The current meta in Shape of Dreams revolves around survivability, cooldown manipulation, and damage uptime. While all Travelers are viable with the right setup, some scale better into endgame and offer more flexibility when essence RNG is unkind.
This Shape of Dreams Tier List ranks the best Travelers based on their late-game consistency, synergy potential, and overall impact in solo and co-op runs.
Shape of Dreams Tier List – Best Travelers Ranked
| Tier | Traveler | Archetype | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | Vesper | Melee Tank | Dominates maps with stuns, sustain, and AoE burst |
| S | Yubar | Ranged Mage | Cooldown loop nuke machine, massive boss killer |
| A+ | Aurena | Melee Support | Modular build = endless sustain and flexible support |
| A | Lacerta | Ranged Attacker | Burn-focused crit sniper with huge map clear |
| B+ | Mist | Melee Duelist | High skill cap fighter, great in 1v1 but risky |
S Tier
Vesper – Tank-DPS Hybrid That Steamrolls Late-Game
Vesper feels like a boss in his own right. Once his build comes online, he turns into a self-sustaining, AoE-stunning powerhouse. His toolkit—especially Cruel Sun, Mercy of El, and Resolve—lets him melt through packs of enemies while healing and shrugging off damage. His synergy with Arrow Storm, Umbral Edge, and Hysteria means his damage scales automatically with attack speed and gold investment.
Throw in essences like Virtue, Wealth, Divine Faith, and Clemency, and you have a Traveler that’s almost unstoppable in deep runs.
Why he’s S Tier:
- High burst AoE
- Constant healing and stun procs
- Shop loops and passive scaling with Wealth
Best For: Solo clears, Hunter farming, endless zone runs
Weakness: Needs ramp-up and gold for full value
Yubar – Looping Mage That Turns the Screen Into a Meteor Storm
Yubar plays like a ticking time bomb. Once you’ve activated Tranquility and specced into Stellar Flow, he enters a spell loop mode where you’re firing Supernova, Ethereal Influence, and Cataclysm almost non-stop. His autos bounce thanks to Converging Stars, and essence builds around Wind, Twilight, Momentum, and Divine Faith make sure nothing lives long.
But Yubar is fragile. You’ll need to master Flicker timing and avoid overcommitting in high-threat zones. In return, you get top-tier burst and boss deletion potential.
Why he’s S Tier:
- Spell-looping through cooldown manipulation
- Long-range AoE nukes
- Late-game synergy with damage scaling essences
Best For: Boss killing, fast clears, spell-focused players
Weakness: Very squishy, reliant on positioning
A+ Tier
Aurena – The Modular Support That Never Falls Off
Aurena’s build is modular by design, meaning even if you only get a few pieces, she still works. Early on, she can heal and shield through Spiral, Clemency, and Golden Burst. Later, she scales into Glacial Core, Starfall, and Divine Faith, letting her passively deal damage, heal, and generate shields while rarely casting.
In co-op, she shines as a battle medic. In solo, she holds her own thanks to on-hit healing, auto shields, and essence-triggered bursts.
Why she’s A+ Tier:
- Works with partial builds
- Tons of defensive utility
- Scales with Glacial Core and Divine Faith kills
Best For: Co-op players, support mains, tanky solo setups
Weakness: Low burst, weak if healing is debuffed
A Tier
Lacerta – Fire-Focused Sniper With Burn and Crit Loops
Lacerta brings the boom. With Quick Draw, Incendiary Rounds, and Salamander Powder, she unleashes constant burn damage that procs crit explosions across the map. She works well with Essence of Sulfur, Charcoal, and Wind, and gains even more value when paired with Glaciation and Flaming Whip.
Lacerta is a great pick for players who want strong wave clear and like to play from a distance. Her AoE damage shines on normal maps, but she struggles when cornered.
Why she’s A Tier:
- Strong fire synergy with crits and AoEs
- Excellent clear speed
- Great for Wealth farming via Essence procs
Best For: Map clearing, burn builds, safe ranged DPS
Weakness: No innate defense, struggles in tight spaces
B+ Tier
Mist – High-Skill Melee Duelist With Counterplay Tools
Mist is a fast, reactive melee attacker who rewards tight spacing and good instincts. Her Flèche, Parry, and Unbreakable Determination allow for agile repositioning, damage trades, and clutch healing. With constellations like Lightning Breath and Two Hearts, she can outmaneuver most enemies—but she lacks crowd control and sustain outside her ult.
If you want to feel like a fencing master dodging death, Mist is perfect. But if you misstep, she folds quickly.
Why she’s B+ Tier:
- High damage potential in skilled hands
- Parry and dash tools offer great mobility
- Extremely fun to play when mastered
Best For: Duelists, reaction-based players, fast melee
Weakness: No AoE, punishable if you miss time Parry or ult
Best Traveler in Shape of Dreams
Vesper – The Safest, Strongest, and Most Scalable Pick
If you’re starting out or planning to climb deep into late-game floors, Vesper is the safest overall pick. He offers damage, healing, AoE, and sustain, all in one package. His build doesn’t rely on rare memories or high-risk rotations—just smart positioning and essence upgrades.
He works in every team comp, thrives solo, and becomes a walking fortress with a full build. While other Travelers may out-damage him in specific scenarios, no one else is as complete or reliable.
Runner-Up: Yubar, if you prefer all-out burst and spell loops.
Shape of Dreams is designed for expressive builds—every Traveler is viable if you’re creative with your essences and play to their strengths. But when it comes to pure consistency, Vesper and Yubar lead the meta, while Aurena holds the crown for flexible support scaling.