Sword Art Online tier list

All 103 Sword Art Online characters ranked S to D. Each tier was researched from canon feats, official databooks and power-scaling sources, not popularity, and only compares characters within Sword Art Online. Within a tier, characters are listed by popularity.

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Who is the strongest in Sword Art Online?

The strongest Sword Art Online characters in this tier list are Kirito (Kazuto Kirigaya), Quinella, Bercoli and Subtilizer (Gabriel Miller), the S tier. Tiers are ranked within Sword Art Online only, from canon feats, official databooks and power-scaling sources rather than popularity.

The 10 strongest Sword Art Online characters, and why

Best tier first. Within a tier they're listed by popularity, not as a ranking inside the tier. See the strongest characters in every anime.

Sword Art Online tier list

S
A
B
C
D

* Fans argue about this one's tier: Bercoli, Asuna Yuki, Alice Zuberg, Eugeo, Yuki Konno, Heathcliff (Akihiko Kayaba), PoH (Vassago Casals), Sinon (Shino Asada) and Eiji Nochizawa.

Why each character got their tier

The reasoning behind every placement: the feats, wins and losses that decided it, and the rankings and databooks it was checked against. "Disputed" means fans and sources split on it, so we picked a side and say why. "VSB" is the VS Battles wiki's power tier, and "#3 Looper" means third in that site's ranking. More on how we rank characters.

S tier

Kirito (Kazuto Kirigaya) S
The only person with a winning record in every world: cleared the death game, beat Eugene in ALO, co-won BoB3 with a laser sword, and stabbed Quinella through the chest with Eugeo's blade. Awakened in Underworld, he logged out the red army with one attack, overpowered Vassago, then beat Gabriel's Subtilizer in the final duel. Yuuki did beat his ALO self. All sources put him at or near the top.
Quinella S
Ruled the Human Empire for centuries with system-level authority she took from the Cardinal System, which she actually used, building the Immortal Wall and the Integrity Knights. Killed Cardinal with lightning arts and built the Sword Golem from 300 people. It took Kirito, Alice, Eugeo and Cardinal together to bring her down, and Kirito's sword through her chest still didn't end her, since she rea
Bercoli S · disputed
First Integrity Knight, with some 300 years of fighting. Wiped out D.I.L.'s whole aerial assault with one slash, then took on Vecta alone, pierced his shoulder, lost an arm, and with his last slash set the account's enormous Life to zero, the only person to destroy it. Disputed: fan lists place him 9th and 13th, but no one on them has that result.
Subtilizer (Gabriel Miller) S
Won BoB1 and BoB4 in GGO, then as Vecta took Alice with Incarnation alone, drained Bercouli and severed his arm. Back as Subtilizer he overpowered Sinon's Solus account and at first outmatched the awakened Kirito's new abilities. Only that Kirito beat him, by overloading his Fluctlight. Fan lists leave him out or put him 5th, so his rank rests on the story. The Vecta account alone wouldn't earn th

A tier

Asuna Yuki A · disputed
Sub-leader of SAO's top guild and known as the Flash. In Underworld the Stacia account carved chasms that stopped an army, and she nearly finished Vassago, but the account nearly overloaded her Fluctlight and it can't stand in for a result, so she isn't S. Lost her duel to Yuuki. Disputed: lists rate her 2nd and 3rd on the goddess form, which I don't count by itself.
Alice Zuberg A · disputed
Integrity Knight and the order's greatest prodigy. Took on Kirito and Eugeo together at the Cloudtop Garden, blocked two of Quinella's attacks, and turned the East Gate battle with a light blast that gathered the sacred power of the dead. Vecta's Incarnation then took her down with no fight, so she stays in A. Disputed: lists place her 6th and 12th.
Eugeo A · disputed
Helped beat Deusolbert and Fanatio, matched Bercouli to a freezing stalemate, and pushed Kirito hard as a knight. Turned himself into a sword that destroyed the Sword Golem, snapped Quinella's rapier and severed her arm. He died of it. Disputed: Wikipedia's entries call the Bercouli fight both a stalemate and a win, and the wiki's account is a draw.
Yuki Konno A · disputed
Won 67 straight duels in ALO including one over Kirito and one over Asuna, earning the name Absolute Sword, and created an 11-hit Original Sword Skill. Led a guild of seven to clear a floor boss. All of this is ALO, with no Underworld result, so A and not S. Disputed: lists place her 13th and 14th, well below the story's duels.
Heathcliff (Akihiko Kayaba) A · disputed
As Heathcliff held the 50th floor boss alone for ten minutes, and his HP reportedly never reached yellow. Beat Kirito in a duel, but with a system assist and an immortal flag, so those wins don't count at face value. Kirito ended him at the 75th floor. Top of Aincrad, not of the series. Disputed: lists have him 2nd and 18th.
Fanatio A
Vice commander of the Integrity Knights, over 130 years old, with the Heaven Piercing Sword's beams. Took Kirito and Eugeo together to beat her, with her own rays deflected at her. Held the front line in the East Gate war. Joseph's list puts her 19th.
Cardinal A
Quinella's split personality, equal to her in almost every way, who struck first in their first fight and looked to be winning until Quinella blocked her arts. Flattened the Sword Golem with lightning and turned Eugeo into a sword. Then she traded her life for the others' safety and Quinella killed her with lightning arts, so A.
Scheta A
Twelfth Integrity Knight, with about a century in the order. Her blade cuts through anything, and she fought Iskahn to a long deadlock. Her thin sword hurt a man whose skin nothing could pierce. Held the battlefield against American players with him. Joseph's list says even Bercouli respected her.
Iskahn A
Tenth Champion of the Pugilists and one of the Ten Lords, trained to harden his body like steel through Incarnation. Fought Scheta to a deadlock, tore out his own eye to break the seal and turn on Vecta, and survived the war to lead the Dark Territory's army. Rests on the wiki alone, so he sits level with Scheta only because of their fight.
PoH (Vassago Casals) A · disputed
Started the first player-killing craze in SAO and led Laughing Coffin. In Underworld he beat Eiji, took down the allied players, and recovered from Asuna's near-fatal attack by drawing on the area's resources. It took the awakened Kirito to beat him, and Kirito turned him into a tree. Disputed: lists have him 4th or don't rank him.

B tier

Sinon (Shino Asada) B · disputed
Top GGO sniper, 22nd in BoB2, co-winner of BoB3 with Kirito, and helped beat Death Gun. As Solus she slaughtered much of an army with a super account bow, but Subtilizer overpowered her, so she stays in B. Disputed: lists put her 7th and 11th, largely on that account.
Leafa (Suguha Kirigaya) B
Won the Sylph tournament, is one of the five fastest Sylphs, and beat Sigurd. As Terraria she cut D.I.L. in half, helped by that account's endless healing. Joseph's list has her 6th on the goddess form, which isn't enough alone.
Llenn (Karen Kohiruimaki) B
Won the first Squad Jam with just M beside her, ending SHINC with a knife. Landed the fatal blow on Pitohui in SJ2, though her team then finished second to a sneak attack, and beat her in melee again in SJ3, which her team won. Best in the spin-off, but GGO has no Incarnation.
Pitohui B
Former SAO beta tester and a gun expert who picks a new weapon for every hunt, and a major force in the Squad Jams, though Llenn beat her twice. Her beta fight against someone thought to be Kirito is a rumour in the wiki's trivia, so I don't count it.
Eiji Nochizawa B · disputed
Rose to rank 2 in Ordinal Scale, but that came from a special exosuit, so the rank alone doesn't count. Joseph's list credits him with holding off Vassago, while the wiki's recap has him losing, marked disputed. In SAO, fear froze him in battle.
Renly B
Won the Four Empires Unity Tournament at about 14, then sat in cryostasis because he couldn't wake his Twin Edged Wings. Finally used full control in the war and survived it. High seat, shaky record, so B.
Deusolbert B
High-ranking Integrity Knight with the Conflagrant Flame Bow, who shot down a Dark Knight from dragonback. Lost to Kirito and Eugeo, then held the East Gate.
Linel B
Survived a killing experiment at five with Fizel and became one of the youngest Integrity Knights. Kirito beat her at her own poison trick, but she killed the goblins raiding the supply line.
Sterben (Shoichi Shinkawa) B
Laughing Coffin veteran who reached the BoB3 finals as Sterben, and Joseph's list says he can go toe to toe with Kirito. Lost to Kirito with Sinon's help.
Eldrie Wolsburg B
Beat Sortiliena and Volo, won the Four Empires Unity Tournament, and became Alice's disciple. Lost to Kirito and Eugeo. Died absorbing D.I.L.'s huge curse to save the other knights.
Fizel B
Same record as Linel: survivor of the experiment, young Integrity Knight, lost to Kirito's trick, and helped clear the supply raid. No gap between the two in any source.
Dee Eye Ell B
Head of the Dark Mages among the Ten Lords. Her curse, fed by 3,000 sacrifices, killed Eldrie, and she drained Leafa's Life with her altered fingers. Leafa cut her down with Terraria's healing. The wiki's own page on her is empty, so this comes from volume and episode pages.
Eugene B
Head of the Salamander forces and considered ALO's strongest player until Kirito beat him one on one. Later led the New Aincrad clearing army.
Freyja B
A quest NPC, the god Thor in disguise, who got his hammer back mid-battle, grew to giant size and landed the final blow on Thrym. Raid-level power, but only in that quest.
Vixur Ul Shasta B
Commander of the Dark Knights and one of the Ten Lords, planning to kill four other lords for peace. Died by poison, so his top fighting result isn't shown, and he rates on rank.

C tier

Klein (Ryotaro Tsuboi) C
Led the clearing guild Fuurinkazan in SAO. Claimed in an author Q and A that he'd lose to no one but Kirito, which is his own word, not a result.
Lisbeth (Rika Shinozaki) C
Top SAO blacksmith with her own shop, who made Asuna's rapier and a sword from a crystal ingot. Mainly a crafter, not a fighter.
Silica (Keiko Ayano) C
Dagger user and one of SAO's rare beast tamers, known on the middle floors, not the front line. Later joins the Underworld fight.
Agil (Andrew Gilbert Mills) C
Veteran axe fighter and merchant on the SAO front lines. Later ran a cafe and joined the fight in Underworld. Solid raid member, no duels of note.
Fukaziroh (Miyu Shinohara) C
ALO player who converts to GGO for Squad Jams and fights with two MGL-140 launchers. Gave Llenn her opening on Pitohui in SJ2 and traded kills with Eva.
Sortiliena Serlut C
Graduated first at the academy by beating the top seat, Volo. Lost to Eldrie in the imperial tournament, so she is below the knights, then served in the war.
Argo (Tomo Hosaka) C
Beta tester and SAO's leading information broker. Stays out of the big fights, so her worth is in `int`.
Tiese Shtolienen C
Top twelve in her year at the academy and a junior in the decoy force. Learner-level fighter at this point in the story.
Ronye Arabel C
Top twelve in her year at the academy and a junior in the decoy force. Same level as Tiese.
Alicia Rue C
Cait Sith lord elected by popular vote. A political leader in ALO with no duels shown.
Sakuya C
Sylph lord elected with 80% of the vote and described as an exceptional swordswoman, but her status keeps her stats low and she is not shown winning duels.
M (Goshi Asogi) C
Llenn's partner who won the first Squad Jam with her and led PM4 in the second. He gave his life so Llenn could win the third.
Seijiro Kikuoka C
A Self-Defense Force officer running a hidden project. Eugene himself praised his mage skill in ALO, the one combat mark on him.
Clarence C
Led an eighteen-player alliance in SJ2 and took bullets for Llenn. In SJ3 she turned on her alliance and killed most of them, then died with Shirley.
Shirley C
Real-life hunter and GGO sniper with custom bullets. Killed the rest of the SJ3 alliance while hunting Pitohui, then traded lives with Clarence.
Diavel C
Beta tester who led the first floor raid, and died fighting the boss.
Siune C
Second sub-leader of the Sleeping Knights, who cleared a floor boss with only seven people.
Lipia Zancale C
Eleventh among the Dark Knights. Tried to kill Vecta alone and failed, and he strangled her.
Jushi X C
Sniper and first-time BoB3 finalist. Hit Kirito once and was beaten straight after.
Azurica C
Was her empire's first swordsman representative at the Four Empires tournament, and has the fastest chanting in the academy. No fights shown in the main story.
Amayori C
Alice's dragon, whose heat ray killed over twenty goblins in one pass. Carried Bercouli on the chase after Vecta.
Johnny Black (Atsushi Kanamoto) C
Laughing Coffin poison user and Sterben's partner, who killed real people by injection. Dangerous by method, not fighting skill.
Charlotte C
Cardinal's oldest familiar, normally a tiny spider. Grew into a giant spider and held the Sword Golem long enough for help to arrive, and died doing so.
Nori C
Medium-range damage dealer of the Sleeping Knights, whose boss clear with seven people is the group's result.
Dakira C
Low-ranking Integrity Knight with no Divine Object, one of the Four Oscillation Blades, who lost to Kirito. Killed by Sigurosig in the war.
Eva (Saki Nitobe) C
Led SHINC to second in SJ1 and fourth in SJ2, and took Llenn to a final showdown in the first but lost.
Recon (Shinichi Nagata) C
Sylph dagger and stealth user who taught Leafa until she passed him. Killed two Salamanders with poison after breaking out of paralysis.
Tanya (Risa Kusunoki) C
Tanya, the vanguard of SHINC. Gave up a life with Pitohui to set an ambush and disabled an enemy weapon in the castle assault.
Godfree C
Commander of the Knights of the Blood vanguard, so a clearing-level fighter. Killed by Kuradeel through a paralysis trap.
Rilpirin C
Orc chief among the Ten Lords. His eye burst as he broke the seal to save Leafa, and he couldn't land a hit on D.I.L.
Pale Rider C
STR build with three-dimensional movement, who beat Dyne cleanly on the bridge in BoB3 before Sterben shot him.
Sigurd C
Strong Sylph fighter who lost to Leafa and lost the lord election to Sakuya, then betrayed the treaty meeting and was banished.
Jun C
Close-range tank swordsman of the Sleeping Knights, in on their seven-person boss clear.
Spiegel (Kyoji Shinkawa) C
AGI-build GGO player who fell behind because of bad stat advice. Took his brother's avatar for the Death Gun plot. Sinon knocked him out with a stereo.
Stica Shtolienen C
Integrity Pilot and Tiese's descendant, on duty since age eleven, until the Abyssal Horror nearly killed her. Her later story is outside the peak cut-off.
Kuradeel C
Knights of the Blood two-handed swordsman and secret Laughing Coffin member. Lost a duel to Kirito, killed Godfree with a trap, then lost to Kirito again.
Griselda C
Led the eight-member Golden Apple guild on the middle floors. Killed on the way to sell a ring, so her case decides her story more than any fight.
Talken C
Medium-range lancer of the Sleeping Knights, in on their seven-person boss clear.
Aiko Konno C
Founder and first leader of the Sleeping Knights, Yuuki's twin, active in several VR worlds. No duels shown, so she rates on leadership.
Tamotsu Shigemura C
Won BoB2 as XeXeeD, which the wiki credits to a rare rifle and his armour. Sterben's first victim.
Dyne C
Reached at least three BoB finals, 18th in BoB2, but Pale Rider beat him easily and his ambush was ruined by a minigun.
Kagemune C
Captain of the Salamander lance group. His squad was overpowered by Kirito, and he admits he can't beat Leafa one on one.
Hoshigami C
Bercouli's dragon. Attacked Vecta when Bercouli fell and died in seven seconds, and that gap gave Bercouli his final strike.
Thrym C
Last boss of the Thrymheim dungeon in ALO, with three visible HP bars. Beaten by Kirito's party with Thor landing the last blow. Quest boss, no story result outside that.
Tecchi C
Close-range tank of the Sleeping Knights with a heavy mace, in on their seven-person boss clear.

D tier

Yui D
An AI counselling program, later a navigation pixie. Rates on `int` and `cha`, not combat.
Yuna Shigemura D
Mid-game support player known for chant buffs, killed on the 40th floor. Her AI version is a concert idol, not a fighter.
Sachi D
Spear user in a mid-level guild who died in the trap room. Important to the story, not a fighter.
Selka Zuberg D
A 12-year-old sacred arts apprentice in Rulid. Not a fighter.
Pina D
Tamed dragon familiar with a small heal and a complex mind, as Yui noted.
Natsuki Aki D
JSDF nurse with basic military training. Non-fighter.
Rosalia D
Led the Titan's Hand gang by scouting victims. Kirito jailed her whole gang with a crystal.
Takeru Higa D
Chief developer of the Soul Translator. Non-fighter.
Rinko Kojiro D
Researcher who brought Alice into the real world. Non-fighter.
Yulier D
Vice commander of the Liberation Force who needed Kirito and Asuna to reach her leader.
Midori Kirigaya D
Computer magazine editor. Civilian.
Kibao D
Early raid leader and later sub-leader of the Liberation Force. Better at politics than fighting.
Sasha D
Non-fighter who cared for younger players.
Nobuyuki Sugo D
Ran ALO as Oberon with GM controls and no fighting ability at all. Lost at once to Kirito on a higher admin ID. This is the clearest case of admin power that earns no tier.
Yolko D
Mid-level player who staged a fake murder to find a killer.
Nishida D
Fisherman with very high Fishing skill but low STR.
Urd D
Ruler of the Beast-type Evil Gods who gives the Excalibur quest, and asks players to act for her.
Airy D
Operated the cathedral lift for over a hundred years. Not a fighter.
Kyoko Yuki D
Economics professor. Civilian, whose one in-game scene is a visit.
Ducker D
Thief of the Moonlit Black Cats, whose low trap skill set off the trap that killed them.
Shozo Yuki D
Former CEO of RECT. Civilian.
Keita D
Led the Moonlit Black Cats, a mid-level guild from a computer club.
Thinker D
Ran the largest guild as an administrator and needed rescue from a dungeon.
Grimlock D
Golden Apple member and weapon smith who arranged a killing and later relied on assassins. No fight of his own.
Kobatz D
Lieutenant colonel of the Liberation Force, who walked his men into the 74th floor boss and was killed.
Tetsuo D
Mace user and the only front attacker in a mid-level guild, killed in the same trap.
Minetaka Kirigaya D
Works overseas. Civilian.
Sadore D
Master craftsman who carved Kirito's black sword. Not a fighter.
Kurahashi D
Yuuki's doctor. Civilian.

Best at each trait

Every rating

Each trait is rated 1 to 5 within Sword Art Online. These ratings set the prices in Build a Character, so a $5 Speed pick really is one of the fastest.

CharacterTierStrSpdIntDurSkillCha
Kirito (Kazuto Kirigaya)S454454
QuinellaS345554
BercoliS444454
Subtilizer (Gabriel Miller)S444543
Asuna YukiA254355
Alice ZubergA344454
EugeoA343354
Yuki KonnoA253355
Heathcliff (Akihiko Kayaba)A335454
FanatioA343453
CardinalA135354
SchetaA343352
IskahnA543545
PoH (Vassago Casals)A344454
Sinon (Shino Asada)B234253
Leafa (Suguha Kirigaya)B353343
Llenn (Karen Kohiruimaki)B253344
PitohuiB344353
Eiji NochizawaB443342
RenlyB343343
DeusolbertB333442
LinelB243242
Sterben (Shoichi Shinkawa)B344342
Eldrie WolsburgB333343
FizelB243242
Dee Eye EllB134343
EugeneB433443
FreyjaB423442
Vixur Ul ShastaB334344
Klein (Ryotaro Tsuboi)C332345
Lisbeth (Rika Shinozaki)C323344
Silica (Keiko Ayano)C132234
Agil (Andrew Gilbert Mills)C423434
Fukaziroh (Miyu Shinohara)C233334
Sortiliena SerlutC334344
Argo (Tomo Hosaka)C245234
Tiese ShtolienenC233233
Ronye ArabelC233233
Alicia RueC233234
SakuyaC234244
M (Goshi Asogi)C424442
Seijiro KikuokaC225224
ClarenceC233333
ShirleyC223242
DiavelC333334
SiuneC134244
Lipia ZancaleC233233
Jushi XC233232
AzuricaC233243
AmayoriC442422
Johnny Black (Atsushi Kanamoto)C233231
CharlotteC334323
NoriC333344
DakiraC332332
Eva (Saki Nitobe)C333334
Recon (Shinichi Nagata)C233232
Tanya (Risa Kusunoki)C242233
GodfreeC332333
RilpirinC323333
Pale RiderC343342
SigurdC332331
JunC332444
Spiegel (Kyoji Shinkawa)C243232
Stica ShtolienenC243233
KuradeelC333331
GriseldaC233234
TalkenC333343
Aiko KonnoC234245
Tamotsu ShigemuraC322332
DyneC332331
KagemuneC333232
HoshigamiC442422
ThrymC423522
TecchiC422444
YuiD125115
Yuna ShigemuraD123225
SachiD223224
Selka ZubergD123123
PinaD132114
Natsuki AkiD223224
RosaliaD223223
Takeru HigaD115113
Rinko KojiroD115123
YulierD223223
Midori KirigayaD113113
KibaoD222223
SashaD113114
Nobuyuki SugoD113112
YolkoD123123
NishidaD113123
UrdD224314
AiryD112212
Kyoko YukiD114113
DuckerD122223
Shozo YukiD113113
KeitaD223224
ThinkerD114223
GrimlockD223231
KobatzD321321
TetsuoD222223
Minetaka KirigayaD112113
SadoreD213232
KurahashiD114114

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