Garena Free Fire: The 24 Best Characters, Ranked

Key Takeaways

• Play as unique characters in
  Garena Free Fire
  for personalized gameplay experiences.
• Master abilities of characters like A124 to strategically disable enemy skills for an advantage.
• Use DJ Alok’s Drop The Beat ability for quick healing and speed boosts during intense battles.

With PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds and its mobile counterpart PUBG Mobile being some of the best battle royale games on the market, it makes sense for other devs and publishers to try and capitalize on their popularity. As a result, Garena and its Garena Free Fire quickly took the mobile gaming world by storm upon its release in 2019 – and it remains ever-popular to this day.

Interestingly enough, Garena Free Fire does have a few nifty features that set it apart from counterparts such as PUBG and PUBG Mobile. For instance, Free Fire has the option to let players choose a character as a basis for their avatar, and this certainly adds a certain layer of flexibility to personalizing in-game characters. The following are the best Garena Free Fire characters.

Updated on September 24, 2024, by Rhenn Taguiam: With the ESL Snapdragon Pro Series Season 5: Brazil Open gearing up to be Free Fire’s biggest tournament of the year, fans of the battle royale might be anticipating quite a lot of hype surrounding the event and any potential freebies coming their direction as players of the Garena title. However, players hoping to build enough of a skillset to go pro might want to practice using some of the game’s best characters – especially if they and their friends want to start climbing through the ranks in the battle royale’s high-octane matches. Some must-tries include a user of an exploding spider drone, someone whose full EP results in a more aggressive toolkit, a healing specialist, and someone who can constantly slow down foes.

24 Ryden

Punish Opponents Who Try To Secure Locations

Introduced in the battle royale as a tech geek whose knowledge about inventions transcends even experts of the time, Ryden spent most of his life under the protection of his sister Suzy. However, his new gadgets now allow him to brave the dangerous battlefields of Garena Free Fire gameplay – all thanks to his Spider Trap. When activated, Ryden releases a spider trap he can stop within a certain period. Once deployed, the spider waits for an opponent who wanders within its 5-meter activation radius.

Upon activation in the battle royale gameplay, the spider clings to the target and explodes – dealing -80% Speed and -10 HP/s for 4 Seconds. This trap-based bleed effect can be extremely effective as a defensive setup, especially if Ryden and his team prefer camping in locations. Ryden can also set up his spider near chokepoints or in areas where enemies can come. With the right baiting, Ryden can make quick work of slowed enemies who are suffering from bleed.

23 Lila

Slow Down Enemies For Strategic Flair

Parkour girl Lila from La Luna City seems like a typical active gal at first glance, but her gameplay in Garena Free Fire allows her to be among the more tactical long-ranged units that can support heavy-hitting team plays. A key part of her arsenal is her Passive Ability Gloo Strike, which comes into play when she uses a Rifle. Hitting a target will slow them down for three (3) seconds, with vehicles slowed by 50% and enemies slowed by 30%. While the ability has a 10-second cooldown in between affected targets, Gloo Strike also has a nifty secondary ability: knocking down an enemy slowed by Gloo Strike will freeze them and give Lila a free Gloo Wall.

This multifaceted nature of her Passive allows Lila players to take advantage of more defensive plays in the battle royale gameplay. While the ability restricts players from becoming Rifle users, Lila’s long-ranged plays and the defensive perks of a Gloo Wall-heavy build allow players to rely on more precise gunplays instead of risky spray-fire builds.

22 Kairos

Break Through Defense

Beneath the mask of Kairos and his rather edgy skull-themed vest is a Garena Free Fire character built to instill fear into his opponents. The gameplay of Kairos in the battle royale relies heavily on his Defense Breaker ability, where a Defense Mode Passive will constantly regenerate 2 EP per second and stop until it’s full. When this happens, Kairos enters a Breaker Mode, where all his attacks inflict 120% damage to the Shield Points and Armor Durabilities of the enemy team.

Such an ability can make Kairos an effective team leader to debilitate enemy formations. While Kairos will likely not see much use in the early stages of a match due to weaker armor and weapons, Breaker Mode will be quite important in the latter parts of the battle royale. When timed properly, Kairos can activate Breaker Mode right before engaging opponents – either breaking their defenses head-on or crushing them from the flank to secure the kill.

21 Kassie

Get A Constant Healer In A Team

While the aesthetic of Kassie as a character in the battle royale title treads the line between quirky protagonist and volatile antagonist, her gameplay in Garena Free Fire makes her a must-have for players who want to take support roles more seriously. Beneath her rather tattered trenchcoat and sporty interior is a neuroscientist with a particular obsession with electroshock therapy. This is reflected in Electro Therapy, an ability that allows Kassie to constantly heal 3 HP to herself or an ally within 20 meters (Basic Therapy), although this is non-stackable.

If players need more healing firepower, they can tap again (Focused Therapy) to restore 100 HP to the target, with the target auto-triggering when an ally is below 50 HP but at 50% less efficacy. Kassie’s healing-focused toolkit makes her an indispensable part of a unit lacking a self-sufficient support unit.

20 Orion

Crimson Energy Absorbs Damage, HP

Lifesteal isn’t a regular mechanic in a traditional battle royale, making Orion in Garena Free Fire quite a menace to deal with, provided players know how to use him. Presented with quite the menacing appearance, Orion is perfect for players who love getting in the heat of the battle while the rest of his team provides covering fire.

Orion’s specialty in the frontlines is due to Crimson Crush, something he can only trigger once he converts his AP into Crimson Energy. He starts with 300 Crimson Energy, and activating Crimson Crush costs 150. Crimson Crush happens in two stages: the first one is a 3-second damage invulnerability that also won’t let Orion attack, while the second stage is a lifesteal that gives Orion 45 HP from the nearest opponent in 5 meters – essentially a close-range attack.

Orion: Encourages More Brutal Engagements

Orion’s invulnerability-with-lifesteal forces enemies to either confront him to eliminate him quickly or suffer the consequences of a constant aggressor. The 3-second invulnerability secures Orion’s protection against grenades, vehicles, and fall damage, allowing him to pursue enemies with ease. Triggering his lifesteal also forces enemies to get out of cover, forcing them to fight him. Orion users need to be careful with Crimson Crush’s energy requirements and short duration, making him unideal in prolonged fights.

19 Sonia

Reward Risky Plays With Shields

White-clad Sonia provides an air of sophistication among Free Fire characters with her business attire, and her toolkit incentivizes getting into the thick of battle even at the risk of dirtying her corporate suit. As a Nano Scientist, Sonia specializes in using nanobots to protect her in combat – an ability transformed into gameplay through her Nano Lifeshield.

This ability only triggers when Sonia catches a hit that ordinarily should knock her down. Instead, her Nano Lifeshield triggers an invulnerability state for 0.5 seconds before giving her a 150 HP shield that lasts for 3 seconds. This emergency maneuver must be maximized to kill an opponent, lest Sonia gets fully knocked down. Should she win, she gets 151 HP healed or the remainder of her Shield healed for her.

Sonia: Get More Rewards Out Of Risky Plays

Sonia’s shield incentivizes rushdown plays, especially when catching enemies off-guard on flanks or attacking them head-on. It’s especially important for Sonia to get close to them before she triggers Nano Lifeshield, as enemies can simply run away from her and render her ability useless. The closer Sonia is to an enemy, the more beneficial Nano Lifeshield becomes as she can catch them much faster and kill them. Even if she gets knocked down, the damage she can deal here can be enough for the rest of the team to finish the engagement.

18 Luqueta

Soccer Star Gets HP For Kills

A soccer star holding a gun and mowing down on his opponents is a crazy image that Luqueta conveys for Free Fire, and yet he carries a unique allure that just makes it work. Through his Hat Trick, Luqueta has the potential to become one the tankiest aggressors in the game. At its core, Hat Trick can give Luqueta a boost to his Max HP whenever he kills an opponent. This limit caps at 230 HP.

While Antonio possesses a similar ability, Luqueta is more useful as his HP gain stacks, whereas Antonio only gets his bonus when the round starts. This essentially incentivizes aggressive combat, as Luqueta can dominate firefights simply by having more HP in his kit. Ideal teammates are other healers, such as Jota that incentivize HP gains when using guns and knocking down foes.

Luqueta: Get Tankier When Engaging In Fights

Luqueta can rise to the top of firefights when players use him appropriately and with the right team. Taking over duels and eliminating enemies quickly can help Luqueta tank the rest of the fight with his HP advantage. In the latter stages of the game, Luqueta can become bait or even lead the charge against stronger foes – potentially outlasting and outgunning them even if they have better gear.

17 Moco

Aggressive Scout For Rushdown Teams

With Free Fire maps having a vastness similar to those of Fortnite‘s stages, it’s unsurprising for players to look at a tracker like Moco and understand her potential as a scout. When unlocked, Moco’s Enigma’s Eye allows Moco to “tag” opponents she hits. This reveals their location for up to 5s, making her a force to reckon with as soon as enemies engage her in combat.

Should Moco complete her Awakening Missions, the Enigma’s Eye has an Awakened form that boosts the duration of tags to 6.5s. Despite the 1.5s tracking increase, the vast areas of Free Fire can make this additional time valuable when tracking mobile targets.

Moco: Never Lose The Enemy Location

The rarity of active trackers in Free Fire can make Moco an immediate asset to teams. Players who are able to unlock her can pair her with aggressive teams that can get relentless in tracking down enemies that Moco tags. Alternatively, Moco can also become the more aggressive tracker of a passive team, tagging opponents and assessing whether their destinations are safe enough for a firefight.

16 Luna

Fast-Firing Combatant Perfect For Beginners

Compared to other characters in the mobile battle royale, Luna is among the playable heroes with a passive skillset. Her primary ability Fight or Flight gives her a boost in movement speed and weapon firing rate when activated, incentivizing bursts of aggression on the battlefield. Hitting an enemy converts part of the firing rate boost into a movement speed buff, encouraging Luna users to become more mobile assets on the battlefield.

This toolkit can motivate newcomers to the game to learn how to be more aggressive in firefights instead of pushing for a more passive gameplay. Understanding how enemies fight in duels can lead to more skillful plays when using other characters.

Luna: Get A Much-Needed Aggression Boost

It’s important to remember that Luna’s movement speed boost is directly taken from her existing firing rate buff, making her toolkit a matter of finding a balance on the fire rate boost to hit harder and only going mobile when receiving the buff. This aggressive playstyle makes Luna an ideal teammate with the likes of healer Skyler or even the armor penetration of Hayato.

15 Skyler

Gloo Wall Damage, Heals Can Limit Skill Usage

Gloo Walls are an incredible source of defense in Free Fire, especially since this non-damaging explosive creates a wall that gives cover against bullets. While this can be annoying to players who have to cross Gloo Walls to kill enemies, CEO-superstar Skyler has just the right tools to eliminate the competition.

Courtesy of his Riptide Rhythm, Skyler can unleash a sonic blast that destroys up to five Gloo Walls within 50 meters. Not only that, but Skyler also gets 4HP back whenever he deploys a Gloo Wall in the game, incentivizing more defensive builds.

Skyler: Defense Is The Best Support

It’s unsurprising for a CEO like Skyler to want to protect his interests, with his Gloo Wall-focused Riptide Rhythm allowing him to capitalize on these defensive measures in the game. At its core, his ability to damage opposing Gloo Walls while gaining HP from his own deployments incentivizes more proactive play. Skyler’s destructive capabilities make him a debuffer for the team, allowing his more destructive teammates to kill faster.

14 Maxim

Fast Consumption Only Works If Players Have Items

As with other battle royale games, Garena Free Fire gives players access to a wide variety of consumables such as Med Kits and Mushrooms to give them a temporary advantage in combat. The thing is, players can’t exactly consume these items while moving around, leaving them vulnerable to attack if they eat these foods in the wrong places. Thanks to Maxim, players can greatly reduce this risk.

With Maxim, players get access to his Character Ability named Gluttony. As the name implies, this ability gives players an advantage when it comes to eating their consumables. When triggered, Gluttony grants as much as a 10-percent reduction in the time it takes to use Med Kits and other consumables. However, players need to be wary that eating still leaves them open to attack, something that Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodline makes use of with health-restoring vampiric bites that also leave players vulnerable during the feeding process.

Maxim: Smarter, Faster Plays

Courtesy of Gluttony, Maxim’s reduced eating time and Med Kit usage might seem counter-productive when engaging foes in the heat of battle. Maxim encourages more strategic plays – striking only when necessary and always having escape options. Maxim’s faster eating time should incentivize players to gank or score third-party kills, run away and recover, and repeat the process. However, players need to get consumables as a priority, as Maxim’s skill only works when players have something to eat.

13 Hayato

Higher Attack At Lower HP Puts Players At Risk

Intense combat is often what it takes to define a battle royale player’s strategy – are they more prone to secure safety by retreating, or do they take the risk and push for the extreme offense? In the case of Shimada Hayato in Garena Free Fire gameplay, his gameplay approach encourages players to go for extraordinary measures, giving players the risk of being killed earlier in exchange for stronger offense – something similar to the aggression-oriented Shadow Royale of Apex Legends.

With Bushido, players controlling Hayato get a whopping 10-percent decrease in HP. In exchange, players can get as much as a 9.5-percent boost in armor penetration, practically encouraging players to go on the offensive whenever encountering enemies in combat. His character is perfect for players in love with aggressive approaches.

Hayato: Pain Is Power

Players who enjoy risky maneuvers may enjoy using Hayato’s Bushido skill. After all, at max level, he gains a 10% boost in armor penetration whenever he loses 10% health. Moreover, when Awakened, Bushido can reduce frontal damage taken up to 3.5% per 10% health lost, giving him some form of resistance. When played properly, a backup healer or support unit securing Hayato’s survival can transform the character into a juggernaut, piercing through enemy defenses and killing them even at the brink of death.

12 Homer

Single-Target Stun Not Efficient Against Teams

Compared to other characters featured in Garena Free Fire gameplay, Homer has a more sophisticated look compared to the more combat-friendly units. This seems deliberate, as his techy appearance is linked to his leadership in one of the most prominent tech gangs in Griza. When used in the brutal battle royale of the shooter, Homer’s Senses Shockwave can turn the tide against a tough opponent, especially against players used to the brutal gameplay of Bloodshore.

When used, Senses Shockwave releases a drone to the nearest opponent in front of Homer. Upon reaching the target, the drone releases a shockwave that not only deals 25 damage to the opponent but also inflicts debuffs. The target hit by Senses Shockwave suffers a 35-percent reduction in firing speed and a 60-percent reduced movement speed for five seconds. Despite its short duration, five seconds can be a difference between a team surviving or dying in an encounter.

Homer: Phasers Set To Stun

Drone-toting Homer can use Senses Shockwave to not just deal damage but also reduce a target’s movement and firing speed. This equivalent of a pulse concussion should give Homer players enough time to either gain distance and escape or find a better vantage point to eliminate enemies faster. When used correctly, Homer can jump the gun on foes and kill them before they’re able to recover or even distract them long enough while his backup rushes for the kill.

11 Wukong

Camouflage Has A Skill Curve

Sometimes, players in battle royale games need to play dirty to win a match – and a lot of times, this means catching enemies by surprise and killing them before they get to react. This can come in a lot of forms, such as sniping or even ambushing, but thanks to Wukong, Free Fire players can get wild with another idea: disguises.

Thanks to his Camouflage ability, Wukong can transform into a bush for ten seconds but has the drawback of a 40% movement speed reduction. Not only that, but this also has a 250-second cooldown at the base level that Wukong can reset for each kill. While ten seconds seem a bit too short, players who love their stealth games know this is more than enough time to creep up on an unsuspecting team and introduce them to the business end of their weapons.

Wukong: Secure The Kill, Secure Invisibility

Using Wukong’s Camouflage transforms Free Fire into an item hunt game, albeit for the short term. Wukong’s Bush form can last up to 15 seconds, meaning players should use the monkey god once they spot enemies rushing in their direction. While the skill does come with a lengthy cooldown, takedowns reset it completely. When done correctly, Wukong can rush an enemy, reset his cooldown, and turn back into a bush to confuse their opponent’s backup or wait for nearby players.

10 Xayne

Shield Breaks Leave Much To Be Desired For Offense

Shields and protections remain an active component in Garena Free Fire gameplay, with various characters offering numerous defensive approaches designed specifically to prolong their survival. For players who want to gain an edge against others who rely heavily on defense, Xayne is definitely the operative for them.

Key to her skillset is her Character Ability, Xtreme Encounter. Thanks to this skill, not only does Xayne get an extra 120 HP temporarily, but she also deals extra damage to shields and Gloo Walls. When used effectively in other games like Fortnite, it can spell disaster for building-focused players. Xayne can tear through enemy defenses quickly and ensure the enemy cannot fall back to a more advantageous position.

Xayne: Break Shields For The Team

Essentially the equivalent of a tank, Xayne’s Xtreme Encounter should provide her with enough firepower to blast through Gloo Walls while still packing defenses to outlast the competition. Her playstyle relies heavily on cornering foes by eliminating their protective options, ruining their timing, and allowing teammates to finish the job much faster.

9 Alvaro

Players of any battle royale game know that a throwable explosive can dish out enough damage to wipe out teams when used properly, and Alvaro and his love for explosives is a match made in heaven for those players. Serving as the game’s demolitions expert, Alvaro has the right tech to make sure that the player’s explosives are deadlier than ever.

He does this through his Art of Demolition, which not only gives explosives a 10% damage boost but also gives their explosive range a 7% boost. This increases the potency of grenades due to the ability to affect a greater area, making more offensive plays viable for aggressive teams.

Alvaro: Boom All The Way

Explosives become the best weapons in the game in Alvaro’s hands, especially when Art of Demolition not only increases damage by 20% but also adds 10% to their explosive radius. When used properly, Alvaro players will enjoy wreaking havoc on large battlefields, especially when players are at an all-out war to gain high-level gear. With the right teammates, Alvaro can enjoy a bit of risk while dishing out much higher damage with grenades.

8 Dimitri

Pure Healing With Self-Revive Sacrifices Offensive Potential

Created in collaboration with real-life DJ Dimitry Vegas, Garena Free Fire gameplay features a character known as Dimitry. While not necessarily a famous DJ, the world of Free Fire has Dimitry as a renowned sound engineer. Such was his passion for music that his sounds could quite literally improve the lives of others – something the battle royale makes use of via Healing Heartbeat.

Through Healing Heartbeat, Dimitry can create a 3.5-meter healing zone that affects his allies. Not only does this help Dimitry’s team heal for 3 HP per second, but downed users can use self-recover to get up instead of seeking assistance. These benefits can make Dimitri the perfect agent for a player new to battle royales.

Dimitri: The Healing Aura

Dimitri’s chill white outfit exhibits calmness in the worst of situations, with Healing Heartbeat transforming him into one of the best support units in the battle royale. This skill’s 3.5-meter healing aura should be enough space to help allies get up on their feet with 3HP/s healing and free self-recoveries. When used correctly, Dimitri could be on standby with this ability in vantage points so much faster scouts can retreat for a quick heal before rushing back to combat.

7 Clu

Tracing Steps Helps Aggressive Teams Find Enemies Quickly

Aggressive players know that missing an enemy is an invitation to be taken down in a fierce counterattack, so players on the offense are always on the prowl for moving opponents. Clu is the character suited for the job, as this private detective has all the means to track enemies moving around her.

She does this courtesy of the Tracing Step ability, which gives her a 50-meter radius that pings all opponents who aren’t in squat or prone positions. This is nifty for an aggressive team, as Clu can pinpoint where enemies are roaming around waiting to be ambushed. She can also help augment the abilities of other recon agents by securing targets with her unique parameters.

Clu: Running Is A Risk

When this Carmen Sandiego-esque character activates Tracing Steps, it’s Clu’s turn to ask “where” her opponents are. Essentially a twist on abilities of Apex Legends characters Bloodhound and Crypto, Tracing Steps will locate nearby enemies who aren’t squatting or crouching. This ability also extends to teammates, allowing allies in other positions to jump the gun more efficiently on unsuspecting enemies rushing towards certain points in the map.

6 Jota

Lifesteal On Hit Encourages Aggressive Playstyles

Practically speaking, players don’t necessarily need to be careful in a battle royale if all their opponents are dead – but this is usually a mentality reserved either for sweaty players or extremely aggressive ones. Thankfully, Jota can help make this playstyle extremely viable since his gameplay essentially encourages mayhem over caution.

It’s thanks to his Sustained Raid that all of this is possible, as it allows him to gain a small amount of HP whenever he shoots down an enemy. Not only does this incentivize proper aim, but it also encourages extremely risky – yet rewarding and fun – gameplay strategies, such as third-partying an ongoing firefight or outright ambushing foes. After all, gaining health after shooting an enemy is an instant reward.

Jota: Essential Lifesteal

Thanks to Sustain Rounds, Jota becomes a highly recommended offensive character in Free Fire. Inspired by Joe Taslim, Jota’s combat-oriented ability will recover HP based on damage dealt and knockdowns. This straightforward buff encourages players to become more aggressive, especially since hits recover their HP. When done correctly, surprise attacks from Jota should net him easy kills and free recovery without taking in much damage.

5 Captain Booyah/K

EP Manipulation Boosts Overall Survivability

It’s the concept of EPs that makes Free Fire wildly different from other battle royales, especially since this allows players to use EP to heal HP without needing recovery items – provided they earn enough EP, that is. Not a lot of characters can augment the way EP works in the game except for Captain Booyah, whose abilities maximize EP-to-HP recovery.

Thanks to his Master Of All ability, his EP total gets 50 more points, allowing him to raise his EP to as much as 250. Not only that, but he can also switch between two modes to boost EP potency in a variety of ways. Under his Jiu-Jitsu Mode, all allies within six meters get a 500% boost in EP conversion rate. Meanwhile, he can heal as much as 3 EP per second through Psychological Mode, allowing him to constantly stock up on EP.

Captain Booyah: Energy Is Key

When players use K or Captain Booyah, they obtain one of the best medics in the game. Instead of outright healing allies, Captain Booyah’s Master of All gets constant EP Conversion while K himself can enjoy faster EP Recovery or higher Max EP. Master of All, coming in three sub-skills, allows players to hyper-optimize K’s gameplay, letting him become a self-sufficient one-man army or an effective medic.