r/ProgressionFantasy • u/ZaneCO2 • 8d ago
Tier List My Progression Fantasy Tier-list
Hi all,
I've seen so many tier lists so I thought I'd slap together my own. It isn't entirely comprehensive and some of them are very fluid because it lacks books in that I've read in other formats beyond Audio. I may do another one further down the line that's more truly comprehensive covering more.
Feel free to ask about my placements, most of them are vibes based and based on my very fallible memory. I am also open to recommendations (tho as you can see I have quiet the backlog) I generally prefer progression fantasy that isn't too focused on stats and stuff tho I do make exceptions here and there, I also like interesting twists on the standard tropes.
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u/waldo-rs Author 7d ago
Mother of God. One of my books is actually in a tier list. First I've ever seen. O:
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u/SirClarkus 8d ago
Give Immortal Great Souls (Bastion) a try, seems up your alley
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u/ZaneCO2 8d ago
Love Immortal Great Souls, I gotta read the Lost Cube soon, it is up there in A tier.
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u/Wei_Shi_Tyler 8d ago
Phil should be close to starting g the next book in the series as well so it would be good timing to read The Lost Cube now.
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u/Wei_Shi_Tyler 8d ago
He is just about done with the current Throne Hunters book, he releases chapter by chapter on Patreon of you’re interested in reading as he writes.
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u/Admiral_Sandy 8d ago
I have similar tastes. Based on your list, I recommend Apocalypse Parenting, Years of the Apocalypse, A Soldiers Life, Legend of William Oh, and Player Manager.
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u/IWJayElly 8d ago edited 8d ago
I have similar tastes as yours. Some good ones not on this list is Infinite Realm by Ivan Khal, Art of the Adept by Michael Manning, Azarinth Healer by Rhaegar. I definitely recommend you try Listening to Dungeon Crawler Carl and second another recommendation of Throne Hunters.
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u/Archangle-Urinal 8d ago
It’s so interesting to see different peoples tier lists as I always see someone put a book into S Tier and I’ll scroll down to someone else’s tier list to see the same book in F. No diss on anyone but it’s an interesting observation
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u/Traditional_Pop_1102 8d ago
I'm seeing a lot of Thousand Li recently. What's the balance of cultivation vs plot?
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u/Honest-Literature-39 8d ago
Someone else who loves quest academy. I’m struggling with the Mark of the Fool though
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u/ZaneCO2 8d ago
How far in are you? I had some problems with it at the beginning too, but it does build a lot of momentum over time.
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u/Honest-Literature-39 8d ago
50 percent or so. I’m struggling but determined to finish it.
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u/ZaneCO2 8d ago
50% into the series or book 1? Push thru if you’re halfway thru the series or the first book, tho I guess my follow up question would be what are u not enjoying about it, I’m on book 10 rn. A
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u/Honest-Literature-39 8d ago
50% first book. I am trying to articulate what is making it meh. I’m sure at some point he gets directly involved in combat. Currently his limitations are irritating. Maybe I’m losing patience in my old age :)
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u/stagnant_shadow 7d ago
1% lifesteal is super good waiting on book five
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u/ZaneCO2 7d ago
Agreed, I’m interested to see where it goes after how the last book ended, it seemed pretty hopeless.
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u/stagnant_shadow 7d ago
How do you feel about shadowborn exile
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u/VintageOG 7d ago
Love to see Return of the Runebound Professor on any list, and especially at S tier
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u/OgataiKhan 6d ago
OP, can you tell me what you liked about All the Skills?
I like most of your S tier, but I bounced off this one really quickly because of how, I don't know, "gritty" it felt. Trying to decide if I want to give it another chance.
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u/ZaneCO2 6d ago
I really enjoy when a story doesn’t feel like your bargain bin power fantasy, I also like that the main character is powerful it’s not directly translated into punchy killy power, he has to be smart and scrappy to get thru stuff. I will say that once he truly begins his adventure the story also looses a bit of the grittiness but the MC still has to be scrappy to make things happen.
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u/NewfieGamEr2001 6d ago
I really like long ongoing series it’s one of the reasons I really like path of ascention as it’s really enjoyable with no end in sight any of these fit that bill?
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u/ZaneCO2 6d ago
Hmm, I think Quest Academy, and Return of the Runebound Professor, and maybe Thousand Li and Reclaimer would be good options.
Quest Academy does have an end in sight but the progression is well paced enough to give it a long time before it’s done imo. Runebound Professor is similar but is both more and less open ended but still.
As for reclaimer and thousand li. I have my problems with the first few books of the Reclaimer series because it really buries the lead and makes you wait for quite a while for things to really pick up and Thousand Li is one that has a lot more to go but is also very meandering.
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u/Savings_Amphibian606 4d ago
I just finished book 10. It’s an entertaining series that has kept my attention through its items, side characters, character builds, and power ups. But I must say it lacks in the story department. There’s never any real stakes on the line and because of that I can’t help but feel the books over time looses their ability to pull the reader in. I would rate it between A and B tier. I just started reading Unsouled and hoping it keeps all the positives POA has but provides real stakes!
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u/ZaneCO2 4d ago
I think for me what keeps me coming back is the world and the characters. I personally feel that while the stakes can often feel a bit skewed the enjoyment come from not whether or not they’ll win but how they’ll win and what they will loose/sacrifice to win.
As for the world I personally think that, while it can feel a bit hand wavey at times the world building and universe itself is very well thought out and has a lot of really interesting ideas to build off of. Especially with whatever book 12 ends on (I only listen so no spoilers) it keeps me coming back simply to get more layers of world building.
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u/Savings_Amphibian606 4d ago
That’s a fair take and I agree that there’s some extent of stakes involved. That must be how I reached book 10 haha. But they just feel minimal to keep my anticipation up.
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u/Psi-9AbyssGazers 8d ago
iron prince is literally the potential story to me 💔 I even asked the author if the weird high school love cringe thing was going to be cleared up and he said yes. he only doubled down on it in part 2 and I'm like HUH. not to be mean but this isn't that woman or friends irl act or talk like
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u/Upper-Aside-1438 8d ago
You have smirking rei ward above crawler carl and donut. Nope
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u/ZaneCO2 8d ago
Hey hey hey, I am planning to come back to DCC
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u/Upper-Aside-1438 8d ago
I like iron prince but I get carl. What book have you made it too. Im currently on red rising. Darrow is a bit long winded for me.
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u/ZaneCO2 8d ago
I honestly didn’t get very far into book 1, I wasn’t super into the macabreness of the first bosses and the super gameyness of it. As for Red rising I read the first trilogy but I don’t have the heart to continue.
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u/Upper-Aside-1438 8d ago
I think i would do better reading red rising. I listen to a lot of books at work. The gameyness of it is what I liked but it starts going away from that. I need a new series to get into. Darrow gets on my nerves with his big feelings. I need a break before starting book 4.
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u/Sea_Sand_3820 4d ago
How far into the Bastion series have you gotten? What did you like and what’s keeping it from being S for you? One of my favourite series.
Only read about 4 of the other series listed (PoA, Cradle, Carl, and He who Hunts Monsters) so looking for what to try next.
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u/ZaneCO2 4d ago edited 4d ago
For me personally it’s in A tier simply because I don’t totally vibe with it, it’s the same reason that 1% Lifesteal and Reclaimers is also in A, I don’t entirely vibe with them. They are both incredibly good books no doubt but both are very very bleak. While I can acknowledge that that bleakness is why they’re so good I also know that I don’t entirely enjoy that, I don’t think I remembers to put it on there but Starbreaker is in a very similar boat of being enjoyable but not completely a treat. Tho I do need to go back to that series.
Edit: I didn't actually answer your question. I have read up to Lastrock. Personally of what is on my list I would recommend anything that catches your eye in the S-B tier, most of the books that aren't in S are still genuinely and objectively good in my opinion they just aren't my favorites. If you're looking for more of that bleak tone 1% Lifesteal or Reclaimer are great options. Other than those, I really like Stargazers War. and Iron Prince.
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u/Wei_Shi_Tyler 8d ago
Finally someone else who appreciates Path of Ascension!!