Against the Storm Tier List — Current Rankings

This Against the Storm tier list ranks every major option by overall effectiveness. Rankings factor in damage output, survivability, versatility, gear requirements, and how well each option scales.

Tier definitions: S = best in class, always a strong pick. A = strong and competitive, minor weaknesses. B = solid but clearly outperformed in most situations. C = viable only for players who enjoy the playstyle.

Builds Rankings

Detailed Builds Analysis

Humans (A-Tier)

Humans are the most versatile species, working efficiently in most buildings. They desire Pie, Porridge, and access to a Temple. Human housing is standard-sized and easy to place. Their Resolve bonuses come from cooked food and religion services. Humans are the safe pick for any run.

Best with: Bakery (for Pie), Temple, Human Housing, Farmfield Stat focus: Complex food production, religion service, housing

Beavers (S-Tier)

Beavers have the best production bonuses — they work faster in Workshops, Lumber Mills, and engineering buildings. Their desire for Biscuits and Engineering services makes them the strongest production species. Beaver housing is larger but provides comfort bonuses.

Best with: Workshop, Lumber Mill, Engineering Station, Beaver Housing Stat focus: Industrial building access, Biscuit production, engineering

Lizards (A-Tier)

Lizards excel in harsh biomes due to their warmth preference. They desire Skewers (easy to make from meat/insects) and Warmth service from Hearths. Lizards work faster near the Hearth, making them ideal for central base operations. They're the easiest species to keep happy.

Best with: Grill (for Skewers), Hearth proximity, Lizard Housing Stat focus: Meat/insect food supply, Hearth warmth range, housing near center

Harpies (B-Tier)

Harpies have unique needs — they want Crystallized Dew (harder to produce) and dislike enclosed spaces. Their housing is elevated and requires open surroundings. Harpies excel at scouting and gathering from distant Glades. Harder to satisfy but provide unique Reputation bonuses.

Best with: Crystalizer, Harpy Housing (elevated), open space near buildings Stat focus: Crystallized Dew production, open space management, scouting

Foxes (A-Tier)

The DLC species, Foxes are traders and diplomats. They desire Pickled Goods and benefit from Trading Post access. Foxes provide Reputation through trade-related Orders and work faster in trade buildings. Their flexibility makes them strong in trade-heavy runs.

Best with: Trading Post, Pickling Station, Fox Housing Stat focus: Trade infrastructure, Pickled Goods, trade route access

Equipment Rankings

Equipment Analysis

Trading Post: The Trading Post allows you to buy and sell goods with visiting traders. Selling excess resources provides Reputation and income, while buying scarce materials solves production gaps. Traders visit periodically with different inventories. A well-stocked Trading Post can compensate for missing production buildings.

Cookhouse: One of the most versatile food buildings, the Cookhouse produces multiple recipe types including Skewers, Biscuits, and Porridge depending on available ingredients. Having a Cookhouse early solves food needs for multiple species simultaneously. It's often the highest-priority blueprint pick.

Brewery: Produces Ale from grain or berries, satisfying the Leisure need for multiple species. Ale provides strong Resolve bonuses, keeping villagers happy during storm intensification. The Brewery is a Reputation engine when combined with species that desire Ale.

Workshop: Produces Planks, Fabric, and other processed goods from raw materials. Planks are needed for most advanced buildings, making the Workshop a critical production building. Beavers work 20% faster in Workshops, making them the ideal workforce here.

Rain Collector: Collects rainwater during storms, providing a free water source that can be used for cooking, brewing, and farming. Since rain is abundant in Against the Storm's world, Rain Collectors are nearly free resources. Place them near production buildings that use water.

Meta Analysis

The current meta in Against the Storm centers on roguelike city building and reputation system. Builds that leverage both systems outperform those that focus on only one.

What's strong right now:

• Humans with Trading Post is the benchmark. Everything else is measured against it.
• blueprint drafting builds are gaining ground as players find new synergies.
• Lizards remains essential for learning hard content.

What's underrated:

• Beavers is consistently overlooked despite being the most flexible option.
• Brewery offers excellent performance for its investment level.

What's overhyped:

• Pure Foxes builds. High ceiling but the consistency isn't there for most players.

Quick Picks by Situation

For full build guides, see Against the Storm builds. For progression help, check the walkthrough.