- Primary ranking: Use this guide to find the top companion buffs for your endgame setups.
- SS-Tier pets: Mini Gujo and Frost Wisp dominate the current meta due to utility.
- Obtainment route: Farm Summer Portals repeatedly to secure rare familiar drops.
- Key synergy: Pair damage-buffing familiars with main carries like Today's Strongest.
Introduction to Vanguard Familiars
In the latest Update 13.5 (Eternal Adversaries), Kitawari introduced a game-changing companion mechanic: Vanguard Familiars. Navigating this new system requires a clear understanding of which pets offer the best stat boosts, making a reliable anime vanguards familiar tier list essential for optimization.
These equippable pets follow your character in the lobby and provide passive bonuses to your entire squad during active stages. With 7 unique Familiars added in the summer update, choosing the right companion can significantly lower your clear times in Raids, Odyssey, and the newly added Summer Gamemode.
Familiars are equipped via the Profile menu. Unlike unit cosmetics, Familiars carry functional, passive modifiers that alter stats such as SPA (Seconds Per Attack), Range, and Critical Strike Chance for your deployed units.
Anime Vanguards Familiar Tier List: Rankings Table
The following rankings evaluate all 7 Vanguard Familiars based on their utility, stat boosts, and compatibility with current meta carries. The meta heavily favors cooldown reduction and crowd-control extensions over flat damage adjustments.
| Tier | Familiar Name | Base Buff Type | Utility Rating | Obtainment Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SS | Mini Gujo | SPA Reduction & Crit | 5/5 | Epic/Legendary Portals |
| SS | Frost Wisp | Freeze Duration & Slow | 5/5 | Nightmare Summer Portals |
| S | Mini Igros | Placement Cost Reduc. | 4/5 | Secret Portal Drop |
| S | Aqua Sprite | Range Boost & Wave Income | 4/5 | Summer Portal Clear |
| A | Flame Drake | Burn Multiplier | 3.5/5 | Tier 4+ Portals |
| A | Shadow Beast | Bleed Damage Modifier | 3.5/5 | Tier 3+ Portals |
| B | Gold Slime | Extra Gold per Wave | 3/5 | Standard Summer Portal |
Mini Gujo (SS-Tier)
- Top-tier DPS booster
- Reduces SPA by 4%
- Adds +5% Critical Strike Chance
Frost Wisp (SS-Tier)
- Essential for crowd control
- Extends stuns and freezes
- Crucial for Nightmare Portals
Mini Igros (S-Tier)
- Great for economy setups
- Decreases carry upgrade costs
- Simplifies early-wave defense
Mini Gujo is currently the strongest offensive Familiar. The 4% SPA reduction stacks multiplicatively with speed-oriented unit traits like Blitz and Monarch, offering a significant DPS increase for late-game carries.
Familiar Roles and Stat Analysis
Each Familiar serves a specific role. Understanding how their percentages interact with your units is key to choosing the correct pet. For instance, flat damage boosts are beneficial, but scaling stats like range and attack speed yield better results in endless game modes.
| Familiar Name | Range Boost (%) | SPA Reduction (%) | Damage Modifier (%) | Special Perk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mini Gujo | +5% | -4% | +8% DMG | Adds +5% Critical Strike Chance |
| Frost Wisp | +3% | None | +5% DMG | Extends Freeze/Slow effects by 1s |
| Mini Igros | None | -3% | +6% DMG | Lowers carry upgrade costs by 5% |
| Aqua Sprite | +8% | None | None | Boosts farm unit income by 4% |
| Flame Drake | None | None | +10% Burn DMG | Ignites enemies for small tick damage |
| Shadow Beast | +2% | None | +10% Bleed DMG | Triggers bleed explosions early |
| Gold Slime | None | None | None | Yields +8% extra Gold per wave |
The primary difference between A-Tier and SS-Tier companions lies in their scaling potential. While Flame Drake increases damage for burn-focused units like Renguko, it does not assist with crowd control or attack frequency.
Range boosts from Familiars apply to the unit's base range before trait multipliers are calculated. This makes Aqua Sprite highly effective for wide-area supports like Gujo (Infinity) or Demon Leader.
How to Obtain and Upgrade Familiars
Familiars are drop rewards exclusive to Summer Portals. These portals are obtained by clearing stages in the Summer Gamemode or purchasing them from the Event Shop during the Update 13.5 cycle.
| Portal Level | Familiar Drop Rate | Enemy HP Multiplier | Recommended Team Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1-2 | 0.5% - 1.5% | 1.0x | Level 30 - 45 |
| Tier 3-4 | 2.0% - 3.5% | 1.5x | Level 45 - 60 |
| Tier 5-6 | 5.0% - 7.5% | 2.2x | Level 60 - 80 |
| Nightmare | 10.0% | 3.5x | Level 80+ / Pre-made Team |
Obtain Summer Portals
Clear standard Summer Mode stages to earn low-tier portals.
Upgrade Your Portals
Use Portal Keys to upgrade your inventory to Tier 5 or Nightmare portals.
Prepare Your Team
Select a balanced team featuring strong single-target DPS and slow units.
Clear Within Time Limit
Defeat all waves before the timer expires to secure the drop table.
Portal Farming Checklist:
- Ensure you have at least one level 80 carry unit
- Bring a freeze support unit like Ice Queen (Release)
- Coordinate with team members to share portal hosting costs
- Clear inventory slots for potential Familiar drops
Familiar drops are RNG-based. Hosting a portal yields a slightly higher drop rate than joining another player's lobby, so saving your Portal Keys for high-tier host runs is highly recommended.
Optimal Team Pairings & Setup Strategies
To maximize the benefits of your Familiars, pair them with units that complement their passive buffs. A mismatched setup can waste valuable stats.
| Familiar | Best Evolved Unit | Synergy Reason | Performance Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mini Gujo | Today's Strongest | Amplifies raw AoE damage and critical hits | 5/5 |
| Frost Wisp | Ice Queen (Release) | Maximizes freeze lockdown on fast enemy waves | 4.5/5 |
| Mini Igros | Song Jinwu and Igros | Maximizes placement cost efficiency | 4.5/5 |
| Aqua Sprite | Demon Leader | Expands economy buff range across adjacent lanes | 4/5 |
When preparing for Boss Rush or floor progression in Worldlines, the optimal approach is to equip Frost Wisp if your team relies on slowing mechanisms, or Mini Gujo if you need to optimize your main carry's damage output.
In cooperative game modes, Familiar buffs do not stack if multiple players equip the same companion. Coordinate with your team so one player runs Aqua Sprite for economy, while others run offensive pets like Mini Gujo or Frost Wisp.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I equip more than one familiar at a time?
No, players can only equip one familiar in their active inventory slot to support their squad.
Q: Do familiars work on all units in my squad?
Yes, the passive buffs provided by familiars apply globally to all units deployed on the field.
Q: How does the anime vanguards familiar tier list determine rankings?
Rankings are based on utility, scaling stats (like SPA reduction), and how well the pets synergize with meta units in high-difficulty content.
Q: Are familiars tradable between players?
No, familiars are bound to your account and must be farmed directly from Summer Portals.
Check the official vanguards.gg changelog regularly. Companion systems are subject to balance updates that may alter stat percentages or introduce new tiers of familiars.