Last updated: November 5, 2026
The strongest Black Clover characters are Lucius Zogratis, Asta and Yuno. At his Wizard Emperor peak, Lucius was the most powerful being in the series, and it took Asta, Yuno and Noelle together to bring him down in Chapter 388. Asta is the strongest one left standing: he beat Yuno in Chapter 391 to become the 29th Wizard King.
Spoiler warning: this ranking uses the finished manga, all the way to Chapter 392. The anime is only at Episode 175 (Magna vs. Dante), so the table below marks every entry that spoils past that point.
Yuki Tabata’s manga ended with Chapter 392 in the May 1, 2026 issue of Jump GIGA. That gives us something every older ranking was missing: a finished story with every big fight settled on the page. The anime came back on October 3 for Season 2 on TV Tokyo and Crunchyroll, and it’s adapting the Spade Kingdom Raid right now. So if you’re here to figure out how strong Yuno, the Dark Triad and the captains really get, this is the full picture.
Black Clover Power Ranking at a Glance
| Rank | Character | Magic | Best feat | Spoils the anime? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lucius Zogratis | Soul, Time (Astaroth), Gravity, plus every grimoire tower | Ate Lucifero’s heart after beating him (Ch. 332) | Yes |
| 2 | Asta | Anti Magic (Liebe) | Beat Yuno to become Wizard King (Ch. 391) | Yes |
| 3 | Yuno | Wind, Spirit (Sylph), Star | Killed Zenon (Ch. 310), cut down a Lucius body (Ch. 360) | Yes |
| 4 | Lucifero | Gravity | Took on every captain at once (Ch. 314-330) | Yes |
| 5 | Zenon Zogratis | Bone, Spatial (Beelzebub) | Captured Yami and William Vangeance | Partly |
| 6 | Julius Novachrono | Time | Rewound all of Judgment Day’s deaths (Ch. 389) | Yes |
| 7 | Yami Sukehiro | Dark | Kikongan form vs. Paladin Morgen (Ch. 368-380) | Yes |
| 8 | Dante Zogratis | Body, Gravity (Lucifero) | Fought the whole Black Bulls squad (Ch. 240-260) | No |
| 9 | Noelle Silva | Water, Spirit (Undine), Leviathan | Beat Vanica at 100% (Ch. 295-297) | Yes |
| 10 | Mereoleona Vermillion | Fire | Stayed standing under Lucifero’s gravity (Ch. 314) | Yes |
| 11 | Vanica Zogratis | Blood, Curse (Megicula) | Beat Lolopechka, Noelle and Secre together | Partly |
| 12 | Morgen Faust | Light (Lucifugus) | Needed four fighters to stop him (Ch. 368-380) | Yes |
| 13 | Licht | Sword | Beat Asta and Yuno together (Ch. 156-157) | No |
| 14 | Yosuga Musyogatake | Iron | Finished Asta’s Zetten training (Ch. 344-348) | Yes |
| 15 | Nacht Faust | Shadow, multiple devils | Forced Asta’s first Unite (Ch. 270-273) | No |
The 15 Strongest Black Clover Characters, Ranked
1. Lucius Zogratis
Lucius Zogratis is the strongest being in Black Clover at his peak: a Soul Magic user and host of the devil Astaroth who also took the King of Devils’ power and every spell in the Clover Kingdom’s grimoire towers.
Lucius hid inside Julius Novachrono’s body for years, and Julius never knew. Once he takes over in Chapter 331, he stops pretending. In Chapter 332 he walks into the lowest level of the underworld, beats the other half of Lucifero alone, and eats the devil’s heart. That gives him Gravity Magic and Lucifero’s raw strength on top of Astaroth’s Time Magic.
Then he stacks more. He absorbs his siblings’ Body, Blood and Bone Magic, which lets him rebuild bodies, make Paladins and send clones all over the battlefield (Chapter 361). In Chapter 379 he links himself to every grimoire tower in the kingdom. Now he can cast any spell ever stored there, plus the magic of anyone who dies in the battle. His Time Magic also shows him thousands of possible futures, so he picks the one where he wins.
Why he’s No. 1: he cut Asta’s chest open and beat him in Chapter 334. The final fight needed Asta and Yuno in perfect sync with their partners, the Vermillion siblings breaking his United Forces spell (Chapters 386-387), and a surprise long-range shot from Noelle before Asta and Yuno could land the killing slash in Chapter 388. Nobody beat Lucius alone. For the villain-only version of this list, see our strongest Black Clover villains.
2. Asta
Asta is the strongest character standing at the end of Black Clover: his Anti Magic deletes any spell it touches, and he beat Yuno to become the 29th Wizard King.
No other character has a resume like this. Asta landed the final slash on Dante with Yami’s katana in Chapter 259. He reached a complete Unite with Liebe and brought the Demon-Slayer Sword down on Lucifero’s head to end that war (Chapter 330). In Hino Country he learned Zetten, a way of packing Anti Magic into a single strike, and then cut all five heads off the revived Five-Headed Dragon at once (Chapter 352).
The key detail: Lucius can’t read any future Asta touches, because Asta has no magic at all. That is the hole that sinks the whole Judgment Day plan. Asta’s Anti Magic also cuts through the regeneration that made the Paladins and Lucius clones so hard to kill.
Why he’s not No. 1: he lost their first fight badly in Chapter 334, and the rematch was a team win. But by the finale he’s the one wearing the robe. He beat Yuno in Chapter 391 and became the youngest Wizard King ever and the first one born a peasant.
3. Yuno
Yuno is Black Clover’s most complete mage, mixing Wind Magic, a Spirit Dive fusion with the wind spirit Sylph, and royal Star Magic that lets him teleport between stars.
Yuno’s best fight is Zenon. He loses their first fight, then awakens Star Magic as heir to House Grinberryall, the Spade Kingdom’s royal family, then kills him with Saint Spirit of Zephyr in Chapter 310. On Judgment Day he shields the entire Noble Realm with Star Magic (Chapter 355) and casts Never-Never Land, which powers up every Magic Knight nearby and blocks Lucius’s aging spells (Chapter 356).
In Chapter 360 he slices a Lucius body in half, and Lucius admits Yuno has passed the strongest version of him in every future he foresaw. Later, with Asta knocked out, Yuno holds off the Wizard Emperor by himself using Anti Magic that Asta lent him (Chapters 380-383).
He ranks under Asta for one simple reason. In their final duel his magic ran out first, and Asta smashed the sword Yuno made out of pure willpower.
4. Lucifero
Lucifero, the King of Devils, flattens armies with Gravity Magic, and it took nearly every Magic Knight captain plus Asta’s first full Unite to beat him.
The Lucifero fight runs from Chapter 314 to Chapter 330, and he wins most of it while only half-manifested. He presses the captains to the ground, crushes Mereoleona’s forearm in his hand (Chapter 318), and impales Yami and Nacht at the same time. He only goes down after Yuno teleports him straight under Asta’s Demon-Slayer Sword.
He sits under Lucius for an obvious reason: Lucius beat the other half of him alone in Chapter 332 and ate his heart.
5. Zenon Zogratis
Zenon Zogratis is the Dark Triad’s best fighter, combining his own Bone Magic with the devil Beelzebub’s Spatial Magic to stab you from portals anywhere on the field.
Zenon had more talent for devil power than either sibling, even as a child (Chapter 306). He’s the one who actually captured Yami and William Vangeance for the Dark Triad, and he beat Yuno, Klaus and Letoile together. His Demon Sword Dansleif mixes Bone and Spatial Magic to slice up everything around him.
Why Zenon beats Dante here: Zenon won with skill, not just a big devil. Yuno lost their first fight, needed help from Langris and Finral, and had to awaken a brand-new magic attribute before he could finish him in Chapter 310.
6. Julius Novachrono
Julius Novachrono, the 28th Wizard King, uses Time Magic strong enough to rewind an entire capital and bring the dead back.
Julius was the hero everyone in the Clover Kingdom trusted, and the guy carrying Lucius’s soul without knowing it. His big feat comes at the very end. In Chapter 389, with his body falling apart, he uses Time Magic to undo all of Judgment Day: the ruined capital is restored, and Jack, Marx, Revchi and Gueldre come back to life. Then he leaves the kingdom to the Magic Knights and dies.
He’s not higher because he almost never gets a finished fight at full strength. His big showing before the twist, against Patolli in Chapter 142, ends with him spending everything to erase a spell aimed at the kingdom.
7. Yami Sukehiro
Yami Sukehiro’s Dark Magic katana can cut through space itself, and the Kikongan pill made him the strongest captain on Judgment Day.
Yami has been the benchmark for adult power since the start. He stayed on his feet under Dante’s devil-boosted gravity (Chapter 245), handed Asta the katana that became the Demon-Slasher Katana (Chapter 259), and fought Lucifero with William’s World Tree blade.
His real jump comes from the Kikongan, a secret Yami clan pill that boosts power hugely but usually sends the user into a bloodthirsty rage. Ryuya sends one with Ichika (Chapter 347), and Yami is the first person known to stay in control. With Nacht, Ichika and Adramelech, he takes down Paladin Morgen Faust (Chapters 368-380). By Chapter 392 he’s retired as captain, but not from the Magic Knights, and he’s married to Charlotte.
8. Dante Zogratis
Dante Zogratis, host of Lucifero, pairs Body Magic regeneration with Gravity Magic and took on the entire Black Bulls squad by himself.
Dante lifted the Black Bulls’ whole base into the air, beat a berserk Black Asta with his bare hands (Chapter 244), and at 50% of Lucifero’s power could bend space to block attacks. He kept regrowing whatever got cut off. It took Yami passing Asta his katana with one second left on Asta’s power-up to finally put him down (Chapter 259).
His weakness showed later. Once his link to Lucifero was cut, Magna beat him in a straight fistfight (Chapters 289-293). That’s the fight Season 2 just animated in Episode 175, and our Episode 5 review covers why it landed so well.
9. Noelle Silva
Noelle Silva is the strongest royal mage in the Clover Kingdom, with Water Magic big enough to beat Vanica at full devil power and a contract with the Sea God Leviathan.
Noelle’s turning point is the Heart Kingdom. Using Saint Stage with the water spirit Undine, she beats Vanica at 100% of her devil’s power (Chapters 295-297), then destroys the half-formed heart of the devil Megicula (Chapter 303). For Judgment Day she contracts with Leviathan, and she and her siblings take down their resurrected mother Acier.
She also lands one of the most important shots in the series: the long-range hit to Lucius’s face in Chapter 388 that opens him up for the final slash.
10. Mereoleona Vermillion
Mereoleona Vermillion is the strongest pure brawler in the Clover Kingdom, and her Hellfire Incarnate spell keeps raising her power the longer she fights.
When Lucifero’s gravity pressed everyone else flat, Mereoleona was still standing (Chapter 314). She went toe to toe with him beside Yuno until her body started turning into pure mana (Chapters 321-322). On Judgment Day, Paladin Moris wiped out her arm and she built a new one out of mana and kept punching.
She ranks under Noelle because she never beat a Dark Triad member or a devil king. But in a straight-up slugfest with anyone on this list below No. 7, bet on her.
11. Vanica Zogratis
Vanica Zogratis, host of the curse devil Megicula, fights with Blood Magic and devil power strong enough to beat a royal, a spirit user and a seal mage at once.
Vanica beat Lolopechka, Noelle and Secre together in the Heart Kingdom before Noelle came back with Saint Stage. She’s the most reckless of the three siblings, which is why she ranks lowest of the Dark Triad: Dante and Zenon both win more fights on skill.
12. Morgen Faust
Morgen Faust returns as a Paladin with Light Magic and the devil Lucifugus, fast enough to mortally wound a captain in one move.
Lucius brings Nacht’s twin brother back for Judgment Day (Chapter 354), and Morgen nearly kills Jack the Ripper right away. He’s later revealed as the host of Lucifugus (Chapter 375). It took Yami on the Kikongan, Nacht, Ichika and the devil Adramelech working together to stop him.
13. Licht
Licht, leader of the elves, uses Sword Magic and the Demon-Dweller Sword well enough to beat Asta and Yuno together.
Licht beat Asta and Yuno in Chapters 156-157, then fought alongside humans and elves against the devil Zagred. He’s this low only because his feats come early in the story, long before Asta and Yuno’s big jumps, and he doesn’t fight at the end.
14. Yosuga Musyogatake
Yosuga Musyogatake is the most dangerous swordsman of Hino Country’s Ryuzen Seven and the man who finished Asta’s Zetten training.
Yosuga trained Asta by slamming him into the ground and walls until Zetten clicked (Chapters 344-348). He used Iron God of War to knock a dragon head into place so Asta could cut all five (Chapter 352). And when Lucius remotely possessed Heath to kill Ryuya, Yosuga cut his head off (Chapter 384).
15. Nacht Faust
Nacht Faust is a multi-devil host who merges with his devils through Shadow Magic, and he’s the one who pushed Asta into his first Unite with Liebe.
Nacht’s training fight with Asta and Liebe (Chapters 270-273) is where the series’ final power system starts. He later fought Lucifero, helped stop Morgen, and by Chapter 392 he’s the new captain of the Black Bulls.
Just Missed the Cut
Zagred is the toughest omission. His Word Soul Magic needed humans and elves fighting together to beat (Chapters 201-212), but everyone above him beat or outlasted stronger threats. Adramelech, the highest-ranking devil who switched sides, mostly fights in support. Patolli, Fuegoleon and William Vangeance all have great moments but no top-tier wins at the end.
Lucius or Asta: Who’s Really the Strongest in Black Clover?
Black Clover’s power system isn’t a straight ladder. It’s a matchup game. Lucius has the most raw power anyone ever shows: dozens of magic attributes, clones, time control and foresight. Asta has none of that, but Anti Magic shuts off the exact things Lucius depends on. He can’t erase Asta with spells, and he can’t plan around him because he can’t see Asta’s futures.
So the honest answer comes in two parts. By peak power, Lucius is No. 1, and no hero beat him one on one. By who’s left standing, Asta wins: he beat Lucius with help, beat Yuno alone, and ended the story as Wizard King. That’s how this ranking splits them.
Who Won Asta vs. Yuno?
Asta did. Six months after Judgment Day, nobody could agree on who should be the next Wizard King, so the two settled it with a duel (Chapters 390-391). Yuno’s magic was so dense that his sword held up against Anti Magic, and he used Star Magic teleports to keep Asta from closing in. He even dropped a giant boulder on him. Asta broke through it with Zetten, punched through Yuno’s Spirit of Notos, and held him at swordpoint after Yuno’s magic ran out. ComicBook.com’s breakdown of the final duel goes beat by beat if you want more.
Fan tip: if you’re buying the final volume, Volume 38 (out in Japan on August 4, 2026, collecting Chapters 381-392) adds two extra pages to the middle of this fight.
Where Is the Anime Right Now?
Season 2 premiered October 3, 2026, picking up with Episode 171 and streaming on Crunchyroll in the US, with new episodes on Saturdays. Episode 175 aired on October 31, 2026 and covered Magna vs. Dante, and Episode 176, “The Sacred Valkyrie,” is set for November 7. Our Season 2 episode schedule has every date, and Anime News Network’s Season 2 preview has early impressions.
Want to read ahead? Episode 175 ends around Chapter 293, so start the manga at Chapter 294. You can read it on VIZ’s Shonen Jump app. The original 170 episodes also stream on Crunchyroll. Check our guide to all 170 original episodes if you need a refresher.
One thing to skip for power scaling: the 2023 Netflix movie Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King. It’s an original story, so its resurrected Wizard Kings don’t count toward manga rankings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the strongest character in Black Clover?
Lucius Zogratis is the strongest at his peak. As the Wizard Emperor he could use every spell stored in the Clover Kingdom’s grimoire towers, and it took Asta, Yuno and Noelle together to beat him in Chapter 388. Asta is the strongest character still standing at the end.
Is Asta stronger than Yuno?
Yes. Asta beat Yuno in their final duel in Chapter 391. Yuno’s magic ran out first, and Asta broke his last sword and held him at swordpoint.
Who becomes the Wizard King in Black Clover?
Asta becomes the 29th Wizard King after beating Yuno in Chapter 391. He’s the youngest Wizard King ever and the first born a peasant.
Is Lucius stronger than Asta?
At their peaks, yes. Lucius beat Asta one on one in Chapter 334, and the final win needed Asta, Yuno and Noelle together. Asta’s Anti Magic is still the reason Lucius loses, because Lucius can’t see the futures Asta changes.
Who is the strongest Magic Knight captain?
Yami Sukehiro. After taking the Kikongan pill and staying in control, he helped take down the Paladin Morgen Faust on Judgment Day. Mereoleona Vermillion, who led the Crimson Lions, is a close second.
Has the Black Clover manga ended?
Yes. Black Clover ended with Chapter 392 in the May 1, 2026 issue of Jump GIGA, and the final volume, Volume 38, came out in Japan on August 4, 2026.
