I’ve been testing every shadow since the Christmas release to put together this Arise Ragnarok shadow tier list. The shadow system works differently than Arise Crossover. Same concept, different execution.
This tier list ranks shadows by their damage potential, utility, and how easy they are to obtain. The game is still new, so expect this to evolve as more content drops.
How Shadows Work
Quick refresher on the shadow system:
- Defeat enemies in combat
- Click the corpse 3 times to attempt an arise
- Success adds the shadow to your army
- Failure means try again on the next kill
Not every enemy can be arisen. Bosses have higher arise chances. Regular mobs have lower chances but spawn constantly.
Shadow Ranks
| Rank | Power Level | Max Level |
|---|---|---|
| E | Weakest | 75 |
| D | Low | 100 |
| C | Medium | 125 |
| B | Good | 150 |
| A | Great | 175 |
| S | Excellent | 200 |
| SS | Top tier | 225 |
Higher rank = higher level cap = more damage. An S-rank shadow will always outperform a C-rank at max level.
Upgrading Shadows
To upgrade a shadow to SS rank:
- Collect one copy of each rank (E, D, C, B, A, S)
- Go to the Shadow Upgrader NPC
- Combine all 6 copies
- Pay the upgrade cost
- Receive your SS rank shadow
This is why you want multiple copies of good shadows.
S-Tier Shadows (Best)
These shadows dominate. Prioritize arising and upgrading them.
| Shadow | Location | Max Rank | Why S-Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ragnarok Boss | Endgame Dungeon | SS | Highest damage ceiling |
| Frost Giant | Ice Zone Boss | SS | Excellent AoE damage |
| Shadow Knight | Dark Dungeon | SS | Best single-target DPS |
| Dragon Lord | Dragon Zone | SS | Massive HP and damage |
Ragnarok Boss
The namesake shadow. Drops from the hardest dungeon in the game. At SS rank, nothing comes close to its damage output.
How to Get:
- Clear the Ragnarok Dungeon
- Defeat the final boss
- Arise attempt (low chance)
- Farm multiple copies for SS upgrade
Why It’s Best:
- Highest base damage
- Scales incredibly with levels
- AoE and single-target abilities
- Worth every hour of grinding
Frost Giant
The Ice Zone boss shadow. Easier to farm than Ragnarok Boss but still top tier.
How to Get:
- Progress to Ice Zone
- Find and defeat the Frost Giant boss
- Arise attempt
- Farm copies for upgrades
Why It’s Great:
- Excellent AoE damage
- Freezing abilities slow enemies
- Tanky for a DPS shadow
- More accessible than Ragnarok Boss
Shadow Knight
The Dark Dungeon drop. Best single-target damage in the game.
How to Get:
- Enter Dark Dungeons (A-rank or higher)
- Clear to the boss
- Arise the Shadow Knight
- Repeat for copies
Why It’s Great:
- Melts bosses
- Fast attack speed
- High crit chance
- Essential for dungeon speedruns
Dragon Lord
The Dragon Zone boss. Massive stats across the board.
How to Get:
- Reach Dragon Zone (late game)
- Defeat the Dragon Lord boss
- Arise attempt
- Farm for SS upgrade
Why It’s Great:
- Huge HP pool
- High damage
- Intimidating presence
- Great for all content
A-Tier Shadows (Great)
Excellent shadows that carry you through mid-to-late game.
| Shadow | Location | Max Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demon General | Demon Zone | SS | High damage, good utility |
| Undead King | Undead Zone | SS | Tanky with lifesteal |
| Storm Elemental | Storm Dungeon | SS | Best AoE for farming |
| Golem | Mountain Zone | SS | Unkillable tank |
| Assassin Shadow | Various | SS | Fast attacks, high crit |
Why A-Tier?
These shadows are your workhorses. They can’t match S-tier damage, but they’re easier to obtain and still clear all content. The Demon General especially is worth farming early.
Demon General drops from the Demon Zone boss. High damage with debuff abilities that weaken enemies.
Undead King has lifesteal that keeps it alive forever. Great for AFK farming.
Storm Elemental has the best AoE for mob farming. Chain lightning hits everything.
Golem is pure tank. Use it to absorb boss attacks while your DPS shadows deal damage.
Assassin Shadow spawns randomly. Fast attacks and high crit make it a solid DPS option.
B-Tier Shadows (Good)
Solid mid-game options that help you progress.
| Shadow | Location | Max Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orc Warlord | Orc Camp | SS | Good early boss |
| Skeleton Knight | Undead Zone | SS | Decent tank |
| Fire Mage | Fire Zone | SS | Ranged damage |
| Ice Archer | Ice Zone | SS | Slowing attacks |
| Wolf Alpha | Forest Zone | SS | Fast attacker |
| Troll | Mountain Zone | SS | High HP |
Why B-Tier?
These shadows get the job done. They’re not endgame material, but they’ll carry you through islands and mid-tier dungeons. The Orc Warlord especially is a great first boss shadow.
C-Tier Shadows (Situational)
Use these while farming for better options.
| Shadow | Location | Max Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goblin Chief | Starter Zone | SS | First boss shadow |
| Bandit Leader | Forest Zone | SS | Decent early option |
| Spider Queen | Cave Zone | SS | Poison damage |
| Bear | Forest Zone | SS | Tanky but slow |
| Slime King | Swamp Zone | SS | Splits into smaller slimes |
Why C-Tier?
These shadows are stepping stones. The Goblin Chief is your first boss shadow and feels amazing early, but gets outclassed quickly. Replace them as you progress.
D-Tier Shadows (Early Game Only)
Replace these as soon as possible.
| Shadow | Location | Max Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goblin | Starter Zone | SS | Weakest shadow |
| Skeleton | Undead Zone | SS | Low damage |
| Slime | Swamp Zone | SS | Very weak |
| Rat | Cave Zone | SS | Filler only |
| Wolf | Forest Zone | SS | Outclassed fast |
Why D-Tier?
These are your starter shadows. They help you learn the game but become irrelevant by mid-game. Don’t waste upgrade materials on them.
Shadow Team Building
Early Game Team (Levels 1-20)
| Slot | Shadow | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Goblin Chief | Main DPS |
| 2 | Any available | Support |
| 3 | Any available | Support |
| 4 | Any available | Support |
Just arise everything you can. Quality doesn’t matter yet.
Mid Game Team (Levels 20-50)
| Slot | Shadow | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Orc Warlord | Main DPS |
| 2 | Demon General | Secondary DPS |
| 3 | Golem | Tank |
| 4 | Storm Elemental | AoE |
| 5 | Assassin Shadow | Burst |
| 6 | Flex | Situational |
Start focusing on quality. Farm boss shadows.
Late Game Team (Levels 50+)
| Slot | Shadow | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ragnarok Boss | Main DPS |
| 2 | Shadow Knight | Boss killer |
| 3 | Frost Giant | AoE |
| 4 | Dragon Lord | Tank/DPS |
| 5 | Demon General | Utility |
| 6 | Undead King | Sustain |
All SS rank. All upgraded. This is the goal.
Shadow Farming Tips
Boss Shadows
- Spawn on timers (usually 30 minutes)
- Higher arise chance than regular mobs
- Worth waiting for
- Farm multiple copies for upgrades
Dungeon Shadows
- Best shadows come from dungeons
- Higher rank dungeons = better shadows
- Save gems for A-rank+ dungeons
- Boss at the end has best drops
Arise Chance
- Regular mobs: ~10-20% arise chance
- Mini-bosses: ~30-40% arise chance
- Bosses: ~50-60% arise chance
- Dungeon bosses: ~40-50% arise chance
These are estimates based on my testing. Actual rates may vary.
Common Mistakes
- Upgrading D-tier shadows - Save materials for better units
- Ignoring boss shadows - Always attempt to arise bosses
- Rushing upgrades - Wait for S-tier shadows
- Destroying good shadows - Keep copies for upgrades
- Not farming dungeons - Best shadows come from dungeons
- Unbalanced team - Mix DPS, tank, and utility
Shadow Priority Guide
What to Arise First
- Any boss shadow - Always arise bosses
- Dungeon shadows - High quality
- Zone bosses - Good mid-game options
- Mini-bosses - Decent filler
- Regular mobs - Only if you need numbers
What to Upgrade First
- S-tier shadows - Best investment
- A-tier shadows - Good value
- B-tier shadows - Only if needed
- C-tier and below - Never upgrade
More Arise Ragnarok Content
- Arise Ragnarok Codes - Free rerolls and resets
- Arise Ragnarok Guide - Complete beginner’s guide
- Arise Ragnarok Class Tier List - Best classes ranked
Related Tier Lists
- Arise Crossover Shadow Tier List - Original game shadows
- Anime Vanguards Tier List - Tower defense units
- Anime Last Stand Tier List - Another anime TD
