Arcs are one of the most direct ways to push your characters' damage output in Neverness to Everness, but with over 30 options already in the pool at launch, picking the right ones is far from obvious. Some Arcs work in any team, any fight, any situation. Others demand specific element cycles or party compositions just to activate their bonuses. This tier list breaks down every Arc from best to worst so you can stop guessing and start equipping.
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What are Arcs in Neverness to Everness?
Arcs are equippable items that provide stat bonuses and special effects to your characters. They vary widely in effectiveness, with top-tier options delivering strong damage boosts and useful utility, while lower-tier picks often offer only basic single-stat increases. The core question when evaluating any Arc is simple: does it work broadly, or does it need very specific conditions to do anything useful?
Two principles drive every ranking here. First, raw attack damage increases rank higher because they require fewer specific Element cycles to activate and still deliver excellent stat gains. Second, Arcs with effects that are easier to trigger, such as party-wide buffs or debuffs that apply to both mobs and bosses, rank above those with narrow activation conditions.
NTE arcs selection screen
Arcs that work on both mobs and bosses without needing specific element setups will always serve you better than niche picks, especially when you're still building out your roster.
Arcs Tier List
The table below covers all ranked Arcs.
S-tier arc stat breakdown
S-tier Arcs: What makes them the best?
S-tier Arcs deliver the best combination of damage output and utility in the game. These Arcs provide excellent damage boosts that work in any scenario without needing specific Element cycles to fire. The six Arcs sitting here, Blow up the Crowd, Ready-Ready, Fluff of Ferocity, Your Happiness is Priceless, Marching Beyond Time, and The Last Rose, are your first priority when gearing your strongest damage dealers.
The Survival role also gets representation at S-tier. Arcs that provide the best survivability for characters filling that role land here too, meaning S-tier is not exclusively a damage-dealer category.
If you're building a damage-focused character, S-tier Arcs should be your target before spending resources on anything lower. The gap between S and A is real.
A-tier Arcs: Strong with the right setup
A-tier holds 12 Arcs, and the defining trait across all of them is that they come with extra conditions. A-tier picks have specific element requirements or team composition checks that you need to meet before their full effectiveness kicks in. They're not weak, but you cannot drop them on any character and expect maximum returns.
Raging Flames, Song of the Whale, Youthful Fantasy, and Tears Beneath the Mask are among the standouts here. If your team already runs the right elements or roles to satisfy an A-tier Arc's conditions, these can perform close to S-tier in practice. The Fluff series also splits across tiers, with Fluff of Fearlessness, Fluff of Fleetness, and Fluff of Finesse all landing in A-tier while Fluff of Ferocity sits one step higher.
B-tier Arcs: Workable but situational
B-tier Arcs require even more deliberate team building to get value from. These need specific tinkering with your team setup and game plan to maximize effectiveness. That is not a death sentence, but it does mean you should only reach for B-tier picks when you have a team already designed around their conditions.
Hethereau's Keeper, Contemplative Cat, and Time Bandit are the more recognizable names here. Fluff of Fortitude also appears in B-tier, placing it below the other Fluff variants. If you're short on S or A-tier options for a specific character, B-tier Arcs can fill the gap, but treat them as temporary solutions.
Equipping B-tier Arcs on your main damage dealer without meeting their activation conditions wastes a slot. Check the Arc's specific requirements before committing.
C-tier Arcs: Skip these where possible
C-tier Arcs offer limited utility compared to every tier above them. The source describes them as often providing only basic, single-stat bonuses such as increased attack or HP, without the meaningful secondary effects that make higher-tier Arcs worth equipping. Thirteen Arcs sit here at launch, including Camellia Society, Mind Royale, Shiny Days, Be Happy, and Dangerous Game.
That said, early in the game you may not have access to S or A-tier Arcs yet. A C-tier Arc that boosts raw attack is still better than an empty slot. Just replace them as soon as better options become available.
C-tier arc comparison panel
How should you prioritize Arc upgrades?
Focus your upgrade resources on S-tier Arcs first. Since they work without element-specific conditions, any investment you put into them pays off across every fight and every team you build. A-tier Arcs are worth upgrading once you know your team composition is locked in and the Arc's conditions will consistently be met.
For B and C-tier Arcs, hold off on heavy investment unless you have no better options. Resources in NTE are limited early on, and spending them on a C-tier Arc you'll replace in a few hours is a loss you can avoid.
Arc availability is tied to banners and drops, so your access to S-tier Arcs may depend on what you've pulled. Prioritize upgrading the best Arc you actually own, not the one you're hoping to get.
For more strategies and character builds across the full NTE roster, browse more guides on GAMES.GG to keep your team optimized as the game continues to expand.