Top 20 Rares (2025 Update) in Raid: Shadow Legends

Building a new RAID: Shadow Legends account in the Free-to-Play 2025 Challenge has completely shifted how we are viewing the top rare champions of 2025. Some previously hyped rares no longer feel worth investing in, while newer additions have proven to be game-changers.

This top 20 rare champions list ranks the best rares to build on a fresh account, based on early-game usability, long-term potential, and overall impact. Plus, I’ll go over 10 honorable mentions that are still worth considering. Let’s dive in!

20. Boughsmith Flannan

• AoE Decrease Speed (100% chance, small version).
• Mini Ally Attack, Extra Turns, and Stuns add up to decent damage and great crowd control.
• Great for early Fire Knight, Faction Wars & any wave-based content.

19. Treeshield Knott

• Triple-Hit A1 (huge for taking down the Fire Knight’s shield) & Healing.
• Can revive two dead allies with decent survivability, which is exceptional for a rare.

18. Denid the Tusk Knight

• 25% teamwide Strengthen Buff (the only rare to have it, and even amongst epics only Morag can equal him.)
• Decent Provokes for Faction Wars.

17. Frozen Banshee

• Amazing single-target poisoner (and brings the rare Poison Sensitivity debuff).
• Clan Boss, Dragon, and normal Ice Golem MVP.
• In our opinion, newer rares and recent updates (relics, blessings, etc.) have lowered her tier list position relative to the past.

16. Selinia Nightcloak

• Best Rare HP Burner, with some nice AoE damage to boot.
• Great for Hydra, Sand Devil, & Faction Wars.

15. Petrifya Rockroot

• Better version of Frozen Banshee (equally great poisoner, but also brings Decrease Defence and AoE damage).
• Great for Clan Boss, Dragon, Ice Golem and Faction Wars.

14. Galek

• The weakest starter champion, but still a fantastic AoE damage dealer.
• His Decrease Defence debuffs are unreliable and you should be bringing other champions with it instead.

13. Elhain

• • The 3rd ranked starter champion, she’s also a fantastic AoE damage dealer.
  • Very high base speed is strong in arena.
  • She has two AoE attacks, but lacks the 15% increased crit chance on her best one that other starters have.
  • Maintains value late-game by gearing in a stun set for Doom Tower secret rooms.

12. Athel

• • The second best starter champion, Athel brings great single-target benefits on top of big AoE damage.
  • Her A1 is very consistent at placing 25% Weaken which is a very difficult debuff to find elsewhere.
  • Her A1 is also a triple-hit which helps take down the Fire Knight’s shield.

11. Kael

• The best starter champion.
• His Poison debuffs add a huge amount of damage to early-game Demon Lord, Chimera, Dragon and Ice Golem progression.

10. Gnarlhorn

• Best Rare AoE Provoker (100% on a 3-Turn Cooldown).
• Amazing Crowd Control for Doom Tower, Faction Wars and even Hydra.

9. Paragon

• Permanent Unkillable Cheese (For Nightmare Campaign and Doom Tower bosses) thanks to 2-turn duration on a 2-turn cooldown.
• Lets you beat otherwise unbeatable content.
• Poison set or Deflection set and/or Warmaster are needed for Doom Tower bosses or you will run out of turns.
• Don’t put him as a solo arena defence; that’s just evil.

8. Reliquary Tender

• Full-Team Cleanse on a 3-Turn Cooldown with additional Continuous Healing (invaluable for Nether Spider & Faction Wars).
• One of the few rares with a Revive, though it is quite weak.

7. Soulbond Bowyer

• 100% turn meter reduction on a 4-turn cooldown is incredible for Spider and Fire Knight.
• AoE A1 is incredible against multiple enemies.
• Continues to be amazing late-game in a stun set for Doom Tower secret rooms.

6. Warmaiden

• 100% AoE Decrease Defense (on a 3-Turn Cooldown) is the most important debuff in the game.
• Farmable from Campaign (easy to get and easy to book).

5. Prosecutor

• Only rare with AoE 30% Decrease Speed (sadly, it’s only a 75% chance to land; or 80% with the correct masteries.)
• Triple-hit A3 with Heal Reduction is amazing for Fire Knight.
• Double-hit A1 with Turn Meter Reduction is great for Fire Knight, Spider and Dark Fae.
• Very similar to the starter champions, but Spirit affinity.

4. Apothecary

• Only rare with teamwide 30% Increase Speed  + Turn Meter Fill.
• Great Single-Target Healing.
• Great stats for a support.
• Triple-hit A1 is fantastic against the Fire Knight’s shield.

3. Pain Keeper

• Reduces ALL Ally Cooldowns by 1 Turn (vital for certain Clan Boss and Iron Twins speed tuned teams).
• Great Healer for early progression.

2. Renegade

• Best rare Reset Champion (2-Turn Cooldown Reduction).
• No epic alternatives exist; you need to pull legendaries such as Prince Kymar or Yumeko to improve on Renegade.
• Essential for speed farming in Dungeons and Doom Tower.

1. Coldheart

• Unquestionably the best rare in the game!
• MVP for killing all Dungeon and Doom Tower bosses thanks to her A3 (Enemy MAX HP Damage + 100% Turn Meter Depletion).
• Makes Fire Knight and Spider infinitely easier thanks to a 4-hitter A1 and her A3.

1. Bulwark
   • HP Burn, Weaken (small version) and debuff extension makes him solid for Clan Boss.
   • If pulled very early, he’s worth building.
2. Coffin Smasher
   • HP Burn & AOE Damage Reduction = great early Clan Boss champ.
   • A1: 50% Decrease Attack is very useful.
3. Judge
   • Great damage dealer with Turn Meter Boosts.
   • Arguably too similar to the starter champions.
4. Geargrinder
   • Best single-target rare reviver (outside of events).
   • Great for Faction Wars.
5. Doomscreech
   • Massive 30% Turn Meter Boost + Increase DEF (but low base speed).
   • Arena specialist.
6. Ironclad
   • Passive turns healing into AoE damage.
   • Fun gimmick champ with Toxic or Stun sets but not a must-build.
7. Marked
   • Block Debuffs + Increase DEF (on a 3-turn cooldown).
   • Awkward to use in Clan Boss due to 1-turn block debuff.
8. Heiress
   • Best rare cleanser for Clan Boss speed tunes.
   • Only useful if running a Demytha unkillable team.
9. Fellhound
   • Fastest brutal campaign farmer in the game.
   • Luxury pick (not needed for early progression).
10. Bellower

• AOE attacks on all abilities.
• MVP for Faction Wars thanks to his SPD aura.