This Don't Starve Together 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
| Tier | Build | Rating | Playstyle |
|---|---|---|---|
| B | Wilson | 7.5/10 | Jack of all trades — farm, fight, build. Use Beard Hair for resurrection insurance. |
| S | Wigfrid | 9.5/10 | Fight everything, sustain through combat healing, carry the team in boss fights. |
| S | WX-78 | 9.5/10 | Rush Ruins for gears, reach max stats, become the strongest character in the game. |
| A | Wortox | 8.5/10 | Collect souls from combat, heal teammates, teleport to avoid danger. |
| S | Wolfgang | 9.5/10 | Eat constantly to maintain Mighty form, deal double damage to everything, eat more. |
Detailed Builds Analysis
Wilson (B-Tier)
The default character with no weaknesses but no major strengths. His beard provides insulation in winter (saves resources on warm clothing). Shaving the beard yields Beard Hair for Meat Effigies (self-resurrection). Good for learning the game.
Best with: Standard gear, Meat Effigy for resurrection Stat focus: Learn base mechanics > seasonal preparation > exploration
Wigfrid (S-Tier)
The warrior character who gains health and sanity from dealing damage and only eats meat. Her Battle Helm and Battle Spear are craftable cheaply. The combat sustain makes her the easiest character for boss fights. Perfect for aggressive players.
Best with: Battle Helm, Battle Spear, Ham Bat (later), Log Suit Stat focus: Meat supply > combat gear > boss preparation
WX-78 (S-Tier)
A robot that upgrades by eating Gears (found in Ruins and from Clockwork enemies). Each gear gives +20 max HP, Hunger, and Sanity up to 400/400/400. Can eat spoiled food without penalty. Lightning supercharges it for speed and light. The strongest late-game character.
Best with: Gears (as many as possible), Lightning Rod near base Stat focus: Gear farming > max stats > general survival
Wortox (A-Tier)
An imp who collects souls from dying creatures. Souls heal nearby players when released, making Wortox the best healer. He teleports by spending souls. Food restores only half hunger, requiring twice as much eating. Essential support character in multiplayer.
Best with: Soul collection from killing, healing focus Stat focus: Soul management > food supply (double needed) > team positioning
Wolfgang (S-Tier)
A strongman with a Might mechanic — staying well-fed keeps him in Mighty form with 2x damage and extra health. In Wimpy form (low hunger), he deals reduced damage. Requires constant food supply but is the highest DPS character when fed.
Best with: Huge food supply (Pierogi, Meatballs), melee weapons Stat focus: Food production > stay Mighty > combat weapons
Equipment Rankings
| Equipment | Best With | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dark Sword | Wigfrid, Wolfgang — boss killing | The highest-damage melee weapon (68 damage) crafted from Nightmare Fuel and Living Logs at the Shadow Manipulator. |
| Ham Bat | All characters — mid-game weapon | A Pig Skin + Meat weapon that starts at 59. |
| Weather Pain | Ranged fighters, kiting builds | A ranged weapon that fires tornadoes dealing 33 damage each. |
| Thulecite Club | Ruins explorers, group play | A powerful melee weapon (59. |
| Morning Star | Spring season combat, Wigfrid | An Electric weapon dealing 72 damage in rain (46 when dry). |
Equipment Analysis
Dark Sword: The highest-damage melee weapon (68 damage) crafted from Nightmare Fuel and Living Logs at the Shadow Manipulator. Drains 20 sanity per minute while equipped. The DPS king for boss fights — equip it when fighting, switch off when not.
Ham Bat: A Pig Skin + Meat weapon that starts at 59.5 damage and decreases as it spoils over 10 days. Never drops below 29.75 damage. Cheap to craft and does excellent damage fresh. The best mid-game melee weapon.
Weather Pain: A ranged weapon that fires tornadoes dealing 33 damage each. Tornadoes bounce between enemies for AoE clearing. Crafted from Goose/Moose Feather and found components. Excellent for kiting bosses while dealing damage.
Thulecite Club: A powerful melee weapon (59.5 damage) that also spawns protective Shadow Tentacles when used. Found in Ancient Ruins chests or crafted with Thulecite. The tentacles deal extra damage and draw aggro.
Morning Star: An Electric weapon dealing 72 damage in rain (46 when dry). Crafted from Volt Goat Horn. The highest damage weapon during wet conditions but loses potency when dry. Excellent for Spring when rain is constant.
Meta Analysis
The current meta in Don't Starve Together centers on sanity system and seasonal boss fights. Builds that leverage both systems outperform those that focus on only one.
What's strong right now:
- Wilson with Dark Sword is the benchmark. Everything else is measured against it.
- character switching builds are gaining ground as players find new synergies.
- WX-78 remains essential for learning hard content.
What's underrated:
- Wigfrid is consistently overlooked despite being the most flexible option.
- Weather Pain offers excellent performance for its investment level.
What's overhyped:
- Pure Wolfgang builds. High ceiling but the consistency isn't there for most players.
Quick Picks by Situation
| Situation | Best Build | Best Gear | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall best | Wilson | Dark Sword | Highest consistent performance |
| New player | Wigfrid | Ham Bat | Most forgiving, teaches mechanics |
| Hard content | WX-78 | Weather Pain | Survivability when you need it |
| Group play | Wortox | Thulecite Club | Utility and team support |
| Experienced player | Wolfgang | Morning Star | Unique challenge and high ceiling |
For full build guides, see Don't Starve Together builds. For progression help, check the walkthrough.
