Characters (Espers) Guide

Overview

Playable characters in Neverness to Everness are called Espers. Each Esper is a person who gained supernatural abilities after exposure to an Anomaly, a mysterious phenomenon that reshapes reality across the city of Hethereau. Every Esper is defined by four attributes: an element, a class rank, a faction affiliation, and a combat role. The current confirmed roster includes 15 S-Class and 6 A-Class characters, for a total of 21 playable Espers. Players can obtain Espers through the gacha system, story progression, pre-registration rewards, or in-game milestone systems like City Tycoon.

This guide covers every confirmed playable Esper, their combat roles, how to acquire free characters, and the fundamentals of team building around elemental reaction lanes.

Full Character Roster

The following table lists all 21 confirmed playable characters with their class, element, role, and faction affiliation. Characters are grouped by class rank, with S-Class listed first.

The count of 21 is not the launch figure. Global launch on April 29, 2026 shipped a confirmed roster of 17, and every Esper added since has been S-Class, so the A-Class count of six has not moved. Chaos arrived in Version 1.1, Shinku and Iroi in Version 1.2, and Zankou in Version 1.3.

One further Esper has been announced but has not released. Linko, an S-Class Anima Esper who fights alongside an anomaly partner named Xiaozhen, was revealed on the Version 1.3 preview broadcast as the Phase 2 featured character, arriving on September 9, 2026 with her Arc Voice of the Voyager. Her banner name, exact date, and combat role come from broadcast coverage rather than a published patch note, so treat them as provisional until the in-game announcement is up. She is not counted in the 21 above. Four S-Class Espers joined after launch and changed how several lanes are built. Chaos is a Lakshana main DPS whose weapon shifts across the combo between a scythe, a greatsword, and a firearm. Shinku is a Cosmos main DPS built around her Surging Crimson transformation. Iroi is an Anima healer who folds survivability and a damage buff into one slot. Zankou is an Incantation main DPS who swaps between a Reality Form and an Illusion Form, spreading damage-over-time effects between targets and converting a large share of her output into follow-up attack damage.

S-Class Espers

S-Class Espers are the highest rarity tier. They feature complex kits with unique mechanics and typically form the core of competitive team compositions. S-Class characters are obtained primarily through limited-time banners in the gacha system, though a few are given for free.

Several S-Class characters stand out for specific content. Nanally excels as a passive DPS whose follow-up attacks trigger automatically whenever teammates strike an enemy. Daffodill specializes in breaking boss stagger bars, striking targets so the team can pile on burst damage. Baicang has one of the highest damage ceilings in the roster, but his kit demands careful HP management and precise combo timing. Jiuyuan compresses the DPS and healer roles into one slot, attacking from range while healing the party. Hathor is the roster's primary energy battery, generating energy for the team while dealing Lakshana damage through her Blade Wings. Hotori uses time manipulation to provide healing and replay teammate attacks for bonus damage.

A-Class Espers

A-Class Espers are easier to obtain and fully awaken through duplicate pulls. When invested in, several A-Class characters rival S-Class picks in their niche, making them strong options for both new and experienced players.

Adler is widely considered one of the most versatile characters at launch. His kit provides teamwide shields and applies damage-over-time effects, delivering both defensive and offensive value with minimal setup. Skia can transform into a pool of shadow and pass through enemies while dealing constant Lakshana damage, then ignites the shadow with his lighter for burst AoE. Mint attacks with rapid dual-blade combos and can generate tornado-style attacks for multi-target damage. Edgar provides area healing but requires teammates to stay within his healing zone, making him stronger in fights where the boss stays relatively stationary. Haniel provides Psyche element coverage and team support as a budget alternative to Fadia. Aurelia, previously known as Mitsuki during beta testing, is the newest A-Class Psyche addition. Her full kit details are pending the first content update.

How Characters Are Obtained

Espers can be acquired through several methods. The primary acquisition method is the gacha system, but free-to-play options ensure every player starts with a functional team.

Gacha System

Most S-Class and A-Class Espers are obtained through the gacha system. S-Class characters appear on limited-time featured banners with a pity system that carries over between banners. A-Class characters appear on both featured and standard banners, making them easier to pull and awaken through duplicate copies.

Free Characters

Three Espers can be obtained without spending premium currency, giving every player a functional starting roster before pulling on any banners.

• Esper Zero (M or F variant) is the protagonist and your starter character, available from the very first mission. Players can swap between the male and female forms after completing the "In the Reflection" side quest.

• Haniel was distributed as a pre-registration milestone reward. She is a Psyche-element Esper affiliated with Sterry Express and also becomes available through the tutorial for players who join after launch.

• Chiz can be earned by reaching level 18 in the City Tycoon system. He is a Cosmos-element Rhythm DPS affiliated with Pink Paws Bank, making him accessible to every player through normal gameplay progression.

City Tycoon Rewards

The City Tycoon system functions as a business management minigame that rewards players with premium currency, materials, and at level 18, the S-Class Esper Chiz. This is the only way to obtain Chiz outside of the gacha system.

Character Class Differences

All playable Espers are classified as either S-Class or A-Class. This designation affects their base stats, kit complexity, and acquisition difficulty.

A fully awakened A-Class Esper can rival or even outperform an under-invested S-Class character in their specific role. Do not dismiss A-Class characters simply because of their lower rarity designation.

Element Distribution

The six elements in Neverness to Everness are Cosmos, Anima, Incantation, Chaos, Psyche, and Lakshana. Each element is represented by at least two characters in the confirmed roster.

Cosmos has the most representation with five characters, while the Chaos element is now the only one still stuck at two. This means players building teams around Chaos reactions have the fewest options and should prioritize pulling Chaos characters when they appear on banners.

Team Composition Basics

Teams in Neverness to Everness consist of four Espers deployed together. The Esper Cycle system lets you swap between active characters mid-combat, and each swap can trigger an elemental reaction. The core principle of team building is to plan your reaction lane first, then fill the remaining slot with whatever utility the lane needs.

Reaction Lanes

A reaction lane is a two- or three-step elemental combo built from adjacent element pairs. The six elements form specific reactions when applied in sequence:

Advanced players can trigger trio reactions by layering two reactions on the same target simultaneously. For example, Discord activates when a target is affected by both Nova and Scorch at the same time, shredding a portion of the boss's break meter.

Trio Reactions

Layering two duo reactions on the same target at the same time triggers a trio reaction. Trios sit on top of the duos that built them, so the duo effects continue running for their normal duration even after the trio resolves.

Full Element Coverage

To access every reaction lane, a player needs characters from all six elements. With the current roster of 21 characters, building a diverse roster is essential. Free characters cover Cosmos (Esper Zero, Chiz) and Psyche (Haniel), so new players should prioritize pulling characters from elements they lack, particularly Chaos which has the fewest representatives.

Fourth Slot Flexibility

After selecting three characters to form a reaction lane, use the fourth slot to address whatever your core trio lacks. If you have no healer, slot in Fadia or Jiuyuan. If you struggle with boss stagger bars, bring Daffodill for break damage. If your rotation feels slow, Hathor provides the energy generation needed to keep ultimates cycling. This flexible fourth slot is what separates a good team from a great one.

For detailed composition recommendations, reaction lane breakdowns, and endgame optimization, see the Team Building Guide and the Combat System article.

Character Roles

Every Esper fills one or more combat roles that determine how they contribute to a team. Understanding these roles is essential for building balanced compositions that can handle both regular encounters and demanding boss fights in the Co-Ex Test and Encroachment content.

Unconfirmed Characters

Several additional characters have appeared in beta recordings, promotional materials, or datamined files but have not yet been officially confirmed as playable Espers. Their kits, elements, and release timelines remain unknown. The following names have surfaced in community discussions:

Until official confirmation from the developers, treat all information about these characters as speculative. Their abilities, rarity, and availability are subject to change before release.

Life Skills Overview

Each Esper carries one or two non-combat Life Skills that activate while the character is assigned to the matching City Tycoon role. Skills in the Management group buff dish prices, ingredient consumption, and shop traffic; Others-group skills cover Sea Angler, Swift Travel, and auction systems; Vehicle and Bond have one skill each in the launch roster.

Zankou is the one exception: her Life Skill assignment has not been published, so she is absent from the table above rather than listed with a guess.

Level 80 Stat Comparison

Base HP, ATK, and DEF for every confirmed Esper at the current level cap of 80. These values are the raw character stats before Awakening, Console Modules, Cartridges, or Arc weapons modify them, so they show the underlying balance differences between roles. Aurelia's Lv80 stats are not included since she remains beta-only.

Tips for New Players

• Focus on one Main DPS character early. Spreading resources across too many Espers slows your overall progression through Hunter Level milestones.

• Do not underestimate A-Class characters. A fully awakened Adler or Skia can outperform an under-invested S-Class Esper in their respective roles.

• Claim Chiz from City Tycoon level 18 as soon as possible. He fills the Cosmos DPS role for free and pairs well with Anima characters for the Blossom reaction.

• Check each character's life skills before investing. Some Espers provide valuable out-of-combat utility for cooking, exploration, or the Wanted System.

• Save gacha currency for limited-time S-Class banners rather than spending on the standard pool. The pity system carries over between featured banners.