Here’s the current meta, ranked by class, with Offense and Defense split out separately — because a champion that wrecks in BGS isn’t automatically a wall in AW.
Beyond God Tier — Quick Summary
Top 3 Attackers and Top 3 Defenders per class, at a glance. Full breakdowns with Sig requirements and Relic pairings below.
| Class | Top Attackers | Top Defenders |
|---|---|---|
| Cosmic | Hercules, Adam Warlock, CGR | Serpent, Vox, Hercules |
| Tech | Future Ant-Man, Shuri, Ghost | Bastion, Ghost, Fantman |
| Mutant | Onslaught, Sunspot, Domino | Apocalypse, Archangel, Onslaught |
| Skill | Kate Bishop, Nick Fury, Chee’ilth | Bullseye, Kingpin, Chee’ilth |
| Science | Photon, Hulk (Rework), Titania | Scorpion, Pig/Ham, Titania |
| Mystic | Doom, Absorbing Man, Wiccan | Juggerduck, Kushala, Absorbing Man |
Class-by-Class Meta Breakdown
Cosmic Class Rankings
Tech Class Rankings
Mutant Class Rankings
Skill Class Rankings
Science Class Rankings
Mystic Class Rankings
Battlegrounds Meta vs. Alliance War Meta
BGS and AW reward different things — BGS is a fast-TTK burst race under a clock, while AW is about immunities, node synergy, and grinding down utility counters over a longer fight. Sorting your Ascension queue by mode matters as much as sorting by class.
These hold value on both sides of the roster, making them the safest 7R4 investments: Hercules, Chee’ilth, Absorbing Man, Titania, and Ghost. All five stay relevant whether you’re attacking a node or defending one.
Photon, Future Ant-Man, Kate Bishop, and Hulk (Rework) lead the fast time-to-kill race — all built for short, clock-limited fights where raw burst wins over sustain.
Serpent, Bullseye, and Juggerduck remain the defenders players build entire counter-rosters around — punishing, near-unkillable, and disproportionately effective at running out the clock.
Ascension & 7-Star Rank-Up Priority
With finite 7R4 materials, sequencing matters more than raw champion power. Prioritize dual-threat and class-defining picks first — they pay off in every mode, not just one.
Hercules (Cosmic)
Rank 4 and Ascend first if available — dual-threat value with a low Sig floor for full effectiveness.
Onslaught (Mutant)
Snowballing power gain makes him a top attacker and a credible defender alike; prioritize Sig investment early.
Doom (Mystic)
Best pure attacker in the class — pairs well with prestige-focused Relics for AW offense.
Bastion (Tech)
If your alliance runs Masters-tier AW, he’s the defender that decides whether nodes hold.
Chee’ilth (Skill)
Cheapest true dual-threat to rank — strong return on a single investment for both BGS and AW.
Statcast Relics amplify class-specific utility rather than raw stats — pairing the right relic with a dual-threat champion above typically outperforms chasing a single God-tier pick with no relic synergy.
