Best characters?

[PkMystic]

Out of the twelve could anyone list the most useful characters ( from best to worst ) for solo, and for co-op?

[BOYKISSER 9000]

My list
Monk - Great DPS (Hero boost and Tower boost) and Aura Builder support.
Summoner - Using his own defend unit (Share with other summoner).
EV - Tower buff Beam.
Squire/Countress - Long range Harpoon and Blockade can be decent DPS with active skill.
Apprentice/Adept - Elemental Tower but kinda useless without Drain strength Aura from Monk.
Jester - Great DPS. Use ANY weapons, can hold 2 weapons at once but useless tower.
Ranger/Huntress - Trap and Range attack
The rest

[pew pew pew]

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[Caimen]

It has been a LONG time since I've done anything below Moraggo on Nightmare, so I'll only speak to the very late Nightmare tiers

Solo:

Tier 1:
Tower Monk / Initiate, Series EV, Summoner, DPS Jester

The Monk / EV / Summoner tower combination is a necessity for all lategame Nightmare maps. If you do not have these 3 as tower builders you will not make it far.

The Jester is an incredible utility class during wave. Capable of strong DPS with all 4 weapon types, the highest native casting rate in the game, as well as the ability to damage all enemies and heal all towers.

Tier 2:
DPS/Boost Monk, Barbarian, Tower Huntress / Ranger

When solo, the DPS monk rips through every boss with ease once you get the right gear. (basically once you get a Mega Chicken) The Barbarian makes several fights very easy. Specifically, the Genie King, Old One, and the Goblin Battlecruiser.

The traps that Huntress puts down are great for helping to kill off goblins, and gas traps stop Djinn from desummoning your buff beams. Very useful towers, but not as necesssary as

Tier 3: Tower Squire / Countess, DPS Series EV, Ranger / Huntress

Harpoons, while only a staple on King's Game and Volcanic Eruption, have found use as a filler tower in many campaign and survival maps alike for their ability to output damage.

DPS Series EV has one strong point, and that is ripping apart damage sponge bosses, capable of downing even the Akatiti Jungle boss in under 10 seconds with Proton Charge Blast. Any other use of the class, however, is subpar at best. Huntress and Ranger excel at taking on any map where Cupid is a boss, very effectively able to utilise long range weapons to down him very quickly.

[Corrin]

The simple answers without so many filler words:

-your basic endgame (nightmare) characters will be summoner, EV, and monk, with a few stages requireing a huntress or squire

-for both solo and co-op, squire/apprentice are good ways to go

-if someone you're playing with builds physical defenses, just about anyone can be a great addition

but if you're playing the campaign and have a party of 4 let people pick whatever they want, it'll be more fun that way