Friendly Steps Route Tier List
A pain ranking for ground types, not a fake character DPS chart.
Friendly Steps has no hero roster to rank. The thing that has tiers is the ground. This hub ranks route types by how fast they punish a sloppy rope, based on the demo, public playtests, and the way streamer lobbies actually die. It is not a competitive esports ladder. It is a warning label for the walkthrough.
If you want object-by-object notes, open the obstacles page. If you want to argue about skins, that argument is already over: costumes do not change stride length. See skins.
How these ranks work
Ranks assume a three-player lobby that already knows tiny steps. A four-stack of first-timers will fall on everything and should stay in Getting Started. A duo of veterans will make Construction look like a sidewalk. Adjust mentally.
S-tier here means “this space farms wipes.” C-tier means “this space teaches.” That is inverted from a power ranking on purpose. You came here to know what hurts.
Route tiers
S — Tornado. Last open playtest, highly vertical, no nets, starting-line tax. Briefing: Tornado. Do not bring beers. Do not bring a friend who still mashes Space.
S — Construction cranes. Open air, yellow steel, tractor below. The overview screenshot is the rank. Briefing: Construction.
A — Night bridges with broken planks. Shorter than a crane, same pendulum. Homepage hero energy. Pull or reset.
A — The Trip caves. Visibility and panic, not always height. People look at skeletons instead of feet. Notes on locations.
B — Stairs and steep hills. Ordinary looking, still a station puzzle. Fails when the lead races.
B — Sketchy shortcuts. Sometimes a gift, often a beam with marketing. Only take them after a sober freeze. See the walkthrough.
C — City sidewalks. Teaching biome. Benches and cops are collisions, not bosses.
C — Parks and playgrounds. Calm camera, shin-high traps. Good second session, bad if you treat it like a rest zone.
D — The bar. Staging room. The only S-tier threat here is drinking before you walk. Items.
What this list refuses to rank
We will not publish a fake S-tier skin chart. We will not invent boss names. We will not score drinking as a strategy. Beer is a self-imposed S-tier modifier on any route.
Speedrun mode uses the same ranks with less patience. If a skip turns an A-tier bridge into a C-tier sidewalk, it will be added to obstacles after it is shown in a public build, not before.
How to use the list on launch week
Pick one rank above your comfort and stop. Streets then hills then a bridge is a night. A bridge then Construction is a dare. Construction then Tornado is a breakup. The co-op guide is the difference between a dare and a reset loop.
After September 3, 2026, new maps will slot into these letters instead of getting a new alphabet. If a launch route is kinder than Tornado but meaner than a park, it is an A. We will not pretend every alley is unique.
Bring this hub up in voice chat when someone says “it is just walking.” Point at S-tier. Then walk anyway, with smaller taps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common Friendly Steps questions.
Is this an official competitive tier list?
No. It is a fan ranking of route pain based on demo and playtest evidence. The studio did not score the city.
Why are skins not ranked?
They are cosmetics. Visibility matters; damage numbers do not exist. See the players hub.
Where should a new squad start?
C-tier sidewalks. Move to B-tier stairs only after freeze-and-pull works. Jumping to Tornado is how you meet the starting line.
Will launch maps change these ranks?
Yes. New ground will be inserted into the same letters. Check Updates after September 3, 2026.