Ranking Every Single BioWare character ever. (The Tier system)

Are you ranking them on quality or quantity of content, or how much you like them?

You missed Wynne and Iron Bull.

edit: and Sebastian, Samara... maybe Aria and Tallis if you count them too

edit edit: and Vetra!  (I'm remembering them all slowly...)

top
Miranda, Ashley, Zaeed, Javik, Cora, Drack, James, Mordin, Samantha, Harbinger, Rupert Gardner, TIM, Conrad. Leliana, Isabela, Meredith, dog, Cassandra, Dorian, Josephine,  Fiend,  space Hamster,  Wreav, Kirrahe,  Udina,  Primarch Victus, Bradley, Bethany, Carver, Flemeth, SR2,  Morrigan, Aveline, Gianna, Loghain, Celene, Talking Man, Broodmother,

good
Vetra, Jaal, Kaidan, Jacob, Samara, Suvi, Kallo, Vivienne, Bull, Cullen, Harding, Dagna, Tela Vasir,  Steve, Kelly,  Kal'Reegar, Xen, Alistair, Chakwas, Adams, Jenkins,

below average
 Kasumi, Legion, Grunt, Lexi, Gil, Varric, Joker, Fenris, Raan, Gerrell, Sten, Shale,

somewhere on the bottom
T'soni, peepee, Tali, Thane, Jack, edi, Wrex, Garrus, Liam, Anders, Merrill, Orsino,  Cole, Anderson, Kai Leng, Addison, Solas, Oghren, Zevran, Blackwall, Benezia, Anora, Sera, SAM, Hackett

This thread will be fun because it will trigger lots of nostalgia and fond memories. I can't rank the characters, though. I love so many so much that ranking them would be nearly impossible. Certainly, Normandy's crew would be near the top in terms of "VG buddies". In terms of quality writing and complexity, I'd put Solas and Dorian near the top (each of whom are also VG buddies). As kalasaurus said, different criteria for ranking produce different results.

Exactly! It gets even trickier when you start growing all of the IPs into the mix. Hen-pecked Hou is an amazingly entertaining character. He's not as developed as the characters in DAI, as one example, but I don't love him less for it.

Every adventure has had its amazing cast and companions. I couldn't possibly pick amongst them, except to say that I likely got most attached to Normandy's crew. I've played the MET hundreds of times (not an exaggeration), so it would be impossible for me to not be most attached to them.

This thread makes me want to replay Jade Empire immediately.

Hmm, of the Bioware games I have played:

Tier 1/Love: Bastila, Mission, HK-47, Kelly, Gabby, Legion, Lexi, Suvi, Dog, Shale, Leliana, Mhairi, Aveline, Merrill, Josephine, Cassandra, Cole

Tier 2/Like: Zaalbar, Juhani, T3-M4, Ashley, Tali, Liara, Garrus, EDI, Mordin, Samara, Kasumi, Samantha, Chloe, James, Kallo, Cora, Alistair, Wynne, Sigrun, Bethany

Tier 3/Neutral: Carth, Jolee, Canderous, Kaidan, Wrex, Chakwas, Adams, Miranda, Jacob, Grunt, Thane, Steve, Diana, Gil, Liam, Vetra, Drack, Jaal, Sten, Oghren, Justice, Nathaniel, Velanna, Carver, Fenris, Sebastian, Cullen

Tier 4/Dislike: Joker, Ken, Jack, Zaeed, PeeBee, Morrigan, Zevran, Varric, Isabela, Dorian, Vivienne, Sera, Iron Bull

Tier 5/Hate: Morinth, Javik, Loghain, Anders, Thom, Solas

Not necessarily in terms of like but in terms of quality

Tier 1: Tali, Cassandra, Mordin, Wrex, Vivienne, Iron Bull
Tier 2: Varric, Garrus, Joker, Dorian, Morrigan, Liara, Alistair
Tier 3: Samara, Solas, Leliana, Fenris, Sera, Thane, Anders, Peebee, Traynor, Sten, Anderson, Cullen, Josephine, Grunt, Miranda, EDI, Chakwas
Tier 4: Drack, Ashley, Wynne, Javik, Jack, Zevran, Aveline, Cora, Blackwall, Liam, Katsumi, Isabella, Jaal, Merrill
Tier 5: Kaiden, Oghren, Kelly Chambers, Suvi, Kallo, Lexi, Gil, Vetra
Jacob Tier: Jacob

Every Bioware character? far too many. But sticking to only companions/squad members in games I have played. Placed in personal opinion terms of their personality, story, background, how they interact with my characters, and overall how they come across to me as a player.

Great: Garrus, Thane, EDI, Alistair, Fenris, Varric, Cole, Dorian, Solas, Cullen, Scourge, Risha, Vette, Jaesa, Scorpio, Lana, Theron, Senya, Arcann,

Good: Kaidan, Wrex, Jack, Grunt, Mordin, Zaeed, Drack, Vetra, Zevran, Anders, Nathaniel Howe, Aveline, Isabella, Cassandra, Iron Bull, Sera, Josephine, Bastila Shan, Carth, Mission, Jolee, Kreia, Atton Rand, Qyzen, Iresso, T7-01, Bowdaar, Aric, Elara, M1-4X, Adronikos, Malavai, Kaliyo, Lokin, Vector, Gault, Torian, Blizz, Koth, Nico, Shae.

Neutral: Liara, Tali'Zorah, Kasumi, Legion, James, Javik, Wynne, Oghren, Leliana, Sigrun, Bethany/Carver, Sebastian, Tallis, Blackwall, Vivienne, HK-47, Canderous, Brianna, Mira, Mical, Bal-Dur, Visas Marr, Tharan, Doc, Rusk, Corso, Akaavi, Guss, Yuun, Tanno, Talos, Xalek, Pierce, Treek, HK-51, HK-55.

Bad: Ashley, Jacob, Miranda, Morinth, Samara, Cora, Jaal, Liam, Peebee, Morrigan, Shale, Shen, Velanna, Merril, Zalbaar, Juhani, T3-M4, Zenith, Nadia, Kira, C2-N2/2V-R8, Khem Val, Ashara, Broonmark, Raina, Mako, Skadge.

notes:
- I despise Solas, but also think he was written incredibly well into the story so it would have been against my better judgement not to put him up there.
- written out I noticed I enjoyed majority of DAI's characters in all regards, but disliked majority of MEA's jsut couldn't conenct with them while playing the same way I could with DAI's and swtor's.
- covers DA series, ME series, swtor, kotor and kotor 2... may be missing a couple of names.

The Best

J.E.SE : Dawn Star, Kai Lan The Serpent, Crimson Khana, Master Li, Silk Fox.
Dragon Age Origins : Morrigan, Leliana, Flemeth.
Dragon Age Inquisition : Cassandra, Morrigan, Flemeth, Leliana.
Mass Effect Trilogy : Mordin, Tali, Garrus, Joker, Javik, Samara, Zaeed, Conrad Verner, Subject Zero, Tela Vasir, Aria T'Loak, Matriarch Benezia, Morinth, Saren, Dr. Ann Bryson, The Illusive Man, Eve, Balak, Sovereign, Sha'ira, Karlos
Mass Effect Andromeda : Reyes Vidal, Drack, Cora, Suvi Anwar, Jaal, Moshae Sjefa, Pathfinder Raeka, Avela Kjar

The Good

J.E.SE : Hapless Han, Iron Soldier, Sir Roderick, Black Whirlwind, Ai Ling, Sky, Gravedigger Shen.
Dragon Age 2 : Varric, Cassandra, Aveline, Isabella, Merrill, Meredith, Flemeth
Dragon Age Origins : Alistair, Loghain, Isabella.
Dragon Age Inquisition : Vivienne, Blackwall, Josephine, Sera, Krem.
Mass Effect Trilogy : Liara T' Soni, Thane Krios, Kolyat, Kirrahe, Williams, Miranda Lawson, Henry Lawson, Kelly Chambers, Traynor, Dr. Brynn Cole, Grunt, Wrex, Nyreen Kandros, Maya Brooks, Oleg Petrovsky, Dr. Saleon, Lord Darius, Nassana Dantius, Pitne For, Kahlee Sanders, Gianna Parasini
Mass Effect Andromeda : Kosta, Kallo, SAM, Ven Terev, Sloane Kelly, Vetra Nyx, Pelessaria B'Sayle, Alec Ryder, Jien Garson, Captain Dunn, Jarun Tann,Sarissa, Vederia, Mayor Priya Blake, Akksul

The Bad

J.E.SE : -
Dragon Age 2 : Anders, Fenris
Dragon Age Origins : Sten, Shen.
Dragon Age Inquisition : Varric ( DAI version ), Solas, Cole, Cullen, Corypheus
Mass Effect Trilogy : Udina, Jacob, Kasumi, Alenko, Harbringer, Victus, Wreav, Blasto, Legion, Diana Allers, Steve Cortez, Bailey, Hackett, Kai Leng, Wilson, Dr. Amanda Kenson, Khalisah bint Sinan al-Jilani
Mass Effect Andromeda : Archon, Primus, Gil, Foster Addison, Dr. Lexi T' Perro, Kalinda

These lists needs more Kasumi at the top, tbh.

My favorite ranking poll had Jacob with his very own tier.

This is really hard...
Should I rank by how much I like them or how well written I consider them?

I don't usually hate characters. I'm just indifferent about some, which may or may not mean they were poorly written.

I will only rank ME and DA companions (plus DAI advisors) because I've only played these two franchises.

I'm going for a mix of writing quality and how much I like them, including the protagonists.

Amazing:
ME: Liara, Mordin, Garrus, Jack, Tali, EDI... Shepard.
DA: Morrigan (Flemeth too), Alistair, Dorian, Cassandra, Varric, Leliana (because of DAI), Sera... Hawke.

Good:
ME: Kaidan (downgraded because of ME3), Wrex, Ashley, Legion, Thane, Miranda, Kasumi, Samara, Zaeed, Javik, James Vega, Peebee, Drack, Vetra.
DA: Vivienne, Solas (amazing villain!), Cole, Cullen, Josephine, Anders, Fenris, Aveline, Isabela, Merrill, Bethany, Wynne...the warden.

Bit bland:
ME: Grunt, Jacob, Cora, Jaal... Ryder.
DA: Sten, Iron Bull, Blackwall, Carver, (dog)... the inquistor.

Awful:
ME: Liam, Ryder sibling.
DA: Oghren, Zevran (god-awful Puss in Boots voice).

Joker is also amazing!
So is Anderson.

Overall, DA characters are more hit and miss for me. But few I'd consider terrible.

The Mako wins SCREW THE WORLD!!! >8)