Tree

> This page is dedicated to the #TeamTrees fundraiser. This is one of the most unique tier lists so far examined.
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Trees are one of the most meta-defining organisms in the game. This Faction was added during the Devonian expansion (TierZoo erroneously claimed they were added in the subsequent Carboniferous Expansion Pack), and they quickly increased the oxygen level to the highest it has ever been. As a result, the Arthropod Faction was buffed so significantly that they ruled the game and became one of the most over-powered Factions at the time. They are still in very huge numbers around the world that defines how many of the top builds construct their various game strategies. For example, many of the apex builds specced into claws that grant them mobility bonuses in the arboreal biome, which is a biome that only exists because of how overpowered trees are. There are many different types of trees with various specialisations.

## The Tier List

### Birch Tree(D Tier)

There are no F Tier tree builds in the game. Skipping to D Tier, we have the Birch Tree with some of the lowest defenses of trees in the game. Of all the tree builds, this build has the thinnest bark, making it highly vulnerable to damage that other tree builds could easily ignore. For example, damage from deer players sharpening their antlers or woodpeckers drilling for prey. Most tree builds won't take damage from these as their bark would usually nullify it. However, the Birch Tree is uniquely vulnerable. In addition, they are more flammable than most trees due to their oily sap and paper-like bark. Although all trees are weak to fire, many of them at least have ways of mitigating this vulnerability.

### Oak Tree(C Tier)

Next up on this list, we have the Oak Tree in C Tier. The Oak is one of the most powerful tree builds in the late game. It can grow higher and wider than most other tree builds, allowing it to crowd out its competition. It has thick bark, which protects it from weak damage. The Oak is also protected at least somewhat from parasites as its wood and foliage contain tannic acid, a natural deterrent. These are all solid features, and as it reaches into the late game, being the most powerful and durable tree builds. However, Oaks have a difficult early playthrough that is harder than most tree builds. The starting form of the Oak build is the acorn which is a highly sought-after food source for the omnivorous players as they are a great source of XP. Despite them being a great build overall, lately, they've been falling in viability as the number of small scavenger builds, like the squirrels and woodpeckers, has seen a surge in population recently. To combat this, some Oak Tree clans have started implementing a strategy where they will drop zero acorns in some years, starving out the local scavenger players and then releasing extra in the following years, which gives new Oak mains a better chance to survive.

### Maple Tree(B Tier)

In B Tier, we have the Maple Tree. The Maple build is somewhat a jack of all trades in the Tree faction. While it can grow as large as some of the others, it doesn't get crowded nearly as easily as Birch Trees do. Its bark isn't as impenetrable as builds like the Oak, but it also isn't weak. One of the reasons Maple players can spawn in new locations so easily is that their seeds actually have the **[Flight]** ability. While not quite as effective as the drifting ability as the plants like the Dandelion and the Milkweed, the Maple can still travel long distances with its helicopter samara seeds. Nothing else about the Maple is particularly broken, and oftentimes, this playstyle gets overshadowed by trees that grow bigger and stronger and choke out the Maples. They could have a better tier placement if they did not spec so many points into Aesthetics.

### Mangrove Tree(A Tier)

One of the most meta-defining builds in the entire game, we got the Mangrove in A tier. The Mangrove is one of the few tree builds that specced into salt resistance, allowing it to grow in shallow places on the coast of the ocean. This creates an entirely new in-game biome called the Mangrove Swamp. The Mangrove Swamp is unique among the game's biomes in that it creates an extremely healthy meta for the arboreal builds because they no longer have to fear attacks from ground-based predators. Mangrove swamps are havens for new aquatic bird players, as well as low tiers like the Sloth, seeing as most builds that are prone to griefing them aren't fond of traversing a salty swamp. Salt resistance is an ability that often gets overlooked, but in the right situation, it can turn a lesser-known mid-tier into a dominant high-tier.

### Conifer Tree(S Tier)

In top tier, we have the Conifer Tree. The Conifer build is a unique take on the tree builds that makes some very interesting choices when it comes to their abilities. The most obvious is that they opted to spec into needles rather than leaves, offering a few advantages and disadvantages. The biggest advantage is that needles don't fall during winter. They're compact enough that they can survive frost, so the Conifer is free to harvest all the XP it wants from the Sun even during the winter when other trees can't, but in addition to that, needles also don't catch wind near as much, meaning high winds can't blow conifers over nearly as easily as they could a tree with broad leaves on it. Needles are also much tougher for insects to munch on and also retain water much more effectively, meaning droughts or deep freezes don't dehydrate Conifer players. Their disadvantage is that they are extremely weak to fire damaging. Their waxy needles catch fire much easier than most trees. However, this is where the Conifer's final ability comes into play. Their pine cones are fire resistant and spread seeds more often after being scorched by a flame. Because of this, conifers turn their main weakness into a strength due to this spectacular slew of abilities. A notable build, the giant Sequoia, the largest tree build in the game, is part of the Conifer faction.

## Addendum

It is undisclosed that since the Anthropocene, patch forests have started to disappear from mangrove swamps to the rainforests. Trees are powerful enough to shape the state of the game to the point that many builds have had their playstyle tailored to fit the arboreal environment. They are also receiving help from the Team Trees Movement as for every dollar donated to the Arbor Day Foundation, one tree will spawn in the game. Players are encouraged to support the movement if possible. The cause can be supported at teamtrees.org. If you're unable to give financially, you can help simply by viewing the original TierZoo video (without AdBlock on, of course), as Patrick vowed to donate its revenue to the movement, ultimately leading to the spawning of 5,000 trees (after one month of viewership). Another way to help, unaffiliated with #TeamTrees, would be to directly plant trees through a local environmental group (varies on location).