Best Characters Ranked

Knowing the best characters in Build A Blue Lock Squad saves you from the most common gacha mistake: accepting a mediocre pull because it looks shiny. This page ranks the top 20 characters by competitive value, stat profile, and squad impact as of July 2026, after the ELUSIVES Update reshuffled the meta.

Every character below earns their placement through strong OVR, meta-relevant stats, and consistent performance across squad archetypes. Use this list alongside the Tier List and Reroll Strategy for keep-or-reroll decisions.

S-Tier: Must-Keep Characters

1. NEL Isagi

The best character in Build A Blue Lock Squad. Elusive-tier striker with elite positioning and finishing stats. NEL Isagi finds scoring opportunities that other characters simply cannot see. If he appears in any roll pool, accept immediately — never reroll, never refresh away.

2. NEL Rin

Elusive-tier striker with the highest shooting stats in the game. NEL Rin converts chances at a rate that single-handedly wins matches. Pairs with creative midfielders for devastating offensive squads.

3. NEL Nagi

Elusive-tier playmaker with exceptional dribbling and agility. NEL Nagi creates chances from nothing with skill moves that bypass defenders. Essential for skill-based squad compositions.

4. Kaiser

Legendary/Elusive striker with unmatched shot power. Kaiser’s strike stat leads the game — his shots from range and in the box are equally lethal. Pure offensive anchor.

5. Barou

Legendary striker and physical powerhouse. Barou’s high OVR floor and physical dominance make him one of the most consistent performers. Never underperforms his rating.

6. Bachira

Legendary winger/striker with elite speed and dribbling. Bachira beats defenders one-on-one and creates scoring chances through individual brilliance.

7. Shidou

Legendary striker with unique acrobatic finishing. Shidou converts aerial balls and loose rebounds that other strikers miss. Niche but elite in crossing-heavy squads.

8. Sae

Legendary midfielder with top-tier passing stats. Sae’s distribution boosts every finisher in your squad. The best non-striker character for squad-wide impact.

9. Lavinho

Legendary winger with elite agility and trickery. Lavinho dominates flanks and creates crossing opportunities for strikers like Shidou and Kunigami.

10. Kunigami

Legendary striker with balanced physical and shooting stats. Kunigami excels at everything without specializing — reliable S-tier in any squad.

A-Tier: Strong Keepers

11-15. High-End Legendaries and Epics

Characters in this range rank A-tier on the Tier List — strong enough for competitive squads but outclassed by S-tier picks in direct comparison. Keep A-tier characters in mid-game (70-82 OVR) and reroll them once your squad matures.

Specific A-tier characters vary by update — consult Best Strikers and Best Goalkeepers for current placements.

16-20. Top Epics Worth Keeping Temporarily

High-end Epic characters (80+ OVR) serve as excellent mid-game placeholders. They bridge the gap between Rare-tier starters and Legendary anchors. Reroll them once you pull A-tier or S-tier alternatives.

See Rarity Tiers for Epic OVR ranges and pull rates.

How to Chase These Characters

Maximize reroll volume:

• Redeem all codes from Working Codes — 25 rerolls from ELUSIVE, OneThousandCCU, OneThousandMembers
• Complete Daily Quests every day
• Claim Free Rerolls from Sendou and social actions

Reroll strategically:

• Early game: Accept any Rare or Epic — see High OVR Squad Guide
• Mid game: Target A-tier and above
• Late game: Only accept S-tier and Elusive characters from this list

Use refresh wisely:

• If your pool shows 2+ characters from this list, take your time deciding
• If your pool shows an Elusive, accept immediately — see Elusive Characters

Character Synergies

The best squads combine complementary characters:

Sae + NEL Isagi — Passing creates chances that positioning converts. Lavinho + Shidou — Crosses from the wing feed acrobatic finishes. Kaiser + Barou — Dual power strikers overwhelm defenses. NEL Nagi + NEL Rin — Creative playmaking feeds clinical finishing.

Building around synergies accelerates OVR gains beyond what individual character stats provide alone.

Characters to Avoid Keeping

Below C-tier commons and low-end Rares should never occupy squad slots past early game. If your lowest-OVR member is a Common or low Rare, reroll immediately regardless of what appears in the pool.

Characters not on this list are not necessarily bad — but they are not priority keeps once your squad exceeds 70 average OVR.

After the ELUSIVES Update

The ELUSIVES Update elevated NEL Isagi, NEL Rin, and NEL Nagi to Elusive tier, cementing their S-tier status. These three characters define the current meta and should be every player’s primary reroll targets.

Monitor Patch History for balance changes that could shift rankings. Community tier debates happen on Discord & Community Links — there is no official Trello.

Quick Reference: Accept or Reroll?

Pull Rarity	Squad OVR Below 70	Squad OVR 70-82	Squad OVR 82+
Common	Reroll	Reroll	Reroll
Rare	Accept	Reroll	Reroll
Epic	Accept	Keep if 80+ OVR	Reroll
Legendary	Accept	Accept	Keep if A-tier+
Elusive	Accept	Accept	Accept

Use this table with the character names above for fast in-session decisions.