20 hand-picked combat Pals tiered S/A/B/C from a pool of 172 fighters, with counter callouts and game-stage badges. Tier order is anchored to live stats from pal-stats.json, so this guide cannot drift out of date when the game patches.
Every Pal in Palworld has three primary combat stats — HP, melee attack and shot (ranged) attack, and defense — plus a primary element. The game multiplies attack by an element multiplier when a hit lands (super-effective = ×1.5, resisted = ×0.5). That makes both raw stats and the element pairing matter: a B-tier Pal with an effective element often beats a higher-tier Pal whose attack is resisted. The tier table below captures both axes — raw combat score is the spine, the per-element table is the swing.
Tier order is anchored to a single transparent formula. We compute it for every Pal at build time and assert the picks below match their score band — if the data drifts (a patch nerfs an entry, or paldex renames a Pal), the build breaks rather than silently shipping stale rankings.
S-tier = legendary-rarity Pals (combat score ≥ 450). A-tier = top non-legendaries (≥ 420). B-tier = reliable mid-game picks (≥ 380). C-tier = early-game / budget picks that punch above their raw score because of element coverage or partner-skill utility.
See also the full sortable list at /palworld/tier-list/combat (138-row table, no commentary). This page adds the curation, counters, and stage layer that the data-only table doesn't.
Pick by element when prepping for a Tower boss or alpha hunt. The table below is computed live from the primary element of each Pal in pal-stats.json, ranked by combat score.
| Element | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neutral | Paladius 484 | Celesdir 405 | Fenglope 383 | Kingpaca 378 |
| Fire | Blazamut 469 | Incineram 422 | Reptyro 412 | Suzaku 404 |
| Grass | Wumpo Botan 422 | Mammorest 408 | Lyleen 401 | Vaelet 394 |
| Ground | Anubis 435 | Knocklem 432 | Warsect_Terra 422 | Gildane 417 |
| Electric | Azurmane 442 | Grizzbolt 405 | Fenglope_Lux 391 | Beakon 374 |
| Water | Suzaku Aqua 409 | Faleris Aqua 397 | Azurobe 380 | Penking 352 |
| Ice | Frostallion 494 | Bastigor 479 | Cryolinx 442 | Reptyro Cryst 424 |
| Dragon | Jormuntide 475 | Jormuntide Ignis 475 | Jetragon 452 | Astegon 438 |
| Dark | Frostallion Noct 512 | Necromus 492 | Shadowbeak 483 | Dragostrophe 457 |
| Tier | Pal | Score | Element | Stage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S |  Frostallion Noct | 512 | Dark | Endgame |
| S |  Frostallion | 494 | Ice | Endgame |
| S |  Necromus | 492 | Dark | Endgame |
| S |  Paladius | 484 | Neutral | Endgame |
| S |  Jetragon | 452 | Dragon | Endgame |
| A |  Shadowbeak | 483 | Dark | Endgame |
| A |  Bastigor | 479 | Ice | Mid |
| A |  Jormuntide | 475 | Dragon · Water | Mid |
| A |  Blazamut | 469 | Fire | Endgame |
| A |  Anubis | 435 | Ground | Endgame |
| B |  Wumpo Botan | 422 | Grass | Mid |
| B |  Incineram | 422 | Fire · Dark | Early |
| B |  Grizzbolt | 405 | Electric | Mid |
| B |  Suzaku | 404 | Fire | Mid |
| B |  Reptyro | 412 | Fire · Ground | Mid |
| C |  Vanwyrm | 371 | Fire · Dark | Early |
| C |  Direhowl | 335 | Neutral | Early |
| C |  Foxparks | 262 | Fire | Early |
| C |  Gobfin | 315 | Water | Early |
| C |  Lyleen | 401 | Grass | Endgame |
Passive skills stack multiplicatively up to four per Pal. The list below is the practical combat short-list; numbers match the community wiki and are stable across patches.
| Passive | Effect | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Musclehead | Attack +30% | Work Speed −50% — combat-only loadout |
| Ferocious | Attack +20% | None — universal S-tier passive |
| Lucky | Attack +15%, Work Speed +15% | Only rolls on alpha (boss) spawns — rare to find |
| Burly Body | Defense +20%, max HP +20% | Negligible — small loss of stamina recovery |
| Hard Skin | Defense +10% | None — common, easy to stack |
| Legend | Attack +20%, Defense +20%, Move Speed +15% | Legendary-Pals only — cannot be inherited through breeding |
Sources: palworld.wiki.gg/wiki/Passive_Skills, in-game tooltips.
Legendary, endgame catch.
Dark · CS 512
Frostallion's Dark variant — same Ice-tier defensive frame but the partner skill swaps attack-type to Dark and boosts Dark damage. Top combat-score Pal in the game on raw stats; flying mount included.
Counters: Jormuntide (Dragon/Water vs Dark)
Ice · CS 494
The Ice legendary. Ice typing is super-effective vs Dragon (the most common late-game element family), partner skill changes the player's attack to Ice while mounted. Also a flying mount.
Counters: Jormuntide Ignis (Dragon/Fire vs Ice)
Dark · CS 492
Half of the Twin Knights of the Mountain. Dark partner skill applies on-mount Dark damage; pair with Paladius for a balanced two-mount run. Endgame catch behind a hard boss fight.
Counters: Jormuntide (Dragon/Water vs Dark)
Neutral · CS 484
Necromus's Neutral counterpart. Higher base defense, Neutral typing means no element weakness — the safest mount for blind boss runs.
Counters: Frostallion Noct (Dark vs Neutral)
Dragon · CS 452
The fastest flying mount in the game (ride_sprint_speed 3,300). Aerial Missile partner skill turns you into a flying gunship. Catch via a level-50-area boss fight.
Counters: Frostallion (Ice vs Dragon)
Top non-legendary, endgame-ready.
Dark · CS 483
Dark flying mount with the highest combat score outside of legendaries. Modified DNA partner skill enhances Dark attacks on mount — the cleanest endgame mount-and-shoot for boss farms.
Counters: Jormuntide (Dragon/Water vs Dark)
Ice · CS 479
Ice tank from the Sakurajima update. Highest HP pool of any non-legendary; soaks tower-boss hits while your other team Pals DPS. No mount, no flier — pure beatstick.
Counters: Jormuntide Ignis (Dragon/Fire vs Ice)
Dragon · Water · CS 475
Dragon/Water — rare dual-element coverage. Rideable on water surfaces, hits hard against Fire targets, and chains decent Dragon AOE skills. Mid-Endgame staple.
Counters: Frostallion (Ice vs Dragon/Water)
Fire · CS 469
Fire-tier brawler. Mining Lv 4 means he doubles as a S-tier base worker when not deployed — uniquely useful in a small roster. Catch in the Mount Obsidian volcanic biome.
Counters: Jormuntide (Dragon/Water vs Fire)
Ground · CS 435
The mid-game combat backbone. Ground typing wipes the Electric Tower; comes with Handcraft Lv 4 + Mining Lv 3 for base utility. Single boss spawn in the Anubis Desert — predictable to farm.
Counters: Wumpo Botan (Grass vs Ground)
Mid-game reliable.
Grass · CS 422
Grass beatstick with surprising tankiness. Bonus Lumbering + Watering at base makes him pull double duty mid-game. Cheaper to reach than the Sakurajima legendaries.
Counters: Jormuntide Ignis (Dragon/Fire vs Grass)
Fire · Dark · CS 422
Fire/Dark dual-element — the best dual-typing in the rarity-4 bracket. Carries you from Lv 22 well into the mid-30s with above-curve melee numbers.
Counters: Jormuntide (Dragon/Water vs Fire/Dark)
Electric · CS 405
Top-of-line Electric. Slow but huge HP pool and Mossanda-style ride-and-DPS. Backbone for the Electric Tower clear and early Lifmunk farms.
Counters: Anubis (Ground vs Electric)
Fire · CS 404
Fire flying mount — the fastest aerial DPS before you reach Jetragon territory. Wings of Flame partner skill is the cleanest mounted-shooter combo at this rarity.
Counters: Jormuntide (Dragon/Water vs Fire)
Fire · Ground · CS 412
Fire/Ground tank. Slow on the ground but the Earth Emperor passive (Element Boost Earth +20%) makes him a B-tier choice that punches above the score band.
Counters: Jormuntide (Dragon/Water vs Fire/Ground)
Early/budget picks.
Fire · Dark · CS 371
The first reliable flying mount most players reach (Lv 21–25). Dual Fire/Dark element gives you a swing pick for two-thirds of the early bestiary. Still useful at endgame as a fast-travel scout.
Counters: Jormuntide (Dragon/Water vs Fire/Dark)
Neutral · CS 335
Early-game (Lv 5–15) sprint mount with a Fierce Fang partner skill. Catches you up to Lv 25 quickly through pure ground speed; outgrown once Vanwyrm unlocks.
Counters: Frostallion Noct (Dark vs Neutral)
Fire · CS 262
The Lv 3–6 starter Fire choice. Huggy Fire partner skill turns Foxparks into a flamethrower equip — single-handedly carries the Plateau of Beginnings and the first Tower fight.
Counters: Jormuntide (Dragon/Water vs Fire)
Water · CS 315
Water-typed party amplifier. Held-Pal passive gives +20% attack to the player and other Pals — easily the most-used C-tier slot in long boss fights.
Counters: Azurmane (Electric vs Water)
Grass · CS 401
Grass support with a healing partner skill. Not a top damage dealer but the only Pal in the C-tier roster that can keep your team alive during the level-30+ alpha hunts.
Counters: Jormuntide Ignis (Dragon/Fire vs Grass)
Combat splits three ways in Palworld — and the same Pal isn't always best for each. Pick by encounter type:
Tower bosses
Element-buffed mount. Pick a flier whose partner skill matches the tower's weakness — Ragnahawk for Ice Tower, Suzaku Aqua for Fire Tower, Frostallion Noct for Neutral Tower.
Alpha hunts
Highest-DPS rideable. Shadowbeak (Modified DNA) and Necromus dominate when you want the alpha down in two clips. Mounted, you bypass most ground AOEs.
PvP (raids, arena)
Meta is unstable. Top legendaries when allowed (Necromus, Jetragon, Frostallion Noct). Lobbies that ban legendaries shift to high-passive Anubis or Bastigor with Musclehead + Ferocious stacked.
For Tower boss farms and alpha hunts specifically, prefer a rideable combat Pal — mounted, you sidestep the boss's ground-AOE windows. Top picks (highest combat score among rideable Pals):
Run them through the tower bosses guide (level + weakness per tower) for the cleanest clear order.
Four levers stack on top of the species pick:
Sources: in-game stats from games/palworld/data/pal-stats.json (combat score, element, rarity), counter lookups from games/palworld/lib/counter-pals.ts, passive numbers cross-checked with palworld.wiki.gg/wiki/Passive_Skills. Tier picks audited 2026-05-28.
