The first time you slot Jetragon into your base, it seems like the right call — it’s a legendary Dragon with the fastest sprint speed in the game. An hour later, you’ll find it wandering crop plots it cannot harvest, contributing nothing to your production line.
That’s the core problem with standard Palworld tier lists: they treat combat power and base work value as the same thing. They’re not. Jetragon carries 140 Shot Attack, 3,300 sprint speed, and a homing missile Partner Skill — S-tier by every major ranking. Its only work suitability is Gathering Lv.3, which means common early-game Pals outperform it as a base worker.
This guide splits the ranking in two. The combat list tells you what to bring to Tower Bosses and raids. The base work list tells you what belongs in your production slots. Then it identifies the dual-use Pals that rank S-tier on both — those are the highest-priority catches in the game.
Verified on Palworld v0.7.3 (April 6, 2026). No Pal stat or work suitability changes since before v0.7.1 (January 22, 2026). Rankings are current.
How This Split Tier List Works
Standard Palworld tier lists use a blended score that averages combat and base performance into a single letter. That approach buries the most useful information. Anubis is SS-tier combat and Handiwork Lv.4 — one of the best Pals in the game on both axes. Jetragon is S-tier combat and essentially useless at base. A blended score obscures both facts.
The split approach uses two separate scales. Use the combat list when deciding which Pals to take on raids and boss attempts. Use the base work list when assigning Pals to production slots. Cross-reference to find the dual-use champions — Pals that appear on both lists. Every slot a dual-use Pal fills is doing two jobs simultaneously, which compounds over hundreds of hours of play.
Tier labels: S = competitive endgame, A = strong and reliable, B = useful in specific roles. Below B means better alternatives exist for the same job.
Combat Tier List: S-Tier Fighters (v0.7.3, April 2026)
Combat performance combines base attack stats, movement speed, Partner Skill damage, and passive skill ceiling. The meta has been stable since the v0.7.1 melee weapon buff (January 2026), which slightly reduced the standing of saddle-mounted Partner Skill Pals. The S-tier picks below are consistent across community rankings and verified stats.
| Pal | Combat Strength | Partner Skill | Base Work | When NOT to Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jetragon | 140 Shot Attack, 3,300 sprint speed, Legend passive (+20% Atk/Def, +15% Move Speed) | Aerial Missile — homing missiles while mounted | Gathering Lv.3 only | As a base worker — one suitability, negligible output |
| Shadowbeak | S+ on multiple combat rankings; top Dark-type Partner Skill damage output | Dark Force — mounted Dark damage boost | None documented | Any base production role |
| Necromus | S+ combat; high attack, fast movement; best alongside Paladius | Dark Lance — mounted charge attack | None documented | Standalone base slot |
| Paladius | S+ combat; Neutral-type; pairs with Necromus for DPS coverage | Holy Lance — mounted charge and barrier | None documented | Without Necromus in the team |
| Anubis | SS-tier combat on every major list; consistent across all community rankings | Guardian of the Desert — ground slam AoE | Handiwork Lv.4, Mining Lv.3, Transporting Lv.2 | Nothing — dual-use champion |
| Jormuntide Ignis | SS-tier combat; Fire-type; Legend passive boosts damage significantly | Volatile Flame — mounted Fire damage boost | Kindling Lv.4 | Nothing — dual-use champion |
| Frostallion | S-tier combat; Ice-type; Legend passive | Ice Steed — mounted Ice damage boost | Cooling Lv.4 | Nothing — dual-use champion |
| Orserk | S-tier endgame combat; Electric-type; strong late-game scaling | Ferocious Thunder — Thunder damage boost | Electricity Lv.4 | Nothing — dual-use champion |
A-tier honourable mentions: Grizzbolt (Electricity Lv.3 + multiple work suitabilities + reliable combat), Cryolinx (Cooling Lv.4 + moderate combat damage), Astegon (Mining Lv.4 + A-tier fighter). These are the next step down when S-tier Pals aren’t accessible yet.
Base Work Tier List: S-Tier Workers by Type (2026)
Effective base coverage means having at least one Lv.4 specialist for every work category you’re running. Palworld has 12 work suitability types. The table below shows the highest-rated option per type — and whether that Pal brings combat value with it.
| Work Type | Lv.4 Options | Best Pick | Combat Viable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindling | Jormuntide Ignis, Blazamut Ryu | Jormuntide Ignis | Yes — SS-tier combat |
| Watering | Jormuntide, Neptilius, Faleris Aqua | Jormuntide | Yes — S+ combat |
| Planting | Lyleen only (no alternative at Lv.4) | Lyleen | Limited combat |
| Electricity | Orserk, Azurmane | Orserk | Yes — S-tier combat |
| Handiwork | Anubis, Selyne, Bellanoir Libero, Splatterina | Anubis | Yes — SS-tier combat |
| Gathering | Frostallion Noct only at Lv.4; all others cap at Lv.3 | Frostallion Noct | A-tier combat |
| Lumbering | Celesdir (top Lv.4 option) | Celesdir | Moderate |
| Mining | Blazamut Ryu, Astegon, Knocklem | Knocklem | Yes — S-tier combat |
| Transporting | Wumpo, Wumpo Botan, Knocklem | Knocklem | Moderate combat |
| Cooling | Cryolinx, Reptyro Cryst, Loupmoon Cryst | Cryolinx | Moderate combat |
| Farming | Mau Cryst (milk), Sibelyx (cloth), Kelpsea (fluids) | Depends on resource needed | Minimal |
| Medicine | Bellanoir Libero, Bellanoir | Bellanoir Libero | Yes — S-tier combat |
Two monopolies that shape every base: Lyleen is the only Pal in the game with Planting Lv.4 — no substitutes exist for maximum farming output. Frostallion Noct is the only Pal with Gathering Lv.4; every other Gathering specialist caps at Lv.3. If you’re targeting 100% base efficiency, both are mandatory catches with no workaround.
The Dual-Use Champions: S-Tier at Combat and Work
These Pals break the usual trade-off. They rank among the game’s strongest fighters and carry Lv.4 work suitabilities. Every slot one of them occupies runs two jobs at once — that efficiency compounds across hundreds of play hours, and it’s why these are the highest-value catches regardless of your playstyle.
1. Anubis — The best all-rounder in Palworld. SS/S+ combat on every major ranking, Handiwork Lv.4 for maximum crafting speed, Mining Lv.3, and Transporting Lv.2. If you only grind for one Pal from this list, grind for Anubis. It removes the crafting bottleneck that slows every base while remaining viable for every raid you’re running.
2. Jormuntide Ignis — SS/S+ combat plus Kindling Lv.4. Your smelting furnaces and cooking stations run at maximum efficiency while this Pal stays raid-ready. The Legend passive makes it one of the highest-damage Fire-types in the game on top of the base utility.
3. Jormuntide — S+ combat plus Watering Lv.4. The water counterpart to Jormuntide Ignis. Berry plantations and irrigation run at peak speed while it doubles as an S+ raider. Just as high-value as Ignis once your base scales to watering-heavy production.
4. Orserk — S-tier endgame combat plus Electricity Lv.4. Electric generators require continuous staffing at high base tiers. Orserk handles generator duty and remains viable in raids — the only Electric-type that genuinely pulls double duty at this level.
5. Knocklem — S-tier combat plus Mining Lv.4 plus Transporting Lv.4. A rare triple-role Pal: it fights, mines at maximum level, and moves resources at maximum level. Hard to obtain but one of the highest-efficiency investments for a late-game base.
6. Bellanoir Libero — S-tier combat plus Medicine Lv.4 plus Handiwork Lv.4. If your base runs medical production lines, this handles them at maximum speed while maintaining full combat readiness.
Starter Pack: Three Dual-Use Pals That Cover the Most Ground
If you can only target three Pals for dual-use efficiency, these cover the most critical base categories while all staying S-tier in combat:
- Anubis — Handiwork + Mining + combat raids
- Jormuntide Ignis — Kindling + combat raids
- Orserk — Electricity + combat raids
Between these three, you cover crafting, smelting, electricity, and partial mining — four of the most production-critical base operations — while maintaining S-tier combat capability in every slot. All three scale well with bred passives (Artisan, Work Slave, Legend) at endgame.
Which Pal to Catch First: A Player-Type Guide
| Player Type | First Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| New player | Anubis | Handiwork Lv.4 solves the crafting bottleneck that slows every new base; stays useful in the combat you’re already doing |
| Casual player | Jormuntide Ignis | Kindling Lv.4 is the single highest-payoff base unlock for mid-game smelting and cooking speed |
| Hardcore optimizer | Shadowbeak or Necromus first, then Anubis | Min-max combat damage first; fill base gaps with dual-use picks in parallel — don’t conflate the two goals |
| Completionist | Frostallion Noct | The only Pal with Gathering Lv.4 — required for 100% base efficiency, no substitute exists |
For a full Palworld progression walkthrough covering base building milestones, Tower Boss sequencing, and how the breeding system stacks passive skills for endgame, see our Palworld Beginner’s Guide 2026.
FAQ
Is Jetragon worth catching if I mainly play solo?
Yes — but combat use only. With 140 Shot Attack, 3,300 sprint speed, and the Legend passive granting +20% Attack and Defense, Jetragon is the fastest, hardest-hitting mount in the game. Keep it in your combat rotation and never station it at base. Its only work suitability is Gathering Lv.3, which common mid-tier Pals handle better, freeing Jetragon for what it’s built to do.
What’s the best Pal for a new base?
Anubis, if you can reach it. Handiwork Lv.4 removes the crafting speed bottleneck that stalls every early base, and its combat stats mean you don’t need to swap Pals when a raid hits. If Anubis isn’t accessible yet, Grizzbolt (Electricity Lv.3 + multiple work suitabilities + solid combat) is the strongest mid-game stepping stone for the tier where you’ll find it.
Should I use the same Pals for combat and base work?
Only if they’re on the dual-use champion list. Assigning Jetragon, Shadowbeak, or Necromus as permanent base workers wastes three of the rarest Pals in the game on tasks that common Pals outperform them at. The dual-use picks — Anubis, Jormuntide Ignis, Orserk — are the exception. They earn every slot. For the rest, keep combat Pals in combat rotation and base specialists in base slots.
Does the current patch change any of these rankings?
No. Palworld v0.7.3 (April 6, 2026) was a bug-fix-only update — blueprint storage fixes and floating structure patches — with zero Pal balance changes. The last meta shift was v0.7.1 (January 22, 2026), which buffed melee weapons and marginally reduced the rankings of saddle-dependent Partner Skill Pals. The current tier list reflects that stable state.
Sources
- Jetragon — Stats, Work Suitability, Partner Skill — Palworld.gg
- Working — All Suitability Types and Levels — Palworld Wiki (palworld.wiki.gg/wiki/Working)
- Palworld Work Suitability Levels: Best Pals by Job — BisectHosting
- Base Work Tier List — Palworld.gg
- Palworld Combat Pals Tier List — RankedBoost
- Best Pals Tier List (Home Sweet Home Update) — Game8
- Best Pals for Combat Tier List — Game8
- Palworld v0.7.3 Server Patch Notes — Low.ms
- Endgame Combat Tier List (updated March 2026) — The Pal Professor
I've been playing video games for over 20 years, spanning everything from early PC titles to modern open-world games. I started Switchblade Gaming to publish the kind of accurate, well-researched guides I always wanted to find — built on primary sources, tested in-game, and kept up to date after patches. I currently focus on Minecraft and Pokémon GO.