B tier
B tier is the middle rank on a tier list, used for solid, viable options that are neither standouts nor weaknesses.
B tier functions as the baseline. Items here are perfectly usable and often situationally strong, but they do not define the list the way S and A entries do. On a six-rank list, B is the centre of gravity - if your B tier is empty, the list has probably become a two-way split rather than a genuine ranking.
What belongs in B tier
B tier is the right place for anything you have no complaint about and no enthusiasm for. It is also where specialists land: things that would be A or S under specific conditions but are unremarkable in general use.
B tier in practice
On a fast food tier list, B tier is the chain you go to when it is nearby rather than because you wanted it. In a game, it is the character with no exploitable weakness and no particular strength. On an album tracklist, B tier is the songs you never skip but never seek out either - which is often most of the record.
The mistake people make with B tier
B tier is where lists go to avoid commitment. A tier list with twenty items in B and three everywhere else has not really ranked anything. If B is overflowing, split the question - rank for one specific purpose rather than in the abstract.
B tier questions
- Is B tier good or bad?
- Neither, and that is the point. B tier means viable and unremarkable - something with no real flaw and no real edge. On most lists it is the honest home for the majority of entries, because most things genuinely are average.
- Why is my B tier so crowded?
- Usually because the ranking question is too broad. "Best characters" invites a shrug; "best characters for a beginner playing solo" forces a decision. Narrowing the criterion redistributes a bloated B tier almost immediately.
- What percentage of a tier list should be B tier?
- There is no rule, but roughly a quarter to a third is typical on a list that has been ranked honestly. Most things in most categories are competent and unremarkable, so a B tier that is much smaller than that usually means the list is rating enthusiasm rather than quality.