How to make a tier list
A tier list is a set of options sorted into ranked bands, usually S through F, so the ordering can be read in one glance. This page covers what the bands mean, how to choose a criterion that makes the ranking defensible, and how to build one in the browser without signing up for anything.
What the S–F tiers actually mean
The letters are bands, not scores. S sits above A and means “top of the set” — the picks you would recommend without hedging. A and B are strong and solid, C is average or situational, D is weak, and F is the bottom. Because the labels are relative, the same item can legitimately sit in A on one board and C on another: a great character in a weak roster and a good character in a stacked one are not the same placement.
That relativity is the whole point of the format, and it is also why tier lists cause so many arguments. Two people can agree on every individual judgement and still produce different boards, because they are ranking against different reference sets.
Pick one criterion before you start
The single biggest improvement to any tier list is writing the criterion into the title. “Best” is not a criterion; “most fun to play”, “strongest in the current patch”, “best value for money” and “would rewatch” all are. Once the axis is fixed, placements that looked arbitrary start to look obvious — and disagreements become specific enough to be interesting.
- Preference — no defence needed, but label it so nobody reads it as an objective claim.
- Performance — needs a date, a format and often a version, because it goes stale.
- Craft — writing, direction, design, execution. Holds up longer than performance but is harder to settle.
- Value — cost against what you get. Useful for tools, food and services; usually the most practical board you can make.
Build it in four steps
Start from a template or the sample pool
Templates pre-fill the roster in Unranked. The home editor starts with a mixed sample so you can rank something immediately, or replace it.
Place the extremes first
Put the obvious top three and obvious bottom three in place, then argue inward. The middle rows are where the real disagreement lives.
Rename the rows to match your argument
Nothing requires S–F. “Worth it / Fine / Never again” is a perfectly good ladder, and it forces you to be specific.
Export a PNG and keep it
The board autosaves in your browser, but a PNG is portable, permanent, and the thing you would actually post.
Mistakes that make a list hard to read
The most common one is an implicit criterion — placing a cheap, decent option above an expensive, excellent one without saying that cost matters. The second is inconsistency: judging one entry on performance and another on nostalgia in the same row. The third is scale: a fifty-item board with twelve in S tells the reader nothing, because if everything is top tier then the ladder is not doing any work.
A good sanity check before sharing: cover the labels and ask whether the ordering still makes a single argument. If it does not, the criterion drifted.
Start somewhere
- Open the maker with a sample pool
- All 120 templates
- Games tier lists
- Anime tier lists
- Movies tier lists
- Sports tier lists
Quick glossary
Tier — one band in the ladder.
Unranked — the pool of tiles not yet placed.
Criterion — the single question the ordering answers.
Tier list questions
What do S, A, B, C, D and F mean?
They are quality bands rather than scores. S is the top tier — the picks you would recommend without hedging. A and B are strong and good. C is average or situational. D is weak, and F is the bottom. The letters come from Japanese game grading, where S sits above A; there is no universal definition beyond the ordering itself, which is why naming your criterion matters.
Why do tier lists start at S instead of A?
Because the format grew out of grading systems that used S for 'special' above the standard A–F scale. In practice it just means there is room for an extra band above the best of the ordinary grades, which is useful when a set has one obvious outlier.
How many items should a tier list have?
Eight to sixteen is the sweet spot. Fewer than eight and the tiers look empty; more than about sixteen and the board needs scrolling, which makes the ordering harder to read at a glance. If you have fifty options, make two boards rather than one enormous one.
Is a tier list supposed to be objective?
No. It records a judgement. The useful version states the criterion — favourites, competitive strength, value for money, rewatchability — so other people know what they are disagreeing with. A tier list without a criterion reads as a claim about objective quality, which is where most pointless arguments start.
Can I make a tier list without images?
Yes. Text tiles work for anything, and they export cleanly — often more readably than photographs at small sizes. Use the Text button in the toolbar to add one and type the label.
How do I save a tier list permanently?
Export the PNG. The board also autosaves in your browser, but that copy is tied to one browser and one device. A PNG is the only version that survives clearing site data, and it is what you would post anyway.