Jump into any conversation about Umamusume: Pretty Derby, and you’ll quickly encounter the community’s central debate: the “Tier List Paradox.” This is the conflict between the heartfelt belief that any favorite character (“waifu”) can become a champion with enough dedication, and the stark reality of high stakes PvP modes like the Champions Meeting. In these competitive arenas, the winner’s circle is consistently dominated by a select few characters, chosen with surgical precision for their raw performance. This leaves many aspiring trainers feeling stuck, caught between encouraging advice and brutal competitive results.
What Is in Our Umamusume Tier List Guide?
This guide is designed to be the ultimate Umamusume tier list resource, but it’s also here to solve that paradox for you. The truth is, both sides of the argument are not contradictory but represent distinct stages of a player’s strategic evolution. This article will guide you through that journey, from building a solid foundation to dominating the toughest competition. We’ll break down which assets truly matter, when they matter, and why the “best” character is always a question of the right tool for the right job.
Why Support Cards Are More Important Than Characters (At First)
The single most foundational truth in Umamusume is this: a powerful collection of Support Cards is the engine that drives every single racer. It’s the great equalizer and the most important thing you can invest in when you’re starting out. This is why the overwhelming consensus in the community, especially for new players, is to focus all your early premium currency on pulling for top tier Support Cards instead of chasing specific characters.
Think of it like this: the Umamusume you’re training is the car’s chassis and blueprint, determining the ultimate potential. But the Support Cards are the engine, the coaching staff, and the entire pit crew rolled into one. A powerful engine can make almost any car competitive, while even the best designed chassis in the world won’t go anywhere without a motor.
However, once you reach the top tier of competition like the Champions Meeting, the game changes. At this level, everyone has a powerful collection of Support Cards. The powerful engine is no longer a unique advantage, it’s the standard. At this point, the subtle, innate qualities of the character herself, her unique skills, her stat growth rates, and her race aptitudes, become the decisive factor. The paradox is solved when you realize you transition from a “builder” focused on assembling a strong foundation to a “racer” focused on optimizing a specific car for a specific track.
Cracking the Code: The Most Important Systems for Victory
To build a winner, you need to understand how victory is actually calculated. It’s not just about having the highest stats, it’s about how those stats are applied at critical moments through key systems and skills.
Inheritance: Building a Winning Bloodline
The inheritance system is how you customize a character for a specific race. Before each training run, you select two “parent” characters you’ve previously trained to pass down stats, skills, and, most importantly, aptitudes. This system’s most powerful function is “aptitude correction.” For example, the amazing character Oguri Cap only has a natural B-rank for Dirt races. But by inheriting from parents who have A or S-rank Dirt aptitude, you can raise hers to an A or S-rank, transforming her into one of the most dominant Dirt racers in the game. This is how you adapt a character to fill a role they weren’t naturally designed for.
The Skill Meta: It’s All About the Acceleration Window
While there are hundreds of skills, they are not created equal. The most important skills by far are Acceleration Skills. Their value depends almost entirely on when they activate. A skill that fires at the beginning of the final corner on a track with a long home stretch is game winning. That same skill on a track with a short final stretch might activate too late to matter.
This brings us to the absolute core of high level Umamusume strategy: the acceleration window. Every track has a unique layout, which creates an optimal moment to hit the gas for the final push. The entire Japanese meta revolves around identifying this window and picking a character whose skills activate at that exact, perfect moment. Victory isn’t about being the fastest in general; it’s about becoming the fastest at the most decisive point in the race.
The 2025 Umamusume Support Card Tier List
Given their importance, knowing which Support Cards are the best is the first step to building a competitive account. While the meta always changes, some cards are so powerful they form the pillars of the game.
The Unquestionable God-Tiers
These are the legendary cards that are so universally powerful, they are the main targets for rerolling or saving your currency.
- Kitasan Black (Speed): For a long time, Kitasan Black wasn’t just the best Speed card; she was arguably the best card in the game, period. She offers incredible stat gains and one of the best Gold Skills available, “Arc Maestro,” a versatile recovery skill that makes her a top choice for literally any distance, from sprints to marathons. She is the number one recommendation for any new player.
- Super Creek (Stamina): The undisputed queen of endurance. Her power comes from a single, game breaking Gold Skill: “Swinging Maestro.” This stamina recovery skill is so efficient that it fundamentally changes the strategy for long distance races, allowing trainers to build for speed and power while she handles the endurance.
- Tazuna Hayakawa (Friend): While not a stat card, her value is in pure efficiency. Her unique events allow you to restore energy and improve your character’s mood in a single action, effectively saving you an entire turn that would have otherwise been spent resting. This action economy is priceless in any training run.
Top-Tier SSRs for the Modern Meta (2025)
As the game has evolved, new champions have emerged for each stat specialization.
- Speed: SSR Stil in Love is a dominant force, especially for medium distance races. Her biggest draw, however, is a massive bonus to Skill Points she provides, making her a “Skill Point battery” that is useful even outside her specialty.
- Power: SSR Symboli Kris S is the premier choice for Late Surger (“Sashi”) strategies. He offers amazing stats and a choice between two incredible Gold Skills, including the must have acceleration skill “Unstoppable” for long distance races.
- Wit (Intelligence): The Wit throne is currently shared. For Front Runner (“Nige”) strategies, SSR Daiwa Scarlet is the uncontested best, offering perfect skills for that playstyle. For all other strategies, the newer SSR Symboli Rudolf is the strongest general purpose Wit card, boasting the highest training performance in his class and providing a game changing acceleration skill.
The F2P Arsenal: Don’t Sleep on SR Cards
For most players, a full deck of the latest SSRs is a pipe dream. Thankfully, the most important rule for any F2P or low spending player is this: a fully limit broken (MLB) SR card is almost always superior to a non limit broken SSR card. Key SR cards like SR Shinkou Windy (Speed), SR Daiwa Scarlet (Wit), and SR Manhattan Cafe (Stamina) are so effective they remain relevant even in the mature meta.
Support Card Tier List Summary Table
For a quick reference, here is a summary of the most impactful SSR Support Cards that define the 2025 meta.
| Card Name & Type | Tier | Key Gold Skill(s) | Meta Function | Primary Use Case |
| Kitasan Black | God | Arc Maestro | Universal Speed/Stamina fixer via a top-tier recovery skill. The historical benchmark for power. | All builds, all distances. |
| Super Creek | God | Swinging Maestro | Enables long distance builds by providing the game’s most efficient stamina recovery. | Medium and especially Long distance. |
| Stil in Love | S+ | Clear and Serene | Dominant Speed card for Medium distance; serves as a universal “Skill Point battery” due to high SP bonuses. | Medium distance, general use for SP gain. |
| “Daiwa Scarlet [Wit]” | S+ | Top Runner / Boundless Skies | The undisputed best Wit card for Front Runners, providing essential skills and top-tier training. | “Nige” (Front Runner) builds, all distances. |
| “Symboli Rudolf [Wit]” | S+ | Checkmate / Perfect Position | The strongest general purpose Wit card with the highest training performance for non Front Runner builds. | “”Senko,”” “”Sashi,”” “”Oikomi”” builds. |
| “Symboli Kris S [Power]” | S | Unstoppable / Path of a Thousand Leagues | Premier Power card for “”Sashi”” builds, offering a mandatory long distance acceleration skill. | “”Sashi”” (Late Surger) builds, especially Long distance. |
| “Tazuna Hayakawa [Friend]” | S | Concentration | Provides unparalleled training efficiency through unique events that save turns by restoring energy and mood. | Universal utility for all builds. |
The Umamusume Tier List for Champions Meeting
Now for the main event. While Support Cards are the foundation, choosing the right character is what wins you trophies in the Champions Meeting. This list, adapted from the expert analysis of top Japanese resources like GameWith, evaluates characters based on one primary factor: their access to a powerful acceleration skill that activates at the perfect moment for a given race.
Short Distance (Sprint) Meta
- SS-Tier: Sakura Bakushin O (New Outfit), Bamboo Memory (New Outfit), Durandal, Aston Machan (Valentine).
- Why they win: Sakura Bakushin O’s new version is a dominant Front Runner because her acceleration skill is tailor made to activate at the 400m mark, the ideal window for most short courses. Similarly, Aston Machan’s entire kit is hyper specialized for these short, explosive races.
Mile Meta
- SS-Tier: Mayano Top Gun (Bride), Daitaku Helios, Daiichi Ruby (Dance Outfit), Villsheena.
- Why they win: Mayano Top Gun’s Bride version has a unique skill that is incredibly easy to activate, giving her amazing consistency. Daitaku Helios boasts a high activation rate speed boost heading into the final leg, making him a reliable powerhouse.
Medium Distance Meta
- SS-Tier: Gentildonna, Orfevre, Loves Only You, Chrono Genesis.
- Why they win: Gentildonna is a true monster, with a unique skill that can activate twice in one race, giving her unparalleled consistency and power. Chrono Genesis has a terrifying ability to double the effect of her own skills, leading to an explosive finish that can overwhelm opponents.
Long Distance Meta
- SS-Tier: T.M. Opera O (New Year), Gold Ship (Swimsuit), Mayano Top Gun (Halloween), Chrono Genesis.
- Why they win: New Year’s T.M. Opera O is a perfectly designed long distance machine, with great stats and access to two of the best recovery skills in the game. Gold Ship’s swimsuit version has a unique skill that is famous for almost always activating, making her incredibly reliable.
Dirt Meta
- SS-Tier: Copano Rickey, Hokko Tarumae (Swimsuit), Smart Falcon (Parade).
- Why they win: Copano Rickey is the undisputed king of Dirt. He is incredibly versatile and can be run in multiple strategies, with a powerful and easy to activate skillset that makes him a threat on any Dirt track.
Champions Meeting Meta – Summary Tier List
This table summarizes the top rated characters for competitive PvP across all major race categories, adapted from GameWith.
| Tier | Short Distance | Mile Distance | Medium Distance | Long Distance | Dirt |
| SS | Sakura Bakushin O (New), Bamboo Memory (New), Durandal, Aston Machan (Val) | Mayano Top Gun (Bride), Daitaku Helios, Daiichi Ruby (Dance), Villsheena | Gentildonna, Orfevre, Loves Only You, Chrono Genesis | T.M. Opera O (New Year), Gold Ship (Swimsuit), Mayano Top Gun (H’ween), Chrono Genesis | Copano Rickey, Hokko Tarumae (Swimsuit), Smart Falcon (Parade) |
| S | Silence Suzuka, Oguri Cap, Taiki Shuttle, Karen Chan (Bride), Daiichi Ruby, K.S. Miracle | Silence Suzuka, Maruzensky, Oguri Cap, Nice Nature, Fine Motion, Daitaku Helios (Dance) | Symboli Rudolf, Daiwa Scarlet, Narita Brian, Eishin Flash, Kitasan Black (New Year), Duramente | Mejiro McQueen, Super Creek, Kitasan Black, Satono Diamond, Sakura Laurel, Narita Top Road | Oguri Cap, Smart Falcon, Maruzensky, Agnes Digital, Inari One, Transcend |
| A | Air Groove, Karen Chan, Biko Pegasus, Sweep Tosho (Bride) | Taiki Shuttle, El Condor Pasa, Narita Brian, Vodka (Xmas), Twin Turbo, Tanino Gimlet | Special Week, Tokai Teio, Gold Ship, Grass Wonder, Oguri Cap (Xmas), Mr. C.B. | Special Week, Rice Shower, Gold Ship, Manhattan Cafe, Mejiro Bright, Narita Taishin | Taiki Shuttle, El Condor Pasa (Monk), Haru Urara, Wonder Acute, Shinko Windy |
Putting It All Together: Your Roadmap to Victory
Understanding the meta is step one. Applying it is how you win. Here’s a quick guide to turning this knowledge into results.
First, for any new player, the most impactful thing you can do is reroll your account. The goal isn’t a specific character, but to start with one of the God-Tier Support Cards like Kitasan Black. Starting with an elite “engine” will accelerate your progress for years to come.
Second, master long term resource management. This is a gacha game, and new, powerful units will always be released. Don’t pull on every banner. The key is to save your Carats for months at a time to “spark” a banner, doing 200 pulls to guarantee you can choose the featured card. This disciplined approach ensures you can secure the truly meta defining cards without relying on luck.
Finally, remember that with the right strategy, even humble characters can become champions. Take the 1-star Haru Urara, a beloved beginner unit. To build her for a Dirt Mile race, you would ignore her low rarity and focus on the principles: give her a support deck that boosts Speed and Guts, use inheritance to give her A-rank Dirt and Mile aptitude, and pick skills that boost her speed in the final stretch. This process proves the central point: a deep understanding of strategy and a strong Support Card foundation can unlock the potential in any character.
The world of Umamusume is deep and constantly evolving. Hopefully, this guide has given you the framework not just to understand the 2025 meta, but to analyze and adapt to any meta the future holds. By learning to see beyond simple lists and understanding the “why” behind every victory, you’re no longer just following a guide, you’re becoming a true strategist, ready to forge your own path to the winner’s circle.
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