Best Inazuma Eleven Characters for Beginners
Starting Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road can be overwhelming with 47+ characters to choose from. This guide focuses on the best beginner-friendly characters that are easy to obtain, simple to use, and powerful enough to carry you through early game content.
What Makes a Character “Beginner-Friendly”?
Key Criteria
- Easy to Obtain: Available through Chronicle Mode, early story, or common codes
- Simple Mechanics: Straightforward abilities that don’t require complex strategies
- Forgiving Stats: Well-balanced stats that work in most situations
- Cost-Effective: Good performance without heavy investment
- Meta-Relevant: Useful even in late game
Top Beginner Characters by Position
Best Forwards (FW) ⚡
1. Dario Highton - S Tier
Why Great for Beginners:
- High Power (96): One of the strongest shooters in the game
- Simple Playstyle: Point and shoot, easy to score
- Available: Obtainable through Choose-a-Hero selection
- Element: Fire - Strong against wood-heavy teams
Best Skills:
- Inferno Strike (Shoot)
- Flame Dribble (Dribble)
How to Get: Complete Chronicle Mode Episode 3 or use Hero selection ticket
2. Amelia Rainwalker - S Tier
Why Great for Beginners:
- Balanced Stats: 95 Shoot, 82 Dribble, 88 Speed
- Versatile: Can score and assist
- Wood Element: Great against earth defenders
- Reliable: Consistent performance
How to Get: Featured in Hero Banners or Choose-a-Hero selection
3. Destin Billows - A Tier (Budget Option)
Why Great for Beginners:
- Easy to Obtain: Common drop from regular summons
- Good Stats: 89 Shoot, decent speed
- Low Cost: Doesn’t require rare resources
- Solid Skills: Reliable shooting techniques
How to Get: Regular Chronicle Mode or standard banners
Best Midfielders (MF) 🎯
1. Raika Shinohara - S Tier (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)
Why Best Beginner MF:
- Perfect Balance: 94 overall power, well-rounded stats
- Easy to Use: Simple mechanics, hard to mess up
- Available Early: Chronicle Mode Episode 2
- Versatile: Can attack and defend
- Wind Element: Strong against fire types
Best Skills:
- Cyclone Strike (Shoot)
- Gale Dribble (Dribble)
- Wind Barrier (Block)
How to Get: Complete Chronicle Mode Episode 2 or Hero selection
2. Nikas Himmelstein - S Tier
Why Great for Beginners:
- High Power (94): Strong offensive midfielder
- Great Skills: Multiple hissatsu options
- Team Synergy: Boosts other characters
- Earth Element: Solid against lightning
How to Get: Hero Banners or special events
3. Thierry Reyes - A Tier (F2P Friendly)
Why Great for Beginners:
- Free Option: Available through story progression
- Decent Stats: 87 power, balanced
- No Investment: Works well without upgrades
- Learning Tool: Great for understanding MF role
How to Get: Chronicle Mode Episode 1 (Free)
Best Defenders (DF) 🛡️
1. Davin Bullock - A Tier (BEST BEGINNER DF)
Why Great for Beginners:
- High Block (90): Excellent at stopping attacks
- Forgiving: Makes up for positioning mistakes
- Easy to Get: Common in summons
- Reliable: Consistent defensive performance
Best Skills:
- Earth Wall (Block)
- Stone Tackle (Block)
How to Get: Regular summons or Chronicle Mode
2. Viorain Maleby - S Tier
Why Great for Beginners:
- Top Tier Stats: 92 power, excellent defense
- Versatile: Can also join attacks
- Wood Element: Strong defensive coverage
- Worth Investment: Useful even in late game
How to Get: Hero selection or featured banners
Best Goalkeepers (GK) 🥅
1. Clement Mariner - S Tier
Why Great for Beginners:
- Highest Catch (96): Best save rate for beginners
- Forgiving: Covers positioning errors
- Reliable: Consistent performance
- Water Element: Good coverage
Best Skills:
- Tidal Wave (Catch)
- Ocean Barrier (Catch)
How to Get: Hero selection or Chronicle Mode Episode 4
2. Cedric Freud - B Tier (Budget Option)
Why Great for Beginners:
- Easy to Get: Common summon
- Decent Stats: 85 catch, good enough for early game
- Low Cost: No rare resources needed
- Upgrade Path: Can transition to better GK later
How to Get: Regular summons
Recommended Starter Team Formation (4-4-2)
Perfect Beginner Team
Dario (FW) Amelia (FW)
Thierry (MF) Raika (MF) Nikas (MF) Destin (MF)
Davin (DF) Viorain (DF) [Any DF] [Any DF]
Clement (GK)Why This Formation Works
- Balanced Attack/Defense: 4-4-2 is forgiving for beginners
- Simple Strategy: Clear roles for each position
- Easy to Learn: Straightforward positioning
- Flexible: Can adapt to different playstyles
Budget-Friendly Alternatives
F2P (Free-to-Play) Starter Team
If you don’t have premium characters, here’s a completely free team:
Forwards: Destin Billows, Any Chronicle reward FW
Midfielders: Thierry Reyes, Any story MF (x2), Common summon
Defenders: Davin Bullock, 3x Chronicle/Story DF
Goalkeeper: Cedric Freud or Story GK
Cost: 0 Bond Stars, all from story/common summons
Character Priority Guide
Early Game (Level 1-30)
Focus On:
- Get a solid Forward (Dario or Amelia)
- Obtain Raika Shinohara (best beginner MF)
- Fill defender spots with any available characters
- Get a decent Goalkeeper (Clement if possible)
Mid Game (Level 30-60)
Upgrade Priority:
- Max out your main Forward first
- Strengthen your Goalkeeper
- Add versatile Midfielders
- Improve Defenders last
Late Game Transition
Start Focusing:
- Replace common characters with rare/hero tiers
- Build position-specific teams
- Focus on element synergies
- Check our Tier List for meta characters
Common Beginner Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Don’t Do This
- Spreading Resources Too Thin: Focus on 11 main characters, not 30
- Ignoring Elements: Element advantages matter more than stats
- Only Using Forwards: Balanced team beats star-heavy roster
- Skipping Free Characters: Story characters are often very good
- Random Team Building: Have a strategy and formation plan
✅ Do This Instead
- Max Your Core 11: Focus resources on your starting lineup
- Learn Element System: Use our Element Guide
- Build Balanced Teams: Every position matters
- Complete Chronicle Mode: Free characters + learning experience
- Use Formation Strategy: Understand your 4-4-2 or 4-3-3
How to Obtain Beginner Characters
Chronicle Mode (Free)
- Best Source: Complete story chapters for guaranteed characters
- Raika Shinohara: Episode 2
- Dario Highton: Episode 3
- Clement Mariner: Episode 4
Choose-a-Hero Selection
- Available after completing tutorial
- Choose ONE hero character
- Recommendation: Pick Raika Shinohara or Dario Highton
Regular Summons
- Use Bond Stars from codes
- Check our Active Codes
- Focus on rate-up banners
Events
- Weekly events give free characters
- Login bonuses
- Community milestones
Character Progression Tips
Leveling Priority
- Main Forward: Level 60+ first
- Goalkeeper: Level 50+ second
- Key Midfielder: Level 45+ third
- Rest of Team: Balance evenly
Skill Upgrades
- Upgrade main Forward’s shooting skills first
- Goalkeeper’s catch skills second
- Support skills last
Training Focus
- Shoot Stat: For Forwards
- Catch Stat: For Goalkeepers
- Speed/Dribble: For Midfielders
- Block Stat: For Defenders
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I reroll my account?
Not necessary. Chronicle Mode gives good starter characters. Save time and start playing.
How many Bond Stars should I save?
Keep 500-1000 for featured hero banners. Use rest on regular summons.
Can I beat the game with common characters?
Yes! Proper strategy and leveling matter more than rarity early game.
When should I replace starter characters?
Only when you have clearly better alternatives. Don’t replace just for rarity.
Related Guides
Ready to build your ultimate team? Check these guides:
- Inazuma Eleven Tier List - See all S-tier characters and current meta rankings
- Team Building Guide - Master formations, element synergy, and winning strategies
- Fast Leveling Guide - Level up your characters 10x faster with XP exploits
- Character Database - Browse all 47 characters with stats and abilities
- Element System Guide - Understand type advantages for better team building
Conclusion
The best beginner characters in Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road are Raika Shinohara (MF), Dario Highton (FW), and Clement Mariner (GK). These three form a solid core for any starting team.
Focus on Chronicle Mode to get free characters, use codes for Bond Stars, and build a balanced 4-4-2 formation. With these recommendations, you’ll have a competitive team without spending money.
Pro Tip: Don’t chase every new character. Master your core 11 players first, then expand your roster!
Last Updated: November 15, 2025 - View Full Character Database