Best AFK Journey Team Comps: PvE/PvP (August 2024 Update) (2024)

Discover the best team comps in AFK Journey, featuring a mix of tank, DPS, healer, and secondary roles for peak performance in each game mode.

AFK Journey unfolds its strategic, team-centric battles across various engaging modes, where your success is heavily influenced by the gacha system that determines your team lineup. This guide aims to streamline that process.

Best AFK Journey Teams

For newcomers, don’t miss our AFK Journey reroll guide, which can help you snag top-tier characters without dipping into your wallet. Additionally, make the most of AFK Journey codes for extra rewards. And to ensure your resources are wisely invested, consult our expertly curated AFK Journey tier list to steer clear of investing in lower-tier characters.

What are the Best Teams in AFK Journey?

Navigating through the best AFK Journey teams requires a balance of rarity, role consideration, and the long-term value of characters. We’ve assembled top recommendations for the story mode, Dream Realm mode, and various PVP matches.

In the game’s early stages, where elite characters are rare, the focus should be on easily accessible characters that still pack a punch in their roles. It’s crucial to avoid investing in characters who quickly become less effective.

Early-game strategies benefit significantly from the Faction bonus, which activates when three units from the same faction are deployed together. Keep this in mind as you select your team members.

Story Mode Team Compositions

The more relaxed nature of AFK Journey’s story mode gives players the freedom to experiment with different setups, like double tank formations, additional healers, or high-damage teams. This mode allows for the exploration of the game’s broader character roster.

For those starting their journey through the story, here’s an ideal team composition:

• Tank: Thoran
• DPS: Cecia
• Healer: Rowan
• Secondary Options: Smokey (Healer), Antandra (Tank), Brutus (Tank), Viperian (DPS)

Early in the game and throughout the story, a solid foundation of a tank, a healer, and a DPS character is advisable, with Cecia often being the best choice for DPS due to her easy availability and potent upgrades.

The selection for the last two slots should be adaptable based on the challenges you face. If your team is vulnerable after your tank falls, adding a second healer, a crowd-control specialist, or another tank might be the way to go.

Optimal Team Setups for Dream Realm Mode in AFK Journey
Dream Realm mode in AFK Journey demands a versatile and adaptable team composition due to the daily rotation of bosses. Only a handful of units are consistently effective regardless of the adversary.

Dream Realm Team Compositions

To tackle the Dream Realm challenges, consider the following lineup:

• Tank: Thoran, Temesia
• DPS: Marilee, Kruger, Odie
• Healer: , Reinier
• Secondary: Cecia, Vala, Shakir, Cassadee (DPS), Koko, Damian (Support), Lucius (Tank)

Smokey & Meerky stand out as the go-to support unit for nearly all encounters, with minor exceptions. Cassadee is a solid alternative if they’re unavailable.

For DPS, while Cecia remains a valuable asset, Marilee, Kruger, and Odie take precedence for their sheer damage output. Lucius can serve as a reliable tank in the absence of the top picks, given sufficient enhancements.

PVP Mode Team Compositions

PVP mode in AFK Journey introduces a broader range of viable compositions, allowing for more experimental and unconventional lineups. The flexibility extends to tanks and DPS roles, with some unique choices becoming surprisingly effective.

Early-stage ideal PVP teams include:

• Tank: Thoran
• DPS: Eironn, Silvina, Lyca
• Healer: Reinier, Rowan
• Secondary: Koko, Hewynn (Support), Shakir, Vala, Cecia, Viperian (DPS), Temesia, Antandra (Tank)

Thoran’s presence is almost indispensable for PVP success. While Antandara offers a temporary alternative, competing against teams with Thoran remains challenging.

The selection of DPS, Healer, and Support units is more fluid in PVP, allowing for a diverse range of strategies. Characters like Lyca and Silvina excel in DPS roles, with Rowan and Reinier offering strong support capabilities.

AFK Journey Team Building Guide

In our guide, we’re diving into the essentials of crafting a powerful team in AFK Journey, complete with examples to kickstart your strategy. Remember, these suggestions are starting points, not strict rules. The game’s dynamics, influenced by various crucial factors we’ll explore shortly, shape how teams can be effectively assembled. So, if your favorite character isn’t highlighted here, don’t worry! It simply means you should check out our Tier List or hero page to understand their role and potential in different team setups.

Building a strong team is more art than science, influenced by factors such as character synergies, the specific challenge at hand, and your personal playstyle. Whether you’re defending your rank in the arena or pushing through a tough stage, the right team composition can make all the difference. So, let’s dive into the basics and set you up for success in AFK Journey.

Faction Bonus

• Faction Bonus: Having more than two characters from the same faction boosts your whole team’s stats. Aim for a team with characters from two factions maximum.
• Celestial and Hypogean: These factions can fit with any other faction to help you secure a faction bonus, acting as flexible additions to your team.
• Avoid Mono-Faction Teams: It’s usually not beneficial to have a team from just one faction. The gains from a single-faction bonus don’t outweigh the advantages of having a diverse team.
• Focus on a Core: Build around a strong core of three characters from one faction, then add two others for their synergy or strength.

Keep it simple: Mix for bonuses, but prioritize strength and synergy over sticking to one faction.

Basic Team Setup

Building your team in AFK Journey can be straightforward if you follow this simple structure:

1. Choose a Tank: Tanks are crucial. Their role might not dictate the rest of your team, but with a limited selection, your choice here is important for leveraging faction bonuses.
2. Select 2 DPS: Currently, having at least two DPS (Damage Per Second) characters is standard. There’s a lack of support for single DPS setups, making dual DPS the go-to for effective team damage output.
3. Add a Support: Supports are the team’s backbone, providing essential sustain. While some excel in healing, others might offer buffs or debuffs, contributing to the team’s overall strategy.
4. Flex Spot: This slot is versatile. You could go for:

• A Specialist, offering unique abilities or multi-role support through buffs, debuffs, or enhancements.
• A second Tank, to distribute enemy focus and enhance frontline durability.
• Another Support, for extra healing and buffs.

The choice for your flex spot should consider the enemy lineup, as there’s no one-size-fits-all team composition. Balancing your team’s abilities with the faction bonus in mind will set you on the path to victory.

Best AFK Journey Team Examples

A common approach is to build around a core of three units from the same faction to activate a +10% stat bonus, allowing for flexibility in the remaining two slots.

Here’s a beginner-friendly guide to creating a core team for each faction, acknowledging that some may outshine others.

However, given the game’s reliance on RNG, you might find yourself leaning into a specific faction based on the characters you draw.

The Graveborn faction stands out with a core composition that remains effective from early to late game, becoming increasingly formidable as Exclusive Weapons are unlocked. Among core teams, Graveborn’s setup is particularly strong, facilitating smoother game progression.

Core Team Highlights:

• Thoran serves as a primary tank with a resurrection ability and high damage potential, anchoring the team’s defense.
• Cecia offers robust physical damage, summons an additional frontliner, and controls enemies with her AoE root, enhancing the team’s offensive and defensive capabilities.
• Viperian excels in setting up AoE damage, benefiting from the initial protection to unleash his power.

Supports & Healers

• Support Options: Choose between Hewynn for global healing or Rowan for burst healing and energy boosts, particularly aiding Viperian’s damage through ultimate skills.
• Second Frontliner: This role compensates for any downtime in Thoran’s resurrection. Lucius reduces incoming damage, and Brutus provides a temporary invincibility shield, ensuring Thoran’s survival and recovery.
• Flex Spot: Reinier, being Hypogeans, can enhance the Graveborn core with extra crowd control, even unlocking a 4-man faction bonus for increased resilience and damage. Alternatively, doubling up on supports with Hewynn and Rowan offers versatility against various enemy formations.

Whether bolstering your front line or enhancing your support network, the Graveborn faction provides a solid foundation with ample room for strategic experimentation.

Mauler Team

The Maulers team in AFK Journey is tailored for smooth sailing through AFK Stages and, with a few tweaks, can also excel in the Dream Realm. The key to this composition lies in strategic debuffing, especially utilizing Kruger for his unparalleled debuffing abilities.

Core Team Insights:

• Brutus: A Warrior with exceptional tanking abilities, Brutus becomes temporarily invulnerable when hit with a lethal blow. This unique passive buys crucial time for allies to charge their Ultimates. However, his effectiveness wanes under heavy pressure due to a lack of additional survival skills. Often, he’s paired in dual tank setups for better durability.
• Antandra: Outshines Brutus as a tank post-ascension, although initially, gathering her duplicates may prove challenging due to the high demand for Mauler spots on wishlists.
• : Serve as the go-to Support, enhancing allies with healing, attack boosts, and increased haste.
• Koko: Complements Smokey perfectly by layering defensive buffs, reinforcing the team’s resilience.

Flexibility in Non-Core Roles:

• DPS Choices: Feel free to experiment with two DPS from the Mauler or even venture outside the faction. Cecia is a versatile choice, offering strong physical damage, crowd control, and an additional tank through her summon.
• Rhys and Seth: Provide area and focused damage, respectively. Seth, in particular, becomes a formidable force with sufficient duplicates, capable of self-healing and decimating enemy lines.
• Odie: Stands out as arguably the best A-Level character, dealing significant damage and finishing off weakened foes with his Exclusive Weapon’s execution ability. He’s a powerhouse in both PvE and PvP.
• Utility Options: Shakir and Rowan bring diverse benefits; Shakir with buffs from his Lupine Aura and Rowan with burst healing and energy management. Depending on your roster, substituting Koko with one of these for enhanced utility might be beneficial.
• Thoran: Offers another tanking option, potentially replacing Antandra or Brutus or even serving alongside them for a beefier frontline.

As Exclusive Weapons come into play, integrating Shakir and Seth into your composition can shift the dynamics towards a more sustain-focused melee team. Odie’s Exclusive Skill, in particular, is noted for its game-changing power across various content types.

Wilder Team

The Wilders team in AFK Journey is known for its robust energy cycling, significantly enhancing team performance through strategic character use, such as Lyca and Rowan. This synergy isn’t just about physical defense shredding but more about creating a sustainable energy flow for continuous ability use.

Core Team Composition:

• Granny Dahnie: Offers a sturdy defensive base with self-sustain and debuffs like Haste Reduction and Taunt. Proper energy support from Lyca or Rowan can turn Granny Dahnie into a crowd control powerhouse.
• Bryon: A prime choice for core DPS. His consistent attacks work well with Cassadee and Lyca, delivering substantial single-target damage to disrupt enemy frontlines.
• Hewynn: Stands as the team’s defensive cornerstone, boasting the highest healing capabilities among Supports. Her ultimate heals across the map and her haste buffs enhance cooldown efficiency, enabling quicker skill deployment.

Exclusive Weapons Boost:

• Granny becomes even more formidable defensively below 50% HP.
• Bryon can stun attackers when under heavy fire.
• Hewynn gains immunity to crowd control during her ultimate, solidifying the team’s defense.

Supporters

• Lyca The linchpin of this setup, Lyca’s early energy burst, physical defense shredding, attack speed boost, and her ultimate’s attack-enhancing aura, significantly amplify the team’s offensive capabilities.
• Parisa Offers a DPS boost with additional support for Bryon, increasing attack speed and damage, albeit with some reliance on enemy positioning.
• Rowan or Cassadee: Choose based on the need for sustained healing and energy (Rowan) or support for basic attack-reliant DPS like Bryon (Cassadee).
• Cecia A great fit for additional crowd control and physical damage. Works exceptionally well with Lyca’s attack enhancement, providing an extra layer of strategic depth to the team’s composition.

This Wilders team composition emphasizes energy management and defensive prowess, allowing for sustained control and damage output throughout battles. The inclusion of Exclusive Weapons and strategic non-core picks further enhances this dynamic, catering to a variety of situational needs and enemy formations.

Lightbearer Team

The Lightbearers, despite being viewed as the less formidable faction for team-building in AFK Journey, harbor potential for a balanced team with a blend of offense and defense. The catch? Their defensive prowess often overshadows the need for such in many team setups.

Core Team Composition:

• Vala: As an assassin, Vala excels in eliminating key targets such as healers. Starting in ranged mode, she draws less initial aggro, allowing her to dive with her Ultimate for high single-target damage. Shields from Korin and Lucius enhance her survivability.
• Korin: A standout Specialist who grows from a modest early game presence to a powerhouse, especially with his Exclusive Weapon. His ability to deal significant damage while also casting protective shields makes him invaluable for tougher stages.
• Rowan: Essential for his burst healing and energy generation, Rowan brings consistency to this core group with his buffs, making him a cornerstone of the team.

Enhancing the Team with Non-Core Members:

• Lucius: Offers robust early-game tanking with his AoE shields and crowd control, making him an asset for building a resilient frontline. However, as the game progresses, you might consider swapping him for characters like Granny Dahnie or Thoran for improved performance.
• Flex DPS and Tank Roles: Cecia, with her exceptional damage output and crowd control, complements the team well, especially alongside Lucius and Korin. Her ability to summon adds an extra layer to the frontline, making it tougher for enemies to break through.
• Flex Position Alternatives: Reinier, offering additional crowd control, or doubling up on supports with both Hewynn and Rowan, can adjust the team’s dynamic based on the challenge at hand, providing flexibility and strategic depth.

Although the Lightbearers might not be the first choice for core team formation due to their defensive slant, with the right combination and strategic use of characters, they can form a formidable team capable of progressing through the game’s stages effectively.