What Does S Tier Mean?

S tier is the top rank on a tier list, one step above A. It is reserved for the best of the best: the characters, games or snacks that are in a class of their own.

Where the S comes from

Nobody has pinned down a single origin, but the path is well worn. Many Japanese schools and exams use a grading scale where an S (often read as “special” or “superior”) sits above A. Japanese video games borrowed the idea for end-of-level grades: the Devil May Cry, Street Fighter and many rhythm and racing games award an S rank for a flawless run.

Fighting-game players then used the same letters to sort characters by competitive strength, and the “tier list” format spread from there to anime, food and everything else. So when someone says a thing is S tier, they are saying it went beyond an A grade.

What each tier means

Tier	Meaning	In a game tier list
S	Exceptional, best of the best	Dominates; pick it and you have an edge
A	Excellent	Strong choice, minor weaknesses
B	Good	Solid, needs the right situation
C	Average	Playable, outclassed by others
D	Below average	Hard work to win with
F	Worst	Avoid unless you like a challenge

Tiers are bands, not positions

Under every tier list is a hidden score. Where you draw the lines decides how the list reads, and a good S tier is small. Play with the cut-offs below.

Try it: where does S tier start?

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That is the real skill of tier listing: deciding how much of the scale each label covers. Naming bands on a smooth scale is an old habit: the Moon’s phases split one gradual change into eight labels, and ahaboo narrates why that change happens.

How to use S tier well

Keep it small. One to three items on a list of twenty is a good rule of thumb. If S grows, raise the bar.
Let it be empty. An empty S tier is a strong opinion: nothing earned it.
Rank inside the tier. Order still matters: the first card in a row reads as the best of that tier.
Say what you rank by. Competitive strength, personal fun and nostalgia give very different lists. Put it in the title.

Ready to use it? Open the tier list maker or pick a template.

Questions people ask

What does S tier mean?

S tier is the top rank on a tier list, one step above A. It means the very best: exceptional, overpowered or near-perfect compared with everything else on the list.

What does the S stand for?

There is no official answer. Popular explanations are “Special”, “Superior” or “Super”, and the Japanese school grading scale, where S is sometimes awarded above A. The letter caught on through Japanese video games, which used S ranks for the best performances.

Why is S tier higher than A?

Because A already meant “excellent” in the familiar school grading scale, games needed a grade for going beyond that. Putting S above A signals “off the normal chart”, which is exactly the feeling it is meant to convey.

What is a tier list?

A ranking that sorts items into a few labelled groups (usually S, A, B, C, D and F) instead of a strict 1-to-N order. Items in the same tier are roughly equal. Tier lists began in fighting-game communities, where players rank characters by strength, and spread to every topic online.

What is the lowest tier?

Usually F, borrowed from the failing grade in US schools. Some lists stop at D, and joke lists add a “Z” or “trash” tier below F.

Is there anything above S tier?

Some lists add SS or SSS for the truly absurd, a habit also borrowed from games. Use them sparingly: if everything is SS, nothing is.