Raid Shadow Legends Best Starter Champion: Current meta
Selecting the right starter champion in Raid Shadow Legends can significantly impact your early progression, especially for new players trying to climb campaign content, tackle dungeons, or even get a foothold in clan boss fights. Below is a meta‑aware guide (2025) to help you choose wisely.
Why the Starter Choice Matters in 2025 Meta
You begin the game by choosing one of four rare champions: Kael, Athel, Elhain, or Galek. While all four can carry you through the early game, the current meta strongly favors a champion who brings AoE damage + utility (e.g. poison, debuffs, multi‑hit) and remains useful across multiple modes (Campaign, Dungeons, Clan Boss, etc.).
Multiple guides and community consensus still point to Kael as the best overall choice. Kael’s versatility, poison capability, and scaling potential make him stand out over the alternatives. That said, the other starters have merits too depending on your playstyle or reroll strategy.
Starter Champion Comparison Table
| Starter Champion | Strengths / Pros | Weaknesses / Limitations | Best Use Cases |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kael | Strong AoE, reliable poison debuffs, scales well into mid‑game, useful in Clan Boss early on | Needs accuracy to land poison reliably; later outranked by premium poisoners | All‑around starter, safe long‑term pick |
| Elhain | Dual AoE skills, good for campaign farming, reliable in waves | Falls off vs higher content, less utility in late game | If you want fast campaign clears early |
| Athel | Balanced kit, single target + multi hit, weaken debuff on A1 | Lacks strong scaling, limited utility later | Good for players wanting a balanced early experience |
| Galek | Early single / small AoE damage, decent early game burst | Weak scaling, fewer useful debuffs, outclassed later | If you favor early burst but accept trade‑offs |
From the table, Kael is the top pick in nearly all scenarios, especially for players who want a reliable, long‑lasting starter choice.
Why Kael Still Dominates the Meta
- Poison synergy & boss damage
Kael brings poison debuffs which are hugely valuable in later PvE modes like Clan Boss and Doom Tower. Many guides emphasize poison as a key to boss efficiency. - Versatility across modes
He’s solid in campaign, dungeons, and even mid‑game content. Other starters lose relevance faster as you unlock more powerful champions. - Longevity in scaling
While not infinite, Kael can stay in your roster longer than the alternatives before being replaced by a top‑tier champion.
Tips for Maximizing Your Starter Choice
Build Strategy & Gear
- Early gear: Lifesteal set is a safe option for survivability, especially while leveling.
- Prioritize accuracy to ensure poison lands consistently.
- Upgrade artifacts to about +12 before investing heavily beyond that.
Masteries & Booking
- Use the Minotaur Dungeon to farm mastery pages. Alternatively, later on you can unlock masteries for gems.
- Book essential skills first — poison, AoE, etc.
Progression Focus
- Push through Campaign mode early, it’s the best XP and gear source.
- Unlock dungeons only when necessary for materials.
- Join a strong clan early to access Clan Boss rewards and community guidance.
Final Verdict: Best Starter Champion (Current Meta)
Given current meta and player consensus, Kael remains the superior starter champion choice in 2025. His balance of AoE damage, poison utility, and scaling potential make him the safest and most effective choice across a wide range of content.
However, if your style is fast campaign farming or you prefer simplicity over scaling, Elhain or Athel are acceptable alternatives. Galek is rarely recommended beyond novelty.
