Success in Halo Wars 2 means choosing the right Leader for the job, and that can be difficult given the differences inherent to each when it comes to everything from resources to attack and defense tactics. As is typical with strategy titles of this ilk, balance is everything, which means acquainting yourself with each Leader’s particular traits is of paramount importance.
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343 Industries has implemented a number of tweaks over the last three years in an attempt to balance the Leaders out, and this list attempts to reference the most up-to-date values currently in play. Read on to find out how we’ve ranked every Halo Wars 2 Leader, from worst to the absolute best.
16 Arbiter (D-Tier)
As far as DLC Leaders go, the Arbiter has been somewhat of a letdown. Subsequent balance tweaks have drastically reduced his effectiveness in mid-to-late missions, primarily due to focus on offense with nothing in the way of support or tactical abilities.
Because the character is so lopsidedly unbalanced, players will be forced to spam his Rage ability almost continuously in order to achieve any sort of effective ground strategy. This might work in the interim, but it’s far less advantageous later on.
15 Shipmaster (D-Tier)
The Shipmaster is another support leader who has a lot going for him in terms of teleporting units away from danger, but he’s not nearly as effective at offensive rushes as his abilities and units suggest.
This Leader is also difficult for some players to effectively master, perhaps given his lack of full-on offensive strength. Sometimes charging forth unabated is the best strategy, rather than trying to save every unit on the map.
14 Voridus (C-Tier)
Voridus is one of the weakest Banished Leaders to play as, if not the entire game. His toxic liquid-based attacks are intriguing, but rarely applied effectively in battle. This is a shame given his interesting contingent of units which gives the impression that he would be one of the stronger Leaders in the game.
Maelstrom might be effective during a heated battle with many units on screen, but it’s a one-trick pony. Cataclysm on the other hand fares a bit better, as it lights up infused units to increase overall damage output.
13 Pavium (C-Tier)
Pavium is another character who has suffered from gameplay tweaks and balances over the years, turning him from one of the most promising Leaders of the game to a much-maligned one.
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At first glance, his abilities seem incredible, including Mega Turret, Ring of Fire and Pavium’s Stand, but this particular Leader seems lopsided in favor of a support character, rather than an offensive one. This makes it hard to progress.
12 Kinsano (C-Tier)
Morgan Kinsano started out as a highly effective and strong unit in Halo Wars 2, but over time she’s fallen by the wayside into subpar territory despite her pyrotechnic abilities and attacks.
While fire is her asset, it’s hard to turn it into an effective element on the battlefield. She has a few neat abilities up her sleeve including Firestorm Battle Group and Inferno, but the latter’s inability to harm air units is a glaring weakness against oncoming forces.
11 Serina (B-Tier)
Serina represents another AI entity in the game, but she suffers from the same generic set of abilities and strengths as Isabel, with little to differentiate her apart from other Leaders.
Her field of expertise is Cryo technology, and this is represented in some definitely handy abilities such as Cryo Drop and Glacial Storm, the latter of which drops a cryogenic charge that leads into a prolonged ice storm. Her ability to freeze units and structures can buy her some time while inflicting chill damage.
10 Isabel (B-Tier)
The AI Isabel is a nice alternative to Cortana, but she’s an overall generic Leader in Halo Wars 2 without a lot to differentiate herself in a fight.
Her signature standout ability is Ghost In The Machine which allows her to commandeer enemy vehicles for 20 seconds, which is handy to counteract a full-fledged strike by enemy forces. Beyond that, she’s rather meat and potatoes.
9 Sergeant John Forge (B-Tier)
Forge is a strong Leader in Halo Wars 2, but he’s hampered by the slow speed of his Grizzly units which leave other units open to direct retaliation by faster ground forces, or air-based attacks. This is especially problematic on larger maps.
His Rolling Economy ability is a good starting point when it comes to building however, as are some of his more offensive abilities such as Vehicle Drop and Grizzly Battalion.
8 Sergeant Johnson (A-Tier)
Johnson is another Leader who benefits greatly from unlocked abilities as the game progresses, especially ones such as EMP MAC Blast and Bunker Drop. This allows him to beef up his units and keep them within striking distance of enemy forces.
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His Mech-based unit approach is especially handy in a fight, especially when paired with his Mech Overcharge ability which give power and speed boosts to those units, along with temporary invulnerability.
7 Captain James Cutter (A-Tier)
Captain Cutter becomes a force to be reckoned with as the game progresses and his level increases, giving him a number of drop-related abilities that can quickly overwhelm opponents and prevent them from gaining any traction.
His Archer Missile ability is crushing against both units and structures, while his ODST Assault Group ability tosses in veteran units, an M9 Wolverine and a Scorpion tank onto the battlefield.
6 Colony (A-Tier)
Colony focuses on commanding very tough front-line units, giving them a brute force advantage. Their Tier 5 Devastating Host ability can be a nightmare against opponents trying to hold the line, while their Battle Hardened ability allows units to gain veterancy at an accelerated rate.
They’re also no slouch when it comes to defense either, with strong emphasis on healing techniques and range/armor buffs for vehicles and structures.
5 Atriox (A-Tier)
As many Halo fans know by now, Atriox runs the Banished who were first introduced in Halo Wars 2, and have since gone on to become the main antagonists of the upcoming Halo Infinite. His Leader style revolves around a strong defense, to prepare for a brutal offense.
In peak form, Atriox’s Eradication and Unbreakable abilities alone can devastate the battlefield. The former fires eight glassing beams that converge on targets with crushing impact, while the latter makes all units invulnerable to damage for 7 seconds.
4 Professor Ellen Anders (A-Tier)
Anders is one of Catherine Halsey’s most gifted students, and with an IQ of 180, she’s bound to cause quite a stir on the battlefield! Her Sentinel Network and Retriever Sentinel abilities are handy, but it’s her regular abilities that make her so tough.
Her cheap unit and upgrade costs give her an advantage in ground-based combat, which can be quite troublesome for players opting for a direct-line assault. This forces them to rely more on air superiority to stand a chance of overwhelming her.
3 Decimus (S-Tier)
General Decimus helped run the Banished alongside Atriox in the early days of the campaign, and although he didn’t survive long enough to make an appearance in the upcoming Halo Infinite, his legacy is one of fear and intimidation against opposing enemies.
His Boundless Siphon ability gives all his units a permanent boost in battle, while Boundless Fury bumps up their speed and damage output. This combination tips the scales drastically in Decimus’ favor, making him one of the most effective Leaders in the game.
2 Yapyap The Destroyer (S-Tier)
Yapyap’s principal skill involves constant, never-ending harassment of enemy forces using a combination of unit and weapon drops, as well as cheap unit production that can be used to overwhelm.
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His seemingly inexhaustible supply of grunt units makes it very difficult for opposing players to counter, which puts heavy emphasis on defense against his tactics. He may not be the most charismatic Leader, but he’s outrageously effective.
1 Jerome-092 (S-Tier)
As leader of the Spartan Red Team who battled the Covenant during the evacuation of Arcadia, Jerome-092 is perhaps second only to the Master Chief himself when it comes to tactical efficiency and sheer combat strength.
His Enduring Salvo and Mastodon abilities can quickly turn the tide in a prolonged battle, while others such as Field Promotion can bump up non-veteran units to veteran 1 status.
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