You’re staring at a chest. You’ve got three options. The timer is ticking, the vines are closing in, and some guy with a fused Barbarian King is breathing down your neck. Do you take the Trader and try to farm your way to a win, or grab the Tank and pray you can find a vehicle before you get evaporated?
Honestly, the "meta" in Squad Busters right now is messy. Everyone thinks they know the best units, but half the players are still using strategies from six months ago. If you're still autopicking Chicken because you want "free speed," you're basically handing your gems to the nearest Mortis player.
January 2026 has flipped the script. Between the major "Squad Busters 2.0" hero overhauls and the recent arrival of legendary crossovers like Spike and Sonic, the power balance has shifted. It’s not just about who hits the hardest anymore; it’s about how your Hero Trait interacts with your squaddies.
The God Tier: If You See Them, Take Them
There are characters that are just fundamentally better than the rest of the roster. They don't require a specific "build" to be good. They just work.
Spike is currently the king of the mountain. I know, people love Archer Queen, but Spike’s area control is just disgusting right now. His cactus grenades don't just deal damage; they disrupt movement in a way that makes it impossible for enemies to kite you. If you’re playing in a tight map with lots of obstacles, Spike is an instant win.
📖 Related: Atlyss Mirror of Illusion: What Most People Get Wrong
Then you have Barbarian King. He’s the ultimate meat shield. But here’s the thing—his real value isn't his health. It’s the 15% (or 30% if you’ve leveled his traits) health and attack speed boost he gives to all your other Fighter units. You pair him with a fused Barbarian or a Shelly, and you’ve basically created an unkillable lawnmower.
Archer Queen is still S-Tier, but she’s more fragile than she used to be. You have to protect her. If she goes down, your ranged units lose that sweet 45% attack speed bonus, and suddenly your "god squad" is shooting Nerf darts.
Mortis is the dark horse that everyone hates fighting. Being able to revive defeated monsters as bats or giant bats turns every PvE encounter into a recruitment drive. By the final minute, a good Mortis player isn't even a squad anymore; they’re a literal army.
Why Your "Safe" Picks Are Actually Losing You Games
Let’s talk about the B-Tier and C-Tier traps.
Greg and Mavis. Look, I get it. You want to farm. You want to stay on the edges, chop some trees, pick some carrots, and mind your own business.
That works for the first two minutes.
But if you’re still holding 1-star Gregs in the final stretch, you are a walking loot box for the aggressive players. The current meta is fast. If you don't transition from "Farmer" to "Fighter" by the time the center mine opens, you’re done.
El Primo is another one. He’s great for the first thirty seconds because he can take a hit, but his "Intergalactic Slam" is so predictable. Any player with a half-decent Turbo management can just side-step it. He’s basically a target dummy with a luchador mask.
The Utility Secrets Nobody Talks About
If you want to actually climb the ranks, you need to stop looking at raw DPS and start looking at utility.
- Hog Rider is mandatory. I’m not joking. If you don’t have a Hog Rider or Max in your rotation, you can’t choose when to fight. In Squad Busters, the person who controls the speed controls the game. Hog Rider’s ability to recharge Turbo in grass is the only reason people survive the "Vines" modifier.
- The Trader "Expose." Most people think Trader is for F2P players who are scared of combat. In reality, a fused Trader is a gem-printing machine. If you can protect him, you don't even need to bust other players. You just exist, and you win.
- Wizard’s Double Spell. Carrying two spells is a massive advantage that people undervalue. Imagine holding a Heal and a Rage at the same time. It’s a total game-changer during that final chaotic scrum in the center.
How to Actually Build a Squad
Don't just pick the "best" character in a vacuum. You need a core.
If you start with Barbarian King, you are now legally obligated to pick every Barbarian, Shelly, and El Primo you see. You are building a melee wall.
If you start with Archer Queen, you’re looking for Colt, Bo, and Penny.
The biggest mistake I see? Mixing too much. If you have three ranged units and three melee units, you aren't getting the full benefit of your Hero Traits. You're just a jack-of-all-trades, master of getting busted.
The "January 2026" Reality Check
The game has changed since the 2.0 update. Your Hero is now the "heart" of your squad. If they die, it’s game over—literally. This makes Battle Healer and Pam significantly more important than they were last year.
Healing isn't just a "nice to have" anymore; it’s a requirement to keep your Hero alive while they're being targeted by five different spells.
Actionable Next Steps
- Audit your Hero Journey: Stop spreading your resources. Pick one Hero (ideally Barbarian King or Spike) and dump everything into their Trait levels. A Level 4 Trait is infinitely better than three Level 2 Traits.
- Practice the "3-Minute Pivot": Spend the first 3 minutes farming with Greg or Goblin, but the moment that timer hits 1:00, stop clicking on resource units. Force yourself to take a Tank or a DPS even if it's not fused.
- Watch the Blue Boxes: Most players ignore them in the mid-game. Those boxes guarantee Turbo. If you're out of Turbo in the final circle, you're a sitting duck.
The Squad Busters tier list is always evolving, but for now, the path to the top is paved with speed, synergy, and knowing when to stop picking carrots and start picking fights.